By Mary Geyer

Found in his office in the Saunders Family Library is Craig Simmons, one of two extraordinary Upper School counselors. What led him to his role at Collegiate?

Despite his obvious passion for it, Simmons did not start out as a school counselor. After graduating from both Virginia Tech and South University, Simmons became a teacher at Crawford Day School in Portsmouth, Virginia, an alternative school that specializes in serving students with behavioral issues and other academic challenges. As he continued to teach, Simmons discovered that it wasn’t the teaching that was most fulfilling to him; it was the conversations with students. He said, “While I liked the teaching, I really liked talking to the kids after they had blow-ups. I really like talking to them and trying to help them figure out how to move past some of those behaviors.” He also found that it was difficult to make sustained changes in the students’ lives. He explained, “It’s really hard to make a huge impact if you can’t have an impact on the home. Young people are products of their environment, and if we don’t have an impact on the home, if I’m just working with that kid at school, I can get that kid to be in a really great space. [Then] they go home for the weekend, they come back, and we’re right back to where we started.” Positive changes that were made during the week could be quickly undone at home.

Eventually, Simmons began to work with United Methodist Family Services (UMFS), which provides foster care, residential treatment, schooling, and other services for children, teenagers, and families in Virginia. Simmons had two roles during his time there. His first role was as a consultant for social workers working with youth in foster care. His second role was as a therapist. After working with UMFS, Simmons accepted a job offer from Collegiate in 2022.

It is Simmons’ second year at Collegiate, and he chose to come here because he believed his impact would be the greatest at Collegiate. Simmons said, “When I came here, the thing that really stood out to me was the anxiety that kind of permeated the air. I just felt it as I walked through. My purpose I’ve found is to help… and I want to help people become the best version of themselves they can be, and this is a space where I can do that.”

Photo courtesy of Collegiate School.

He looked forward to the challenges and things he would experience. He said, “It would be a challenge, because it is very different from anything I’ve ever done in terms of the environment and the space.” Along with his work as a counselor for Upper School students, another significant aspect of his job is aiding teachers. Many teachers come to him seeking advice on what to do in situations with students. He also teaches a section of Health and Wellness to Freshmen. Even if a student hasn’t personally met with Simmons, chances are he has mentored them in some way. Simmons appreciates the new knowledge the job has provided. He says, “I had some preconceived notions that were challenged and broken, which I was appreciative of.” Although he is unsure of his impact on the community, he is thankful for the impact Collegiate has had on him.

Outside of work, Simmons enjoys spending time with his family. They watch movies and play video games together. When asked about his favorite movie, Simmons replied; “That’s such a hard question! My favorite Marvel movie is Captain America: Civil War.” In addition to movies, Simmons’ son began running track, which has encouraged Simmons to take up running himself. 

Besides spending time with his family, Simmons has many different hobbies. He and his wife wrote a book titled Destiny Awaits, and he enjoys creative writing in general. Describing his book, Simmons says, “It’s like a romance novel.” Simmons says it is a personal project he did for fun. He also ran a podcast for a while, which consisted of interviews with people Simmons found interesting. Simmons has a very compelling bucket list he hopes to pursue, which includes skydiving and spending a week on a tropical island.

Simmons approaches life in a very positive way and only seeks to help others in the way he can. The message he feels most strongly about spreading is “ pursue excellence, not perfection.” Simmons believes that following this advice is the key to both success and reduced anxiety.