Counselor
This is my tenth year at Akin Road Elementary, and I am so excited to continue working with our wonderful community of staff, students, and families! I can provide support to students with social, emotional or academic needs, as well as connect families to resources. This is my fourteenth year working as a school counselor, and I love that I get to help all students be and do their best!
Outside of work, I love spending time with my 5-year old twins, Amelia and Brennen. My husband and I live in Farmington with our twins and our cat, Floyd. We love going camping, and have recently accomplished our goal of visiting all MN State Parks - did you know there are 75?!?
- Mrs. Pfeiffer
I assist Akin Road Students & Families with:
- School-wide Character Education
- Social Skill-building
- Behavior support
- Problem solving meetings
- Small Group Counseling Support
- Community Referrals
- 504 Accommodation Plans
- Collaborating with teachers via the Intervention-Team to address academic or social/emotional concerns
Farmington district counselors do not provide on-going therapeutic counseling. If your child may benefit from further counseling services, I will connect with parents to suggest an outside resource to continue the proper care for your child. If you feel as if your child requires counseling outside the school setting, you can check out the Community Resource link or contact the counselor.
Contacting the Counselor
COUNSELOR CONTACT INFORMATION
Below is information about the various ways that an ARES student may meet with the school counselor:
TEACHER REFERRAL
A student's teacher may contact me and request that I meet with a student. A student may also ask his or her teacher to contact me to set up a time to meet.
PARENT REFERRAL
If you would like your child to meet with me, just let me know! I am able to help your child on a short-term basis with personal, social or academic challenges.
STUDENT REFERRAL
Students may always stop in to my office if they would like to meet with me. Typically, students ask their teacher to set up a time with me. Students are always welcome to stop in!
Helpful Community Resources
Below you will find a list of community agencies and resources. This list is provided to assist you as you seek guidance and/or other support services for your child and family. Neither ISD #192 nor Akin Road Elementary School endorses these individuals or agencies listed. ISD #192 and Akin Road Elementary School are not financially liable or responsible for the services provided.
If you need further assistance or referrals, contact Jody Pfeiffer, ARES Counselor.
Support Groups
GROUP COUNSELING
Group counseling is a direct service offered to Akin Road students as part of our district's comprehensive school counseling program. Group counseling sessions typically take place once a week for 30 minutes for 5-8 weeks. For most groups, I will send home short weekly update slips so you can stay current on the topics or strategies discussed.
If you would like your child to participate in a group, just contact me. Parent permission is required for students to participate in ARES counseling groups. If you’d like more information regarding the groups offered at ARES, please feel free to ask!
There are a range of groups offered including the topics listed below. Not every type of group will be offered each year, and will be decided based on the current needs of the students.
- New Students
- Friendship and Social Skills
- Worry Busters (Anxiety)
- Family Changes
- Self-Control
- Self-Esteem
- Tiger Skills (Coping Skills)
- Study Skills
Tiger Pride (Character Education) Program
Tiger Pride is the character education curriculum developed by District 192 student advocates and counselors. The program was born out of a desire to teach a universal character education curriculum to students at all of the district's elementary schools.
Each month, Akin Road focuses on a different character trait.To reinforce this character education experience, students receive monthly classroom guidance lessons that relate to each Tiger Pride Theme. Students can also earn Tiger Star Awards by displaying kind, helpful or responsible choices in and out of their classrooms. Students then enter their awards for a prize drawing, which are announced bi-weekly. Examples of prizes include: Time with a teacher of choice, play games with Mrs. Pfeiffer, take a walk with the principal, or a Book Fair coupon. Also, each month, ARES staff select an All-Star student who consistently displays the current theme. Monthly All-Star programs are held to recognize these students, to which family members are invited to attend.
The character traits are as follows:
September - Self-Discipline
October - Safe and Healthy Choices
November - Responsibility
December - Caring
January - Perseverance
February - Respect
March - Honesty
April - Citizenship
May - Courage
Intervention Team (I-Team)
The purpose of the Intervention Team is to collaborate with classroom teachers in order to develop interventions and strategies for students who are struggling. I-Team provides a support network for teachers who are looking to identify specific, measurable outcomes to help students who are struggling academically, behaviorally, and/or socially in their classroom.
If your child is struggling in any way, your child's teacher may choose to consult the I-Team. If this occurs, your child's teacher will contact you and a meeting will be scheduled. We believe that family engagement is vital to the success of every Akin Road student.
If you have any questions about the I-team process or any other aspect of the Response to Intervention (RtI) program that is implemented at ARES, you can contact the school counselor.