Whether meeting individually with students to work through personal struggles, guiding students and parents toward a successful four-year academic plan, working in the classroom to present developmentally appropriate guidance lessons, or hosting parent education events, the counselors do their best to proactively reach out to students and families during their time at Westminster. While they provide short-term counseling to students in need, they also offer referrals to outside agencies and individuals who can provide more extensive support.
The staff – made up of three professional school counselors and two college and career counselors – utilizes a Christ-centered, comprehensive approach to school counseling. Guidance and Counseling is committed to helping students recognize their God-given uniqueness and understand and develop the gifts that He has given them.
Our Counselors
Martha Hyland
Upper School Guidance Counselor
mhyland@wcastl.org / 314.997.2901, ext. 6453
Martha graduated from Missouri Baptist University with a B.S. in history and an M.A. in counseling. She served as the school counselor at Twin Oaks Christian School for the past six years. Martha graduated from Westminster in 2001.
Karen Aaberg
Administrative Assistant – Guidance and Counseling Department
kaaberg@wcastl.org / 314.997.2901, ext. 6130
Suzanne Goff
College Counselor
sgoff@wcastl.org / 314.997.2901, ext. 6474
Suzanne graduated from the University of Missouri with dual degrees in English and religious studies, and she received her M.A. in guidance and counseling from Southeast Missouri State University. She has worked in university admissions, new student programs, and orientation, as well as in a variety of community outreach capacities. She and her husband Jay have two children at Westminster: Mia (10th grade) and Vaughan (9th grade).
Lori West
College and Career Counselor
lwest@wcastl.org / 314.997.2901, ext. 6460
Lori received a B.A. in social work from Grove City College and earned her M.S. in school counseling. She worked for six years as the K-12 school counselor at Twin Peaks Charter Academy in Longmont, Colorado. She and her husband Jim have four sons: James, Calvin, Drew, and Sam.
Mollie Pfuetze
Middle School Guidance Counselor
mpfuetze@wcastl.org / 314.997.2900, ext. 6454
Mollie comes to Westminster from Central Christian School where she served as the upper and lower elementary school counselor for six years. From 2003 to 2008 she served as the middle school counselor at Westminster. Mollie has a B.S. in education from the University of Tennessee and an M.A. in counseling from Covenant Theological Seminary. She and her husband Mark have two daughters Mallory (5th grade) and Bright (kindergarten) and a son Hampton (3rd grade).
Westminster’s comprehensive five-year college counseling program provides parents and students the opportunity to work toward a post-secondary plan that is best suited for every future graduate. A guided college search process begins in the spring of the junior year.
View and print a College and Career Counseling Calendar.
Adapted from The College Board’s “8 Ways to Take Control of Your Time”
If you or your student ever need to speak to a counselor about this transition, please contact us so that we can offer our support to help make it a positive experience!
Each year will bring new changes as your student continues to grow and develop. Following is a brief description of what to expect as your student moves through Upper School.
Learn More9th Grade
Social dynamics change for both males and females, resulting in new ways to navigate friendships. Be available to support and talk to your student about these changes. Expect to see more interest in guy/girl relationships. Talk about this as a family and set reasonable, age-appropriate limits on guy/girl activities.
10th Grade
Students start driving, and some say that adolescents score lower on impulse control and decision making at this time than at any other time of development. Talk with your student and set limits regarding their driving privileges.
11th Grade
Students sometimes feel a lot of stress as they manage a challenging upper school curriculum, along with preparing for college admission. This is a good time to talk with your student about the importance of balance in life, managing stress, and trusting in God’s plan for the future.
12th Grade
Senior year continues to challenge students academically. They desire even more autonomy, yet the transition to post-secondary plans can produce anxiety. This is a good opportunity to encourage your student to focus on the strengths that God has given him or her. Conversations about finances, how to make decisions, and time management are also important!
Parent Guide: Understanding Your Child’s Individual Subscore Report
Parents, as you know, monitoring your student’s social media is an ever-challenging problem as new and sometimes dangerous apps are constantly being developed. You might find this article helpful when it comes to monitoring his/her social media usage.
Please let us know if we can be of any support to you or your student.
In His grace,
Craig Walseth
At the November Class Activities Meeting, Westminster counselors explored parents’ specific anxieties about their teens’ use of social media. They offered resources to help parents stay informed about the rapidly changing world of technology, as well as suggestions about how to monitor a teen’s social media use.
ADHD
Learn More Adolescent Development and the Teenage Brain Anxiety/Stress Boundaries Divorce Grief Mental Health Parenting and Family Recommended Books for Middle School Parents Recommended Books for Upper School Parents Social Relationships and Relational Aggression Study Skills Technology
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Find helpful blog posts or sign up for weekly emails. Mark Gregston is the founder and executive director of Heartlight Ministries, a Christian residential counseling program for struggling teens.
A nonprofit organization committed to building strong families by serving to bridge the cultural-generational gap between parents and teenagers
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