Throughout her time as a school counselor at Raytown Middle School, Cynthia Gerdes has been an advocate for her students. She contacts parents on a regular basis, keeping the communication lines open between home and school. She informs parents of issues involving their children. She celebrates their successes. She motivates kids to see the value in attending school. She recognizes them when they make efforts to get there. And when a student doesn’t show up for school, Gerdes gets to the bottom of it, even making home visits. In essence, she fights for her students.
But now, Gerdes is fighting a different battle.