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Kenmore West counseling team outlines broad supports; students describe positive impact
Summary
Kenmore West staff presented a walkthrough of counseling services, reporting more than 4,000 student visits and a range of programs from therapy dog Jett to the Girls Leadership Academy and college planning supports.
Dean Johnson, principal of Kenmore West High School, and members of the Kenmore West counseling team described the school’s counseling services and programs to the board on May 13, highlighting social-emotional supports, academic planning and post‑secondary preparation.
Johnson introduced the counseling staff and said the office had seen “over 4,000 students” this year, with more than half of visits for social‑emotional reasons. Counselors described an open‑door policy, an electronic sign-in system that captures visit reasons (social‑emotional, academic, college/career) and daily data that the team uses to track needs and plan interventions.
The presentation showcased several programs and supports: the therapy dog Jett (a 10‑year‑old black lab who visits one to two days per week), grief-care packages for students and staff who have lost loved ones, an eighth‑grade transition program with middle‑school outreach, the Best of West recognition (quarterly student awards), the Girls Leadership Academy that mentors younger students and carries out community service projects, the Kenton Closet partnerships and a Holiday Fund to help families in need. Counselors also described college-and-career efforts: financial‑aid nights, two college nights, trips to the national college fair and classroom lessons tied to career planning and PSAT preparation.
Students who spoke described the impact of counseling supports. Macoma Mbirwa, a ninth‑grade student, said, “I have grown a lot since the eighth grade year,” and thanked counselors for help with attendance and classwork. Senior Kit Panah said the counselors are “not just a community, they're family” and credited them with helping improve academic standing and post‑secondary planning.
Counselors noted a heavy emphasis on social‑emotional work (more than 50% of visits) and listed targeted supports including suicide‑prevention lessons, coping‑skills groups, grief supports and the use of the Naviance program for career exploration and senior planning. The team also runs a Career Expo that has grown from a dozen vendors to more than 40 community participants.
The board thanked the team and acknowledged the visible student engagement Johnson and counselors reported; the presentation ended with an invitation for board members to ask questions and with the counseling staff offering to follow up as needed.
