Counseling Newsletter November 2023

November 2023 2nd Quarter

Newsletter In This Issue: 1

Greetings

2 Middle School and High School Information 3 College Counseling Information - Preparing 4 College Counseling Information - Applying We hope you are having a great experience at Saint

Midterm Exam Dates:

Joseph Academy thus far. As school counselors, we

English, English, Science, Science, Math, Math, Social Social Studies, Studies, Religion, Religion, Modern Modern

are committed to seeing that all students are given

Languages Languages

the support that they need to grow personally,

Wednesday, Wednesday, Dec. Dec. 20 20

academically, socially, and spiritually.

Thurs Thursday, day, Dec. Dec. 21 21

The end of the quarter was on October 13 and we

Fri Friday, day, Dec. Dec. 22 22

encourage you to have family conversations about the importance of grades as well as school involvement.

We want students to finish the fall semester strong; as a reminder we offer tutoring Monday-Friday from 7:55

Exams Exams for for core core classes classes will will be be one one hour hour long. long. These These will will be be early early dismissal dismissal days. days.

Some Some exams exams for for non-core non-core classes classes will will be be given given before before

to 8:20 am. We encourage students to make a plan

these these days days during during regularly regularly scheduled scheduled class class periods, periods,

with their corresponding teacher.

e.g. e.g. Art, Art, Theater, Theater, or or Computer Computer Science.

Science.

In October, students in grades 8th-11th took the inaugural Digital PSAT; we look forward to reviewing the scores to continue with the process of getting them ready for the SAT/ACT which can be used for college admissions. Classroom presentations will be given once scores have arrived to explain next steps.

Positive Peer Leadership Team At the beginning of September, PPLT members created a chalk art project as a way of bringing hope and positivity for our school community.

During Red Ribbon Week, PPLT prepared drug prevention activities on- and off-campus. On Wednesday, Oct. 25 a SJA middle school rally was held, as well as rallies at two feeder schools: SMS on the 25th and EDS on the 30th.

Learn More

B.I.O.N.I.C. Team

At the beginning of September, PPLT members created a chalk art project as a way of bringing hope and positivity for our school community. During Red Ribbon Week, PPLT prepared drug prevention activities on- and off-campus. On Wednesday, Oct. 25 a SJA middle school rally was held, as well as rallies at two feeder schools: SMS on the 25th and EDS on the 30th.

SJA SJA Counseling Counseling Department Events

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November 2023

SJA Middle and High School Information 7th and 8th Grade Counseling presentations were given through the Social Studies classes at the end of August. Students met their school counselor Mrs. Wolfe and learned about the counseling services provided at SJA. In addition, students reviewed the meaning of CHARACTER and the several types of INTELLIGENCES. Students engaged in interactive activities that help with better understanding and self-awareness. In November, the presentations will focus on SELF-REFLECTION and GRATITUDE. In keeping with this theme, there are two movies that every family should watch together. These are “PAY IT FORWARD” and “WONDER”. They are not only heartwarming and inspirational, but they help students, particularly in this age, understand diversity, equity and inclusion.

9th and 10th Grade

11th and 12th Grade

At the beginning of the first quarter, Ms. Martin visited ninth and tenth grade classrooms to introduce herself and to share how school counselors can help students with areas such as academic advising, college and career planning, and social emotional wellness. In October, tenth grade students had classroom presentations about the Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership program. Juniors who attended the program last summer gave testimonials about their experiences, and the application process was explained. Upcoming presentations will focus on personal communication skills for ninth graders and career exploration for tenth graders.

Mrs. Cisneros went into the 12th Grade Religion

Did you know that students who get adequate sleep have stronger immune systems and better academic performance, behavior and mental health? According to the American Academy of Pediatrics, teens need 8 to 10 hours of sleep each night. Read more about the benefits of sleep in this article from HealthyChildren.org:

PSAT/NMSQT. They took the test on October 18 and

classes to distribute the College Planning Guide for

Seniors and to discuss the application process and the Cialfo platform. Students now needed to applying

to universities, request letters of recommendation, build their resume, work on the essay and short

answer questions for the universities, and consider

applying for financial aid in December. The process is on-going until every senior has applied to at least one college.

For the juniors, the main emphasis was preparing for

the Digital PSAT. Students had to download the Blue Book,

the

application

needed

to

take

the

are now awaiting results. The counselor will again visit the classrooms to provide an understanding of the scores.

