ABOUT US

School Counseling Department 

William Plunkett, Director of School Counseling 203-341-1225 

Cristina Banks, School Counselor 203-341-5133 

Thomas Brown, School Counselor 203-341-1229 

Victoria Capozzi, School Counselor 203-341-5198 

Roy Colson, School Counselor 203-341-1232 

Katie Koshes, School Counselor 203-341-1434 

Sarah Magilnick, School Counselor 203-341-1228 

Deborah Slocum, School Counselor 203-341-1234 

Mattie Sokoloski, School Counselor 203-341-1238 

Kelly Tamborrino, School Counselor 203-341-1233

PJ Washenko, School Counselor 203-341-1431 

Sandra Zeigler, College and Career Center Coordinator 203-341-1886

Monica McCabe, School Counseling Administrative Assistant 203-341-1225

Susan Fugitt, Registrar 203-341-1224

Katherine Napolitano, School Counseling Paraeducator 203-341-1236

Staff email addresses are first initial and last name followed by @westportps.org. Click here to access the complete Staples High School staff directory. 

The Staples High School Counseling Department values every student. Our philosophy is predicated on the belief that each student is a developing, capable, and unique individual who will learn from experience and grow personally and educationally throughout adolescence. We believe helping students to understand themselves will assist them in making sound decisions today and in their future. 

We support our school’s mission to “inspire learning, foster integrity and nurture empathy.” Toward that end, we strive to provide each student with a developmentally appropriate program that fosters an understanding of, and appreciation for, one’s unique self. Based on the Connecticut School Counseling Association model, our counseling services are proactive, developmental, and responsive to the unique needs of every student. We cultivate balance, strength, direction, and resilience. Our specific services, delivered by way of individual and group meetings, are geared toward enabling each student to develop the intrapersonal and interpersonal skills necessary for them to achieve their goals and lead successful adult lives in an increasingly complex and diverse society. 

Professional school counselors provide a wide range of services in the schools based on individual student needs, strengths, interests and goals. Staples school counselors are an integral part of the total educational experience through which students prepare for meaningful and rewarding lives as productive members of a changing society. Throughout the year, school counselors see students in all grade levels with academic as well as social and emotional issues. Urgent situations may arise that are treated as highest priority. PPTs and 504s, meetings, conferring with teachers, parents, nurses and administrators, as well as phone calls and emails take time and are all necessary to do the job right. School counselors are often the first person that students, parents, and school staff come to with a question or concern. School counselors strive for personalization, are passionate about their job, and work hard to do the very best they can for their students.

Counseling services focus on three main aspects of development, described in detail below:

• Academic - Academic Guidance

• College/Career - College and career awareness, exploration, and planning services

• Social/Emotional - Personal counseling services to students and their families

Academic counseling is available to all students to help them understand their individual strengths, set goals, and assist them in planning an appropriate program of studies. Counselors, teachers, and families work together to support and encourage all students in reaching their full potential.

Some of the areas in which a counselor can work with students and families are:

• Planning a high school program relevant to the student's interests, abilities, and post-high school plans

• Checking in on each student's progress in their current courses

• Consulting with teachers and other school staff regarding student performance

• Counseling students experiencing academic difficulty and developing strategies for improvement, including referrals to various academic resources at the high school

• Monitoring credit status leading to graduation

Post-high school counseling is provided to all students through individual and group-based activities. Designed to help students identify and clarify their abilities, interests, and goals, school counselors assist students in making appropriate educational and career-based decisions. The School Counseling Department follows a developmentally appropriate post-high school planning timeline, starting in ninth grade and through senior year.

School counselors, social workers, and school psychologists are available to all students to assist them in managing developmental issues that arise during adolescence. Staff help students to enhance self-understanding and learn effective emotion management and problem-solving skills so that they are better equipped to deal with the variety of concerns that high school students encounter. When warranted, referrals may be made to appropriate community resources.

Some of the issues and concerns that may be addressed include:

• Academic Performance

• Peer Relationships

• Transition / Adjustment Challenges

• Social Pressures

• Emotional Concerns

• Family Conflicts

• Community Influences

Westport Public Schools is committed to developing a plan for every student in alignment with the State of Connecticut Student Success Plan initiative. The Student Success Plan aims to support students in their academic, career, social, emotional, and physical development beginning in grade 6 and continuing through high school graduation.

For more detailed information about the state’s Student Success Plan initiative, please click the link below:

Connecticut State Department of Education Student Success Plan

Westport school counselors, alongside middle and high school staff, engage all students in structured activities in and outside the classroom. Every student will have the opportunity to experience opportunities for growth and goal-setting for middle school, high school, and beyond. These activities include individual conversations, small-group meetings, classroom lessons, and large presentations, following a curriculum that is closely aligned with the Connecticut Comprehensive K-12 School Counseling Framework. 

Students are assigned to a school counselor primarily using an alphabetical system upon entering the ninth grade. Some students are assigned to a school counselor outside of their alphabetical breakdown in order to keep family members together as well as balance counselor caseloads most effectively. Students are assigned to the same school counselor for their four years of high school. Students may schedule a meeting using their school counselor's google calendar.