Licensed Professional Counselor/9th-10th Grade School Counselor

Greetings Students and Parents!

My name is William T. Heard, Jr. I have had the privilege of working with thousands of amazing children and families in the Montgomery, Marshall, and Madison County area for the past 22 years. I began my professional career as a bachelor's level Counselor with the F.I.N.D. Team in March, 1997 and master's level Children's Therapist in August, 1997 at the Montgomery County Area Mental Health Center. After relocating in 1998 to continue my education, I worked briefly as a Children's Therapist at Mountain Lakes Behavioral Healthcare Mental Health Center in Guntersville, Alabama before serving children and families at the Huntsville/Madison County Mental Health Center (currently known as WellStone Behavioral Health/NOVA Center) in Huntsville, Alabama from 1998-2004. While working full-time at the mental health center, I was also employed as a part-time Therapist at Crestwood Medical Center's Behavioral Health Inpatient Psychiatric Unit working with the inpatient program, adolescent intensive outpatient program, and emergency room department as an intake screener from 2000-2009. I completed all required ALC/LPC supervision and testing requirements for counseling licensure in October, 2002 and was formally credentialed as a Licensed Professional Counselor by the Alabama Board of Examiners in Counseling in February, 2003. 

I have been employed by the Madison County School System and steadfastly serving as the 9th Grade Counselor at Hazel Green High School since July, 2004. I enjoy collaborating with our dedicated faculty/staff and working daily with our students in many areas that include, but are not limited to: academic guidance, career guidance, individual counseling, group counseling, anger-management skills training, behavioral-management skills training, stress-management skills training, social-skills training, bullying, character education, conflict resolution, coping skills, goal-setting, self-esteem building, and trauma-sensitive intervention strategies to those affected by the impact of adverse childhood experiences (ACEs).

Other responsibilities and duties include serving as At-Risk Counselor, Organizing Parent-Teacher Conferences, Building Leadership Team (BLT), 1st Intervention Contact, Classroom Group Guidance, ELL Contact, 504 Committee Member, Mental Health Contact, Jason Flatt Training Contact, Erin's Law Student Training, Homebound Contact, PACE/Alternative School Contact, Outside Agency Contact (DHR, etc.), Trojan Bound Contact (rising 9th grader transition to high school), STAND-UP Team Support and Scheduling Contact, KUDER 4-Year Plan Training Contact, and Summer School Contact. Past duties included serving as BBSST/RTI Committee Member, Conducting Attendance Conferences, McKinney- Vento Homeless Student Contact, ACT Administrator/Proctor, and Building Test Coordinator for the ACT Aspire. 

I am a native of Talladega, Alabama. I graduated from Talladega High School in 1992. I received the degree of Bachelor of Science in Psychology in May, 1996 and the degree of Master of Science in Counseling in August, 1997 from Alabama State University in Montgomery, Alabama. I received the degree of Educational Specialist in Counseling Psychology in May, 2000 from Alabama A&M University in Huntsville, Alabama. I authored and successfully defended my thesis entitled: “The Effects of Anger-Management and Social-Skills Training on High-Risk Adolescents in an Alternative School Setting in Madison County Alabama" (2000). I am currently pursuing the degree of Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership at Samford University. My long-term goals after retiring from the school system are to continue educating and mentoring youth, teaching at the college level, conducting research in the areas of trauma-affected at-risk children and trauma-sensitive learning environments, and providing quality supervision to those aspiring to become future counselors and educational leaders. 

I have been happily married to the love of my life for 19 years and we have been blessed with two phenomenal children. I enjoy attending church, singing in the men's choir, working with the children's choir and musical theater ministry, spending time with my family, playing video games, free-style rapping (aka "GNice"), watching marvel action movies, watching cartoons, reading, traveling, sports, attending live shows (theater, gospel, comedy, jazz), visiting museums, spending time outdoors, mentoring youth, and volunteering. I believe that with God all things are possible (Matthew 19:26), that I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me (Philippians 4:13), that valuing education is key to overcoming any obstacles in this ever-changing society, and that all children can achieve remarkable success with the proper guidance! 

"Children Learn What They Live" If children live with criticism, they learn to condemn. If children live with hostility, they learn to fight. If children live with fear, they learn to be anxious and insecure. If children live with pity, they learn to feel sorry for themselves. If children live with ridicule, they learn to be shy. If children live with jealously, they learn to feel envy. If children live with shame, they learn to feel guilty. If children live with encouragement, they learn to be confident in themselves and their abilities. If children live with tolerance, they learn to be patience. If children live with praise, they learn to be appreciative. If children live with acceptance, they learn to love. If children live with approval, they learn to like themselves. If children live with sharing, they learn generosity. If children live with honesty, they learn truthfulness. If children live with fairness, they learn justice. If children live with kindness and consideration, they learn respect. If children live with security, they learn to have faith in themselves and in those about them. If children live with friendliness, they learn the world is a nice place in which to live. - Dorothy L. Nolte 

“The function of education is to teach one to think intensively and to think critically. Intelligence plus character – that is the goal of true education.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. 

“In the end, we will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends. Shallow understanding from people of good will is more frustrating than absolute misunderstanding from people of ill will. Our lives begin to end the day we become silent about things that matter.” - Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.