At Pine Crest School, student success isn’t measured solely by grades or college acceptance letters. It’s measured by confidence, independence, resilience and a sense of belonging. It’s found in the quiet moments, a child learning to read with joy, a teen organizing their thoughts after a hard day or a student walking into a room full of peers who understand their grief.
These moments are the heartbeat of the Educational Support Services department, a newly formalized but long-evolving part of the School led by Executive Director Dr. Krista (O’Connell) Promnitz ’97. For nearly two decades, Pine Crest has offered academic and wellness support through the Learning Network, Division-based counseling, accommodations guidance and social emotional education. Under the leadership of Dr. Dana Markham ’18H, these services have grown from stand-alone initiatives into something more cohesive, collaborative and powerful.
“We’ve always supported what we call our ‘high-touch’ kids, those with something exceptional happening in their lives,” said Dr. Promnitz. “But over time, Dr. Markham helped us see the need to shift from putting out fires to preventing them. What started as individual programs is now a unified, strategic approach.”
The Department brings together a team of specialists, including learning and literacy experts, speech and occupational therapists, social-emotional professionals, doctoral interns and more. They meet regularly, talk often and share insights to ensure that no child falls through the cracks. Together, they help students from pre-kindergarten through grade twelve build the skills and confidence they need to succeed both in and out of the classroom.
Much of their work begins early, especially in reading. Through tailored intervention in the earliest grades, students close gaps quickly and build independence sooner. “Reading and literacy are foundational here,” Dr. Promnitz explained. “When we intervene early and with purpose, we’re not just helping students keep up, we’re giving them the tools to move forward on their own.”
But the Department’s work goes far beyond academics. Executive functioning support is a growing need, especially as students face increased demands in Middle and Upper School. While time management and organization are part of the equation, they’re only at the surface. “We’re also talking about prioritization, emotional regulation, resilience, self-advocacy and task initiation,” she said. “These aren’t soft skills. They’re essential, and they’re teachable.”
One of the most powerful examples of the Department’s impact is the student-led grief group that formed last year.
Pine Crest’s counseling team began tracking students who had experienced the loss of a parent. That list quickly expanded to include caregivers, anyone who played a central role in a student’s life. What began as a modest attempt to support a handful of students grew faster than anyone anticipated.
“We realized these students weren’t just individuals dealing with loss,” said Dr. Promnitz. “They were part of a community, and we hadn’t connected the dots yet.”
One student helped make that connection. After her father passed away, she was overwhelmed by how many peers—some friends, many not, attended his funeral. They were not there because of social obligation, but because they understood. They had experienced their own grief and wanted her to know she wasn’t alone.
“She came to us and asked if she and another student could create a formal group to support more students,” Dr. Promnitz said. “And with Dr. Markham’s full support, we said yes. One hundred percent yes.”
What followed was a student-led, faculty-supported grief group unlike anything the school had seen. The School’s wellness specialist worked closely with the two student leaders to shape the group’s structure and purpose. Meetings began in a private, welcoming space on campus, courtesy of Mrs. Kolettis, who offered her room without hesitation. “‘You just tell me when you need it,’” Dr. Promnitz recalled her saying, adding “‘I’ll even bring snacks!’”
From those meetings, a mentoring program was born. Upper School students began meeting with Lower School students on both campuses who had experienced loss—not to counsel them, but to show them what it looks like to be okay. Sometimes they talk. Sometimes they shoot hoops or work on homework. Always, they show up. “The goal was simple,” said Dr. Promnitz, “to make sure younger students didn’t feel alone.”
The program is expanding into Middle School this fall.
For Dr. Promnitz, the power of the group lies in its authenticity. “This isn’t happening in most schools,” she said. “It’s student-driven, and it’s deeply human. These students are finding glimmers of light in the hardest moments and they’re choosing to share that light with others.”
“It’s hard to describe how powerful it is,” she said. “This is joy built from pain. These students are teaching us how to live in a community and how to lead with empathy.”
The Department’s work is deeply embedded in the life of the School. From weekly wellness team meetings in each division to short-term executive functioning programs in Middle School and targeted academic tutoring in Upper School, the goal is always to help students build skills and move forward. “We support students for as long as they need us, with the aim of helping them develop the skills to move forward on their own,” Dr. Promnitz said.
In the fall of 2020, Dr. Markham established a partnership with Nova Southeastern University, hosting Doctoral interns for their practical work. Doctoral interns in school psychology gain hands-on experience with Pine Crest students, offering school-based counseling, executive functioning support and assessment services.
But the relationship is far from one-sided. For Pine Crest, hosting doctoral interns means having access to advanced professional development opportunities typically reserved for university faculty. The Educational Support Services team participates in Nova’s workshops, attends lectures by expert speakers and benefits from updated training in assessment and intervention techniques. This ongoing exchange ensures that Pine Crest professionals are continually evolving alongside the latest practices in child development and educational psychology.
As interns graduate and enter private practice, they carry with them a deep understanding of the School’s culture, structure and expectations, making them ideal partners for families seeking outside support.
“We’ve had interns go on to open their own practices locally,” Dr. Promnitz shared. “When we refer a family to them, we know they truly understand what it means to thrive at Pine Crest. They can say, ‘I’ve worked there and I get it.’ That kind of context is invaluable.”
Next year, the partnership will grow even further, with the addition of graduate students in speech and language pathology from Florida International University. This expansion reflects the Department’s commitment to continual growth, not just for students, but for the practitioners who support them.
As Dr. Promnitz reflected on the year, she returned to a favorite moment. She had joined a pre-kindergarten group led by a social skills specialist. “The students were teaching me how to listen with my whole body,” she said. “Eyes, ears, shoulders, even toes. It was adorable, but also deeply effective. These children can now explain and model what active listening looks like. That’s a real skill.”
At Pine Crest, student support is not a side offering. It is integral to the mission. It is diagnostic, individualized, strategic and full of heart. In Dr. Promnitz’s words: “There’s nothing soft about what’s going on here. This is the work of helping kids grow into who they are meant to be.”