Both juniors and seniors had the opportunity to visit with college reps who visited our campus. Many

colleges visited Saint Joseph Academy: Notre Dame, UT Austin, Texas A&M – College Station, UTSA, Trinity,

Healthy Children Article

Rice, Southwestern, and Texas State to talk to students about admissions and financial aid.

For the 2nd Quarter, class presentations on Career Awareness and Exploration will be provided.

SJA Middle School and High School

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November 2023

SJA College Counseling Information

Preparing for College The summer provides an opportunity for students to re-energize and become) involved in meaningful activities and connections. Whether it’s an overnight precollege program, volunteering at local day camp, or a sleepaway adventure experience, summer programs for teens are a great way to pursue new interests, improve existing skills, and make new friends outside of the classroom.

In addition, more and more students are doing part-time work or shadowing or interning to gain skills necessary to make career decisions.

Student Testimonials

Summer Planning At SJA we encourage learning outside the classroom. Not only is it a great way to gain exposure, but it also helps a student become more self-aware as to possible career interests. In the process, a

Participating in summer programs these past years has been an enriching experiences for me. Perhaps one of the most beneficial and significant impacts was meeting new friends across Texas, the country, and the world. Not only did I learn a lot from the people I met,

student is able to start building a college résumé. For that reason,

but being exposed to difference career paths helped

we have compiled a list of some summer programs (see link) that

deepen my understanding of my own interests and

might help in deciding what to do after the school year ends.

goals. I am grateful for all the people who have helped

For older teens, we also recommend searching early on for

me, the opportunities that these programs have

volunteer, internships, and/or work opportunities that preferably

provided me, and the future it helped me envision.

Andrea Fletes, Class of 2024

align with career interests and exploration.

SJA 2024 Summer Program Options

The College Search!

Without a doubt, the best way to know about a college is to take an official campus tour, listen to current students' experiences, and explore school life, study abroad opportunities, and most importantly, academic programs. However, in-person visits can be costly, so that is why we highly recommend virtual tours as a great alternative.

The College Tour is a free website where families can get admissions information, student perspectives and greater insight on many institutions.

www.thecollegetour.com

THE COLLEGE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT Mrs. Olga Cisneros, M.Ed.

11th and 12th Grade School Counselor

Ms. Mary Beth Martin, M.Ed., M.A.

Mrs. Vilma Wolfe, M.Ed.

9th and 10th Grade School Counselor

7th and 8th Grade School Counselor

and College Counselor

and College Counselor

and Lead College Counselor

ocisneros@sja.us * ext. 354

mbmartin@sja.us * ext. 368

vwolfe@sja.us * ext. 353

SJA College Counseling

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November 2023

SJA College Counseling Information

College Applications Last year, many Texas universities joined the Common Application which will make the process easier for seniors applying to in state and out of state institutions. However, if a students is only applying to Texas intuitions, then students should utilize the Apply Texas.

Besides the REGULAR DEADLINE, some schools have a PRIORITY, EARLY DECISON OR EARLY ACTION deadlines for November 1. For example, there is a PRIORITY deadline for The University of Texas at Austin and Texas A&M University; other schools may have an EARLY DECISION/ACTION deadline. However, these schools also have a REGULAR deadline for December 1. Therefore, it is important that students meet with their college counselor to finalize applications by or before

Common Application

the deadline.

Apply Texas

Scholarship Applications Securing merit scholarships is important, so students need to be aware of which available scholarships they may qualify for: Institutional Scholarships Departmental Scholarships Additionally, we have compiled a working list of scholarship programs and search engines (see link) that students may find helpful, but of course, there are many more that exist.

SJA 2023 Scholarship Programs

Apply for financial aid using the following options: Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - US Citizens and legal permanent residents - Be advised that FAFSA has been completely redesigned, so parents who have filled the FAFSA previously will notice the change. APPLICATION OPENS IN DECEMBER or JANUARY (TBD) Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TSAFA) - Non-US Citizens who have lived in the US for 36 consecutive months College Scholarship Services (CSS) Profile through College Board - Requested by some higher-ed institutions

TASFA

CSS

The College Funding Coach is offering a FREE Webinar “Little-Known Secrets of Paying for College” for SJA families only via Zoom on November 15th @ 6:30 PM. They will focus on strategies that may enable you to qualify for financial aid, sources for scholarships, and ways to maximize your wealth and minimize your tax exposure, giving you greater cash flow for funding a college education.

SJA College Counseling

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