Professional Partner of the Month: March 2008
Sue Stauffer
"Sue will stop everything she does (and she does a lot) at the drop of a hat to help a child in need . . . She does it all for the students because she genuinely wants students to be successful. Her acts are always selfless."
- Scott Godshalk, Elementary Principal, Quakertown Community School District
"Sue Stauffer has been a great referral source for the kids in her district. She finds students in her schools that could really benefit from our Challenge Program, refers them, and then makes sure that she continues to do the follow up through the year. She has been an amazing resource to have in Quakertown and we are glad that she continues to refer kids to our programs."
- Karen Zawitkowski, Program Director, The Second Mile
"It will be a horrible loss for the district when Sue Stauffer retires. She’s a remarkable woman."
- Janet Gendron, Learning Support Teacher, Quakertown Community School District
Sue Stauffer is an elementary guidance counselor in the Quakertown Community School District, serving 850 students from two schools. Her dedication is such that “serving 850 students” really means that, as her goal is to recognize every single student in the schools, kindergarten through fifth grade, during the school year. She does this through the school-wide “Caught You Being Good” Program that she personally implemented. For her total commitment to improving children’s and families’ lives through this program, as well as through a myriad of other ways, such as individual and group counseling, crisis intervention, and sharing resource information, The Second Mile recognizes Sue Stauffer as its March Professional Partner of the Month.
Mrs. Stauffer describes the Quakertown Community School District as “varied,” with a growing English as a Second Language (ESL) population, a fairly high percentage of Title I students, and a predominantly working class families. Located in northern Bucks County, between Philadelphia and Allentown, this district offers the perfect variety for a counselor who is motivated by never having a dull moment, and who seems to be energized by the different and increasing challenges facing her, facing the staffs with which she works, and facing the children and families they’re serving.
Feeling fortunate in having some control in defining her job, Sue Stauffer spends a great deal of her time among classroom lessons, group guidance, and individual counseling. The classroom activities deal with topics such as getting along with others, problem solving, decision making, bullying, and peer pressure. She also enjoys working with individual students, or with small groups, tackling issues like friendship, divorce, loss, and family problems. But Sue doesn’t confine herself to the walls of her two schools, or the boundaries of the school day. Scott Godshalk, Principal at Tohickon Valley Elementary School, describes an incredibly dedicated children’s advocate:
| | "Her role in our school extends far beyond the duties as the counselor. She is a vital member of the building’s CORE team, which makes key decisions about students’ academic and social well being. I frequently request her assistance with tasks that do not fit her job description, and she ALWAYS responds with a friendly, “Of course!” She is a dedicated advocate for children. Unfortunately, there are many children whose home lives are in a constant state of turmoil. Mrs. Stauffer regularly meets with them to offer her advice and provide consistency to these children who desperately need a loving adult." |
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Janet Gendron, a Learning Support teacher at Quakertown Elementary, adds that in whatever capacity Mrs. Stauffer is working with kids, she finds success because she has great rapport with them, and the children light up when they see her. She also works to enable the kids to solve their own problems. This approach might be one of her philosophies – when appropriate, help give kids the tools they need to solve problems, rather than trying to solve them yourself.
On top of her ability to easily connect with children, Sue Stauffer is a very hard worker. Colleagues describe a woman who assiduously does whatever is necessary to find short-term relief and long-term solutions to children in need. Before there was a social worker available, Sue was doing work to help kids and their families with housing issues. Needy families at Thanksgiving or Christmas? In the past, Mrs. Stauffer coordinated getting names, compiling lists of necessary items, marshalling community support from teachers, doctors, and others, and then shopping herself for these items. Problem during her lunchtime? Sue is the one to skip her own lunch in order to jump in and help. Janet Gendron describes a colleague who is so motivated to make a difference that sacrificing her own time or needs is not a big deal:
| | "Sue is very motivated by the chance to be involved with families, and in getting to see the change in families over the years, since she often stays in touch with them even when the children move on to middle school and high school. She always feels that the work is worth it." |
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So while Mrs. Stauffer does enjoy time in the classroom and in working with groups or individuals, she especially appreciates trying to help kids and families in some sort of crisis. Part of this is the enjoyment she derives from working as part of a team, with both of her elementary staffs, to reach out to help families in need. Another piece of this satisfaction comes from the sense that perhaps she’s helping to make a positive impact in a child’s life. In any event, she has been finding over the years that she’s spending increasing time with crisis intervention, acting as a liaison to outside agencies, and providing support to teachers and parents. Sue is also finding that her job often reaches outside the school setting, allowing her to provide services in a broader context, and which have a more profound impact on kids’ lives. Scott Godshalk describes Sue’s work in this area:
| | "She is a part of the district wide Crisis Prevention Team, and offers support to all eleven schools when a crisis occurs. She is able to prioritize student needs, all while maintaining her unbelievably busy schedule. She supports families with all available district, county, and state resources. When necessary, she does not hesitate to contact county based services for students who are in deplorable situations." |
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Sue has developed a wide network of outside agencies, and doesn’t hesitate to collaborate and utilize this network in order to best serve children.
She sees this collaboration as an important response to one of the most significant challenges facing her and her profession – that of our changing society and how many more issues children deal with today. There is a shift in priorities and support systems for families, changing value systems, and an expansion in the roles of counselors in needing to wear so many different hats in order to serve others. Sue says that this shift at times seems like an overwhelming task.
The Second Mile is just one of many outside agencies that Sue Stauffer partners with to provide services to children in need. She writes:
| | "Philosophically I am so in sync with what The Second Mile is trying to do and the wonderful opportunities it is providing for some very needy children. I LOVE being able to offer the summer camp to some very deserving children and the ‘Tips’ program is a wonderful springboard for positive role models sharing positive values." |
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The Second Mile reciprocates her feelings, given what a great partner she is!
When not wearing her Guidance Counselor hat, Sue is at home with her husband and their chocolate Lab, Charlie. She has two sons: one stationed in Maine and serving as a naval navigation officer, the other one married, with a 2-year-old daughter, and who works designing web pages and on-line diversity courses for large corporations. Mrs. Stauffer delights in spending time with her granddaughter, traveling, gardening, and participating in a Lab rescue society. She is looking forward to retirement in a few years so she can spend more time doing all of these favorite things of hers!
Sue’s favorite quotation is, "Treat other people the way you want to be treated" – the Golden Rule. One could argue that Sue should be treated like royalty, as it’s clear that Sue takes this rule to an extreme, treating colleagues, children, and families so incredibly well. Whether supporting her principal, teachers, or children with her efforts, Sue Stauffer is improving many lives in Bucks County, and The Second Mile is proud to salute her as its March Professional Partner of the Month!
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