In this episode of Autonome, host Fran Kenton sits down with Dr. Rebecca DeVries, Director of K–12 School Counseling for Schenectady City School District. Leading a team of more than 40 counselors across 22 schools, Dr. DeVries shares how her district is building a comprehensive counseling model that supports students from elementary school through graduation.
Drawing on her background as a school psychologist, Dr. DeVries discusses the importance of moving beyond individual interventions to create systems that promote equity, belonging, and student success. She explains how Schenectady is aligning counseling services across grade levels, embedding social-emotional learning into daily instruction, and creating structures that help both students and staff thrive.
The conversation explores psychological safety, attendance, career exploration, MTSS, and why creating consistent experiences across schools is essential for supporting every learner.
Key Moments
03:42 Moving from individual support to systems leadership
05:10 Leading a district-wide counseling program
06:55 Building trust and collaboration across schools
09:18 Listening to staff and addressing communication gaps
11:19 Creating consistency through MTSS structures
13:10 Aligning counseling supports across K–12
16:17 Using data to guide Tier 1 student support
17:53 Implementing Aaron’s Law through collaborative instruction
21:10 Identifying students who need support before crisis occurs
24:30 Career exploration and identity development in middle school
27:56 Embedding human skills into academic instruction
32:20 Why attendance is the most important metric
34:38 Creating classrooms where mistakes are safe
37:16 Raising expectations while providing support
42:07 The power of psychological safety in learning
Why You’ll Love This Episode
This episode offers valuable insights for educational leaders looking to build stronger systems of student support. Dr. DeVries shares practical strategies for aligning counseling services across grade levels, strengthening communication among staff, and creating learning environments where students feel safe to take risks and grow.
Her perspective on psychological safety, attendance, equity, and human-centered learning provides a thoughtful roadmap for schools seeking to support the whole child while maintaining high expectations.
Connect with Dr. Rebecca DeVries | Director Of K-12 School Counseling at Schenectady City School District
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/dr-rebecca-devries-0b7927114 Website:
https://www.schenectadyschools.org/ Connect with Fran Kenton and Autonome
Fran Kenton
Founder and Creator, Autonome
LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/in/fran-kenton-a0a7969a/ Autonome
Website:
https://www.autonome101.com/ LinkedIn:
https://www.linkedin.com/company/autonome101/ About Autonome
Autonome is the podcast where district leaders share practical, scalable ways to build students’ foundational life skills—wellbeing, identity and purpose, relationships, and executive function—so they can manage life today and be ready for what’s next.
If you enjoyed this episode, subscribe to Autonome for more conversations with leaders shaping the future of student success.