This year, Wayne Hills Welcomes two new guidance counselors, Kelly Venezia and Andrew Reitter.

Guidance Counselor, Ms. Venezia, is the new addition to WHHS staff for the 2018-2019 school year. Ms. Venezia acts as a guidance counselor for those with the last name ending in the letters A, B, and sometimes C.

Ms. Venezia is ecstatic to be apart of the school community and is extremely thankful for the warm welcome she has received.

She would like everyone to know that “[she] is here to talk from anything from personal and social situations to college and career decisions.”

Guidance should be a place where one should feel safe and comfortable to open up about any number of social, mental, or emotional issues.

She would also really like to focus on the district’s new campaign for “Wellness Wednesdays” and “Mindful Mondays” to allow students to ease some of the stress in their school work.

Venezia is enjoying her time at WHHS and reminds her students to “stop by and introduce yourself” and that her “door is always open.”

Andrew Reitter, the other new counselor, is equally excited to be a part of Wayne Hills.

Before coming to Wayne Hills, Reitter was a school counselor in East Hanover and Livingston. Prior to his career in counseling, he earned a degree in music and performed professionally.

The new staff member commented on his experience at his short time at Wayne Hills:

“I am excited to work with high school students here at Wayne Hills because I love helping students talk through what will come next in life after graduating from high school. Whether college is in a student’s future or not, I greatly enjoy the career exploration process and helping students discover their interests and passions. “

Students of all grade levels can agree that life post-high school is rather intimidating, but having someone such as Reitter, with his kind and relatable persona, to aid with the transition, makes the thought of life after Hills less frightening.

Feeling nostalgic, Reitter revealed that he completed his internship at Wayne Hills High School two years ago after getting his Master’s Degree in School Counseling from Montclair State University. He says he remembers the names and stories told by students once getting the opportunity to talk to them, and his attentiveness will likely not go unnoticed.

“I love the spirit and pride of the student body and I greatly admire and respect my colleagues, so coming to work every day is fun!” Reitter says, “I look forward to becoming more involved in student activities this year and for future years because I think that to be a successful school counselor, you have to be an integral part of the school community who students know they can come to about anything.”

Wayne Hills welcomes both Reitter and Venezia with open arms and wishes them the best of luck and a successful school year.