We Love Our Jags

Hello and welcome to DeSoto Central High School, home of the Jaguars !

Our current enrollment as of August 2019 is 1775 students.
We have 4 School Counselor’s serving those 1775 students and we now have a school based Mental Health Counselor.  We are very excited to have her here with us this year! If you would like to receive a referral form for our Mental Health Counselor please contact your counselor.

Tamra Walendzik
Mental Health Counselor
tamra.walendzik@dcsms.org@dcsms.org

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Mrs. McNeil

9th grade Counselor

adrian.mcneil@dcsms.org

Mrs. Birks
10th grade Counselor
kay.birks@dcsms.org

Ms. Vaughan
11th grade Counselor
meghan.vaughan@dcsms.org

Ms. Springer
12th grade Counselor
lauren.springer@dcsms.org


Contact your Counselor and schedule your appointment today!

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Meet Mrs. McNeil

Freshman Counselor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hello everyone, I am very excited to be a new member of the DeSoto Central High School Jaguar Family. I have 17 years of counseling experience with students Kindergarten through 12th grade. For 8 years, I was a counselor in Tulsa, OK. For 7 of those years, I was a counselor at one of the top 100 schools in the nation. (Go Hornets!!) However, I was born and raised in Mississippi.

 

I graduated from Houston High School in Houston, MS. I have a Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Mississippi State University (Hail State!!) and a Master's Degree in Counselor Education from the University of Mississippi. I am also a National Board Certified School Counselor through the National Board for Certified Counselors.

 

DeSoto County became home for my husband, my two sons and myself in July 2012. We love this area and are proud to be a part of this great community. Being a parent has helped me to see to an additional piece to education, and I strive to be the counselor I would want for my children.

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As the Freshman Counselor, I assist students and parents with the transition to high school. My passion is working with students to ensure that I am able to meet their needs, and working with parents and staff to make sure that our students receive the best preparation for life after high school.

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Meet Mrs. Birks

Sophomore Counselor

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Hi There! My name is Kay Birks and I have had the pleasure of helping your students here at DeSoto Central High School for 6 years.  I also had the wonderful opportunity to intern here as I completed my Master’s program at Delta State University in 2014.  In 2009 I earned a Bachelor’s of Arts in Psychology from the University of Mississippi.  I was born in Texas, but spent most of my life in Tupelo, Mississippi, so I’m sorry Jags, but the Golden Wave will always be in heart!

I am the Sophomore Counselor and I enjoy helping parents, students, and our faculty nurture this very delicate age group.  I also helped create and sponsor the Cultural Enthusiast Organization.  

DeSoto Central is a very special place for me.  When I moved to DeSoto County in 2012, I started my life.  Since becoming a School Counselor, I have been blessed to become a wife and a mother to two beautiful children.  Being a parent has helped me become a better counselor in many ways and I am grateful you have trusted me to help your students both academically and personally. 

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Meet Ms. Vaughan

Junior Counselor

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Hey there! My name is Meghan Vaughan, and this is my 6th year as a counselor at DCHS. I was born and raised in Olive Branch and attended Ole Miss for both my undergraduate and graduate degrees. My Bachelor’s is in Elementary Education and my Master’s is in Counseling Education. I am both a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) as well as Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC).

While being the junior counselor I have had the pleasure of getting to build relationships with students and parents.
I am passionate about working with students and meeting them where they are. I think it’s essential for students to have an outlet and someone to talk to, someone to encourage them in not only their academics but also their extracurricular activities, and I’m blessed to play a part in that in my counseling role here at DCHS.

On a personal note, I love to spend time with family and friends! I have two nieces who I absolutely adore and being an aunt has been such a blast! I’m a big sports fan so I love any chance to go to a sporting event

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Meet Ms. Springer

Senior Counselor

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Hello!  I am Lauren Springer, and this is my 9th year as a counselor at DCHS.  I serve as our 12th grade counselor, and I love getting to work with our students during such a fun (and, yes, sometimes stressful!) year of their lives.

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Raised only 25 minutes from Starkville and the only child of two Mississippi State alums, it was a no-brainer for me to choose the maroon-and-white for myself.  I received my B.A. in English in 2007 and my M.S. in Counseling in 2011.  I am both a Nationally Certified Counselor (NCC) as well as a Nationally Certified School Counselor (NCSC), and I am always working to try to stay informed and innovative in my profession.

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Aside from my counseling duties, I serve as a sponsor for both National Honor Society and Jagathon.  I am also the advisor for our school's yearbook, the DC Roar, and I am so glad to have these opportunities to work with our students in different ways.  During my time at DeSoto Central, I have worked with so many special students and families, and I truly cherish being called to this profession and being given the chance to work with our incredible students.

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Outside of my life at DCHS, I am always looking for a fun concert to go to or a new restaurant to try.  I love traveling, and, to me, there is no place as magical as New York City at Christmas.  Cooking, reading and binging Netflix crime dramas is how I most enjoy my time at home... when I'm not playing with my sweet but oh-so-silly rescue puppy, Annie, that is! 

 

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Meet Mrs. Walendzik

Mental Health Therapist

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My name is Tamra Walendzik. I am the mental health therapist serving the students of Desoto Central. I received my MSSW from the University of Tennessee – Memphis. I earned my BSW from the University of North Alabama in Florence, Alabama and an Associate degree from Northeast Mississippi Community College in Booneville, MS.

 

After receiving my BSW I worked for the Department of Family and Children’s Services, as it was known at the time, in Prentiss and Desoto Counties. After receiving my graduate degree, I worked as a clinic social worker for National Nephrology Associates and as an Independent Support Coordinator for an agency called Neighborhood Network.

 

My husband’s job transferred us to Texas in 2005. I spent our time in Texas being a stay at home mom, growing and nurturing our family during our time there. In 2012, we moved back to our home state of Mississippi. Where I currently work as one of the mental health therapists for our school district.

 

My husband and I have been married for 20 years and have two children, a 16 year old daughter and 12 year old son.

 

We spend lots of time together watching our kids participate in sports, working out together and just navigating life with a teenager and middle schooler.

 

In the event I have a few minutes to do other things, I enjoy sewing, quilting, growing flowers, and cooking for friends

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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