Meet Our Counselors
Sharon DiSebastian
609.806.4282 x3532
My name is Ms. DiSebastian, and I am so excited to be your school counselor at Princeton Middle School.
I have lived in New Jersey nearly my whole life in Princeton Junction, NJ. I am a proud single mom of four children! My educational journey began in Rowan University and The College of New Jersey. I've worked as a preschool teacher, program director, and wrote for local newspapers on the side. During that time, I volunteered for an organization that focused their work with at-risk adolescents in China and Thailand and visited orphanages where children were rescued from human trafficking. My passion for humanities rights and community work led me to running group of local high school students to build a house in Tijuana, Mexico.
It’s through my volunteer work where I found my passion for working with adolescents and went back to TCNJ to get my second master’s, this time in School Counseling. I worked as a high school counselor in the West Windsor school district for two years, before learning of the opportunity at Princeton Middle School, and jumped at the chance as middle school is my favorite age group to work with!
At PMS, my passion is promoting a positive mental health mindset. I am happiest working with students in an individual and/or small group counseling setting. I also assisted in launching teen and adult mentoring programs/groups, am part of the equity team, and leading The Save Promised Club for students. As a mother of a non-binary child, I am a strong advocate for the LGBTQ+ community and hope to connect and continue to educate parents.
In my free time, I also volunteer for Heart + Homes, a local organization where I help furnish apartments for refugees or for those previous homeless. I also enjoy reading fiction, playing board games, hiking or just being in nature, day and weekend trips or just hanging in Princeton with my kids and my friends! I LOVE to travel, am excited to go hiking in the Seattle area this summer. Someday soon I hope to visit South Korea where two of my children are from!
I am so happy to be a part of the Princeton Public Schools community and completely love what I do! I look forward to getting to know you this year!
Vanessa Bernal
7th Grade Counselor
VanessaBernal@princetonk12.org
609.806.4270
Hello PMS! My name is Mrs. Bernal (she/her) and I look forward to being your school counselor during your time in middle school!
I have been an educator over the last 12 years in various positions. I pursued my undergraduate degrees in Education and Global Studies. My research in Global Studies granted me a scholarship to continue my studies abroad. I lived in Spain for a short time and have always valued my experience there. I met some incredible people along the way and importantly - ate delicious food!
My reason for becoming a school counselor is to emphasize on the importance of supporting students social and emotional wellness. I received my M.S.Ed. in Educational Counseling and Leadership from Monmouth University. In 2019, I was named the recipient of Excellence in School Counseling at MU. Students: Don’t hesitate to stop by my office! I recognize the importance of having a safe person at school to confine in when you want to talk about friends, family, school – anything at all. It is my goal to be that person you can reach out to when you need to talk to someone. When I am not in my office, you can find me after-school running the Princeton Middle School Leadership Committee.
I look forward to all the memories we will make together!
Angelo Costagliola
8th Grade Counselor
AngeloCostagliola@princetonk12.org
609.806.4270
Hello PMS Family! My name is Mr. Costagliola (He/Him), and I am proud to be joining you all this school year as one of your school counselors.
I live in Freehold, NJ (Yes, home of Bruce Springsteen) and like Bruce I will always be a music loving and beach going Jersey Boy at heart. For my undergrad school years, I studied English and Digital Communications at Georgian Court University. This is where I developed my interest for two things, understanding the effectiveness of the written/spoken word and comprehending the digital footprint we all leave in an online space. During undergrad, I was able to study in Ireland and make lasting connections and memories along the way (and see some amazing sites of course). Following, I found a passion for understanding all facets of mental health. Which led me to getting my M. Ed in School Counseling from my alma mater Georgian Court University.
My passion for School Counseling comes from my innate want to make positive connections with those around me. I plan on using my skills to best advocate for the needs of all students within PMS. My ultimate goal is to foster a community that thrives on open communication and positive growth for this upcoming school year.
Students: if you need anyone to talk too, I am here for you. Stop in my office at any time. To the parents /guardians, do not hesitate to reach out and express any and all concerns. We are all in this together.
I look forward to working with the entire PMS community to make this a memorable school year. Let’s get to work! Go Tigers!!