About Us.

Parents are most familiar with the role our counselors play in creating their childrens’ schedules. However, School Counselors do so much more than schedules. They are often the source of comfort and guidance for students and families who find themselves in unfortunate, uncertain, or unfamiliar circumstances.  -  Dr. Jimmy Bowser, principal

Contact Us

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Christina Kiefer  (N-Z)
chkiefer@mckinneyisd.net
469-302-6906

Mrs. Kiefer is an 9-year veteran Counselor here at Faubion Middle School, but has worked for in the field of Counseling for two decades. Christina earned her Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology from Western Illinois University and a Masters degree in Educational Counseling from University of Texas in Odessa. While at Western Illinois, Mrs.
Kiefer traveled the country performing as a member of the prestigious Western Wrangler Dance Team, including a memorable performance for the NFL St. Louis Rams!

Christina began her career working at Lakeside Home for Boys and Girls in Kalamazoo Michigan, which served children needing long term residential mental health treatment. In 1998, the Kiefer family relocated to Midland, TX where Mrs. Kiefer worked as a Case Manager for Midlands Mental Health Clinic, a renown clinic for adults and children with severe mental illness. Her duties in Midland included being on call for the local emergency room where she did crisis intervention for both adults and children in need of immediate care.

Although Mrs. Kiefer loved her job in Midland, her heart yearned for a career where she could combine her love of Teaching, Counseling and Dance. In 2000, Christina began her teaching career at the Juvenile Detention Center in Odessa, TX, and later transitioned into a more traditional learning environment becoming a Special Education teacher at San Jacinto Elementary in Odessa. Mrs. Kiefer began her career as a School Counselor after relocating to the DFW area and working at Central Elementary School in Lewisville, TX. While at Central Elementary, Christina led an incredible and successful effort to earn the ASCA’s esteemed honor as a school with a Distinguished Counseling Program as well as the Texas State School Counseling Distinguished Program. Mrs. Kiefer has been recognized for her contributions to the field of Counseling, earning the Educator of the Year Award from Community in Schools of North Texas for her collaboration with CIS on championing significant changes at Central designed to bring the school and community closer together.

In 2010, the Kiefer family made the move to McKinney where Christina found the perfect job at Faubion Middle School. When asked about her experience at FMS, Mrs. Kiefer says “It is at Faubion where I have truly felt I am where I belong. It is my passion to help children plan for their future while guiding them through their middle school years.
I have also had the amazing opportunity to become Faubion’s co-Drill Team coach. I truly love my work here at Faubion and love all of our children.”

Robin Phillips  (A-G)
rphillips@mckinneyisd.net
​469-302-6912

Mrs. Phillips is a 33-year veteran in McKinney ISD, with 18 years as a Counselor at Faubion. She received her undergraduate degree in Education from McMurry College (now known as McMurry University) and her Master’s degree in Counseling from the University of North Texas. Mrs. Phillips began her career teaching 6th grade at Caldwell Intermediate School (now known as Caldwell Elementary School) for 7 years. Mrs. Phillips then moved to Faubion Middle school and taught 6th grade for 8 years before making the career change into the role of Counselor here at Faubion.

Mrs. Phillips’ expertise in Counseling has served the District well. She currently
serves on the MISD Counselor Advisory Committee, a role she has served for years. The Counseling Advisory Committee meets regularly discuss the direction of Counseling in the District, which has evolved greatly in recent years. Additionally, Mrs. Phillips serves on the MISD Crisis Team, where she is called upon to help out with other campuses as needed.

​Robin’s greatest joy in life is her family! She has been married to her husband, Tim, for 31 years. They have three children, Christopher, Lauren and Lindsey, all of whom attended MISD schools and one grandson, CJ. The Phillips are an animal-loving family and currently have two dogs and a cat. Robin likes to spend her free time with her family going to movies, attending her grandson’s soccer games and hanging out together. As a proud MISD parent, Mrs. Phillips spent 9 years hanging out at the MISD Ag barn and going to shows with Christopher and Lindsey. Four years were spent watching Lauren participate in Color Guard at football games and competitions.

When asked what she does in her role as a Counselor, Mrs. Phillips proudly says “I tell everyone I have the best job in the school! I get to help kids all day long. Sometimes it is as simple as enrolling a student, or getting a schedule completed. I may work with a student on a personal issue. Sometimes I help a group of friends or students work out a disagreement. I work with outside agencies to make sure childrens’ physical and mental health is coordinated. It is different every day.” In reflecting on the recent years of her career, Mrs. Phillips says, “The last several years have been quite interesting as some of my students are now parents of students at Faubion! It is always fun when they realize who I am. Relationships are the most rewarding part of my job. I look forward to many more years serving the families of MISD.”

Christie Thompson  (H-O)
​cthompson@mckinneyisd.net
469-302-6913       Twitter: @cthompsonFMS

Christie Thompson’s greatest passion is removing barriers to students’ academic success.  That has been her mission for the 20 years she spent in the classroom, the 2 years she served as the Dowell 504/RTI Coordinator, and it continues to be her emphasis as she embarks on her first full year as a school counselor here at Faubion Middle School. (She began in Feb. 2018.)
 
As a native of Arkansas, Christie’s alma mater is the University of Arkansas at Pine Bluff.  After graduation, she relocated to Sherman, Texas, to begin her teaching career at Sherman High School as an English teacher.  During her time at Sherman High School, she was awarded New Secondary Teacher of the Year for the district and was recognized for Excellence in Teaching. She then moved to the Plano Independent School District where she taught 7th grade English and wrote curriculum for Plano's Middle School Project. 
 
Christie then left the classroom and continued her education at Southern Methodist University where she worked as a graduate assistant and earned her Master's Degree in English.  Upon graduation, she returned to the classroom in the McKinney Independent School District where she taught ELAR at Dowell Middle School and remained there for the next fourteen years.  She was voted Dowell Campus Teacher of the Year in 2011 by her peers and has served as a campus leader in various roles throughout her tenure.
 
Having a desire to reach more students, Christie decided that she wanted to pursue her school counseling certification. While she enjoyed teaching her subject matter, what she has always loved most about teaching is building relationships with her students, helping build confidence in their abilities, and emphasizing the importance of hard work.  With her English background, Christie understands the power of literature and its insight into the human experience. She loves doing small group book clubs that increase students’ self-awareness and self-esteem, build empathy, and aid in students’ ability to face developmental crises. 
 
As a school counselor, I get the opportunity to work with all students in the areas of academic success, career exploration, and emotional and social development. I get to help problem-solve with and for students; I get to empower students to problem-solve for themselves and to manage their own lives; and I get to collaborate with teachers, parents, and administrators to remove barriers to students’ academic success. Intervention and prevention at its best!