Over the years, our University Counselling team has continued to grow, reflecting the school’s commitment to and investment in the right resources and people to ensure our students benefit from personalized attention and support. In the fall of 2022, York welcomed a third university counsellor to our team to help balance the workload and provide greater individualized attention to each and every student.

Leading this team as the Director of University Counselling is Sarah Bauld, a former high school English Teacher who was hired by the school’s founder, Barbara Goodwin-Zeibots, back in 1998 to teach Grade 4. 

“Even though I was out of my comfort zone, having never taught students that young before, I was drawn to the cozy vibe of the school and the community,” recalls Sarah, who went on to teach a variety of grades across the Junior, Middle and Senior schools before landing in the role of Extended Essay Coordinator for Grade 11 students and School Librarian. It was in that position that Sarah solidified her passion for helping students unlock their potential to achieve the goals they set for themselves.

Today, Sarah draws on all that experience when working with her colleagues Juliana Agostino, Aga Maksimowska, and Vicky Diano to prepare students as they embark on the next stage of their journey. The counsellors get to know each student as an individual so they can understand their interests and strengths, and help them identify programs and post-secondary environments where they will thrive. The next step is to decide which schools to apply to, a list that will include schools where the student has a high chance of acceptance and others that are more aspirational.

Together the counsellors help students manage the application process by planning well ahead of time to meet requirements and stay on top of deadlines, as well as making themselves available to students for regular check-ins and strategy meetings. Once the applications are underway, the counsellors help students fine-tune their essays and personal statements, and review all of the materials prior to submission.

“You cannot do this job without a heightened sense of empathy, and I know that we all have that here,” Sarah explains.“I tell students to keep their mind curious and to look for touchstones. It can be a stressful time but we have their back. We get to know the students on an individual level and we encourage them to dig deep in order to draw out the stories that best illustrate their authentic self.”