Collins joins SLES as counselor | News, Sports, Jobs - Morning Journal

Sep 14, 2024

Southern Local Elementary guidance counselor Jackie Collins is settling in to her new role and said she looks forward to being a source of support for students and also provide programs to help them achieve success. (Submitted photo)

SALINEVILLE – Jackie Collins is settling in to her new role as the new guidance counselor at Southern Local Elementary School.

Collins, of Boardman, joined the school on Aug. 19 and succeeds longtime counselor Larry Rudloff, who retired this spring after 50 years with the district. Collins has extensive experience with counseling students and transitioned from a similar position at Bio-Med Science Academy in Rootstown, where she served for the past three years. She said she looks forward to working with the estimated 381 pupils in grades PreK-5 and providing positive and motivating programs to help them achieve success.

“I’ve always liked working with people and in a group environment like education,” she said. “You are working with kids in need, but you are also doing positive things.

Collins hails from Cincinnati and obtained her undergraduate degree from Mount Vernon Nazarene University in 2000 with her school counseling degree from Youngstown State University in 2019 and another master’s degree from Asbury Theological Seminary. She previously worked at Youngstown East High School and other experience includes working with churches and wraparound services for Columbiana County, the latter involving home visits to work with families dealing with stress. She is also married with four teen-aged children.

She said she has felt very welcome while becoming acclimated at Southern.

“Everybody’s been super friendly and very helpful,” she added. “It’s been a great change for me.”

She noted that both Southern and Biomed Science Academy had a similar campus where elementary and secondary classes were housed in one structure, while she has worked with students of various ages at her former school and liked having the Southern Local Jr./Sr. High School counselors nearby if she needed help. Collins added that she wants to be accessible to students and be a source of support.

“I have an open door if they need someone to talk to and I want them to feel comfortable. I also want to continue programs such as Aiming High, Fire Prevention Week and Red Ribbon Week, but I’m also thinking of other programs to incorporate. I want that to grow.”

Collins concluded that the transition has been smooth and she feels at home at SLES.

“It’s a very warm community and everyone has been warm and friendly. It’s very family-oriented and you are a part of the community.”

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