“I was a little nervous because this is a different position than I’ve normally had.”

This is what Jenna Jesseman, Bellows Free Academy’s new In-School Support (ISS) monitor, said when The Mercury asked about how she felt coming into her new position at Bellows Free Academy.

Jesseman previously worked in Milton and was there for about seven years. She worked in the special education program as a specialist. She worked with kids on the spectrum and those who needed an alternative schedule for the day. Many days they were also working on regulation and coping skills to help improve the students learning

“It’s really rewarding, but It’s also a job that if you don’t take time, mindful time, it can burn you out, which is what happened to me,” Jesseman said. 

When The Mercury asked what made her decide on BFA, Jesseman said, “Where I’m coming from the turnover rate happens like every month, there [are] other employees leaving and coming. Here it’s a completely different atmosphere.” 

When asked about her new position at BFA, Jesseman said, “My goal is to make this space a little bit more approachable and flexible for what each student needs.”  

Jesseman added that her mission is to make the ISS room “a little bit more approachable and flexible for what each student needs.” Students are allowed to go to her room whenever they want if they need a break. For example, a student may want to do their classwork there instead of class, or they just need a short break from their usual school environment. Worst case scenario, a student gets in trouble and has to stay there for the day to process their actions and learn.

“It’s a learning experience and to allow them to move forward feeling like they have support,” Jesseman said.