COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

Highlighting our Wellness and College Counseling Programs

Christian Brothers High School has the most robust Counseling Program of any private school in the region and our College Counseling and Wellness Programs are perfect examples of the excellent programs available to our students. In the Wellness Program, we are very fortunate to have two Wellness Counselors in our department to better serve the emotional needs of our students. Mrs. Emily McDougall is in her eighth year at CB and Mrs. Juanita Patterson ‘81 is in her first year at CB. Both wellness counselors see many students across all grade levels who seek out help in everything from anxiety and depression, to substance use and eating issues, to coping with stress and grief. They also go into the classrooms throughout the year and offer presentations about Wellness, which involve the whole person (physical, emotional, academic, social, intellectual, environmental, and of course, spiritual.) They offer small group support on the topics of Stress Management and Social Support. Mrs. McDougall sends out her insightful “Wellness Wednesday” message to our students and families via Schoology. They even offer virtual services via their “Virtual Calming Room” and their one-of-a-kind Virtual Wellness Center that offers meditations, visual relaxation, yoga, prayer, music, and creative activities along with the ability for students to sign up for in-person sessions via the website. They are truly invaluable to our entire school community and offer tremendous expertise and care for all students. Check out Wellness Counseling resources here

The CB College Counseling duo of Ms. Melissa McClellan and Mrs. April Melarkey are outstanding resources for any or all topics related to college advising. You would be hard-pressed to find two experts that know each other so well and work so tirelessly for our entire CB community. No stone goes unturned in their practice. They can be found in-person for one-on-one sessions, on the stage giving packed-house presentations, in the classroom giving college advising sessions, virtually in Morning Coffee Meetups, and on the lawn for college fairs. They have years-long relationships with representatives of colleges all over the country and stay up to date in all topics related to college advising. Our reputation as the “Place to Be” stays intact under their watchful eyes in college counseling! Please join our entire community in our shared gratitude for these outstanding programs and everything they do to make the CB Counseling Program the premier program in the region.

Pre-Registration for 2023-2024 School Year

The Counseling Department requests that families please go over their student’s future courses with them before the registration period closes on March 7 at 11 p.m. This will ensure everyone is on the same page and there will be fewer changes over the summer. Counselors have finished meeting with students in the classroom and they have received a Class Registration Planning Sheet. All students will be completing pre-registration through PowerSchool and students may log-in to make changes as many times as necessary over this period. Please have your student log into PowerSchool via the CB website, not through the iPad app.

To assist with this pre-registration process, students should reference the 2023-24 Course Catalog that is available on the CB website under the “Academics” section as well as view the 2023-24 Summer School information and registration links also available on the CB website under “Academics”. Counselors will be available to students at lunch outside of the Learning Commons to answer Pre-Registration questions or complete on the spot registration in PowerSchool during this time. Additional questions may be directed to your student’s grade-level counselor or any of the CB college counselors.

Upcoming Counseling Dates

March 1: Mini-College Fair (Main Lawn, both lunches)

March 9: Exploring College Night for Juniors and their Families

March 20: Coffee for Freshman Parents and Guardians. (Virtual)

The Clothes Closet will be open during lunch in the Main Hallway on March 7 and 21 and April 18. Families can make shopping appointments by calling the main office.

Senior families, please consider donating your student’s CB dress code appropriate clothing.

MEDIA, VISUAL AND PERFORMING ARTS

Lenaea Theatre Festival Success

In February, CB rocked the Lenaea High School Theatre Festival. Seven of our students took eight performances and two original scripts to the festival, putting their work up against submissions from over 60 schools. CB medaled in nine of ten submissions, with Alexxa Riley ‘23 (pictured first) winning Gold and a Command Performance for her Shakespeare monologue. Congratulations to all of CB’s award winners, including (second left to right, top to bottom) Abigail Vandepol ‘23, Aubriana Line ‘23, Madelyn Whitnell ‘24, Caroline Kramer ‘23, Iliana Demas ‘25, and Natasha Reese ‘25 and everyone who participated in this festival held at Folsom Lake College.

