Santa Maria Sun / School Scene

St. Joe's welcomes new counseling staff members

Students at St. Joseph High School have four new members of the counseling staff to help them chart their way through high school and prepare for college and beyond.

Led by Dean of Studies Monica Franco, the newly restructured counseling department welcomes Bonnie Gordon, Angelica Meza, and Rev. Charles Hofschulte.

Franco, St. Joseph High School’s new dean of studies, has 15 years of experience as both a teacher and an administrator. She holds a bachelor’s degree from Loyola Marymount University and a master’s degree in education administration from Cal Poly in SLO.

Gordon comes to St. Joe’s with several years of experience in school counseling, including academic intervention, test score analysis, and college preparedness guidance. In addition to holding both a bachelor’s degree and master’s degree, she has a California Pupils Services Credential, a Preliminary Administrative Services Credential, and a number of certifications.

Meza is a guidance counselor and AP Spanish teacher. Her area of expertise is in college readiness. She has visited all of the University of California schools, as well as the majority of the California state schools and several of the top private universities.

Hofschulte is a former principal at St. Joe’s, serving students for 12 years. He’s well known in the community for his role as pastor of St. Louis de Montfort Catholic Church and has experience as a teacher and school counselor. He holds a master’s degree in counseling and guidance from Cal Poly in SLO.