Counseling Office

Thetford Academy’s Counseling Office works to help students reach their personal academic and post-secondary goals, providing assistance with course selection and sequence, college counseling and preparation, study-abroad and dual enrollment opportunities, and social and emotional support.

School counselors work closely with advisors and grade-level teams to collaborate on students’ progress and challenges. All students are assigned a counselor who will provide individualized support throughout their years at TA.

The Counseling Office also provides resources and support for students seeking opportunities of interest and challenge beyond TA’s core curriculum. Counselors help students explore study abroad options, dual enrollment and college credit opportunities, and technical and apprenticeship programs.

As students prepare for graduation, TA’s Counseling Office works closely with each student to help them achieve their post-secondary goals. Whether a student’s interest is in two- or four-year colleges, the armed services, or interim/gap year programs, TA’s counselors are prepared to support students and families every step of the way.

Counseling News

Portfolios & Roundtables: Students Reflect on Their Learning and Growth

Students have so many experiences over the course of their years at TA – internships, sports, clubs, challenging courses, theater, music, outdoor activities – it’s easy to believe that these experiences alone are enough to foster learning and growth. In Outward Bound’s early days, instructor Rusty Baille famously agreed: “Let the......
09 April, 2024
‘Getting to Y’ Students Lead Community Dialogue

Guest post by Getting to Y team member Margaret Smallwood ’24 – TA students on the ‘Getting to Y’ team facilitated a Community Dialogue on March 21, with parents, peers, and siblings in attendance. Getting to Y is a leadership club focused on public health data, issues, and solutions. Team......
28 March, 2024
Head of School Weekly Email: Advice from College Admissions Officers & Other Updates

Dear TA Families, I attended the college information session for juniors and their families on Monday night and wanted to share some takeaways. The event, hosted by the TA Counseling Department, featured admissions officers from six regional colleges and offered important information and insights that any parent of a student in secondary......
16 February, 2024
Q2 Report Card Mailing: Letter from the Head of School

The following letter accompanied students’ report cards, which were distributed on Tuesday, January 23, 2024. Dear Thetford Academy Parents and Caregivers, Enclosed you will find your student’s first semester report card as well as a brochure about the TOP summer outdoor leadership program. Junior families will also find information from......
23 January, 2024
Counseling Office to Host College Information Sessions

Thetford Academy’s Counseling Office will host a series of information sessions this winter to introduce current juniors and their families to the college choice and application process. The first of these sessions, scheduled for January 22, 2024 at 6 p.m. (virtual meeting), will provide an introductory overview to the college......
11 January, 2024
Head of School Weekly Email: Pausing Routines & Making Time

Dear TA Families, Re-Cap: Half-Day on Friday As I shared with students yesterday, we designed the December half day to pause our daily routines and create time for a range of ‘big picture’ activities, together as a school community – in our small group advisories, as a whole school of......
10 December, 2023

TA Counseling Department Mission and Vision

Mission

The Thetford Academy Counseling Department program works in collaboration with our students and their parents, teachers, and the community to provide academic, social, and emotional support in order to enable every student to be a fully engaged and active citizen and lifelong learner. We provide a comprehensive, developmental program that advocates for equity of opportunity and access to all students regardless of background, socioeconomic status, and ability.

Vision

Through the programming of the TA Counseling Department, all students will build skills, both academic and personal, that will empower them to create opportunities within and beyond our school walls, foster a sense of community, and move successfully into the wider world as informed, curious, and responsible citizens who are able to achieve college and/or career success. We believe in the power of personal progress, and aim to foster minds capable of endless growth and citizens who will strive to achieve the greatest positive impacts on their schools and communities in the near and long term.