Counseling Center

News and notes

Counseling Staff

518-All Counseling Center staff can be reached by calling 518-399-9141, extension 84040.

• Sixth-grade counselor: Kevin DeBonis  kdebonis@bhbl.org
• Seventh-grade counselor: Tricia Zito   tzito@bhbl.org
• Eighth-grade counselor: Nancy Hyde  nhyde@bhbl.org 
• Guidance Secretary: Mary Ann De Luca  mdeluca@bhbl.org
• Social Workers: Mary Campbell mcampbell@bhbl.org and Kelly Rost krost@bhbl.org
• Psychologists: Jacqueline Somerville  jsomerville@bhbl.org

Parents and School Counselors...Partners Helping Kids

As students progress from one grade to the next, their counselor moves with them, providing continuity and time to really get to know students and their parents. They take a holistic approach to making sure each student has a positive experience at O’Rourke Middle School and that they are well-prepared for successfully meeting the challenges of the future.

The president of the New York State Counselors’ Association states the following: "School counselors play an instrumental role in shaping students for success – not just academically, but socially, behaviorally, and emotionally as well. For instance, they:

• Help students deal with and diffuse problems brought into school from home and outside the classroom;
• Act as consultants to teachers and serve as sources of institutional knowledge for administrators;
• Provide academic and career guidance to students, and help them meet and overcome emotional- and mental- health challenges;
• Establish and promote supportive learning environments;
• Develop academic and behavioral intervention programs; and
• Foster and maintain parental involvement.

At O’Rourke Middle School, the school counselor focuses on helping students balance the demands of school, family and friends. Special attention is paid to teaching "life skills" such as organization, study skills, time management, responsibility, cooperation, teamwork and other habits and attitudes that will serve students well in any classroom, job or social situation. Counselors are available as resources to parents and caregivers as students navigate their way through the middle years of their education.

Resources for Parents and Students

• Parent/Caregiver Guide: Making the 6th Grade Transition This one page brochure offers parents/caregivers information and tips to assist their student with this transition.
• Student Guide: Making the 6th Grade Transition This one page brochure provides 5th grade students with answers to many of their questions and offers tips about moving up successfully and confidently to the 6th grade and the Middle School.
• Making the 6th Grade Transition to the Middle School  A more comprehensive booklet for parents and students covering many of the topics pertinent to the transition from 5th Grade to 6th Grade and the Middle School.
• Supporting Your Child's Learning Brochure
• Game Plan for Tests & Quizzes Brochure

Recommended Websites for Middle School Parents

There are hundreds of resources on the internet that Middle School parents could find helpful. Here are a few that we recommend:

• www.girlshealth.gov A very girl- and parent-friendly website from the U.S. Department of Health that covers many topics from drugs and bullying to illness and nutrition. A good starting point for a parent-daughter chat on difficult topics.
• www.allkidsgrieve.org/home.html A resource for helping children deal with grief from many types of loss including divorce.
• www.how-to-study.com A study skills resource site.
• www.khanacademy.org  Thousands of videos that provide a full course on instruction in a variety of topics, from social studies to statistics.

Mission Statement

The mission of the O’Rourke Middle School Counseling Center is to work cooperatively with students, school personnel, parents, and the community to help students make desirable educational, personal, and social decisions.