Washington High School counselor Katie Sandoval recently was named the South Central Missouri School Counselor Association High School Counselor of the Year.
Sandoval, who has been with the School District of Washington for 16 years, was recognized during the South Central MSCA Awards Ceremony on Friday, April 5, in the Confluence Room at Four Rivers Career Center.
“It’s a huge honor,” Sandoval said. “I am so grateful for the team I get to work with at Washington High School.”
Sandoval was nominated for the award separately by both WHS Principal Dr. Kelle McCallum and Assistant Principal Mary Kleekamp.
Here’s what McCallum stated on her nomination form:
“Ms. Sandoval is an excellent example of a student advocate. In addition, she is a wealth of knowledge when it comes to school processes. She works diligently to understand the position of the varsity of stakeholder’s opinions she must balance in order to guide a conversation that results in the most appropriate result for student success. In addition to her counseling work, she is seen as a trusted adviser to parents, teachers and administrators. She makes work fun and engaging. Everyone should hope for someone of Katie’s caliber on their team.”
Here’s what Kleekamp stated on her nomination form:
“Katie is amazing! She has taken charge on the ACT, both national and state testing, and she is extremely thorough in all aspects of the job. She is the perfect amount of fun-loving and professional, and she is a serious advocate for her students and colleagues. Katie always jumps in to help whenever an extra hand is needed. She has taken on the extra duty of helping supervise after-school events, allowing her to see and support her students in a different light. Katie always takes the time to do the job right and is good about keeping in mind the many perspectives others have. She is sensitive to all the students’ needs and vantage points. The best part about working with Katie is knowing your output will be high, but you will be enjoying every minute.”
Washington High School counselor Katie Sandoval, holding the plaque, recently was named the South Central Missouri School Counselor Association High School Counselor of the Year. Pictured from left, are WHS Counselor Kelly Richard, WHS Principal Dr. Kelle McCallum, Sandoval, and WHS Assistant Principal Mary Kleekamp. McCallum and Kleekamp nominated Sandoval for the award.