About Me:
My name is Mrs. Erin Hollenkamp, and I have been the Tri-Valley High School's counselor since 2016. I am a Normal West graduate, so I was born and raised in Normal. I attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign to earn a bachelor's degree in print journalism. After working for various publications in Champaign, Bloomington, Chicago, and New York, I decided to explore other career opportunities and found school counseling. I earned my master's degree at DePaul University in Chicago while working in different school districts in Chicago, Glencoe, and Rolling Meadows. My husband and I wanted to be closer to friends and family, so we relocated first to Springfield for a few years and then to the Bloomington-Normal area. Prior to coming to Tri-Valley, I was a school counselor at Washington Community High School for four years. My husband and I have a son (5) and daughter (3) as well as two dogs. I look forward to working with the students and parents at Tri-Valley! Go Vikings!
What Does a School Counselor Do?
The role of a school counselor has changed quite a bit over the last few decades as our job description develops. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), "they (school counselors) help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow." Below are a list of my responsibilities as outlined by ASCA:
Secondary School Counselors Implement the School Counseling Program by Providing:
Classroom Guidance
Secondary School Counselors Collaborate with:
Parents
Source: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles/why-secondary-school-counselors
My name is Mrs. Erin Hollenkamp, and I have been the Tri-Valley High School's counselor since 2016. I am a Normal West graduate, so I was born and raised in Normal. I attended the University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign to earn a bachelor's degree in print journalism. After working for various publications in Champaign, Bloomington, Chicago, and New York, I decided to explore other career opportunities and found school counseling. I earned my master's degree at DePaul University in Chicago while working in different school districts in Chicago, Glencoe, and Rolling Meadows. My husband and I wanted to be closer to friends and family, so we relocated first to Springfield for a few years and then to the Bloomington-Normal area. Prior to coming to Tri-Valley, I was a school counselor at Washington Community High School for four years. My husband and I have a son (5) and daughter (3) as well as two dogs. I look forward to working with the students and parents at Tri-Valley! Go Vikings!
What Does a School Counselor Do?
The role of a school counselor has changed quite a bit over the last few decades as our job description develops. According to the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), "they (school counselors) help all students in the areas of academic achievement, personal/social development and career development, ensuring today's students become the productive, well-adjusted adults of tomorrow." Below are a list of my responsibilities as outlined by ASCA:
Secondary School Counselors Implement the School Counseling Program by Providing:
Classroom Guidance
- Academic skills support
- Organizational, study and test-taking skills
- Postsecondary planning and application process
- Career planning
- Education in understanding self and others
- Coping strategies
- Peer relationships and effective social skills
- Communication, problem-solving, decision-making, conflict resolution and study skills
- Career awareness and the world of work
- Substance abuse education
- Multicultural/diversity awareness
- Goal setting
- Academic plans
- Career plans
- Problem solving
- Education in understanding of self, including strengths and weaknesses
- Transition plans
- Individual and small-group counseling
- Individual/family/school crisis intervention
- Peer facilitation
- Consultation/collaboration
- Referrals
- Professional development
- Consultation, collaboration and teaming
- Program management and operation
Secondary School Counselors Collaborate with:
Parents
- Academic planning/support
- Postsecondary planning
- Scholarship/financial search process
- School-to-parent communications
- School-to-work transition programs
- One-on-one parent conferencing
- Referral process
- Academic support services
- Program planning
- Peer education program
- Peer mediation program
- Crisis management
- Transition programs
- Portfolio development, providing recommendations and assisting students with the postsecondary application process
- Classroom guidance lessons on postsecondary planning, study skills, career development, etc.
- School-to-work transition programs
- Academic support, learning style assessment and education to help students succeed academically
- At-risk student identification and implementation of interventions to enhance success
- School climate
- Academic support interventions
- Behavioral management plans
- Schoolwide needs assessments
- Data sharing
- Student assistance team development
- Job shadowing, worked-based learning, part-time jobs, etc.
- Crisis interventions
- Referrals
- Career education
Source: https://www.schoolcounselor.org/school-counselors-members/careers-roles/why-secondary-school-counselors
