Guidance counselor Mrs. Rauch exerts a sense of relaxation and kindness to FCMS students
by Tori Vickers
For many people, crafting is relaxing. Likewise, making cards and scrapbooking is a relaxing hobby for Mrs. Rauch, the guidance counselor at Franklin County Middle School.
“I got interested in it through a family member about ten years ago. I do monthly card classes, people can come, and they can put their cards together at their own pace,” stated Mrs. Rauch.
“It’s something I enjoy doing because it’s very relaxing. People do it for fun, and they enjoy putting them together. It’s kind of like a social thing,” Mrs. Rauch confided to us.
“I sell my cards at the Farm House in Metamora,” she added.
Although many people don’t think about it, teachers have families and lives outside of school. Mrs. Rauch’s family consists of her husband, Brett, and her children.
“My husband Brett and I have been married for ten years. We have two kids, Jerod is 8, and Kendall is 3. Jerod is a 2nd grader at St. Michaels, and Kendall is in daycare,” she stated.
You may not know this, but Mrs. Rauch was actually a PE teacher before becoming a guidance counselor! “I went to college at Eastern Kentucky University. I majored in exercise science, and I played on the women's basketball team for four years."
I graduated from high school in 2001, and I graduated from college in 2005. I got my masters degree in 2010 for counseling.
I started as a PE teacher, split between the schools. A coworker suggested that I would be good at counselling, I looked into it, studied, and now I’m beyond happy with my decision. I really enjoy my job and working with students,” she confided.
Outside of her job Mrs. Rauch loves to hike, craft, and spend time with her family and friends. “I like to spend time with family, be outdoors, and we go to state parks and hike a lot.
In my spare time I make cards! I don't really read, so I mainly do crafts,” Mrs. Rauch chatted.
If she could go back to her favorite vacation spot, Mrs. Rauch replied ,“I would go back to Hawaii because it's absolutely gorgeous. My husband and I went there for our honeymoon. I'd love to go back."
Honeymoons can be very expensive, so it’s really fantastic that they didn’t have to pay for it!
“Every school day is different; therefore, I try my best to meet the needs of my students. I spend a lot of time talking with parents and students.
I like to help out with anything, which means that no day is the same, which is cool.
During ISTEP I’m really busy, and towards the end of the year, I’m busy scheduling. I’m always trying to get kids to sign up for the 21st Century Scholars Program.
Students can qualify based on income and how many people live in their house, and if they qualify, they can receive free college tuition!” she exclaimed.
You may not think about it, but teachers don’t just say in their classroom all day, waiting for students to come back. It doesn’t really occur to us when we’re sitting in a classroom, doing our work; however, teachers are just like us!
They’re older, so they can drive, but they listen to music too! For Mrs. Rauch, whatever is on the radio is what she prefers.“I like country music, even though I usually just listen to the radio. Eric Church and Kenny Chesney are some of my favorite singers,” remarked Mrs. Rauch.
“My motto is probably, ‘Be nice.’ It's free and it goes a long way,” she confessed. As Mrs. Rauch pointed out, kindness is underrated, and many people forget that being kind could make someone's day.
Say hi to people if they look a little down, or compliment someone’s new shoes! Just try your best to be kind, and it’ll be worth it in the end.
Mrs. Rauch is the guidance counselor in our school, so feel free to talk to her. We hope she continues to spread her positive and kind influence here for many years to come!
