A Day in the Life of an Alternative School Counselor Part 1

It has been awhile since I wrote a post. One reason I don't write regularly is because I often wonder what people think about stories I may write, and I know that I cannot use names or specific details in re-telling any story about a current student. A couple of years ago, I wrote about my day in the life of a middle school counselor, so it occurred to me that I can share a lot about my present position by simply describing what I do on a daily basis.

I'd like to start by explaining how our alternative school works. In a previous post, I mentioned reasons students attend an alternative school, so I won't repeat all of those. One of the main components of my job is to schedule students.  We don't schedule like a traditional high school, where students pick their classes in the spring, course numbers are entered, and the computer generates a schedule for the entire next year.

At my high school, we service students in grades 9-12, and the students register with us every 9 weeks. Students earn semester credits in a 9 week period, because we have block scheduling, so students can earn anywhere between 4-6 credits in one quarter. This allows them to earn between 16-24 credits in one school year which is why it is a great option for credit deficient students and those wanting to graduate early. Students who are really diligent and put their mind to it could potentially earn 2 years of high school credit in one year.

We do have some of those highly motivated students, but we have a few more who would rather come and earn a few credits at a time, take their time, and end up graduating on time, because they don't really have a plan if they are going to graduate early.

One of my many roles is to schedule the students' classes BY HAND every 9 weeks. This means I enter the master schedule that the principal and I agree on based on what our students need each quarter. We have teachers who teach our core classes- Math, English, Science, and Social Studies, and then our electives are mostly completed online in our virtual classroom.  As students complete classes early, I try to find them another class to take if they finish early enough to complete another class. Our teachers teach mini lessons, and then supervise students working at their own pace. Our teachers tirelessly assist each student individually, answering questions and pushing them along.

One last way that our school runs academically, is students can attend a half day, and then be released to work at a job, for which they can earn up to six elective credits (100 hours of work = 1 credit). The sophomores also have the option of attending our Vocational School nearby for half a day. A bus takes them and brings them back, and they can earn a vocational certification in one of many areas of study.

My next post will focus on what I do on a daily basis to address behavioral and emotional needs of students and parents. That is what really keeps me hopping! On any given day, my mental brain energy is used up and when I get home I take a 30 minute nap!

Thoughts From a Mom

I have been a school counselor for 19 years, and it was finally time for a senior in my own house to graduate! Now I can call my self an expert counselor because I have experienced everything I have been advising parents on, right? By no means an expert, navigating senior year with my daughter was somewhat of a breeze since I knew the ins and outs of college admissions, financial aid, and ACT/SAT stuff.

I am sitting here in the middle of summer, getting ready to take Julia to college in about 4 weeks. I am already thinking ahead about how quiet the house will be; how much I will miss her, and hoping and praying she succeeds in college. It is time for me to let her fly. I have no intention of being a helicopter parent, as much as I wish I could fly a drone over her campus to see what she is doing every day.

I know that I will see her often.  Well at least for her first year. College has fewer weeks per semester than high school.  I am well aware that she may end up spending her summers at college, or at a camp somewhere as a counselor, or another job that would give her real life experience. I am excited for her even though I will miss her very, very much.

My younger daughter is going to start her sophomore year, so I will have three years to focus on giving her the attention and guidance she needs. Julia, as the oldest, got to be an only child for her first three years of life. Stacey will get to be an only child for her last three years of high school. It will be different having an only child, but I know that kids growing up and moving on is a part of the cycle of life.

I am happy for my daughter to go out into the world, well prepared by her high school, and I hope, well prepared by her parents.
 

Don't Let Your Past Plan Your Future- Part 2

The damage has been done. You've been abused (no one likes that word). You've been told you are worthless, nothing, unloved. Maybe you were told that with words. Maybe you were told that with actions- mom left, dad left. Now what are you going to do? Grieve. Yes. Move on. You should.

