Counseling Services

Elementary

We are fortunate in New Albany to have a strong team of elementary school counselors to support the academic and social-emotional needs of our students at the Early Learning Center, Primary School, and Intermediate School.

New Albany Elementary School Counseling services include large group/classroom lessons as well as individual and group counseling opportunities for students who are encountering a social-emotional challenge or need support learning new skills to assist them in managing a variety of life experiences. These lessons and individual or group sessions help students a) develop knowledge, skills, and dispositions to help them be successful, b) overcome barriers that may impede achievement, and c) establish personal goals and develop future plans. For more information about the content of whole class lessons, visit our elementary curriculum map webpage.

It is important to note that individual and small group school counseling services are brief, solution-focused interventions to help a student be successful in school and are not a substitute for the therapeutic/clinical treatment of mental health concerns. School counselors are prepared to recognize and respond to student mental health crises and needs and to address them by offering education, prevention and short-term intervention. When students require long-term counseling or therapy, school counselors can help families connect with appropriate community resources.

School counseling services also include the following: parent and staff consultation; crisis prevention and intervention; serving as an integral member of the NAPLS student assistance programs; coordinating services with clinicians; and a variety of other tasks. Referrals for counseling support can be made through direct contact with the school counselor who serves your child’s classroom.

Elementary School Counselors

PK & K

Phone: 614-413-8716
Email: kottenstette.1@napls.us

Hello Families! I am excited to share my passion and desire to set the foundation for your child in developing the knowledge, attitudes, and skills necessary to become healthy, competent, and confident learners here at the New Albany Early Learning Center.

I hope to have an impact on your child’s early years by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. Through collaboration with school staff, parents, and the community my goal is to create a safe and respectful learning environment for your child. By providing education, prevention, early identification, and intervention; I can help students achieve academic success, develop an understanding of career opportunities and develop social/ emotional skills in response to challenges that they may experience or have experienced.

Growing up here in Columbus, I was able to attend The Ohio State University, where I earned my Bachelor of Art in Psychology with a minor degree in Education. Then worked towards my Master’s of Education in School Counseling from the University of Dayton. I have been happy to call New Albany-Plain Local Schools home since 2018 and started my journey as a school counselor in 2013.

Family time is very important to me, and when I am not at school you can find me spending time with my husband and my three sons (Graham, J.R. and Dean). We love being outside and visiting different libraries around the city. We also like to travel and try new experiences.

Looking forward to the opportunity to connect with you and your family!

Types of Support

The New Albany Plain Local School Counseling Program is designed to promote effective academic instruction and address social-emotional needs of students to help build 21st Century Skills. An introduction to 21st Century Skills helps children build a solid foundation for future success. Early lessons in sharing and cooperation set the stage for effective teamwork. Being able to practice effective communication skills with teachers and other students allows the development of important ideas to be expressed and social connections to form. When children are encouraged to engage and use self-regulation skills this allows development to manage and solve daily challenges.

To help support students through this development, I offer many different levels of support.

Universal Classroom Lessons
- Character Education Lessons presented to all classes
- District and school wide initiatives are introduced to students
- Developed based on the needs and standards set for Kindergarten and Preschool by the American School Counseling Association
Small Group Counseling
- Groups are formed to help students to develop effective communication skills, valuable coping skills, connect feelings and behaviors to academic success, and opportunities for students to help each other through sharing feelings and experiences in a safe environment.
- Developed based on the needs and standards set for Kindergarten and Preschool by the American School Counseling Association
- Referrals from educational staff and families
Short Term Individual One on One Counseling
- Providing assistance and support during times of transition, heightened stress, critical change or other situations impeding students success.
- Referrals from educational staff and families.

Social Emotional Learning

The Ohio Department of Education expressed the following about Social Emotional Learning and the importance of teaching these skills to students.

Social-emotional learning is the process through which children and adults acquire and effectively apply the knowledge, attitudes and skills necessary to understand and manage emotions, set and achieve positive goals, feel and show empathy for others, establish and maintain positive relationships and make responsible decisions. Research demonstrates that students who receive support for social and emotional learning in schools do better academically, socially and behaviorally. Social-emotional learning has also been shown to positively impact economic mobility and mental health outcomes. Developing these skills in students is an important part of meeting the needs of the whole child.

The Zones of Regulation

This year, your child has been participating in learning The Zones of Regulation curriculum. I hope you have taken the time to read the informational letter that was sent home from your child’s classroom teacher. I would like to remind you about The Zones and how you can continue to use this language at home with your child.

Your child’s classroom teacher and I are working very closely to teach The Zones in every environment within the ELC . Each student, Preschool and Kindergarten, have been taught step by step lessons on how to use The Zones. These lessons allow your child to gain an increased vocabulary of emotional terms, skills in reading other people’s facial expressions, perspective about how others see and react to their behavior, calming and alerting strategies and problem solving.

