by Carlene Phillips ·
Friday, September 6, 2024
The new hire for Bromfield school adjustment counselor is Jennifer Schultz Bray, who lives with her family in Pepperell and has more than 25 years of clinical, administrative, and supervisory experience. Below are her email responses to questions from the Press.
Jennifer Schultz Bray. (Photo by Lisa Aciukewicz)
At Bromfield, we have five school counselors (formerly called guidance counselors), three for high school, and one for middle school, and one in our STARR (short-term assessment and rapid integration) program. School counselors put together students’ schedules, help with private and technical school applications, and advise on career planning and the college application process. They also support all students around minor or passing issues with stress and anxiety, social skills issues, or family problems impacting school.
The school psychologist is primarily responsible for evaluating students for potential special education needs. She will complete initial evaluations and write reports for students who we suspect may have a disability and require additional services, accommodations, modifications, or other support. Special education students go through this evaluation process every three years, to determine if they are still in need of services.
My role as school adjustment counselor is primarily to provide counseling and consultation services for students on an individual education plan for social-emotional needs. These students usually have social-emotional and behavioral and mental health challenges that pose a significant obstacle to them being successful in school. I collaborate with a team of special education teachers, other related service providers, and special education administrators to develop a plan to help students access the curriculum. I will be providing many hours of direct individual counseling services for students, crisis intervention assistance as needed, and consultation with teachers and other staff around how mental health and social skills issues impact student performance on academic tasks and social interactions.
I worked for 20 years in an inpatient psychiatric facility, while also doing outpatient therapy services part time, which I loved. I made the move to schools because that’s where kids spend 30 hours of their week and often is the environment in which social, academic, and emotional pressures tend to come up. I wanted to be there in the moment they needed support the most. I really enjoy being in conversation with kids, hearing their perspectives and learning what motivates and inspires them. Since working in schools, I’ve also learned to really appreciate the collaboration that happens with teachers, administrators, and other service providers. The people that commit themselves to children’s education are a special and talented group of people. I’ve learned so much from staff and students.
I was really blown away by the town’s commitment to its schools. At a moment when regional school districts all around this area weren’t able to pass their level services funding budget overrides, Harvard did. Everyone I met in my first interview was so thoughtful and knowledgeable about students’ needs, and I felt my values would be supported here. I was also impressed that my second interview at Harvard was led by four high school students. That the administration gave students a voice in who their adjustment counselor would be was another sign that this district was a good fit for me. And finally, I have to confess, it doesn’t hurt that Harvard is a gorgeous, idyllic New England town.
Everyone points to COVID-19 as a significant cause of the escalating mental health needs of children and adolescents (and adults too, for that matter) in recent years. However, we know that rates of depression, anxiety, and suicide were already increasing well before COVID. Between 2007 and 2017, the suicide rate among people ages 10 to 24 years old climbed 56%, according to a report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Often social media and too much screen time are blamed for increasing problems with mood and self-image, and data show that there is indeed a link. However, a high school student said to me last year when I asked her about this, “A lot of adults don’t seem to understand that overuse of phones is not the problem, it’s a symptom. You can’t just say, you’re using your phone too much. It’s not going to stop the problem.” I believe that establishing connection and community and a sense of belonging is the remedy, and I resonate with Harvard’s mission statement and focus on inclusion, community, and relationships.