The counseling program at Owyhee-Harbor works in harmony with the philosophy of the Harbor Method.  We work hard together to provide a safe harbor for all children and strive to bring harmony and acceptance of who we are and what we can become.  I teach a classroom lesson every week in your child’s classroom.  The teachers and I also focus on a different character trait each month and spend the month focusing a little more heavily on that trait.  The chosen traits for this year are citizenship, responsibility, determination, honesty, tolerance, cooperation, compassion, respect, and self-discipline. I provide small group counseling, brief individual therapy, parent and staff consulting, a mentor program, money for those families that are struggling, and access to Operation School Bell.

Schedule: Owyhee-Harbor: Monday through Thursday | Horizon: Friday

Focus areas: 

• Classroom guidance: Weekly lessons
• Small groups: Open ended support groups
• Individual work with students: Short term and by request
• Mentoring: Bi-monthly for those students involved.
• Other: Owyhee-Harbor Walking Club gives children a chance to relax and exercise at lunch by walking the perimeter of the field in a friendly, accepting environment,  Distances will be totaled and rewards given.

Mary E.L. Baker M.Ed.

Educational background and experience: Masters degree from Seattle Pacific University, 24 yrs as a K-12 counselor.

Outside of school I keep busy in several different venues.  To satisfy my love of travel I work as a ticket and gate agent for Frontier Airlines.  As a life-long musician I keep a steady stream of classical music running in my office and am involved in several musical groups playing the euphonium.  (What is that you ask?  A tenor tuba.)  I play in Big Brass, Inc., Treasure Valley Concert Band, All-Campus Band, and the Boise School District Faculty Orchestra.  I grew up playing and performing on the organ.  My other interests include water and snow skiing, snow shoeing, lake kayaking, exercising, wake skating and surfing, reading, and riding my bike.

To email the counselor please use the following convention:
firstname.lastname@boiseschools.org (mary.baker)

For more information about our District's Counseling program:
District Counseling Department | Classroom Guidance Units | Small Groups
Parent Education | Individual Student Counseling & Parent/Staff Consultation