We would like to let you know that Ms. Bonnie Bertoia, the Middle School Counselor, is currently on an extended leave of absence until the end of the school year. Ms. Bertoia has returned to Canada to care for her mother who is very ill.
During Ms. Bertoia’s absence, we will be receiving support from Mr. Chris Anderson until May 26 and from Ms. Colleen Hsu from May 29 through the end of the school year. We are grateful to have support from these two professionals as the end of the year can be such a busy (and emotional) time for our middle school students.
Mr. Anderson has spent most of the 2016-2017 school year in the SSIS High School, first as a volunteer and then as a counselor while Ms. Erin Hawken was on maternity leave. Mr. Anderson earned his bachelor’s degree from Pacific Lutheran University, and a master’s degree from the University of Denver. He is currently enrolled in the MBA program at Colorado State University. Prior to moving abroad, he spent 12 years working in university admissions. Mr. Anderson moved to Vietnam with his husband who works for Nike, Inc., and their Welsh Corgi dog named Cookie.
Ms. Hsu has recently joined the SSIS community along with her husband Mr. Hsu, who is a high school math teacher, and their two young children. With two children in elementary school and serving as a substitute teacher, Ms. Hsu has also been a familiar face around campus. She is currently completing her Masters of Arts in School Counseling at Adams State University. She received her Bachelors of Arts in Neuroscience from Mount Holyoke College. Ms. Hsu developed a deep interest in school counseling while supporting her own elementary-aged children socially, emotionally and academically especially in connection to their schooling. Prior to moving to SSIS, Ms. Hsu and her family were in Delhi, India where they lived for three years.
If you need to contact counseling services, please feel free to either email Mr. Anderson at canderson@ssis.edu.vn or Ms. Hsu at chsu@ssis.edu.vn. You can also email me at msprincipal@ssis.edu.vn, and I can make sure your email gets to the correct person.
