A Note for the School Counseling Team

Dear ECS Families,

The mission of the counseling team at Environmental Charter School is to provide a comprehensive program to support the whole child and enhance the social/emotional, academic, and career development of all students. ECS’s ultimate objective is to graduate engaged citizens who are problem solvers, critical thinkers, and thoughtful innovators prepared for an ever-evolving society. To achieve this objective, our goal is to assist students in acquiring the attitudes, knowledge, and skills that enable students to thrive as they are immersed in authentic learning experiences. 

The ECS counseling team enables students to overcome barriers to learning by building coping, self-regulation, and conflict-resolution skills. To help meet this goal, the counseling team strives to use an anti-racist, anti-oppressive counseling framework to ensure all students feel seen, heard, and safe from racist remarks, microaggressions, and other displays of non-inclusion.  School counselors encourage a safe and affirming school environment and promote awareness of and support developmentally appropriate inclusive education around race, color, ethnicity, religion, culture, sexual orientation, disability, and gender identity and expression. Programming is developed to prioritize the strengths of our students and find teachable moments to dismantle prejudice and stereotypes in the ECS Community.  By advocating for students, counselors aim to ensure every student has access to a rigorous academic learning environment in which they can achieve success now and in the future.

ECS School Counselors align with the American School Counselor Association’s Position Statement Against Racism and Bias and ASCA and Transgender/Gender-nonconforming Youth.

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ECS’s School Counseling team consists of one school counselor at each of the district’s K–8 buildings. To support high school and beyond, two school counselors are dedicated to grades 9–12. Counselors interact with ALL students supporting their social/emotional, academic, and career development needs, and the school counseling department is committed to implementing several UN Sustainable Development Goals. Here you'll find information about school counseling services, sponsored programs, resources, and more! 

Please feel free to contact a counselor at any time if you have questions about programming, resources, or how we may be able to help support your child. Thank you for choosing our dedicated school counseling team to support your student’s educational experience.

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Mrs. Andrea Szolna

Primary School Counselor (K-2)
412-247-7970 x9413
andrea.Szolna@ecspgh.org

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Ms. Alexa Galdes

Intermediate School Counselor (3–5)
412-247-7970 x2404
alexa.galdes@ecspgh.org

Mr. Dylan O’Neill

Middle School Counselor (6–8)
412-247-7970 x3404
dylan.oneill@escpgh.org

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Mr. Keith Bull

High School Counselor (9-12)
412-247-7970 x9523
keith.bull@ecspgh.org

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Mrs. Jennifer Bruni

High School Counselor (10–12)
412-247-7970 x9523
jennifer.bruni@ecspgh.org


Services, Programs, and Policies

The counseling program at ECS focuses on positive and beneficial development activities for children and adolescents. In addition to helping students in classroom guidance activities, the counselor works with students in small group and individual settings throughout the year. The counselor also collaborates closely with classroom teachers, administrators, and specialists (inside and outside of school) to serve and advocate for the best interest of students and their families.


Additional Resources


If you or a loved one are experiencing a mental health emergency please contact re:solve crisis services (888-796-8226),

 the Crisis Prevention Lifeline (1-800-273-8255) or 911 emergency services as needed.