YAY ASHLI HUGGINS! The school psychologist at Longdale Elementary School and Henrico High School is today's "Yay of the Day" honoree! Superintendent Amy Cashwell honored her recently.
YAYWORTHY:
Nominator Lori Knitter said:
"Ashli Huggins' personality, interpersonal skills and training enable her to connect with so many students throughout the day. In addition to providing excellent, data-driven psychological evaluations when needed, she does so many other activities to support students in their daily lives. Her office at Henrico High School is never quiet!
"When I visited Ms. Huggins' high school during a very stressful day for students, I was amazed at the sheer number of students who knew her and sought her out. Although Ms. Huggins serves multiple schools and has only been with Henrico County a little over a year, she seems to know just about every student in her high school. I watched her use an incredible repertoire of skills to calm students and connect with them. With some, she talked directly about feelings they were experiencing. With others, she took a more indirect approach to calm them, such as asking how their specific extracurricular activities were going (how does she know so much about everyone's different activities?!). She gently continued the conversation until the students' body language relaxed. At the end of the day when students were being dismissed, dozens of students knew that Tuesday would be the next day she would be in the building and told her they would see her then.
"Ms. Huggins' relationships with students enable her to step into the hard and sensitive places in their lives and help them make wise and healthy decisions. On the same day that I witnessed Ms. Huggins' work with students, I also had another conversation with a staff member who had had a terrible day. When I asked her how she would take care of herself that evening and who she might call, she answered, 'Oh, I'll probably call Huggins.' Ashli Huggins is a real-life superhero in my eyes."
Thank you for all you do, Ashli Huggins, to make a positive difference and move HCPS forward!
• No. 52 in a series. Nominate a staff member for a "Yay of the Day" at https://www.henricoschools.us/yay-of-the-day.