School Counseling

OUR MISSION
The Heritage High School Counseling Department encourages every student to achieve success in their post-graduate endeavors. empowering them to make meaningful contributions to the world.
As members of the Pride, Heritage School Counselors establish positive relationships within a caring and engaging environment, while providing a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program. Through advocacy, we strive to ensure equity, access and success for all students. Our program provides academic, social/emotional, and career support through collaborative efforts with teachers, parents, and a caring community, that will strengthen the holistic growth and resilience for our students.

OUR VISION
We'll Heritage High School students will be resilient, college and career-ready individuals who are empowered to make meaningful contributions to the world. Students will be prepared for future success in their post-secondary endeavors, ready to achieve their potential, and poised to meet the challenges and high expectations of the 21st century. Having been members of the Pride community. drawing upon the richness of our diversity and inclusivity, Heritage graduates will be productive citizens, strong in character and respect for others, making a positive impact in their communities.

OUR BELIEFS

  • All students are worthy of being treated as individuals.

  • Embracing our diversity will strengthen our school community.

  • All students deserve a safe and caring environment in which to learn and grow.

  • All students deserve equitable access to a rigorous academic curriculum,

  • All students have the ability to learn.

  • All students have the potential to become productive and contributing citizens.

  • Collaboration with families, stakeholders, and community resources will assist student development.

  • The school counselors will use data in a collaborative effort to design, implement, assess, and continuously improve the comprehensive school counseling program.

  • The school counselors will abide by ASCA's school counseling ethic.

Meet Our Counselors

Mrs. Suzanne Eicholtz, Director of School Counseling

Mrs. Suzanne Eicholtz, Director of School Counseling

Mrs. Eicholtz is a graduate of Duke University where she majored in Psychology and minored in Spanish and Religion. After graduation, Mrs. Eicholtz worked at a residential treatment center for children in North Carolina before returning to Virginia and earning her Masters in Counseling from Marymount University. She accepted her first School Counseling position at Heritage in 2006, serving as a School Counselor from 2006-2014. In 2014 she became the Director of School Counseling at Heritage. Mrs. Eicholtz has great respect for the Pride Community and has loved working with our Heritage students and families.

In her free time, Mrs. Eicholtz enjoys running, both after her two children at home and by herself on the W&OD. She and her husband both grew up in Fairfax County and enjoy raising their family next door in Loudoun County.

Mrs. Justine Rose , A-Cap

Mrs. Justine Rose , A-Cap

Mrs. Rose is a graduate of the University of Virginia where she double-majored in Political & Social Thought and Religious Studies. After graduation, Mrs. Rose traveled in Europe and then worked in Ireland and Scotland. She returned to Virginia and worked for an international non-profit organization. She realized she wanted to help in a more “hands-on” way and earned her Masters and Educational Specialist degrees from James Madison University in Counseling Psychology. She worked as an Executive Director for a non-profit organization for youth and families and grief counselor with a local hospice organization before she transitioned to work within the local school system.

While this is her first year at Heritage, she has worked as a high school counselor and within schools for years. In many ways, coming to Heritage feels like coming home, as she’s a graduate of Loudoun Valley. In her free time, Mrs. Rose enjoys spending time outdoors, reading or helping at her husband’s music store. Mrs. Rose is happy to be part of The Pride and looks forward to getting to know everyone in the Heritage family.

Mr. Richard "Richie" Bevilacqua, Car-Fa

Mr. Richard "Richie" Bevilacqua, Car-Fa

Mr. Bevilacqua, or Coach Bev as most people know him, is beginning his tenth year as a school counselor and his second year as a counselor at Heritage High School. Coach Bev’s previous counseling experience has been at his alma mater Robinson Secondary School in Fairfax County, Freedom High School in Prince William County, and most recently Blue Ridge Middle School in Purcellville. Coach Bev has also been a high school football coach for ten years and is currently the varsity linebackers coach at Loudoun Valley High School. A graduate of George Mason, he first attended Radford University where he played for the Radford Ice Hockey team before transferring and graduating with his Bachelor’s degree in Health Sciences from Mason. Coach Bev then received his Master’s degree in School Counseling from West Virginia University in 2013.

Coach Bev’s wife Christina is a school counselor at Woodgrove High School, and together they have three children, a boy and two girls. Both parents being from South Philly, he is a die-hard Philadelphia sports fan, an avid woodworker, and is passionate about both attending and serving at his church in Leesburg.

