After eight successful years as AHS counselor for students with last names starting with M through Z, Emily Farrell is leaving, at least temporarily. For the rest of the school year, and all through the 2015-16 school year, Farrell will be caring for her baby who is due in April.

“Next year, I will decide if I’m going to come back. I have to see what’s best for my family and what’s best for the baby of course,” Farrell said. “I know that I will miss AHS dearly, but I’m happy to be moving on to new things for the time being,”

Farrell was very well liked with the student population, and has a great reputation for being available and helpful.

“Emily was super helpful with rearranging my schedule many times within the past year. She was great about making herself available to me and other students whenever we needed it. She’ll be hard to replace.” Sophomore Kaia Vresilovic said.

Although Emily is leaving now, there is at least a slight possibility that she will return for the 2016-17 school year, or maybe even later in her career.”

Finishing off the 2015 school year in Farrell’s place will be Mary Cate Hauenstein, a local yoga teacher who has a plethora of counseling experience. It is undetermined whether Hauenstein will stay in the counseling position for the 2015-16 school year.

“If everything goes well for Mary Cate, she will reapply and hopefully come back next year. However, there will be other people interested. It is much easier to find someone to fill a yearlong position than it to find someone to do a job that is only lasting a little bit under twelve weeks. I’m sure she will be a top candidate for next year, but she will definitely reapply, ” Farrell said.

Hauenstein’s mother, Mimi Hauenstein, was a teacher at Aspen Elementary School for a long period of time, and Hauenstein graduated from AHS in the class of 2000, so she is no stranger to the school district and is a well-liked figure in the community.

“She’s been in the valley for a while and has great counseling experience, so she seems like a great, empathic gal,” Farrell said with a smile.

Although Hauenstein will certainly fill the position well, students and teachers alike are saddened by Farrell’s departure, and she is a figure in the school that will most unquestionably be missed.

“I want to come back,” Farrell said with a cheerful smile. “I definitely would like to come back.”