Exchange Club Honors Home School Advisors

Portage-Exchange-Home-School-1The Portage Township Schools' Home School Advisors and middle school counselors were honored by the Portage Exchange Club for their dedication to the students of the school system

On Wednesday, April 25, 2012, the Portage Exchange Club honored the Home-School Advisors of Portage Township Schools. The advisors were invited to attend the breakfast meeting at Topperz Restaurant and be recognized for the outstanding work they do for the students of the school system.

Jennifer Abbott, Exchange Club member and representative from The Villages Adoption-Foster Care-Family Services Agency, gave a presentation on Darkness to Light. She explained that Darkness to Light seeks to education adults in recognizing, dealing with and preventing child abuse. It provides training that empowers adults to better protect children.

Project chairperson Peggy Berbesque presented the advisors with a letter of recognition and some small gifts, including a coupon for a Topperz dessert and a magnet reading “Children become what you believe them to be.” She referred to the advisors as the unsung heroes of the school system and thanked them for supporting the Exchange Club’s Christmas Clothing for Kids project.

Portage-Exchange-Home-School-2Tim Kunstek, one of the high school’s Home-School Advisors, acted as spokesperson for the advisors, thanking the Exchange Club for honoring them. He gave some background on the position.

[Retiring Superintendent of Schools] Michael Berta was the one who wrote the grant that provided money for the first advisors. He was a principal at that time and saw the need for someone like this at the elementary school level. We started with four people who served the eight schools,” Kunstek explained. “Now there is a home-school advisor at each elementary school and on up through the high school. We are on the front line. We bridge the gap between the schools and the home. We act as social workers, substance abuse counselors, sexual abuse counselors, mediators between students and many other roles.”

Photos:

  • Pictured L to R: Judy Shrader (Willowcreek), Jennifer Riley (PHS), Kelly Smith (Willowcreek), Connie Melton (South Haven), Rachel Murray (Myers), Shannon Johnson (PHS), Kelly Bishop-Bohren (Fegely), Pam Carpenter (Jones), Kim Milner (Fegely), Lois Felten (Crisman), Tim Kunstek (PHS) and Portage Exchange Club President Joan Hasse-Rodriguez. Nicole Slack (Central), Stacy Kinsey (Kyle), Karen Kinsey (Saylor) and Angela Wyatt (Ayleworth) were unable to attend.
  • PHS Home School Advisor Tim Kunstek discusses the role of the home school advisor, as Exchange Club President Joan Hasse-Rodriguez and project chair Peggy Berbesque look on.