Ms. Johnson envisions her role as someone who is always available for support.
Throughout her many years at Gilmour, Ms. Samantha Johnson has played a huge role in the lives of Gilmour students ever since she left college. Having graduated from Gilmour in 2009, she has remained a part of this community ever since. From being a counselor for freshmen and sophomores and then moving to juniors and seniors, Ms. Johnson always puts students first. As the current Director of Upper School Counseling, she hopes to impact all students in positive ways.
Ms. Johnson sees her #1 role as a helper.
Ms. Johnson has always considered her role in the Gilmour community as being a helper. In other words, her number one goal is to make sure students feel comfortable, and make sure they are getting any support they need from her. She envisions her current role as helping the students reach their fullest potential whether it is academically, socially, emotionally, or anything else.
Ms. Johnson was nervous at first for the structural changes this year, but not anymore!
Considering all of the structural changes at Gilmour this year, at first Ms. Johnson was skeptical about the logistics of it all. She was worried that students may not take advantage of all of the great opportunities the Community Block would bring. Although she was anxious in the first semester, she now “can confidently say she is 100% behind the changes!”
For the second semester, she said, “The possibilities for exploration, involvement, and education are endless.”
Ms. Johnson loves working with students in all four grades!
Considering Ms. Johnson has gone through some changes with her role at Gilmour, her position as the Director of Upper School Counseling is crucial in our Gilmour community, and she is most excited about the bonds she can make with students. Ms. Johnson said, “Getting to know what is unique and special about students is what motivates me every day and excites me!”
Being available and flexible, Ms. Johnson helps new or returning students adjust to their needs.
Ms. Johnson said, “We never know what each day can bring but if I can show the students how much I care and want to help, hopefully they’ll know they can come to me for everything!” She also knows what it is like to be in the shoes of a Gilmour student, as she graduated in 2009.
The Gilmour community continues to shape the theme of Inclusiveness this year.
Ms. Johnson encourages students to join clubs to meet new people and try new thing. She said the Counseling Department and Wellness team are focused on bringing fun, engaging, and educational programs to Community Block to help bring students together in an uplifting way. Lastly, she commented on the importance of supporting peers at athletic games, extracurricular events and school functions.
After learning so much about Ms. Johnson, her excitement for Gilmour is unquestionable. She said, “It is so exciting to be a part of so many new changes in our Gilmour community.”
