Feature Photo By: Jessica Rangel – Teresa Simoneau sits at her desk, hard at work. She urges all of her students to come meet with her, especially during finals week.
Throughout the overwhelming struggles high-schoolers face every school year, it’s crucial to have positive people encouraging and supporting us completely in life. The counselors at Rangeview are here for RHS students no matter what. Recently, Mrs. Simoneau has joined Rangeview’s counseling staff to bring her passion of helping students at this school. Simoneau herself has overcome many obstacles in her life and wants to show young adults that it is never too late to change their path in life.
“I am the perfect example that you should never give up on finding your purpose in life and to be open to change,” states Simoneau. “Sometimes life happens and gets you off course to achieving your goals. Instead of giving up, or settling, you need to just overcome whatever obstacle is in the way and continue on the path to achieve your goals”
For much of Simoneau’s career, she has been in and out of college, trying to find the perfect job waiting for her until she came to Rangeview. Simoneau actually grew up in Aurora, CO and graduated from Hinkley High School. After high school, she knew that teaching was something she wanted to pursue and attended the University of Northern Colorado. Just like many incoming college freshman, the drastic changes in her environment took a toll on her grades and she ended up taking a break from school and started a family.
Once her children graduated high school, Simoneau took a leap of faith and chose to go back to school to finish her degree. She completed her undergrad degree in Business Administration. Simoneau knew she wanted to continue her education, yet she didn’t want to work in the corporate world as much anymore. Previously, Simoneau was working in a counseling office as an administrative assistant at a middle school in the Cherry Creek District when she realized what her career path was meant to be. She decided to go back to school and got her Masters in Education in School Counseling.
Being one of the new counselors here at Rangeview, Simoneau had to make a transition and learn the
ways of RHS. Simoneau voiced how coming into a high school for her first counseling job was a difficult adjustment, but she set aside her insecurities and brought her best for Rangeview. Considering it is Simoneau’s first year, she has shown her true colors as a counselor and proven how eager she is to distribute her love for her career.
“Mrs. Simoneau is a natural counselor. This is her first year as a professional counselor and you wouldn’t know it by talking with her. She is excellent at
learning information quickly and meeting students wherever they are at in their lives without judgment,” says says Mr. Hirsch when asked what makes Simoneau stand out in the school’s staff. “You can tell that being a counselor at Rangeview is a job she cares about very much, and I encourage any student who has not yet met with her to do so soon so they can see what I’m talking about.”
Following Mr. West’s resign at Rangeview, Simoneau jumped in his former position as a counselor and is now in charge of students with last names from Co to Go.
One of Simoneau’s juniors, Lindsey Duran expressed,” I haven’t met with Mrs. Simoneau other than the SLO days, but she really seemed to know about college readiness so I think she could help me if I met with her.” Simoneau pushes all of her students to come meet her to be able to really help them excel past high school.
Just like everybody else Simoneau thinks it is important to create time for herself. Not only does Simoneau counsel at Rangeview, but she also uses free time to find ways to relax away from campus. Her main source of stress relieving is making arts and crafts. Outside of school she runs an Etsy shop where she makes her own products and can eventually put them up on the website to sell them to anyone around the world.
Simoneau reveals, “I do a lot of different artsy stuff during my off time from counseling, it’s a type of therapy for me.”
A common topic pressed on RHS student’s daily is the valuable ASCENT program provided. In school Simoneau focuses on informing students of what the significance of staying on track in high school truly is. She urges her students to take advantage of honor and college courses to pull ahead of other students and receive college credit earlier on.
“I want students to appreciate the educational opportunities that are available for them here at Rangeview. With the concurrent enrollment options at CCA and at Pitkins, a big part of their college classes can be paid for before they even get out of high school,” Simoneau advises.
Counselors are provided to give students access to an outlet for whatever they need. Every counselor tries to communicate the importance of meeting with their students on a regular basis. From experience Simoneau understands the hardships teenagers and young adults encounter and she wants to help everyone achieve a positive attitude about their future. Simoneau makes it clear she wants to contribute her passion to help her students thrive in high school and as they continue to live their lives once they graduate.
