OUSD Secondary Counseling
February 2022
OUSD School Counseling Mission:
The mission of the OUSD School Counseling Program is to provide a district-wide comprehensive, equitable, and accessible system of support to all students. Our students will acquire the knowledge, skills and attitudes needed to achieve academic success, college and career readiness, and healthy social/emotional development.
OUSD School Counseling Vision:
Our OUSD School Counseling Program fosters student success in a diverse and changing world by graduating students who are prepared to make a positive impact on humanity and meet the demands of their college, career, and life goals.
Hello secondary school counselors,
For this newsletter, we will be providing you with school counseling updates for February. Please check out each button for important resources to share with our students and to explore various opportunities for professional development.
Here are a few updates to keep in mind as we delve into course registration.
High School Placement Reminders:
As you are registering students for next school year's classes, please help us advertise Fire Service I and Fire Service II.
All 9th grade students must have Biology unless it is specifically designated on their IEP that they should have a different science course.
No 9th or 10th grade students should be enrolled in Earth Science.
Students needing Health credit- Foundations of Health Science, Med Core, and Career Focus Medical WILL NOT count for health credit (this shift was made at the beginning of the 2021-22 school year). New course codes can be found on this OUSD CTE Pathways (highlighted in yellow).
Here are the OUSD Alternative Education & Credit Recovery Options for you to reference as needed.
The FAFSA March 2nd deadline is approaching for seniors:
FAFSA Race to Submit with current percentages of FAFSA completion per school site-FAFSA Race to Submit Dashboard.
FAFSA Challenge- New Law for Foster Youth- new laws go into effect in 2022- all foster youth must have a FAFSA completed before they graduate.
SCC FA Awareness- SCC is hosting an in-person Financial Aide Workshop whereby SCC bound high school seniors may attend to receive assistance in completing their financial aid application and meet the March 2nd deadline for the Cal Grants. The event is scheduled on February 24, 2022 from 6 pm – 8 pm at Santiago Canyon College (food and drinks will be available).
We are so excited to celebrate all of you!
National School Counseling Week is February 7-11. Here are ideas from ASCA for activities that can done during that week: National School Counseling Week - American School Counselor Association (ASCA).
We are here to support all of you through these busy and unpredictable times!
Warm Regards,
Lisa Green, Executive Director, Curriculum, Instruction, and School Support
Kristine Nelson, Coordinator, Student & Community Services
Lupe Perales, Coordinator, Special Education
Katie Treat, Coordinator, Career Counseling
FEBRUARY REMINDERS FOR OUSD SCHOOL COUNSELING
Flyer for districtwide counseling meetings: OUSD District Wide Counseling Meeting Schedule
- February 7-11: National School Counseling Week
- February 8: 9:30 am -11 am: District Counseling Meeting (9:30-10:30 Evaluating International Transcripts; 11-12 LGBTQ+ topics presented by OCHA)
- February 24: 6-8pm; Financial Aid Workshop at SCC
* please see your administration for the dates of your Orenda Guidance alignment sessions
National School Counseling Week 2022 (#NSCW22) is Feb. 7-11, 2022, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. National School Counseling Week, sponsored by ASCA, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. National School Counseling Week is always celebrated the first full week in February.
The 2022 theme is School Counseling: Better Together.
The 2021-22 Race to Submit is a statewide campaign that aims to increase the number of financial aid applications for California high school seniors who complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and California Dream Act Application. Filling out these financial aid applications is the first step towards college success and helps students qualify for federal and state aid to help pay for college.
The goal of this initiative is to increase financial aid application completions, using a network of support. During the application period, beginning October 1, and up until the March 2 Cal Grant deadline, each high school, district, and county can use the Race to Submit Dashboard to gauge the submission and completion of the FAFSA and CADAA, along with how many Cal Grants have been awarded to their students.
The College Assistance Migrant Program (CAMP) is a federally funded program designed to assist migrant students to successfully complete their first year at Santiago Canyon College. CAMP supports students through a variety of programs and services, and equips students with the skills and tools necessary to attain their educational goals. Benefits and Services include: personal career and academic counseling, financial assistance, priority registration, book voucher, school supplies, laptop loan program, peer mentoring, tutoring, academic and self-development workshops, Summer Bridge Program, and Seminars and workshops for CAMP parents.
Requirements for the program include:
- 1. Be a migrant or seasonal farm worker*; or a dependent of a migrant or seasonal farm worker
- 2. Be a legal resident
- 3. Be a college freshman or have completed less than 24 college credits/units
*Migrant or Seasonal Farmworker: a person whose primary employment is in an agricultural activity** or farm work on a temporary or seasonal basis, employed for a minimum of 75 days in the past 2 years.
**Agricultural activity: employment related to the production of crops, livestock, dairy products, fish farms, poultry, and cultivation and/or harvesting of trees. Work that is performed for wages or personal livelihood on a ranch, farm, or similar businesses are eligible.
For questions or more information please visit: www.sccollege.edu/camp or call (714) 628-5035.
Please click on the link above for the RESET Toolbox
To help local students and families buffer the effects of the pandemic, the nonprofit Western Youth Services has partnered with Orange County Department of Education and CHOC to develop the RESET Toolbox.
The free, online mental health toolbox is packed with self-paced trainings, apps and resources designed to build resilience and minimize anxiety in children and teens.
These events are hosted in partnership with Chapman University.
Be in the Know!
Here is our updated OUSD School Counselors' Handbook for you to reference: OUSD School Counselors' Handbook
Dual Enrollment
SCC 2021-2022 catalog: https://sccollege.elumenapp.com/catalog/2021-2022Catalog/home#mainContent
SCC Dual Enrollment website (www.sccollege.edu/dualenrollment)
o Under the MORE INFO For HS Counselors & Administrators, SCC posted a new booklet created by OC Pathways – A Guide to UC Requirements and High School Dual Enrollment.
o Under the BENEFITS – Student Success Stories, SCC is featuring an OUSD student who participated in the SCC Dual Enrollment Program and is transferring to UCLA.
Shmoop Test Prep Suite: AP, SAT, ACT, PSAT, SBAC, CAASPP, and more!
- Study Tools
- Who has access: all students/teachers at
- Canyon High School
- El Modena High School
- Orange High School
- Villa Park High School
- EDGE Virtual Academy
Log in to Shmoop:
- Students and teachers will log in through their ClassLink Launchpad
- Please see THIS Shmoop Resource folder with Video Tutorials
Xello
Here is the OUSD Xello Counseling Curriculum Scope & Sequence that we created together.
Xello lessons will be facilitated twice per school year (once in the fall and once in the spring) for ALL OUSD high school and middle school students.
Xello Course Planner will be used to create, revise and enhance four-year plans for all high school students so that our students are making very informed decisions about their course selections and career exploration opportunities. We are NOT integrating the course request function in the Course Planner with Aeries this school year.
Counseling Communities on Social Media
Please reach out to us!
Kristine Nelson
Coordinator, Student & Community Services
Elementary School Counseling Program
Homeless, Foster & At-Risk Youth, 504s, SSTs, Crisis Intervention & Mental Health Support
(714) 628-5424
Lupe Perales, Psy.D.
Coordinator, Special Education
(714) 628-4080
Katie Treat
Coordinator, Career Counseling
Secondary School Counseling Program
College and Career Readiness
Career Technical Education (CTE)
(714) 628-5463