School Counseling

Laura Gourlay, GBS School Counselor (lgourlay@conval.edu)

Katie Hiers, Student Support Counselor (khiers@conval.edu)

Hello GBS Families – we wanted to make sure you are aware of the counseling services available at GBS, and so that you can get to know us better. We are available to all GBS Bobcats, so please don’t hesitate to reach out to Laura or Katie if you would like to talk about any issues or concerns for your student.

Laura Gourlay is the School Counselor, and is celebrating her 12th year at GBS. She enjoys getting to know students as they grow and thrive through their middle school years. Learning to be part of a social community is a critical skill for adolescents, and is something our Bobcats practice every day. She enjoys having groups, one-to-one sessions, lunch bunches and games groups, and helping students with conflict resolution, learning their personal power, social thinking strategies, future career possibilities, and more. She has a Master’s in Education degree from Keene State College, is the mom of two GUPs (grown-up people), and enjoys reading, hiking, cross-stitching and skiing.

Katie Hiers is our new Student Support Counselor. She has worked in schools from preschool-8th grade for the last 13 years. She’s very excited about the opportunity to work with the middle school population on a full-time basis. Katie values family supports and plans to work hard to foster strong relationships with parents and caregivers in the GBS community. She also understands the importance of building strong relationships with students in order to provide them with the best services possible. Katie has a Master’s degree in Mental Health Counseling from Southern New Hampshire University. She lives in Peterborough with her husband, five daughters, and their pets. She loves to read, crochet, and is part of the local roller derby team.

To outline the counseling and support services available at GBS, the information below is included in our family handbook:

“The School Counseling Program is available to all students, their families and staff. Counselors are used as a resource to the advisory process (each student has an advisor who monitors progress, facilitates success and maintains parent/guardian communication) for students, parents/guardians and teachers. The Counseling Program includes community and agency contact, collaboration on sensitive topics, and crisis intervention. Counselors meet with students individually and in small groups on a short term/per need basis to provide support in a variety of areas. Counselors are available to teaching staff to co-teach classroom lessons which deal with issues of character and citizenship as well as to consult on individual students. Parent/guardian collaboration is a significant component of student success, and counselors encourage parents/guardians to use them as a sounding board or problem-solving resource. Students may contact counselors through a teacher or advisor, or sign up for an appointment directly at the counselor’s office. Parent/guardian and teacher referrals are always welcome. Feel free to call or stop by to make an appointment.”

Laura can be reached at 588-6630, extension 6003, or by e-mail at lgourlay@conval.edu. Katie can be reached at 588-6630, extension 6002, or by e-mail at khiers@conval.edu.

 

Community Resources

Here are some resources that are available to Great Brook students and parents.

The Role of the School Counselor 

The River Center

The Grapevine

Monadnock Family Services

MAPS Counseling

Reality Check

Al-Anon/Alateen Family Groups of New Hampshire 

New Hampshire DHHS Medical, Child Care, Nutrition, and Community Services

Grandparent flyer

Support for local families

2023  Monadnock Region Family Resource Guide