Makinzee Boyer
Brooke Bollmann returned to Normal West after leaving for a counseling position at Normal Community the last two years. The familiarity and close-knit work family is what brought her back to Normal West this school year.
As veteran school counselor Brooke Bollmann returns to her previous role at Normal West, some things haven’t changed despite her two-year absence from the school.
Initially, Bollmann made the move to the neighboring school, Normal Community, with the hope of working there while her sons would attend the school in a few short years.
However, she returned to her previous post at Normal West after a short time in Normal Community’s counseling department.
“Once I got to [Normal Community], the schools are not as similar as they seem,” Bollmann admits.
Bollmann’s love for the school’s culture and feeling of ‘home’ are some of the reasons she was drawn to return to the halls of West.
“I missed the people I had worked with for 13 years,” Bollmann shares.
Another reason for her return is her love for West’s student-focused counseling approach.
“I love how everyone is wanting the best for their students,” Bollmann adds.
With her return, Bollmann expresses how West’s core value of getting the students where they want to go, and finding the best way for them to get there, is another thing she missed in her absence and is actively returning to her groove of aiding West students to strive for the best.
“She is one of the hardest working people I know, and she cares deeply about her students,” West’s college and career readiness counselor, Corey Ostling says.
Ostling also pointed out that these are reasons why Bollmann was nominated as one of the Those Who Excel Award winners in 2018.
“She is certainly highly capable in the counselor role with her experience, so we appreciated that she was able to just jump right back in to ALL that it means to be a school counselor at Normal West,” West principal Dr. Angie Codron adds.
Bollmann loves having a hands-on approach when working with students, which is something she is excited to continue with her return to West. In fact, she shares a fond memory of a time she helped a student that sticks out in her mind.
“Their face just lit up… that smile is just what I love about doing what I do,” Bollmann shared.
Because of the rewarding experience Bollmann has had as a school counselor, she values her ability to provide students with resources for their future.
She continues to make an impact on students who pass through the halls of Normal West.