National School Counselors’ Week Brings Awareness To Services

Friday marks the end of National School Counselor’s Week.

White County High School Counselor Stephanie Naaktegboren said she hopes this week served as a reminder to parents, students, and faculty alike of all of the services school counselors offer.

She said in recent years, counselors have changed their dynamic of service to focus on student’s academic needs, college and career needs, and social and emotional needs.

“You know we’re no longer guidance counselors, where in the past they were focused maybe on just getting the student out of high school and getting the student into college or career,” Naaktegboren said. “But now by focusing on those three domains, I hope we’re doing a better job of getting our message out to families.”

Naaktegboren said as a counselor, she sees anxiety as one of the main issues students face today. However, she said this year it seems students are finally getting back to a sense of normalcy coming out of the school shut-down era.

Naaktegboren said students are the counselors’ main priority and work for them. However, she said it takes a team effort from teachers and parents to help ensure a student’s success.

“We’re all working together to work for the betterment of our kids,” Naaktegboren said. “Academically, socially, and looking toward their future. So I would hope people would know that we all want to be on the same team, and we all want to see them be successful.”