Sandra Papachristopoulos
Bayside,USA
Summary
School Counselor with over 15 years of experience in NYC public schools, focusing on student development and academic success. Expertise in fostering supportive environments for at-risk, ESL, and Special Education students, leading to improved postsecondary outcomes. Strong background in counseling and preventive education, effectively addressing cultural and socioeconomic barriers to enhance student achievement.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
1
1
Certification
Work History
School Counselor
Pathways to Graduation
Brooklyn, New York
09.2020 - Current
- Conduct student intake assessments to determine appropriate placement and graduation pathways.
- Provide targeted counseling services for at-risk, over-aged, and under-credited students.
- Facilitate and implement daily SEL advisory lessons targeting academic and emotional needs.
- Create and oversee IEP transition plans for students with disabilities.
- Implement data-driven intervention plans to improve attendance, engagement, and credit accumulation.
- Assist students in college and career exploration, postsecondary planning, college applications, program selection, and FAFSA completion.
- Maintain consistent family outreach to strengthen school-home partnerships.
College Advisor
NYC DOE Office of Student Pathways
03.2022 - 06.2023
- Appointed to the College & Career Planning Team supporting citywide student initiatives.
- Provided individualized college and career counseling aligned to student interests and academic performance.
- Assisted students and families with college applications, FAFSA, and financial aid platforms.
- Facilitated career exploration activities to strengthen post-secondary planning and readiness.
School Counselor/ATR
NYCPS
09.2019 - 06.2020
- Managed a counseling caseload of 250+ students, including the full ESL population.
- Supported SPED students through IEP meetings, goal development, and progress monitoring.
- Guided seniors through SAT registration, college applications, financial aid, and scholarships.
- Collaborated with teachers and administrators to design targeted academic and counseling supports.
- Identified appropriate transfer schools and alternative programs for at-risk students.
- Monitored attendance trends and addressed chronic absenteeism through parent outreach.
- Tracked graduation progress using ATS, STARS, and related DOE systems.
School Counselor
Bronxwood Preparatory Academy High School
03.2017 - 06.2019
- Delivered individual and group counseling services for general education and SPED at-risk students.
- Collaborated with administration to ensure compliance with graduation requirements.
- Organized and facilitated college admissions workshops, campus tours, college fairs, and guest speaker events.
- Supported families during FAFSA and financial aid workshops.
- Assisted students with SAT/ACT registration, schedule development, and scholarship applications.
- Selected as Peer Group Connection Counselor supporting 9th-grade student transition.
Education
Master of Science - School Counseling Education
Mercy College
Dobbs Ferry, NY05.2014
Bachelor of Business Administration - Human Resources
Baruch College
New York, NY05.2001
Skills
- College & Career Readiness (K-12)
- At-Risk Student Intervention & Advocacy
- ESL & Multilingual Learner Support
- Special Education (IEPs, Transition Planning)
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Crisis & Suicide Intervention
- Attendance Improvement & MTSS
- Academic Advisement & Scheduling
- FAFSA & Financial Aid Guidance
- Individual & Group Counseling
- Family & Parent Engagement
- Data Tracking & Progress Monitoring
- ATS
- STARS
- SESIS
- Salesforce
- ILOG
- The Common App
- FAFSA Platforms
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Office
- OORS
- Student assessments
Certification
- New York State Permanent Certified School Counselor
- Therapeutic Crisis Intervention in Schools (TCI)
- ASCA College Admissions Specialist
- ASCA Students with Special Needs Specialist
- ASCA Trauma & Crisis Management Specialist
- NYSCCA Champ Camp - MTSS, Tier 1 & Tier 2 Supports
References
Available upon request
Timeline
College Advisor
NYC DOE Office of Student Pathways
03.2022 - 06.2023
School Counselor
Pathways to Graduation
09.2020 - Current
School Counselor/ATR
NYCPS
09.2019 - 06.2020
School Counselor
Bronxwood Preparatory Academy High School
03.2017 - 06.2019
Master of Science - School Counseling Education
Mercy College
Bachelor of Business Administration - Human Resources
Baruch College