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Meet Our Team

All guidance counselors can provide mandated counseling and address academic, social, or emotional issues. Our Guidance Counselors have an open door policy.  Students can feel free to see them when they need or can be referred by faculty and staff.

Each student’s guidance counselor also helps logistically manage their schedule, and makes sure they are on track with the classes they need in order to graduate.

Lauren Scheff
Lauren Scheff
Ms. Scheff has been working at Beacon since 2018. She graduated from Indiana University in Bloomington with a degree in Psychology and Counseling and received her Masters in Education, specifically school counseling, from Fordham University. She is very involved in student extracurriculars as the head advisor for both the Senior Committee and Beacon After School Mentors, a community service tutoring club. When Ms. Scheff is not meeting with students individually, her room is packed with Seniors as she is extremely close with the Senior class and has created a very open and welcoming environment. Her office is usually filled with students studying, playing games, or even just hanging out during their free periods. Through forming strong and meaningful connections with students, she aims to better each and every student's high school experience in and outside the classroom. It is her goal to provide a safe, welcoming, non-judgemental environment for all students and families that she works with. Some fun facts about Ms. Scheff are that she is a Trader Joe’s snackaholic! She always has snacks, and her candy bin is one of the most popular student attractions at Beacon. Ms. Scheff also loves anything tie dye! In the 2023-2024 school year, Ms. Scheff will be the guidance counselor to the incoming freshman class. If you have any questions or want to reach out to Ms. Scheff email [email protected] or you can find her in Room 301!
 
 
Karen Martinez-Smith
Karen Martinez-Smith
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Shimona Shriki
Shimona Shriki
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Nevena Zanki
Nevena Zanki
Ms. Zanki has been working at Beacon since 2014. She aims to help students become more confident in their skills and support them in any path they choose beyond high school. She enjoys taking a real problem-solving approach to meeting the needs of the students she works with in order to foster independence and inspire them to do their best in their lives. Ms. Zanki enjoys hiking, cooking, and is an avid Netflix watcher. She was born and raised in Queens, and went to NYC Public Schools. Her extensive background in Croatian folk dancing is due to her parents being from there, and you could see her repping Croatia every day during this years World Cup!