Welcome Ms. Desroches to our WHS Guidance Staff

Welcome+Ms.+Desroches+to+our+WHS+Guidance+Staff

Bhoomika Gowda '22, Contributing Writer

Ms. Desroches, one of the newest additions to our team of guidance counselors, has always had a way with words. Surprisingly, she had first intended on pursuing actuary science at the University of Connecticut. However, it was her friends who urged her into the profession of guidance counseling. As the friend who always gives advice and aid to her peers, Ms. Desroches found the positive influence she was able to spread to others in this profession very rewarding. Her desire to assist others runs so deep that had she not been a guidance counselor, she would have become a clinical psychologist or social worker instead. 

Westborough High School is Ms. Desroches’ first counseling job (which many wouldn’t expect because of how professionally she works), although she engaged in internships in past years. She now has filled in the role of a counselor who has taken a temporary leave. 

Ms. Desroches loves talking to students about their futures, and finds it fascinating to help them out with their different interests and plans. She thoroughly enjoys working with and learning more about students’ lives.

She says, “Having a good conversation with a student can make your day.” She’s taken a strong liking to the Westborough High School Community, saying, “I admire how students always challenge themselves.” 

Their futures are just as important to her as it is to them and helping them take the right path, now more than ever, is her goal. 

Outside of school, Ms. Desroches, a “self-proclaimed foodie”, and loves trying new food and going to different restaurants. She has taken an interest in traveling around different cities, trying the meals they have to offer and spending time there. She enjoys a good pizza, and claims she could have a pizza any day of the week.

All these activities have been a lot harder to do nowadays – what with COVID-19 and the boundaries it has placed on our normal routines –  and the struggle to balance mental health and quarantine has proven to be is an essential issue. Ms. Desroches has been helping students in every way she can, knowing that normal circumstances are hard enough to navigate, but isolation brings in a whole different set of challenges. 

She explained, “Students should have someone to help guide them through the new feelings. It’s important to be on their side.” 

She understands that students could very well be facing a number of personal issues and she’s made it her mission to get them through these testing situations. 

Of course, the year hasn’t made it very easy. Communication is much harder to establish between students and parents, especially with wifi or electronic problems remotely. Ms. Desroches, however, has lots of admiration and hope for the new age of technology and how helpful it’s been during this time. She thinks that Zoom has been a great alternative to in person class, and has also helped with anxiety and health issues. It’s been difficult for students to withstand such excessive screen time, which can be very draining and exhausting, but on the other hand, online classes have led to more consistency in attendance. 

Ms. Desroches will not let this challenging start to the year affect her goal to help students, she will continue to work efficiently and supportively in the student community. As a new member of the staff, she feels very welcomed among both the students and teachers alike. When asked where she thought she would be in ten years, Ms. Desroches confidently replied.

“I hope I’m still in my game. The future is an unknown, but I hope to be a more experienced counselor who has more to offer her students.”