'Power of prevention': Manhattan school counselor earns statewide recognition

MANHATTAN — Morgan Barber didn’t set out to become a school counselor, but years of building support systems for students in Manhattan schools have now earned her recognition as Montana’s School Counselor of the Year.

Her path to the role has been anything but linear. After moving to the area with her now-husband in 2010, she worked a range of service jobs, including as a hospital receptionist, waitress, and pet store manager.

With a bachelor’s degree in psychology and sociology, Barber said Superintendent Brian Ayers gave her the “first foot in the door” in 2017, when she was hired as a behavioral specialist at Chief Joseph Middle School. It was in that role, she said, that she saw firsthand the impact school counselors have.

“Being in the role of a behavior intervention specialist at Chief Joseph Middle School, it was really reactive. You were constantly putting out fires,” Barber said. “It was through collaborating with the school counselor at that school that I realized the power of prevention.”

For Barber, middle school is the perfect time to reach students with support. Working in a small town, she added, also allows her to remain a presence in her students’ lives and watch them grow.

“The class that I started with is just getting ready to head off to high school,” Barber said.

“It’s a really beautiful experience.”

While the small population allows her to stay connected to her students, Barber said working in the rural Manhattan School District presents unique hurdles.

“Even though we are close to Bozeman there’s a lack of resources here,” Barber said. “Taking children in for mental health care can be a challenge.”

Barber expanded her work beyond the classroom. By partnering with Katey Franklin, director of the Center for Mental Health Research and Recovery at Montana State University, and Rebecca Koltz, head of MSU’s counseling department, she helped establish Manhattan schools as an internship site for graduate counseling students, bringing additional mental health support into the district.

“They serve as an outside mental health counselor for students K-12 and community members,” Barber said.

Barber also initiated a partnership with the Gallatin County Sheriff’s Department’s youth and family outreach program, and this year introduced an effort to bring some added holiday cheer to families facing financial strain.

“We piloted our first ‘Adopt a Family’ program through Christmas, providing confidential support for families in need,” Barber said, adding that 12 families received support and 20 families volunteered to provide resources. “We were able to make sure families who were struggling had a really beautiful Christmas.”

After four years at Manhattan Middle School spent expanding her role and building new ways to support both students and the broader community, efforts that earned her the statewide recognition, Barber was quick to shift the focus beyond herself.

“I feel really honored and also humbled knowing that every school counselor is just as deserving,” Barber said. “We all pour our hearts and souls into our schools and our students.”