As the new school year starts, West has recently welcomed counselor Michael Sneed to the wolfpack. Sneed is now one of the 11 counselors at Niles West, who has taken the role of Mitchell Stern due to his retirement. Being in a different environment, Sneed has managed to make the switch from being a private school counselor to a public school counselor very smoothly.

Counselor Venesa Ocasio is Sneed’s mentor, and she has been helping him with his transition to West and guiding him through a new school. Ocasio worked with him and has noticed his hard work ethic and dedication to his job.

“It’s great to get a new perspective on our school from someone on the outside coming in. I was excited to meet him and see his perspective since he was a counselor before. He is definitely student-centered and also a team player. He comes with an open mind and coming in he is very much in tune with one one-on-one with students,” Ocasio said.

Being Sneeds’ mentor, Ocasio has a big role in the type of counselor Sneed will become during his time at West. Ocasio has taught him many things, but she has also learned from Sneed himself. Because he is coming from a different school, he has some tips and tricks up his sleeve that Ocasio has picked up from him.

“It has been wonderful mentoring him, he catches on so quickly and I have to keep telling myself he isn’t really the new kid on the block because he was previously a counselor. He has great organizational skills and he brings in lots of information and knowledge. It’s been very seamless working with him so far,” Ocasio said.

Coming from a private school Sneed has noticed many different things and how working at West is unlike his previous school. With all the schedule changes and questions, Sneed is ready to meet his students and have a great first year.

“It has been incredible and chaotic in the best way so far coming in. This year I want to be involved in the school like watching the different sports events as well as trying to learn all my seniors’ names. It has been a whole new world the job is completely different and way more challenging in the best way. The other counselors are incredibly smart and make me feel so welcome being the new person,” Sneed said.

Senior Aymal Yousefzai has had the same counselor for three years, Stern, but with his retirement, Aymal has to end his senior year off with a different counselor. Having a new counselor can be different but also exciting.

“Having a new counselor feels a bit different to me because I’ve had Mr.Stern for all three years. Sneed is much more open to feedback, but he also helps guide you through your decisions with constructive advice and will warn you when making a decision,” Yousefzai said.

Sneed is eager to meet everyone and help them be successful during their time here at West. Also, Sneed has a long-lasting goal for students to belong at Niles West.

“This year I want all my students to be better at being themselves,” Sneed said.