School counselor Meredith Draughn starts every day by greeting the students who fill her campus hallways, cup of coffee in hand. There are about 350 of them, and she knows all their names.
“Kids want to feel known and want to feel loved. And greeting them by name is one way we can do that…Research shows that that helps us build a positive culture and a welcoming culture.”
Draughn works at B. Everett Jordan Elementary School in the rural town of Graham, N.C., and she was recently named 2023’s School Counselor of the Year by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA). The selection committee praised Draughn’s data-driven approach and passion for her students.
The award comes at a pivotal time for Draughn: in the middle of the most “normal” school year since the pandemic began. Masking is optional in most schools; quarantine regulations have been loosened; and in May, the Biden administration plans to declare an end to the COVID-19 public health emergency.
But children are still reeling from what they experienced during the pandemic. Many students have struggled with mental health, academics and a general lack of connection to their classroom. All things Draughn has seen in her school, too. But she says there is an upside to all those challenges.
“I think a lot of people focus on trauma changing the brain…but what they miss is thathealing changes itas well.”
Draughn has this advice for how educators and families can support their students as they navigate the transition to “post-pandemic” life:
Establish regular routines and a sense of control
The pandemic disrupted everybody’s daily routines, and that lack of structure was especially difficult for children. Draughn says rebuilding routine takes time and consistency.
One way she likes to build consistent…
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