The Counseling Realm! Scroll down to meet the team!

School Counselor/ASB Advisor DeeDee Gasseling

Meet your School Counselor!! Mrs. Gasseling is in her 21st year of working for Harrah Elementary and Mount Adams Middle School. She grew up in the Yakima valley and graduated from Wapato High School where she met and later married her high school sweetheart. She and her husband have been together for over 30 years and they have two children and three dogs. Her daughter Darian is a P.E teacher and basketball coach in the Boise area and her son Daylen is currently in his professional year at Boise State University in which he is pursuing a teaching degree.

Mrs. Gasseling believes everyone’s story is unique and things eventually fall into place when the time is right. She feels that she is a perfect example of this, as she did not attend college right out of high school. After pursuing a few different career choices along the way, she eventually decided working with children is where her heart belongs. After working as an Educational Assistant for a couple of years at Harrah Elementary, Mrs. Gasseling went back to school and obtained her AA degree online in early childhood education. She then enrolled in the Washington State University (Go Cougs!) online program where she graduated with her bachelor’s degree in Psychology and Human Development. She then obtained her master’s degree in School Counseling at Capella University and is currently in her fourth year working as a counselor.

Mrs. Gasseling LOVES working as a School Counselor where she helps her students learn how to build self-awareness, self-management, build social awareness, work on relationship skills, and responsible decision making.

Mrs. Gasseling is also in charge of HES ASB leadership team which provides an atmosphere of warmth, security, and encouragement as students work to reach their fullest educational potential in the areas of academic, career, and personal development. Mrs. Gasseling is committed to helping establish a solid foundation as Harrah Elementary students successfully manage their lives as responsible, healthy, and productive citizens who respect themselves and others. If you need anything please contact dgasseling@masd209.org or call me @ 509-848-5759.

SEL Specialist/School Counseling Intern Elise Parse

Ms. Parse is excited to join the school counseling team this school year! While growing up in Yakima Valley, Ms. Parse attended many schools from Wapato to Selah and graduated from A.C. Davis High School in 2007. Ms. Parse has been with her fiancé, Wyatt, for five years and has two children, Atreyu and Eowyn. Atreyu is 10 and loves to play baseball. Eowyn is 8 and loves soccer. As a family they enjoy cooking, playing video games and board games.

Ms. Parse believes that everyone is on their own journey in life, things will not go as planned, and it will work out. Ms. Parse worked as a pharmacy technician for almost ten years then decided to go back to school for her degree in Psychology in 2015. In 2020, Ms. Parse graduated from Southern New Hampshire University with a Bachelor's in Psychology. During her psychology degree she decided to switch from psychology to school counseling for her masters. Ms. Parse is on track to graduate from Capella University with a Master's in School Counseling in June of 2023.

Ms. Parse loves supporting students in their journey by helping students develop self-awareness, self-esteem, healthy coping skills, and social skills. Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or concerns, eparse@masd209.org or (509) 848-5730

Mt. Adams School District

McKinney Vento Case Manager:

Lorie Garcia

Lorie grew up in Sunnyside Wa. where she graduated from Sunnyside High School (Home of the Grizzlies) in 1995. In 2004 she started attending Heritage University and received her bachelors degree in Social Work in 2009.
In 2008 Lorie worked with the ESD 105 as an Early Learning Quality Improvement Coach and also became a state approved trainer for DCYF. As a state approved trainer Lorie provided professional developement trainings/hours to pre-school teachers and daycare providers. Working in this field required her to work many hours, nights, and weekends. It also required her to travel out of Yakima county. This took a toll on her since she wanted to spend more time with her children.
In 2014 she decided to look for a job that allowed her to spend more time at home and with her kids. Lorie began working with the Mt. Adams School District as an Educational Assistant and later in 2019 she became the McKinney Vento Case Manager for the District.
Lorie has become familiar with the community, families, and built relationships with students. Some of her job duties include: Working at MA's Closet, prepparing 50 weekend meals for 50 McKinney Vento students, and maintaining a current caseload of about 250 McKinney-Vento students. She provides McKinney Vento students and families with resources, transportation, school supplies, hygiene products, and many other services.
So you may be asking what is McKinney Vento? McKinney Vento is a service in which Lorie works with displaced students and families. Displacement can be anything from having families living with other families or friends (Doubled Up), living in a hotel or shelter, living in an RV, campground or site, or someone that is couch surfing (moving from home to home) and/or a student who is considered an unaccompanied youth (a student who is living with someone who isnt their legal guardian).
If you have any questions please feel free to contact Lorie Garcia by email at: loriegarcia@masd209.org or work number: 509-874-8605

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