Casteel Counseling Corner
May 2021
Congratulations soon to be graduates!
Counseling Department Updates:
RAMP
The RAMP designation, awarded for aligning with the criteria in the ASCA National Model, recognizes schools committed to delivering a data-informed school counseling program and an exemplary educational environment.
The RAMP vision began in 2015 with Mrs. Lundberg. Mrs. Lundberg wanted CCHS to have an "uncommon" counseling department. With her vision and the support of Mr. Phillips, our department took steps to make this goal a reality. Over the last two years our department worked hard to implement and apply for this designation. We are so appreciative of our administrators and board member who supported us through this process.
To view the official press release click here.
Safe School Ambassador (SSA) Training
The Safe School Ambassadors® Program (SSA) is an evidence-based program that harnesses the power of students to prevent and stop bullying and mistreatment.
The SSA Program is a student-centered model that educates diverse social leaders with the skills to prevent and reduce bullying. It is the nation’s most effective student-led bullying prevention program.
The Safe School Ambassadors® Program relies on the “inside-out” approach to improving school climate. Student bystanders see, hear, and know things adults don’t, can intervene in ways adults can’t and are often on the scene of an incident before an adult.
The Safe School Ambassadors® Program harnesses the power of the socially influential leaders of a school’s diverse cliques; the ones who shape the social norms that govern other students’ behavior. These leaders are carefully identified through student and staff surveys. They are selected based upon specific criteria, such as: strong position and influence in their peer group, good communication skills, and a history of standing up for friends.
The recruited students participate in a two-day interactive training along with several adults who serve as program mentors. The training gives student Ambassadors the skills and tools to resolve conflicts, defuse incidents, and support isolated and excluded students. After the training, small group meetings of Ambassadors are held every few weeks. These meetings, led by the adult mentors, provide time for strengthening skills, support data collection and analysis of Ambassador interventions, and help sustain student and adult commitment to the program.
80% of trained Ambassadors report a gain in confidence and competence in their ability to intervene and speak up when they witness bullying, harassment and cyber-bullying in their school.
Summer School 2021
Summer school registration is now open. Students must be approved by their counselor to take a course.
Once a counselor approves a student for a summer school course, an auto-generated email will be sent to the parent with steps to complete registration and payment (if applicable). Please be sure to check your junk the email will come from, CUSD Campus No Reply campus@smtp3.cusd80.com Students are NOT registered for summer school unless the parent has completed this step.
Credit Advancement: Students who desire to take a course to get ahead.
- Chandler Online Academy Summer Session 1: June 1-June 18
- Chandler Online Academy Summer Session 2: June 21-July 9
- $180/course
- 4 courses (2 per session) maximum
- Fee MUST be paid the Friday before the session starts
- Online summer school courses are intense and a time commitment. Students can expect to spend up to 4 hours a day for each .5 credit they are taking. The grade that the student earns in this course will be listed on their transcript. If a student chooses to drop the course after the withdrawal deadline, they will receive an F on their transcript. Please choose courses wisely.
- Registering for a summer school course will not reduce the number of classes you will be required to take during the school year. 7th-10th grade students will still need to take 6 credits of courses each semester. 12th graders will still need to take at least 4 credits each semester.
- Counselors encourage students to use summer school as an opportunity to take courses for credit recovery or grade replacement, or to take elective courses such as PE and Health to free up other elective opportunities that they can take during the school year.
- For more information about session dates and withdrawal policies please click here https://www.cusd80.com/domain/4496
- Once you have decided on a course, please email your school counselor with the specific course you would like to take and which session.
Grade Replacement: students who want to retake a course to earn a higher grade.
- Chandler Online Academy Summer Session 1: June 1-June 18
- Chandler Online Academy Summer Session 2: June 21-July 9
- If the course was taken prior to the 2020-21 school year the cost is $180
- If the course was taken during the 2020-21 school year the cost is FREE
High School Summer Academy-Credit Recovery Only: students who failed a course and need to retake it for credit.
- Monday, June 7th- Friday, June 25th
- FREE
- Utilize CUSD digital curriculum with an optional in-person lab setting located at Chandler High School
- 2 courses maximum (Morning/Afternoon)
- Free breakfast and lunch
- Transportation to Chandler High School is not available
SAVE THE DATE: COLT DAYS
12th/11th grades: Tuesday, July 13th
10th/9th grades: Wednesday, July 14th
8th/7th grades: Thursday, July 15th
More information will be emailed and posted on our website. https://www.cusd80.com/Domain/8118
UPDATES FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS:
Senior Class of 2021
Arizona FAFSA Challenge -Outstanding FAFSA Performance award for the 2020-2021 school year
We are pleased to announce that Casteel High School has earned the Arizona FAFSA Challenge -Outstanding FAFSA Performance award for the 2020-2021 school year. CCHS has accomplished an incredible feat by achieving a 56.3% FAFSA completion rate as of April 2, 2021, ranking 4th highest FAFSA completion rate within the state among our large schools.
Thank you Mrs. Johnson, Ms. Connolly and our CKG Ambassadors for all your hard work!
Attention incoming seniors (Class of 2022)
Casteel HS has been selected to pilot the Ask Benji program for College Success Arizona. Due to COVID, we were unable to start last year, so we are moving forward this year! Information on this program will be given to current juniors during American History classes the week of May 17th.
Ask Benji is a FAFSA chatbot powered by AI, and is a texting program, no downloaded app or online signup required. Students or parents text in FAFSA questions and Benji will give real time, expert FAFSA help 24-7. This will become very helpful come October, when FAFSA opens. We will also be able to send reminder texts to students regarding FAFSA and other college related information.