Coach Bev describes himself as a relationship guy. He believes that the best way to reach and serve his students and athletes is to build relationships with them and show them that each one of them matters to him individually. There are few things he finds more rewarding than watching his students and athletes go be great.

Mr. Jay Wareham, Fe-H

Mr. Jay Wareham, Fe-H

Mr. Wareham is beginning his third full school year as a member of the PRIDE. He began as a school counselor at Heritage in January 2021. Mr. Wareham graduated from Penn State University (Altoona) with a Bachelor of Arts in Communications and received his Master of Education in School Counseling from George Mason University. Prior to coming to Heritage, he was a school counseling intern at Rock Ridge High School in Ashburn.

Mr. Wareham's passion for working with young people, especially teens, stems from his background as a swim coach. He has 11 years of experience coaching at the club, high school, and developmental levels in the Northern Virginia area. Mr. Wareham is entering his ninth season coaching at his alma mater, Loudoun County High School, where he currently serves as the varsity head coach. He found his favorite part of coaching was building relationships and helping his student-athletes achieve success in and out of the water. Naturally, counseling was the perfect fit!

A fun fact about Mr. Wareham is that he was a member of the varsity men's swim team at Penn State Altoona, where he had a successful collegiate career in the pool, claiming many All-Conference accolades, setting team records, and became the program's first All-American.

He resides in Leesburg, VA and enjoys swimming, spending time with his wife, Melissa, friends and family, and cheering for the Nittany Lions on Saturdays in the fall.

Mrs. Rachel Boyce, I-Marl head shot

Mrs. Rachel Boyce, I-Marl

Ms. Boyce graduated from Liberty University with a B.S. in Developmental Psychology and later returned to Liberty to complete her M.Ed. in School Counseling. After graduating with her master's degree, Ms. Boyce was a long-term school counseling substitute at Mary Ellen Henderson Middle School in Falls Church, VA. This will be Ms. Boyce’s second year with us here at Heritage High School and she is very excited about continuing to build relationships with our students, families, and faculty.

Ms. Boyce was recently married in October, 2020 and loves spending time with her husband and their two dogs. She enjoys hiking, volunteering in the community, and traveling in the New England states. Working with students is her passion and she looks forward to doing so at Heritage this year.

Mr. Donald "Paco" Jones, Marm - Pi

Mr. Donald "Paco" Jones, Marm - Pi

Mr. Jones is a graduate of Marshall University in Huntington, WV where he majored in Counseling and obtained his Masters in School Counseling. Mr. Jones also played football as a Walk-on earning a full-Scholarship his Junior and Senior seasons. After finishing up his undergraduate degree, Mr. Jones spent several years working for the West Virginia Division of Juvenile Services as a Correctional Counselor and Correctional Case Manager. After completing his Masters degree, Mr. Jones relocated to the Eastern Panhandle of West Virginia and spent a couple years working for the West Virginia Supreme Court of Appeals as an Adult/Juvenile Probation Officer. Mr. Jones also spent one year working for the Virginia Department of Juvenile Services as a Juvenile Probation officer prior to joining the team here at Heritage High School in the fall of 2017.

In his free time Mr. Jones likes to "lift things up and put them down" (i.e. weightlift) and spend time with his children.

Mrs. Trish Garrett, Pl-Sm

Mrs. Trish Garrett, Pl-Sm

Mrs. Garrett is a graduate of Southeastern Louisiana University where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in secondary education. After working in higher education for nearly 10 years, Mrs. Garrett pursued her graduate degree from Marymount University where she earned a Masters in Counseling. Prior to coming to Heritage High School, Mrs. Garrett spent 9 years at Stone Bridge High School. Mrs. Garrett, who is also a proud Pride parent, is very excited to be on board and looks forward to working with students and families! 

Mrs. Debra Smith, Sn-Z

Mrs. Debra Smith, Sn-Z

I am super excited to be at Heritage High School this school year and being a Pride family member!  This is my fourth year in Loudoun County Public Schools. Prior to being at HHS, I was a high school counselor within LCPS, an elementary school counselor and a site-based substitute previously in Western Loudoun.  I am originally from Pennsylvania and am still a huge college football fan!

I reside in Purcellville with my husband, two daughters and crazy dog! In my free time, I love to walk, travel, and spend time with my family and friends.  I also love ice cream, anytime of day! 

I can't wait to meet students and families! It's going to be a great year! Please know I can reached anytime during the day so please stop in to see me!  

Email Debra Smith

Deb Smith