Mr. Filman Cooper is a new guidance counselor at JP Stevens who is available to help students of all grade levels. After obtaining his master’s degree and certification, he obtained three years of work experience before coming to JP.

Mr. Cooper’s goal is to help every student acquire a diploma, regardless of their future plans, as he believes that a diploma is a golden ticket out in the real world. Mr. Cooper has a unique approach to working with all students and tries to motivate them to have a higher regard for academics. One of Mr. Cooper’s key objectives during his interactions with students is to encourage a healthy balance between fun and work. This balance is vital to a student’s high school career because they should connect with new people and social circles while still retaining the knowledge to go out into the world comfortably and safely.

Mr. Cooper has heard one major grievance in particular from students at JP—the lack of communication. According to him, the universal issue is how students present themselves formally to authority figures. He wants to assist everyone in overcoming this challenge so that they can go out into the world ready to be independent. Mr. Cooper stands firm in the belief that independence is a vital skill to refine for the transition from high school to college, so he tries his best to help students take charge of their academic careers.

Mr. Cooper describes himself as a great learner, with the ability to comprehend the new procedures in less than two weeks since he started working at JP. According to him, most of the activities are similar to other guidance offices, like letters of recommendation for college applications. However, whenever something new does come up, Mr. Cooper does not hesitate to ask his fellow counselors for assistance. 

All in all, Mr. Cooper is a great addition to the school as a guidance counselor. He has a unique way to support students through their transitions from middle school into high school and then beyond. He feels great about this essential role because he gets to make an impact on each student, irrespective of their academics. Mr. Cooper wishes to reach every student, and be the guiding light that leads them to success.