Jasper Counseling Update

Welcome to our sixth edition of the Jasper Counseling Update for this school year! In this newsletter we will share the latest counseling news, information and resources.

February is the month we celebrate our connections with family and friends, especially on Valentine's Day. For some ideas to strengthen your friendships you can check out the Action for Happiness calendar below. We would love to include some photos of you and your family and/or friends trying some of the strategies for friendliness in our next counseling newsletter. If you would like to share, please send them to melissa.mcanderson@pisd.edu.

• Reduced loneliness
• Less stress
• Emotional support
• Personal growth
• Sense of belonging
• Resilience

Read more at https://www.healthline.com/health/benefits-of-friendship

By Crystal Raypole

G represents the Guts of the goal, which includes choosing a topic, writing a goal statement, setting a standard for success, and setting a time frame.

O represents the Obstacles that stand in the way of reaching their goal.

A represents three Action Steps students plan to help them move toward their goal.

L represents Looking Ahead to life afterward, where students visualize how they will feel upon reaching their goal and think about what they might strive for next.

GET the GOAL SETTING SHEET

1. Set a drinking water goal
2. Warm it up, drink warm water
3. Eat hydrating foods
4. Layer your clothing
5. Consider your workout water needs

Read more from the article in Forbes By Noma Nazish

Test your knowledge and learn more about the Jasper Counseling Team by taking this Quizizz

The new Parent Education Engagement Program (PEEP) is committed to engaging families in the education of their children and building capacity in all PISD schools to implement family engagement strategies and activities designed to achieve the district and student academic achievement goals. https://www.pisd.edu/Page/544

Learn about teen relationships and the unique characteristics of dating abuse, forms of dating abuse, the cycle of abuse, why teen victims stay, effects of abuse on teens, warning signs, how to break up safely, and how to report and respond to abuse.

Feb. 7 at 12-1pm Flyer Zoom Link Or Feb. 9 at 6-7pm Flyer Zoom Link

RISING JUNIORS: Counselors are meeting with tenth grade students and their families in 30 minute academic conferences this month to discuss their course selections for junior year and future college and career plans.

ALL course request changes are subject to seat availability. ANY change request may result in other classes and/or teachers changing to accommodate your request. All course request changes require a parent signature.

• DEADLINE for course selection is March 3, 2023

• DEADLINE to change your course request is May 26, 2023.

RISING SOPHOMORES: Ninth graders have already submitted their course selections to counselors.

ALL course request changes are subject to seat availability. ANY change request may result in other classes and/or teachers changing to accommodate your request. All course request changes require a parent signature.

• DEADLINE for course selection is February 10, 2023

• Last two weeks of school - Families may submit course request changes to the student's current counselor.

• Summer - Students may submit course request changes between July 10-July 21. Students may then have a last opportunity to request a change to a higher level course or to change an elective course between August 14-18.

January 11, counselors visited the middle schools and families visited Jasper that evening for Journey to Jag in an effort to welcome and prepare the rising freshmen for next school year.

Dual credit courses are college courses taken during high school. Students who successfully complete dual credit courses earn both high school and college credit for one course. Plano ISD partners with Collin County Community College District to offer dual credit courses.

Plano ISD offers both academic and workforce education dual credit courses. College course grades earned in dual credit courses are on the student’s college transcript as well as the high school transcript. There are tuition fees associated with dual credit courses, but students receiving free or reduced lunch benefits may have tuition waived. For more information visit: https://www.pisd.edu/domain/12547

For more information on the registration process for dual credit courses please attend a Parent Information Night and review this presentation: https://tinyurl.com/dualcreditprocess

Jasper High School will host virtual meetings via Zoom

Tuesday, Feb. 7, 2023 6:00 pm – 7:00 pm

Zoom Link: https://tinyurl.com/WestSideDualCreditFeb7

If you are pursuing Dual Credit courses for next school year please be sure to follow the steps on the Dual Credit Checklist by the appropriate deadlines. https://tinyurl.com/JasperDualChecklist23

Students interested in taking dual credit courses for eleventh grade may need to pass the TSI exam as part of registering for those courses. Students may check with their counselor to see if they meet exemption requirements for a TSI waiver.

TSI exam administration will take place in person at Jasper High School for our students on Saturday, March 25 and April 29 from 9am to 1pm. For more information and registration visit http://tinyurl.com/JasperTSI

The Plano ISD TONI&GUY Cosmetology Program is a two-year program located at the TONI&GUY Hairdressing Academy. Students selected by lottery will enroll in 11th grade to begin 1,000 clock hours of theory, technical instruction, and practical operations working toward the goal of earning a Texas Cosmetology License as a graduating senior.

