River Birch Earns Gold Star School Counseling Award

"If better is possible, good enough is not an option."

When River Birch Elementary School Counselor Kyle Kopke recites this quote, you can feel her conviction and you get a glimpse into the passion that motivates her. For the last two years, she has put forth countless hours of hard work toward a lofty goal. She stuck with it and earned a prestigious award for her school.

In November, the Indiana Department of Education, the Indiana Association of School Principals, and the Indiana School Counselor Association recognized River Birch with a Gold Star Award. River Birch is one of a small number of Indiana Schools to earn this distinction "for creating and sustaining a comprehensive school counseling program that advances the achievement, well-being, and career/postsecondary readiness of ALL students."

“It was a two-year process and a commitment of our most precious resource — time,” says Principal Heather Gorgas. “Kyle focused on an important data marker for our school, and she kept at it.”

To qualify for the IDOE’s Carrying the Torch Gold Star Award, schools must demonstrate that their school counseling program is data driven and effective. They were required to choose a singular goal geared toward closing the gap between students who were struggling and those who were succeeding and then to implement practices that would make a real, sustainable difference.

Ms. Kopke, Mrs. Gorgas, Assistant Principal Karmesha Molton, and key teammates at River Birch decided to focus on improving attendance for the school’s multilingual learners.

"The biggest benefit is for the kids." Kyle Kopke

Throughout the process, Ms. Kopke relied upon observations gleaned from school and district attendance trends to drive the team’s decisions. After a lot of hard work, lessons learned, refinements, and, most importantly, ample time and communication with students and their families, they began to see significant changes.

School attendance trends improved for every student with whom Ms. Kopke worked during the project.

“I attribute this to the ‘trifecta of success’: student accountability, staff relationships, and family partnerships,” says Ms. Kopke. “Students started to know and feel they were missed when they weren’t at school and parents told us, ‘I’m glad somebody cares that my child is in attendance.’”

Ms. Kopke and Mrs. Gorgas are excited to see this work begin to make a positive impact upon the rest of their student body. “This work with our multilingual learners has begun to trickle out to the rest of our school,” says Mrs. Gorgas. “This goes back to our mission – we have safeguards, safety nets, and intentional people working to make sure all students belong, learn, and grow.”

“Kyle focused on one tangible thing that could be improved, and she kept at it.” Heather Gorgas

Avon’s School Counseling and Mental Wellness Coordinator Krista Fay says, “What Ms. Kopke and the team demonstrated was a shift in counselor practice from being reactive to proactive. It changed the relationships school staff had with the kids and their families.” She believes what has happened at River Birch can and will become the norm across Avon Community School Corporation. “We continue to intentionally align our school counseling approach across schools for the benefit of all students,” says Mrs. Fay.

Mrs. Kopke is rightfully proud that her work has earned a prestigious award for River Birch Elementary – the only school in Hendricks County with a Gold Star Award – but she’s crystal clear about what’s most important.

“The biggest benefit is for the kids,” says Ms. Kopke, who is a long-time Avon resident. “I want Avon’s current 6th grade students (the kids who were in kindergarten during my first full year at River Birch) to be the best kids who have ever attended Avon High School. To see them graduate in six years as positive, productive citizens will be so exciting and fulfilling for me.”

"If better is possible, good enough is not an option." Kyle Kopke

There’s no doubt that students will continue to benefit from the top-notch school counseling program at River Birch Elementary. They’ve got the Gold Star to prove it!