The Counselor CARE-ier
August 2022
Welcome Back
Meet Your Student Success Team Found in Our Counseling Corner
Adrianne Ryland
Katy Swann
Jenny Allen
Mike Masino
Mr. Izzy
Chelly Hardman
Who Do I Contact?
- To request a transcript, please go to this link and fill out the transcript request form here.
- For student schedules or end-of-semester grades, check PowerSchool. Check here for more information on setting up an account if you do not yet have one. We do not use PS to track grading throughout the semester; we check student progress through Edgenuity.
- Questions about transcripts, grade reports, GPA, PowerSchool, enrollment, dis-enrollment- Call or email Chelly Hardman, registrar (chardman@d49.org or 719-494-8962.
- For academic questions about student schedules, graduation requirements, mastery, or other questions relating to graduation, please get in touch with your grade level counselor (Mrs. Swann for 11th and 12th grade at kswann@d49.org or 719-494-8946 OR Jenny Allen for 9th and 10th grade at jaallen@d49.org or 719-494-8945.
- For disciplinary matters, 504 plans, ALPs, or testing information, please get in touch with Mrs. Ryland, Dean, at aryland@d49.org or 719-494-8958.
- For attendance questions, computer questions, or general questions not listed here, you should call the front receptionist desk at 719-494-8940, and our receptionist will help get you to the right person.
- For questions specific to any class, don't hesitate to get in touch with the teacher for the class.
2022-23 Counseling Sponsored Events
- College campus visit days
- Career Fair
- College Fair
- "Kickin' it with the Counselors"
- Senior Information Night
- Financial Aid Info Night
- Volunteering Opportunities
- Spring Break Trip to Europe's Mediterranean Coast
- Accuplacer Testing
- ASVAB Testing
- Special Programs Information Nights
9 days: Italy, France, Spain
Counselors will be taking interested students on a fantastic once-in-a-lifetime trip to the Europe Mediterranean Coast during spring break. Are you interested in joining us? Check out the information below.
Experience four countries on this tour of southern Europe. Discover how Cinque Terre has retained its original charm, learn how the French Riviera became the place to be for generations of rich and famous, and see how Antoni Gaudí’s surreal architecture has turned the city of Barcelona into one giant gallery. Contact Mrs. Bonavita, PPEC counselor, at (dbonavita@d49.org) for more information.
Link to enrollment page: www.eftours.com/2468018bx
Link to parent FAQs: https://www.eftours.com/how-it-works/for-parents
Volunteer Opportunities
Kudos to our Kids!
Academics Information
Graduation Requirements
- Must complete 24.5 credits of academic work (4 credits of English, 3 credits of Social Studies, 3 credits of Science, 3 credits of Math, 1 credit of PE, 1 credit of foreign language, .5 credit of Health, and 8 credits of electives.
- Students who plan to attend a 4-year university upon graduation must also take a 4th year of math and a 2nd year of the same foreign language to meet college admission requirements (although most universities only require 2-years of foreign language, some require 3 years; always check the admissions requirements for your school of choice).
- In addition to the 4-year university admissions requirements, student-athletes must also take a 4th year of either a science or social studies class in order to meet the NCAA requirements if they have plans to play collegiate athletics.
- All classes must be passed with a grade of a "C" or higher
What's new?
- Students must show mastery in English and Math. This can be done in a variety of ways; however, the primary way in which this will be done at SSAE is through Accuplacer and/or SAT testing. Students must reach a certain "cut score" prior to graduation to show "mastery." See "menu of options" below.
- Students must have an Individual Career & Academic Plan (ICAP). Teachers, Counselors, and our Choice & Success Advisor will work with students to establish a plan all throughout high school. Items to be used as evidence as part of the ICAP will be YouScience, LivedX, Pathway Design and/or Leadership classes, Career Planning class, internships, Career & College Fair participation, etc. Our Pathway Design classes include a curriculum encompassing all of these and many other aspects of college and career exploration and readiness.
Concurrent Enrollment Information Night
Interested in Taking FREE College Classes While in High School?
Concurrent Enrollment Information Night
Monday, Aug 29, 2022, 06:00 PM
The Campus, 6113 Constitution Avenue, Colorado Springs, CO, USA
My Student is a Senior (Eeek!).....Now What?
Complete any requests for graduation (senior to-do list) by the due dates... PLEASE!!! There are a lot of moving pieces behind the scenes, and prompt responses to our requests make things significantly easier and will save everyone time.
