Meet Our Counselors

Hello PHS Tigers!  I'm Mr. Filippone, School Counselor at Princeton High School.  What you may not know, is that I originally started out wanting to be a Middle School Math Teacher!  During college, I also served as a substitute teacher in both middle and high school.  After graduating from college, I continued on to becoming a counselor and never looked back.

I am a husband and father of two children, two cats, and a dog, so I have a very full house!  Growing up, my favorite sports to play were basketball and baseball, and my favorite sport to watch is definitely football.  I am a diehard Jets fan that truly bleeds green, and my emotions can oftentimes be dictated by a win or a loss!

Throughout middle school and high school, the main extracurricular activity that had the greatest impact on my life was being a part of the band program.  I started with the clarinet in middle school, and progressed into high school playing the bass clarinet, contrabass clarinet, and even a little tenor sax.  I also held a job at a card and gift store in the mall for much of high school and during college breaks, where I learned the value of a dollar, customer service, how to wrap gifts, how to set up a display case, and a little too much about Beanie Babies…

As a result of these experiences, I have a love and an appreciation for the arts, sports, dedication, hard work, and family.  And I am proud and happy to be a part, and to have you as a part, of our family at PHS!
 

Hi! My name is Mrs. Kyle Pugliese and this is my 8^th year working at Princeton High School as a School Counselor- time really does fly! I’m a born and raised Jersey girl as I have family located all over the state, but I have personally made Mercer County my true home. I have a wonderful family who I’m extremely close with, as well as a husband and new Aussiedoodle puppy who I love dearly and look to spend as much time with as possible. I also have an adoring group of girlfriends who are always up for grabbing a cup of coffee or going for a walk. I host a “ladies’ brunch” at my house at least once a month to make sure we spend quality time together. 

I am an extremely active, sporty person and I find my favorite moments are spent outdoors: whether I’m hiking through the Sourland Mountains, riding my road bike through Hopewell Township, reading a good book at the beach, competing in 5K’s or half-marathons or just enjoying the sunshine on a lunchtime walk. Health, wellness and the outdoors are some of my passions and I’m always reading articles, listening to podcasts, or conversing with others about these topics. 

I love to travel and explore new places as often as time allows. My husband and I love to do road trips to explore various places across the United States. This past year we travelled to Jackson Hole, Yellowstone National Park and Montana to hike, kayak and see some amazing wildlife- it was one of my favorite trips ever! One of my personal goals is to see as many US National Parks as possible…preferably travelling by an airstream trailer. Overall, I’m an outgoing, happy, genuine person who appreciates strong relationships and looks to never take the simple moments in life for granted.  

PaulSong@princetonk12.org
609.806.4282 x 3537

9th Grade: Eld-Ke
10th Grade: Eld-Ke
11th Grade: Et-Ht
12th Grade: Gs-K

My name is Paul Song and I grew up in the Bronx with my family of six, surrounded by the richness of urban culture. It was impossible to walk around the neighborhood without being exposed to graffiti art, watching b-boys break dancing on pieces of cardboard, and listening to local deejays scratching records at block parties. These experiences had a major influence on me. Even to this day, I am an avid collector of vinyl records and still love mixing them on my old Technics turntables. 
 
Some of my favorite memories as a kid include riding on the subways with my friends to watch games at Yankees Stadium and imitating our favorite players on the street playing stickball. I also enjoyed going to South Korea during the summers to spend time with my relatives and really learning about my roots. My family eventually moved to NJ when I was in high school. I believe that the mix of my urban/suburban familiarities is a great asset for my students. 
 
I attended Rutgers College where I met my wife and graduated with a degree in psychology. We have two young boys who keep us on our toes. Having children of my own has completely changed my perspective on working with students and has allowed me to relate on a much deeper level with parents. I also hold two Masters in School Counseling and Educational Administration. Over the course of my career in public education, I have had the pleasure of serving as an elementary school teacher, middle school science teacher, and now as a high school counselor. I am truly grateful to be a member of the Princeton Community and look forward to helping your child to pursue their dreams. 

RebeccaMcEvoy@princetonk12.org
609.806.4282 x 3534

9th Grade: Kf-Mz
10th Grade: Kf-Moq
11th Grade: Hu-Lil
12th Grade: L-Mo

I love traveling, entertaining, decorating (and re-decorating) and spending quality time with family and friends.  Born in Princeton, NJ, I currently reside in Lawrenceville with my husband (Mr. McEvoy from JW), and our two children, Ellie and Parker.  Before earning my graduate degree in School Counseling and coming to PHS, I was a sales representative for eight years at Macmillan Publishers.  I love working with my students and families at PHS.  They make every day a new adventure! 

PauloVelasco@princetonk12.org
609.806.4282 x3532

9th Grade: N-Q
10th Grade: Mor-Q
11th Grade: Lim-Pal
12th Grade: Mp-Re

I am proudly entering my 14^thyear as a school counselor at Princeton High School. This professional role has given me the opportunity to work with students, families, staff and the community of Princeton High School. 

I am originally from California but have spent most of my life in New Jersey. I attended Rutgers University and hold a Master’s Degree in School Counseling. 

On my free time, I enjoy spending time with my family. I love every second of being a dad to my three incredible children. I particularly enjoy hiking, reading, listening to music, playing soccer, and cooking – especially making sourdough bread. 

I am grateful to be a part of such an incredible school district. Princeton High School has a dedicated community of people that are constantly working together in an effort to support the healthy development of students.

ReyhanGarcia@princetonk12.org
609.806.4282 x 3573

9th Grade: R-S
10th Grade: R-S
11th Grade: Pam-Sta
12th Graded: Rf-Ta

Hi! I’m Mrs. Garcia. If you happen to be one of my students, you might stop by my office and notice a little bit of Disney theming. That’s because I love all things Disney—Disney World, Disney movies, and anything Disney-owned. Fun Fact: I’ve taken a total of 20 trips to Disney on two separate continents and I don’t plan on stopping any time soon! I don’t know how many times I’ve gotten wrapped up in a conversation where a student and I discuss our favorite Marvel movies and characters. I also greatly enjoy writing traditional forms of poetry. I prefer to work within the structure of meter and rhyme. You might find a different poem of mine on my whiteboard whenever you come and visit. Now that you know a little about me, I look forward to continuing to get to know all my students and their families throughout their time at Princeton High School! 

I'm a certified buffalo chicken wing and chips & salsa eater. I'm currently working toward earning my degree in guacamole eating as well!  I can eat these foods at any time on any day.  Breakfast, lunch dinner, it doesn't matter.  I love my spice!

I'm the mother of two sons ages 24 and 21.  They are the LOVE of my life and by default have made me an avid Yankees and Miami Dolphins fan.  I like baseball and football, but  I think I like the team colors more than the sports themselves.

I have been married for 26 years to the man of my dreams.  I met him when I was 15 years old. He's my high school sweetheart!

I love to cook and my guilty pleasure is watching 8 episodes in a row of the Pioneer Woman on Food Network.  There's something really relaxing about watching someone cook decadent food on a ranch in the middle of no where.

I have 12 godchildren.  You might say I love kids and that makes me love my job as a counselor at PHS. I've been here for 11 years and I can't imagine working any where else.

Please come visit me!  I'd love to get to know you!