Hi! This is my 6th and final year as Stanton’s counselor and I intend to make it the best year ever with your help.   My wish for each of your children is that someday they’ll be able to match their strengths to a career that will bring them joy, fulfillment, and the sheer happiness of knowing they’re making a difference. It’s a wish come true for me! And I’m constantly telling them I hope they are someday as happy with their career as me. There isn’t a thing we do in the Stanton comprehensive counseling program that doesn’t contribute to that end.

I have spent my entire career in this district that I consider home and harbor tremendous pride for. In fact my first 10 years were spent as a teacher at our neighbor school, Bowles Elementary, where some of you may have known me as Miss Lema. I have also spent time as:

• Pond Elementary counselor
• Rockwood Valley Middle School counselor
• Full time release president for Rockwood NEA

My husband, retired Rockwood Sumit teacher, Jim Westbury, and I moved to Eureka 23 years ago in order to raise our three children in the Rockwood District. This year marks the start of an empty nest for us as we send our two youngest off to college.  The baby, Annie, is headed to Western Colorado State University in Gunnison to pursue a degree in outdoor leadership.  Our son is headed to UCM in Warrensburg . His two years at Wildwood Community College were at no cost to us because as a Rockwood student he was part of the A+ program.  

Follow me on Twitter @stantoncounslor for the latest news in the counseling program.

With 530 students we get some extra help on Wednesdays!  Meet Mrs. Kilpatrick who will deliver K-2 curriculum.

Hi!  My name is Tina Kilpatrick.  I will be at Stanton Elementary each Wednesday helping Cathy.  It feels like coming full circle to me as I was first hired in Rockwood as a second grade teacher here at Stanton 27 years ago.  After having my second child, I left to become a school counselor at Uthoff Valley where I have been the last 17 years.  I am still at Uthoff on Mondays and Tuesdays.

On the home front my husband Kevin and I are proud to be parents of two Rockwood students.  Living in Eureka, my youngest is a junior at Eureka High School.  My oldest also graduating from EHS is now a senior at Mizzou.  We also have a new addition to our family; a 1 year old Carolina dog named Seven we adopted from a rescue shelter in Georgia this past spring.  I guess I am trying to prepare for the upcoming empty nest syndrome. 

It’s nice to see some familiar faces and the many new exciting things happening here at Stanton.  I am looking forward to meeting you and working together to be the best leaders we can be.

I want to take just a moment to introduce the internship student that will be working with us through the end of the school year.  Jeff Marx comes to us as a student from Missouri Baptist University where he is currently in the final semester of his Masters of Counseling degree and actively developing his skills as a school counselor with the team at Stanton Elementary School.  The next four months, Mr. Marx will be working with me and contributing to our guidance curriculum, individual planning, and responsive services programs at Stanton Elementary.