Welcome to the Counselor’s Corner – the newest section of the newsletter where you can find important updates and information from the WHS Counseling Department! We are so excited you are here.

Welcome Back! A note from the Counseling Department:

Hi Everyone – welcome back to the 2021-2022 school year. Things have been very busy in the counseling office so far this year and we have been so excited to welcome the newest member to our team, Christine Trottere, our Student Assistance Counselor (SAC). Mrs. Trottere will be working alongside our counselors to support our student population.

A Welcome from Mrs. Trottere:

My name is Christine Trottere and I am the new Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) at Westfield High School. Before coming to Westfield High School, I worked as a middle school counselor at Roosevelt Intermediate School for many years. I am excited and proud to be joining this amazing community. As a Student Assistance Counselor, I can provide counseling and referral services to students and their families in need of more support. Through prevention and intervention, I hope to raise awareness about important mental health issues affecting our student’s lives and our school community. 

Please visit the SAC Page, where Mrs. Trottere posts important health information.

If you have more questions about how Mrs. Trottere might be helpful to you and your family, please contact her directly at ctrottere@westfieldnjk12.org 

Fall Updates:

Now that the fall is well underway, we have been meeting with our seniors to help them with their post high school plans. If you did not attend Senior Parent Night, you can watch it here as it may answer many of your questions: 2021 Senior Parent Night

If they have not done so already, please make sure to encourage your students to meet with their counselor to discuss their post-high school plans ASAP.

Also – don’t forget! Virtual Financial Aid Night is on October 18th at 7PM. Look out for the link in your email!

The counselors will also soon be reaching out to check in with our Freshman and see how they are adjusting to high school. To that end, the first Transition Project outreach took place this past Friday during PE and Health Periods. During these meetings, Freshman will meet with Upper Classmen leaders to better acclimate themselves to the school community. There are a total of 7 outreaches planned and each one focuses on a different topic. 

Frequently Asked Questions at the Beginning of the Year:

My child needs a Chromebook – where do I go?

Please complete the Google Form : https://sites.google.com/westfieldnjk12.org/parents-dl-site/chromebooks?authuser=0 to request a Chromebook. All instructions are explained. 

My child is absent/going to be absent. How do I find out how this will impact them and what the next steps are?

Please contact your child’s Assistant Principal in the Attendance Office for any attendance related question. 

My child was injured or has a temporary medical condition that the school needs to be aware of. What do I do?

Either you or your child can bring a doctor’s note/medical documentation directly to our Nurses in the Health Office. From there, the Nursing Staff will notify your child’s teachers, counselor and administrator to make any necessary accommodations. The contact information for the Health Office is        

Robert Ripper                                             Stephanie Hurley

MSN, RN, APN, CSN                                 RN, CSN

School Nurse                                              School Nurse

rripper@westfieldnjk12.org                                 shurley@westfieldnjk12.org

Health Services Coordinator  
Barbara Barnansky, Secretary
Direct - 908-789-4519
Fax - 908-519-2319 

The Health Office website also has a FAQ with really helpful information, you can find it here:

Health Services 

My child seems to be struggling in a particular class – where do I begin?

If you think your child is struggling in a specific class, the first step is to reach out to the classroom teacher. It would be good to hear what the teacher is seeing on a daily basis and what small changes might be beneficial to help your child be more successful.

I feel like my child has a unique set of circumstances that might be helpful for the teachers to know but I was told we should not contact the teachers.

Of course you can contact the teachers, they are here to support your child in their specific subject matter. If you think there is background that could help the teacher and the child connect, or ways in which the teacher could support the student, please reach out to your child’s teacher and let them know. Increased communication is always appreciated!