FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE N.R. #125, 2/29/00
Date: February 29, 2000
Contact: Irene Cromer
(703)791-8720
Counselors Recognized For Outstanding Service
Sue Danielson, guidance counselor at Minnieville Elementary School, and Eric Simenauer, a counselor at Stonewall Middle School, have been recognized by the Prince William Regional Counselors Association (PWRCA) as their counselors of the year.
Danielson will represent Prince William in awards programs of the Virginia Counselors Association and the Virginia School Counselors Association. She has been guidance counselor at Minnieville Elementary School since 1989. Earlier she taught elementary school and coached basketball, volleyball and softball. She came to the school division in 1986 as a fourth grade teacher at Triangle Elementary School.
In addition to her counseling responsibilities at Minnieville, Danielson supervises the SCA and the Student Ambassador and New Kids on the Block program, which help introduce new students to the Minnieville community. She coordinates the mitten tree, the school's participation in Operation Turkey, and assists at-risk families in need of support, especially during the holiday season. Chairman of the advisory council for two years, she also chaired the committee that developed the school's Violence Prevention Program.
"Ms. Danielson never gives less than 100 percent," says Title 1 reading specialist Stephanie DeiCas. "She is valued by everyone in the community: children, parents, staff and teachers. Our school would not be what it is if it weren't for her tireless efforts."
A 1980 graduate of Kearney State College with a B.A. in elementary education, Danielson earned a M.A. in elementary guidance from Virginia Tech in 1990.
PWRCA's nominee for Middle School Counselor of the Year, Eric Simenauer, is in his sixth year as a middle school counselor.
"Students come to him because they know he will listen and take their concerns seriously," says Elizabeth Graney, director of guidance and counseling at Stonewall Middle. Simenauer developed and implemented a behavior intervention support program that assists students with multiple behavior and academic issues who have not found success through the regular child study process. He is the school's liaison with Manassas Presbyterian Church's Stepping Stones Program. Stepping Stones has placed in the school a dozen volunteers who provide mentoring, tutoring and assistance to teachers.
Simenauer provides group counseling on topics including anger management, divorce/separation, social skills, new students, loss/grief, problem solving and responsible behavior. He also directs an after-school violence prevention program for boys in conjunction with The Community Information and Education Coalition. A graduate of the University of Maryland in College Park with a B.A. in government and politics, Simenauer earned a M.A. in guidance and counseling from Towson University.###