My name is Rebecca Schwam, and I have been a school counselor in the Wallingford Swarthmore School District since 2003. For 15 years, I was the school counselor at Wallingford Elementary School and now I am the guidance instructor for NPE, WES and SRS. I rotate through each elementary school during library teaching guidance. Students have guidance in each 3rd library. Prior to my career as a guidance counselor, I volunteered for one year with Americorps teaching environmental education. After a year of service, I continued on with the Washington County Outdoor school in Portland, Oregon, where I was placed. There I ran a residential Outdoor School, taught 6th grade earth science, and ran a leadership program for at-risk high school students during the office season. After my time in Oregon, I worked for the Pennsylvania Horticultural Society in Philadelphia at the Philly Green Program, where I revitalized city parks as a community organizer. 

I attended Clark University in Worcester, MA, where I received a BA in sociology and elementary education in 1996. I received my MA in school counseling at Pennsylvania State University in 2003.  I am a member of the Wellness Committee for the 2021-2022 school year, helping to implement PBIS during specials and implement a monthly Parent Training with our elementary school counselor.

My passion throughout all of my career was helping students to feel comfortable with themselves by discovering their individual inner strengths and talents, recognizing that we all have our struggles and to be kind to one another.  You can probably tell from this that I love teaching social emotional learning!  Being a guidance instructor for the last three years has given me the opportunity to work with all of the children across the district to develop a kindness to themselves and coping skills to deal with life's challenges. Each cycle you can look out for my newsletter regarding what your child learned in guidance that cycle. 

My family helps me to make my guidance lessons real.  I often share their experiences as they have been through it all. I reside in Havertown with my husband Andy, my son Benny (13), and my daughter Sarah (11). Both of my children have their own unique qualities that I cherish. On the weekends I am busy with my son playing soccer, watching football, listening to my son play the french horn and being a member of the boy scouts. My daughter rides horses, is always making a new art project, builds with legos and sews with the 4H.  As a family we love to travel, be outdoors and watch family movies. My husband is my biggest support, always helping me with my technology needs. 

It is a pleasure to teach in this unique opportunity and meet all the elementary children.  Please see the newsletters on this webpage to see what your child is learning in guidance.