With the COVID-19 pandemic bringing constant change across the St. Vrain Valley School District, students and families lack the usual engagement of previous years. The SVVSD counseling services staff seeks to improve that with innovative ways to ensure academic success and wellbeing.
The conversation around COVID is one that counseling and student services staff has had throughout the past year, according to Adam Lotito, SVVSD lead counselor and counselor at Niwot High School. The “boots on the ground” school counselors and interventionists are tasked with identifying the needs of students across all grade levels and meet these with appropriate solutions and referrals.
We are “addressing those concerns of increased anxiety and with the pandemic in general … trying to have that awareness in mind when working with our students and families,” he said. “Going forward, (we are) addressing the connection for the school and helping them (students) engage with their peers and being plugged in and finding that community within their schools… creating meaning out of these situations.”