Mrs. Doherty

House Four, as well as the rest of the Londonderry High School staff, faculty and students, is glad to be welcoming Mrs. Sarah Doherty into our school as a guidance counselor. Mrs. Doherty says she is excited to have a fresh start in a new school.  

Although this is Mrs. Doherty’s first year counseling at LHS, she has plenty of experience being a guidance counselor at another high school.

“This is my 11th year as a school counselor,” Doherty said. “I was a counselor at West High School in Manchester for 10 years. I was lucky enough to work with really great faculty and students that helped me shape who I am as an educator.”

After counseling at West High School for so many years, Doherty wanted something different. She didn’t just pick a new school that she wanted to work at randomly, Doherty had some requirements she wanted to fulfill. 

“I was feeling ready for a change,” Doherty said. “If I was to make such a big change I wanted a place that was academically rigorous, held high expectations of students and staff, and had a lot of school spirit. Londonderry High School checked off all of those boxes and then some!”

As a new staff member to the school, Doherty doesn’t know many students or staff. In order for her to get to know her students and for her students to get to know her, she will be organizing times for her students to come see her. She wants them to feel comfortable and to make appointments with her whenever needed.

“I am most excited about meeting new people and getting to know my new students,” Doherty said. “Everyone has a story to tell and I love listening to them! I will be setting up ‘get to know me’ meetings to help students carve out their plan for next year.”

Not only does Doherty want to get to know the people around her, she wants them to get to know her as well. Doherty says she is a “great advocate for her students” because she likes to “keep it real with them by being honest and straightforward.” Being in a new school environment, she wants to see what she can accomplish with her students. She has some goals that she wants to start off the year with.

“The first goal I have is working with the seniors to understand what their plans are for life after high school,” Doherty said.  “It’s difficult for them to get to know a new counselor during their senior year and on top of that only being in school every other day.”

There are many more goals Doherty wants to achieve with her students, but she is already so proud of how well they are managing through these uncertain times.

“This school year is so different from any other year we have been through, but I am constantly amazed at the resilience of students, they are the ones that inspire me,” Doherty said. “Come and see me! I can’t wait to meet everyone!”