Drew Farrell will have a new role at Rice as our Wellness Counselor. We believe Rice is the first high school in the state to have a Wellness Counselor, a role that is vital to supporting the whole student. Mr. Farrell will carry a half-time caseload of students as their school counselor and will spend the other half of his time promoting wellness for all students in the Rice community. He will be our lead on mental health and will offer resources and counseling to students and families.

Mr. Farrell has an extensive background in mental health and counseling. He earned a Masters of Divinity from Nazarene Theological Seminary and a Masters of Counseling from Johnson State College. He has served in churches working with teenagers, taught a number of college classes focusing on psychology, substance abuse and counseling, and worked as a Student Assistance Counselor in several public schools before becoming Rice’s Student Assistance Counselor for seven years. Furthermore, Mr. Farrell has worked in both a private practice as a psychotherapist for adults and in a community clinic for teens dealing with substance abuse and mental health challenges.  Mr. Farrell is also the father of four children and understands the challenges parents face as well as the pressures teens experience in today’s culture. We’re glad to be able to offer more support for emotional health and managing stress and anxiety, so that students at Rice are better able to focus on learning and growing. 

Over the past year and a half, Ms. Livak has provided students with invaluable support in the Learning Lab, a space created to provide additional academic support. She has offered a range of executive functioning strategies like organization tips and study techniques, as well as cultivating caring, authentic connections with students. We’re excited to announce that the Learning Lab is here to stay as Ms. Livak will continue to be our Learning Lab Coordinator as a full-time Rice employee. 

Ms. Livak holds a Bachelor's Degree in Psychology from Johnson State College as well as a Masters in Counseling with a concentration in school counseling. She worked as a school counselor at Christ The King Burlington for six years. Additionally, she worked at Burlington High School as a para educator for students with intensive needs as well as in Aspire, the supported study hall, and with New Americans and ELL classrooms. She has experience working with students with many different abilities. She will continue to add a wealth of knowledge and support to our Rice academic and Guidance Teams. 

Tyler Barron will be joining the Rice community as a full-time School Counselor this August. Mr. Barron worked at Rice during the 2022-2023 school year while Rachel Rabbin was on maternity leave. He quickly gained the respect of the Guidance Team, administration and staff members and we are so excited to officially call him one of our own! 

Mr. Barron holds a Bachelor's Degree from Clarkson University in Psychology and Social Sciences as well as a Masters Degree in Counseling with a concentration in School Counseling. He worked as a full-time school counselor at Vergennes middle school last year. Prior to becoming a school counselor, Mr. Barron worked at the Howard Center in the community mental health field in various roles. He brings positive energy and fresh ideas to our team and will be an outstanding addition to our community as well as a valuable resource for our students.