Planning for the Future
SOCIAL READINESS:
- Practice self-advocacy: Teenagers should work on taking the initiative to start handling things on their own while in high school. This is hard for parents and students alike. As parents, we are used to helping and taking care of our children and are used to doing things for them. Parents, let your high schooler take care of things on their own. Support and guide them, but let them write that email, talk to their teachers or counselors, etc. These are great learning opportunities for them and will teach them those soft skills and confidence they need moving forward.
- Be accountable: No one likes to admit when they failed or did something wrong, but owning up to your mistakes and downfalls is important. Not only does it show maturity, but it also helps us grow. We can take from the experience and make necessary changes to further our growth moving forward.
- Step outside of your comfort zone: We all experience some anxiety/stress from time to time, and no one enjoys that feeling of uneasiness. However, stepping outside your comfort zone and doing things you may not normally do helps build growth and resiliency. The more you do this, things become more familiar, and the easier things become. Learn more about the health benefits of stress here:
CAREER READINESS:
- Consider doing job shadows and internships to "try on" different career fields to see if they spark your interest or to see if they are what you envision. Students have many opportunities through the school and our partnership with the Pikes Peak Business & Education Alliance. Have your student see his/her counselor for more information.
- Take elective classes in your area of interest when available so you can learn more about that career field.
- Get a job! Earn job experience now to help develop your skillset while in high school. Work hard, show up, and be willing to always do more. Your work ethic is important, and you want to start out strong!
- Volunteer! This also gives you experience that can be beneficial to you. Maybe you can even volunteer in a field you are interested in.
- Create your resume and cover letter. Your counselors can help you with this. We will be working with the Pikes Peak Workforce Center (PPWFC) throughout the year to offer opportunities to our students. The PPWFC has many great resources to help students with resumes, skill building, job searches, etc. Be sure to take advantage of these resources.
- Obtain letters of reference to upload with your resume. Letters can be obtained from teachers, counselors, coaches, clergy, volunteer supervisors, community leaders, etc. These should be people you know well.
- Work on building your social network. Unfortunately, it isn't always "what we know," but sometimes it is also "who we know" that helps us get our "foot in the door." Building your social network (people whom you know) can be helpful in making additional connections.
COLLEGE READINESS:
- Visit colleges and apply early. Apply to your dream school, but also apply to a local college or university. Don't put all your eggs in one basket, and be sure to have a backup plan.
- Obtain letters of recommendation that you can upload with your college applications.
- Apply for financial aid early: FAFSA opens on October 1st. We will be hosting a financial aid night at The Campus in the fall (Date TBD), so be watching newsletters and email for more information and plan on attending. We will have financial aid experts from Pikes Peak State College here to help. Apply even if you don't think you qualify; you might be surprised! Following covid, other grants are available, and enrollment is down, thus freeing up some of the funding.
- Apply for scholarships. Below is a link to many different scholarship websites; local scholarships may be smaller, but so is the applicant pool, so don't discount smaller dollar amount scholarships... they add up!
- Admissions offices at colleges/universities look at the "whole student," not just grades. Students should look at volunteering, joining Student Council, or taking on other leadership roles in or out of school.
- Retake your SAT, if needed, and keep those grades up! Don't let senioritis set in!
Social Emotional Information/Resources
Preparing for College Emotionally; Not Just Academically: Problem Solving Skills Can Help Students Keep From Being Overwhelmed
The transition to college can be hard on kids’ mental health. Teenagers living away from home for the first time may experience academic stress while also trying to make new friends, build routines, and stay physically healthy. All these changes at once can be overwhelming for college kids.
Parents can help kids prepare for these emotional challenges before college starts. First, try to avoid solving problems for your teen. Instead, let them know that you empathize and you’re there for support. The goal is to let them know that it’s okay to feel upset and that you believe in their ability to get through hard emotions and solve their own problems.
Practicing mindfulness together at home can also help. Mindfulness is about observing how you’re feeling in the moment without judging yourself. It can help teens learn to reduce the intensity of their emotions. You can also encourage your child to think ahead about what they’ll do when they run into challenges in college. What kinds of issues could come up? Who would they call if they were upset?
Finally, self-care is a big part of managing difficult emotions. Help kids build a toolkit of activities they know make them feel better. It might be deep breathing, going on a run, or listening to music. College is often a hard place to maintain healthy habits, so encourage your teenager to build these habits ahead of time. Getting enough sleep, eating nutritious food, and getting regular exercise are all important ways for college students to stay mentally healthy.
Check out the full detailed article here.
Source: Child Mind Institute website (https://childmind.org/)