Counselor Corner
Fourth Quarter
2022 SPRING TESTING SCHEDULE
April 6th & 7th - Az SCI for all 8th & 11th graders will complete the Section 2 in their Science class on 4/6 or 4/7 per their individual schedule.
Block day schedule.
April 12th - ACT Aspire & ASSA All students in 7th , 8th, & 9th grade will be testing.
*All others will have a late start beginning at 11:40 am.
Bus pick-up will be 4 hours later than normal. *
**Odd block day**
April 13th - ACT Aspire & ASSA All students in 7th , 8th, & 9th grade will be testing.
*All others will have a late start beginning at 11:40 am.
Bus pick-up will be 4 hours later than normal. *
**Even block day**
AP TESTING WILL GO FROM MAY 2ND THROUGH MAY 18TH
May 25 - Finals for periods 1,3,5 Dismissal at 12:15
May 26 - Finals for periods 2,4,6 Dismissal at 12:15
*LAST DAY OF SCHOOL*
GRADUATION INFORMATION
Graduation will be here before we know it! By now you should have received your graduation information booklet in the mail. It's filled with lots of imperative information. Please see the Pathway to Graduation for important dates. Please contact Brook Constance at constance.brook@cusd80.com if you did not receive your booklet.
We can't wait to celebrate this special time with you.
Awards Night
Tuesday, May 17th -
6pm ~ 11th grade at the Joel Wirth Stadium
7:30pm ~ 12th grade at the Joel Wirth Stadium
Wednesday, May 18th -
5pm ~ 7th/8th grade in the PAC
6pm ~ 9th grade in the PAC
7pm ~ 10th grade in the PAC
DEPARTMENT UPDATES
NEED TO SEE YOUR COUNSELOR?
If you need to report a crisis or safety concern, see Mrs. W. immediately in the front office.
UPDATES FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS
High School Counselors -
Bruce Ireland (Daw-Hog) ireland.bruce@cusd80.com
Rachel O'Brien (Hoh-Mik) obrien.rachel@cusd80.com
Carrie Shropshire (Mil-Sch) shropshire.carrie@cusd80.com
Jessica Burt (Sci-Z) burt.jessica@cusd80.com
NHS APPLICATIONS
Any questions regarding NHS please reach out to Mrs. Grace at grace.sylvia@cusd80.com.
10th Grade ECAP
Education and Career Action Plan (ECAP) Lessons
On Monday, April 11, counselors will be presenting Career Exploration ECAP lessons to sophomore English classes. Students will have the opportunity to take a career assessment and explore career options to help plan and prepare for their chosen post-secondary pathway. Throughout the school year, counselors present different ECAP lessons to each grade level to explore interests, careers, colleges, scholarships and more. It’s important for high schoolers to begin planning their post-secondary career pathway sooner rather than later!
EVIT REGISTRATION IS ONGOING
The 2022-2023 enrollment application has been open since November. Programs close once they reach capacity so please make sure you apply before space runs out. Here is the link to the online application - https://www.evit.com/cms/One.aspx?portalId=20222051&pageId=20598199
When applying online, the following required documents will need to be uploaded to complete the application process (if you need help accessing these documents please email Ms. W. at waaramaa.stephanie@cusd80.com
The documents are - grades, attendance, discipline and immunizations.
SUMMER SCHOOL
This page will be updated once registration opens.
Attending Summer school requires a recommendation from the students counselor.
UPDATES FROM THE JUNIOR HIGH COUNSELORS
Junior High Counselors
Christy Cunico (Kl-Z) cunico.christy@cusd80.com
NJHS APPLICATIONS NOW AVAILABLE
7th & 8th GRADE DANCE & LIP SYNC BATTLE
When: Friday, April 22nd from 5-7pm
Cost: $10 (includes pizza & drink)
Location: Casteel Cafe
Tickets can be purchased through Infinite Campus
How to buy tickets:
-Log in to Parent Portal on Infinite Campus
-Click on the "More" section on the bottom left
-Select "InTouch Fee Payments." You will now be redirected to the "Fee Payment" website
-Select your student.
-Click on "Items at Students School"
-Click on "Jr High Events"
-Select Item
-Check the box for the items to be added to the cart
-Proceed to cart to make payment
8th grade formal
When: Saturday, May 7th from 7-9pm
Cost: $12 (includes dessert & drinks)
Location: Casteel Cafe
Tickets can be purchased through Infinite Campus
In order to be eligible to go, students must be in good standing with no referrals or suspensions and passing grades in quarter 4.
8TH GRADE CELEBRATION FIELD TRIP
When: Thursday, May 12th from 10am - 1pm.
Cost: $28
Students received permission slips and information letter from their Social Studies teacher.
