College & Careers
School Counseling & Support Services
School Counseling
The mission of the Norwich Free Academy School Counseling Department is to provide a comprehensive program that assists all students in acquiring the tools and skills necessary to become responsible citizens, successful in their personal and professional lives, and as lifelong learners. We strive to produce graduates who are self-directed, realistic, and contributing members of our diverse community. We will achieve our mission through advocacy, collaboration with students, families, school personnel, and community stakeholders, and delivery of a comprehensive school counseling program.
Our School Counseling Team Believes:
- All students benefit from a comprehensive school counseling program
- All students will leave NFA prepared for postsecondary opportunities
- Collaboration with teachers, families, and community stakeholders empowers students to succeed
- Diversity is an integral part of student development
- Every student will have access to an education that meets their unique needs
- All students can achieve
In addition, the School Counseling Department is committed to ensuring that all students acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to implement their post-high school plan. NFA's school counselors provide comprehensive, developmental guidance services to support all students academically, emotionally, and socially.
In collaboration with teachers, administrators, school personnel, parents, community services, and other educational institutions, school counselors aid students as they navigate their high school experience and prepare for the challenges of the future.
Each student, in cooperation with parents and school counselor, creates a four-year Student Success Plan (SSP). The four-year plan is reviewed annually in small groups and individually to consider past performance, plan for the future, and oversee the steps necessary to form and achieve each student’s personal goals.
Support Services
In addition to the school counselors, students and families have access to a grade-level social worker and school psychologist. The Norwich Free Academy Student Support Services Department is here to support the academic, social, and emotional well-being of all students, helping them to persevere through challenging times and achieve their goals. All support team members are available to students and families via email and/or phone. Please do not hesitate to reach out to any of the NFA Student Support Services Department at any time.
Connecticut offers a wide variety of supports for students and/or families that may be struggling. Please see the resources listed below or reach out to your student’s support team with any questions or concerns.
Mental Health Resources:
Find Help Now!
Dial or Text 988 - Suicide & Crisis Hotline: The 988 Lifeline provides 24/7, free and confidential support for people in distress, prevention and crisis resources for you or your loved ones.
Dial 211 - Mental Health Crisis Intervention in CT: Mental health crisis intervention services are provided by teams of mental health workers (psychiatrists, RN’s, MSW’s, psychologists, psychiatric technicians) who intervene in situations where an individual’s mental or emotional condition results in behavior which constitutes an imminent danger to him or herself or to another
Dial 211 - Community Support Services: Get help paying bills, finding food, and locating other resources near you. Call 211 now for confidential help from a caring expert.
Substance Abuse
Emergency Substance Abuse HotLine: For substance abuse treatment and mental health referrals, contact the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration's (SAMHSA) National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).
Resources:
Sexual Abuse & Dating Violence
Safe Futures - If you or someone you know needs help, please call our Safe Futures 24/7 Confidential Hotline at (860) 701-6001 or text CT Safe Connect at (888) 774-2900.
SACCEC- The Sexual Assault Crisis Center of Eastern Connecticut is a private non-profit agency that offers free, confidential, and comprehensive services to victims of sexual assault and abuse. SACCEC is a member of the Connecticut Alliance to End Sexual Violence, the statewide coalition of sexual assault crisis agencies. tel: 8604562789- 24-hour hotline.
Love146 - An organization that serves child trafficking survivors. To make referrals to our Connecticut Survivor Care, email survivorcare@love146.org or call 203-361-7899: Call the US Human Trafficking Hotline at 1-888-3737-888
What's Next For Me
What's Next For Me
The “What’s Next For Me” Program is NFA’s approach to the college and career exploration process. This program offers a series of events, classroom lessons, and self-guided opportunities to assist all students, grades 9-12, in exploring, planning, and making sound decisions for their college and career plans after NFA. This program is supported by the College & Career Center, and the School Counseling Department, which includes the Post-Secondary Success Counselor, a position unique to NFA.
Depending on their grade level, students are encouraged to center their exploration around guiding questions and themes. This exploration is delivered through and supported by a series of School Counseling classroom lessons, interest inventories, individual and group meetings, and multiple opt-in events. As students move through the grades, the themes and exploration deepens as they narrow down the options that best fit their interests and future goals.
What's Next For Me: Student Timeline
9th Grade: Exploration
- Who am I? (Interests, Values, Skills)
- What Career Clusters (industries) are out there?
