For one new staff member a typical day is not on a set schedule. One moment she is talking to a student with academic problems and the next moment she is helping a student in crisis. She sits in her newly-decorated room, spending her day handing out mints, guiding AP students with their curriculum, advising clubs and support groups, helping guide students to their goals, and always trying to add more creative ideas to any school she works at. 

 As a high school student, Emily Rion spent time in her guidance counselor’s office. Little did she know when she walked into this office she had an underlying passion to do this job for the rest of her life. She had inspiration from her counselor, Sue King, who helped gear her into the right mindset for her future. She was ready to do the same for the high schoolers in this district. 

  Rion is the new guidance counselor at RHS. She graduated  from Brecksville-Broadview Heights High School and graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Psychology and a Masters degree in School Counseling from The University of Akron. She was able to do her school counseling practicum and internship with King in her masters program. Rion spoke about how King inspired her to become a high school counselor. 

      “I didn’t have the best high school experience myself. I wasn’t that interested in academics. I was interested in other things that were not good life choices. I spent a lot of time with my school counselor who really helped inspire me and empower me and encourage me to look within myself and be my best. She was my inspiration . . . I wanted to give back in the same way,” Rion said. 

       Rion began working as a high school counselor at Rootstown High School for one year and at Nordonia High School for eight years. This will be her tenth year as a counselor and first year at Revere. Rion commented on what factors affected her move and why she ended up here in this district. 

   “I live in Brecksville, I loved being at one place for a while, but I felt like I wasn’t able to make as big as an impact and creativity as I do here. I knew Mr.DePompei, Mrs. Long, and Mrs. Kirchner prior to working here. So for me it was  . . . like wanting to further explore my career,” Rion said. 

 Rion further expands her job activities by being involved in certain programs. She takes part in the Positivity Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS), a care group that helps oversee strong teens and primarily meets with special needs students who work mostly with social-emotional learning. Rion talked about the programs she advises at Revere and the future of what she plans to implement to the district.

 “I oversee a lot of different things. I make sure our testing is in appropriately, we are up to speed with the college board’s policy, and [that] courses are audited correctly. The care program here responses to all sorts of community issues as well. I’m also trying to get a few different programs started here,” Rion said

Even though Rion is in a new district, she still uses the same approaches with her new students as she has in the past. She believes listening and honesty is the key to counseling and the decency of a human being. Rion commented on how she approaches her students on a daily basis. 

“I think my approach in life is to just be open to hearing what other people have to say and always work on my listening skills. When I say listen, [I] empathize with my students or with my staff or with my parents. Take in their body language and their emotions . . . I try to do that every day,” Rion said. 

Counselor Elizabeth Long is working alongside new colleague Rion. She is her mentor and is helping Rion adjust to the environment of the Revere community. Long commented  on how the adjustment. 

“I serve as her mentor, working with her to understand different things with our system. It’s been so simple. . . We just go over things once and she knows how to do it already or she already knows how to do it. It’s been a great adjustment so far,” Long said. 

  Long advises Rion on the policies of the counseling system and the students and staff in our district. Long sees the importance of staying true to yourself while counseling and commented on how well Rion has demonstrated this trait. 

“Sometimes people lose being true to yourself in the transition. It really focuses on who she is and what she can bring to our program for the future years,” Long said. 

     Principal Phil King was involved in the process of Rion’s interview and hiring. After the retirement of former guidance counselor Jenny Kirchner, the department needed to hire for the open position. King commented on what he saw in Rion during the interview process and how she fits into the department. 

“There was a connection with our guidance staff  . . . . We interviewed her and about six or seven candidates and she just made her way to the top. So we were really excited to have her interviewed and have her moved in,” King said.

 Rion is happy to be at Revere. Counseling and understanding students is what she does every day and will continue to stretch her ideas and create new programs for the future of the Revere community.