Counseling Today - October 2023
October 6, 2023
We are excited to continue our monthly counseling blog. This is your one stop shop for all news regarding counseling. We enjoy sharing important information with you here and also encourage you to follow us on Instagram for more regular reminders and updates. If you missed our first newsletter, please click here. Otherwise, continue reading for the newest, important information!
We are proud to say that our counseling department is a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP), with CDH having earned RAMP status this year. We are the only private high school in Minnesota to have this designation. Please read more about this great honor, what it took to earn it, and what it means for our students!
The CDH counseling department is made up of five school counselors, two college counselors, a chemical health counselor, student advocate, registrar, and counseling assistant. Our counselors split students by last name so we may grow lasting relationships with students and their families. 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.
School Counseling
9th Grade and Transfer Students
School counselors are still working through one-on-one meetings. All 9th graders 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 ensures students know when, why, and how they can come see their counselor.
9th Grade, 10th Grade and Transfer Students
Ninth graders, 10th graders, and transfer students of any grade are now able to 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 difficult struggles to everyday life, students have the opportunity to talk to their mentor about anything they’d like! Read more about it and sign up!
All CDH Students
All CDH students completed a counseling assessment in September. Results are confidential and help with programming for the year including deciding which small groups to offer. Some examples of counseling small group topics in past years include anxiety, academic skills, and grief. Small groups will begin this month.
All CDH Students
A peer tutoring program has begun. Tutors are senior National Honors Society members. They are available before and after school, as well as during lunch/flex. Read further if you have any questions or would like to sign up.
All CDH Students in AP Classes
For students enrolled in year-long or Trimesters 1 and 2 classes, registration is due by November 3. Students are automatically registered to take the exam when they use the AP Classroom “Join Code” provided by their AP teacher. If students do NOT want to take the exam, they must inform Thay Thao by the end of day November 3. AP exams will occur the first two weeks of May.
College Counseling
9th and 10th Grade Students
9th and 10th grade students will take the PreACT on All School Testing Day (October 18). The PreACT is a practice exam for the ACT. Please note the 10th grade students do take a 10th grade version, different from the one they took as 9th grade students. This is a great opportunity for students to experience a standardized test prior to taking future exams such as the ACT and AP exams.
Junior Students
Juniors will be taking the PSAT on All School Testing Day (October 18). The PSAT is a practice test for the SAT and is also a qualifying exam for students to become National Merit Scholars.
Juniors and Seniors
We continue to host in-person visits from college admissions officers. These visits provide an opportunity for junior and senior students to get personal attention and up to date information on schools that interest them. It also gets students connected to the colleges’ mailing lists for updates and information. Students can register for visits in Naviance or see Mrs. Mansur, the counseling assistant. CDH teachers give final approval for missing a class period. Check this page or our Instagram account for the college visit schedule. Making an individual connection with the admissions officer is an important step to show interest in the school and to get individual questions answered.
Seniors
The November 1 priority deadline for college admissions and scholarships is coming up. Seniors who have a November 1 deadline should be sure to have their CDH Application Contract (aka the Purple Sheet) to the office by Monday, October 16 at the latest. This will allow us to send your CDH materials (transcript and letter(s) of recommendation) on time.
All School Testing Day is on October 18. Seniors have the day off. This is a great time to work on college applications. Ms. Nelson and Mr. Reynolds will be available to answer application questions that day in the LLC from 9 am to 12 pm. This is also a great opportunity to tour a college on a weekday to see it in action!
There will be a Financial Aid Information night for senior students and parents on November 29. Please note, the FAFSA does not become available until December this year, which is later than usual.
Chemical Health Counseling
All Students
As the chemical health counselor for the school, Laura Esping meets with students who have received a violation to do an assessment of their current use and a plan moving forward. She is also available to talk and strategize a plan of action with students who are concerned about their chemical use or the use of a friend or family member.
Her hours are normally Mondays and Fridays 9 am - 1 pm.
Stress is a part of life. Some people are able to roll with life’s challenges more easily than others. Awareness is key. Paying attention to how we feel moment to moment and then having a menu of options for the difficult twists is key. Deep breathing is an excellent way to start. This simple act will significantly increase the dopamine level in your brain, leading to a boost in mood and more relaxed state. Try taking a couple of deep breaths today and see if you notice a difference. Read more about this feel good chemical; dopamine!
Important Dates
October 11 - 12
9th grade students will attend their 9th grade retreat on one of these two days. Students will attend with their Values class.
October 13
Mid-trimester grades will be due. Contact your student's counselor if you have any concerns.
October 17 - 18
Parent/teacher conferences. Counselors will be available in their offices on October 17 and virtually on October 18.
October 18
All school testing day. See the college counseling section above for further information.
October 19 - 20
No school - MEA break.
September 8 - October 31
Many college admissions rep visits are already scheduled. Click here to see the full schedule. The schedule is also available on Naviance and will be shared weekly on Instagram.
November 1
Priority deadline for many colleges and scholarships.
November 3
AP Registration is due. Students are automatically enrolled to take the exam when they use the AP Classroom “Join Code” provided by their AP teacher. Students who do not want to take the exam must inform Thay Thao by this date.
Extra, Extra!
On October 4, Mr. Udoibok ‘16 and Mr. Royston ‘06 took over 20 CDH students to an HBCU college fair hosted at Minnehaha Academy. There were 13 HBCU colleges and 300+ attendees. Students got to hear from an alumni panel as well as talk with college admissions representatives about the opportunities their HBCUs offer.