We are happy to welcome two new guidance counselors to Wayne Valley High School this year!  As we all know, guidance counselors play an important role in our school community.  Having these new additions to the team is a great thing for both students and faculty members.  Now, let’s take a look at who they are!

Mrs. Feinberg

Our first addition is Mrs. Feinberg.  Feinberg received her Bachelor’s in psychology and communication arts at Ramapo College and later got her Master’s of education at William Paterson University.  Feinberg chose this career because she was unaware of her resources when she was in high school, and how much they could have helped her.  She claims, “I chose this career so I can be that resource to students and increase awareness about what we do as school counselors.” However, Mrs. Feinberg did not always know that she would be this resource.  She was previously a substitute teacher, which allowed her time to work in multiple schools and discover that counseling was right for her.  

After entering the guidance counseling world, Feinberg worked at an elementary school in Caldwell and interned at multiple others.  She also dipped her toes into the business world when working at a marketing agency and in retail for some time. Her time as a substitute teacher included teaching and assisting at William Paterson University.

Thinking of her own experiences, Feinberg knows the struggles of being a teenager.  She wants to, “give students an outlet to talk about these tough experiences as well as help them to feel less alone.”  She hopes to be a reliable person that students can trust and go to for help. Feinberg explains, “I love taking the time to get to know my students and understand what makes them an individual.” She feels that she too can learn a lot from talking to and connecting with her students.  Mrs. Feinberg wants all of her students to know that, “they can always stop by just to share something.”  She is already fitting in perfectly with the rest of the counseling team.

Mr. Imperatore

Our other addition to the team is Mr. Imperatore.  Imperatore started out as a football player who felt that counseling was important.  He stated, “My guidance counselor in high school was always there for me; she is why I became interested in the career.”  Although he quickly realized that becoming a guidance counselor was the right thing for him, he started out on a different path. Imperatore first studied to become a physical education teacher at Norwich University before switching to Western New England University to study psychology.  From there, he later proceeded to get his Master’s degree for school counseling at Kean University.  

Mr. Imperatore has worked as a guidance counselor at schools previously, one being St. Mary’s High School.  However, Our new guidance counselor has interesting hobbies as well.  Being a former football player gives him an advantage in the athletic field. He has formerly worked in New York as a personal trainer.  So, if you are ever in need of athletic guidancing, Mr. Imperatore can help with that as well.

Imperatore wants to focus on introducing new ideas to Wayne Valley’s Counseling Department. He claims that he wants to “help make Wayne Valley the best high school in Passaic County.”  He believes that his experiences of being a student-athlete can really help him connect with his students.  He claims that the job has benefits for him as well, “I enjoy learning something new every day coming to work. Whether it be a new trend on social media or a problem faced in school.”  He goes home to share this information with his wife and six-month old son.  Imperatore also owns three dogs and is a major sports fan.  We are excited to see what he will bring to Wayne Valley!