Recently, we got the chance to sit down with Mrs. Jeannotte, the senior counselor for our school, for a Coyote Spotlight interview. Mrs. Jeannotte has worked at Williston High School as a history teacher for 5 years and counselor for 6 years. Our goal was to ask Mrs. Jeannotte some questions to get to know her and all of what she does for our school. You can read our full interview below!

Where did you grow up?

I grew up in North Central North Dakota, in a town called Rocklake, on a farm.

What is your favorite color?

Turquoise

How many years have you worked at WHS?

11 years

What are all your responsibilities around the school?

As a school counselor, I work with seniors, so making sure they are on the right track academically, learning about what they want to do after high school, and taking care of any social or emotional needs that they might have along the way. So, taking care of the entire group we are in charge of–taking care of the entire student.

What is your favorite and least favorite part of your job?

The favorite part of my job is working with students, problem solving with them, making sure they are on the right track towards their goals, as both a student and a person in general. Just helping students grow while they are here–making a difference in their lives.

A couple negatives would be sometimes the job is very emotional. A lot of students go through a lot of difficult things, and it’s hard to see students hurting. A couple other things that I don’t like about the job is a lot of the paperwork type stuff and trying to organize it all.

Is it hard to separate your work like from your personal life?

I usually don’t have trouble with that because I work very hard when I am here, and I try to be as effective as I can be. When I leave here, I try not to bring anything home. I try not to bring any work home because it’s emotionally draining. While I’m here, I try to get as much done as I can, so I can separate when I do go home. It hard, it’s been a challenge. I’m in my sixth year as a counselor, and that’s a battle because some of the things are very heavy, and it’s hard not to think about those situations when I go home.

If you weren’t a school counselor, what would you be?

Well, I was a social studies teacher before I was a counselor and a coach. So, I think if counseling was not an option, I’d go back to teaching in the classroom and coaching because I love working with adolescents and with teenagers and not only with the content that I loved, teaching US history and global studies.

Why did you chose this career?

I just loved the process of teenagers becoming adults and helping them transition to that. But I found myself really interested in individuals and how individuals work and how to help individual students put the pieces together to make their lives work and make their lives better.

What is the biggest difference that you see from freshman to seniors?

I have talked to a lot of seniors that have said, “If I could talk to my idiot self as a freshman this is what I would say: I should’ve done better and behaved better.” I would say maturing and understanding the importance of education and learning how to interact with each other.

To walk into a freshman class versus a senior class it a totally different atmosphere.

What all goes into planning the graduation ceremony?

Other than hours and hours, the graduation ceremony itself isn’t so bad because there is a group of students that pick the speakers, the music is chosen by the senior choir people. So, that part isn’t so hard. It’s all of the underlying details that nobody sees.  The ceremony it self isn’t so bad–that’s kind of fun actually. And, I have a lot of people that are here to help me with the program, with the printing off the programs. It just takes time.

Does pineapple belong on pizza?

I am very new to Hawaiian Pizza, but I have to tell you–I really like it.  I thought it was disgusting till I tried it. And, I really dig it! And, I feel like I’m eating a healthier pizza because there is fruit on it.