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Westbury Union Free School District is located just 30 minutes east of New York City. It is home to around 5,400 students across its six schools. Percy Holmes is a school counselor at Drexel Avenue Elementary–one of the district’s four elementary schools–that serves just over 500 students in first through fifth grade. He is a veteran educator, having been with the district for 27 years.
In talking about his work with students, Holmes described the expansive and wide-reaching role school counselors now play in contemporary elementary schools: They must support students in building critical character education and life readiness skills; utilize Positive Behavior Intervention and Supports with students; and help them begin their college and career readiness journey as they discover their unique interests and align those with potential future careers. And counselors must “find a way to bring all of that together under one umbrella.” This is no simple task.