The Willowbrook Guidance Department provides a four-year comprehensive program that works to support Willowbrook students.
It is proactive and developmental in that it addresses a student’s unique needs during his or her particular year in school. Willowbrook is a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) school, which is a prestigious, research-based recognition given to school counseling departments on a national level from the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). A RAMP-designated school counseling program must demonstrate a comprehensive, data-driven program that meets the needs of all students, and the designation is awarded for three years. There are fewer than 500 schools in the U.S. (and only 36 in Illinois) that have received the RAMP designation.
Counseling services
All Willowbrook students are assigned a counselor (see caseloads and specialty areas below), who will move with them from grade to grade. The counselors are advocates for each student in the school and collaborate with all stakeholders to ensure each student has an enriching high school experience. Services include:
Meet the Willowbrook counseling team
LeVar Ammons (Caseload: A-D): Career Programming Coordinator; Sophomore Programming Coordinator
Cindy Zamora-Failla (Caseload: E-J): Testing Coordinator - ACT, AP, PSAT; Sophomore Programming Coordinator
Lourdes Pina (Caseload: K-M and English as a Second Language): Freshmen Programming Coordinator
Scott Forcash (Caseload: N-S): Freshmen Programming Coordinator; Scholarship Coordinator; NCAA Coordinator
Cathy Bendicsen (Caseload: T-Z): Director of Guidance; Homeless Liaison
Kimberly Mikesell: ACHIEVE Program Counselor
Carmen Avdiu: Special Education Counselor
Dana Whittaker: Community Outreach Counselor; College Programming Coordinator
Steven Kallaus and Brendan Koch: Counselor interns