Great Bend Middle School
The State of Kansas is looking to take a new direction in its approach to educate children. Instead of just testing and preparing a student for reading and math requirements, Kansas wants to spend more time developing the entire child with social, emotional, and soft skills. In order to keep up with the social emotional curriculum in all schools, counselors are taking on large roles to make these programs succeed.
USD 428 Assistant Superintendent John Popp says there is a need for more counselors, especially at the middle school level.
John Popp Audio
The Great Bend Middle School has the highest counselor to student ratio of any of the Great Bend schools. There is currently one counselor at the middle school for approximately 500 students.
While making the push for another counselor, USD 428 Board of Education member Susan Young recommended getting a licensed counselor with a degree to fully meet the district’s needs.
Susan Young Audio
The district’s emphasis is to find a qualified counselor, but Popp says it might be difficult to hire such a position this late in the school year. The alternative to a counselor would be to hire a family social worker.
The social worker would have a starting salary around $36,000 while the licensed counselor with a master’s degree may cost $3,000 to $10,000 more depending on experience.
The Great Bend school board gave the district’s administration permission to begin a search for a Middle School counselor for the 2017-2018 school year.