On Monday, Dec. 4, Pascack Valley guidance counselor Stephanie DiStasi was awarded Educational Professional of the Year.
“I felt very honored. I love my students here and I love my colleagues in the guidance department,” Distasi said. “So I felt very happy that students had written such nice things and thought of me for this award.”
DiStasi was informed of her recognition for the Educational Professional of the Year award when Assistant Principals Alison Petaccia, Thomas Gallione, Principal John Puccio, and other members of administration visited the Guidance Department to announce the news.
“[Administration] handed me flowers, and everybody said nice things, so it was very sweet and very unexpected,” DiStasi said.
DiStasi has been a part of the Valley community for four years and has been a guidance counselor for over ten. Although, before she became a school counselor, DiStasi worked as a licensed professional counselor and a licensed mental health counselor in New York City.
“I ran groups with adolescents, teenagers, and young adults who are struggling with mental health issues like anxiety or depression and substance abuse issues,” DiStasi said.
After four years of pursuing that profession, DiStasi decided to switch over to school counseling because she wanted to make a bigger impact.
“I felt that I could make more of a difference in schools helping more people than working for a private practice or an agency,” DiStasi said. “I feel like it’s been a good fit ever since.”
Now that she’s at Valley, she has found a liking in working with high school students rather than younger kids. She also expressed how being a counselor at PV has made her feel.
“I love the population, all the students are hardworking [and] very down-to-earth,” DiStasi said. “It’s nice to work with a population who sees their goals and wants to work with you.”
In addition to DiStasi’s contribution as a counselor, she also runs the PV Pals program and is the advisor for the class of 2024 with Guidance Counselor Jennifer Kuo.
DiStasi and Kuo created PV Pals to establish a sibling-like relationship for freshmen to connect with older students at Valley. DiStasi’s goal for this program is to help the freshman have an easier time transitioning into high school.
“The whole purpose was for them [freshmen] to have one individual person that they can kind of check in with and make sure that they feel connected to the school,” DiStasi said.
DiStasi also noticed the success of this program and the increased involvement in the past few years.
A senior and member of the PV Pals program, Caroline Healey, expressed how she felt the club impacted her.
“I’ve been able to help my freshmen, and therefore, it’s benefited me as well,” Healey said.
As the class of 2024 advisor, DiStasi communicated how this role has enabled her to become closer to the seniors.
“I get to know students so much better than by being their school counselor. I get to see students’ roles, desires, and dreams, so I enjoy being an advisor,” DiStasi said.
As an educator, DiStasi hopes to instill positive change in her students’ lives.
“I think the only thing that can really change the world is education,” DiStasi said. “My favorite part about this job is that I [can] make a difference in somebody’s life and they [can] have a better experience at PV [because] I was working with them.
