Counselor Mrs. Laurie Brant joined Jesuit High School Sacramento this year after working for Apollo High School in San Jose for nine years. As a counselor, she will assist students in their preparation for college.

Mrs. Brant became a counselor to make sure every student has a reliable figure to support them. 

“The main reason I went into counseling was because when I was in high school I kind of fell off track myself,” Mrs. Brant said. “I didn’t have anybody there for me, and I really wish there had been someone, so I don’t want to ever have a kid feel like I felt. That’s what drove me into counseling.”  

As a counselor for Apollo High School, Mrs. Brant filled numerous roles, but at Jesuit her focus has shifted to college preparation.

“It seems like primarily my job now is college counseling, which is new for me because before, I did a variety of things,” Mrs. Brant said. “I did what your wellness center does, I also did what your [Academic Support Center] does, I also did what your dean’s office does, and then I was a counselor on top of that, so to have the huge support team here at Jesuit is definitely new to me.”

One of Mrs. Brant’s fellow counselors, Ms. Lacy King, shows her eagerness to have Mrs. Brant as a member. 

“We are really excited to have her,” Ms. King said. “She’s a great addition to our team and seems to fit in really well with the group of women that we have here.”

Mrs. Brant worked in very stressful environments before she came to Jesuit. Principal Dr. Michael Wood ’99 believes that those experiences have prepared her well for her job at Jesuit.

“She knows so many different elements of the work, and she was working with a challenging community,” Dr. Wood said. “[She worked at a] community that had some gang impact, so she brings an experience of empathy, of understanding, of having to be all things to all people. She’s just done the work, so bringing that to our group is excellent.”

As the school year starts, Mrs. Brant hopes to build a deeper connection with the students by exercising three specific principles.

“Compassion, transparency and honesty.” Mrs. Brant said. “I feel like to build [relationships] I need to be honest and transparent. And I think once those things are in place, then students are comfortable to share what’s going on or to ask questions.”

With over a decade of experience in a variety of roles, Mrs. Brant is a great addition to Jesuit. Through compassion, transparency, and honesty, she looks to make her mark.