Casteel Counseling Corner
August 2021
Meet your School Counseling Team!
Top row: Mrs. Haraway, Mrs. Shropshire, Ms. Miller (Social Worker), Mrs. Burt
Bottom row: Ms. Glascom, Mrs. Cunico, Ms. O'Brien, Mrs. Johnson.
Counseling Department Updates:
Schedule Changes are complete!
If a student feels they need to level down in a course, they can request this at quarter 1 progress report. Only changes in levels will be considered during that time. Students must complete a form and have their teacher and parent approve of the level change.
RAMP Award Ceremony
We are the 1st school in CUSD to ever earn this recognition. This is the highest accolade that a school counseling program can earn! 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.
August 5th: Senior Night, Dual Enrollment Night and Open House
Dual Enrollment Night: 5:30-6:00 in the Café. Learn what you need to complete to earn Dual Credit.
Open House: 6:00-8:10. Meet your child's teachers and learn about Curriculum.
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 Math Department
UPDATES FROM THE HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELORS:
PSAT Testing
https://www.cusd80.com/Page/104072
11th Graders: Use the following link to read FAQ's on PSAT NMSQT
https://www.cusd80.com/Page/104069
11th-12th Graders: To register for the PSAT please click here
Class of 2022 Credit Checks
The week of July 26th, High School counselors met with Seniors during their English classes to review their graduation credit check. It was exciting to speak with our students and hear about their post-secondary plans. If you were absent or do not take English at CCHS please email your counselor to set up a time to meet.
Dual Enrollment Information
Registration for Dual Enrollment closes on September 12 for Fall Semester and Year-Long classes. Students Enrolled in College Prep English at Casteel must register and pay for dual enrollment by August 13 to remain in the class. For more information on dual enrollment, please visit our website here.
Casteel's ASVAB Test Coming Soon
Casteel will be proctoring the ASVAB test on September 2 at 8 am in the Performing Arts Center. Casteel Juniors and Seniors can sign up in the Career Center. The ASVAB is a great career assessment tool that can help students identify which career areas they are best suited for. For more information, please contact Mrs. Connolly in Career Center.
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:
Welcome back Casteel Community!
After what felt like a very short summer, the College and Career Center is up and running and already very busy. I am very excited to be working with our seniors as they plan for life after Casteel High. It will be a very exciting year and I look forward to every aspect. Please reach out with any questions you may have, I’m happy to help.
UPCOMING EVENTS AND DEADLINES:
Aug 5 5:00 pm Senior Information Night, PAC
Aug 5 5:30 pm AP & Dual Enrollment Information Night, Casteel Café
Aug 16-20 CUSD Tri-U & Financial Aid Week
Aug 23-27 College Week
Oct 21 6:00 pm Casteel Financial Aid Night, PAC
Oct 27 5:00-7:00pm FAFSA Open Lab Night, Casteel Library
College Presentations will be held in the Career Center during conference time (Wednesdays and Thursdays from 9:30am-10:00am). Please stop by the Career Center and sign up to receive a pass to attend.
5.5 Community Service Award
SAT/ACT
Interested in taking the SAT/ACT Test? Please click here for more information.
SCHOLARSHIPS:
Scholarship opportunities will continue to roll in throughout the school year. We will advertise local scholarships and their application details as they come. Please check here to begin your search.
UPDATES FROM THE JUNIOR HIGH COUNSELORS:
TRANSITION TO JUNIOR HIGH
We know that your transition from Elementary School to Junior High School is a big change! You're learning how to navigate a new way of life; new buildings, people, classes, and expectations. It can be easy to become overwhelmed. Follow the list of things below that will help your transition into Junior High.
1. Get to know Casteel's campus and rules.
2. Expect more homework.
3. Find an organization plan that works for you.
4. Join clubs and make new friends.
5. Make sure you are sleeping and eating breakfast.
6. When in doubt, ask!
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
Welcome Back!
Welcome to a new school year, Colts! I am so excited to start this new school year and see our students again. I hope our Casteel families had a great summer. The transition back to school after summer break can be tough and come with a variety of emotions. My role at Casteel is to support our students to help them maintain positive mental health. I truly enjoy meeting with our students and helping them through some of their hardest moments. I am looking forward to a great school year!
NEED TO MEET WITH MS. MILLER?
Students who need emotional and mental health support can request to see me by scanning the QR code posted in various locations throughout the school, or by filling out a pass in the counseling offices (front office and J Building). As always, parents can contact me at miller.kyleen@cusd80.com if they need resources or support for their student's mental health.
WEBINARS AND RESOURCES FOR PARENTS:
Please check out the social work webpage on the Casteel website to find resources for students and parents. I will keep this webpage updated throughout the year with resources, so be sure to check back often. You can access the webpage here: https://www.cusd80.com/domain/11225
LOOKING FORWARD:
The Counseling Department will be working on forming support groups for students in the coming months.
Staff Spotlight!
OUR DEPARTMENT MISSION
Email: waaramaa.stephanie@cusd80.com
Website: https://www.cusd80.com/domain/6833
Location: 24901 South Power Road, Queen Creek, AZ, USA
Phone: 480-424-8116
Facebook: facebook.com/CCHS Counseling/College & Career Center
Twitter: @cchs_career