School Counselor

Hello! My name is Mary Harrington and I am the School Counselor here at
Christ The King. It is wonderful for me to work in a community with such
amazing teachers! Their unwavering dedication is so evident every single
day. I feel privileged to be able to partner and collaborate with them and I
feel so honored that I have the opportunity to work with the students.

So a little bit about me: I began my career in the Connecticut Public
Schools as a K-12 Special Education teacher.I have a Masters of Art and
Connecticut License and State Certification in Special Education. Though
I loved the work, my passion was always School Counseling. So I went
back to school and completed a Masters of Science in School Counseling.
I am now Licensed and State Certified in School Counseling in both
Connecticut and Vermont. I have 3 amazing sons, an 8 year old Cavalier
King Charles spaniel and a very very curious and sweet 1 year old rescue
kitty. I live in Burlington and really love it here- the food, the lake, the arts
and music and the city’s commitment to social justice are all the things that
make it a perfect place for me!

Now A little bit about the School Counseling program here at Christ The
King: I follow the American School Counseling Association's(ASCA)
recommendations that stress the importance of supporting all students so
that everyone has a successful school experience. I adhere to ASCA
Standards which are focused in 3 domains; academic, career and
social/emotional. I do this through individual check-ins and classroom
lessons and small groups. Unlike a therapist ( and I am not a therapist)
the focus of a school counselor is to help students explore the issues that
are impacting their ability to achieve their personal best at school. Some
of the topics we discuss include friendship challenges, conflict resolution,
coping strategies , stress management and the importance and value of
self care, just to name a few. In middle school, I add in lessons that
explore individual learning styles and academic strengths.

In 8th grade we do Career Exploration. I also make sure we have
classroom lessons that are focused on the transition to high school. I think
it is helpful if 8th graders know what to expect when they get to 9th grade.
Things like - understanding high school credits, the importance of
organization and time management and G.P.A. can help an 8th grader
feel more comfortable about this next very exciting step.

If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out. Email works best.
I am only in the building on Tuesdays and Thursdays.
Mary Harrington
Christ The King School Counselor
[email protected]
Over the following months I will add relevant resources and articles.
First Call -If you are concerned about your child, First Call is an excellent
resource and a very good place to begin. They are open 24 hours a day -7
days a week -365 days a year. Their number is: 802-488-7777
https://howardcenter.org/first-call-for-chittenden-county/

211 - Can provide additional information and various family resources
that might be helpful. You can either call 211- or go to their website
https://vermont211.org/