In recognition of National School Psychology Week, the Moultonborough School District would like to thank Heather Nelson, EdS, School Psychologist and Director of Counseling Services for her care and efforts to keep our students safe and mentally well. This year is Ms. Nelson’s 8th year with the district. She started in the district in 2016 as a school psychologist. As a school psychologist, her duties included assessing students in the special education process, treating students as a part of an individual education plan, providing individual counseling, consulting with educational teams and families, and assessing students for risk behaviors, including suicide ideation and threat of violence. In 2019, Ms. Nelson became the Director of Counseling Services and added to her responsibilities: leading the counseling team and the district mental wellness planning.
Ms. Nelson advocates for student voice in our schools. She spearheaded the Getting to ‘Y’ program for high school students. This student leadership program empowers high school students to take the actions needed to make the positive changes they wanted to see in their school community. It’s an opportunity for students to bring meaning to their school’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey data. Through youth leadership, partnerships with adults, participatory action research, and peer and community engagement, students not only experience personal growth and build their capacity for future civic engagement, but also effect sustainable change in youth behavior, community and school culture. Ms. Nelson is also the advisor for the Connect Youth Leaders, which is a student leadership program for suicide prevention through NAMI NH). These students are provided certification training to co-present the interactive Connect suicide prevention curriculum to peers and community members. It also provides the student leaders with the skills to identify peers who are struggling with their mental health and getting them connected to the supports and services available through the school district. Ms. Nelson builds genuine, trusting relationships with students of all ages. She has become a trusted adult for many of the students who seek her out to process their emotions, learn coping strategies, and to emotionally regulate. Ms. Nelson currently is working on creating a mentor program that would pair high school student mentors with middle school students at MA. According to Ms. Nelson, “I value my role as school psychologist for the Moultonborough School District because it provides me with unique opportunities to engage with students in a variety of capacities. The leadership programs I have helped spearhead for our district are incredibly rewarding. It’s wonderful to witness the students’ transformations as they become young leaders who are empowered to foster a culture of positive change that will carry forward. That’s the true essence of impactful work, and I’m incredibly grateful to be a part of it.”
Thank you, Heather Nelson, for all you do to help our students grow and thrive!
