A school counselor provides academic, social, and emotional support to all students. School counselors work in tandem with relevant stakeholders to ensure that students have equal access to the skills necessary for success both inside and outside of the classroom.

Goals of Middle School Counselors:

1. To connect students and parents to available resources and support systems to ensure social, emotional, and academic success at the middle school level.

2. To support students’ interests and connect those interests to academic success

3. To provide students with an understanding of postsecondary options

School counselors advocate for students and provide support in a variety of ways. This is done by both direct and indirect services.

Direct services include:

• Short-term, solution focused counseling

• Conflict resolution

• Stress/anxiety management

• Managing emotions

• Referrals for long-term support services

• Academic planning and goal setting

• Organizational skills

• Time management

• Classroom lessons based on student success standards

• Crisis counseling

Indirect services include:

• Data analysis to identify student issues, needs, and challenges

• Advocating for students at student-focused meetings

• Collaborating with relevant stakeholders (families, guardians, teachers, administrators,

  community) for student success

Dover Middle School Support Staff:

Mrs. Liefer is a permanently-certified New York State School Counselor holding a Master’s degree from New York University. Since 2018, she has worked with K-12 students to support academic and social-emotional needs. In addition to school counseling, she has had the pleasure of coaching various modified sports (soccer and track). Prior to working at Dover Middle School, she has worked in Sullivan County and Ulster County.

Mr. Mercurio attended Graduate school at The College of Saint Rose where he earned his Master’s Degree in School Counseling. He has collaborated with students grades 6-8 at DMS for the past 9 years. He has also had the pleasure of coaching Baseball, Golf and Football over these years.