episode one: todd chicko, counseling chair

In this episode of the district; EDUCATING AB, TOGETHER, Peter Light, Superintendent of the Acton-Boxborough Schools, interviews Todd Chicko, the Counseling Chair. Todd shares his journey of over 31 years in education, reflecting on significant moments and the evolution of the school community. He discusses his passion for working with kids, the importance of mentorship, and the impact of school counseling. Todd emphasizes the value of fostering trusted relationships with students and the challenges of modern education, including mental health and the digital age. The conversation highlights the dedication of educators and the community's commitment to student-centered learning.

Transcript

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Welcome to The District, Educating AB Together. I'm Peter Light, Superintendent of the Act and Boxborough Schools, and I'm glad you're here. This podcast is about the people who make our schools come alive every day and work with our kids. Each episode, we'll sit down with a member of our staff to hear their story, why they chose this work, why they're here in our community, and why this moment matters. Today, I'm joined by Todd Cecho. So welcome, Todd. Todd is the Counseling Chair. And I'm excited to learn about his journey and to share his perspective with you. So Todd, let's get started. Excellent. You have been here more than a couple years, I This is my 31st year, my 25th at Acton-Boxborough. yes, quite a bit of time. So you've seen a lot. very Tell us a little bit about that. So I got here in 2000. So you think about how much of the world has happened or how much of history has happened during that time. It's been incredible. And I think the... the opportunity to witness the growth and the changes of everything in the district during that time has been a privilege. tell us more about that. What would have been some of the big moments that you remember that feel like, know, looking back over 30 years just feel like they were the moments to talk about? Absolutely. I was thinking about this on my way up and what's neat about working in a school like this is like so much of my life has unfolded since I've been here. I can tell you where I was when 9-11 happened. I was standing in the counseling center. I can tell you where I was when we found out about COVID or we found out when my wife and I found out we're having kids. Like everything is so much of my life has happened when I've been here that it's been, it's been really remarkable. I think it's like an, I were to go back and do it all over again, I'd sign right up. Yeah. So you might've spent more of your life here than in other places combined. without a doubt, without a doubt. You think about like, this is my 20, my 31st year, 25 years. So yeah, I'm almost closing in on more years here than. Life outside of here. Absolutely. That's awesome. So, you know, let's back up a little bit. you know, were you born a counselor or were there just things that happened along the way or some stories that kind of led you to decide on this career path? Sure. I'd love to tell you, I aspired from this position since I was five and it wasn't the case. know, I think back to in my sophomore year in high school, my English teacher called me a dumb jock. And I think what I liked about it was that she saw potential in me that maybe I didn't see in myself. I saw that mentorship and she was a remarkable woman. She was probably my best teacher I ever had. And I think the fact that she encouraged me to be more than what I thought I was capable of helped me get to that next step. And then even when I my first job out of college was at a group home for abused kids. And I really figured like, I'm gonna try to help these kids. Knowing I wasn't gonna make money, I just wanted to have an impact. And then I started my. I actually went to graduate school in a doctoral program for sports psych. And when I was there talking with my professor and I started talking with him about opportunities and options, the school counselors were there and then we started talking about, I do both? And then I quickly realized I didn't want the sports psych piece for a profession, I wanted the school counseling piece. So I pivoted and I got kind of a dual degree, but it was the school counseling piece that once I got into it, it stuck. So what was it about that, you know, what about school counseling made you want to make that switch? Kids. You know, was like really like when you think of it like you're looking back and reflecting on your life at the end of it, it's just like I wanted there to be meaning. And I think working with kids is the greatest opportunity. You so I think when given the options of making a lot of money or would like more money, no offense. But when given the opportunity of having a lifetime of like a financial wealth versus an impact on kids, it was the kids. And it was an easy decision for me when I made it. You know, and the truth is, is even now I'm hearing from families and kids I've worked with over my career and there's just so much value in that. Like so much to know that you've had hopefully some impact on somebody and paying a forward has been priceless. Well, I can't think of how many kids you would have had such a deep impact on over the course of your career. mean, 31 years, kids every year. I would guess