Two SAGE counselors joined the middle and high school staff this school year. 

John Selleck and Kristen Petullo both worked at Sage Day School in Rochelle Park prior to Glen Rock. Selleck worked in the school for 13 years. This is Petullo’s second year as a counselor. Prior to that, Petullo had worked as a case manager in another school district and in mental health treatment centers as a clincian. 

SAGE  (or, “success, achievement, growth and empowerment”) supports students with IEPs or 504s through counseling, as referred by the Child Study Team. Selleck and Petullo then perform an assessment to see if their services are appropriate.

“What we’re doing is counseling,” Petullo said. According to her, it involves an “Assessment of things that people are struggling with, talking one on one with the person that we’re working with, offering help to families that need it.”

Selleck was initially a finance major, but after taking a few classes he realized that this was not the career for him, and switched his major to psychology. He ended up getting a master’s degree in clinical social work and gravitating towards this career.

Petullo also pursued a master’s degree in clinical social work. She had wanted to be a teacher but ended up changing majors after a revelation in an Educational Psychology class. 

“It was more the mental processes of learning that I found interesting than actual teaching,” she said.

Both Selleck and Petullo’s favorite part about working here is getting to know students. 

“Having worked in a high school for a long time, I missed working with middle school students,” Selleck said. “I’m really enjoying working with and getting to know the younger students.”

Still, there are still difficulties that come with the job. 

“Just being with students who are in pain, and just being in that moment with them and trying to offer them comfort and a space to just kind of to be where they’re at,” Petullo said. “Sometimes, we want to fix things as people who care, but that’s not always possible. It’s not always easy.”

Selleck is impressed by the high level of achievement in Glen Rock, and all of the various clubs, sports, and classes that the school has to offer students. “It’s nice to see students who really embrace being in high school,” he said.