KILLBUCK SAVINGS BANK CO. SUPERSTAR ON STAFF: Elizabeth Combs

Elizabeth Combs
Dalton school psychologist

1. What do you love about working at Dalton Local Schools?
I love working for the Dalton Local Schools because of the caring and dedicated staff I get to work with and the various roles I get to play during my day. When I began working for Dalton schools, the first thing I noticed was how much the teachers truly cared about each student and it was evidenced by their willingness to do whatever it takes to support the students’ needs. The teachers and staff go above and beyond, and I am blessed to be a part of a system that is so dedicated. I also love my role in the Dalton Local Schools because I get to work with students at all grade levels, from kindergarten to graduation. I love seeing the student’s growth academically and socially as they progress through the grades, and I have gotten to witness many, many personal stories of success over the years. I also love the fact that I get to consult with parents, teachers, administrators, related service staff, and students, so I really get to know everyone in the district. My favorite part of the job, however, is directly working with the students and getting to know them.

2. How did you get to where you are today?
I have worked in the field of school psychology for 18 years. I received my Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Bowling Green State University, Masters of Education degree from Kent State University, and Educational Specialists degree in School Psychology from Kent State University. I worked in the Solon City Schools and Wooster City Schools prior to being employed by the Dalton School District in 2010. I was always interested in the field of education, which was inspired by my mother. She taught kindergarten for 37 years and I grew up helping out in her classroom and grading papers. I became interested in the field of psychology after taking it as an elective class in high school and decided to major in the field in college, thinking I may be interested in psychiatry or counseling. However, after job shadowing and interviewing school psychologists during my senior year of college, I realized it was the perfect marriage between my two interests- psychology and education.

3. Tell us an interesting fact about yourself that people would be surprised to hear.
One interesting fact about myself that may surprise others is that I performed at the 1996 Olympic games in Atlanta, Georgia. I was not an olympic athlete, however, but was part of a competitive cheerleading team that was sponsored by Coca-Cola to perform in the Coca-Cola Olympic Village. We even starred in a commercial for the company.