This opportunity is for parents and any high school graduate who is interested in certain medical pathways. Colorado's healthcare workforce is short of employees and the state has dedicated $26 million to help work towards solving the problem. Care Forward Colorado is offering FREE education (until the funds are depleted) for some short-term medical-related programs offered at your local community colleges. Below are the following healthcare certificate programs that will have tuition, fees, and course materials covered.

• Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA)
• Emergency Medical Technician (EMT)
• Phlebotomy Technician
• Pharmacy Technician
• Medical Assistant
• Dental Assistant
• Nurse Refresher
• Integrative Health Practitioner & Massage Therapy
• Sterile Processing
• Paramedic Certificate
• Echocardiography Certificate
• Medical Billing and Coding
• Medical Office Certificate

To learn more you can check out this website or call your local community college.

Hello, Seniors (& early graduates)! This is a reminder that your Senior TO-DO List items are all due by Friday, February 17th. Here is that list w/ links once again. Please read the instructions on how to name your files and upload them. If you have any questions about Senior pictures or quotes, please contact Melissa Leider (mleider@49.org). If you. have questions about senior slideshow photos please contact Katy Swann (kswann@d49.org)

• ORDER CAP & GOWN: The basic cap, gown & tassel package is $50.00. Students have the opportunity to purchase a variety of different upgraded packages as well. Caps & gowns will be sent to the school and distributed at the Senior breakfast. All other items will be shipped to your home address. https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/home
• SENIOR PORTRAITS: Upload HERE - the password is Yetis22! Label the file with the student's first and last name, and please only upload one picture.
• SENIOR QUOTES: Upload HERE - you must be logged into a d49 account.
• SENIOR DEDICATIONS: As a senior parent, you may purchase a senior dedication page in the yearbook. You may include memories, baby pictures, special words of recognition or encouragement, etc. Limited space is available and orders will be accepted and placed on a first-come, first-serve basis. You may purchase a half-page for $25, or a full page for $50. If you are interested in purchasing a dedication page, please email mleider@d49.org for further instructions.
• SENIOR SLIDESHOW PHOTOS: Please upload 3-4 photos from a variety of life stages (ie: baby, toddler, childhood, & now). The slide show will be shown at the graduation ceremony. Upload photos here: https://forms.gle/Pxjy36m1VcxRSgXQ6

If you plan to go to college next year, you should be applying for scholarships right now; peak application times go through March. Be sure to check out your college/university's financial aid page and apply for scholarships directly through them. Here are some additional scholarship websites to check out:

• Going Merry
• FastWeb
• Cappex
• Scholly
• Scholarships.com
• Scholarship Owl
• Bold.org
• Career One Stop
• Folds of Honor (if dependent of a disabled veteran)

Seniors will continue to receive emails from their counselor for any scholarship opportunities that come in, as well, so be on the lookout for those.

We had a fantastic turnout for our recent Internship Information Night and want to thank all the parents and students who came out to learn more about these amazing opportunities. For those who weren't able to attend, here is a brief summary of what was presented.

The idea behind internships is to help students figure out what they may or may not want to do after high school now, saving them time and money later on. Internships offer real-life experience, help build soft skills, gives them work experience, and expand their social network; we've even had students get regular employment offers at the end of their internships. Additionally, many internships are either paid, or the student can receive a completion scholarship. Students need 16 elective credits for graduation. Rather than take a bunch of elective classes they don't want or like, they can fill some of those elective credits with work-based learning opportunities.

Students can take internships and earn practical art elective credit for these internships. They can earn a 1/2 credit for a 60-hour internship or one full credit for a 120-hour internship. Internships can be done repeatedly and are available every spring, fall, and summer. Prior to doing an internship, students must complete a job shadow which is only 2-4 hours at a job site, where they observe and ask questions.

If your student is interested in an internship, have them reach out to Mike Masino, Choice & Success Advisor (mmasino@d49.org); his office is in room #179, which is located in the Counselor Corner.

The definition of “accountable” is taking responsibility for one’s actions, and it is something every parent hopes their teen will be. When parents teach their kids to take responsibility for their decisions and actions, they help them develop into conscientious human beings and responsible citizens of the community. Without accountability, teenagers blame others, refuse to follow rules they find unfair, and find ways to justify their behavior regardless of the impact on others.

