Counseling Newsletter 3rd Quarter 2024

End of another school year!

As we approach the end of the school year and plan for a well-deserved break, it is important to finish the year strong. The summer vacation is a perfect time to engage in fun and meaningful activities For example, students could read books of their personal choice to help expand their vocabulary, volunteer for causes that seem important to them, find time for physical activities, and try a new exercise or sport, start new hobbies and/or spend time with positive friends. Additionally, family vacations are a great way to reconnect with all members of the family and find out more about your child’s interests

Reflection of an end of a school year

Here are some questions that might help you get started in talking to your child: What do you want to remember about this school year? Why?

What surprised you?

What challenged you?

What successes are you most proud of?

What did you learn, whether in or out of school?

Social Media

We know that social media use is a big part of teenage life, and although it can be a connector and learning tool, it can also have negative effects when overused or misused Parents need to talk to their children about expectations and limits when engaging in social media. Too many times, we have heard in the news how preteens and teens in particular may develop mental health issues (depression, anxiety, stress, etc) due to inappropriate use of platforms such as TikTok, Instagram, Snapchat, Facebook, etc.

It is important to model behavior for our children, like having more face-to-face interactions, setting rules when it comes to not having devices during family meals, and having a curfew for being active on social media Parents can help students make sure they understand privacy settings, understanding that they should only post things that are positive in nature.

Teens and social media use: What's the impact? (Mayo Clinic)

A plus for using social media, especially as a junior and senior is that students can start following post-secondary institutions that are of interest to them as part of their “fun” research They can start finding out about programs, scholarships, school life, etc Knowledge is power! Ms

LindsayIrwin,MEd

7th & 8th Grade

Middle school is the perfect time to engage in trial and error experiences for students to realize what works and does not work for them in different areas of their life. For example, academically, they should start becoming aware of what they could be doing differently in order to raise their grades in certain courses; socially, they should find out what their boundaries are and how to set them. Awareness alone is not sufficient, so action needs to be taken. Problem-solving and creative thinking encourage creativity, resilience, and comprehension which are skills necessary in overall life The earlier students learn how to confront problem/issues, the more success they will have not only academically, but also socially.

9th & 10th Grade

TheSJASignatureProgramoffersstudentsauniqueopportunityforstudentstoexplore interestsandpossiblecareerpathsinthreeareas.Theseareasinclude:

ArtsandHumanities

InternationalLeadership

Science,Technology,EngineeringandMathematics(STEM)

Thisprogramencouragesstudentstoattendsessionsfeaturingguestspeakers,actively participateinclubsorserviceprojectsrelatedtotheirareaofinterest,andapplyforinternships orshadowingexperiences Ninthandtenthgradersareeligibletoapply,andstudentsmay participateintheSignatureProgramthroughouttheirhighschoolcareer.Inadditiontogaining insightintoprofessionalfieldsandbuildingtheirresumes,studentswillhavetheopportunityto honetheirproblemsolving,communication,andcriticalthinkingskills Formoreinformation abouttheSJASignatureProgram,pleasecontactMr.JesusAbregoatjabrego@sja.us.

11th & 12th Grade

11th Grade – The SAT is coming back at some colleges Some selective schools, such as Dartmouth College, Yale and Brown will require tests again. The University of Texas at Austin is going back to requiring the SAT/ACT Princeton, Stanford, Cornell, the University of Pennsylvania, and Harvard will remain test-optional for a year or two So what should students do? The best adviceistocheckeachcollege’swebsitetounderstandtheschool’stestingpolicy.

12th Grade – Going to college can be exciting and nerve-wrecking. Many times, students can experience anxiety over various reasons – finances, academics, health and well-being, adjusting to a new environment, or being away from family and friends It would be unusual if studentsintheirfirstyearatcollegedidn’thaveissuesassociatedwithstress.Thegoodnewsis thattheyarenotalone-manyotherstudentshavedoneitandsucceededdespitecopingwith stress factors Feeling some stress can be normal and, in some cases, actually help a student to meet deadlines or react quickly in scary situations When students feel that their anxiety has beguntoaffecttheirdailywell-being,theyneedtoseekhelp.

Seniors make their final decisions as to where they will be matriculating in the Fall and announcing it at College Signing Day which will be held on Wednesday, May 8th in the Bro. Francis Student Center. You are welcome to join us in celebrating the next step in theireducationaljourney

In the meantime, juniors have started the process of college planning and preparation. Counselors have been meeting with families individually to provide a personalized approachtothisprocess

College Counseling Career Day

TheSJACareerDayheldonFriday,February9,2023wasahugesuccessthankstothemany professionalswhogavegenerouslyoftheirtime,knowledgeandexpertise.Mr.ShariffGonnella, PresidentatBRGRailwayOmniTRAX,Inc.,wasourKeynoteSpeaker.Thefollowingwereour presenters:Adobbati,JudgeRicardo‘87*Balli,Fernando‘90*Balli,Tatiana*BrownsvillePolice Department(BPD)*Caballero,Marianela‘93*Cano,Israel&AnaCecilia‘94*Clint,John‘87* DelaGarza-Putegnat,Lizzy‘02*Esparza,Jacob‘19*FederalBureauofInvestigation(FBI)* Folacci,Jacqueline‘02*GarciaYzaquirre,MariaEstela‘93*Garnier,Margarita‘05*Gomez,Dr. Jaime*Gonzalez,Justo‘14*Green,Christian‘16*Hollander,Alan*Kozak,DrAngela*LaMantia, SenatorMorgan*Lastra,Carlos‘89*LopezValdez,Daniella‘09*Magallanes,JudgeJuan* Martinez-Peña,DrAdriana‘09Muzquiz,Julia‘15*Phillip-Gulley,DrKindra‘06*Rodriguez, Michael‘86*Roque,Rosario*Taboada,Carlo‘99*Tijerina,Louie‘08*Tumlinson,Mariana‘91* Valencia,Roberto*Waddle,Cindy&Roberts,Sara*Wolfe,Jason‘85*WolfeGonzalez,Amanda ‘89*Zayas,Barbara‘15

Important Dates

AwardsNight:Tuesday,April16that6:30pmintheStudentCenter

StyleShow:Friday,April26th

JuniorRingCeremony:Tuesday,April30that6:30pmatSt.Mary’sChurch

CollegeSigningDay:Wednesday,May8that2:30pm

BaccalaureateMass:Friday,May17that7:00pmattheBro FrancisStudentCenter

Graduation:Saturday,May18that2:00pmattheBro FrancisStudentCenter

FinalExams(7th-12th):May20-23

LastDayofClass:Friday,May24th

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