Permission slips and payment are due April 22nd.
In order to be eligible to go, students must be in good standing with no referrals or suspensions and passing grades in quarter 4.
HELPFUL TIPS FOR UPCOMING STATE TESTS
Box Breathing: A Breathing Technique to Focus the Mind
Here’s how you do it:
The Basics:
* On the inhale, expand the belly, then the diaphragm, then the upper chest. On the exhale, let the breath go first from the upper chest, then the ribcage, then the belly. This helps you relearn how to breathe deeply.
* Inhale and exhale solely through the nose.
Steps:
* Inhale for a count of 5.
* Hold the breath for a count of 5.
* Exhale all the breath from the lungs for a count of 5.
* Hold the breath for a count of 5.
* Repeat.
Length: Start with 1-3 minute “spot drills” several times a day before an important test or event. Work up to 5-10 minutes a day.
And that’s it!
To read the full article, click here.
TEST TAKING TIPS
- Get enough sleep the night before the test. Your memory recall will be much better if you've had enough rest. In a scientific study, people who got enough sleep before taking a math test did better than those who stayed up all night studying.
- Listen closely to any instructions. As the teacher hands out the test, be sure you know what's expected of you.
- Read the test through first. Once you have the test paper in front of you, read over the entire test, checking out how long it is and all the parts that you are expected to complete. This will let you estimate how much time you have for each section and ask the teacher any questions. If something seems unclear before you start, don't panic: ask.
- Focus on addressing each question individually. As you take the test, if you don't know an answer, don't obsess over it. Instead, answer the best way you can or skip over the question and come back to it after you've answered other questions.
- Relax. If you're so nervous that you blank out, you might need a mini-break. Of course you can't get up and move around in the middle of a test, but you can wiggle your fingers and toes, take four or five deep breaths, or picture yourself on a beach or some other calm place. As we all know, it can be easy to forget things we know well — like a locker combination. The difference is we know we'll remember our locker combination because we've used it hundreds of times, so we don't panic and the combination number eventually comes back. During a test, if you blank out on something and start to get tense, it suddenly becomes much more difficult to remember.
- Finished already? Although most teachers will let you hand a test in early, it's usually a good idea to spend any extra time checking over your work. You also can add details that you may not have thought you'd have time for. On the other hand, if you have 5 minutes until the bell rings and you're still writing, wind up whatever you're working on without panicking.
To read the full article, click here.
FEED MY STARVING CHILDREN
Casteel’s Safe School Ambassadors participated in a community service project at Feed My Starving Children. This is one of the ways they are helping to better our community and abroad.
UPDATE FROM THE COLLEGE & CAREER CENTER
UPDATES
COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTER UPDATES:
Need help with College and Career Planning? You can 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 connollly.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
Senior Awards Night
Senior Awards Night will be held Tuesday, May 17, 2022 at 7:30pm.
Seniors!!! It’s time to complete your Exit Survey https://www.cusd80.com/Page/100548 and turn in the YELLOW paper to Mrs. Connolly by April 8, 2022.
National College Decision Day is May 1st!
May 1st has been designated as National College Decision Day. This date represents the deadline to submit your acceptance and make a deposit to attend the four-year college or university of your choice.
Once seniors have decided on where they are going to attend, they need to inform the college of choice by sending their acceptance along with a deposit and they will make housing selections.
Spotlight on Scholarships
CGCC Presidents’ Honors Scholarship: High-achieving, recent high school students have the opportunity for a deeply enriching college experience in the CGCC Honors Program. Plus, if you’re graduating high school with an unweighted GPA of at least 3.25, you can take advantage of the Presidents’ Honors Scholarship. The scholarship pays for full-time tuition for up to 15 credit hours (plus the $15 registration fee) per semester for up to four consecutive semesters. Click here https://www.cgc.edu/admissions/financial-aid/scholarships/honors-program-scholarships to apply.
FAFSA Next Steps Information
Once you have submitted your FAFSA, be sure to sign back on to make sure your FAFSA was processed correctly and to access your SAR (Student Aid Report). Please visit the Fafsa Next Steps website https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/review-and-correct for information on what happens after you have submitted your FAFSA, how to check the status of your FAFSA, what to do if selected for verification and more.
If you have been notified that you have been selected for verification, this is an additional, required step to complete the financial aid process at the universities. Students who have been notified must complete the FAFSA Verification steps and submit information to the universities to which they have been admitted, as directed by each school, in order to receive FAFSA benefits. Please contact the financial aid office at each college if you have questions.
