Granite Bay school counselor retires

After working 24 years in education, Kay Renlund is ready to retire.Renlund, who has been a school counselor at Granite Bay High School the last five years, said she's always been a "people" person. She's been a counselor for 18 years and prior to coming to Granite Bay worked with a school district near Chico. In addition to counseling, Renlund taught high school and junior high English."I wanted to switch from teaching to counseling because counseling seemed like an example of people being mentors at work," she said.Renlund said counselors function as problem solvers for everyone - students, parents and staff. When someone needs guidance with a class, how to handle an extended illness or improve reading skills or even conflict resolution, the counselor is usually the first one to get involved."We wear a lot of different hats," she said.Renlund said one of a counselor's most important jobs happens during the first few weeks of each school year as they scramble to make all the scheduling changes students need."The first few weeks we are buried trying to make sure all the schedules are right," Renlund said. "There really is a lot to do to try to accommodate people and their desires. Usually for those who are patient with the process in the end we are able to work it out." However, Renlund said that's not a counselor's sole responsibility. "A good counselor is one who cares about people and wants to be part of the process," she said. "They are intuitive listeners and they have a sense of respect of where people are in their journey."At Granite Bay High, counselors want to make sure every student is aware of all the services available to them. In order to achieve this, the counselors introduce themselves each term to freshmen health classes."We let them know we are people who can help them," Renlund said. "There are lots of people who don't realize how often adolescents deal with problems such as eating disorders, depression and much more."At Granite Bay, Renlund was one of four counselors, each with the responsibility of keeping track of approximately 500 students.Linda Dreaver, one of Renlund's counseling colleagues, feels most Granite Bay students have a network of support but there are some who do not."We do what it takes for kids to have success," Dreaver said. "We quietly do what we do and don't always know we've made a difference until we hear from former students."Renlund is grateful she spent her last few years of her career at Granite Bay and is happy with the personal relationships she's formed with many of the students as well as the staff."There is a positive, fun spirit here," she said.Renlund said she is looking forward to relaxing after her retirement and is anticipating the arrival of her first grandchild this year."We will all miss Kay," Dreaver said. "Granite Bay will miss her wisdom, her humor, organization and leadership."Brian Hewitt, counselor for the past three years at Hiram Johnson West Campus in Sacramento, will be filling Renlund's spot on the Granite Bay counseling team this fall. Prior to Hiram Johnson, Hewitt taught and coached at Sacramento State for 12 years."I'm looking forward to coming to Granite Bay," Hewitt said. "I'm impressed with the whole district and what a top flight school Granite Bay is. The faculty is fabulous and there's a feeling of community."While there are many similarities between West Campus and Granite Bay in terms of high test scores and the rigor of college preparatory courses offered, there are many differences. West Campus' population is approximately 800, where Granite Bay enrollment is above 2,000. West Campus is more culturally diverse and 40 percent of the student population participates in the free and reduced lunch program.The differences don't worry Hewitt; he feels "kids are kids. "They all have the same issues, peer pressures, anxiety to perform well and they all have pressures from parents and teachers," he said. His experience with coaching taught Hewitt that all kids need encouragement and goal setting as long as they are not overloaded. He knows some will need an extra push while others need their hand held along the way.His goals for his new position are to get out of the office as much as possible in an effort to get to know the students."I want to walk the halls and go to extra curricular activities because I have to go to the students before I can expect the students to come to me. It takes time to build those relationships," Hewitt said.Dreaver said she's looking forward to having Hewitt join the counseling team."He is a go-getter and easy to talk to," she said.