Counselor

Morgan Ratynski, LPE Counselor

Phone: 512-533-6525
Email: ratynskim@ltisdschools.org

Bio: Hello there! My name is Morgan Ratynski and I am Lake Pointe Elementary's new school counselor! I look forward to making this a productive, positive, and fun year for our students. My counseling philosophy is that every student deserves to feel like the most important student in the school. When students engage with me, I hope I can make them feel that their needs are being prioritized. This year, I hope to improve the counseling program at LPE by using a data-driven approach. With the feedback of our most important school stakeholders (our parents, our teachers, and of course our students), I believe I can make our school counseling program more proactive than reactive. I look forward to getting to know your students this year and helping them succeed at Lake Pointe and beyond!

For Families:

LPE Counselor Referral Form: Use this link if you would like the counselor to check in with your student
Counseling Program Presentation: Use this link to view our Counseling Program's Curriculum Night Presentation

The Impact of Socialization at School:

While we often think of academic success as something that happens exclusively inside the classroom, it is important to remember that students are constantly learning during other parts of the school day, as well. “Non-educational” moments, such as time spent playing with friends at recess, lunch, or free time, offer a unique opportunity for your child to develop important life skills, such as:

Interacting with Peers: Unstructured time allows students to build friendships, learn social cues, and practice communication skills that will continue to benefit them as they grow.
Resolving Conflicts: In these informal settings, students have the chance to independently resolve small disagreements. This helps them develop problem-solving skills and emotional resilience.
Building Their Own Values: By observing and engaging with their peers, children can further define their own values, figure out what’s important to them, and practice decision-making in real-world situations.

Bullying / Unkindness:

Many of the negative incidents brought to the attention of parents or school staff don't quite meet the definition of bullying, but instead qualify as "mean moments" or "conflict." In contrast to bullying, which is often a pattern of multiple acts causing serious harm, a mean moment is usually a one-time occurrence which causes minor or temporary effects, such as embarrassment, and a conflict often occurs between two or more individuals where the target or targets may swap or change or where no notable power imbalance exists. When students come forward about an incident of "bullying," it can be helpful to review the conditions of bullying and to consider the context of the situation to determine if bullying has truly occurred. If you have any questions or concerns about potential bullying in school, please notify your student's teacher or administration. We hope that you will continue to engage in conversations with your students about mean moments, conflict, and bullying, and will help them be upstanders who combat bullying and unkindness at school and beyond.

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