School Counselors: Impacting Student Achievement Within Our Schools - Angela Shanahan & Karen Devine

The CharacterStrong Podcast

Today our guests are Angela Shanahan & Karen Devine, School Counselors in Chicago Public Schools. We talk about the impact that comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs have with students at their schools and across the district. They also share what they have learned leading schools thru the Recognized ASCA Model Program process, and the impact and benefits of becoming RAMP recognized.

Angela Shanahan is a school counselor in a neighborhood high school in Chicago Public Schools (CPS) with experience at the middle school, high school and district level. It was during her CPS internship in 2011 that she was first introduced to the Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP) application process, with the high school receiving the award. Then after transitioning to a middle school and getting a few years under her belt, she decided to RAMP again. Through these experiences, Angela was able to network with counselors from other schools and better understand the impact we can make at a district level.

Angela has been an ASCA RAMP reviewer for over four years and works as a Co-RAMP Coordinator for Chicago Public Schools with Karen Devine. In their second year as coordinators, they streamlined the supports for schools in their RAMP pipeline. Angela is also an adjunct professor at her alma-mata, Loyola University Chicago, where she teaches Foundations of School Counseling to first year graduate students. During her spare time, she enjoys being active and spending time with her husband and three young children.

Today our guests are Angela Shanahan & Karen Devine, School Counselors in Chicago Public Schools. We talk about the impact that comprehensive, data-informed school counseling programs have with students at their schools and across the district. They also share what they have learned leading schools thru the Recognized ASCA Model Program process, and the impact and benefits of becoming RAMP recognized.

Karen Devine has been a passionate teacher, counselor, coach, and district leader in the Chicago Public Schools for 30 years. She leads with the mantra, “be gentle with your children, for they will teach their children”, which she has written on a cloth embroidered by her Grandmother. While working as a high school counselor in the second most-populated school in the district, Karen has been able to transform the school counseling program to provide equitable access for students with long-term, successful results.

In addition to being a practicing high school counselor, and leading her school through its fourth RAMP application, Karen also serves as the District’s Co-RAMP Coordinator with Angela Shanahan. Through innovative Tier 1, 2, and 3 practices, along with a cultivated resource guide, Karen has helped the District revitalize counseling programs at both the elementary and high school levels. Karen and Angela have presented about their work at the district, state, and national levels.

As a running coach and yoga instructor, Karen emphasizes the mind/body connection within her counseling philosophy. Through creative drills, movement, walk-and-talk, and art therapy, students learn to be a proactive partner in realizing their potential.