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Student Support and Wellness

Behind every Commonwealth student is a team of individuals—led by their faculty advisor and supported by all of their teachers and our Student Life staff—who know them personally and are committed to helping them grow and succeed. This foundation fosters an environment where students report feeling more engaged in their school work, less stressed, and confident in the knowledge that they are cared for and supported by adults in the community. A variety of services undergird these efforts, helping students and families navigate the high school years and emerge empowered for wherever their post-Commonwealth path may lead.

Student Life Team

  • Joshua Eagle, Psy.D., Dean of Students
  • Eben Lasker, Psy.D., School Counselor
  • Rebecca Jackman, Assistant Head of School
  • Lisa Palmero McGrath, Director of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion
  • Don Conolly, Coordinator of Academic Support 
  • Rana Sairafi, Student Life Intern

Learn more about them below.

    

    

Meet the Student Life Team

Commonwealth School history teacher Donald Conolly smiles at the camera while wearing a blue polo shirt and standing in front of a brick wall.

People contain multitudes—and Don Conolly is certainly no exception. A member of Commonwealth’s history and classics departments since 2001, he would be content floating on a lake in absolute silence…or surrounded by rugby hooligans…or jamming with funk legends Rufus and Chaka Khan

    

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Peer Advocates

“Faculty advisors are awesome, but, sometimes, it's good to have a peer to talk to.” So said one of our Peer Advocates, and we agree.
 
Peer Advocates are Commonwealth juniors and seniors who have gone through a six-week training of basic listening and interviewing skills. They typically offer drop-in “office hours” each week where students can talk about anything that might be on their minds. Peer Advocates offer a different kind of support, where if a student is not ready to reach out to a teacher, they can connect with a peer equipped to listen. School Counselor Dr. Eben Lasker trains and guides Peer Advocates, ensuring students maintain healthy boundaries.
The older kids mentor the younger ones. Everyone connects as an equal and really cares about one another. We take care of each other. It’s humane.

  

Bullying Prevention and Intervention

At Commonwealth School, we expect that all members of our community will treat each other with civility and respect. Commonwealth aims to be a school that is free of bullying and any other verbal or physical misconduct that disrupts any student’s learning or undermines anyone’s sense of safety. Commonwealth School’s Bullying Prevention and Intervention Plan is published in response to the Massachusetts law against bullying and is an integral part of our efforts to promote learning and to prevent behavior that can impede the learning process. Our Plan spells out Commonwealth School’s comprehensive approach to addressing bullying, cyberbullying, and retaliation.

Learn More

student-life-support-hero, female students talking to female school administrator in hallway