Mrs. Tibbitts completed her Masters in Education from Grand Valley State University and earned her School Counseling License in 2017. She started her school counseling career here at Pickford Public Schools during the 2017-2018 school year. While in Pickford, Mrs. Tibbitts has worked with K-12 students, supporting academic, career, and social-emotional development of all students. She provides Social-Emotional learning to our K-5 classes through the Second Step Curriculum, and is the advisor for the Elementary Student Council. Mrs. Tibbitts is our McKinney Vento District Liaison, ensuring that homeless and unaccompanied students are supported throughout their school day. Mrs. Tibbitts has been a member of the Early Middle College committee in partnership with our ISD and Lake Superior State University, working for approval of the MEMCA Certificate for our students in the EMC program. She also leads the EUP School Counselor group meetings in our region. Mrs. Tibbitts was awarded the 2023-2023 Pickford Public Schools Employee of the Year.
Throughout the last 7 years, Mrs. Tibbitts has partnered with the Michigan College Access Network each year, working with students through the Michigan College Month, Cash Campaign, and Decision Day Initiatives. She has also been awarded multiple grants including the MCAN Decision Day Grant, College Bound Michigan MCAN Grant, CBMI Game Changer Grant, and Your Future Matters Implementation Site Grant to support these initiatives. She works really hard to support all students as they progress towards graduation and prepare for post-secondary education, and makes it her mission to ensure that students are aware of (and create) options for life after high school. Mrs. Tibbitts has also participated in Michigan’s College Access Advocacy Day in Lansing for the last two years, to continue supporting college equity and access throughout the state.
In 2023, Mrs. Tibbitts was awarded a spot in a Michigan School Counseling Fellowship in partnership with the Michigan College Access Network and San Diego State University’s Center for Equity and PostSecondary Attainment. During this fellowship, she created Pickford’s Experienceship program for students, providing additional opportunities for students to learn about and visit colleges, programs, and workplaces locally and around Michigan. It is the goal of that program for middle and high school students to put their feet on college campuses around the state, to see real work in action, and to make connections with experts in a variety of career fields to allow students more support in making their post-secondary plans and goals. Mrs. Tibbitts has been able to fund these experienceship visits through various awards and grants, including various MCAN grants, a Sailing the Sault stipend in 2024, and a Seeds for STEM grant in 2025. She was able to present about Career Development in the EUP at San Diego State University in 2024 and will present her EUP Experienceship Program project in 2025.
