It is Counselor Appreciation Week at HMS! Mr. Conner and Ms. Hanneken are two counselors that make our school a special place. Mr. Conner, our 7th and 8th grade counselor, is also a football and basketball coach, and for the first time, is a full time counselor at the middle school. Mrs. Hanneken, our 6th grade counselor, was hired in late summer and has proven to be an excellent find for HMS! She also serves as our district testing coordinator and co-sponsors Student Council.
Our two fearless counselors put their stamp on HMS in many ways. First, they teach a variety of topics in the classroom, and also create curriculum for the rest of our teachers to deliver during advisory time. In the classroom, they teach a variety of topics that will help students develop interest in career pathways, as well as other key areas. From bully prevention to mindfulness, counselor’s uphold the idea of developing the whole child and meeting social and emotional needs. Secondly, they meet the immediate, responsive needs of our students. Both individually and in small groups, Mr. Conner and Ms. Hanneken spend time each day to provide necessary support and teach students skills to navigate through their many middle school challenges.
If you’ve spent any time with our counselors, you quickly realize that they both love kids. Their kind and patient nature, coupled with their active interest, make them so valuable to not only our students, but our teachers as well. Due to the pandemic, there is a heightened socio-emotional need for our students, and HMS has two of the right people to accomplish our aim. We are lucky to have Mr. Conner and Ms. Hanneken. It is fitting counselors have a week of appreciation in February. They deserve it.
