Ms. Tess W. Short was selected as the 2015 School Counselor of the Year by the Virginia School Counselor’s Association.

Ms. Short has been the School Counseling Director at John Rolfe Middle School in Henrico County for four years.

Prior to this position, she was employed with Prince George County and Cumberland County Public Schools where she was recognized as the Teacher of the Year.

Tess has a passion for what she does. Her hard work and dedication is shown each day as she walks up and down the halls talking to students. During SOL Testing, she wears crazy outfits to motivate her students to do well on the SOL test.

She holds two master’s degrees from Virginia State University in Counseling and Interdisciplinary Studies. Tess is also a 1996 honor graduate from Prince Edward County Public Schools. She is a member of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority Incorporated.

Tess is the great-granddaughter of the late Frank and Clara Allen, of Farmville, granddaughter of Ruth A. Watkins, and the daughter of Dr. Mary Pace, of Richmond. She is the adopted daughter or Mr. and Mrs. John Dean and Ms. Martha Cleveland, of Farmville.