Biography
Sarah Altman is a School Counselor for Avon Community School Corporation, and a 2002 graduate of Marian University and 2005 graduate of Purdue University. Altman has taught several courses for Marian's Psychology department, along with teaching at Indiana Wesleyan University, Butler University, and IUPUI. Professionally, Altman has served on the Indiana School Counselor Association board, serving as President in 2016, maintaining membership with the American School Counselor Association, and earning national School Counselor of the Year Semi-Finalist in 2015. Personally, Altman lives in Brownsburg with her husband, Evan, and two children (Addison, 14; Ryne, 12). As an active member of her church, Altman also enjoys crafting, reading, walking, and watching movies.
School Counseling is all about the students. I enjoy my daily interactions with students in the hallways and classrooms. What I enjoy most is building and maintaining the relationships with both the kids and their families. As a practitioner, I always integrate practical applications into the courses that I teach. By understanding the developmental needs of the students, along with the education system, School Counselors play a key role in the social/emotional, academic, and career growth of all kids!
One piece of advice I'd give my students is to learn students' names. Serving many hundreds of students can become overwhelming, but each student needs to have a place in your heart!
In the field of School Counseling, I'd recommend the variety of resources presented by the American School Counselor Association. Also, books related to data-driven and solution-focused counseling.
A fun fact about me is that I have been inside the White House!
