NVMS Welcomes New Counselor

With a growing student population, Nooksack Valley Middle School staff understands the importance of meeting the needs of all students. The addition of counselor Brette Boesel helps make that happen. 

"I see my role as an advocate and support for both students and families," Boesel says. "I believe that my role is to help students find their voice and become their own best self-advocates by helping build communication and self-regulation skills." 

Principal Joel VanderYacht says that since the school had grown to over 450 students, the one-person counseling services had become crises oriented, responding to immediate needs. "Adding an additional counselor at the middle school enables us to provide intentional supports and programming to meet the needs of our students," he says. "We will be able to reinstate small group services, connect with outside counselors, health care providers and community supports in order to ensure our students are ready and prepared to learn when they come to school."

Boesel served as a leave replacement counselor at NVMS last school year, so was a natural fit for the addition. "I've always loved being a part of a team, and through being a school counselor I get to be part of one of the biggest teams that we have for supporting kids alongside my other staff members," she says. "I was drawn to helping students build skills that help them feel confident in who they are, where they came from and where they want to go." 

As part of Boesel's dedication to NVMS, she plans to strengthen the working relationships with community organizations to better support students and their families directly. She will continue the Compass Health service, providing counseling resources and opportunities for students at school, which relieves the need for families to drive outside of the community to access counseling services. 

The new Juntos Program aims to reach the gap between high school and higher education by inviting students and families to learn about financial aid, family communication and differing post-secondary options. In addition to in-school activities, the Juntos Program will provide after-school club opportunities, field trips and access to conferences. 

"I would love to see these programs and services take root here at the middle school and widen the number of students and families they are able to reach and support," Boesel says, "ultimately providing resources that may not otherwise be easily accessible to families in our community."