Meet Thomas Bousquet: Dean Of Students For Stonington Middle Schools

Following in the footsteps of his father, Thomas Bousquet, chose a career in education and despite his young years has been teaching, counseling and directing for eight years, four of them in Stonington. 

Originally from Chicopee Massachusetts, Bousquet attended Westfield State University majoring in special education and psychology. From there he attended Cambridge College earning a master's degree in school counseling before attending Elms College for a sixth year, this time concentrating in special education. But it doesn’t end there; Bousquet also earned his School Administrator Certification, which brings him to his current position as Dean of Students at and Middle Schools.

“It is something I’ve always wanted but didn’t expect it to come, ” said Bousquet of his .

With his boyish good looks, Bousquet admits to some teasing about his age but when he talks about his work he is very serious.

“The biggest key to success is to be able to relate to the kids no matter what your age,” Bousquet said. “You need to show you are a professional and establish yourself…. you can tell who’s genuine.” 

Bousquet thinks Stonington is a great district and values the team approach to education including character education, which he said is “teaching kids to do the right thing.”  

But challenges are different now with the influence of social media, which Bousquet refers to as a “double-edged sword, “ because along with opportunity, Facebook, and text messaging brings a new kind of bullying,” of which he is well aware.

The computer makes kids bolder than if they were bullying face to face, it makes them “braver,” Bousquet said.

While Bousquet said he enjoys working with students of all ages what he said is “interesting and intriguing about a middle school kid is that you can mold them.”  He said they are developing habits to shape the person they will become and “you can have a big impact on them.” 

In 2007 Bousquet was hired as a guidance counselor at Mystic Middle School.

“It was a big change for me,” said Bousquet of the 450 kids under his charge. But despite not thinking he would be able to remember everybody, he said, “I was able to connect with the kids quickly, and was very busy in a good way.” 

After two years he moved to the high school as a guidance counselor and co-director of guidance with Allison Van Etten. Besides counseling students he was responsible for PSAT’s, SAT’s and AP testing, college fairs, parent nights and all scheduling. This past year he was sole the director of guidance. 

The difference with high school students, said Bousquet is that a lot of their personality is already formed and though not set in stone, they are more mature and have an idea of who they are.

“Right from the start they have a goal of who they are going to become and how they are going to get there,” said Bousquet. Their lives, he said are involved with college plans, career plans and a lot of other opportunities to investigate. 

Bousquet replaces Greg Keith who has accepted a position as Principal of Ledyard Center School.

Tom Bousquet and Mystic Middle School Principal Jennifer McCurdy are holding a Welcome Back Open House on Thursday August 25, 2011 for Mystic Middle School families. Join them at Mystic Middle School in the Cafeteria from 6 p.m. to 7 p.m.