Staff Spotlight with the Superintendent

Who are you?
I am Lori Kaiser and I am the school counselor for Butler Elementary and Riverdale Elementary schools.

When did you start at DKE?
I started working for DeKalb Eastern School District in August of 2004. Prior to working at the elementary schools, I was a counselor at Eastside Jr- Sr High School.

What do you do or what does your typical day look like?
A typical day as an elementary school counselor consists of individual student check-ins, class presentations, planning and preparing elementary activities such as: College/Career Month; Anti-Bullying Month; Digital Citizenship Month; Kindness Month; and assisting teachers and staff with anything they need me for. Also, receiving numerous hugs from little students each day is a bonus!

What is your “Why” behind the job?
I do this job because I love kids and I have been blessed to be able to make a career out of working with them. I love watching kids grow and learn. I love helping them with their problems and being a positive person in their day.

What is one thing you like best about Schools/District?

I love how much the people who work in our schools and the district care about kids. All departments go above and beyond to help students succeed and to keep our facilities running smoothly.

Our school district is also blessed with a community that puts kids first and supports our schools in various ways. Not every school district is this lucky and we realize it at DeKalb Eastern.

What is one encouraging bit of advice for someone interested in your career?
Take your vitamins, because kids keep you hopping in this job! But it is the most rewarding career you could have. Also, be open to learning from the “seasoned” professionals in the field- this is not their first rodeo! Their thoughts and ideas can make your first few years a lot easier.