Shayla Thompson, lead counselor at Crews Middle, is one of five finalists for the 2027 national School Counselor of the Year. The winner is named in late fall.

Shayla Thompson, the lead counselor at Crews Middle School, is one of five finalists for the American School Counselor Association’s 2027 School Counselor of the Year.

Gwinnett County Public Schools announced the news in an Oct. 9 district release. The national association will name the winner in late fall, the district said.

Crews Middle is on Old Snellville Highway, outside Lawrenceville city limits in unincorporated Gwinnett County, and has a Lawrenceville mailing address. It is part of the district’s Brookwood Cluster. Its zone takes in a small part of Lawrenceville; our Crews Middle School page has the zone, report card and bell times.

How she got here

The national program is in its 20th year. State school counselor associations affiliated with the national group send in their nominees, and judges score them on:

  • innovation in school counseling
  • the quality of the counseling program
  • leadership and advocacy
  • contributions to student outcomes

Her recent honors, as listed by the district:

  • 2025 Crews Middle Counselor of the Year
  • 2025 Brookwood Cluster Counselor of the Year
  • 2025 GCPS Middle School Counselor of the Year, named in February 2025
  • 2025 Georgia School Counselor of the Year, from the Georgia School Counselor Association

When the state award was announced, Crews Middle Principal Cindy Moffett said Thompson “leads with empathy, ensuring every student feels seen, heard, and valued,” according to the district’s October 2025 release.

“I’m incredibly grateful for this recognition, especially knowing I work alongside so many amazing and dedicated counselors,” Thompson said at the time.

What happens next

  • Late fall 2026: the association names the 2027 School Counselor of the Year from the five finalists.
  • Thursday, Jan. 28, 2027: an in-person celebration for the honorees in Washington, D.C.

The association’s School Counselor of the Year page had not yet posted the 2027 finalists when we checked Oct. 23. The district has not named the other four.

What it means for you

  • Crews Middle families: the school’s counseling office is led by one of the five counselors the national association is weighing for its top award this year.
  • Following the result: we will update this story when the winner is announced.
  • Other Lawrenceville-area educators in the running: seven teachers from schools serving Lawrenceville, including Crews Middle, are among the semifinalists for 2028 Gwinnett County Teacher of the Year.

For every school serving the city, see our guide to Lawrenceville public schools.