Joanna Silberman Named Counselor of the Year

The Nassau Counselors’ Association recently announced that Joanna Silberman, school counselor at , as this year’s recipient of the Counselor of the Year award.

According to those who have worked with her, Joanna has every great quality a counselor should possess. She is compassionate, genuine, knowledgeable, approachable, and professional. She has taken on additional tasks above and beyond her job description. For instance, every year she spends endless hours using her creativity to put together a senior showcase to announce where every senior will be attending after graduation.

When she went out on maternity leave, she was very upset, knowing she’d be missing her junior college conferences. She spent months putting together a 75 page booklet entitled, “What to do when you’re a junior and your guidance counselor goes out on maternity leave”.

Joanna has also been involved in professional organizations including our very own Nassau Counselors’ Association. She began her involvement as a graduate student, and participated on the Executive Board as historian, co-chair of CAP, Secretary and Program Chair. She volunteered for the fall and spring expos as well as a new counselor workshop.

Had it not been for the demands of raising a family with two small children, Joanna would still be on the Executive Board, and it’s clear that she will most likely devote more of her time and talent at some point in the future!

Of course, it is student testimonials that most significantly help describe Joanna as a phenomenal counselor. One student who was proud to nominate Joanna said, “She has always been someone I can confide in, receive support, and advice...in all aspects of my school life.”

A former student writes about a long, costly education to become a school counselor yet attending East Meadow High School “is where I learned the most about being a school counselor and decided to devote my life to it. Joanna
Silberman wasn’t even MY counselor and she still managed to support, motivate, and most importantly, inspire me about things far more important than the nine periods in my high school day.”

Each year presents another opportunity to pick a counselor of the year. This year’s committee consisted of Joseph Izzo (POBJFK High School), Karen Cordani (Mineola High School), Ray Polk (Roosevelt Middle School), Linda Ragin (West Hempstead High School), and Thomas Rogers (school counseling intern).

The committee debated and discussed, and in the end its work paid off! We are
proud to select Joanna Silberman for the high standards she sets, the work ethic she displays, and a commitment to the profession and students that is second to none. Congratulations, Joanna, on being named the 2011-2012 NCA Counselor of the Year!

This article was submitted by Denise Callan, the District Registrar for the East Meadow School District.