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Elizabeth Rous
Upper School Counselor
5 Brandon Road Newport News,VA
Summary
A detail-oriented team player with strong organizational skills, and an ability to handle multiple projects simultaneously with a high degree of accuracy. The goal is to find opportunities for professional challenges utilizing interpersonal skills, excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
An adept School Counselor offering 20+ years of experience addressing and supporting students' mental health needs, academic struggles and interpersonal conflicts. The delicate nature of this position requires collaboration with school officials, using mature discretion and judgment.
Overview
22
22
years of professional experience
5
5
years of post-secondary education
Work History
Upper School Counselor
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, Virginia
05.2003 - Current
- Provide short-term, solution focused mental health support to students in grades 9-12.
- Maintain positive relationships with students, faculty, alumni, and administration and parents.
- Regularly meet with enrolled students to confirm success and identify problem areas.
- Provide crisis intervention in response to emergencies, employing existing trust, and rapport to deescalate situations.
- Identify and address concerns of incoming students and parents.
- Develop and implement individualized accommodation plans to assist students with documented learning differences.
- Provide faculty and staff education on topics such as executive function, learning differences, mental health, and mindful meditation.
- Connect parents and students with community resources.
- Coordinate guest speakers for student, faculty, and parent constituencies on relevant topics related to mental health, parenting practices, self-care, substance use, and adolescent issues.
- Facilitate discussions with students regarding self-care, school safety, and issues relevant to adolescent development.
- Facilitate groups to provide support to faculty and staff around stress management, social issues, and work demands.
- Facilitate weekly risk assessment group with administration for early identification of at-risk students.
- Consult with faculty and administration on cases involving students with mental health needs.
- Facilitate mindful mediation sessions with upper school students during community time.
- Provided crisis intervention in response to emergencies, employing existing trust, and rapport to deescalate situations.
- Identified and addressed concerns of incoming students and parents.
- Partnered with parents and guardians to promote student success in school environment.
- Coordinated with outside agencies to determine students receive appropriate services and resources.
- Developed and conducted workshops and seminars to educate students, faculty and parents on relevant topics in field.
- Collaborated with parents and teachers to help students reach potential.
Chair, Safety Prevention and Response Team
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, VA
05.2004 - Current
- Created Safety Planning and Response Team, which develops, assesses, and implements emergency procedures for the school.
- Execute, assess, and revise all emergency drills and procedures.
- Collaborate with local first responders to evaluate our emergency procedures.
- Instruct faculty and staff on safety philosophy, drills, and emergency procedures.
- Attend conferences to ensure best practices are implemented.
- Maintain and update the school's emergency procedures plan.
- Collaborate with community partners regarding evacuation procedures.
- Facilitate conversations with parent groups about school safety and our procedures.
- Facilitate Safety Planning and Response Team meetings.
- Liaise with Board of Trustees regarding current and longitudinal planning for safety needs at school.
AP Psychology Instructor
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, VA
09.2005 - Current
- Create course objectives and activities based on the College Board AP Psychology curriculum.
- Diversify instructional techniques to enhance learning and interest in the subject matter.
- Provide opportunities for students to develop their writing, speaking, and critical thinking skills.
- Provide real-world examples of how the topics discussed in class relate and connect to the daily experiences of my students.
- Promote a classroom environment of inclusivity and positivity.
- Invite guest speakers to provide practical insights into the various subfields of psychology.
- In summary: Student exposure to the many facets of the field of Psychology is invaluable to their development. The opportunity to be challenged, to think about human behaviors differently, to discover their own voice will serve them throughout their academic, professional, and personal careers.
- Enhanced classroom learning by facilitating small group projects and discussions centering around core concepts of psychology
Chair, Upper School Risk Assessment Group
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, VA
08.2022 - Current
- This group assesses current student concerns to ensure that a proactive approach to risk assessment is being taken.
- Facilitated discussion with school administrators to determine wrap around services and interventions for students of concern.
- Ensured that identified interventions were accomplished.
- Provided clinical impressions of student mental health, in collaboration with school nurse.
CORE Club, Faculty Club Advisor
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, Virginia
08.2005 - Current
- Developed and refined mission of Upper School club for girls in grades 9-12, which promotes healthy relationships, rights of women, and education around topics relevant to adolescent girls.
- Collaborate with community leaders to provide educational opportunities for club members through activities and guest speakers.
- Provide leadership and growth opportunities for student coordinators.
- Provide an environment for girls to develop their social-emotional skills through building and fostering relationships.
- Provide faculty oversight to ensure club members met requirements for membership.
Co-Chair, Ad-Hoc Safety Committee
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, Virginia
04.2023 - 01.2024
- This committee was formed by Hampton Roads Academy Board of Trustees, as an entity to work closely with the existing Safety Planning and Response Team.
