Meet the Counselors
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Shelly Borg Director of Guidance, Cutler House Counselor 617-559-6537 shelly_borg@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Borg is the Director of Guidance and a counselor in Cutler House. This is her third year at Newton South, after a long and fulfilling career working with middle and high school students in the Boston Public School system. Ms. Borg has a BA in Sociology from the University of Oregon and an M.Ed. from Harvard. She lived in the Midwest and Pacific Northwest, but calls the Boston area home, having lived here for more than 30 years. In addition to the fulfillment she receives from working with students and families, she gets great pleasure gardening, cooking and visiting family across the country. | |
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Barbara Brown College & Career Counselor 617-559-6544 barbara_brown@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mrs. Brown has been the College & Career Counselor at Newton South for 16 years having been the first person at Newton South to hold this position. She holds an LICSW and practiced social work for many years. Her three children graduated from Newton South. Mrs. Brown’s door is open to anyone- students, parents, faculty, staff, alumni, college representatives and stray cats and dogs. | |
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Sue Batler Goldrick, Goodwin, and Cutler House Counselor 617-559-6536 sue_batler@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Batler is a Goldrick House counselor who has been at Newton South since 1999. She attended BU, Harvard University and Southern Connecticut State University. Before working at Newton South, she worked for 13 years as a vocational counselor and helped injured employees return to work. Outside of school she is busy with her family and her hobbies of knitting, cooking, and watching sports. | |
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Marcy Davidson Goodwin House Counselor 617-559-6703 marcy_davidson@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Davidson has been a guidance counselor in Goodwin House for 7 years. She has worked with adolescents in schools and mental health settings for many. Ms. Davidson has a B.A. from Brandeis University, an M.Ed. from Lesley College and a CAES from Boston College. She holds certifications in guidance, school psychology and special education. Ms. Davidson strives to support each student in realizing his/her potential and in leading a balanced life through high school. | |
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Chris Hardiman Goldrick House Counselor 617-559-6541 christopher_hardiman@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mr. Hardiman is a new counselor in Goldrick House but he has been involved in school counseling for over fifteen years. Before coming to South, he worked at Lincoln-Sudbury High School, Curtis Middle School in Sudbury, and LABBB Collaborative, a special education program in Lexington. Mr. Hardiman has a B.A. from Holy Cross College and a M.A. in Counseling Psychology from Lesley University. He loves working with high school students and helping them to follow their dreams. Mr. Hardiman loves to ski, is an avid fan of Boston sports and Irish music, and enjoys spending time with his family and friends. | |
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David Kershaw Goodwin, Wheeler, and Cutler House Counselor 617-559-6535 david_kershaw@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mr. Kershaw is a counselor in Goodwin, Wheeler and Cutler Houses and he has been at South for 5 years. Prior to joining the Guidance Department, Mr. Kershaw was a counselor in the Compass program, which serves special education students with emotional needs. Mr. Kershaw says that the work of helping students navigate the many complexities of high school and beyond is extremely gratifying. In his eyes, knowing yourself is one of the most valuable tools you can carry with you beyond high school, and he strives to support students in building this understanding of self at every opportunity. | |
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Aaron Lewis Wheeler House Counselor 617-559-6538 aaron_lewis@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mr. Lewis is a counselor in Wheeler House and has worked in Newton as a counselor for 16 years. This is his fifth year working at South and he also worked at Brown Middle School. Mr. Lewis is from Larchmont, NY, and went to BU for undergrad and UVM for grad school. He coaches baseball and is involved with the ski club at both South and Brown. | |
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James Medeiros Cutler House Counselor 617-559-6540 james_medeiros@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mr. Medeiros has been a counselor in Cutler House for the past 6 years. Before coming to South, he worked at a large urban high school with a diverse, multi-cultural population. Mr. Medeiros is also a licensed clinical social worker. He enjoys running and has participated in many 5K races. Joining the DreamFar Marathon team 3 years ago, he has since successfully completed 2 marathons. Mr. Medeiros loves to travel. He has been to many different countries and enjoys learning about different cultures and languages. He speaks Portuguese and limited Spanish. He loves reading about history and he likes to cook. He also has the best cat in the world! Just ask him to see a picture. | |
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Joanna Norton Goldrick, Wheeler, and Goodwin House Counselor 617-559-6613 joanna_norton@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Norton is a Goldrick House counselor who has been at Newton South since 2006. She started her journey as a wellness teacher and has since achieved her M.Ed in counseling and psychology. Ms. Norton is the assistant cross country and track coach at Newton South. You can find her working, and most likely laughing, with the athletes who compete in the technical events. In addition, Ms. Norton is the faculty advisor for the Newton South Outdoor Club and Rugby Club. She enjoys any activity that involves the outdoors, specifically surfing, hiking and climbing. She has also visited 43 National Parks in the U.S. and loves to share her affinity for travel with others. | |
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Donna Segal Cutler House Counselor 617-559-6550 donna_segal@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Segal has been a guidance counselor for 22 years. After working at Wayland and Oak Hill Middle Schools, she came to Newton South where she has been a counselor in Cutler House for 10 years. A graduate of NSHS, Ms. Segal has a B.A. from Brandeis University, an M.S. in Criminal Justice and a M.Ed. in School Counseling from Northeastern University. She is a certified school adjustment counselor and holds several licenses in school administration. Ms. Segal is the co-chair of the Newton South Crisis Team and is the faculty advisor for the First Friends Club. A former high school and college athlete, Ms. Segal is an avid Red Sox and Celtics fan. She loves working with teenagers and enjoys helping them identify their strengths, pursue their interests and attain their goals. | |
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Katani Sumner METCO Counselor 617-559-6569 katani_sumner@newton.k12.ma.us |
| This is Ms. Sumner’s eighth year at South after working at Pierce Elementary School as the literacy specialist for four years. In the role of METCO counselor, Ms. Sumner provides social, emotional and academic support for the Boston resident students at South and she serves as the advisor for the Black Student Union. As a certified teacher she is also thrilled to be a co-teacher in the African-American Literature senior elective as well as the Director of the Harambee Gospel Choir. A native Bostonian and former METCO student, she has an AB in Psychology from Brown University and a Master's Degree from the Harvard Graduate School of Education. She loves being able to work in several departments and in different capacities at Newton South and getting to know students throughout the entire school population. | |
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Homer Turner Wheeler House Counselor 617-559-6543 homer_turner@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Mr. Turner has been at South for 7 years and is a Wheeler House counselor. He relocated from the Midwest to Boston in 2006 after 15 years as a guidance counselor and college counselor in the Chicago area. This is Mr. Turner’s third year as an assistant coach of varsity football. He has a 6-year-old who attends NPS and he embraces his new connection to the Newton community as a parent. Mr. Turner is an avid Chicago Bears, Bulls, and White Sox fan. He enjoys and appreciates working with high school students because every day is different. | |
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Kara Veley Goodwin House Counselor 617-559-6542 kara_veley@newton.k12.ma.us |
| Ms. Veley has been a guidance counselor at Newton South for six years. Prior to working at Newton South, she worked with first year students at Bentley College. She has a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology and Spanish from Middlebury College and a Master's Degree in Education from Harvard University. This year, she has a dual role. She works as a guidance counselor and she works with the English Language Learner Department as the ELL Liaison, supporting students from all over the world who attend Newton South. She enjoys helping students figure out who they want to be and how to reach their goals. | |
