Counseling

Welcome to the AIS West Counseling Department

Vision Statement

The AIS - West Counseling Department aims to help all students experience educational success by providing a comprehensive counseling program that addresses the academic, career, and personal/social needs of each student. The school counseling department provides guidance and directed assistance to all students through a structured guidance curriculum program, individual and small group counseling, and advocacy. The school counseling department goal is to prepare students to become effective learners, responsible citizens, and productive members of the global community.

The Comprehensive Counseling program at AIS - West addresses the students’ academic, career, and personal/social needs.

• Academic: helping students understand his/her learning style and how to plan ways to improve it.
• Career: helping students recognize his/her strengths and weaknesses, and how that relates to planning for the future, including college and career.
• Personal/Social: helping students when personal problems interfere with school success and their goals/aspirations.

What do school counselors do?

School counselors are part of the school’s educational team. We work closely with teachers and administration to help students with academic achievement, personal/social development, and career development.

School counselors work with all students in order to help empower them with self-knowledge, positive interpersonal skills, and coping strategies that they can use throughout their lives.

School counselors work with students through:

• Classroom guidance lessons
• Individual and small group counseling
• Crisis Counseling
• Coordinating & consulting with teachers, administrators, and parents
• Referring to community resources
• Parent workshops and presentations

School counselors can help students with many different issues, including:

• Classroom concerns
• Academic motivation
• Self-concept, personal issues
• Peer and friendship
• Dealing with conflict and crisis
• Other issues that impact school performance

How does a student see the school counselor?

School counselors at AIS - West see most students in classroom guidance lessons, but we also see students individually and in small groups.

Students can be referred to a school counselor:

• by parents
• by teachers
• by themselves
• by administrators

Meet the Counselors

Donna Lawrence, B.A., MA. Ms. Donna Lawrence - Elementary School Counselor dlawrence@aiswest.com Donna Lawrence is the new lower elementary counselor, and she will be supporting Grades KG1, KG2, Grade 1, and Grade 2. Her home is in central Ohio in the USA, and she received her undergraduate degree from Indiana University and then completed her Masters in School Social Work at The Ohio State University, and she is licensed through the Ohio Department of Education. Ms. Donna has worked with families and children for over 30 years in a variety of settings; however, most recently, she has spent nine years in international schools as an elementary counselor. Ms. Donna is excited to be in Cairo with her husband (who teaches in the Middle School at AIS - West), and she is looking forward to meeting all of you and providing whatever supports and resources needed. Although the times are difficult and challenging for all of us, Ms. Donna has hopes for and believes it will be a wonderful year!!

Malak Yassin, B.A., MA. Ms. Malak Yassin - Elementary School Counselor myassien@aiswest.com Malak Yassin is starting her 7th year (6 years as a lower Elementary teacher) at AIS West and her 15th year in elementary education. She received her B.A. in Economics and Political Science from Cairo University and a M. Ed. in Elementary Education from The College of New Jersey. She is also completing a second M. Ed in School Counseling from The College of New Jersey. Ms. Malak is looking forward to using her experience in education for the AIS - West elementary counseling program.

ANGELA Fushtey, B.A., M.ED. Ms. Angela Fushtey - Middle School Counselor: afushtey@aiswest.com Angela has over fifteen years of work experience in counseling with children and adolescents, their parents, teachers, and other professionals. Angela received her BA in Sociology and teaching certificate from Canada. This is her third year working at AIS West, and her fifth year working and residing in Egypt. She is originally from Canada.

Fify Kassem, B.A., M.ED. Ms. Fify Kassem - High School Counselor fkassem@aiswest.com Fify Kassem worked with students in a variety of settings as a School Counselor in the Department of Education in New York City. Ms. Kassem holds a Bachelor of Arts in Early Childhood teaching with a minor in Psychology from Brooklyn College, Brooklyn, NY, and she received her Master of Science in Counseling from Alfred University, NY. Ms. Kassem also has an Extension in Special Education Certification from The College of Saint Rose, New York, NY.