Guidance & Counseling
The WHS Guidance Department mission is to help students to become curious, knowledgeable and independent thinkers grounded in strong values and integrity. We help our students to lead balanced lifestyles and be prepared for the real-world, taking on new challenges and embracing responsible risks.
Guidance & Counseling Services
The guidance and counseling services at Westlake High School are designed to meet the educational, social, and emotional needs of students at each grade level. Upon entering the ninth grade, students are assigned a counselor. The counselor is deeply interested in assisting students to achieve their maximum potential academically while they encourage social and extracurricular experiences which provide maximum personal growth. Guidance and counseling involves a commitment on the part of the counselor to each student as an individual. The programs are designed to address common concerns — scheduling, orientation, transition, testing, academic issues, and the college selection process — and at the same time provide a highly-individualized focus for every student. The counselors are not merely academic advisers — they are trained professionals with interest and experience in assisting students as they face and explore concerns that are important to their lives.
Students are encouraged to view the counselor as supportive in dealing with the complexities of decision-making and problem-resolution in their academic and personal lives while at Westlake High School. Counselors receive copies of all progress, academic and discipline reports. They are in constant contact with teachers, administrators, and parents and are, therefore, in a position to have a comprehensive understanding of each student in their case load.
Our aim is to foster student growth so that it is the students themselves who become excellent self-advocates. While we invite and welcome parent/guardian support, we do ask that students initiate and make every effort to address any issues and approach any experiences on their own. Of course, if a student is not able to or experiences difficulty in addressing questions and concerns, we expect that parents/guardians will then do so.
Resources
- Monthly Guidance Newsletters & Announcements
- Student Resources
- Parent & Community Resources
- The College Application Process
- Financial Aid & Scholarship Information
- Local & Regional Scholarship Links and Applications
- Testing Materials (SAT, ACT, PSAT & AP)
- College Athletics
- Naviance Family Connection
- Crisis Hotlines and Emergency Contact Info
- Social Emotional Support & Mindfulness Activities
- Bereavement Support
- Westlake High School Guidance Videos & Recorded Events
- Course Catalog
- Transcript/Records Request
- K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Plan
Monthly Guidance Newsletters & Announcements
Student Resources
Parent & Community Resources
The College Application Process
Financial Aid & Scholarship Information
Local & Regional Scholarship Links and Applications
Testing Materials (SAT, ACT, PSAT & AP)
College Athletics
Naviance Family Connection
Crisis Hotlines and Emergency Contact Info
Social Emotional Support & Mindfulness Activities
Bereavement Support
Westlake High School Guidance Videos & Recorded Events
Course Catalog
Transcript/Records Request
K-12 Comprehensive School Counseling Plan
Contact Us
Phone: 914-769-8440 Fax: 914-769-0596
Nicholas DiPaolo
Coordinator of K-12 School Counseling School Counselor
Ext. 1610
ndipaolo@mtplcsd.org
Lauren Cody
School Counselor
Ext. 1603
lcody@mtplcsd.org
Colette Magnan
School Counselor
Ext. 1604
cmagnan@mtplcsd.org
Tim O'Dwyer
School Counselor
Ext. 1602
todwyer@mtplcsd.org
Susan Zorrilla
Secretary
Ext. 1601
szorrilla@mtplcsd.org