School Counselors play an insurmountable role in the lives of scholars. During National School Counseling Week (Feb. 6-10), Osseo Area Schools recognizes the contributions and tremendous impact school counselors have on ensuring scholars have the essential support needed to succeed. This week, we will feature a few of the dedicated elementary, middle and high school counselors that help our scholars.
Kaylee Herlofsky and Shanna Schroeder, North View Middle School
North View Middle School may be Osseo Area Schools’ smallest middle school by student population, but school counselors Kaylee Herlofsky and Shanna Schroeder said their strength is in their size. The school’s team of three counselors, along with Morgan Mcginnis, offer a high level of support, and it was the district’s first school to receive recognition as a comprehensive school counseling program using the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP).
“We really get to know every student who enters our doors,” Herlofsky said. “We still stay in contact with so many of our students after they go to high school, and even beyond.”
As a middle school counselor, one day is never like the other.
“That’s what I love about the job,” Schroeder said, “the amount of variety, the uniqueness and the energy of every day is always different.”
Herlofsky said Osseo Area Schools’ middle school counseling focuses heavily on social-emotional learning and includes classroom lessons, drop-in visits and a lot of flexibility for counselors to adapt to the students’ needs. The department’s main goals are to advocate for students and to help them advocate for themselves, to help them problem solve and empower them, and to help them believe in themselves.
While many people might think school counselors spend most of their time on scheduling and academics, Herlofsky said the programming is comprehensive. Social-emotional topics like empathy and coping skills are a strong focus for Osseo Area Schools middle school counseling, along with college, career and future planning. Counselors also work with families, acting as a bridge between families and the school.
“We’re here to help the whole child and the whole school community to feel safe, seen and important,” Herlofsky said.