UPDATES FROM THE COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER:
Need help with College and Career Planning? You can now SCAN the counseling department's QR CODE to let Ms. Connolly know you have questions or that you would like to meet with her. Just select her name and she will receive an email.
You can also reach her by email connolly.keri@cusd80.com or by phone at 480-424-8211. She is happy to answer your questions regarding post secondary planning.
Check out the College and Career Center website which has tons of information and resources. Please check it out. https://www.cusd80.com/domain/10941
College and Career News:
Senior Awards Night
Senior Awards Night will be held May 5, 2021 at 7:30pm at Joel Wirth Stadium.
Community Service Hours
Please log all of your 5.5 Community Service Hours by May 4th, totals will be turned into the District at that time and 5.5 pins will be presented to those who met the challenge. Click here to submit your hours.
Summer Opportunities/Ideas
Did you know summer activities can push your college application to the “yes” pile?
Colleges want to see that you are committed to extracurriculars throughout the school year, but they also love it when you are making the effort to expand and stretch yourself over summer vacation. What you do with your time can help you stand out from other applicants who have similar test scores and GPAs.
Check out these summer activity ideas that are fun, creative, and will make admissions officers take notice.
Participate in a specialized high school program
Specialized summer programs are held on college campuses all over the country. At MIT Launch, students start real companies. Students at UCLA’s Mock Trial Summer Institute train in public speaking and learn how attorneys prepare a case for trial. And the National Student Leadership Conference offers programs on campuses like Harvard Medical School and Georgia Tech, where students explore a future career, develop leadership skills, and get a taste of college life.
Take a college class
Many colleges offer summer programs where high school students come to campus to take courses and live in the dorms. Taught by real college professors, these classes are extremely competitive for high school students and require an application (with letters of recommendation). Start looking now!
Create your own project
Turn your interests and talents into your own summer-long project. A few ideas: Form a garage band with some musically-inclined friends and practice with local gigs. Teach yourself how to program. Practice your creative writing and submit your work to journals that publish high school students.
Get a job
Colleges are impressed when students have jobs, whether they are working for family income or just for fun. Your work history demonstrates your initiative and responsibility. Please check out the Job Board, just outside the Career Center for job opportunities.
Volunteer in your community
Colleges would rather see continuity and commitment to a community service activity instead of a bunch of one-offs. Start now, and volunteer two hours a week through your senior year. For example, you could visit residents at nursing homes a few days a week. Or, spend your Saturday mornings feeding animals at the animal shelter.
Start your SAT or ACT test prep
Summer is a great time to explore the ACT vs SAT, practice for the PSAT, or ramp up your study schedule. Pick up a prep book, take an online prep course, or find a test prep tutor to help you manage your time. Test prep keeps your brain active so you’re in tiptop shape to head back to school in the fall.
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2021!
We wish you the very best!
UPDATES FROM THE JUNIOR HIGH COUNSELORS:
Summer School for Junior High Students
The district is recommending summer school for junior high students who received a D or F in a core class. Please email your student’s counselor if you have questions or would like your student to take a summer school course. You will be receiving information via email if your student is being recommended to take a summer school course.
Ms. Glascom (A-Ki) Glascom.elizaeth@cusd80.com
Mrs. Cunico(Kl-Z) Cunico.christy@cusd80.com
Colt Connection
If you had a child who started school this semester, they were probably helped by one of our Colt Connection students. What is Colt Connection?
- It is a group of caring Casteel students who like to help others.
- After the new year has started, if we have a new student to Casteel, we pair them up with a CC student who has the same lunch.
- New students are shown around and plans are made to meet them during lunch so they have someone to help them adjust to a new school and make connections with other students.
- If your child is interested in being a Colt Connection member for next year, please have them reach out to Ms. W in the front office.
UPDATES FROM THE SOCIAL WORKER:
Parent Presentation: "LIKE"
"LIKE" - A Documentary about the impact of social media on our youth. Tuesday, May 4 from 6:30 pm 8:00 pm.
Registration is quick and easy. Just click below: https://us02web.zoom.us/.../reg.../WN_sRXXTgwMTjO6971EpyGgyQ
Healthy Relationships Podcast
Brenda Vargas, Director of Counseling and Social Services, speaks with Lizette Roeder and Samantha Hinchey from Arizona Domestic Violence Coalition regarding teens and healthy relationships.
Department of Counseling and Social Services: Parent Newsletter May 2021
Staff Spotlight!
Mrs. Shropshire is the "OG" of the counseling team as she helped open Casteel High School in 2015. Mrs. Shropshire is finishing her 18th year as a School Counselor. She was born and raised in Arizona and attended Marcos de Niza High School in Tempe. GO PADRES! She graduated from Northern Arizona University with a Bachelors of Science in Psychology with a Minor in Family Studies. GO JACKS! She then attended Arizona State University and graduated with a Masters of Counseling. GO DEVILS! She worked for 5 years at Fees Middle School (now named Fees College Preparatory Middle School ) in Tempe and worked 7 years at Payne Jr. High School before becoming a Casteel Colt. She loves spending time with her family and has a guilty pleasure of watching reality TV.
OUR DEPARTMENT MISSION
Email: waaramaa.stephanie@cusd80.com
Website: https://www.cusd80.com/domain/6833
Phone: 480-424-8116
Facebook: facebook.com/CCHS Counseling/College & Career Center
Twitter: @cchs_career