You can and should do both of those things. Grieve the loss of a great relationship that you should have had with your mom or dad. Be angry that they made bad choices and you were #2 on their list- behind the drugs. Behind the alcohol. Or behind the boyfriend or girlfriend. It's a fact. You weren't taken care of properly. It hurts. It stings. You've tried begging for things to be different. It never happened.

Now you find yourself as a teenager, very close to age 18, ready to walk into the "adult" world. Because of the damage that has been done, you are scared. You don't believe you can make it on your own, because the messages are obvious. You look like your mom. You act like your dad. You're not very smart and you aren't going to ever get ahead. You already started smoking. You don't know what to do with your anger. You have already gotten in trouble with the law for selling drugs, or breaking into a home to find money for drugs. Or you already let a boy slap you and use you.

Do you want to be different? Do you want to change? How can you? There are resources out there. While you still have access to teachers, school counselors, and principals- go talk to them. They will give you ideas, help you fill out applications, help you make phone calls. Whatever it takes to help you change your patch of self-destruction you are on.

 Now is the time to make a change. Do it. Move on.

Don't Let your Past Plan Your Future- Part 1

 

As I have been working with teenagers at the high school level for the past 6 months, I have been at times happy, sad, frustrated, angry, and hopeful. My emotions go up and down with theirs. There had been something bothering me about their words and actions, but I couldn't quite put my finger on it- until the other day when I was mulling over in my mind various phrases to try to describe what I would most like to say to these 14-18 year olds. I am a poetry/poster person, always trying to think of something I can do or say that will inspire or motivate.

I was trying to remember a poster I had seen one time that I thought said, Don't Let Your Past Define Your Future, but that wasn't what I wanted to say. I needed another word. Then it came to me. These kids often times let their past plan what is going to happen to them in the future, like it's a done deal. BUT IT'S NOT!

These kids need to know or learn how to put their mind and truth over their emotions. We all fall into the trap- we are human. The trap meaning we let others actions and words affect us in the deepest parts of our hearts and mind so that we become paralyzed to change our future. Some of us are highly damaged goods and we let our parents, spouses, close friends, co-workers, or whoever is closest to us tell us what we are doomed to do that is negative or self-destructive.

There will always be an ageless debate of whether or not we have genes that lead us to repeat the bad things that our parents have done to us or said to us. We have personality traits that are inherited, but we all can make our own choices about what we do, who we hang out with, how we spend our money, and what habits we pick up. We are not destined for "badness," we are destined to be what God intended us to be and do. We have choices.

My next post will be more about the students, some of the issues they face, and why I think they let their past plan their futures.

The "Easy" College Application Process

Navigating the college application process does not have to be stressful and difficult, as most parents are led to believe through the panic that occurs in many homes at the start of junior or senior year. There are some easy "rule of thumbs" to remember:

1. During spring of junior year, have your student take the ACT, SAT or both. Most high school counselors recommend one of each test, and if scores are not desirable, retake in the fall of senior year before December 1. A student who has a GPA of 2.0 or less should probably  not take the ACT or SAT until fall of senior year, as the score is probably not going to be a good acceptance score.  If your student is 100 per cent sure they are going to Community College or for vocational training, they do not need to take either test.

2. If your child has a GPA of 2.5 or less you should automatically assume they need to start out at a Community College or get some vocational training. The good news is after a semester or year of Community College demonstrating good grades and success, your child can transfer to many four year schools to complete a four year degree if desired.  Another option if you have a low GPA but want to start out at a four year college is to research schools that have open enrollment- for example Carthage College in Wisconsin and Ferris State in Michigan.

3. Pay attention to the deadlines your high school guidance counselor sets for senior year. Colleges begin taking applications as of August 1 of the student's senior year.  Pick 3 colleges to apply to- try to narrow it down by visiting junior year or over the summer, and weed out schools that do not offer the desired major.

4. Make sure applications are complete by November 1st of senior year. Some students who are waiting for a higher GPA at semester may wait until around February 1 if the college does not have an early application deadline. Most colleges will take applications through May 1, but won't  have financial aid available for students who did not apply before December 1.

