North Kingstown High School welcomed Ms. Suzanne Laffely as the new student assistance counselor. With a variety of roles in North Kingstown High School, Laffely is a strong resource for helping students, often found in her office providing support. She specializes in substance abuse; however, she is also available for quick support. Additionally she runs multiple clubs, one being peer to peer. The other is VAASA, a program for athletes who have overcome issues with substances, and speaks out about the consequences of abusing drugs to ninth graders in health class.  

Laffely holds a bachelor’s degree in English, a masters in creative writing, and is a licensed mental health worker. Her journey in mental health training included 2000 hours of supervised mental health work. Prior to joining NKHS, she worked in Colorado as a school guidance counselor. Driven by a passion to support students who might otherwise lack access to assistance, she is dedicated to making everyone feel safe and supported.

“School should be safe and welcoming for everybody,” Laffely said. 

When she’s not working, Laffely enjoys indulging in reading or taking long walks on the beach as it helps her feel connected to nature and calm her down. Besides just walking alongside the shore, she loves to spend time outdoors or with her kids. She also enjoys spending time with her cat. Despite having both cats and dogs, she finds herself favoring cats.

Being an assistance counselor in a school setting means having a diverse schedule. Laffely starts her day at 5 a.m., which she admits is the most challenging part of her day. Once at school she dedicates some of her time to introduce herself and connect with her fellow coworkers. When not connecting with staff, she is connecting with students and helping them with a variety of issues. She helps with problems ranging from stress, drug abuse, or overall just a bad day. She firmly believes that the root problem is not kids overusing their phone or abusing drugs, but loneliness. She is convinced that addressing loneliness will alleviate other issues.

¨With a sense of connection, good things happen,” she said. “People thrive with connection.¨