Tara Paulauskas, Upper School Counselor, 617 738-2741
Christine DiFilippo, Middle School Counselor, 617 738-2715

The Counseling Office functions within a preventative and wellness model. Our primary role is to serve and support our faculty, families and students and to help create an environment that allows our students to be most successful during their time here at BCDS. This model can be broken down into three components and within these areas, various programs and supports are put in place.

1. Students: Our primary focus is always on the student. We meet regularly as a team and with the other teachers, administrators and departments to reflect on and look at how the academic experience, social, emotional and spiritual well-being, and physical health of the students are impacting their growth as a learner and their role as a citizen of this community and of the world. Students may meet individually with the counselor as needed. Students are often referred to the office by a teacher or parent. If the Counseling Office makes an assessment and feels that the student needs more support, an outside referral is made. Referrals are made to the Counseling Department based on a variety of issues including, but not limited to, depression, eating concerns, stress management, divorce, family struggles, drug and alcohol concerns, friends and relationships.

2. Parents: Parent Education is a large part of our school’s mission. Every grade level has a specific evening that is usually organized and led by the counseling staff. These evenings are flexible; this flexibility allows us to address specific issues that come up throughout the year. There are times when it is necessary to have a number of evenings to deal with a specific area of concern or to bring in a speaker for further education on a specific topic. We strongly encourage parents to attend these meetings as they are a time to network with each other and to form close working relationships with the school. We believe that this partnership is very important. In addition, our office is available to talk to parents at any time. If issues come up inside or outside of school that may impact your child’s time here, parents are encouraged to call.

3. Faculty: As a department, our job is also to support our faculty. Often teachers are the first line of contact with students and with families. We see our role as offering training, guidance and intervention when necessary. We are often asked to join parent meetings or to facilitate a student-teacher meeting as needed. Teachers may come to us to discuss concerns about individual students or to get some support around issues that have come up in the classroom. Our faculty is professional and empathetic, and they work very hard to form authentic relationships with the students that they teach and advise. Our office provides training and workshops as needed to better support teachers’ concerns. Whether it be classroom management, learning issues, social and emotional concerns or other observations, this communication between teachers and our office is crucial.

The counseling team is also responsible for all of the health and wellness education. The Counseling Department is connected to the following interdisciplinary courses:

Sixth grade: Nutrition and Body Image
Seventh grade: Health and Human Sexuality
Tenth grade: Health and Human Sexuality