A Day to Celebrate and Promote School Counseling
By Doug Hauserman | March 2019
On February 19 at a formal dinner in Lincoln, Rachel Catlett was announced as the 2019 Nebraska School Counselor of the Year in front of a guest list that included Commissioner of Education Matthew Blomstedt, board members from the School Social Work Association of Nebraska and the Nebraska School Psychologists Association, former NSCA presidents, current NSCA board members, and friends and family of the school counselor of the year semi-finalists and finalists. Catlett is a school counselor at Westridge Middle School in the Grand Island Public School District. She will represent Nebraska in the upcoming ASCA School Counselor of the Year competition. As such she will be invited to attend ASCA’s School Counselor of the Year gala in Washington, D.C., next year with most expenses covered by ASCA. Catlett also received a $500 stiped from NSCA to cover any additional expenses associated with her trip to Washington next February.
Doug Hauserman, NSCA executive director; Kayla Wichman, assistant principal of Westridge Middle School; Rachel Catlett, 2019 Nebraska school counselor of the year; and Jake Willems, NSCA governing board vice chair.
Prior to announcing the 2019 school counselor of the year, we honored the three semi-finalists and three finalists for the award. The three semi-finalists were Jodi Hansen of Tekamah-Herman Public Schools, Kristin Henkenius of Fremont Public Schools and Stephanie Hames of South Sioux City Public Schools. Each of the three finals was introduced by one of their administrators. The finalists, in addition to Catlett, and Erin Malm and Angie Meyer, both of the Omaha Public School District. Malm is the 2018 elementary school counselor of the year and is a school counselor at Chandler View Elementary. Meyer is the 2018 high school counselor of the year and a school counselor at Central High School.
Preceding the dinner, the three finalists and the NSCA Governing Board converged on the Nebraska State Capitol. Each finalist and governing board member was able to meet with their state senator to educate them on the vital role school counselors play in the academic success, social/emotional development and career readiness of Nebraska students. NSCA knows that all too often, school counseling positions are eliminated when schools are not adequately funded. With that in mind, each NSCA governing board member also spoke to their legislator about ensuring adequate funding for education and how some current legislative bills could negatively impact education funding. All the meetings were very positive, with the finalists and board members warmly received by their legislators. NSCA will continue to step up its efforts to educate lawmakers on the importance of school counselors and on important legislation that impacts our students.
In left photo, Erin Malm, NSCA elementary school counselor of the year, speaks with Senator John Arch.
In right photo, Angie Meyer, NSCA high school counselor of the year, meets with Senator Brett Lindstrom.
Contact Doug Hauserman, NSCA executive director, at nscaexecdirector@gmail.com.
Doug Hauserman, NSCA executive director; Kayla Wichman, assistant principal of Westridge Middle School; Rachel Catlett, 2019 Nebraska school counselor of the year; and Jake Willems, NSCA governing board vice chair.
Prior to announcing the 2019 school counselor of the year, we honored the three semi-finalists and three finalists for the award. The three semi-finalists were Jodi Hansen of Tekamah-Herman Public Schools, Kristin Henkenius of Fremont Public Schools and Stephanie Hames of South Sioux City Public Schools. Each of the three finals was introduced by one of their administrators. The finalists, in addition to Catlett, and Erin Malm and Angie Meyer, both of the Omaha Public School District. Malm is the 2018 elementary school counselor of the year and is a school counselor at Chandler View Elementary. Meyer is the 2018 high school counselor of the year and a school counselor at Central High School.
Preceding the dinner, the three finalists and the NSCA Governing Board converged on the Nebraska State Capitol. Each finalist and governing board member was able to meet with their state senator to educate them on the vital role school counselors play in the academic success, social/emotional development and career readiness of Nebraska students. NSCA knows that all too often, school counseling positions are eliminated when schools are not adequately funded. With that in mind, each NSCA governing board member also spoke to their legislator about ensuring adequate funding for education and how some current legislative bills could negatively impact education funding. All the meetings were very positive, with the finalists and board members warmly received by their legislators. NSCA will continue to step up its efforts to educate lawmakers on the importance of school counselors and on important legislation that impacts our students.
In left photo, Erin Malm, NSCA elementary school counselor of the year, speaks with Senator John Arch.
In right photo, Angie Meyer, NSCA high school counselor of the year, meets with Senator Brett Lindstrom.
Contact Doug Hauserman, NSCA executive director, at nscaexecdirector@gmail.com.