In response to this year’s large freshman class and the subsequent increase in school population, Los Altos hired a new counselor, Tamesha Wise.

Due to her former experience in working with first generation students, Wise has taken over counseling for all AVID seniors. Wise will also be taking over a portion of students based on last name.

“[Los Altos] hired a new counselor..because they felt that they needed [more] support…and not as many students to the counselor’s caseloads,” Wise said.

Wise previously worked as a case manager at a middle school in San Francisco, an experience which introduced her to counseling and eventually inspired her to get her master’s degree in the subject.

“[I was working with] middle school kids, and I thought that’s all I wanted to do,” Wise said. “But I like high school so much better because [high schoolers] are [better able] to talk and communicate about what’s going on.”

Outside of her job as a school counselor, Wise works at the front desk of a local Marriott hotel.

“I only work maybe once a month, but I’ve been there almost seventeen years,” Wise said. “[The Marriot job] helped me through my grad school.”

A self-proclaimed sports fanatic, Wise enjoys watching the San Francisco 49ers in her free time, as well as hanging out with her six-year-old son, Cameron.

“[Cameron] runs track, he does baseball, he does swimming, he does piano, so I’m very busy with him,” Wise said.

So far, Wise has enjoyed the new experience as a counselor at the school.

“This has been an interesting and exciting experience because it just feels so welcoming and warm…. It really feels like a family, everyone’s supportive. It’s a total different experience than I’ve experienced before, but I’ve been embracing it,” Wise said.