As the school year kicks off across Vermont and beyond, the spotlight is on the crucial but often underappreciated work of school counselors and parenting coaches, whose efforts are making a measurable difference in the lives of students and families. From the bustling hallways of Williston Central School to the supportive podcasts reaching parents nationwide, the start of September 2025 has brought renewed attention to the growing importance of social-emotional support in education.
On September 8, 2025, the Care and Feeding podcast featured Scotti Weintraub, a parenting coach and the creator of Reframe Parenting, who offered practical advice for parents grappling with back-to-school jitters. According to Slate, Weintraub emphasized the value of small shifts in routines and communication that can make the transition into a new school year smoother for both children and their caregivers. From navigating classroom routines to fostering positive relationships with teachers, the episode provided a toolkit for parents eager to help their kids feel comfortable and ready to learn.
Listeners were encouraged to take the School Support Parenting Quiz, a resource designed to help families assess their current strategies and identify areas for growth. The podcast's hosts, Zak, Lucy, and Elizabeth, invited parents to join the conversation via Facebook, email, or even a dedicated phone line—reflecting the collaborative spirit that underpins effective school support systems. For those seeking even more insights, Slate Plus members enjoy bonus content and an ad-free listening experience, further supporting the work of Care and Feeding.
While podcasts like Care and Feeding provide guidance for families at home, Vermont's schools are responding directly to the evolving needs of their students. As Amanda Kuhnert reported for the Vermont School Counselor Association (VTSCA), the role of school counselors has expanded dramatically in recent years, becoming a critical safety net for youth mental health in the face of mounting challenges.
Cairsten Keese, a counselor at U-32 Middle and High School in Montpelier, Vermont, embodies this shift toward holistic support. With a caseload of 100 students in grades 7 to 12, Keese checks in weekly with about 20 percent of her students, sometimes through scheduled meetings and sometimes with a simple "HUG"—her shorthand for a hello, an update, and a goodbye as she walks students back to class. "Relationships are the foundation of our work," Keese told the VTSCA. "For some kids, they might not have someone in their life who can see the mess—see everything that's going on, and just say, 'It's okay. I'm here with you.'"
Keese's approach is echoed by Chris Ford, a counselor at Williston Central School, who supports about 700 students in grades 3 to 8 alongside two colleagues. Ford, who has three decades of experience, focuses on helping students navigate the social-emotional turbulence of adolescence. "Middle-schoolers are dealing with a lot of changes—mentally, physically, socially," he explained. "I enjoy helping them work through the barriers they're facing as they figure out who they're going to become." Ford and his team offer crisis support, teach life skills, and create safe spaces for students to open up—whether one-on-one or in groups. "A lot of kids are hurting, and they're saying, 'I need help.' Middle school students are very open with their challenges—and they love having their peers around."
Both Keese and Ford highlight the importance of building trust and providing consistent, unconditional support. But as the needs of students have grown, so too have the demands on counselors' time and expertise. The profession, which began in the early 1900s as vocational guidance, now encompasses academic, career, emotional, and social support. In Vermont, counselors must earn a master's degree, complete supervised fieldwork, and engage in ongoing professional development to maintain licensure.
The stakes are high. The 2023 Vermont Youth Risk Behavior Survey revealed that 14 percent of students reported making a suicide plan in the past year, while 23 percent said they had harmed themselves. These sobering statistics underscore the urgent need for robust support systems in schools, especially in rural areas where mental health providers are scarce. As Ryan Heraty, superintendent of Lamoille South Supervisory Union, observed, "Parents are relying on the schools more to help navigate various situations, which become increasingly complex when social media, phones, and technology are involved." When Heraty surveyed school administrators in 2021, the top challenges identified were students' social-emotional learning needs and increasing behavioral issues.
Schools are rising to the challenge by adopting frameworks like Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS), which help identify and assist struggling students earlier. "School systems have a responsibility to identify and support students who are struggling," Heraty said. "And school counselors are a critical part of that process—working with families, connecting with outside partners, and helping plan next steps."
Yet, the effectiveness of school counselors hinges on how their time is allocated. The American School Counselors Association (ASCA) recommends that counselors spend 80 percent of their time providing direct services to students. However, a recent survey by VTSCA found that Vermont counselors spend only 56 percent of their time on direct support, with the remainder consumed by administrative duties like lunch supervision, test coordination, and substitute teaching. "If I hadn’t been able to hire a retired teacher to proctor Advanced Placement exams, I would have had counselors sitting in AP tests—spending four hours supervising the test administrations instead of supporting students," said Lisa LaPlante, VTSCA board chair and director of student services at U-32.
Staffing shortages exacerbate these trade-offs. "We had one counselor who was serving 330 kids, and it just wasn't sustainable," Heraty noted. "So this year we added another one, and it has just been a game-changer for that school. Both counselors are busy, meeting with students all day long."
To support the supporters, the VTSCA has ramped up its efforts, thanks in part to funding from the McClure Foundation and the Vermont Community Foundation. These investments enabled VTSCA to hire its first part-time executive director, Patti Tomashot, in 2023 and to expand professional development opportunities for counselors statewide. "We've been developing and coordinating webinars that are free to our members on a range of topics, from trauma-informed practices to how to use AI," Tomashot said. VTSCA also facilitates mentoring, special interest groups, and an annual conference, and advocates for policies that allow counselors to focus on their core mission: supporting students.
"Of course we all chip in—that’s part of being a team player," Tomashot acknowledged. "But we also need to be intentional about how we use our highly educated, highly trained professionals. School counselors support students’ academic progress, social-emotional growth, and future planning. They help students see the opportunities ahead. We need to recognize their unique value and ensure they’re positioned to do the work they’re trained to do."
As Vermont schools and national parenting experts alike double down on relationship-building, early intervention, and professional support, the message is clear: caring adults—whether at home or in school—can make all the difference in a child's journey through education and life.
