Karla Ortiz is the assistant principal of student services, overseeing counselors, social workers, and 504 plans, but her work doesn’t stop there. While managing all of this, she also left a lasting impact on staff, students, parents, and the community.
Ortiz defines her role as ‘in charge of systems’, that includes, “grading systems, transcript systems, 504 systems, social support systems, [and just] supporting students.”
She even finds herself overlapping with the special education services as well as students with IEPs.
With a lot on her plate, Ortiz finds a way to navigate through her busy schedule.
“It is a lot. I have a great team,” Ortiz said.
Her team includes the social workers and counselors. According to Ortiz, the social workers handle social-emotional groups (SOS), and “the front line when it comes to any kid who is in a crisis.”
The counselors are in charge of grading, transcript checks, and one of the most important functions: creating the master schedule for the next year.
Ortiz has her own approach to leading her team and keeping everything in line. With 16 years of experience as a counselor, she connects and understands the challenges that come with the job. Her experience allows her to direct them accordingly while paying mind to the difficulties students sometimes have to endure.
“I try not to forget where I came from, so to speak. I always try to remember that when I’m asking them to do things and when I’m in team meetings with them. [I try] to be as supportive as possible because I know how difficult the job [can] be without support,” Ortiz said on the matter.
Daniel Shuman, one of Ortiz’s counselors, speaks about how she has guided him throughout the years.,
“Mrs. Ortiz has been a mentor to me since I transitioned from a teaching role here at PSHS to a counseling role four years ago. She [has taken] time out of her regular responsibilities to help me become familiar with various programs and resources we use as counselors,” Shuman said.
She also explains how her years of counseling have furthered her understanding of the world of social work in general. Ortiz describes the two positions going hand in hand. Students often come to counselors before ever seeing a social worker. Their job is to identify if a student needs extra support that isn’t in their field. It’s a team matter- Triangle Teams.
“Triangle Teams [means you have] a dean, a social worker, and a counselor. When that counselor feels the student needs a little bit more social and emotional support, [they’ll] have them meet with their social worker,” Ortiz said.
“I wanted to give back to my own community because I feel like I can identify with a lot of the students that are in this building, just based on my background, based on how I grew up, based on my struggle,” said Ortiz.
According to Ortiz, she is still learning how to play a bigger role in students’ lives than just her position. Ortiz believes that representation goes a long way, and wants to make her presence known to students.
She seems to have done just that with freshman, Anthony Valenciano. Valenciano and Ortiz work closely together on his personal passion project: Mental Health Workshops for students who need support. Valenciano describes Ortiz as a “bubbly, bright woman who truly infects the school with her positive energy.”
He goes on to say “Mrs. Ortiz has been more than just the head of counseling for me because she not only always stands up for me, but she also talks to me like I’m an adult, [and doesn’t make] me feel small.”
Like Valenciano, Shuman has also talked about the impact that Ortiz has had on not only him, but the school as well.
““Her passion for helping students (and staff) with issues they are facing can’t be understated and is something that I have personally witnessed countless times in my four years as a counselor at Plainfield South,” Shuman said.
Besides Ortiz’s challenge in handling all these systems, she gives more insight into what she finds to be her biggest struggle. Ortiz sometimes plays the middle ground with teachers and parents, helping parents understand the struggles that come with teaching, and assisting teachers implement support for their children. She describes it as “bridging two perspectives.”
Ortiz doesn’t do all this without care and passion.“I love it here, I do. I love the kids here. I’ve had really great experiences with parents, too. I’ve had great experiences with students and parents, so that they really make me feel like I’m making a difference to them, you know. So I love it, and I love my counselors,” Ortiz said.