5. Parent or guarding completes the FAFSA www.fafsa.ed.gov between January 1 and March 10 (check the FAFSA website for specific state deadlines). Wait to hear from colleges about whether you qualify for additional aid. You and your parents need to decide how much you are willing to take out in student loans to make college affordable.

6. Apply to your dream school. If your grades and test scores are decent, you never know what might happen!

7. Remember- you don't have to take out a lot of loans for college. If you and your parents can't come up with the cash, start at a Community College and get a job and save some money for a year, then reapply.

When in doubt about anything concerning college admissions and financial aid, contact your high school guidance office or the admissions office of the college you want to attend.

Middle Aged Mom Moments

I am finally here, where my own mom was 25 years ago. Middle Age. It's not a terrible place to be, and I'm not sure it's even the best, as my life is not over yet, but I can tell you that it is a good place to be.
I am the mom of three teenage daughters. One by adoptions (at age 3 days), one by birth, and one came to us via foster parenting (she doesn't call me mom, but technically I am playing that role right now).

So I accidentally published this on my tablet and didn't finish it. I started this with the idea that I would think of some good middle age mom moments to share. Being the mom of teenagers is an ungrateful job. While I have good kids, the demands on my time and energy often leave me feeling exhausted and downright grouchy.

I wish that instead of asking me for money or clothes or wht is there to eat, they would ask me if they can put the dishes away or do the laundry. I sometimes wonder if I had died of my cancer last year what my house would look like. I am sure the neighbors would be calling the health department to check on my family, and we don't even have pets!

My husband is a great man nevertheless. He is alone in the house with 4 females. I wouldn' t think one less would make much of a difference. I think he secretly spends part of his day planning escape routes from us. He takes on the Driver's Ed duties. That is probably enough to put someone in an insane asylum all by itself. Overall he helps keep me sane because he DOES help with dishes and laundry.

We do teach the girls responsibility. They have chores on weeks off of school and they have to take turns mowing the lawn. They also work hard in school, are kind to others, and listen to clean music. As a mom I value these qualities much more than picking up around the house. If I had to choose one thing to spend my parenting energy on it would definitely be character building over cleaning.

That is my middle aged mom moment for the day!

What is it Like to Work at an "Academy"?

As I start my 19th year as a school counselor, I am digging deep to learn a new position.  I have been a middle school counselor for the past seven years, and a high school counselor the previous 6, and even before that I spent 5 years as an elementary counselor. I started a new position this year at our extension school, mostly known as the alternative school, which is named Harris Academy. Our district would like to change it's image from that of an alternative school (in a negative connotation) to more of a place where students can go as an intervention when they are not being successful at a much larger school. We are indeed alternative, but in a positive way.

For example, our high school has almost 2400 students, and we have about 140 students in grades 9-12. We have 5 class periods a day versus 7, and students can take a hybrid of teacher led classes (no more than 16 in each class), and online classes. If they move at a fast pace, they can complete more online courses. We also work on the quarter system rather than the semester. Students take block classes for 9 weeks, earning credits at a little bit faster pace.  One of our goals this year is to implement opportunities for dual college credit and technical honors diplomas for the students.

This is a great opportunity for those behind on credits to catch up and graduate with their class. It also is an opportunity for some kids who feel the need to start working early to go out and live on their own or save for college to attend for half a day.
In addition we have a "one room schoolhouse" for 7th and 8th grade students from our district who need an extra push, or small setting, to "get themselves together" before entering high school.

The kids situations and personalities vary widely. Each student is very unique and doesn't feel that the bigger school setting is for them. I am learning a new position, making new friends with colleagues, and getting to know new students. All of this is very overwhelming to my brain at times.
I have the support of five wonderful counselors at the high school as well as our new director.  I am positive that it will be a great experience and I look forward to reporting back to my blog at the end of the year for a summary of the first year in my new position.