Counseling Today - September 2024

September 11, 2024

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! This is the CDH Counseling Department newsletter, where all your important information for the next month is kept. We 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

Your student may have a new school counselor this year. Please be sure to look at our contact page or your student’s Infinite Campus account to see who their counselor is. We have had some shifting of the alpha assignments, as well as some personnel changes. If you have any questions or concerns about a counselor change, please contact Katie Shead.

The last day for Trimester 1 change requests was September 10. Please note, schedules for Trimesters 2 and 3 are still subject to change.

The Peer Tutoring program will become available beginning on October 1. 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 will become available on the website next week.

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 significant struggles to everyday life, students have the opportunity to talk to their mentor about anything they’d like! Meetings will begin in October. Watch for announcements in the coming weeks regarding when sign-ups become available on the website. 

AP Students

AP registration for year long and 1st and 2nd Trimester only classes is coming up on November 8th. 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 does not want to take the exam, they must see Peggy Mansur or Katie Shead in counseling, as well as have written or verbal parent permission by November 8th.

College Counseling

College counselors spent time this summer helping 119 seniors get a head start on their college applications during College Bootcamp.

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 Naviance, the counseling website, 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 October 22 and 23. 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 Tuesday to avoid being absent during the school day.

Seniors

On August 28th, college counselors presented to 147 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 also welcome to schedule a fall check-in appointment if help is needed with post-secondary planning.

Chemical Health Counseling

All Students - Chemical Free Corner

Understanding Isolation and Addiction 

The start of a new school year means reconnecting with classmates and jumping back into a feeling of community. However, some students may face feelings of loneliness and isolation such as:

  • Feeling disconnected from others

  • Feeling that there is no one who cares

  • Feeling abandoned

  • Feeling as though no one wants to be with you

  • Feeling left out

  • Feeling hopeless

A very human response to these feelings is to want to medicate them with nicotine, THC, alcohol or other drugs. Regardless of personality type, we are all social creatures, longing for close family and personal connections. In fact, according to Maslow’s Hierarchy of Needs, the need for love and belonging are among the most basic human needs – ranking just after safety and basic physical needs, such as food and shelter. Many students first engage in high-risk behavior because they already feel isolated and that their lives do not matter to those around them. If you are feeling lonely and isolated, here are some things to try instead: 

  • Reach out to your school counselor 

  • Disconnect from unhealthy relationships - While you may struggle with wanting to connect with others, some relationships and social connections may not truly support you.

  • Mix it up - Change up your activities and the people with whom you connect. Try something new or perhaps join a club with students who share your interests. 

  • Build self confidence and boundaries - It’s important to build your own self-confidence and learn to be comfortable in being alone. You could also practice choosing who you interact with and when. Building a support network requires building boundaries in your relationships, and being a good friend, brother or sister in return.

Through friendship and connections, it’s possible to break the cycle of isolation which may lead to addiction. As humans, we’re social creatures – and we depend on each other for survival. If you’re lonely please reach out to someone you feel can truly listen and care. 

Laura Esping, Chemical Health Counselor
Cretin-Derham Hall

Important Dates

Sep 9 - Oct 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.

Sep 10

Was the last day to change Trimester 1 classes

Sep 20

Registration deadline for the national October 26 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. 

Oct 1

Peer tutoring becomes available 

Oct 22

National College Fair: 9:00 am to 12:00 pm and again from 5:00 pm to 7:00 pm 

Oct 23

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

Nov 8

Deadline to opt out of taking an AP exam for year long and Trimester 1/2 only classes

Tags: Counseling Today

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