The selection form is now open and will close at 9PM on February 10, 2023. SUBMIT YOUR FORM NOW

Did you know you can look at the online gradebook, Parent Portal, to see your child's grades? You are also able to establish email gradebook notifications to alert you of when grades of a certain threshold of your choosing are entered in gradebook. https://tinyurl.com/GradebookNotifcations

Gradebook Notifications provide you with timely information regarding your child's academic progress and facilitate your ability to have family conversations to address academic needs.

Teachers often include notes in the online gradebook regarding the status of past due assignments and opportunities to improve failing grades. The schedule page in gradebook also provides you with the email contact information of your child's teachers. Teachers welcome students to meet with them during tutorials before and after school and during scheduled Connect appointments. https://tinyurl.com/JHStutorial

In the spirit of collaboration, parents and teachers are encouraged to communicate and work together to develop strategies and supports for struggling students. Counselors are available to support students, parents and teachers to collaborate for every student's academic and social emotional success.

Fall PSAT scores are available for your review on CollegeBoard, log in to view your score report and connect to Khan Academy to practice toward improving your scores next time. Information regarding the PSAT was presented in the January 19 Jasper PTSA meeting, review it here.

For more information relating to College Career Military Readiness check out the following links:

CCMR Resources - https://tinyurl.com/CCMRinfo

Exploring Pathways to College and Career - https://www.pisd.edu/Page/27158

College & Career Readiness - https://www.pisd.edu/Page/24908

NEW: During 10th grade Academic Conferences, in addition to course planning, counselors are providing paper copies of Plano ISD's 10th grade CCMR Guide to students to share with their families. You can access it electronically by visiting: https://tinyurl.com/PlanoCCMRguide

It is a fabulous resource compiled by Plano ISD counselors, full of great information and resources to help ensure college career and/or military readiness.

Each month, the display case outside the Counseling Office will change to share information about different College Career or Military options for your future. Stop by the case to learn more.

January showcased an array of resources and ways to research college options. Stay tuned for February which will feature a variety of (HBCU) Historically Black Colleges and University options that accept students from all walks of life.and provide an opportunity to develop their skills and talents.

Share your thoughts and opinions - https://tinyurl.com/CCMR-DispayCase

Clubs and Organizations meet during Connect, before and after school and are a great way to get involved while meeting new people. Students may start a club by obtaining a faculty sponsor and completing the Non-Curricular Club Request. All non-curricular clubs are subject to district approval. To see the current list of available clubs and student organizations visit: https://tinyurl.com/JHSorgs

The Safety Net program at Jasper from the Child and Family Guidance Center has begun for the spring semester. This 8-10 week group-session program, is aimed at giving students a chance to discuss problems and concerns in a supportive environment, and develop skills to improve their lives. The program uses the Positive Action curriculum, which includes units on self-concept, objectively looking at and managing yourself, getting along with others, and short and long-term goal setting for all aspects of life: physical, intellectual, social, and emotional. Sessions are held on Fridays during different class periods each week. Counselors are still accepting referrals for second semester participants. Safety Net Description

The counseling department has started working with students in a Small Group Counseling space, specifically created for students to feel welcome and share in a group-led format. We will be working with students on a variety of topics such as: anxiety, grief, relationship building, conflict management, etc. If you are interested in your student joining a group, please reach out to their counselor to refer. We hope in this new space we can continue to meet the needs of our students here at Jasper.

District School Social Workers serve all 72 campuses in Plano ISD. They work closely with counselors, administrators, teachers, parents, students, and the community.

Services offered include:

• Individual mental health therapy
• Intense family case management and support
• Referrals to community agencies
• Staff consultation and collaboration
• Staff mental health training
• Home visits
• Trauma support

Please let your child's counselor know if you are interested in learning more about our social worker resources.

Counseling Office Hours: 8:30am - 4:30pm

We have an open door policy for student visits, parents are encouraged to make appointments as we are not always available.

Melissa McAnderson

Counselor Alpha A-Gar

melissa.mcanderson@pisd.edu

469-752-7416

Jami Emanuel

Counselor Alpha Gas-Mee

jami.emanuel@pisd.edu

469-752-7419

Robin Gott

Lead Counselor Alpha Mef-Ras

robin.gott@pisd.edu

469-752-7418

Jana Hall

Counselor Alpha Rat-Z

jana.hall@pisd.edu

469-752-7417

Brenda Jordan

Clerk Counselor Secretary

brenda.jordan@pisd.edu

469-752-7415

Rhonda Morgan

Registrar

rhonda.morgan@pisd.edu

469-752-7423

Website: https://www.pisd.edu/domain/495
Location: 6800 Archgate Drive, Plano, TX, USA
Phone: 469-752-7415