2 School Counselors that I will never forget

 I said to a colleague today, I think I am the most grounded I have ever felt in all my 20 years in education. There are a lot of factors that play into this postive state of mind…open roads ahead, closed doors behind, curiosity and exploration peaking, and freedom to network locally and beyond. 

Another major factor in this positive state of mind is that I am taking a sabbatical from my job as a school counselor in the Anchorage School District. 

Sabbatical or a sabbatical (from Latin: sabbaticus, from Greek: sabbatikos (σαββατικός), literally a "ceasing") is a rest from work, or a break, often lasting from two months to a year. 


Many people have asked me over the past 3 months…Why? 
The answers are many, but very few are grounded in negatively or blame. Actually, someone asked to interview me in order to send a video to the state at the time of the legislative hearings in Juneau. They assumed I was leaving for negative reasons. I declined and clarified that I am moving forward and my professional passions, creativity, and skill sets are not directly aligned right now with what the role of a school counselor is in ASD. That is not negative - it is exciting. I have many interests to pursue that will improve my role as educator and counselor.
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But what is surprising in this time of transition is that I have NEVER spent 9 years doing the same thing over and over... ever in my life - (except being married to my husband which is a forever activity!)

 Let me clarify.

As an educator, I loved my students in Virginia. I loved my students in Maine. and  I loved my campers in NH. And I love my students at Begich MS. But students come and go with their development. We as educators are expected to let them go-moving forward.

But today something hit me, hard.

 I wandered next door, as I often do, into my colleagues office. This colleague is a fellow school counselor with double the years I have in experience. She and I and the other counselor remaining at Begich have worked hand in hand, day after day through the first and only 9 years at Begich Middle School, a large diverse middle school in Anchorage, Alaska.

It hit me today that we have not left each other's sides for 9 years. We have learned, taught, tried and cried through it all. At times it has felt like an operating room where your team of docs and nurses are the most important presence to the patient's success. In 9 years, this founding team has not left each other's sides.

                                       

I sat in awe today thinking about what these two women have offered me over the past 9 years. No words can explain, but if there are other school counselors reading this, I know you understand. School counseling is uncharted territory these days. Protocols are developed on the fly as new behaviors and crisis's take rise in our youths' lives at an exponential rate. It really is an incredible line of work that I embrace everyday. My team of counselors have been foundational in the success of the kids and my professional growth.

Ironically, my steps are walking me in the other direction. I will no longer be walking into Shelley or Carolyn's offices. I will not be calling  down the hall for help. No more emails sharing ideas and getting their thoughts or opinions.
I am moving  away from these two incredible colleagues but that has a lot to do with how much I have learned from them and  been exposed to. I am ready to take on new things regarding developing programs for youth today.


9 years has gotten me here and these two school counselors have been foundational in this process.

It hit me today that leaving these two will be hard. They have been a constant. They have been the sources, the reference and the guides. They are the doctors with the tools and skills  that made each "operation student"or operation parent"a success. 

They were the supervision who could help debrief a crisis. They were the ears that listened after I counseled a child through the recent loss of a loved one, a house fire, a suicidal ideation or parent deployment.

Shelley and Carolyn, this clearly is just the start of my debriefing the past 9 years. But all we have shared is in my backpack for my next journey with kids. I hope to keep your wisdom tucked close to my heart. It is a wisdom beyond simple experiences, that I will never be able to replace.

I am amazed at the supportive stairwell this team has built as we have developed our school counseling department over the past 9 years. It is a professional team model I will carry with me on my upcoming ventures. 

THANK YOU Shelley.

THANK YOU Carolyn.