School Counseling

School Counselor

Ms. Lisa Falleroni, School Counselor

Email: lisa.falleroni@acps.k12.va.us

It has been an honor being a collaborative partner to students, parents, and staff within the Maury/Naomi L. Brooks community as the school counselor serving on the Student Support Team (SST) since 2002. Hailing from Western PA, I earned a Bachelor's of Science degree in Psychology, with endorsement in Social Work, from Clarion University of Pennsylvania in 1986. I earned a Master's of Science in Education degree in School Counseling from Duquesne University in 1993 and embarked on a career in school counseling by fall 1994, spending time in both my hometown and Manassas VA before putting roots in the Alexandria area.

From 2012 – 2016, I served as the ACPS Lead Elementary School Counselor, assisting the Director of Counseling to implement developmentally sound practice and services, and align elementary school counselor programming with that of middle and high school, while supporting the ACPS school counselor mission and vision. I was instrumental in helping obtain American School Counselor Association (ASCA) recommended student to counselor ratios presenting evidence of need for additional counselor hires in 4 ACPS elementary schools.

I am devoted to the critical role school counselors play in removing barriers to education, cultivating relationships, advocating for diversity, equity & access, and emphasizing not only students’ career and academic aptitude, but also building the social/emotional, and coping skills essential for successful engagement in lifelong learning so to empower all students to thrive in a diverse and ever-changing world.

As the SST chairperson, I aim to align support services K-5 to assure the needs of all students are being addressed within 3 Tiers of service provision along side the Social Emotional Academic Learning (SEAL) daily initiative and school wide implementation of Yale's RULER, rolled out to students in fall 2022. As a member of Brooks Multi Tiered System of Support (MTSS) team, parents, social worker, school psychologist, nurse, special educators, and administration join forces to provide students what they need to find success K-5. As the SST member assigned to K-1 grade levels, I plan & collaborate with those learning teams so to ensure early identification of and prompt interventions address whole group and individual academic and social-emotional concerns.

I continue to serve as NLB's Section 504 Chairperson and provide academic advising with rising sixth graders and their families January through April. I continue to facilitate data driven, research based individual & small group counseling experiences, and informal *lunch bunches with students in grades K-5. Execution and implementation of NLB school counselor programming is aligned with the American School Counseling Association (ASCA) model, the Virginia Department of Education (VDOE) requirements for school counselors, as well as any ACPS division wide counselor mandates and building specific needs.

Do not hesitate to reach out with questions or concerns or to initiate support for your child.

*ZOOM link for meetings or office hours - https://acpsk12.zoom.us/j/2143799797?pwd=cldIL3pmTGVZTzRNNEkxak9HZCtsdz09

Links to an external site.

Pass code - 3jNUiL

Office Hours- *by appointment only

M-F

8:00-8:30am (bi-weekly T, W, TH)

Informal Lunch Bunch time (revised Aug. 25, 2023):

K: T/TH -- 10:15am-10:45am

G1: M/W/F -- 10:45am-11:15am

G2: M or W/F -- 12:20-12:50 (M or W every, & F bi-weekly)

G3: T/TH -- 12:50-1:20

G4: T/TH -- 11:15am-11:45pm (biweekly)

G5: TH -- 11:50-12:20PM (Peer Ambassadors only - biweekly)

*February through April prioritizes Academic Planning with rising 6th graders utilizing most available non instruction times such as lunch, such as I/E & encore times (8:10-8:55am).