Making a Difference as a School Counselor

Ms. DaJuanda Fairley-Hall has worked at Peace and Education Coalition Alternative High School for the past 16 years and has been a school counselor for almost two decades. She started her career working with younger kids, but she soon realized that she wanted to make a difference at the high school level instead. She didn’t believe that teaching was for her, so being a school counselor was a perfect fit. 

She loves making a positive impact on students every day and has learned so much about how to best support their needs. Get to know her more below.

What has kept you coming back to the same school for 16 years? 

I serve a unique population. My students are between 16 and 21 years of age, and they have to be off-track to come to our program. They bring all kinds of unique backgrounds and stories to us. It is a very special place. I’m not too far from Englewood, which is where I grew up. I appreciate staying connected and being able to serve people in the area where I came from. 

What qualities are most important to succeed in your role? 

You have to be open to building relationships regardless of a student’s background. Not everyone will always be easy to work with, so you have to have a heart that wants to serve everyone. I also think you need to be empathetic and ready to put yourself in someone else’s shoes. 

How do you help your students develop a pathway toward postsecondary success? 

I created a quarterly post-secondary week that brought college representatives, trade school representatives, and employers to focus solely on my students. I found that when my students would attend these types of events elsewhere, they sometimes wouldn’t engage because it was such a big space with so many different high school students. This benefits them more because it is so tailor-made for them. 

What is your top goal for this school year? 

I want every student to end the year knowing what their next step will be. Of course, we know that this is an important question for seniors to ask themselves, but I want my other students to think about this as well. They can consider the challenges they faced the previous year and their plans to tackle them the following year.  If their next step is to return to our school the next year, better than before, I know that I will do my best to serve them. 

What advice would you give to other counselors? 

Be open to learning new things and utilizing the resources that you have. Things change in CPS, so remember to make sure you are on top of all of the District’s expectations for you. And don’t forget to take advantage of all of the people who are there to help you grow in your role. 

What is your message to your students? 

I love you. I’m rooting for you. And I’m always here when you need me…even after graduation!