I would like to take this opportunity to introduce myself and the counseling services at W.H. Taft .  I am Mary Ellen Frischmuth and I always look forward to another year of visiting and working with your children.  The purpose of the school counseling program is to collaborate with teachers, parents and the community, to provide all students with life-long learning skills and to assist your child in gaining the most from his or her educational experiences.  I am in the classrooms throughout the year to teach the guidance curriculum.   The skill areas that I will address include: firearm injury prevention, substance abuse prevention, conflict management, personal safety, social skills development, and career awareness.  In addition to classroom lessons, individual counseling sessions and skill development groups will be available based on the specific needs of the students.  It is important to provide a counseling environment that is safe and supportive, where students feel comfortable talking about any concerns that they may have.  In the event that a student’s concerns or problems require services beyond what the school can provide, an appropriate referral will be made. If you have any questions about the counseling program please feel free to call me at 338-3508.  If you have specific concerns about your child, I will be happy to schedule an appointment to meet with you individually.

Focus areas: 

• Small groups: Groups will be starting in October and continue throughout the year.
• Mentoring: We have a very strong mentor program with 40-50 volunteer adults from the community who come in to spend one on one time with our students and to help them with academics, as needed.  If you would like to know more please contact me.
• Other: The A.S.S.E.T. Program- A School-based Student Employment Team.  This program provides an opportunity for some of our students to contribute to the school community,  to be successful at something other than academics and to teach or reinforce responsible behavior.  We have over 50 ‘jobs’ for which students are ‘hired’ (without pay).  They fill out an official application, sign a behavior/work contract and they fulfill the job responsibilities for the entire school year. 

Mary Ellen Frischmuth

Educational background and experience: Graduated from Boston College - B.A. in Psychology and Studio Art .  Completed my graduate work at Boise State University – M.Ed., LPC

I am very happily married with an awesome 15 year old son.  I have many interests outside of work and like to stay very active.

To email the counselor please use the following convention:
firstname.lastname@boiseschools.org

For more information about our District's Counseling program:
District Counseling Department | Classroom Guidance Units | Small Groups
Parent Education | Individual Student Counseling & Parent/Staff Consultation