So, if we all want to raise accountable teenagers, why are there so many teens and young adults who seem to lack this valuable attribute? Instilling accountability is simply not an easy task. It’s a long process that requires patience and diplomacy. Many times, it will appear that our hard work is not achieving any results, which can make some parents give up. But take heart! It is possible to raise accountable teenagers in our modern society, and if you don’t give up, you will eventually see your teen develop into a responsible adult. Here are the top 8 ways to instill accountability in your teenagers:

1. Demonstrate personal responsibility. Role modeling is the most effective tool parents have for teaching their teens anything. Any value you want your teen to have, simply demonstrate it in your everyday life. So if you want your teen to take responsibility for their actions, you should do the same. Avoid blaming others. Follow rules, and don’t avoid the consequences if you break them. If you make a mistake, admit it, apologize, and make amends if possible. For example, if you accidentally bang the door of the car next to you in the parking lot, then leave a note!
2. Create a culture of accountability in your family. Your family has its own culture that reflects your values, expectations, rules, and hopes. If you want an accountable teen, then each member of your family must be responsible for their own actions and behaviors, each family member must be responsible for following rules and expectations, and each must be responsible for how they respond to stressful or frustrating situations. No one in the family should be allowed to change the rules to fit their own needs or feelings.
3. Establish boundaries. You must provide your children clear and firm rules and expectations so that they are aware of the consequences of their actions. Your teen must know that if they choose to break the rules, there will be a consequence for that choice. Of course, this only works if you don’t give in or give up just because your teen whines or promises to behave. You must see the consequence through in order to see the behavior change.
4. Be involved in their life. Research consistently shows that teens with involved parents are more likely to be responsible and do better in school and less likely to engage in risky behaviors, such as drugs, crime and sex. Establish open, friendly, honest communication with your children from a young age. Learn about their interests and attend their activities. Showing that you care about and support your teen helps them feel valued, and this in turn makes them more eager to engage with you and want to please you.
5. But don’t be overinvolved. There is a fine line between showing your teen that you support them and micromanaging their lives. As parents, many of us do things for our kids today that we were able and expected to do for ourselves when we were children. Our parents didn’t often feel the need to negotiate with our sports coach, solve our every problem, or entertain us in our free time. We should let our teens manage their own lives.
6. Refrain from rescuing your teen. It is so painful for us, as parents, to watch our children go through difficult circumstances, and we typically want to jump in and fix things. While this is a natural reaction of wanting to protect someone we love, it is actually one of the worst things you can do as a parent. When your child is a teenager, your role becomes more of a coach. You want to guide and support your teen through their difficulty while still allowing them to discover their own capabilities. If we step in, we stop the learning process and deprive our teen from developing the courage needed to try new things and solve problems. Your teen needs to learn now – before they leave your home as a young adult – how to manage obstacles in life, and they need to have experience overcoming a difficulty on their own so that they gain confidence in themselves and realize they are capable. When you rescue your teen, you are inadvertently communicating to them that you don’t think they can handle challenges, and your teen will begin to doubt their own abilities. Your teen will learn to expect that others will take care of things for them, and they will become a master of avoiding challenges instead of facing them.
7. Allow natural consequences. No matter how painful, you must let your teen be responsible for the good and bad decisions they have made. It might feel cruel, but it is actually the very best parenting you can offer. If a teen gets a ticket for speeding, he should pay the fine, not you. If he doesn’t have the money, he will need to find a way to earn it or lose his license. If your teen procrastinates on a big project, do not do the project for them! If your teen didn’t prepare for an exam, don’t make excuses to the teacher and beg for a second chance. Let them receive the bad grade and handle the results. This way, kids will learn how to take responsibility for their actions and deal with the consequences.
8. Praise them when they demonstrate responsibility. Positive reinforcement of any actions your teen takes to show responsibility will encourage them to continue the behavior. Never underestimate the power of a compliment.

Article shared from Middle Earth; Sept 25, 2017 (https://middleearthnj.org/2017/09/25/8-ways-to-instill-accountability-in-teens/)

When a child is coming out as LGBTQ, the most important thing for them to know is that their family supports and loves them. As a parent, you might worry about whether they will be accepted. But it’s important to stay positive around your child and make sure they know they can count on you.

If you’re having a hard time accepting your child’s coming out, talking to a support group can help. You can find one for parents of LGBTQ young people through an organization like PFLAG. You might also talk to a therapist or someone in your faith group. Dealing with your own feelings can help you be more supportive of your child.

If you’re worried about your child’s safety, open up a conversation with your child. Ask what they need and advocate for them. If they’re having a hard time at school, being able to count on you will make a big difference.

Most young people come out to their friends first. So don’t take it personally if you’re not the first one they tell. Some teens are afraid their parents will kick them out or withdraw financial support when they come out. Or they might be afraid of letting you down by being different from your expectations.

When it comes to telling other family members, let your child take the lead. They might know exactly how they want to do it, or they might not be sure. The most important thing is to respect what they want to do and keep the conversation open.

Article Shared from the Child Mind Institute- click for the full length article