In celebration of National School Counseling Week, CUSD Insider is showcasing profiles of the fantastic counselors we have throughout the District.
Today we are highlighting Nicole Rengifo, Futureology counselor at Dana Hills High School.
Q: How long have you worked in CUSD?
A: Two years
Q: Describe your role in supporting student success at your school or in your department.
A: My role as college and career counselors is to ensure all students have access to support and resources to help them achieve their post high school goals.
Q: What role do you play in the MTSS framework? How does this program benefit students in your opinion?
A: In order to ensure all students review the support they need, my team and I use the MTSS framework to create lessons, activities, and supports for all students. Most recently we have been focusing Tier 1 lessons for financial aid lessons for all seniors and then to follow up, we meet with students individually to help them through this process.
Q: How long have you worked professionally in school counseling?
A: I have been in the school counseling field since 2018. Prior to CUSD, I worked in Irvine Unified as a school counselor and college/career coordinator for four years. When first started my career in education, I worked as a middle school teacher for five years teaching history.
Q: What college degrees and professional certifications do you hold?
A: Masters in Educational Counseling- National University
Pupil Services Credential (School Counseling)- National University
Bachelor of Arts, History- Chico State
Q: What do you find most rewarding about counseling work?
A: I think the best part of this job is helping students truly believe they have the ability to achieve their goals!
Q: Is there a program that CUSD utilizes that is especially beneficial to student support?
A: I think the CUSD counseling program in general is extremely beneficial to students. Students have access to support for academic, social/emotional, and college/career supports. Being able to focus on the whole student, this helps them feel a sense of belonging on campus and a community of support.
Q: When you were in school, did you have an impactful experience with a counselor?
A: I went to Aliso Niguel and had great experiences with our school counselors. They were always so friendly and made sure we felt supported on campus.
Q: What is the one thing you would want families to know about your role in student success that they might not be aware of?
A: We work with all students, grade 9-12 so students and families don’t need to wait to see your college/career counselor until you are about to leave high school. We love working with all students and meeting earlier in your high school career can help answer many questions and help alleviate stress.