Welcome to Student Support Services.
Cathy Kendrick - Social Emotional Learning Specialist - [email protected]
Lisa Fiess - Gifted and Talented Counselor - [email protected]
Hello! My name is Ms. Fiess and I am excited to start my 7th year as a counselor at Kendrick Lakes Elementary, specializing in working with the gifted and talented. I split my time between Kendrick Lakes and Ken Caryl Middle School; this year I am at Kendrick Lakes on Thursday and Friday. I am passionate about supporting both parents and students. When I am not at school, you can find me parenting my teenage kids and 3 wild pups! For fun, I head to the mountains where I hike, tube, boat, camp and fish. I am here to help you through the tough times and celebrate the good times. Let’s have a fantastic 2020/2021 school year!
Amy Navvab - School Social Worker - [email protected]
Description of Roles
As Jeffco Social Emotional Learning Specialists, our mission is to create and maintain a positive climate and culture that is inclusive and safe for students, families, and staff. While cultivating and empowering the whole child through tiered, evidence-based implementation of social emotional learning programming in order to empower successful, productive citizens and actualize the Jeffco Generations. Social and emotional learning (SEL) describes a set of competencies and skills that enhances students’ capacity to integrate skills, attitudes, and behaviors to deal effectively and ethically with daily tasks and challenges.
Gifted and Talented SEL Counselors provide counseling support to gifted students at GT center schools. The support system that GT SELCs provide encompasses the CASEL competencies of self-awareness, self-management, responsible decision making, relationship skills, and social awareness. SELCs collaborate with all stakeholders including teachers, school mental health providers, administrators, parents, and any outside agency involved in the student’s life in order to provide quality support for gifted learners. They provide classroom instruction, small group interventions, and brief individual counseling support within the GT center of the school. SELCs are also available for consultation with any school needing advisement in serving GT populations.
Social Workers generally work with students with more specifically defined academic and/or social/emotional/behavioral needs as identified in their Individualized Education Plan (IEP) as determined by the school’s Special Education team. These needs are typically addressed in smaller group settings and/or with individual students.