Katie McAdams
School Counselor
Murfreesboro,TN
Summary
Adept School Counselor offering 28 years of experience (24) counseling students on college preparation, mental health, academics and interpersonal conflicts and four years of classroom teaching experience. Driven to help students achieve success by providing guidance on career options, higher education choices and life planning. I serve as the department head of our counseling department at an academic magnet school ranked number one in our state (number 8 magnet school in the nation) where we have a 99% college going rate. I have 10+ years as an ACT site supervisor and two years of ACT tutor experience.Led a group of 25 students on a week-long college tour trip throughout the northeast to include ivy league colleges. Helped guide many students through the application process who went on to be admitted to top-tier universities.
Overview
28
28
years of professional experience
Work History
K-12 School Counselor
Rutherford County Schools
08.2001 - Current
- Helped students complete admissions applications and pursue scholarships to fund education at state, private and vocational schools.
- Supported emotional well-being of students through individual counseling sessions addressing personal challenges and concerns.
- Maintained positive relationships and open communication with parents about application paperwork, testing requirements and upcoming deadlines.
- Guided students through evaluating career interests and potential schools.
- Built schedules around students' strengths and long-term goals, customizing different approaches for college preparatory and technical school pathways.
- Developed strong rapport with parents, maintaining open lines of communication to address student needs collaboratively.
- Improved college acceptance rates by assisting students with application and scholarship processes.
- Educated individuals with special interests about unique grants and scholarships for higher education.
- Assisted with the organization of college fairs, connecting students to valuable resources for post-secondary education opportunities.
- Continuously updated professional knowledge by attending relevant conferences, seminars, and trainings focused on best counseling practices.
- Cemented relationships with colleges across state, region and entire country to better serve schools' students.
- Educated students on college admissions process and scholarship requirements.
- Collaborated with parents and teachers to help students reach potential.
- Advised students on educational, career and social opportunities.
- Used standardized assessments to evaluate abilities, interests and characteristics of different students.
- Enhanced student emotional well-being by providing individual and group counseling sessions.
- Developed a safe and supportive school environment by promoting positive behavior and addressing issues such as bullying and harassment.
- Collaborated with teachers and administrators to address the social, emotional, and academic needs of all students.
- Provided crisis intervention in response to emergencies, employing existing trust, and rapport to deescalate situations.
- 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 implemented individualized behavior plans to assist students with achieving academic and behavioral goals.
- Developed and conducted workshops and seminars to educate students, faculty and parents on relevant topics in field.
- Coordinated standardized testing efforts within the school, ensuring accurate administration while minimizing test anxiety among students.
Classroom Teacher
Rutherford County Schools
01.1997 - 05.2001
- Implemented differentiated instruction strategies, ensuring all students were able to access the curriculum and make progress in their learning.
- Participated in ongoing professional development opportunities, staying current on best practices in education and refining instructional techniques accordingly.
- Established clear expectations for behavior and classroom management, creating a respectful and productive learning atmosphere.
- Boosted student confidence through consistent encouragement and positive reinforcement, fostering a supportive learning environment.
- Helped students develop self-esteem and life skills by fostering healthy conflict-resolution, critical thinking, and communication.
- Collaborated with parents, administrators and counselors to develop improvement plans for struggling students.
- Met with students, parents and administrators to address and resolve students' behavioral and academic issues.
Education
Bachelor of Science - Elementary Education K-8
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TNMaster of Arts - Professional School Counseling
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN05.2002
Skills
- Assessment Interpretation
- Self-Esteem Building
- Anxiety Reduction
- Parent-teacher collaboration
- Suicide Prevention
- Autism Spectrum Support
- Individual Counseling
- Student Advocacy
- Empathy Development
- Academic advising
- Career guidance
- Referral Coordination
- Goal Setting Facilitation
- Academic advisement
Reading, jogging, and traveling.
In my free time, I enjoy reading psychological thrillers and motivational books, jogging and exercising, and traveling with my family.
Work Availability
monday
tuesday
wednesday
thursday
friday
saturday
sunday
morning
afternoon
evening
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Certification
- Licensed School Counselor, PreK-12, Professional School Service Personnel, Tennessee Department of Education, 8/31/2002
- Professional Elementary Teacher, K-8, 8/31/1997
Timeline
K-12 School Counselor
Rutherford County Schools
08.2001 - Current
Classroom Teacher
Rutherford County Schools
01.1997 - 05.2001
Bachelor of Science - Elementary Education K-8
Middle Tennessee State University
Master of Arts - Professional School Counseling
Middle Tennessee State University
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