SANDRA PAPACHRISTOPOULOS
Summary
Results-driven School Counselor with 15+ years of experience supporting academic achievement, social-emotional development, and post-secondary readiness within New York City Public Schools. Proven success managing caseloads of 250+ students while implementing data-driven interventions that improve attendance, credit accumulation, graduation readiness, and college access outcomes. Extensive experience supporting at-risk youth, English Language Learners (ELLs), and students with disabilities through individualized counseling, crisis intervention, and transition planning. Skilled in collaborative leadership, family engagement, MTSS implementation, and college and career readiness programming aligned with ASCA standards.
Overview
9
9
years of professional experience
Work History
School Counselor
Pathways to Graduation
08.2020 - Current
- Manage counseling services and academic planning for a caseload of approximately 200+ over-aged and under-credited students annually, which resulted in a 25% increase in on-track graduation rates.
- Conduct intake assessments and graduation pathway evaluations to support successful program placement and credit recovery planning, which resulted in a 20% improvement in student program retention.
- Deliver daily SEL advisory lessons and targeted counseling interventions aligned with CASEL and ASCA standards, which resulted in a 30% reduction in behavioral referrals.
- Develop and monitor individualized intervention plans focused on attendance, engagement, and credit accumulation, which resulted in a 15% increase in average student attendance rates.
- Facilitate individual and group counseling sessions for high-risk students, including students with disabilities and multilingual learners, which resulted in an increase in student engagement and emotional regulation for 85% of participating students.
- Create and oversee IEP transition plans to ensure compliance with postsecondary goals and transition mandates, which resulted in a 95% completion rate for mandated transition documentation.
- Support students through college applications, FAFSA completion, and career planning initiatives, which resulted in over 80% of graduating seniors completing postsecondary applications.
- Maintain consistent communication with families and guardians, which resulted in a 35% increase in parent participation and school engagement activities.
- Utilize ATS, STARS, SESIS, and Salesforce to monitor academic and behavioral trends, which resulted in a more efficient intervention response time and improved student progress tracking accuracy.
College Advisor
NYC DOE Office of Student Pathways
02.2022 - 05.2023
- Served on the College & Career Planning Team supporting citywide college readiness initiatives, which resulted in an increase in student participation in postsecondary planning programs.
- Provided individualized academic and career counseling aligned to student interests and performance, which resulted in a 20% increase in college application completion rates.
- Assisted students and families with FAFSA submissions, TAP applications, and scholarship opportunities, which resulted in over $500,000 in combined financial aid and scholarship awards secured for students.
- Facilitated workshops focused on career exploration and financial literacy, which resulted in a 40% increase in student workshop attendance and engagement.
- Collaborated with counselors, administrators, and community partners to improve access to college and career resources, which resulted in expanded postsecondary opportunities for underserved student populations.
School Counselor / ATR
NYC Public Schools (NYCPS)
08.2019 - 05.2020
- Managed a counseling caseload of 250+ students, including the school’s full ESL population, which resulted in a 15% increase in student academic progression and promotion rates.
- Coordinated IEP meetings, goal development, and progress monitoring for Special Education students, which resulted in 100% compliance with mandated IEP timelines and documentation.
- Guided seniors through SAT registration, college applications, scholarships, and financial aid completion, which resulted in an 85% postsecondary application completion rate.
- Analyzed attendance and behavioral data to identify at-risk students and implement targeted intervention plans, which resulted in a 20% reduction in chronic absenteeism.
- Collaborated with school leadership and teachers to develop academic intervention strategies, which resulted in improved academic performance for identified at-risk students.
- Assisted students with identifying alternative school placements and graduation pathways, which resulted in a higher student retention and graduation persistence rate.
- Monitored graduation progress utilizing ATS and STARS, which resulted in a 10% increase in students meeting graduation benchmarks on time.
School Counselor
Bronxwood Preparatory Academy High School
02.2017 - 05.2019
- Provided academic, social-emotional, and college counseling services to general education and Special Education students in grades 9–12, which resulted in a measurable increase in student attendance and engagement.
- Facilitated individual and group counseling sessions focused on conflict resolution and emotional regulation, which resulted in a 25% decrease in disciplinary incidents among participating students.
- Organized college admissions workshops, campus tours, and career readiness events, which resulted in a 30% increase in student participation in college readiness programming.
- Assisted families with FAFSA completion and financial aid literacy workshops, which resulted in an increase in FAFSA completion rates schoolwide.
- Supported students with SAT/ACT registration, scholarship applications, and graduation planning, which resulted in improved college enrollment readiness among graduating seniors.
- Served as a Peer Group Connection Counselor mentoring incoming ninth-grade students, which resulted in a smoother transition process and improved freshman retention rates.
- Collaborated with administration to ensure compliance with graduation requirements, which resulted in an increase in students remaining on track for graduation.
Education
Master of Science - School Counseling
Mercy College
Dobbs Ferry, NY05-2014
Skills
- College & Career Readiness (K–12)
- At-Risk Student Intervention & Advocacy
- Social-Emotional Learning (SEL)
- Crisis & Suicide Intervention
- Attendance Improvement Strategies
- MTSS Tier 1 & Tier 2 Supports
- ESL & Multilingual Learner Support
- Special Education & IEP Transition Planning
- Academic Advisement & Graduation Tracking
- FAFSA & Financial Aid Counseling
- Individual & Group Counseling
- Family & Community Engagement
- Data Analysis & Progress Monitoring
- Restorative Practices & Student Advocacy
- Technology & DOE Systems
- ATS
- STARS
- SESIS
- Salesforce
- ILOG
- OORS
- Google Workspace
- Microsoft Office Suite
- Common App
- FAFSA Platforms
- Student Assessment Systems
Timeline
College Advisor
NYC DOE Office of Student Pathways
02.2022 - 05.2023
School Counselor
Pathways to Graduation
08.2020 - Current
School Counselor / ATR
NYC Public Schools (NYCPS)
08.2019 - 05.2020
School Counselor
Bronxwood Preparatory Academy High School
02.2017 - 05.2019
Master of Science - School Counseling
Mercy College