Open ear, open door: new counselor Kody Crawford

Kody Crawford, a new school counselor at ARHS strives to be an “open ear,” “to remove barriers,” and to make the kids at ARHS “feel comfortable in their own skin.” Crawford said his upbringing gave him access to summer camps and outdoor education that taught him to never take having a space to be yourself for granted. 

“I’m aiming to pass on that experience of feeling understood and feeling comfortable in your own skin. I want to be able to provide that,” he said.

Crawford grew up on the south shore of Massachusetts where he attended Weymouth High School. After high school, Crawford achieved a bachelor’s degree in Recreation Management and a minor in outdoor pursuits at Ithaca College. “For grad school, I went to UMass Amherst and studied school counseling,” he said. 

Crawford then continued to get his master’s as an education specialist.

He recently purchased and moved into a home in Easthampton a year ago with his wife Becca who is an ARHS grad, their friend, and their dog Lulu, who is “part of the family for sure.” As he talked, a photo screen next to his desk flipped through images of his recent wedding and pictures of his dog. 

Crawford described himself as a “jack of all trades, master of none,” which means, he has many activities that he enjoys but does not devote enough time to master any of them, such as snowboarding, volleyball, board games, dance, and more. 

Crawford has enjoyed his time in Amherst and as a new school counselor at ARHS. He said he is excited to create “firmer roots, and some connection with families and community members.” Crawford discussed the fundamental values at ARHS that make him feel at home. “Social justice is really important to me,” he said. “I’m glad it’s a big part of what the school believes in. It’s really valuable.”

A typical day as a counselor for Crawford involves a lot of scheduling. “It can take shape in a variety of ways,” he said. “It can be something as simple as a kid not liking a class or saying the class isn’t working for them,” so he will work to address what’s going on and or make necessary changes.

Scheduling can also involve meeting the needs of an IEP. “If a student needs very particular classes, [we may have to] restructure that schedule,” he said. 

In addition to scheduling, It is common for students to come to Crawford’s office just to talk.

“They could be having a really tough time,” he said, in which case, he’d listen intently. Crawford loves to talk to people, and said he likes “listening and kind of bringing out meaning” around what a person is saying.

Crawford is looking forward to his future at ARHS and has felt very welcomed by the kids and staff at the school. “It can be tough coming into someplace new with a lot of already established practices,” he said, but Crawford has seen many make an “intentional effort to make the transition easier” for him. 

He is excited to work with some of the expert staff at ARHS and said hopes to “draw on some of their experiences” in the weeks and months ahead.