Ralston said, “My favorite part of Stillwater has been the people, students and the staff. They have been great to work with.”

As the busy days at Stillwater Area High School draw onwards many of the staff are working earnestly and busily. Sometimes recognition for the exceptional is in order, for example Dan Ralston is now jump starting the intro to his second year as a counselor.

Ralston has been involved in education for 15 years, starting his career at Valley Crossing Community School teaching third graders all the way up to becoming one of the staple counselors.

Ralston said, “I started at VCCS teaching third grade from 1998 to 2003. Then to North Branch as a counselor from 2003 to 2012.”

Out of all the areas in which Ralston has worked the one he has had the most personal connection to has been Stillwater being that his wife is a Stillwater Area High School graduate and he lives in the area.

Ralston said, “I like this area and believe in these schools, my wife is a Stillwater graduate so we’ve been looking in this district. It’s a job I’ve been looking at for a while.”

After one year of working as a counselor, Ralston quickly found out how kind most of the students are around him. Even though some tasks such as switching credits mid-year and transferring credits from other schools can prove to be very difficult.

Ralston said, “My favorite part of Stillwater has been the people, students and the staff. They have been great to work with.”

One task that is expected that counselors do is to help students plan for the future, and select the colleges that would best fit their needs. They do this by addressing the students needs and better understanding what they should strive for in the future.

A student that conferenced with Ralston senior, Alicia Tipcki said, “He was very interested and asked about my college choices for the future.”

One of the responsibilities of being staff is to be there for students in need, those everyday situations. If it is helping a student in need, or reminding students to get to class there always is times were an administrative voice needs to be heard.

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Junior Hailee Bonds said, “On one of the first days of school I was confused by what class was mine and Mr. Ralston stumbled across me in the hallway. He redirected to where I could find my class and was very helpful and polite while doing so.”

Moving from any workplace to another can prove difficult. It is always hard, saying goodbyes and moving on to bigger brighter things. For Ralston this was no different, but at least there was an overall positive outcome to his transition.

Ralston said, “I think that the transition went smooth because I had experience as a counselor and experience in the district, and had support from the other counselors.”

This being Ralston’s second year counseling it could be assumed that things have been going more fluently and better being familiarized with the surroundings, and  the student body.

Ralston said, “So far this year has been better than last because relationships, knowing more of the student body. Last year was tough with the passing of two students, and this year has not had anything like that.”

Although it is Ralston’s second year, he has still ran into a few challenges while here. Primarily it has been the transferring of credits from one school to another that has troubled Ralston.

Ralston said, “I dislike transferring credits from other schools, it is difficult and feels like busy work.”

Counselors are a key role in the school system and very important to aid student and teachers. To have a new one is an honor but it is specifically gratifying to have someone as motivated and dedicated as Ralston.