Lawndale School Counselor Named Best In The Country By ASCA

CHICAGO (CBS) -- One Chicago school counselor becomes the first in the state to receive a very special honor.

"She's not just the best in Chicago or Illinois, but the best in the whole country," said Jill Cook, American School Counselor Association.

Kirsten Perry, a counselor at Lawndale Elementary Community Academy was honored Thursday as the country's best school counselor at an assembly.

Chicago Public School's CEO Forrest Claypool recognized her achievements in research, shaping district policy pertaining to the work elementary school counselors do, and improvements made at her own school including increasing parent involvement, reducing absenteeism, and student behavior problems.

"Thanks to the work of Kirsten and her team, behavioral infractions have dropped by 88 percent in the past two years," Claypool said.

Perry will attend an America School Counselor Association celebration in Washington D.C. early next year.