Student Support Services

Farah Evans

1998

Director of Student Support Services

At Bryn Mawr, we believe in a student experience in which excellence and well-being coexist.

We know that students thrive when they feel known, understood, and supported. Our Student Support Services Department consists of academic specialists, school counselors, and nurses in each division who work together to advocate and facilitate student success and overall wellness. Through individual, small group and schoolwide programming, we support the academic, behavioral, social/emotional, health and well-being of all students and empower them to embrace their full potential, in mind, body and spirit.

School Counseling

Denise Green

Little School Assistant Director, Counselor

Megan Miner

Lower School Counselor

Kate Stratton

Middle School Dean of Students

Kelly Timlen

Counselor

The counseling program at Bryn Mawr is dedicated to empowering all students to achieve success, and personal wellness through the development and support of their academic, social/emotional, and physical well-being. Counselors partner with students, teachers, administrators, and families to provide direct services and education. Direct services are provided through classroom lessons, grade-level activities, and schoolwide programming. Individual/small group counseling, consultation, and parent/ faculty information sessions are also offered as needed.

Upper School Counseling

The Upper School counseling program continues to implement developmentally appropriate aspects of the Health and Wellness curriculum to provide comprehensive services for students in grades 9-12. The curriculum covers developmentally appropriate topics surrounding social/emotional learning, physical/sexual health, and intellectual development. The Health and Wellness curriculum standards are met through a variety of programming options, including but not limited to cross-curricular programming, seminar classes, individual and small group support, student retreats, and advisory activities.

Middle School Counseling

The Middle School counseling program provides comprehensive services for all students in grades 6-8 to best support student well-being and academic success. The curriculum covers developmentally appropriate topics surrounding social/emotional learning, physical/sexual health, online safety and communication, effective conflict resolution strategies, and identity development through a cross-curricular approach and special programming facilitated by the counselor and the advisory program.

Lower School Counseling

The Lower School counseling program offers support to students and their families in grades pre-kindergarten through fifth. The Lower School Counselor teaches Values Lessons which focus on Bryn Mawr’s core values of respect, compassion, understanding, resilience, kindness, responsibility and curiosity. Additional wellness lessons that address physical, social/emotional, and sexual health are called “BodyWorks.”

Little School Counseling

The Little School counseling program provides support to both students and their families from birth to age 5. Through play-based lessons, the Little School Counselor teaches core values such as respect, sharing, kindness, and compassion. These lessons are taught through play-based activities and simple concepts that children can easily grasp and use in their daily lives. The program focuses on nurturing their social, emotional, and cognitive development, laying a strong foundation for their growth.

Advisory & Grade-Level Programs

During advisory and grade-level programs, we cover the following health and wellness topics through age-appropriate discussions and activities:

Social/Emotional Learning
Intellectual/Academic Readiness
Physical Health, Fitness and Nutrition
Human Sexuality

any text here

Academic Support

Alexandra Chissell

Middle School Learning Specialist

Sarah Lotz

Learning Specialist and Resource Center Coordinator

Jenny Sorel

Upper School Learning Specialist

Mary Trompeter

Lower School Learning Specialist

Bryn Mawr works to support all students so that they can be successful and feel confident. For this reason, we provide several academic support structures. The learning and reading specialists coordinate with families, teachers, and administrators to meet the learning needs of students within each division.

Upper School Counseling

A Learning Specialist is available to all Upper School students. Students may work directly with
the Learning Specialist on academic content, general study skills, planning, and organization. The
Learning Specialist also manages the Resource Center, where peer tutoring and learning support are

provided individually, in small group settings through our peer mentoring program. The Learning
Specialist also provides consultation to teachers regarding differentiating instruction.

Additional Supports

Counseling Support
Implementation and case management of Educational Plans
Peer Mentoring Program for all subject areas
Student Progress Meetings
ACP - Assigned Class Prep

Middle School Counseling

A Learning Specialist is available to all Middle School students. Students may work directly with the Learning Specialist on academic content, general study skills, planning, and organization. The Learning Specialist also provides consultation to teachers regarding differentiating instruction. The Learning Specialist also teaches a study skills class and oversees homework lab and summer warmup.

Additional Supports

TAP- Teacher Appointment Periods Available daily.
Math and English & Homework Lab
Access to the Upper School Peer Mentoring program
Implementation and case management of Educational Plans
Student Progress Meetings

Lower School Counseling

Academic support in the Lower School from the Student Support Team can mean working with our reading specialist to develop foundational reading skills or working with our Learning Specialist. Our Learning Specialist provides individualized support, classroom consultation, and case management as needed across all academic areas, organizational skills, study skills, and writing.

Additional Supports:

Case management for students with Educational Plans
Classroom support for strategy implementation and differentiated instruction
Individualized support for neurodiverse learners
Consultation and support for access to community-based resources
Homogeneous Language Arts groups
Reading tutoring/support

any text here

Health Center

We are committed to the health and wellness of our entire school community. Our Health Center team supports each student’s physical wellness and helps guide students on how to make educated and healthy choices. Parents and families are our partners in this work.