Meet the Counselor!

Samantha Buker, Professional School Counselor

Phone: 301-390-0220 

Email: samantha.buker@pgcps.org

I grew up and live in Prince George's County so I am grateful to give back to PGCPS. I graduated from Bowie State University with my Master's of Education in School Counseling (Go Bulldogs!). I completed my internship experience at Heather Hills Elementary School in Bowie and my practicum experience at the University of Maryland’s Upward Bound program for high school students. I received a Bachelor’s of Science in Family Science from the University of Maryland (Go Terps!). While attending graduate school I was a substitute teacher for PGCPS. I also have experience working with children with special needs through an undergraduate internship at The ARC Prince George's County; working as an Intensive Early Intervention Technician administering ABA behavioral intervention programs with children with Autism through CSAAC; and working as a case manager for the Autism Waiver Program for The ARC Prince Georges County. When I am not at school I spend a lot of time with my family, my fiance, Jake, (also a PGCPS educator), our dogs, Bailey and Izzie, and our axolotl, Waldo. I enjoy working on home projects, gardening, and painting.

As a School Counselor, my mission is to help Pointer Ridge Elementary Students to go “above and beyond.” Students at Pointer Ridge will feel empowered and supported to be academically successful, to be college and career ready, and to grow socially and emotionally.

My vision is to provide students with an inclusive, comprehensive, developmentally appropriate, and data driven counseling program. The school counseling program will work with parents, teachers, and administrators to prepare students to be college and career ready by providing a safe, caring, learning environment to develop their academic, career, personal/social development.

I will be servicing students by meeting with them individually (as needed on a short-term, solution-focused basis); in groups (as needed on a short-term, solution-focused basis); and through classroom lessons (all grades) on a variety of topics related to academic, personal/social, and career development. I have several other roles including: 504 case manager; Home and Hospital contact; McKinney-Vento Program Liaison; and Student Intervention/Student Support Team Chair.

Please feel free to contact me if you are in need of any resources or support!