Counseling Today - December 2024
December 11, 2024
Welcome to December and the second trimester! Read further for more information about what’s coming up, including important dates regarding registration. We also encourage you to follow us on Instagram for more regular reminders and updates.
We are proud to say that our counseling department is a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP), with CDH having earned RAMP status during the summer, 2023. We are the only private high school in Minnesota to have this designation. Feel free to read more about this great honor, what it took to earn, and what it means for our students!
If you need to contact us, please take a look at our contact page on the school website to determine the best person to help address your needs. Please note, contact information has changed some for the 24-25 school year.
School Counseling
All CDH Students
The last day for course change requests for Trimester 2 is the end of the school day this Friday, December 13. Level changes may still occur, as advised by counselors or teachers.
CASA is hosting a personal care item drive for the non-profit 360 Communities. Between now and the Winter Pep Fest (12/17), students should please bring in items as they are able. Donations can be placed in the donation cans located in the Link. Donations will be blessed during the Pep Fest before they’re delivered to the non-profit.Click here to see specific examples of items to bring in for each category:
- 12th grade - household supplies
- 11th grade - household supplies
- 10th grade - personal care
- 9th grade - personal care
- Faculty/Staff - infant/baby items
Did you know the counseling office has a check-in system for when students come see us? This helps us with attendance as well as collecting data. The counseling office had at least 436 visits over the month of November. For more descriptive data, including figures, please check out the end of this article.
The Peer Tutoring program is still available. Sign-up is available using the QR code found in the counseling office and in each counselor’s Google Classroom.
A grief and loss support group is also still available. This group is focused on supporting students through experiences of grief and loss, particularly when they lose a member of their immediate family. During the group, students will explore navigating the ebb and flow of grief, developing healthy coping avenues, and staying connected with support systems.
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Days of the week: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
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Times: Flex 1 and/or Flex 2
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Location: Br. Michael's Office (counseling office)
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If interested, reach out to Br. Michael or your student’s school counselor
AP Students
For students enrolled in 2nd - 3rd trimester AP classes, join codes should have been used by now. Students are automatically registered to take the exam when they use the AP Classroom “Join Code,” provided by their AP teacher. If students want to drop or add an exam, please contact Peggy Mansur. Students who would like accommodations must have parents email the request to their school counselor by January 15.
College Counseling
9th Grade and 10th Grade
The 9th and 10th grade PreACT results are in. Please have your student pick up their score report in the counseling office before the end of the day on Friday, December 20. Scores can be picked up from Mr. Brewer or Mrs. Mansur.
Junior Students
Junior Meetings
This week began individual meetings with juniors and their parents to discuss post-secondary planning. These meetings will continue through March. Be sure to sign up if you haven’t yet scheduled your meeting.
Students with last names A-K see Mitchell Reynolds: Sign up here
Students with last names L-Z see Laura Nelson: Sign up here
Juniors took the PSAT on All School Testing Day (October 16). The results are available now. If the student included their phone number on the PSAT, they can look at their scores online at the College Board website. If not, please email Ms. Young in the counseling office to receive scores.
Juniors will be taking the ACT on March 25. Students who would like to opt out must have parents email their permission to Mitchell Reynolds by January 15.
January 15 is the last day to request accommodations for the ACT exam. Parents should email this request to their student’s school counselor as soon as possible.
Seniors
There will be a Financial Aid Information Session for senior students and parents/guardians on Thursday, December 12, 7 pm. The presentation will take place in the Commons. Please note that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opened on December 1.
College Application Deadlines
A reminder to seniors that your CDH College Application Contract (the purple sheet) was due to the Counseling Office no later than Friday, December 6 in order for your CDH supporting materials to be sent to your colleges prior to the Christmas break. Remember that the Counseling staff will also be on break, so we must have your requests for any January 1 deadlines before break. Please see your counselor if you need assistance.
