Gonzalez

STATE CENTER — Megan Gonzalez takes on the duties of West Marshall High School guidance counselor after two years teaching health and TAG (Talented and Gifted).

“I’m just incredibly, incredibly honored to be stepping into that role at West Marshall. Patti (Edler) built an outstanding counseling program, and to have been chosen by her as her successor is both humbling and a privilege to me,” Gonzalez said.

Edler retired in June after more than three decades working in the school district.

“My hope is to build on that already strong foundation that she made and created, while bringing my own strength and my own personality to that role — a focus being supporting every West Marshall student throughout their high school journey in whatever capacity that might look like. It might be academics, social-emotional well-being, college planning, career exploration, or just being someone they can come talk to if they need to. I just want them all to know that they’ve got somebody in their corner who’s cheering them on, who has their back,” Gonzalez added.

A Marshalltown native, she and her husband Ben decided the West Marshall school system was where they wanted to raise their three children. Gonzalez earned a degree in elementary education from Buena Vista University, having caught the education bug due to her mother Shelly Appelgate’s influence.

“My mom was a second grade teacher here at West Marshall for forever. So I grew up around education, and it was something that I always wanted to do. I love being around kids. I love seeing people achieve things that they set their minds to and work toward their goals and stuff like that,” she said. “(The counselor job) was a natural progression.”

Yet, Gonzalez says, she didn’t go into teaching right out of college.

“Life took me in a different direction, and I spent probably close to 18 years in the medical field doing insurance, contracts, credentialing,” she noted. “I spent a lot of time up at SportsPlus — about 15 years there — running that business office.”

A couple of years ago, some friends of hers employed at West Marshall told her about the TAG/health position open at the high school.

“To which I said, ‘Well, I have an elementary ed degree. I can’t do secondary. And they’re like, ‘Oh, just go. You’ll get your endorsement. You’ll be fine. Go, go try it out.’ I was really nervous, but I threw my hat in the ring. I got that job and loved it. It was absolutely the perfect fit for me to take that on. I love secondary education. Kids are so much fun,” Gonzalez said.

In addition to her new counselor role, she will continue on as TAG instructor, high school only.

“I think it kind of goes hand in hand with the counseling, in several aspects,” she added. “I’ll split my time between the two and we’ll make it work.”

She complimented Edler for laying the foundation for students being dual enrolled in both high school and college classes.

“A lot of high schools do, but rural communities don’t always have the same access. She partnered us up with DMACC and MCC, and a lot of our students are able to pick up those college courses,” she noted. “So starting in ninth grade, TAG students can start taking those courses and start knocking out some of their college credit electives…Other things I do in the TAG area is just providing them with a space that they can come and study with other TAG students. Sometimes it’s nice to talk with students that have the same abilities and the same struggles and stuff like that. We do other projects. It’s just a place to challenge them a little bit further in their thinking.”

Gonzalez said she would miss her duties teaching middle school and high school health classes.

“That was fun. I did have some knowledge to bring with my background in the medical field,” she noted. “It was hard to walk away from, but in the end, I think this will be super exciting, super rewarding, and really fun,” she noted.

She is pursuing a master’s degree in professional school counseling from Buena Vista University.

In her free time, she enjoys cheering on her children at their sporting events, reading and volunteering in the community, including Booster Club.

“While I’m new to this role, I am committed to learning, growing, working alongside those students, families, my staff. I might not have every answer, but I’m always willing to listen,” she said. “I’m going to find solutions. I’m going to do what’s best for my students. I’m just really excited to continue that career at West Marshall in a new capacity, looking forward to new opportunities to support students as they prepare for life beyond West Marshall. As they say, ‘West Marshall, Best Marshall.’ I love it here. I’m very, very supported by my administration and the other teachers here.”

She may be reached at: mgonzalez@wmcsd.org.