Community
Jen Hunt
School Counselor
Jennifer Hunt has over a decade of experience in education. She is passionate about supporting children, parents, and families. Jen firmly believes in the power of social-emotional learning and the value of a strong family-school connection. As a mother herself, she understands how helpful parent support and education is in fostering healthy and connected family dynamics.
Jen holds a B.S. in Psychology with an emphasis in Child Psychology from Bridgewater State University and an advanced certificate in Early Childhood Education from UCLA. She also earned her Master’s degree in Marriage and Family Therapy from Touro University, graduating summa cum laude. Her extensive academic background, combined with her years of hands-on experience, has allowed Jennifer to develop a counseling style that is both clinically grounded and practical for real-life situations.
“As the school counselor, my role is to foster the social-emotional and academic development of all students, while supporting their families, and teachers.”
Here are some of the ways I do that at our school:
Counseling in
The Center for Belonging
Individual or group support for personal, academic, or social concerns
Lunch
Bunch
Small group sessions on topics like friendship, age appropriate issues, and more
Social-Emotional
Learning
Regular classroom visits to explore age appropriate SEL topics
Crisis
Intervention
Immediate support in times of crisis, grief, or distress
Consultation/
Collaboration
Strategize with outside professionals, teachers and child study staff to tailor academic plans that meet the needs of the whole child
Parent Education
and Support
Family togetherness and school-wide efforts to preserve the wonder of childhood. Helping parents and caregivers navigate the difficult task of raising children in today's world
Counseling in The Center for Belonging
Individual or group support for personal, academic, or social concerns
Lunch Bunch
Small group sessions on topics like friendship, age appropriate issues, and more
Social-Emotional Learning
Regular classroom visits to explore age appropriate SEL topics
Crisis Intervention
Immediate support in times of crisis, grief, or distress
Consultation/Collaboration
Strategize with outside professionals, teachers and child study staff to tailor academic plans that meet the needs of the whole child
Parent Education and Support
Family togetherness and school-wide efforts to preserve the wonder of childhood. Helping parents and caregivers navigate the difficult task of raising children in today’s world
Responsive Classroom
St James’ School has adopted and trained all elementary staff in the Responsive Classroom model. This is a school-wide approach to learning and supporting students through community, and academics that emphasize social-emotional learning. Our goal through Responsive Classroom is to create a safe, positive, and engaging community for all students. We emphasize the development of social-emotional competencies like cooperation, advocacy, responsibility, empathy, and self control through our SJS CARES acronym. Through partnership with families, our school has a strong sense of community that empowers students to thrive both academically and at a personal level.
You can learn more about Responsive Classroom at the link below:
St James’ School has adopted and trained all elementary staff in the Responsive Classroom model. This is a school-wide approach to learning and supporting students through community, and academics that emphasize social-emotional learning. Our goal through Responsive Classroom is to create a safe, positive, and engaging community for all students. We emphasize the development of social-emotional competencies like cooperation, advocacy, responsibility, empathy, and self control through our SJS CARES acronym. Through partnership with families, our school has a strong sense of community that empowers students to thrive both academically and at a personal level.
You can learn more about Responsive Classroom at the link below:
Center for Belonging
The Center for Belonging is a space where students come during times of emotional crisis, peer conflict, or to self/co-regulate. This space is never a punishment, and always used to try and foster cooperative strategies and solutions. We offer sensory, art, and literary strategies for regulation as well as our School Counselor to listen and support. All St. James’ students belong and the Center for Belonging is their space to utilize.
The Center for Belonging is a space where students come during times of emotional crisis, peer conflict, or to self/co-regulate. This space is never a punishment, and always used to try and foster cooperative strategies and solutions. We offer sensory, art, and literary strategies for regulation as well as our School Counselor to listen and support. All St. James’ students belong and the Center for Belonging is their space to utilize.
