Perham Public Schools celebrated National Guidance Counselor week as they honored the staff of Lakeland Mental Health and the schools for their work with the students and community during the week of Feb. 6-10.
The team at the Heart of the Lakes Elementary school consists of Brooklyn Thompson, Sage Becklund-Erickson, and Sonya Grabe. The Prairie Wind Middle School team consists of Katie Olson, Tammy Detloff and Grabe, while the Perham High School team consists of Jen Bain and Paige Kunz. Courtney Rooney and Jenny Lindstrom work district wide with students.
Perham High School Principal Ehren Zimmerman, Prairie Wind Middle School Principal Jim Kennedy, and Heart of the Lakes Elementary Principal Mike Kunza all praised their staff and efforts.
Zimmerman said the counseling teams are the backbone of student support at Perham High School. He said they have three counselors and a social worker that support the student body in a variety of ways and are extremely fortunate to have these services in our schools
Bain serves as the career counselor at Perham High School and Zimmerman said she does an excellent job providing students with the multiple opportunities that are available to the students and guiding them along the way for student success.
Bain said she enjoys meeting with students and others to offer guidance and support that will help them accomplish their goals in high school and beyond.
Rooney and Kunz are stationed at the High School and provide a direct link to setting direction with mental, social, and emotional health concerns, according to Zimmerman. He said they provide the services that help connect our students, families, school staff and community together to support the well-being of these young adults at the high school.
Lindstrom works district wide as a social worker and is the link between students, families and outside services to support the well-being of the students. Zimmerman said her work is critical for preparing students for a successful path both at Perham High School and the community.
“As a principal of Perham High School, I cannot thank these ladies enough for providing the professional services they provide on a daily basis,” Zimmerman said. “It takes a team to support all of our stakeholders and this team is looking out for students daily and supporting them through the challenges that arise in life.”
Kennedy echoed the sentiments about his staff at Prairie Wind Middle School. The counseling staff consists of Olson, Detloff and Grabe.
Detloff serves as a Mental Health Practitioner at PWMS and Kennedy said she brings positive energy every day and the students just light up when they are working with her.
Olson serves as the School Counselor and says she strives to promote equity for all students and make school a place they feel safe, heard, and valued.
“Katie’s door is always open. She always has a smile on her face and is willing to do whatever it takes for our students,” Kennedy said of Olson.
Grabe is a Mental Health Specialist and works at both the PWMS and the HOTL. Kennedy said Grabe does a fantastic job of holding small group sessions with the students. She is always making connections with her students and providing life lessons along the way, according to Kennedy.
Thompson, Grabe and Becklund-Erickson work at the HOTL in the counseling department. Thompson serves as the School Counselor. She provides short-term individual counseling services, crisis interventions as well as teaching whole group classroom lessons.
“As a licensed school counselor, it is my goal to make a positive impact in student’s lives, to support social-emotional growth and to create a safe space for all students,” Thompson said of her role.
Kunza said they are extremely fortunate to have a team of counselors working at the HOTL that are dedicated to helping our students with whatever needs they might have.
“Our counselors build trust and long-lasting relationships with our students and families,” Kunza said. “Our counselors are always student centered and do what is best for them.”
While the staff at the Perham Public Schools Counseling Office and Lakeland Mental Health said working with kids and helping kids are one of their favorite things to do.
The guidance counselors and staff at Lakeland Mental Health Center work with students and staff in a variety of diverse ways and the Perham-Dent School District appreciates all the time and effort they put in for the students at the school district.
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