Cultivating students’ personal, social and academic growth is the highest priority at Bishop Fenwick High School in Franklin, OH. As with all schools, it takes a village to support every student, and Fenwick’s president, Blane Collison, said counselors at Fenwick are vital to achieve this goal. They strive to support their 470 students’ quest to develop in all areas of life by providing individual counseling sessions, small group instruction and classroom guidance lessons.

What makes this Catholic high school between Cincinnati and Dayton so unique is their program that enables counselors to see their student groups every week. In fact, by the end of their first year, a freshman has met at least 20 times with counselors.

“Our goal is to build a relationship where students are extremely comfortable reaching out to their counselors, [so we] provide … time during our daily schedule to make this happen,” Collison said.

To achieve this goal, Fenwick carved out a daily 40-minute block, a “Flock Block” (the school mascot is a Falcon), devoted to developing the whole student. According to Collison, students’ small-groups meet with their counselors twice weekly. The week’s other Flock Blocks are devoted to academic intervention, study time, faith formation and building community.

What started five years ago as a program for two or three days weekly expanded this year to five days, because there is a growing need for students to form relationships with their counselors, Collison said.

“The needs of students have expanded, and the rise in issues related to mental health and students suffering from anxiety and depression makes counseling a necessary part of a holistic education,” he said.

Sabrina Snyder, a counselor at Fenwick for six years, said Flock Blocks provide daily dedicated time to essential components of the school’s mission that go beyond the traditional classroom setting.

“The Flock Block program not only supports students’ social-emotional learning, academic success and post- secondary plans, [it] also sets up an experience where the [students] and their personal interests are valued as part of their growth,” Snyder said.

Students remain with the same Flock Block class and teacher for all four years. Counselors meet weekly with small groups from one grade level. They address various topics, including test anxiety, stress management, coping skills, goal setting, academic integrity and both healthy and effective communication.

“High school is a time of incredible growth for students, so the specifics of similar topics are tiered to address the developmental stages of each grade level,” Snyder said.

Fenwick’s 1:160 counselor to student ratio is also unique, and made possible by having three counselors: Snyder, Jeannie Horn and Vicki Weisbrod.. The American School Counselor Association recommends a 1:250 ratio.

“We have phenomenally low ratios compared to the national and state averages, and this allows counselors to really get to know their students. We can tell when a student is struggling with something because we know them so well, and it allows for early intervention and support,” Snyder said.

Along with bi-weekly, small-group meetings in Flock Block, counselors meet individually with every student and visit freshman classes every other week during the first semester. Students can request a meeting with their counselor at any time.

Snyder has seen the fruit of these efforts. “The positive impact of our counseling program is in the day-to-day interactions, helping students navigate difficult situations [and navigate them] in ways that they are ultimately proud of themselves.”

This article appeared in the January 2024 edition of The Catholic Telegraph Magazine. For your complimentary subscription, click here.