Looking Back at Dr. Mitchell’s Years at Nutley High School

After 45 years in Education, Dr Kathryn Mitchell Retires this Year

Dr. Kathryn Mitchell is one of the school counselors at Nutley High School. She has been active in the field of education for over 40 years. Dr. Mitchell is concluding her successful career at Nutley High School at the end of this school year. She will officially retire on June 30, 2018. She has touched and impacted all of the students she has had and she worked to do her best for all of them.

Dr. Mitchell graduated from William Paterson University with a Master’s Degree in Education and School Counseling. In addition, she has completed her doctorate degree in Counseling Psychology. Dr. Mitchell has had an impact on many people here at Nutley High School and students were lucky to have her as their counselor.

She started as an elementary school teacher at Lincoln School where she worked for 23 years. “I absolutely loved every minute of my teaching career," Dr. Mitchell said. "What I realized I loved most was the personal connection I made with students, which made me move into counseling.”

Dr. Mitchell has worked in the teaching field for a total of 45 years;  23 years teaching and 22 years at Nutley High School as a counselor. Dr. Mitchell works to help students make successful transitions between grades, different schools, their career exploration and development. She also works with students on their post secondary plans, which include the college and job search and resume development. The counseling department also works collaboratively with all the different departments, including the child study team, to serve the best needs of all the students.

There are many of memorable and rewarding moments that come with the job of counseling. Dr Mitchell said, “The most rewarding thing is when students come back to see me and they share their successes, and that acknowledgment that I was able to help them has given me the most reward.”

Along with the memorable and rewarding moments, there are some challenging ones too. “I think that finding the best way to help each student is a challenge, but it also inspires me to work to my best, to know the most I can and to have as many options available to help a student,” Dr. Mitchell said. “Each day that I come to my job I want to do the best I can for each student that walks in my office, so the challenge for me is to be the best I can be.”

Dr. Mitchell feels so fortunate to be a part of this school and community. It means a lot to her and feels like she has connected with so many people through it. “It's a wonderful school with wonderful students,” said Dr. Mitchell.

Dr. Mitchell describes her retirement as bittersweet as she will miss all the students, teachers, administrators and staff. In her letter to her students and colleagues she said, “Very few people are fortunate enough to feel passionate about their life's work; I am one of those lucky few. I will miss seeing the students daily and assisting them with their personal and academic goals.”

Dr. Mitchell says that her life has been richer because of all of her students. NHS shares the same sentiment.