Counseling Today - September 2023

September 7, 2023

Welcome to our first issue of "CDH Counseling Today!"

We are excited to announce the beginning of our monthly counseling blog. This will be your one stop shop for all news regarding counseling. We look forward to sharing important information with you here and 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 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, 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.

Continue reading for important information!

School Counseling

9th Grade

School counselors began the year by presenting to 9th grade Values classrooms on Ninth Grade Culture Day, which was their first day of school. Students learned who their counselors are, where we’re located, what services we offer, and how to see us. Students also received a brief overview of credits needed for graduation, how GPA works, and why grades and course selection matter.

9th Grade and Transfer Students

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 ensure students know when, why, and how they can come see their counselor. 

9th Grade, 10th Grade and Transfer Students

9th graders, 10th graders, and transfer students of any grade will soon be 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 struggles to everyday life, students have the opportunity to talk to their mentor about anything they’d like! Watch for announcements in the coming weeks regarding when this program is available and how to sign up. 

All CDH Students

All CDH students will be required to complete a counseling assessment during the first month of school. The assessment will go out sometime in September through counselor Google Classrooms. Results are confidential and will 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. The assessment also provides an opportunity for students to self-report anything they may want their counselor to know right away as the school year gets underway.

College Counseling

Seniors

• College counselors spent time this summer helping 96 seniors get a head start on their college applications during College Bootcamp.

• On August 30, college counselors presented to 120 senior parents/guardians about the college application process. If you could not attend, packets are still available for students to pick up in the counseling office.

• Seniors who have yet to pick up their CDH College Application Contract (aka "The Purple Sheet"), should get one from the Counseling office as soon as possible.

• Seniors are welcome to schedule a fall check-in appointment if help is needed with post-secondary planning.

Juniors and Seniors

• We will once again be hosting 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. 

• The National College Fair will be held at the Minneapolis Convention Center the first week of October (dates and times below). Colleges and universities from all across the nation will be there to answer your questions! Please make an effort to attend the evening session on Wednesday to avoid being absent during the school day.

Important Dates

September 7

All school assembly: Tasha Schuh is an inspirational speaker who equips youth and educators to be resilient for their mental and emotional health.

September 12

Last day for trimester one class change requests. Visit or email the registrar, Katie Carroll (kcarroll@c-dh.org) to make requests. 

September 22

Registration deadline for the national October 28 ACT. Register here. Please note, the only ACT exam offered on campus at CDH is during the school day, in the spring, for 11th grade. 

October 4

National College Fair: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and again from 5:00 pm to 8:00 pm

October 5

National College Fair: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm

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.

Extra, Extra! 

This year our department has some changes in personnel. 

First, we are thrilled to welcome Mitchell Reynolds, College Counselor, and Laura Esping, Chemical Health Counselor, to CDH. Read more about them and other employees new to CDH. 

We are also excited to have Kenny Udoibok '16 move from the Learning Lab to our Counseling Department in his new role as Student Advocate, working both with counseling and in DEI work.

Finally, we are happy to announce that Katie Shead, school counselor, has taken on some additional responsibilities and leadership roles as our Lead Counselor, overseeing the counseling department.