FAFSA-Project Benjamin
Benji, a FAFSA chatbot powered by AI, is just a text message away, no downloaded app or online signup required. Text in your FAFSA questions and Benji will give you real time, expert FAFSA help 24-7 (Did we mention this tool is free?). Benji will ask you some initial questions like your name, high school, etc., to best support you through the FAFSA process. Text Benji at 602-786-8171. Don’t forget to save his number for future questions!
Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University and the University of Arizona are coming together to ensure you and your family are well informed about the opportunities and resources available to you to pay for college and to ensure you find your best college fit.
Tri-University Week: April 4-7
Suggested audience: Grades 9 -11 and Seniors still in the college search. These events are designed for high school students, and their family members, to learn about Arizona’s public universities and how to prepare for college.
All the sessions are hosted through Zoom, which should be accessible via computer, tablet, and smart device. Topics include:
· Admissions requirements and applying for College
· Paying for College
· Major and Degree Exploration
· Honors College Experience
· Parent Session on how to support your student and more
A schedule of events and additional details can be found on the Tri-University Week Events Website https://visit.asu.edu/tri-university
SENIORS - UNIVERSITY DEADLINES!
Seniors, know your deadlines! University deadlines are coming up for housing, enrollment deposits, class registration, etc. Be paying attention to emails from universities regarding next steps. If you ever have any questions, be sure to ask your admission representative!
Universities and colleges will want to see your final official transcript. Official Transcripts are sent only through a website called parchment. You can create an account if you haven't already here: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/9621536/account
To send final transcripts be sure to click "hold for grades" . This will delay the sending of your transcript until all grades have been posted.
2021-2022 In-State College/University Contacts
FRESHMEN THIS IS FOR YOU!
Class of 2025 (Freshman Class), it’s time to sign up for the IMPACT CHANDLER SCHOLARS PROGRAM!
Incoming freshman may enroll in IMPACT via Infinite Campus. Freshmen may opt in at anytime throughout the academic year. Enrollment will be open throughout the year beginning on the first day of the school year. Freshmen must enroll through their Infinite Campus account. Parents are not able to access enrollment directly but a confirmation email will be sent to the parent/guardian listed in Infinite Campus.
https://www.chandleredfoundation.org/what-we-do/invest-in-students/impact-program.html
TRI - UNIVERSITY COLLABORATION
Arizona’s public universities are excited to share the next phase of our Tri-University collaboration. Arizona State University, Northern Arizona University, and the University of Arizona want to continue to provide opportunities to ensure your students and families are well informed about the options and resources available to them. As your public universities, we recognize the importance of working together and improving access.
We invite your 9-11th grade students, families, and supporters to join us for Tri-University Week: April 4 - 7. We look forward to working with you on this special initiative and appreciate your help in getting the word out. We know that this collaboration cannot happen without your support!
These sessions are geared toward providing your students in-depth information about their public universities, the admission process, and the robust opportunities available to them in Arizona. Below you will find the schedule of events for Tri-University Week:
Monday, April 4 4:00 PM
Monday, April 4 5:00 PM
Monday, April 4 5:00 PM
Paying for College: Understanding Financial Aid & Scholarships Monday, April 4 6:00 PM
Monday, April 4 6:00 PM
Get Ready: Understanding your high school coursework options Tuesday, April 5 4:00 PM
Tuesday, April 5 5:00 PM
Tuesday, April 5 6:00 PM
Wednesday, April 6 4:00 PM
Get Ready: Tips and tricks to writing great personal statements and essays Wednesday, April 6 5:00 PM
Get Ready: What to expect as the first in your family to go to college Wednesday, April 6 6:00 PM
Get Ready: Making the most of your college visits and college fairs Thursday, April 7 4:00 PM
Tuesday, April 7 5:00 PM
Paying for College: Understanding Financial Aid & Scholarships Tuesday, April 7 6:00 PM
UPDATES FROM OUR SOCIAL WORKER - MS. MILLER
RESOURCE FOR COUNSELING
Please use the following link for more information -
Mrs. Johnson was born and raised in the Southwest most of her life. She graduated from the University of New Mexico with a degree in Journalism and worked in advertising and public relations. She stayed at home for ten years to raise her three boys. Once the youngest went to kindergarten, she decided to go back to school and received a Master's degree in School Counseling from Capella University. Mrs. Johnson has 9 years of experience as a school counselor, and has worked with students in junior high as well as high school. This is Mrs. Johnson’s sixth year at Casteel!
OUR DEPARTMENT MISSION
Email: waaramaa.stephanie@cusd80.com
Website: https://www.cusd80.com/casteelhigh
Location: 24901 South Power Road, Queen Creek, AZ, USA
Phone: (480) 424-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CCHSCounselingCollegeandCareerCenter/
Twitter: @CCHS_CAREER