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Diane McClain: Teacher Spotlight

February 10, 2022

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It is National School Counseling Week and we have some of the best, including Mrs. Diane McClain! 

Mrs. McClain is our awesome elementary school counselor. She has spent 29 years in the field of counseling and social work. We are fortunate that 19 of those years have been here at Putnam. 

When asked who or what inspired you to pursue a career in counseling or education, this is what Mrs. McClain had to say:

"Mr. Whooton was my High School Counselor at Seymour Community Schools, in Seymour, Iowa. I really liked Mr. Whooton. He was a nice guy and his job looked fun to me. He helped guide students down career paths and look into the future. I remember exploring many careers in his class. I didn't initially want to be a school counselor because in the 1980's it was required that you teach prior to going to graduate school to become a school counselor. This is one of the reasons I went to another helping field, social work." 

"I graduated from William Penn University in 1992 with my B.A. degree in Sociology/Psychology. I went to work for the State of Missouri on June 1, 1992, as a social worker and pursued that career for 10 years. In 2002, I accepted the position as the School-Based Social Worker at Putnam County R-I and started graduate school at Drake University for my Masters in Education-School Counseling. I transitioned into the school counselor role after 4 years working in the district. I really enjoy working with children and this is my 29th year in the field of social work and counseling. I have learned a lot over the years and am grateful for the people I have worked with along the way."

When Mrs. McClain is away from school, you can almost always spot her with her family. She has been married to Richard McClain for 32 years. They have 2 adult children, Trenton McClain who is married to ShelBee. They live in Madison, MO. Mrs. McClain's daughter is Sydney Beeler, and she and her husband Daniel have two girls, Baylin & Grainley. They reside in Downing, MO. Mrs. McClain said, "We enjoy spending time with family. I like to kayak, shop, bake and relax at home." 

Her favorite quote is "Nobody cares how much you know until they know how much you care." -Theodore Roosevelt.

This is what one of our staff members had to say about Mrs. McClain: "Diane is a true champion for our elementary kids! Not only does she do an amazing job at her assigned duties, but she also goes above and beyond in all the extra ways she connects with our students. She spends many hours at night and on weekends worrying about our kids and coming up with ways she can help them. Many, many, students look up to her as a positive role model and are always excited to see her each morning. Kids know they are loved
and valued when they walk into her classroom!"

Mrs. McClain, we are so glad you are at Putnam! Keep pouring your heart into our students. We appreciate you!

#PutnamProud #LoveTeaching #NSCW22