February 1-5, 2021, is National School Counseling Week. The theme of this year’s celebratory week is, “School Counselors: All in for All Students!” The goal of the week is to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems.
According to the website of the American School Counselor Association, “National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.”
School counselor, Lisa Coale, came to Fletcher in 2019, following counseling internships at JFK Elementary School in Winooski and Colchester Middle School in Colchester. She earned a Bachelor’s Degree in Religion and Islamic studies with a minor in Arabic from Middlebury College and a Master’s Degree in Counseling and Development with a focus on school counseling from George Mason University. Ms. Coale worked as a kindergarten partner teacher for D.C. Public Schools before beginning her journey as a counselor.
In addition to serving as Fletcher’s school counselor, Ms. Coale also serves as the school’s Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) coordinator. In this role, she supports students and staff in establishing, teaching, and practicing school-wide expectations, analyzing behavior data and facilitating school-wide celebrations.
We want to thank Ms. Coale for all of her hard work by letting her know a few words that our classes believe describe her:
Preschool: You are nice. You have a nice smile. You have fun with us. We learn things from you.
Kindergarten: We like your puppets. You teach us good things. You help us know how our friends feel. You do fun stuff with us. You have good songs. We love you.
First Grade: You are kind. You are a good teacher. You are sweet and good and the best. You are respectful and solve problems. You are caring, safe and responsible.
Second Grade: You are awesome. Thank you. You are kind. You are the best. We are proud of you. You are nice and helpful and hilarious. You are spunky and energetic.
Third Grade: You are kind, caring, respectful and safe. You are helpful and thoughtful You are sweet, lively and strong.
Third and Fourth Grade: You are nice. You are caring and kind. You are very helpful and loving and respectful. We are joyful because you are joyful.
Fifth and Sixth Grade: You are thoughtful, helpful and kind. You are caring and super flexible. You are empathetic, respectful and you follow all of the schoolwide expectations.
“I feel so very fortunate to work with a supportive, collaborative and dedicated professional like Lisa Coale,” art teacher M.C. Baker said. “She is incredibly creative and flexible and always puts the needs of students and families first. She is a role model for all of us and she has been a shining light amidst a challenging year.”
“Lisa has a real gift for engaging students,” third grade teacher Tracey Godin said. “She is lively and energetic and knows just what to say and do to motivate students and help them gain the skills they need to be successful across settings. She not only teaches students, she leads by example.”
Thank you for all you do, Ms. Coale. We appreciate you and are grateful for your hard work!
Christopher Dodge is the Principal of Fletcher Elementary School and is a regular contributor to THE FWSU STORY. You can follow him on Twitter @FletcherFalcon
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