Staffed by the Assistant Principal, Counselor, and Student Support Coordinator, the Student Support Office (SSO) is Gateway’s hub for meeting daily student needs.
The Gateway Middle School SSO is open from 8:10 AM -4:00 PM every school day. The SSO is available to student drop-in before and after school, as well as during lunch. Students may also access SSO services during the school day by asking for passes from their teachers.
Counseling, both formal and informal, is offered by our licensed MFT Counselor and supported by current university interns.
Planning for the transition to high school is an important part of 8th grade. Students at Gateway Middle School (who reside in San Francisco) have priority to the lottery for our sister school, Gateway High School, and our hope is to work with students and families from 6th grade all the way to 12th grade. Our counselor visits 8th grade Advisories and is available individually to students and families to provide guidance and support through the high school enrollment process. Shadow visits are scheduled with Gateway High School for all 8th graders and information and support is given to students in applying to district, charters, and independent schools.
Invariably, students do occasionally find themselves in conflict with each other. When students need support in resolving a conflict, a staff member from the SSO can help guide students through the restorative process, including having a conference where each student has a voice and takes a part in resolving the issue.
When students have conflict, they may request or a teacher may suggest that they get support from Gateway’s Peer Mediators. 8th graders in the WEB Leadership class receive training in Peer Mediation and work in pairs to come to resolutions and agreements with students who are in conflict.
The SSO is also the place to visit if a student needs an ice pack, needs to call home, or is simply having a rough day and needs a caring adult to talk to.