Revere counselors urge board to add a fourth high‑school counselor to boost SEL and transitions

Revere High School counselors told the board the high‑school counseling office needs a fourth counselor to meet rising demand for both college‑planning and social‑emotional support.

Presenters said the counseling team currently spends much of its time on seniors’ graduation planning and college applications during portions of the year, which limits proactive classroom SEL and early intervention. “The addition of a fourth counselor would take what we do really great and make it even astronomically better,” one presenter said.

Staff described a model in which the new counselor would be freshman‑focused, starting work during second semester of eighth grade to build relationships and provide regular check‑ins during the first year. That counselor would work within a three‑tier support framework—tier 1 preventative SEL in classrooms, tier 2 short‑term check‑ins with Bonnie/other district supports, and tier 3 external referrals (Red Oak and beyond) for intensive services.

Board members asked about staffing models considered; counselors said they studied six models, rejected options that risked losing personal, family‑meeting time, and favor a freshman transition role that preserves core relationships while increasing capacity for emergencies and ongoing preventive programming.

No formal budget or action was requested at the session; staff said they will return with a specific model, job description and cost estimate if the board supports pursuing the position.