The Guidance Connection
Home of the Lions
A Note From the Supervisor . . .
I am so pleased to announce that Miss Winkle has assumed the position of Student Assistance Counselor. She will be replacing Mr. Faulkner who retired last June. Although Miss Winkle will no longer serve the district as a school counselor, she will maintain her existing caseload through the graduation of each of her students. As the Student Assistance Counselor (SAC), Miss Winkle will be available to all high school students to provide support and crisis intervention. Be sure to check out The SAC's Corner in future editions of this newsletter.
Replacing Miss Winkle as school counselor is Miss Spinuzza. The arrival of Miss Spinuzza has presented the opportunity for the guidance department to create a program for the Class of 2025 and beyond that will focus solely on acclimating freshmen to the high school environment. Miss Spinuzza, with assistance from Mrs. Cook, will be responsible for this program. Freshmen and their parents will notice a change of counselor in the parent portal. Miss Spinuzza has already hit the ground running and has begun meeting with grade 9 students. The parents of the Class of 2025 are invited to join us on Tuesday, October 19, 2021 for Freshman Parent Night. Details will be sent via email to all parents and will be posted on the guidance website.
Likewise, some Class of 2024 students will also notice a change of counselor. These changes were made to balance caseloads and allow for equity in counselling services. Students in the Classes of 2023 and 2024 will remain with the same counselor.
I look forward to sharing additional programs with all of you throughout the school year. As always, if you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact us. My best wishes for a successful school year!
Mary Elizabeth Esch
Supervisor of Guidance Services
Meet the Counselors
Mrs. Stephanie Cook
Mrs. Stephanie Cook is an experienced school counselor since 2004, and began her career at Lacey Township High School in 2014. Her academic resume includes a Bachelor of Arts degree in Psychology from Dickinson College, as well as a Masters of Education and an Education Specialist Degree from James Madison University. As a resident of Lacey, she is thrilled to be working in her own community. Mrs. Cook’s primary goal as your child’s school counselor is to promote their academic, personal, and social development. Helping students feel secure personally and emotionally enables her to work with them to set meaningful academic goals. In her time off, Mrs. Cook enjoys spending time with her husband and four children.
Mrs. Nicole Cruz
Mrs. Nicole Cruz has been a School Counselor at Lacey Township High School since January 2018. She has her degree in Psychology and went on to obtain her Master’s in Education with her certificate in School Counseling at Georgian Court University. She loves to work in this wonderful school district to prepare the next generation to be productive citizens of society. As a School Counselor, Mrs. Cruz feels her primary role is to promote academic, personal, and social/emotional development of all students. She will be meeting with students individually and in small groups throughout the year. Another aspect of her job will be collaborating with teachers, administrators, staff, families, and stakeholders to ensure LTHS is fostering an encouraging, safe, and effective learning community for our students. In her time off, she enjoys spending time with her husband, two children, and dog Bubba.
Mrs. Barbara DeChiaro
Ms. Barbara DeChiaro has been a school counselor at Lacey Township High School since 1998. Ms. DeChiaro believes that adolescence is a time of rapid change and growth for all teenagers and presents many challenges for today’s youth. She feels her role as a school counselor encompasses helping students with academic planning and also their personal growth. She enjoys working with her students and helping them take the necessary steps needed to achieve their full potential as future adults. Ms. DeChiaro graduated from Caldwell University with a degree in Biology and obtained a Master’s degree in Education from Georgian Court University and holds New Jersey certification in Student Personnel Services. Her work experience includes teaching at the high school level and working in medical research. Ms. DeChiaro’s two children are graduates of Lacey Township High School. She is an avid reader and enjoys spending time with her family and friends and her cat Lucky.
Mrs. Stephanie Law
Mrs. Stephanie Law joined the Lacey Township Guidance Department in 2018. She loves
working with students and hopes to help them become the best versions of themselves during their time at Lacey. Mrs. Law graduated from Rutgers University where she was a student athlete. Mrs. Law played Lacrosse while earning her Bachelor's degree in Sociology and minoring in Education. She continued on to achieve her Masters degree in School Counseling from Monmouth University. Her passion as a school counselor is to work alongside the student, family, teachers, and administrators to help provide a successful learning experience at Lacey Township High School and beyond. Mrs. Law feels that students have such bright futures, and she wants to help them find their right path to success.
Mrs. Margaret Rand
Mrs. Margaret Rand welcomes you to the Lacey Township High School Guidance Department! Mrs. Rand feels privileged to be a school counselor here, working with families to promote the academic and personal success of all students. Her educational background includes a bachelor’s degree from Rowan University and a master’s degree from Monmouth University with certifications as a School Counselor and Supervisor. Though her career began in the corporate world, Mrs. Rand quickly found her true passion is supporting others in their journey to success. Helping others to maximize their potential and opportunities is far more rewarding to her than producing a bottom line. Mrs. Rand has many years of experience as a classroom teacher at the elementary and middle school levels and all of these varied experiences have provided her with a strong foundation and background to provide comprehensive school counseling services to students and families.
Miss Danielle Spinuzza
Ms. Spinuzza joined the Lacey Township High School Counseling Department in September of 2021. Ms. Spinuzza is invested in supporting all students' social, emotional, and academic development. Ms. Spinuzza graduated from Chestnut Hill College where she was a student athlete. Ms. Spinuzza received her Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and minoring in Sociology. She then continued her education at Wilmington University where she earned a Master’s Degree in Elementary and Secondary School Counseling. Ms. Spinuzza is extremely excited to be a part of Lacey Township High School’s Counseling Department and looks forward to supporting all students and their families during their time at Lacey Township High School. In her free time, she enjoys going to the beach, rooting for Philadelphia sports teams, and spending time with her fiance and dog Opie
Miss Elyse Winkle
Ms. Elyse Winkle has been a committed and enthusiastic School Counselor in the Lacey District since 2010. She is excited and motivated in her new role as the full-time Student Assistance Coordinator. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Montclair State University followed by a Masters of Education with a school counseling certification from Georgian Court University and also a Student Assistance Coordinator certification from Stockton University. Ms. Winkle also holds certifications as a Supervisor and Director of Guidance. As a lifelong learner, Ms. Winkle aims to positively motivate, guide, and counsel students by focusing on each individual students’ needs throughout their high school experience. In her free time, Ms. Winkle loves to play and coach field hockey. She also enjoys spending time lounging and watching movies with her son and fiance!
Calendar of Events
- October 5, 2021 - ASVAB Testing
- October 6 & 7, 2021 - Start Strong Testing
- October 13, 2021 - PSAT & SAT Testing
- October 19, 2021 - Freshman Parent Night
- October 21, 2021 - Virtual College & Career Fair
- October 28 & 29 - OCC College 101 Student Presentations