- What courses should I take that align with my interests?
- What clubs can I join that might help expose me to new opportunities?
- Programming includes: Career Expo (mid January), Career Cluster Classroom Lesson, Individual Counseling Meetings, and Exploring Opportunities
10th Grade: Research
- What careers are available within a cluster?
- What do people in these careers do?
- What pathways are available at NFA to help me explore?
- What education/training do I need?
- How can I get involved more on campus in activities that align with my chosen career interests?
- Programming includes: Whose Career Is It Anyway Series, Career Interest Profiler Classroom Lesson, Group Counseling Meetings, and Exploring Opportunities
11th Grade: Options
- How can I find out what a day in that career is like? What type of work will I do?
- What type of work-based experiences can I have?
- Job Shadow, Volunteer, Intern, Part-time job Informational Interview
- What college or training program is best for me?
- Programming Includes: Coffee, Careers, & Conversations Series, Personality Exploration Classroom Lesson, Group and Individual Counseling Meetings, and Exploring Opportunities
12th Grade: Preparation
- What steps should I take to move ahead with my plan after NFA?
- How can I use my work-based experiences to get a job and/or get into my top college picks?
- What connections can I make to help me beyond high school?
- Programming includes: Senior Exploration Event (late October), Financial Aid Support, Individual Counseling Meetings, and Decision Day Celebration
College & Career Center
Anne Macaione Mitchell '44 College & Career Center
Navigating the College Process
How can we help?
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College Representative Visits: Each fall, the Career Center hosts admission representatives from over 100 colleges and universities giving students the opportunity to meet in a small group setting.
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College & Career Fair: In March, we welcome parents and students to come to campus and meet 100 colleges, military and local business partners. This popular event provides the whole family an opportunity to ask questions and gather important information.
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Resource Library: Explore our collection of college guidebooks
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Visiting Colleges: Students can be excused from school when they tour a college or university.
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College Summer Programs: Many colleges have summer programs designed to acclimate students to the college experience. That information will be periodically shared with students.
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College Application Assistance: Student’s school counselor and Ms. Zinn, the post-secondary success counselor can help with this process.
Career Readiness
What do we provide students?
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Resumes: Learn how to create a professional resume that highlights skills, experiences, and accomplishments. Workshops are offered after school and 1:1 sessions during the school day when students have study halls.
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Mock Interviews: Practice interviewing skills in a supportive environment through mock interview sessions with experienced professionals. Receive constructive feedback and valuable tips to help you improve your performance and build confidence for real-world interviews.
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Soft Skills: Senior Seminar courses offered community based “lunch and learns” which help students develop essential soft skills such as communication, networking , time management and even “dressing for success”.
What's Next For Me
Life after NFA: Exploring What's Next
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Coffee, Careers & Conversations: Join us for these monthly, informal Q&A sessions with professionals from a variety of industries. It is a great way to learn about ”a day in the life” of different careers, the challenges and benefits. It is always an opportunity to network! Check out upcoming events to sign up!
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Pathful: Find your passion! NFA provides access to Pathful Explore, a combination of interactive tools, assessments, and real-world exploration videos to explore diverse career pathways, choose your direction and prepare for success.
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Career Expo: The What’ Next For Me Career Expo brings over 100 professionals onto campus to help students learn about the many different career options within career pathways.
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Community-Based Opportunities: With our extensive partnerships in the community, we collaborate to provide additional opportunities for students to learn about career paths such as our Fire Service, After-school Trades and many others. New opportunities are posted weekly in the Sunday Night Reminder to sign up.
Pathways
Career Pathways provide students with hands-on learning experiences to jumpstart their careers. Through career clusters, technical skill development, and industry credentials, students prepare for future employment.
Pipelines
Youth Manufacturing and Health Pipeline Initiatives offer students real-world experience in high-demand industries. In partnership with local businesses, these free programs help students build skills, gain certifications, and explore career options after graduation.
Community
In partnership with local industries and organizations, we offer students hands-on experiences in manufacturing and health care. These no-cost programs are designed to build skills, spark interest, and support students as they plan for life after high school.
Work
Choosing a career path isn’t always easy, but hands-on exploration can make all the difference. By actively trying out different fields, you’ll gain valuable insight, build confidence, and make informed choices about your future- both at NFA and beyond.