As a new academic year unfolds, Mepham High School is fortunate to introduce a fresh face to the community, ready to help students navigate the labyrinth of academic and personal challenges. With anticipation building for the year ahead, Ms. Stutzmann is ready for everyone to meet her.
“I’ve always been a people person,” Ms. Stutzmann says with a smile. Previously, she worked as an event planner, but even then she found herself enjoying the social aspects more than the actual planning. “I got to work with a lot of my clients during a lot of high stress times and they were able to vent to me a lot, so in a way that was kind of like counseling for them and kind of redirected me into that.” Her mother actually suggested the idea, as someone who works in the same department herself, stating, “You kind of do that at work now, is it something you wanna do on a different level?”
Despite her recent beginnings as a counselor, she is not lacking the experience. Her family has played a major role, as she’s guided her younger relatives through processes that she guides high school students through now, such as college applications or simple friendship struggles we all go through. After getting her master’s and graduating, she dived straight into work. Through internships and jobs in previous schools such as Glen Cove High School, she’s well equipped for the challenging job.
When asked about the role she wants to play as a counselor, she states, “I think it’s just nice to have a third party be able to listen to you and help you navigate through those friendships and bumps in the road, because those are gonna happen, no matter what age you’re at.” In a world often characterized by challenges, her approach offers a comforting feeling, which motivates students to come to her more often. Her first priority is general happiness. “I just get really excited when you guys are doing well and are succeeding, so I like to be a friendly face.” A friendly face, she most definitely is.
Ms. Stutzmann also prioritizes communication, emphasizing how easily accessible she is. With Remind codes posted on guidance walls, and her email available to everyone, she strives to be someone to go to at any time possible. She explains, “Sometimes students are shy, so even their parents reach out to me, which is great because then I know when a kid needs help. I want to be opening the doors of communication for everyone to provide the best experience in guidance that we can.”
With a clear understanding of teenagers, students also come to her “just to chat.” Not only does she foster an environment where teens feel heard and understood, but she also simply has a positive atmosphere that allows students to feel comfortable.
With honor, we introduce Ms. Stutzmann! With an open door, she would be happy for students to introduce themselves as well.