West Genesee Counseling Newsletter

The West Genesee Counseling Department is excited to support students and families during the new school year. Our comprehensive school counseling program includes classroom lessons, parent seminars, individual student appointments and a variety of other services in the academic, college and career, and social/emotional domains. This newsletter contains information you may find helpful as we work together to support your child's academic and social growth.

Our school counselors are available to talk with students who find it difficult to balance school with their social environment, extracurricular activities, and the natural changes that occur during childhood and teen development. We collaborate with families, teachers, and other support staff in the building to develop a comprehensive plan to support student growth. If a student is struggling to maintain their mental health, counselors can work with families to make referrals to outside agencies that can provide additional support through long-term therapy or community based interventions.

As always, please do not hesitate to call or email your child's counselor throughout the school year. Contact information is available through the individual building pages on our West Genesee website.

Below is a list of additional resources available to all students and families.

Contact Hotline

• Call 315-251-0600
• Visit the website
• Confidential, anonymous, free 24-hour/7-day a week telephone counseling, suicide prevention, and crisis counseling hotline.

988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

• Call or Text 988
• Online chat at 988lifeline.org
• Available for free 24-hours/7-days a week. Provides a direct connection to caring support for anyone in mental health distress.

ACR Health

• Call 315-475-2430
• Visit the website
• Preventative and youth health-related services.

West Genesee Mental Health Resource Website

• Click here for more information about agencies and support services.

Grade 5-12 Student Counselor Assignments are Available on ParentVUE and StudentVUE

East Hill Elementary

• Gretchen Rose

Onondaga Road Elementary

• Susan Hayes-Penhollow

Split Rock Elementary

• Megan Giannino

Stonehedge Elementary

• Susan Sheehan
  
• Melissa Fano

West Genesee Intermediate School

• Crystal Best
• Erin Paris
• Madelyn Muckey

Camillus Middle School

• Melanie Lynch
• Devan Farrell
• Marnie Moss

West Genesee High School

• Annette Pickup
• Maura Secor
• Katie Callaghan
• Lauren Navarra
• Abigail Mulloy
• Tara Buckman

• Schedules will be available on StudentVUE and ParentVUE on August 28th after 4:00 pm.

• Please refer to StudentVUE or ParentVUE regularly until the first day of school to ensure you have the most up-to-date scheduling information. Changes may still be made after schedules are released based on adjustments to staffing or programming.
• 7-12 counselors will receive summer school grades and adjust student programming for the fall based on individual graduation plans.

East Hill Elementary

Kindergarten Orientation

• Tuesday, August 29th
• 9:00-10:30 AM

Ice Cream Social

• Wednesday, August 30th
• 5:00-6:30 PM

Onondaga Road Elementary

Kindergarten Orientation

• Monday, August 28th
• 9:00-10:30 AM

New Student Walk Through

• Monday, August 28th
• 1:00-2:00 PM

Split Rock Elementary

Kindergarten Orientation

• Monday, August 28th
• 9:00-10:30 AM

Stonehedge Elementary

Kindergarten Orientation

• Thursday, August 24th
• 9:00-10:15 AM

New Student Orientation (Grades 1-4)

• Thursday, August 24th
• 12:00-1:00 PM

Find your Classroom and Popsicles with the Principals

• Thursday, August 31st
• 4:00-6:00 PM

West Genesee Intermediate School

New Student Orientation

• Wednesday, August 30th
• 1:00-2:00 PM

Locker Night

• Wednesday, August 30th
• 3:00-6:00 PM

Camillus Middle School

New Student Orientation

• Thursday, August 24th
• 1:00-2:00 PM

Locker Night

• Thursday, August 24th
• 3:00-6:00 PM
• Upper Entrance (Near Cafeteria)

West Genesee High School

Freshman and New Student Orientation

• Tuesday, August 29th
• 6:30 PM
• Upper Gymnasium

Second Step is a program used to help students build their social-emotional skills so they can thrive in and out of school.

Our elementary teachers did a wonderful job bringing the Second Step curriculum into their classrooms last year. We anticipate another successful year providing this program, with school counselors supporting this work through their individual and group meetings with students.

At the intermediate school, our counselors visited classrooms to provide instruction. They will continue to do so this year, and have also collaborated with some of our special area teachers who will incorporate the lessons into their curriculum.

Click here to learn more about the Second Step lessons by grade level.

Changes in routine, new social situations, and increased academic expectations can sometimes lead to feelings of stress or anxiety in children and teens. Our counseling staff will be available to work with teachers and families to support students who are struggling to adjust to their new learning environments. Right now is the perfect time to start working on new routines and find positive ways to prepare for the first day of school. Learn more about six ways to help children with difficult transitions.

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