With the conclusion of the 2020-2021 school year, Carrollwood Day School will be wishing a fond farewell to one of their staples. After 29 years, Mrs. Dawn Bickoff, Senior Associate Director of College Counseling will be retiring. During her years at CDS, Mrs. Bickoff has taught in all divisions, including all science courses, pre-algebra, algebra, and Spanish in middle school.  She helped to develop the Spanish program in the lower school and was a substitute at the early childhood center. Mrs. Bickoff is one of the only teachers able to say that for several years she taught every student in the lower and middle school, and for well over a decade, she personally knew every student and their families at the Odessa and Bearss Avenue campuses.

“One of my favorite memories is when, for 17 years, I was able to take the 7th graders to the Florida Keys for four days, as their science teacher, to snorkel along the reefs and explore the ecosystems. The time spent outside the classroom with these students, and of course my fellow teachers, Bitha Woodrich and Barbara Hawkins, was priceless. That’s what educators live for. Taking what we’ve taught in the classroom, out into the real world, and watching our students connect the dots and fall in love with the subjects, just like we do.” 

One of Mrs. Bickoff’s favorite things is helping students achieve their goals, as well as working with families to help them do that.  This is why, for the last 12 years, the CDS College Counseling department has been her home. As the Senior Associate Director of College Counseling, Mrs. Bickoff advised hundreds of students, helping them navigate their way as they explored and applied to colleges and ultimately decided the trajectory of their post-secondary path in education. Since the inception of the upper school, she personally counseled every student in the high school through 2016. As CDS classes grew from 11 graduates in 2009 to 98 graduates this year, Mrs. Bickoff has worked with a large proportion of CDS students and families and is proud to say that every single one of those students was admitted to a four-year university.

“I was just  dipping my toe in the college counseling waters when those first eleven seniors donned their graduation regalia.”

Mrs. Bickoff has seen children grow from elementary and middle school to high school, college, and beyond; several of them actually have enrolled their own children at  CDS.  As she advised the students with their course selection, study habits, and career and college exploration and selection, she has seen them each mature and grows from childhood into adulthood. This experience has given her many fond memories she will always cherish.  Some of her favorite moments encompass seeing the excitement and sparkle in students’ eyes as they received their first college acceptance, were the first in their family to attend college, were admitted to their dream university, and when alumni visit and share their stories since they’ve graduated.  

Some highlights through those years for her include encouraging students to follow their dreams, then learning that they have become researchers, PhDs, entrepreneurs, a commercial pilot, doctors, dentists, engineers, attorneys, business owners, as well as working with students offered close to and over a million dollars in scholarships to pursue their education.  Knowing that each of these students' lives will forever be impacted by the decisions they make in high school is very rewarding. Her goal has always been to help each student find their best fit – academically, socially, and financially for their family; that goal remains at the foundation of the college counseling department today. Throughout her years as a teacher and counselor, Mrs. Bickoff has witnessed the impact attending a school of character has had on these students into adulthood.

“My advice to Mrs. Cohen is something that I remember every time a student and their family sit down in my office. Get to know where the student is coming from before you work to send them towards their future.  Everyone has a story to tell, and it’s your job to listen and determine how you can add to that story. The beautiful part of this is that CDS is not a one-size-fits-all school and the college counseling program follows suit. You are  fortunate that you  are able to take the time to cater the journey  for each student that walks through your door.”

Mrs. Bickoff loves and will miss, working with the students, families, teachers, and her colleagues, but she has decided that it is now time to devote more time to her husband and family, enjoy being a grandparent, pursuing hobbies, and traveling, all while knowing that once a Patriot, always a Patriot! 

---------------------------------

Danielle Cohen spent five years in USF’s Office of Orientation where she helped students and families with their transition to college before joining the CDS family. Over the past year in the CDS college counseling department, she has served as the College Counseling Associate and has worked with Mr. Runge, Mrs. Bickoff, and Mr. Guarino to ensure the students that come looking for guidance and direction know exactly where to go. With Mrs. Bickoff’s departure, Mrs. Cohen is looking forward to stepping up into her new role as an Associate Director of College Counseling. 

Before coming to Carrollwood Day School, Mrs. Cohen not only worked with students and families as they started college but also got her master's degree in higher education. She is no stranger to working closely with students and families and is very excited about her new role at CDS.

“At USF I worked with students and families during the initial transition period as they were starting college. I think this gives me a unique perspective that I can pass on to the students at CDS. Not only do I want to help them find and get into the college of their choice, but I also want them to succeed when they get there.”

In her new position at CDS, Mrs. Cohen feels she will get to do more of what she loves, which is working with families. She is a big proponent of going out of state for college and the developmental growth that happens in college. Helping her upcoming cohorts figure out what they might want for a career after college during the college decision process will be one of the pinnacles of her role. At CDS, she says, the ability to try different clubs, projects, and extracurriculars that are woven into the curriculum helps the students hone in on what they want to focus on in college. 

“As exciting as the college process is, I understand that it can be overwhelming. This is why the five-year program we have at CDS is so amazing. It’s important, because of the magnitude of information that these students and families have to process, to slow-drip the content. We work little by little and don’t leave anything out. So there are no surprises.”

When asked what the take-aways from Mrs. Bickoff would be, Mrs. Cohen smiled and sighed. “Dawn is the mama-bear of the group. I’ve seen it. When a student walks into her office, they know that not only is she going to offer knowledge about the process but she’ll be there with the reassurance, support, advocacy, and advice that they might need. I feel like we are similar in that respect. At the end of the day, this is about getting to know who you are working with and how you can help them find the best fit for their future. That’s a big responsibility and one that I don’t take lightly. Mrs. Bickoff’s cohort will be in good hands. I know I have big shoes to fill but I’m excited that the torch is being passed to me.”

Carrollwood Day School's college counseling philosophy centers on a five-year developmental program that is designed to deconstruct and demystify what has become a complex process involving many moving pieces. We holistically invest in “slow dripping” information to parents and students as they begin their tenure in the upper school. It is our goal to discover the most competitive match/fit for each CDS student. As college students spend 90% of their time outside the classroom, it is imperative to not only seek a challenging and scholarly environment but one that feels comfortable and manageable both inside and outside the classroom.  

---

Mrs. Cohen will be communicating with Mrs. Bickoff's cohorts in the coming weeks to ensure a smooth transition. For any well wishes, please feel free to reach out to Mrs. Bickoff at mbickoff@carrollwooddayschool.org.