Back To School!
Welcome to the 2024-25 school year!
We look forward to a productive and fun year. The partnership between parents and school is critical in ensuring that students reach their fullest potential We all share the responsibility of student success Therefore we encourage you to stay involved and reach out if you have any questions or comments, As counselors, our goal is to help students and their parents for the overall success at Saint Joseph Academy.
New school year expectations
As we collaborate to help each child be successful in their own way, we ask that families guide and support student learning by ensuring the following: Make sure students attend school daily and on time
Provide an adequate amount of rest and nutritious meals
Share school experiences and attend school activities and parent meetings
Provide a consistent and distraction-free space to do homework
Check binders and student planners regularly and communicate with teachers
Read and support school rules and discipline policies stated in the 20242025 Student/Parent Handbook
Social Media
According to recent studies, some researchers think that exposure to social media can overstimulate the brain's reward center and, when the stimulation becomes excessive, can trigger pathways comparable to addiction Excessive use has also been linked to sleep problems, attention problems, and feelings of exclusion in adolescents. We encourage parents to be informed and vigilant when it comes to social media usage
The following article explains by Yale Medicine can help you understand more about the mental health issues related to social media usage.
SJA Counseling Department
7th & 8th Grade
Middle school is a critical time in a student’s life, marked by rapid changes in their bodies, minds, brains, and identities. They are beginning to take risks, both academically and socially, and they are looking for influences outside of their parents and family. They are looking for “authentic” adults to model for them In the book Finding the Magic in Middle School, Chris Balmestressestheimportanceoftheseadultinteractions
Duringthistimeofgrowth,middleschoolersneedtodevelopconfidencebyachievingsuccess in activities or school, while at the same time finding groups that accept them. To foster a strong sense of belonging, they often need to explore different opportunities beyond standard schoolprograms
9th & 10th Grade
The beginning of the new school year offers a fresh start for academic success. One significant factor in the pursuit of this goal is student attendance. A study by the U.S. Department of Education found that students who have consistent attendance are more likely to have higher achievement than students who have irregular attendance In contrast, poor attendance puts students at risk of lower grades and may hinder the development of strong study habits. This is more than an issue of simply completing assignments, for there is no substitute for being actively engaged in classroom instruction and activities Additionally, studentswhomissclassoftenmayexperiencenegativeimpactsontheirsocialandemotional development.Whileattendanceisimportantateverygradelevel,itisparticularlysignificantas students begin high school because grades in ninth grade courses become part of the official transcript that will eventually be submitted as part of the college application process Family support regarding consistent attendance, along with effective communication with school personnel,canhelpallstudentsreachtheirfullpotential.
11th & 12th Grade
Seniorsarereadytoapplytocolleges,andjuniorswillbelearningmoreaboutthecollege applicationprocess Justaremindertobothgroups–SAT/ACTarenowbeingrequiredby moreandmorecolleges/universities PleasecheckyourcollegestoseeiftheSAT/ACTisa requirementforapplyingtothecollege Herearethedatesforthisyear’sSAT/ACTtests: SAT:Aug.24,Oct.5,Nov.2,Dec.7,March8,May3,June7 ACT:Sept.14,Oct.26,Dec.14,Feb.8,Apr.5,June14,July12
THE COLLEGE COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
SJA Counseling Department
College Counseling
Animportantpartofcollegeplanningistofindoutwhicharestudents’bestfitcolleges Engagingincollegetoursisagreatwaytonotonlylearnmoreabouttheprogramsofstudy, housingandstudentsupport,buttoalsoexperiencefirst-handacollege’spersonality/vibe. Twoseniorcollegetoursarescheduledforthefall,andstudentswillbereceivinginvitations: 1)Sept 2-5toBaylor,SMUandTCUand2)Oct 13-15toUTSA,St Mary‘s,UIW Beadvisedthat spaceislimited However,therewillbeadditionalopportunitiestotourcollegesoncedates andinstitutionshavebeenselected.Attimestheremightbespacetoinvitejuniors.
FAFSA/TASFA
InpreparationforcompletingtheFAFSA,wesuggestthatseniorsandtheirparentsstart creatingtheiraccounts.StudentsneedtocreatetheirFSAIDandinviteparentstotheir applicationHereisalinktoinformationyouneedtoknow
Free Princeton Review Presentations
We are thrilled to announce that The Princeton Review will provide two online presentations this Fall semester at 6:30pm for our SJA students and their families These presentations are mainly forjuniorsandseniors;however,eagersophomoresarewelcometojoin.Log-inemailsentlater. Thursday,September19th-ADMISSIONS:EssaysThatKickApps
Essays are the part of your application that make you stand out from other students Learn why youressayissoimportantandhowtomakeyouressayshineinthispresentation.
October17th-STANDARIZEDTESTING:SAT,ACT,orBoth?
The program will review the truths and misconceptions, similarities, and differences, and the strategiesthatimprovescores
Important Dates
Tuesday,August20-6:30PM-BacktoSchoolNight
Tuesday,August27-6:30PM-SeniorParentMeeting-Library
Tuesday,September24-6:30PM-OpenHouse
Tuesday,October1-PSAT8thGrade
Thursday,October3-PSAT9thGrade
Friday,October4-1:00to3:00PM-CollegeFair-StudentCenter
Tuesday,October15-PSAT10thGrade
Wednesday,October16-PSAT11thGrade
COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
College Counseling SJA Counseling Department
The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics has projected occupations that will require a Bachelor’s and their approximate annual income This information is important as students consider their future career interests and opportunities.