- This committee meets monthly to assess short-term and long-term safety needs of the school. Recommendations are made to the Safety Planning and Response Team for evaluation and implementation.
- Responsibilities include facilitating meetings, reporting on progress made by Safety Planning and Response Team and liaising with Board of Trustees and school security.
- Reviewed and analyzed safety data and statistics to identify trends and areas requiring improvement
Academic Advisor
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, VA
08.2011 - 08.2024
- Provide academic counseling and support to advisees.
- Maintain a positive advisory environment, where interpersonal relationships are emphasized.
- Collaborate with faculty to ensure advisees had access to resources when needed.
- Answer student inquiries and resolved problems related to curriculum and course prerequisites.
- Assisted students in identifying career goals and aligning them with appropriate academic programs.
- Collaborated with faculty members to develop targeted interventions for academically at-risk students.
Senior Project Committee Member
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, Virginia
08.2008 - 05.2023
- Contributed to the development and implementation of a Senior capstone experience for seniors.
- Served as a project advisor to students, providing support and feedback from the initial concept phase to the presentation phase of a year-long project, to ensure benchmark goals were met.
- Worked well in a team setting, providing support and guidance to committee members.
COVID Team Chair
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, Virginia
03.2020 - 06.2022
- Facilitated team meetings where we developed school policies related to COVID-19
- Researched and condensed materials from major organizations, such as the CDC, WHO, National Association of Independent Schools (NAIS), Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS), and VCPE (Virginia Council for Private Educators) to present to the team for development of the school's policies and procedures.
- Created Phase II and Phase III documentation for submission to the Governor's Office.
- Created and maintained the faculty handbook and parent handbook related to COVID-19 policies and procedures.
- Wrote all copy for the COVID-19 tab on the school website.
- Consulted with local medical staff regarding COVID-19 policies.
- Liaised with Board of Trustees and presented COVID-19 policies and procedures at Board meetings.
- Displayed and maintained all educational materials posted throughout the school.
- Proven ability to develop and implement creative solutions to complex problems.
VAIS Steering Committee Chair
Hampton Roads Academy
Newport News, VA
08.2011 - 05.2012
- Served as committee chair overseeing two-year self study for accreditation with Virginia Association of Independent Schools (VAIS).
- Liaised with Board of Trustees to ensure that required documentation was collected and organized.
- Provided oversight to committee members, who had specific areas of the self study to oversee.
- Provided oversight to all sub-committees to ensure that their reports contained all required elements.
- Facilitated all steering committee meetings and provided regular updates to the Head of School.
- Coordinated the visiting team's three day visit to ensure that hotel, transportation, food, and meeting space needs were met.
- Assembled all documentation and disseminated to visiting team members prior to their arrival on campus.
- Collaborated with Board of Trustees and parent constituencies to provide meeting opportunities with visiting team.
Education
Master of Science - Applied Psychology
Francis Marion University
Florence, SC 01.1997 - 05.1999
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
College of Charleston
Charleston, SC 08.1990 - 05.1993
Skills
Mediation and crisis intervention
Data-driven decision making
Counseling and therapy
Team collaboration and leadership
Individual and family support
Course planning and organization
Excellent oral and written communication
Academic counseling
Strategic decision-making
Administrative abilities
Passionate teacher
Affiliations
-Member -Junior League of Hampton Roads 2003-2012.
-Served as Board Member/Community Vice President and Board Member/Membership Vice President
-Member - Warwick Yacht and Country Club:
June, 2006-present
-Member - Association for Psychological Science:
March, 2021-present
-Member - Virginia School Counselor Association:
June, 2012-present
-Member - College of Charleston Alumni Association:
2021-present
Interests
Bird watching
Walking/hiking
Russian history
Decorating
Timeline
Co-Chair, Ad-Hoc Safety Committee
Hampton Roads Academy
04.2023 - 01.2024
Chair, Upper School Risk Assessment Group
Hampton Roads Academy
08.2022 - Current
COVID Team Chair
Hampton Roads Academy
03.2020 - 06.2022
Academic Advisor
Hampton Roads Academy
08.2011 - 08.2024
VAIS Steering Committee Chair
Hampton Roads Academy
08.2011 - 05.2012
Senior Project Committee Member
Hampton Roads Academy
08.2008 - 05.2023
AP Psychology Instructor
Hampton Roads Academy
09.2005 - Current
CORE Club, Faculty Club Advisor
Hampton Roads Academy
08.2005 - Current
Chair, Safety Prevention and Response Team
Hampton Roads Academy
05.2004 - Current
Upper School Counselor
Hampton Roads Academy
05.2003 - Current
Master of Science - Applied Psychology
Francis Marion University
01.1997 - 05.1999
Bachelor of Science - Psychology
College of Charleston
08.1990 - 05.1993
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