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High School
HIGH SCHOOL
College Guidance & Preparation
The college application process is among the most exciting, but often stressful times in a high school student’s life. Schechter’s college office helps our students and their parents de-mystify the process and navigate college research, understand admissions requirements, and proceed with the application process to ultimately achieve their academic goals.
Meet the Counselors
Mark Kowalsky
My name is Mark Kowalsky, and I am a college counselor at Schechter School of Long Island. Beginning my 45th year in education working with teenagers, I have taught high school English, been a guidance counselor in public school and a college counselor, always helping teens learn about themselves and their places in the world. This is definitely the best part of my job. My current position at Schechter is by far the best job I have had. I am all about caring, community, and learning, so Schechter has all the qualities that I admire. I have a B.A. in English, a Masters Degree in English Education and a Masters Degree in School Counseling. I love reading and anything that takes me to the world of art history.
Email: [email protected]
Art Mandel
I am Art Mandel and am one of the college counselors. I have been a college counselor for over 30 years and have traveled from coast to coast, and from Canada to our southern border visiting over 350 colleges and universities, meeting with admissions officers and students. I have also been the Director of Guidance for the Roslyn School Districts where I built and directed the counseling program from K-12. I hold three advanced degrees and attend a variety of conferences to insure that Schechter is state-of –the-art. My greatest joy is working with students to find the right college fit where they realize their dreams and will thrive as they prepare for their future.
Email: [email protected]
Jade Battaglia
My name is Jade Battaglia and I am the 9th and 10th grade School Counselor. I received my Masters in School Counseling from Hofstra University in 2010 and joined the Schechter family in 2011 where I have been pursuing my passion for working with students along their social, emotional, and academic journeys. Through various stepping stone activities, I work closely with each student individually and in groups to ease them into the college process. My favorite part of any day is when a student pops into my office to ask a question or just have a chat!
Email: [email protected]
Student Support
It is our goal for each student to thrive, therefore, we work as a team to create a network of support that can be accessed by students and parents alike to address academic, health, emotional or social issues as they arise.
Peer Support
Transitions can often be tough. Through the Peer Educators and Peer Connectors programs, Middle School students and 9th graders meet regularly with trained high school students to learn how to handle a range of issues, including: Social media, time management, peer pressure, positive social interactions, and more. Meeting regularly with high school peers gives each student a “big brother and sister” to rely on for support, guidance and friendship.
Advisory and Health
As students mature, they gain more independence in decision making. We guide our students through making healthy and wise decisions. To prepare them for the years ahead, all students in the Upper School take courses taught by our own faculty, covering topics of healthy living and smart choices. Not only do our students learn valuable information in these classes, they come to view their teachers as people who care about them and their well being.
Academic Support
Every student should receive what they need in order to succeed. This is the motto of our Directors of Pupil Services. Both in the Lower and Upper Schools, students are provided with a range of services to meet their needs:
- IEP services are coordinated between SSLI and the Jericho (Lower School) and Mineola (Upper School) school districts, with district staff providing all services on our campuses.
- 504 plans are written in-house, with services and support provided by our trained faculty.
- There are times when students require support, but not through an IEP or 504. In these cases, students, teachers or parents can meet with the Director of Pupil Services to determine a plan for meeting these identified needs. Support is available for most subject areas.
Health Care
Each campus is staffed with a school nurse provided by the local school district. These nurses ensure all students are fully compliant with immunization requirements. They create allergy action plans, train faculty in emergency Epipen administration, and prepare class trip first aid kits. The nurses also conduct age-appropriate health screenings. Our nurses’ friendly faces are a welcome sight to a sick child and a comforting voice on the phone to every parent.