Nicole Konrad, School Councelor

Nicole Konrad

I am thrilled to be your School Counselor and Social Worker! This is my seventh and very proud year at The Kyrene Middle School. I will be working primarily with our 7^th and 8^th graders.

I was born and raised in Queens, New York. Go Mets! I currently live in the Kyrene Community with my 9-year-old daughter Lyla, 15-year-old son Cooper and my husband of 23 years Jason. I love the outdoors, spending time with my family, reading clinical social work and counseling books, watching law and order and reality television, cooking, playing volleyball, swimming and traveling.

I received my Bachelor of Science degree in Clinical Social Work from Syracuse University in Syracuse, New York, a Master of Clinical Social Work from Virginia Commonwealth University in Richmond, Virginia and a second Master’s degree in Education with a concentration in School Counseling from Ottawa University. 

I have worked for the University of Phoenix in multiple roles since 2003 to include: Campus College Chair for the College of Humanities and Sciences, Program Manager for Human Services, Manager of the University of Phoenix Counseling Skills Center, supervising University of Phoenix Bachelor of Science in Human Services students in their internships, opening up the first military campus in Naples, Italy, Human Services Faculty Member, Field Representative and Enrollment Counselor.

I have also worked for EMPACT-Suicide Prevention Center in Maricopa, Arizona as the first Intake Specialist, Case Manager for children on psychotropic medications and Adolescent Therapist. As well as the Salvation Army Adult Day Program, Child and Family Services and the Department of Social Services in both New York and Virginia. 

As a Social Worker my areas of expertise include, providing direct foster care services to children, foster families, and families of origin who cannot be maintained in a regular foster home. I provided services to children ranging from infancy to 21 years of age. All children had special needs due to a variety of issues including psychiatric disorders, behavioral or emotional problems, antisocial/delinquent behaviors, physical and sexual abuse, physical and learning disabilities, substance abuse, teen-age pregnancies, and sexually transmitted infections.

I provided solution focused counseling and case work services, parenting aid and education, enforced foster parent training, monitored, and supported academic and vocational functioning, taught hygiene and grooming and provided linkage and referral to community resources. I supervised children in placement, served as an active member of the Therapeutic Foster Care treatment team, prepared, and carried out individualized service plans with children and families, documented treatment goals in case plans and maintained case records in compliance with agency, regulatory and accreditation standards. I provided after hour on-call duty with other professional staff, assisted in the recruiting, training, and approving of new foster homes.

I provided services to individuals and families to prevent family violence, child abuse/neglect, family breakdown, including removal of the child and other crises. I provided services, which are designated to strengthen the family’s ability to function more independently and effectively. My ultimate objective was to preserve the family unit while maximizing family member’s potential for self-help. Services were always intensive and on-going. I always made use of available resources and showed initiative serving as an advocate for children and families and sought opportunities to educate the public as to the need for intervention services as an essential part of my job.

I look forward to working together, to create a safe, yet stimulating, learning environment that will produce many positive experiences this coming year.

Please remember that it takes one caring adult to make the difference in the life of a child, please be that adult to our children.