“Mid-Year” Reports
Colleges often require you to send a “mid-year” report of senior year grades. For CDH, our mid-year report is your first trimester senior year grades. If your colleges require this, you must email Mrs. Mansur in the Counseling Office and let her know that you want your first trimester grades sent to your colleges. The University of Minnesota will not take first tri grades sent from Cretin-Derham Hall. You have to "self report" them in your application tracker. For more details, please see the email from Mrs. Mansur with the subject line “Mid-Year Grade Reports for College Applications Class of 2024.”
Private Scholarships for College
Many private organizations offer scholarships (sometimes called “community” or “outside” scholarships) to students intending to go to college. CDH seniors can find private scholarship information on their Naviance accounts. When logged in, click on “Colleges”, then under “Scholarships & Money” you can click to search National Scholarships, College Specific Scholarships, and Scholarships that match your interests and qualifications.
Chemical Health Counseling
All Students - Chemical Free Corner
Substance Misuse Prevention During Adolescence
While doing some continuing education research, I ran across an article that reminded me of the following, regarding substance misuse prevention among adolescents:
1) Teens may be behaving as teens when they act in irrational and impulsive ways. They may be behaving as teens when they participate in risky behavior. The limbic part of our brain develops before our prefrontal cortex. The limbic part governs our reward center. The prefrontal cortex governs our rational behavior and is not fully developed until age 25. Teens can naturally seek out instant reward over well thought out actions that might serve them better in the long run. This does not automatically mean they are using substances.
2) Teens have a higher risk of using substances if they have tried a substance early in life or if they have anxiety and/or depression. They have a higher risk when they have experienced family conflict including parental substance use, or had challenges at school including poor grades or feeling like they don’t fit in.
As ever, we look for effective strategies.
What can we do?
Counselors, teachers, and parents can continue to practice our vital bonding techniques with students, such as acknowledging their feelings, empathizing with them and helping them develop problem solving skills. We can provide a safe space for thoughts and feelings, actively listening without judgment or interruption.
We can continue to encourage students to identify what they believe in and value. We can help them develop social and emotional competence and encourage positive social involvement. We can recognize when they do things well.
Students:
Effective strategies for substance misuse prevention include:
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Finding a trusted adult or guardian with whom you can connect and form a strong bond.
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Practice working on finding solutions to problems as they arise. What we practice we get good at!
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Find a place you feel is safe to express your thoughts and feelings.
Please make an appointment with myself and/or your counselor for any of the above life affirming strategies.
Wishing everyone a safe, healthy and celebratory Christmas Break!
Laura Esping, Chemical Health Counselor, Cretin-Derham Hall
Registration
All CDH Students
Registration Timeline for 25-26 School Year
Information distribution:
- Wed, January 17 - 10th Grade students will receive registration instructions during Flex in the theater.
- Wed, January 17 - 11th Grade students will receive registration instructions during Flex in the theater.
- Thurs, January 18 - 9th Grade students will receive registration instructions during Flex in theater
- January 19-29 - Students should meet with their parents, counselor and teachers to Discuss level/class recommendations.
Registration
- Tues, January 30 - 11th grade students will register during Flex in the Theater.
- Thurs, February 1 - 10th grade students will register during Flex in the Theater.
- Thurs, February 1 - 9th Grade students will register during Values.
- Fri, February 2 - 9th to 11th grde Make-up registration with counselor or Ms. Carroll
- Thurs, February 29 - Incoming 9th grade registration at CDH.
- TBD - Makeup registration for incoming 9th grade students.
More Important Dates
- Dec 12 - Applying for College Financial Aid Night
- Dec 13 - Last day to change Trimester 2 schedules
- Dec 20 - Last day to pick up PreACT9 and PreACT10 test results
- Dec 21 - Jan 5 - Christmas Break. Counselors will be out of the office
- Jan 15 - Last day to opt out of ACT
- Jan 15 - Last day to request accommodations for ACT and/or AP exams
- Jan 17-18 - Students get registration materials
- Jan 30 - Feb 1 - Current CDH students register for 25-26 classes
Counseling Data
Here is the counseling check-in data from November!
