Part-Time Student Assistance Counselor Starts Work at Mill Pond School

Tom Faulkner, a long-time member of the Lacey Township Municipal Alliance, has taken the position of Student Assistance Counselor one day a week at Mill Pond School, it was announced at Monday night's monthly municipal alliance meeting.

Faulkner, a township resident since 1971, holds a Masters Degree in Counseling with a focus on substance abuse. He retired from the New Jersey Department of Human Services after 33 years of service and has worked as a part-time crisis counselor with St. Barnabas Medical Center for the past 24 years.

"I've had a lot of experience with substance abuse counseling and can give kids a different perspective," said Faulkner. "I feel I can gain a rapport with the kids."

Faulkner started his new position four weeks ago and has spent his time screening students who had been counseled previously to see if they were interested in starting group sessions again.

"Each kid is being individually interviewed so I can get to know them," he said.  "The majority are still having problems at home."

The group sessions could begin as early as next week.

Student Assistance Counselors provide children who have parents with substance abuse problems and those involved in bullying or any other risky behavior with confidential counseling. Faulkner said he will provide that counseling in small groups of between three and five children. Mill Pond School houses all the district's fifth and sixth grades.

The full-time Student Assistance Counselor (SAC) for all the elementary schools retired two years ago and an unpaid intern took her place last school year. The township Board of Education decided not to fill the position.

The Municipal Alliance wrote a letter to the Board requesting they find the funding to hire a full-time SAC and presented that letter at a monthly board meeting last spring. The Board made the decision this fall to bring someone on one day a week.

Municipal Alliance Coordinator Heather Scanlon said they plan to keep pressing to regain the full-time SAC. She hopes to meet with the new school district Superintendent Sandra Brower and also invite her to attend an alliance meeting.

Scanlon said she also wants to talk to Brower about forming an anti-drug and alcohol Task Force.

"We need everyone in the community working together," she said. "With more groups working together, maybe parents will take notice."

Community member, Tony Risoli, raised the issue of having dog searches for drugs and alcohol in the schools and the need to do something different to fight the problem.

"Crime is going up and drug use by kids is going up," said Risoli. "I challenge you to do things out of your comfort zone. Maybe you need negative publicity and maybe then you'll get more support."

Risoli said the problem is with the parents and the Alliance should focus on mentoring them on how to be parents.

Alliance members told Risoli they offer many programs but have found it difficult to get parents to come out. They welcomed Risoli to offer suggestions on how to increase parents' attendance.

Risoli also stressed there needs to be a safe place in town where township youth can go to spend time.

"These are ideas we've been fighting for," said Alliance member, Ed Scanlon.  "We can't get anyone to vote for it for the past 40 years."

Heather Scanlon said many of the initiatives suggested require township funding and with the current fiscal climate, it could be difficult to accomplish those things right now.