Darien High School’s guidance department has been recognized as “The Outstanding Comprehensive School Counseling Program for 2016” by the Connecticut School Counselor Association, the high school announced.
Darien High School
Darien High School entrance
“I am honored to accept this award from the Connecticut School Counselor Association,” said Paul Ribeiro, co-ordinator of the department, said in the announcement.
The award given based on the department’s Guidance Seminar Program in which school counselors meet with students in different grade levels each quarter.
In the program, first fully implemented in the 2014-2015 school year, counselors work through key skills with small groups of students, to improve their experience in school.
The Guidance Department at Darien High School
Counselors work with different grade levels each quarter. The announcement gave this description of what students in each grade discuss:
- Freshmen examine transition, creating a four year plan and are given an opportunity to learn from the experiences of upperclassmen.
- Sophomores add an element of self-exploration by beginning to assess their strengths as they relate to career interests.
- Juniors start planning to achieve post- secondary goals, create a better understanding of their strengths and weaknesses and develop better self-advocacy skills.
- Seniors focus on the college application process, continue to refine their post-secondary goals and learn skills to better manage their stress.
Principal Ellen Dunn said the department has done excellent work. “Through the Guidance Seminar Program, students forge strong and authentic relationships with their school counselors who are then better able to provide the advice and support students need as they grow and prepare for life after DHS,” she said.
Ribeiro said the award “represents the hard work by the members of my department to enhance the quality of services to our students and families. It is also an accomplishment that could not have been achieved without the support of the Darien community.”
School counselors are Meghan Emanuelson, Joan Flaherty, Colleen Mayo, Lisa Messineo, Kaitlin Stanton, Kim Taylor and Debra Webb-Maloney and the Guidance Department secretaries are Laura Hyatt and Leslie Lajoie.