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School counselors don’t always get the best rap, but the students and faculty at Meadowlark Elementary School love theirs.
This week was National School Counselor Week, and teachers and students have been giving counselor Melinda DeGruson small signs of appreciation every day. There were gift baskets, candy bars and sodas, among others. But Friday afternoon they showed her how much they really cared.
With all of the teachers and their classes gathered in the commons area, DeGruson was paged over the intercom. When she arrived and the kids started clapping and cheering, the emotion was too much to contain and DeGruson burst into tears of joy. The school held a similar ceremony in 2010, and then-City Commissioner Marty Beezley declared March 24 “Melinda DeGruson Day.”
As DeGruson took her seat at the center of the stage, principal Becky Bedene explained why the school had gathered in her honor.
“We totally appreciate our counselor, right?” Bedene said to the students.
“Yeah!” they screamed back in unison.
Each of the grades had prepared small skits to perform. At the end, the whole school sang “You Are My Sunshine.”
“How many times have we heard ‘good morning, sunshine?’” Bedene said. “We thought it was important to let you know you’re our sunshine.”
DeGruson said she was surprised and overwhelmed by the show of affection.
“You are an amazing group of kids, and very good secret keepers,” she said, choking up. “This job means the world to me and you’re like my own kids. You make every day special to me, and I hope I can do half for you what you do for me.”
Bedene said DeGruson deserved the attention precisely because she never looks for it.
“She never wants recognition and doesn’t like people to fuss over her,” Bedene said. “This week’s been about her and it all came together today.”
DeGruson said she wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.
“I love my job and I really don’t ask for anything,” she said. “I don’t need anything else, other than to be here with these kids. They know me so well, they’re like my family.”
School counselors don’t always get the best rap, but the students and faculty at Meadowlark Elementary School love theirs.
This week was National School Counselor Week, and teachers and students have been giving counselor Melinda DeGruson small signs of appreciation every day. There were gift baskets, candy bars and sodas, among others. But Friday afternoon they showed her how much they really cared.
With all of the teachers and their classes gathered in the commons area, DeGruson was paged over the intercom. When she arrived and the kids started clapping and cheering, the emotion was too much to contain and DeGruson burst into tears of joy. The school held a similar ceremony in 2010, and then-City Commissioner Marty Beezley declared March 24 “Melinda DeGruson Day.”
As DeGruson took her seat at the center of the stage, principal Becky Bedene explained why the school had gathered in her honor.
“We totally appreciate our counselor, right?” Bedene said to the students.
“Yeah!” they screamed back in unison.
Each of the grades had prepared small skits to perform. At the end, the whole school sang “You Are My Sunshine.”
“How many times have we heard ‘good morning, sunshine?’” Bedene said. “We thought it was important to let you know you’re our sunshine.”
DeGruson said she was surprised and overwhelmed by the show of affection.
“You are an amazing group of kids, and very good secret keepers,” she said, choking up. “This job means the world to me and you’re like my own kids. You make every day special to me, and I hope I can do half for you what you do for me.”
Bedene said DeGruson deserved the attention precisely because she never looks for it.
“She never wants recognition and doesn’t like people to fuss over her,” Bedene said. “This week’s been about her and it all came together today.”
DeGruson said she wouldn’t want to work anywhere else.
“I love my job and I really don’t ask for anything,” she said. “I don’t need anything else, other than to be here with these kids. They know me so well, they’re like my family.”
