Counseling Today - November 2024
November 12, 2024
It’s November, which means we’ve nearly reached the end of the first trimester! Read further for more information about what’s coming up this month. 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
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 577 visits over the month of October! There was a strong trend of seniors coming down for assistance with their college applications, as many college deadlines were November 1st. For more descriptive data, including figures, please check out the end of this article.
The Peer Tutoring program is available. Peer tutoring is run by students from the CDH NHS Chapter, ensuring the community receives the best student tutors. With the assistance of the counseling department, peer tutoring is a student-led group, offering more approachable perspectives of lessons and concepts. Services are offered during flex, before, and after school. Sign-up is available using the QR code found in the counseling office and in each counselor’s Google Classroom.
Need help with time management, study skills, or organization? An academic skills group is now available. Our counseling staff offers this group during Flex. Please see your counselor or Br. Michael if interested.
A grief and loss support group has also begun. 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.
-
Days of the week: Tuesdays and Wednesdays
-
Times: Flex 1 and/or Flex 2
-
Location: Br. Michael's Office (counseling office)
-
If interested, reach out to Br. Michael or your student’s school counselor
It’s almost the end of the first trimester. Here are some resources to help with studying and doing well on finals!
9th Grade
School counselors will be meeting with 9th grade students before the end of the month to provide them a lesson about GPA, credits, and transcripts. It is important for students to understand the graduation requirements at CDH as well as the importance of grades, how GPA is calculated, and why it’s important.
9th Grade and Transfer Students
School counselors are currently finishing up their one-on-one meetings. All 9th grade and transfer students will have a one-on-one meeting with their designated school counselor during the first trimester. These short meet-and-greet appointments are an opportunity for students to meet their counselor and share anything they may want their counselor to know about them right away. It also allows counselors to get to know a little about their new students and ensure students know when, how, and for what reasons they can come see their counselor.
9th Grade, 10th Grade, and Transfer Students
9th grade, 10th grade, and transfer students of any grade can sign up to have a “PFP” mentor. PFP stands for People Finding People and is a mentorship class that 16 seniors were selected to be a part of. Students who sign up for a PFP will match with one of the 16 seniors and have weekly to bi-weekly, one-on-one meetings. From significant struggles to everyday life, students have the opportunity to talk to their mentor about anything they’d like! Mentor biographies and sign-up is available on the website or in their counselor’s Google Classroom.
AP Students
AP registration for year long and 1st and 2nd Trimester only classes passed on November 4th. When in an AP class, students are automatically signed up to take the exam when they use the Join Code provided to them by their AP teacher. Students who want to take the exam do not need to do anything outside of using the Join Code. If your student did not want to take the exam, they should have seen Peggy Mansur or Katie Shead in counseling, as well as have written or verbal parent permission by November 4th. An exam can still be dropped or added between now and February 24th, but for an additional $40 fee. AP classes that start in the 2nd Trimester have a registration/drop deadline of February 24th without an additional fee.
College Counseling
9th and 10th Grade Students
9th and 10th grade students took the PreACT on All School Testing Day (October 16). Students will be notified through Google Classroom when hard copy results are available in counseling, sometime in December. Please email Mr. Brewer with any questions.
Junior Students
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.
There will be a Post High School Planning meeting for Juniors and their parents/guardians to go over what services the college counselors offer and what to expect for the next year in terms of planning for post-graduation. The meeting will take place on Monday, December 2 in the Commons. Please note there are two sessions (5pm - 6pm and 6:30pm - 7:30pm), but both will have the same information. Please choose only one session to attend.
Seniors
All School Testing Day was on October 16. Seniors had the day off. Ms. Nelson and Mr. Reynolds were available to answer application questions that day in the LLC. Approximately 45 students came in for assistance!
There will be a Financial Aid Information Session for senior students and parents/guardians on Thursday, December 12, 7pm. The presentation will take place in the Commons. Please note that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) is expected to become available on December 1.
A reminder to seniors that your CDH College Application Contract (the purple sheet) is 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. Please see your counselor if you need assistance.
Chemical Health Counseling
All Students - Chemical Free Corner
Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome
For those who use or know someone who uses marijuana on a daily basis, there is a growing trend to be aware of: Cannabis Hyperemesis Syndrome. It is rare and occurs only with frequent and long term (1 year) users of cannabis but the number of cases, especially among young adults, is rising.
What is it?
Cannabis hyperemesis syndrome (CHS) is a condition that leads to repeated and severe bouts of vomiting. The active substances found in marijuana including tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) bind to both the brain and the digestive tract. The drug can change the time it takes the stomach to empty and affect the esophageal sphincter. That’s the tight band of muscle that opens and closes to let food from the esophagus into the stomach. Long-term marijuana use can change the way the affected molecules respond and lead to nausea and vomiting.
Dr. Deepa Camenga, associate director of pediatric programs at the Yale Program in Addiction Medicine at the Yale School of Medicine, says 20 years ago she rarely saw pediatric patients presenting with the syndrome. Today, hospitals in her area around New Haven, Connecticut, see pediatric CHS cases nearly every day. She partially attributes the rise to the increased accessibility of marijuana, largely by vaping.
Widespread legalization, easier access, cultural acceptance of cannabis, higher tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) content in modern marijuana, and discrete delivery devices all could be contributing to this uptick in CHS. Decades ago, kids didn’t have the ability to use all day every day like they do now.
Abstaining from cannabis begins the healing process. If you are struggling with your cannabis use, please reach out to your counselor or me for a confidential conversation.
Laura Esping
Chemical Health Counselor
Cretin-Derham Hall
Important Dates
Nov 1 - Priority deadline for many colleges and scholarships
Nov 4 - Deadline to opt out of taking an AP exam for year long and Trimester 1/2 only classes
Nov 21 - 9:20 late start with teacher study sessions
Nov 25 - Finals periods 1-4 (12:30 early dismissal)
Nov 26 - Finals periods 5-7 (11:25 early dismissal)
Nov 27 - Nov 29 - No school - Thanksgiving break
Dec 2 - First day of Trimester 2
Counseling Data
Here is the October data. With November 1 as a major college application deadline, the seniors were busy in our office again!