A critical aspect of this curriculum is that all know and understand The Zones language. This understanding creates a comfortable and supportive environment for the student to practice his or her self-regulation skills. You can support this initiative at home by using the terms yourself and modeling yourself using The Zones. An example, I am feeling blue because it is raining outside. Expressing this will allow your child to feel comfortable to express their own emotions to you as well.

R-Factor Initiative: E+R=O and Pressing Pause

The R Factor is a culture, behavior, and decision-making framework students will use to develop exceptional life skills to successfully navigate their school and life experiences. Currently, staff members are working hard to educate and influence students through using the common language throughout the ELC that derives from this initiative.

Students are learning to identify the letters that represent each part of E+R=O.

Through fun activities in the classroom and lessons in the Library, students are encouraged to know that they have the power to choose their response. To help us make the right choice, we need opportunities to stop and think. Students are taught how to press pause. Learning to press pause means taking a minute to think about their response, so they can get the best outcome. Throughout the rest of the year, students will engage and be motivated by the ERO mindset and framework.

E equals the EVENT--something that happens to you
R equals the RESPONSE--how I choose to act when the event happens to me
O equals the OUTCOME--the result of my response, often this is how I felt or someone felt based on my response.

Grade 2

Phone: 614-855-8662
Email: irick.1@napls.us

Primary School Counselor - Second Grade

Hey New Albany Families!

I have greatly enjoyed being part of the rockstar team at New Albany Primary School. The environment here is so welcoming, I couldn't ask for a better group of staff, families, and students. My hope with every child and family I work with is to develop a partnership to support our kids as they find their own unique pathway to becoming successful students and kind humans. I will be working with students through solution focused individual counseling, small groups, and monthly classroom lessons. My goal is to provide them with the skills necessary to regulate their emotions, persevere through challenges, have confidence, become self-advocates, and active problem solvers. I believe if they can develop even just of few of these skills during their time in the Primary Building they will be better prepared for success as they continue their educational journey.

A little about me, I grew up in Dublin and got my Bachelors in Psychology from Wittenberg University, TIGER UP! I continued straight on to get my Masters in School Counseling from Ohio State University and graduated with the Most Outstanding School Counseling Student Award which was such a beautiful honor to get from my professors. I spent the first three years of my career commuting back and forth to Springfield City Schools as an elementary counselor. I learned as much as I could from that community until the commute just became too much of a strain on my family. Then I was fortunate enough to get a job at Buckeye Valley East Elementary which is where I spent my last three years. Through both of these experiences I have learned, grown, and developed as a counselor and leader.

Life outside of work for me is always an adventure. My daughter, Charlie, keeps me on my toes with being involved in multiple sports, always looking for the next adventure, and developing new interests and a love for life everyday. I am married to my wonderful husband David and together we enjoy fun projects around the house and exploring national parks! As a family we are all about exploring new towns and parks, finding new fun recipes to cook together, cheering on the Buckeyes year round, and playing fun board/ card games on the weekends.

I look forward to continuing to build relationships with this community that will last a lifetime. Thank you so much for welcoming me into your Eagle family!

Grade 3

Email: ministeri.1@napls.us

Virtual Office

Primary School Counselor -Third Grade

Greetings!

Parenting and teaching are two of the most challenging yet rewarding jobs on earth. I am honored to partner with and support each child's parental and educational team to empower youth to become the best version of themselves. Part of my role as an elementary school counselor is to advocate for students by eliminating barriers to learning and promoting an educational environment, which fosters a passion for and optimizes student learning.

I grew up in Delaware, Ohio where my family still resides. I earned my Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology from Bowling Green State University, "Go Falcons," My first Master’s Degree in Child and Family Clinical Psychology was earned from the Georgia School of Professional Psychology. In May 2006, I obtained my School Counselor License and earned an additional Master’s degree in Education for School Counseling from the University of Dayton. This is my 18th year as a member of the New Albany Learning Community and I have over 25+ years’ experience counseling children and families. When I'm not at school you might see me at garage sales, working in my garden, exercising, working my Color Street small business or spending time with my cats, friends, and family.

One of my favorite questions to answer is, "Why do we need elementary school counselors?" The simplified answer is prevention, early identification and intervention which are integral in growing children into happy and healthy adults. The knowledge, mindset, and skills children acquire during their elementary years in the areas of academic, career, and social development are critical for a solid foundation for future success. You might wonder, so how does this magic happen? I have the privilege of visiting student's classrooms to conduct counseling lessons, small group opportunities, individual (brief solution-focused) sessions, and collaboration with parents, school staff, and the community.

I have a passion for working with children and I am committed to assisting your child develop the skills, virtues, and confidence necessary for success! I sincerely look forward to working as a team in the coming school year to empower each student to reach their full potential!

