Announcements

School Counselor Spotlight:

Dawn Martinez; Inola Public Schools

Dawn is in her twelfth year as the 9-12th grade counselor at Inola Public Schools. We are thankful for you!

What is your favorite part of being a school counselor or the most rewarding aspect of your position?
Helping students plug into their futures; I have a role in teaching students life skills for success, be it coping skills when they are angry or how to map out goals and objectives to meet their goals, or simply offering assessments so they can better know themselves. It is a role I do not take lightly and I love facilitating the learning process.

Why is creating a comprehensive school counseling program important to you?
We know the four basics of education, Reading, Writing, Arithmetic (is it even called that anymore lol?) and Science, but I dare say the FOUNDATION of any building/district is the culture set and maintained by Comprehensive School Counseling Programs.

What quote inspires you?
"A goal without a plan is a dream". I actually use that quote daily; Students come in and often have a ""life goal"" that is far-reaching, i.e. wants to be a doctor but hates math and science and doesn't want to go to college; I NEVER discourage a student, but I help them goal map, look up plans of study for medical school etc., and by the end, they have made step by step realistic goals that can result in a career path in the medical field, and feels more attainable.

What do you do when you need inspiration to tackle another day working on behalf of students?
I watch feel good movies like The Blind Side to remind myself we all make a difference every day...I just want the difference I make to be positive.

What do you do to decompress and refuel for the next day?
I love to take evening walks with my husband, nature decompresses me.