WELCOME MESSAGE:

Thank you for taking the time to find the School Counseling/ Social Worker page. We hope that you find it useful. Please continue to check back throughout the school year as we will be adding content as the year continues. Our School Counselor is Ms. Patricia Lutu-Mayes. She prefers to be called "Ms. Patricia". She is excited about beginning her fourth year here at East Knox Elementary and her 15th year as a School Counselor. Our School Counselor works with students and stakeholders, teaching and helping with academic, social-emotional, and career needs. If you have concerns about your student/s, please email or call to discuss how our school counselor can work with you to meet the needs of your child/children. Our School Counselor also partners with our social worker and staff to address other needs, such as food, Thanksgiving, and/or Christmas assistance based on our community partners' donations (these are limited and on a "need" basis).

Our Social Worker is Jamie Pennell and this is her second year here at East Knox Elem. She also has many years' experience as a social worker with KCS. We share Ms. Pennell with Carter Middle, Chilhowee Intermediate, and Sunnyview Primary, but she is here at East Knox on Fridays. Our school social worker connects families to community and school resources, as well as helps families identify and address barriers to attendance. Even though she works at other schools, she is always available. If you need her, you can call her, text her or email her. 

My job as your school counselor is to help any way I can. This will require everyone communicating their needs. So, please do not hesitate to call or email your child's teacher, the school counselor, the social worker, or one of our amazing administrators, if you have any questions or concerns this year. Our contact info is:

Main Office - (865) 933-3493

Ms. Patricia Lutu-Mayes / School Counselor

• patricia.lutumayes@knoxschools.org

Jamie Pennell / Social Worker

• jamie.pennell@knoxschools.org or (865) 659-8238 

Mrs. Beth Spence / Principal

• beth.spence@knoxschools.org

Mrs. Cyndee Casselman / Assistant Principal

• cyndee.casselman@knoxschools.org

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                      East Knox County Elementary 

Comprehensive Developmental School Counseling Program

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As your School Counselor, I provide many different services through our school counseling program. 

Services provided through our comprehensive developmental school counseling program include:

* Classroom Lessons

    (Academic, Social-Emotional, & Career lessons - aligned with TN Student Standards) 

* Individual Counseling

   (Note: this is NOT therapy, it IS extra help with school-related skills, ex. coping skills, organization, focus, self-advocacy, etc.)

* Small Group Counseling 

    (topics based on needs ex. grief, divorce, study skills, etc.)

* Consultation and Collaboration

    (I work together with all stakeholders)

* Parent Meetings 

   (Parent\ Conference nights per request or at Parent request for individual issues)

* Crisis Management 

* Referrals 

   (to outside agencies, ex. for Mental Health services if needed, or other assistance)

I feel very fortunate to be able to work in such an amazing environment with extraordinary students and staff members. I look forward to working with you and your students. My goal is to help ensure that every student feels happy, safe, and is ready to learn the skills needed for success. Please contact me with any questions, comments, or concerns you may have regarding the school counseling program. 

The school counselor is here to support our students with comprehensive services that will address their social-emotional, academic, and career interests.  The counselor will help provide a nurturing environment with high expectations for student success. Our school counseling program centers around having good character and practicing kindness, building connections through our "house system" and the TN standards for School Counseling. Our students will learn how to be safe, respectful, and responsible. The counselor will teach classes on a rotating basis and will also see students in small groups and individually, as needed or requested.  The counselor takes teacher, parent/guardian, caregiver, and self-referrals from students.  Referrals can be made by anyone. Referrals are made for social, academic, school or home-based concerns. All information that is shared with the counselor is strictly confidential. Remember the counselor or social worker can also help with family needs such as food and clothing. If you have a concern, remember Cougars CARE, and we want to hear from you if you need anything.  See the left-side table of contents for specific web pages, such as referral links, resources and other links, etc. 
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 2025-2026- NEEDS ASSESSMENT   *** Attention/ Action Needed ***

Parents and Teachers: As part of my job as School Counselor and to ensure that we understand the needs of our students, the social worker and I would like you to please take a quick needs assessment, if you have not already done so. Students will have a separate needs assessment. They will do this with me through Life Skills Class. The information on the assessment will help me to better plan for classes and other things for the school year, as well as, help our social worker to address needs we may otherwise not know about without your input. Thank you in advance for your time and willingness to help us better understand the needs of East Knox, our students, families, and community. Have a great day! Please click on the image below to begin the assessment.

                                            Use the QR code or Click on it 

                                    to complete our schools Needs Assessment 

                                                              Thank You !

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              LIFE SKILLS with Ms. Patricia

                     CLASS SCHEDULE

                                     FALL semester 2025

                            SPRING semester 2026

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              Lesson Topics for the year

These topics come from the Quaver Ready series

for SEL and are required for use in my classes this year.

  https://www.quavered.com/login/

Anyone can do a 30 trial and look over the lesson if you would like.

I will still try to have my lesson over views on CANVAS.

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TN State Standards for School Counseling