Grade 1

Email: hendry.1@napls.us

Primary School Counselor - First Grade

I am a firm believer that it takes a village to raise a child. I am eager to partner with you and your child to make this a great year in an ever changing world. My goal is to support the social/emotional wellness and academic achievement and success of your child. As a parent as well as practitioner I am committed to a thoughtful, compassionate and advocacy based approach.

I provide direct services to students through individual, small group and classroom based lessons with a focus on skill building and resiliency through a brief solution focused modality in a supportive educational environment. I enjoy working with parents and teachers in a consultative role as well as community partners in order to maximize student support and resources and bridge the gap among school, home and community. As a support specialist my role is to help create the best possible learning environment for your child both academically and emotionally.

My background includes an undergraduate degree in Psychology/Sociology from Bowling Green State University and a graduate degree in Counseling and extensive doctoral level work in the areas of School Counseling and School Psychology from The Ohio State University. I am licensed as a School Counselor and School Psychologist through the Ohio Department of Education, a unique combination in the State of Ohio, and have served in both capacities during my career in K-12 education of seventeen years. Previously, I supported students at the collegiate level at Capital University and The Ohio State University.

In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my two children, Jackson (12) and Brynn (9), reading, cooking, going to the beach and exploring new places.

Grade 4

Patricia Saye

Phone: 614-741-3075
Email: saye.1@napls.us

Students/Classrooms Assigned to Counselor Saye - 4th Grade

My name is Patricia Saye, and I am a School Counselor at NAIS. I work with all 4th grade classrooms.

I grew up in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. I moved to Ohio to attend school at Capital University, where I earned a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. Before going onto graduate school, I served as an AmeriCorps member serving students in grades 1-7, as well as a Behavior Technician carrying out interventions to children diagnosed on the Autism Spectrum. In 2021, I graduated with my M. Ed. in School Counseling from Louisiana State University. Geaux Tigers! Additionally, I recently ended my fellowship with the National Board of Certified Counselors as a Mental Health fellow.

I have worked with children through young adults in the education setting in several roles, but helping to better their social and emotional health has always been the most rewarding for me. My favorite part about working with students is seeing them grow through challenging situations. My goal is to contribute to a welcoming school environment and provide students with the support they need to reach their full potential.

When not working with students, I enjoy checking out local farmers' markets, trying new restaurants, and spending time with family. It’s great to be back in the Columbus area. I look forward to collaborating with the staff and families at New Albany-Plain Local Schools, and leading our students towards success!

Grade 5

Leslie Wilson - Grade 5

My name is Leslie Wilson and I am the 5th grade School Counselor at New Albany Intermediate School. While new to NAIS for the 26-27 school year, I joined New Albany-Plain Local Schools as a School Counselor in 2015. As a School Counselor, I work with students to help develop the tools needed to make decisions about personal, social, and academic issues. It's great when I get to see my students utilize these skills and take control of their choices.

A little about me, I grew up in the Toledo, Ohio area and first came to the Columbus area for my undergrad degree at The Ohio State University. My first year of teaching was in Richmond, Virginia but I missed Ohio too much and came back and taught in Upper Arlington City Schools. During this time, I earned my Masters in School Counseling from the University of Dayton. After earning my degree, I transitioned from the classroom into my role as a School Counselor.

Outside of school, you will most likely see me walking my dogs, playing tennis or catching up on the latest television show or movie. We are big college football fans in my house and spend fall Saturdays cheering on the Buckeyes, Go Bucks!

Leslie Wilson
5th grade School Counselor
New Albany Intermediate School
Phone: 614-413-7142
Email: wilson.57@napls.us

Grade 6

Kim Waltman

Phone: 614-741-2014
Email: waltman.4@napls.us

My name is Kim Waltman and I am a counselor at New Albany Intermediate School. I joined the NAIS family in 2020 and I enjoy getting to know as many students and families as possible. As a school counselor I help students gain the confidence needed to use their own voice and craft solutions to solve problems. One of the most rewarding aspects of being a school counselor is seeing the positive changes students experience when they take control of their choices and use their skills to navigate life’s challenges. Seeing students thrive is priceless.

I have been a counselor for over 10 years but my journey in education began many years earlier. I graduated from Pittsburg State University (Pittsburg, KS) in 2001 with a degree in Secondary Education in Social Studies and then completed my Masters in School Counseling at Wichita State University in 2008. The first 10 years of my career were spent as a social studies teacher in a small town outside Wichita, KS and then, after receiving my counseling degree, I transitioned to a school counseling position in the same school. In 2019 my husband and I along with our two children, Kinley and Reed, moved to Ohio. We love living in Ohio!

Our family is very sports oriented. We love watching all sports but college basketball is our favorite. Wichita State and the University of Kansas are our favorite teams. Both my children are active and play numerous sports so don’t be surprised if you see us at a sporting event. When not watching or playing sports I love to read and catch up on the latest movies.