Spring Play Tickets Now Available!

Tickets for “The Importance of Being Earnest”, by Oscar Wilde are now available on our website!

The production will feature an advanced group of seniors taking their final bow in a CB production. Josiah Foster will portray Jack/Earnest, Tycho Fong will play Algernon, Alexxa Riley will take on the role of the formidable Lady Bracknell, Caroline Kramer will play Gwendolen, Abigail Vandepol will be Cecily, Tanner Meade will play Chasuble, and Aubriana Lene will play Merriman. Two juniors will round out this talented cast. Madelyn Whitnell will play Prism and Aneil Harmon will play Lane.

Summer Education Grant

Friends of the Arts (FOTA) wants to help students pursue their passions with a Summer Education Grant! Current freshmen through juniors who plan to return to CB in the fall and who have yet to receive a grant are eligible. Applications are available from art teachers and are due by Friday, March 24. Students can use these funds for lessons, arts camps, and art equipment.

La Salle Art Show Submissions

This annual art show features artwork from students and faculty. Anyone can submit work, even if they are not in an art class. If students have work they’d like to submit, contact Ms. Hohlwien or any art teacher. Artwork is due by March 31. The La Salle Art Show is Friday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Student Television Network Conference

Media Arts will shortly be headed to the Student Television Network Conference in Long Beach. Students will compete with work they have already created, as well as in categories like the Crazy 8s which challenges students to create, shoot, and edit material in an eight hour window. Good luck to all our filmmakers!

Michael D. Jackson, CB’s Artistic Director of the Theatre Arts, will direct this production. Jackson also designed the costumes. Heather Christianson, CB’s Technical Director of the George Cunningham ’40 Performing Arts Center, designed the set and lighting.

Evening performances will be at 7 p.m. on March 17, 18, 24, 25. Matinees will be at 2 p.m. March 19 and 26.

More Upcoming Arts Events

Virtual FOTA Meeting: Tuesday, March 7 at 6:30 p.m. Email cbfota@gmail.com for meeting link.

Choral Concert: Saturday, April 22, performances at 5 and 7 p.m.

Instrumental Concert: Thursday, April 27 at 7 p.m.

La Salle Art Show: Friday, April 28 at 5:30 p.m.

Signing Day

Our first letter of intent signing day of the 2022-2023 school year took place Tuesday, February 14 in the George Cunningham ‘40 Performing Arts Center. Congratulations to the following athletes:

(Pictured left to right) Josh Ryan: Lewis, Golf; Nick Goldberg: Tufts, Baseball; Kellen Martinez: Concordia, Baseball; Tiana Johnson: Chico State, Softball; Elizabeth Ledesma: Sacramento State, Soccer; Lily Jensen: San Marcos, Soccer, Peyton McDonald: Pacific University Oregon, Soccer; Keilee Hall: Arizona University, Track; Maya Hilger : Harvard, Rugby

Winter Sports Playoffs

Winter sports playoffs began in the last two weeks of February. The women’s basketball team was the number one seed in the division two playoffs. The men’s soccer team was the fourth seed in division three playoffs and the women’s soccer team was the number one seed in division three playoffs. Congratulations to the women’s varsity soccer team and women’s varsity basketball team who were both CAL League Champions!

Men’s basketball made it back to the playoffs for the first time since 2020 as the tenth seed in division three.

All fall and winter teams qualified for the post season with 5 fall teams taking 2nd place in the CIF SJS Section Playoffs. Go Falcons!

CB Football Player to be Honored

Congratulations to CB football player, Landon Howard ’23 (see below) who will be honored at our National Football Foundation Scholar-Athlete Banquet on Sunday, March 5, 2023. The honor is for grades, community service, and overall performance on the football field.