Staff Members
Mission & Vision

The Mission of the Counseling program at South Hamilton Middle/High School is to create and deliver well-rounded, comprehensive, developmentally appropriate counseling curriculum and services to all students at South Hamilton Middle/High School.  This program will address all students' academic and career goals in addition to supporting their personal and social/emotional needs. The counselor will work in partnership with teachers, staff, administrators, parents, and community members to create a multi-tiered system that enables all students to become self-directed lifelong learners that contribute positively to the world around them.

The Vision of the Counseling Department at South Hamilton Community Schools is to create mindful, responsible, connected, and productive global citizens by developing an equitable, rigorous, supportive, and positive environment in which all students are guaranteed the right to learn.

This We Believe

The Counselor at South Hamilton Middle/High School believes that:

  • All students are unique and deserve to be treated with respect, dignity, and kindness.
  • All students have the right to a safe and high quality learning environment.
  • All students can learn and be successful with the correct and appropriate tools and skills.
  • All students can meet and achieve high standards that will result in college and career readiness.
  • All students have emotions, and those emotions are valid.
  • School counselors are leaders, advocates, and collaborators who strive for equitable practices that benefit all students.
  • The school counselor will use data in an ongoing manner to evaluate program effectiveness, identify student need, and intervene on student needs using evidence-based practices.
  • Students should be active participants in their academic, career, and social/emotional education.
  • Parents, guardians, and community members should be engaged by and with the counseling program to collaborate for student success.
About Your Counselor

Hello! My name is Miss Emily Krstulic, and I have a great passion for helping and teaching young adults. I am so thrilled to work in the South Hamilton community! I currently live in Ames with my dog, Kody, and my cat, Greg. I love reading, listening to podcasts, and painting.

Before coming to South Hamilton, I was a counselor at Weeks Middle School in Des Moines Public for two years. At Weeks, I served on our Tier 2 Intervention Team, ran our Social/Emotional Learning team, and worked with students individually and in small groups. Before counseling at Weeks, I taught English in Winterset for 4 years, and in Randolph, Kansas (a tiny town outside of Manhattan, KS) for 2 years.

My job as a school counselor is multifaceted. My primary job functions are to 1. teach and support student social/emotional skill and development, 2. help students prepare for post-secondary education and/or employment, and 3. run interventions for students that need extra support to develop specific skills. I prioritize youth mental health and will serve as an advocate for students so they can get what they need to learn and grow. I also work closely with teachers, administrators, and support staff to meet the needs of students.

If you have questions or concerns about your student, please reach out to me. It is best to email me at emily_krstulic@s-hamilton.k12.ia.us, or you can call the main office at 515-827-5418. Please note that my phone doesn't always notify me of voicemails; it's always better to reach out via email.