We look forward to seeing you in the fall at NWMS! School counselors will return to school in late August and look forward to talking with you then. In the meantime, we know that the world is in a somewhat uncertain place, which can cause stress, worry, and anxiety for many people. We encourage everyone to practice self-care, show kindness to others, and prioritize their mental and emotional health as much as possible. Please see our Covid19 Mental and Emotional Health Resources   page for some resources that may be helpful over the summer. 

School Counseling at North Whidbey

When you need to talk to someone, your school counselor is a great place to start! 

Your NWMS Counselors are here to help you with academic achievement, personal/social development, and career exploration. School counselors work with teachers, principals, and other school staff to help you become successful, responsible students. Counselors also partner with parents and the community to help student needs to be met. 

We are available to listen and help problem-solve, as well as to provide encouragement and support. Come visit us during lunch, or ask your teacher if you may come see us during class with a pass. We also have counselor visit requests on our doors; when you return one of these, we will schedule a time to meet with you. 

Who is my school counselor? For the 2020-2021 School Year:  

• 8th graders: Ms. Jenny Butler jbutler@ohsd.net 360-279-5507
• 7th graders: Ms. Jennifer DePrey jdeprey@ohsd.net 360-279-5506

Students have the same school counselor for both years they are at NWMS. 

How can your school counselor help you? 

• academic support and scheduling
• organizational, study, and test-taking skills
• understanding yourself and others
• regulating emotions
• building coping strategies 
• friendships, relationships, and social skills
• communication, problem-solving, decision-making, and conflict resolution
• career awareness, exploration, and planning
• substance abuse education
• multicultural and diversity awareness
• deployment and military family support
• grief and loss
• violence prevention
• anxiety, stress, anger, depression 
• referrals to other services

Meet Our NWMS Counselors! 

Jenny Butler - 8th Grade  (Class of 2025) 

Ms. Butler graduated from the University of Nebraska with a degree in international relations. She taught conversational English in Japan for two years and toured Asia.  After working for several businesses, Ms. Butler decided to make a career change. She earned a master's in school counseling from Seattle Pacific University. Ms. Butler enjoys working with middle school students and says they have an energy and perspective on life that is refreshing. In her free time, she enjoys mountain biking, hiking, backpacking, fishing and swimming.     

Jennifer DePrey - 7th Grade (Class of 2026)

Ms. DePrey has a Master's degree in counseling from Seattle University and a bachelor's degree in Human Services from Western Washington University. She loves working with middle school students, to help them find their passions, learn about themselves and the world around them, build good academic habits, and grow into life-long learners. Before coming to North Whidbey Middle School, Ms. DePrey worked with high school students in Oak Harbor. Outside of school, Ms. DePrey loves to read, travel, spend time with her friends and family, and listen to or make music.