Guidance

A Message From the Director of Guidance

Dear Students, Parents, and Guardians:

I am very excited to be part of the Father Judge community and to do my part to live its mission of helping students move forward in their journeys of personal growth and lifelong learning, all the while staying oriented to the school’s Mission Statement & Statement of Beliefs, and Salesian Spirituality, Values, and Ethics.

My role is very important to me because I know first-hand what it's like to have questions (and concerns) about what lies ahead after high school. When I was graduating high school I had no intention of attending college. Instead, I went into the workforce as a semi-skilled laborer, a role I had for a couple of years.

During this time I realized I would like to obtain a skilled trade and so I joined the United States Air Force which trained me as a dental laboratory technician. I loved this career and continued to work as a dental lab tech after I left the Air Force to attend college on the G.I. Bill. The skills I learned in the Air Force were critically important to my success in college; paying attention to details; critical thinking, risk mitigation, creative problem solving, following through on tasks.

I eventually built a career for myself as a tenured college professor, working for a decade at Cabrini University until its closing in 2024. Throughout my time working in higher education I took special interest in helping students strategize about their career goals and how they could position themselves to achieve them. I feel very fortunate to be able to continue doing this work with all of Father Judge’s students no matter where they go after graduation; US military, skilled trades, college, or somewhere else. My Guidance Office colleagues feel the same way.

The Guidance Office is available to all students throughout the school day. If a student wants to see a guidance counselor they can drop in the office or schedule an appointment by sending an email, or using the E-HallPass.

The Guidance Office does not want to interrupt a student’s instruction unless it is absolutely necessary. Therefore, unless it is an emergency, we try to meet with students during their lunch periods, or when one of their teachers is absent.

Use the directory below to identify your son's guidance counselor.

Please don’t hesitate to reach out to me with any questions.

Sincerely,

Dr. Fitzgerald