well over 2,000. I've well over 2,000 kids on my case order during that career. it's, know, hopefully they look back and they think I was helpful and... And if not, hopefully they know that the effort was there. And you get to hear from some of them still? Very much so. Yeah. Actually, I got an email from a student who graduated in 2002 the other day. have kids that have come back and talked about how they're paying it forward based on things that we've talked about over the years. And having kids who have had incredible success and also kids who have just had an incredible impact. They've all been meaningful relationships for me. Yeah, that's incredible. um So just to change a little bit. You've talked about seeing a lot. How has this community evolved and how has the high school evolved over your time here that makes you think about how you work with kids and families differently? One of the things when I first decided that I wanted to come to AB actually came from, I interviewed for a position back in 2000 and Susan Root, who's now the chair of our psychology department, hired me back in 2000. We're not gonna... Oh, that you just dated in terms of, you know. But if you want to know just the remarkable impact that she had, I I walked away from that interview being like, if I don't get the job, I'll be disappointed, but that's somebody who I'd want to work with. But then it was also as you started to talk with people, it was always a student-centered approach to counseling and education that I don't think was in other schools. And actually, it's kind of neat. If you read the history of when it was that town of Acton having Acton High School back in the, I think, 50s or whenever they first started, Their counseling philosophy then was counseling. It was counseling the whole student. It was a student-centered approach at a time when everything was about guidance. And it was really kind of neat to be able to say, like, wow, they're actually looking at this from a student perspective as opposed to what we think kids have to have. And I just think that made it very unique. And I think that as things have evolved, we've always tried to keep that at the core of what do we think is best for kids? And I think that's the students. I think that's the faculty. I think that's families. I think that's the community. And I think it's... We may not always agree, but everyone's passionate about that cause. And I think, I like that. I actually like the fact that we kind of wrestle with decisions sometimes. And don't always come up with the right one, but the efforts are right. So, and I think that that's how you kind of grow and learn. Yeah, that's fantastic. Where do you see counseling going next in our schools? Or where would you like to see it going next? I love the amount of respect that I think that we're given by the community and the students and the faculty. And I think that I'm very, very appreciative of that. I would love more time with kids. mean, because I think if you're going to do the job well, the more time I can get a counselor, an adjustment counselor, or one of our psychologists with kids is good for kids. So I think that. We just have to keep finding how to do that because our kids are remarkable. uh when you look at their schedule, it's packed. Like our kids are academics at every level, extracurricular activities, and volunteers. But it's like, how do we keep that relationship kind of there? Because I think it's an important one. And I think for me as a counselor, one of the coolest privileges for me is that I sit with my freshmen on their orientation day, and I tell them, I'm the one person or one of the few people that's going to be here on your orientation day and at graduation. and every day in between. I think that that is such a privilege to work with them because there's a huge difference from a 14 year old entering the school and an 18 year old exiting the school. So I'd say as much opportunity as we have with kids, I think is great because I think there's so much we want to do. And I think that trusted adult relationship that we try to foster is important for kids because it's such a complex world for kids right now and there's so much that they're trying to navigate through that I think that having somebody that they can go to is a, I think it's priceless in a lot of respects. And I think that's how we've helped a lot of kids just navigate some of those kind of like either turbulent times or uh just the challenges that are in front of them that we've helped them kind of learn. was everything, everything we do, I think is an extension of their learning. You know, we're trying to teach them skills so that when they get out of our high school, they're able to help navigate some of those future challenges that they're there. So one of the things I want to come back to that you said was, the value about how do we get more time with kids? And I think what I'm hearing is that education has gotten more complex and there are more and more things that take us away sometimes from that direct role with kids. What are some of the pressures that you've seen come on to counselors that maybe didn't exist earlier in your career that you see now? The things that were there earlier are still there, it's just amplified. So I think that obviously the thing I think a lot of people point to is the stress and just this high achievement