Retta Ary named director of DSISD Counseling & Health Services

Retta Ary named director of DSISD Counseling & Health Services

Staff Reports

The Dripping Springs ISD Board of Trustees approved long-time counselor Retta Ary as the new director of counseling and health services at its Sept. 23 meeting.

“We are thrilled to promote Retta Ary to director of counseling and health services,” said Assistant Superintendent for Learning and Innovation Karen Kidd. “Retta’s ability to form strong relationships with staff and students, along with her experience shaping the counseling program at DSISD, made her a frontrunner for this position. Her dedication to this district and community is unmatched, and we are excited to see how she will continue to build our counseling and health services departments.”

As director, Ary will oversee the planning and implementation of a districtwide comprehensive developmental guidance and counseling program. She will also provide leadership, coordination, and support for the district’s health services, with an emphasis on counseling support and fostering physical and mental health so students can reach their full potential.

Ary is in her 12th year with DSISD and has served as coordinator of counseling services since 2023 after 10 years as lead counselor at Dripping Springs High School. In her current role, she has implemented the Effective Advising Framework, which supports individualized student planning in college/career readiness, social and personal development, academic growth, and financial literacy. Ary also mentors 24 DSISD counselors, plans and leads professional development, coordinates the McKinney- Vento program, and serves on the Crisis Support Team.

Before joining DSISD, Ary worked as a counselor at Dawson High School in Pearland for six years. She holds a bachelor’s degree in secondary mathematics education from the University of Alabama and a master’s degree in school counseling from the University of West Alabama.