The Monticello Central School District is thrilled to welcome Tokinma Killins as the district’s new director of counseling, social-emotional learning (SEL) and student services! The Board of Education officially appointed Ms. Killins to the position at the Nov. 2 meeting.
“I’m excited about all the new learning opportunities and challenges that come with navigating new places and spaces. I’m also super excited to learn about the strengths of the district and find ways to support and improve the services we provide students and families,” said Ms. Killins.
The primary objective of Ms. Killins’s role will be to view the social-emotional aspects of the whole child and its effects on learning. Theresa Carlin, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum and Instruction, states that MCSD “recognizes that academics is a piece of the overall health of students and a student’s social-emotional well being. Tokinma was a social worker prior to becoming an administrator 12 years ago, so her background and experience will help her be successful in this position.”
A native of Syracuse, NY, Ms. Killins joins MCSD from the Syracuse City School District, where she was the Coordinator of Student Support Services for two years. Since her youth, Ms. Killins has had a passion for helping students and was inspired to become a social worker after her own experience with a guidance counselor in high school. She holds several degrees, including a bachelor of science from SUNY Albany, a master’s degree from Syracuse University and an additional master’s degree from Brooklyn College. Ms. Killins is also certified to be a school building leader and a school district leader.
With over 17 years of experience and a comprehensive college education, Ms. Killins brings a wealth of knowledge to her new position at MCSD. After spending eight years as a school social worker, Ms. Killins felt she could make a greater impact as an administrator. Her past roles as an associate principal at Ithaca High School and assistant principal at East Syracuse Minoa High School provided her the foundation and skills to support students at their most vulnerable. From managing student cases to formulating re-entry plans, Ms. Killins has extensive administrator experience in utilizing data, creating and implementing support programs, and collaborating with various team members to effectively meet the needs of students under her care.
While Ms. Killins has only been in her new position for a short time, she often draws on a quote by tennis player, Arthur Ashe for inspiration, which is “start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can.”
Ms. Killins has adopted this quote as a personal mantra, saying “This is one of my favorite quotes as it speaks well to who I am. I look at the space I am in, acknowledge the goodness that already exists and figure out how I can use my strengths to improve our shared experience, services provided and outcomes,” she said.
Welcome to MCSD Ms. Killins!