COUNSELING

  • Tradition Elementary School Counselors

    About Us

    Mrs. Ahr- Hey there Titan families! I am super excited to be your child’s School Counselor again this year! I am a 1994 graduate of East Central High School. I obtained my Bachelor's Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies from The University of Texas at San Antonio and taught 4th and 5th grade for 13 years. I received my Masters Degrees from Our Lady of the Lake University in Curriculum and Instruction, Educational Technology, and School Counseling. I began my first year as a School Counselor 7 years ago at John Glenn Elementary and then transitioned to Tradition Elementary when we opened in 2018. 

    Mrs. Neuls- I’m excited about joining the Titans this school year as a school counselor this school year. Prior to becoming a school counselor, I taught 5th-8th grade, since 2015. Before teaching middle school, I spent 5 years working with children and families in San Antonio providing educational and counseling services. I obtained my Bachelor's degree in Psychology in 2009 from The University of Texas at San Antonio and later earned my Masters of Counseling from UTSA in 2013. Go Runners!  In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and our awesome son. I'm more than thrilled to serve students and families in this role.

    Classroom Guidance

    As your student’s School Counselors, we will be providing many classroom guidance lessons to your student throughout the school year. The state does require that we provide classroom guidance to all students in regards to Bullying and Personal Safety.

    Counseling Referrals (Responsive Services)

    School Counselor’s also provide temporary/short-term support to help students overcome acute issues having an impact on their school performance. Some topics that school counselors often work with students on include:

    •  Academic support (identifying barriers to success and creating interventions, such as organization and study skills)
    • Anger management
    • Anxiety/stress
    • Behavior problems at school
    • Career awareness, exploration and planning
    • Communication, problem-solving and conflict resolution
    • Goal setting and decision-making
    • Peer relationships and effective social skills
    • Transitioning to Tradition from a new school

    The role of a school-based counselor is not to diagnose or provide therapy. Licensed mental health counselors are the appropriate resource to provide ongoing therapy sometimes needed by families and children. If there are concerns that need more consistent and comprehensive services beyond one or two meetings, I would be happy to provide resources for nearby therapists and agencies in our community that specialize in helping school-aged children.

     

    Small Group Counseling

    Small group counseling will be offered as determined by need. Typically, they begin in the Fall and last four to six weeks at a time. Students join a group with a similar grade level and meet once a week for about 25 minutes during the school day. Students are given the opportunity to discuss the emotions that may occur, develop coping strategies and self-awareness, improve confidence, and hear from peers that they are not alone. During our time together, we often use games, art, music, modeling, role play, and books along with discussion to practice these skills.

     

    Small group topics include:

    • Friendship Groups: Social skills training
    • Building self-esteem and resiliency
    • Identifying Strengths
    • Emotional Intelligence/Regulation (helping students understand and use coping strategies to manage strong emotions that impact their day at school)
    • Helping students understand their anger  
    • Learning coping skills for stress/anxiety

     

    How to Meet with the School Counselor

    If you would like your child to meet with me to discuss a particular topic, to participate in a small group, or otherwise help support them at school you may contact in one of the ways listed below:

    • Counselor Referral Form (for parents and/or students)
    • Email Mrs. Ahr at melissa.sales@ecisd.net (this is the BEST way to reach me)
    • Email Mrs. Neuls at sharlene.neuls@ecisd.net 
    • Call 210-662-1700 to leave one of us a message
    • Contact your child’s teacher for a referral to the School Counselor
    • Your child may also request to visit us by asking their classroom teacher during the school day. 

     

    Community Resources for Families

    Call 2-1-1 for family support services

    Crisis/Suicide Hotline: 1-800-273-8255