Hello!

I am the counselor for all 7^th graders this year and will remain with this group through their 8^th grade year.  Then I will send them all off to high school and loop back down to start over again with a new group of 6^th graders.  I love that I am given this opportunity to get to know each student well and help them truly grow and thrive through their middle school years.

A little bit about me: 

v     Born in Madison, Wisconsin, but really grew up in Lynchburg, Virginia

v     Married with 3 children – two teenagers and one toddler.  There’s never a dull moment around our house!

v     Earned Bachelor’s degree from James Madison University  (Go Dukes!)

v     Was a teacher for 5 years

v     Earned Master’s degree in Counseling from Radford University

v     This is my 7^th year as a counselor at BMS

v     Loves to be outside – walking, hiking, camping, gardening, playing…

v     Loves to play tennis and volleyball

v     Loves to read  -  so many books, so little time!

v     Loves to make/build things – I enjoy everything from making jewelry to building outside play sets.  I enjoy creating…

v     Loves the beach & the mountains – Virginia is the perfect place for me!

As difficult and frustrating as the middle school years can be, I believe that developmentally these students are ready for the challenge and can turn these years into times of great growth and change.  I truly believe this is the perfect time in their life to help them think about what they are doing and make changes that are beneficial to their over-all well being.  I plan on helping them all to make “healthy choices” along the way, and will run activities with them that will look at not only the foods they eat and the exercise they get but also the decisions they make about friendships and the importance they place on goals and learning.

I LOVE MIDDLE SCHOOL!