Councilmember-counselor: Override aids emotional health of students

656

By Councilmember Amber Liermann

I have been a part of the Maricopa community for 17 years. I have enjoyed seeing the growth and development of our community. I am proud to live in Maricopa and proud of the education my children have participated in here at Maricopa Unified School District.

My oldest daughter was able to attend Maricopa High School, CAVIT and Central Arizona College all at the same time. This experience prepared her for college where she is experiencing great success. My son is in the ROTC program, the gifted program and the IT program. He is pursuing entrance into the Air Force Academy. My children both participated in sports and other extracurricular activities that enriched their educational experience and helped them develop into responsible adults.

As a counselor at MUSD, I am so proud of the growth of our Counseling Department. In 2016, we had approximately 12 counselors. We currently have 21. Next year we will have a full time counselor on every campus. This is a goal we have been working on for many years.

Emotional health is more important than ever, and MUSD continues to prioritize the mental health of the students and staff. Counselors are more accessible, prevention programs are implemented and crises can be handled on each campus instead of having to call counselors over to a campus for support. Counselors also support teachers in the classroom by teaching student skills and providing support to students that prepares them for learning.

I feel confident the growth of our department has contributed to the overall improved performance of our district. Continuing the override makes sense as we are ensuring the health, wellness an safety for our K-12 students.

Please continue the Override (Prop 457) this November, and keep Maricopa on the right path.