Each year, during the first full week of February, the American School Counselors Association (ASCA) recognizes National School Counseling Week. School counselors provide critical academic, social, and emotional support to students. At Mizzou Academy, we are fortunate to learn with school counselors Alicia Bixby and Amelia Howswer. These professionals engage in the essential care and guidance work with our students across the globe. 

Acknowledging that there aren’t enough words to thank them for all they do, our administrative team put together the following appreciation story for our two school counselors, Alicia Bixby and Amelia Howser.

Founding Counselor, Alicia Bixby

Alicia Bixby’s first position in education was teaching Home Economics. She then worked as a middle school French teacher in Hallsville, Missouri, and later at a Catholic school in Columbia, Missouri. Following her work in the classroom, she pursued dual master’s degrees and was critical in founding our first online University of Missouri High School diploma program in 1999. 

Executive Director Kathryn Fishman-Weaver says, “It is astounding to consider the impact Alicia has had working with University of Missouri High School graduates over the last several decades.” Tami Regan, our Director of Business Operations, adds that Alicia’s work “has affected thousands of student’s lives! Her efforts have helped Mizzou Academy grow into an innovative, worldwide leader in K-12 education. Her care and guidance are felt around the world!”

Director of Teaching and Learning Stephanie Walter calls Alicia’s steady guidance for the past 30 years “a gift. Her institutional knowledge has helped us transition from our first days as explorers into the new realm of online education to 21st-century school leaders equipped to advise and support students as our enrollments grew by thousands.” Stephanie adds, “I’m not quite sure how she does it, but I don’t think I’ve ever seen Alicia ruffled. She is steady and thoughtful, making our students feel valued and seen as she helps them plan for their futures. Over the years, we have heard from family after family who shared their appreciation for Alicia’s friendly guidance.”

Angie Hammons, our Director of Curriculum and IT, adds that Alicia’s work can be felt across multiple aspects of our school. “Her perseverance led to our thriving National Honor Society,” a passion project that Alicia advocated for and that has grown into an international student and service leadership chapter at our school. “But most importantly,” says Angie, “Alicia makes an impact on students every day as their advocate and best supporter.”

Fishman-Weaver admires Alicia’s heart for service and student leadership. “With her guidance, our students have engaged in food drives, educational outreach projects, adaptive sports coaching, and mental health initiatives.” Kathryn says that when Alicia sends her the new draft of our NHS student-authored magazine each year, she is “filled with inspiration and hope.” 

And so we grow with Amelia Howser

Emerging from Kathryn’s common expression during a period of international growth, ‘And so we grow…’ has become a professional motto at Mizzou Academy for nearly 10 years. 

This phrase has had staying power beyond what Kathryn could have imagined and continues to be used by our faculty and staff to represent a growth mindset, finding a new way forward, and acknowledging that even when the work is hard, our team is the right team for the task. 

We have a new philosophical lead in this phrase with Amelia Howser. Amelia joined our Mizzou Academy team in September of 2024 and jumped right in—not only to support students but also to help propel us to continuous improvement. Although she is newer to our team, Amelia brings a wealth of experience in school counseling, mental health, and equity support. She holds a Master’s in Counseling Psychology and a Bachelor’s in Criminal Justice. Amelia has shared that she is “passionate about social justice and committed to impacting change in her work through relationship building and finding creative ways to support all students in reaching their goals.” We see these passions in action in her work supporting students, transitioning to new systems, and developing improved processes. 

When Amelia joined our team last fall, “she quickly caught our vibe,” says Stephanie. “She rolled up her sleeves and began partnering with each department not only to learn about our school but also to add her expertise and creativity as we build on our existing systems.” 

There isn’t a day that goes by without someone commenting, “Amelia helped me with that.” Or, “Amelia and I talked about that. I feel better now.” Like many on the team, Angie celebrates Amelia’s “energy and passion for supporting students. She has amazing ideas and a fresh perspective that is helping us to shape Mizzou Academy into being even better than we currently are.”

Tami adds, “Amelia’s leadership and passion are already evident through our worldwide community! Her focus on student success in our unique and versatile programs guides us to continue improving and innovating. Amelia’s passion for mental health and dedication to supporting all people in our community is spreading through our teams, providing strength and encouragement.”

Kathryn has had the great fortune to work with Amelia in two school systems and says that she “knew when Amelia joined the team that we were in great hands. I have both fond and powerful memories of working together to support students in Columbia Public Schools and am thrilled that Amelia has brought this same heart and leadership to Mizzou Academy.” 

Since joining the school, Amelia has already launched new service initiatives for students, leading to Mizzou Academy’s recognition and registration as a U.S. Presidential Volunteer Service Award site. Our administrative team also celebrates how her care work extends to faculty and staff. Later this month, Amelia is leading a training on wellness for our team that will be made available to our educational partners around the globe. 

Stephanie speaks for us all in saying, “It’s hard to remember that Amelia is new to us. Her energy, humor, initiative, and kindness make me feel she must have been with us all along.”

Helping Students Thrive

ASCA has named the 2025 National School Counseling Week theme “Helping Students Thrive.” The theme perfectly captures our conversations about school counseling at Mizzou Academy. In messages and conversations this week, Mizzou Academy teams have worked on extensions, academic reviews, and mental health support requests. We’ve weighed the merits of different grading systems, brainstormed to find new ways to monitor student progress in our asynchronous context, and planned for meeting national and state standards in middle school courses. We’ve rooted for students who grow from mistakes and felt the ever-present drive and related pressure of serving 7,000 students worldwide. At the heart of this work is a wholehearted commitment to student support. Amidst the inevitable stress and worry, there is joy, hope, learning, and celebration. 

What is the common thread that holds these commitments and this work together? The wise guidance and support from our school counselors, Alicia Bixby and Amelia Howser, and the way they help our students thrive.