and the mental health challenges that kids are going through. When I started this career, I'll date myself, there was no internet. There wasn't social media. So to educate a kid in that environment is far different than one now who has access to information at their fingertips in seconds. So think that it's helping them also understand how do you use that information. to learn and grow and actually how do you use it so that it's not just about you, it's about your role in the world and how do we help you intersect those two. Yeah, so what do you think that the most urgent work of counselors is on behalf of our kids right now? First and foremost is helping them get to believe in themselves and that their um potential is boundless and that they got to do the work. I come from a generation where it's like things aren't handed to you, you gotta earn them. And I think you gotta work through that. think helping kids understand that they have potential and that they have growth and that they have to uh learn how to take everything they're learning and apply it so that they can maximize their own future. Whatever that pathway is. Yeah, on the flip side of that, what do you think kids are telling us? about the world that they're growing up in and what should we as adults be paying attention to? it's funny because I love the fact that our kids are idealistic and I think that they're they think on the big scale and they think and they and they believe that they can have an impact on the world and they can you know um so I think what they're telling us is that they want opportunities you know and that the more opportunities they can get the more that they can do you know and I think if you are so I think we we have to balance like how do you you just can't get handed you know a seat at the table per se you know like you have to kind of get your education, have to get your training, you have to have a plan and a vision, and then you have to put in the work to kind of get there, and then you eventually kind of learn from life a little bit to then apply to having a say. And so I think it's really helping them understand, like, we want you to have this, we want you to think big, and we want you to dream big, but we also, gotta, there's a million steps before you get there, and you gotta get through those steps in order to get to that execution of that. that goal for yourself. Yeah, you could have a plan too, right? Life doesn't happen by accident. uh Yeah. Okay, that's great. So what's something that you think that people listening at home, they maybe know something about what you do, but maybe they don't. What's something that you want to share with people listening about counseling that maybe they don't know? I don't know if they don't know it. I hope they know it, but maybe they don't. but that we love working with our kids. Like, I we have, is such a privilege to be able to sit down with a kid and whatever is going on in their world or whatever's going on in their life, to have some say in supporting them. I think is, I hope they know that we recognize that privilege and that we love that partnership with home because it's not an us that's doing it. It's a we that's doing it. And I think the more that we're able to kind of look at that together, there's no doubt. I think our kids can achieve even more. You know, I think that that's, that's super helpful for us. That's great. you know, one last quick question for you. know this community well, you've been here a while. We already got that. What's your favorite secret place in the community? Secret place? Like place I kind of go to. You know, it's funny. I loved it was at the Arboretum. are there. I mean, I haven't been there in years. you know, and I've been there and that's just a nice place to kind of get away to. But it's been years since I've been there. You know, I actually in a weird way like walking on campus between buildings sometimes. And sometimes it's walking even over to like when I visit, you know, some colleagues over on the Boardwalk school and walking across that boardwalk. Like there's just, you walk around and you, the, there's a lot of pride that comes with working here. You know, and some of that is the facilities, but most of it's the kids. mean, you know, and it's all the kids, but it's like, but it's just nice when you, there's such a commitment to the kids that come in from everybody that, you know, I always say like success doesn't happen by accident. A lot of people have to put a lot of time and energy into it in order to get there. And I feel like this is just a school and a community that's done that. So I think for me, I recognize that privilege. Even after 31 years, I recognize that it's such an honor for me. That is awesome, Todd. Thank you. I want to thank all of you for joining us on this episode of The District, Educating EV Together. Again, I'm Peter Light. I'm superintendent of the Act in Boxborough Schools. I hope today's conversation with Todd Chico gave you a closer look into the people and stories that shape our schools. Each of us plays a part in building this community and together we make education possible and I think that's just what we heard from Todd in his closing. Be sure to tune in next time as we continue exploring the stories behind Why Me, Why Here and Why Now. Until then, thanks for listening and thank you Todd. My pleasure, thank you.