Written by Calvin Hyde
Coming back to school this year, you may have already noticed a couple of new faces in the staff. One of which is Kasey Hagler, the new addition to the guidance counseling team.
Hagler was hired at the tail end of summer and started working in the counselor’s office in the first week of September.
Although Hagler’s journey in the Northview district has just begun, she has 17 years of working in education already under her belt.
Her prior jobs include coaching tennis and teaching after school classes in Traverse City. She was a counselor at Grand Rapids Public Schools (GRPS) and was involved in the LOOP After School Program.
Hagler was eager to start because unlike her previous job, she now works alongside other counselors in order to make the process of helping students as efficient as possible.
“One thing that’s been very, very welcoming here has been the fact that I’m coming into a team that’s already highly functioning. I’m not having to do everything myself,” Hagler said.
With an undergraduate degree in elementary education, Hagler originally thought she would become a teacher. However, her plans changed after she spent some time in a first-grade classroom, and decided that having a lesson plan to follow day after day wasn’t her cup of tea.
“One thing I love about counseling is that it is totally unpredictable, and you never really know what you’re going to get. It keeps you fresh, it keeps you thinking on your toes and having to be reactive,” Hagler said
In reality, this uncertainty is only a small part of why she loves being a counselor.
Hagler observed that high school is a big part of every person’s life, and even though four years seems like an eternity to students at the time, it actually goes by quickly.
“I think it seems like it’s forever because so much happens in that period of time,” Hagler said.
She sees her job as a great privilege to watch students take on the challenges of becoming an adult.
Overall, helping kids make changes in their lives to grow as students and people is what makes the hard work all worth it at the end of the day for Hagler. It was something that she looked forward to each day for the past 17 years.
“Students are all going through the same thing in some way, shape or form. Unique situations, but same developmental milestones,” Hagler said.
Due to her dedication to student well-being and success, the counseling team is in good hands with Hagler on board.