My name is Mrs. Byers. This will be my 5th year as the School Counselor here at Piñon and I'm excited to continue to support students, staff and families in this new school year. I was born and raised here in White Rock and went to school at Chamisa. I moved to Albuquerque to go to UNM to study Psychology and Counseling then decided to move back home to be closer to family. My favorite activities are camping and fishing and watching my 2 year old daughter grow up. I am looking forward to working with all of you to support your children on their educational journey! Go Panthers!

What does a School Counselor do?

I work alongside teachers and parents to help students develop socially and emotionally, and to help remove any barriers they have to learning!

How do I support students?

-Classroom lessons teaching social skills, how to take care of strong feelings, study skills, etc.

-Small group counseling

-Short-term individual counseling

-Consultation with parents and teachers regarding academic concerns

-Parent engagement

-Community resource referrals (including longer term therapy services)

How do students see a School Counselor?

-Self-referral

-Parent referral

-Administrative, teacher, or other staff referral

-Counselor observation

How can I support Parents?

-Helping to handle social or emotional concerns you have about your child here at school

-Improving parent-child communication

-Family difficulties or concerns that affect your child at school

-Referrals for community resources

-Understanding the developmental changes of childhood

-Discussing concerns about your child’s academic achievement

Contact information:

y.byers@laschools.net

663-2686

I look forward to working with you all this year!