At Minnetonka Schools, school counselors form an integral part of our District community. Counselors are dedicated to supporting students in their journey from kindergarten to high school and ensuring that they are able to find personal success throughout their educational career.
The daily job of counselors around the District can vary quite a bit. Typically, a counselor's main goal is to act as a support system for students in whichever way they need. This could be through one-on-one counseling sessions or through small group sessions with a focus on social skills. Additionally, counselors have an "open door" policy that allows students to reach out to visit them if they are feeling stressed, anxious, or just need to stop by.
"As a school counselor, there's no two days that look alike," said David Bierly. Mr. Bierly is one of a team of counselors at Minnetonka High School. At the high school level, counselors also form a huge part in helping students plan their schedule, register for classes and ensure that their credits are on track to graduate. Additionally, they often assist students with post-secondary planning so that once a student graduates from Minnetonka, they are set up to be successful in college or in the workforce.
Counselors are also a helpful resource in connecting students with other people, communities or information that will help them succeed to their maximum potential. They are experts at knowing what their students need, and if they cannot provide that assistance themselves, they can often be a link between the student and another organization that can. For example, counselors have community partnerships with organizations such as Relate Counseling, and may direct families there if need be.
"It takes a village to raise our children, and we hope to be known as one of the 'point people' when kids are experiencing challenging situations at school," said Anji Johnson. Ms. Johnson, who serves as a student counselor at Excelsior Elementary, collaborated with other counselors in her responses. "In addition to helping students problem-solve, we support staff and offer resources, tools, and strategies [to support the students]."
School counselors' day-to-day jobs have shifted formats in the past year due to COVID-19 and the switch to online and hybrid learning models. Sometimes, counseling sessions were held virtually via Google Meet.
"There have been times that we have had to think outside the box and explore alternative ways to meet students when they are in the virtual learning world," Ms. Johnson explained. "That being said, at the heart of our role as school counselors, we have been, and will continue to strive to be that additional academic, social, and emotional support in the lives of our students. Creating a trusting relationship and 'place' for students to feel safe remains the same."
Whether in person or online, school counselors never fail to make time for their students. They work tirelessly to make students feel welcome and are committed to helping each student achieve success in every aspect of their life.
"I want all my students to know that they always have one person that has their back," said Mr. Bierly. "I want them to feel like there is always someone who will be their advocate. That doesn't mean we're always going to agree with them or what they did, but we will always still be there to advocate on their behalf. If every student at a minimum feels like their counselor does that, I feel like that's a huge accomplishment that makes our school a much better place for kids."
Minnetonka is fortunate to have such a skilled team of counselors at our schools. These counselors work tirelessly each day to create a safe and welcoming learning environment for students, and they are crucial to ensuring that each student is able to succeed. This week, make sure to thank your counselor for all the amazing support they provide!
