Welcome to the Clear Creek Amana Middle School Counseling page!

At Clear Creek Amana we are dedicated to serving all students and helping them achieve both inside and outside of the classroom.  School counselors are a key component of this goal.  Through classroom instruction, small group, and individual counseling, school counselors support students in the following areas:  Academic, social/emotional, and career development.  We look forward to getting to know each student in our building and helping them achieve their personal goals.  

Mikkel Brown:

My name is Mikkel Brown and I am one of the Middle school counselors at CCAMS.  I received my Bachelor’s degree in English Literature and my Master’s degree in Counselor Education from the University of Iowa. I have worked in the CCA district for the last years in various roles and I am so excited to be a part of the CCAMS staff and a proud member of the Clipper Family.

Additionally, I have been an assistant coach for the defensive backs of the High School football team, and I have been in that role since 2013.  

Grant Elsbernd:

My name is Grant Elsbernd and I have been at the middle school as a counselor since 2012.  I received my Bachelor’s degree in Communications and Sociology from Coe College in 2008, and finished my Masters degree in School Counseling from The University of Northern Iowa in 2010.  I am excited to continue being a part of the Clipper family!  

In addition to being a school counselor, I am also an assistant coach for the Large Group, and Individual Speech Team.  

Programs and Services

Below are some of the programs and services that we offer at the middle school to meet student’s educational needs:

• Second Step- Second Step Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) gives students the tools to excel in and out of the classroom. Our easy-to-teach program garners outstanding reviews from educators who’ve noticed schoolwide improvement and see even the most challenging students make progress in emotion management, situational awareness, and academic achievement. To learn more visit secondstep.org 
• Onsite School Family Liaisons- Licensed Mental Health professionals who work with staff, students, and families in order to address mental health needs and to support student success within and outside of their learning environment. 
• Closegap-  Closegap is a social-emotional learning tool that helps students track and regulate their emotions-  www.closegap.org
• Clipper Closet-  The Clipper Closet is a location in the building where students can grab any essentials that they might need for school or home such as: school supplies, toiletries, and clothing.  

For more information on the role of school counselors please visit:  The Role of the School Counselor

Why Middle School counselors?  The Essential Role of Middle School Counselors 

If you have any other questions or concerns please don’t hesitate to reach out to us through phone or email.  Go Clippers!