Helping Students Thrive as a School Counselor

You could say that Ms. Eunice Smith’s time in CPS has truly come full circle. She started at Burbank Elementary School as a bilingual educator. After taking some time off to grow her family, she pursued a master’s degree in school counseling and worked as a counselor at schools all over Chicago. Now, she’s at Locke Elementary School, not too far from Burbank where it all started. 

In fact, earlier this school year, she thought one of her students looked familiar. As it turns out, she had taught that student’s father many years before when he was in fifth and sixth grade at Burbank. 

She describes her time at Locke as a “beautiful experience” from the time she came to the school to interview for her position. She loves the environment and all the people she gets to work with. Above all else, she loves building relationships with her students. 

We connected with her to learn more about what makes Locke such a special place to work. Read more about her story below. 

Why are you so excited to be at Locke? 

First of all, it’s only seven minutes from where I live. And, because I live so close to Locke, I know the community really, really well. I’m able to provide additional resources because I am so strongly connected to the community. At Locke, I’m a true school counselor. I am able to put all of my time and energy into supporting our students. 

What are some of your key goals for this school year?

I know that part of the reason I was hired was because of my experience with high school applications and advocating for students. We have more than 100 eighth-grade students this year, and I sat down with every single one of them to discuss their futures. It’s important to look at each student individually and determine the environment that will be best for them. For example, if a student is very shy, a big high school may not be the best fit. 

Another thing I noticed was that our students’ Individual Learning Plan tasks did not have a high completion rate. These tasks are so essential for their postsecondary success. My goal is to have 100 percent completion for my sixth- through eighth-grade students. 

What advice would you give to a school counselor who is just getting started? 

The first step to success is building rapport with your students. Building a relationship with them and letting them know that you are there for them makes all the difference. I also think it’s important to share your own experiences with your students so they know where you’re coming from. Even when I talk with my parents, I remind them that I’m a mom, too. 

You have received a lot of great feedback from those in your school community. How does that make you feel? 

It does make me a little emotional because I am an emotional person. It’s nice to be acknowledged, and I’m so happy that I get to do this work.