Central Valley High School

Counseling

Handbook

Last update: 11/15/19

How Can We Help You?

The Central Valley High School Counseling Department framework, goals and objectives are based off of the ASCA (American School Counseling Association) model.

SCHOOL COUNSELING DOMAINS

There are three broad domains for student development that guide our school counseling program:

• Academic

• Maximizing each student’s full potential to learn

• Facilitation of parent, teacher meetings to improve student success
• Review 10th and 11th grade transcripts in January and give feedback
• Assist students with creating a 4-year Academic and Career plan in Aeries
• Ensure that all students have access to Aeries
• SAT and ACT fee waivers
• Proctor PSAT

• Educate students on postsecondary career and college options

• Tier 1 Lesson Plans at each grade level
• Host Financial Aid Night
• FAFSA/College application “kick-off”

• Field-Trips

• Shasta College, Non-Traditional Employment for Women
• Shasta College, Senior Preview Day

• Career

• Help students understand the relationship between school and the world of work

• Assist students with developing and preparing for post-secondary goals, including meeting A-G requirements and completing a CTE (Career Technical Education) pathway
• Career Exploration lessons

• Social/Emotional

• Assist students with managing emotions

• Post- Suspension Re-Engagement meetings
• SART- Problem solving meetings to increase attendance
• Refer students and parents to community resources when needed
• Suicide Prevention and Intervention suicide risk 

• Assist students with learning and applying interpersonal skills

• Friday check-ins (5-20 minute) appointments
• Stress Management Lesson

The Role of the School Counselor

Appropriate and Inappropriate Activities for School Counselors

Gone are the Days of Guidance Counselors: We ARE School Counselors

We strongly encourage you to schedule an appointment, so that we are able to give you our full, undivided attention.

We have two counselors on staff: Mrs. Stevenson and Ms. King.

Both counselors have completed Master Degree programs in Educational Counseling and have a Pupil Personnel Services credential.

In addition, both counselors have been certified in many ASCA domains, as well as participated in many trainings by Dr. Trish Hatch, a renowned School Counseling Consultant for the US Department of Education.

• Mrs. Stevenson is responsible for all students with a last name that starts with A-J
• Ms. King is responsible for all students with a last name that starts with K-Z

1. Parents and Students can schedule an appointment on our website:Your request for an appointment is 100% confidential. The request goes directly to your counselor’s email inbox. Please give as much information as possible when scheduling an appointment so that we can be prepared for our meeting. You will know we’ve received your response when we send you a meeting invitation via email.

2. Email your counselor: gstevenson@gwusd.org or aking@gwusd.org

3. Drop in at lunch, break or after school- We may be available. Otherwise Mrs. Meisner, our Counseling Tehnician can schedule you an appointment

GUARANTEED TIER 1 CURRICULUM FOR ALL STUDENTS (Counseling BeCV’s)

TIER 2 INTERVENTION FOR THOSE WHO NEED IT

Graduation Requirements

English                        40

Mathematics                 20

Integrated/Algebra         10

Physical Education         20

World History                 10

U.S. History                 10

American Gov't/Econ         10

 Life Science                10

Physical Science                 10

Visual/Perform Arts         10

CTE/Practical/Voc                10

Electives/CTE                 70

Total Credits Required 230

Courses Offered:

English Language Arts

• CP English 1,2,3*
• CP English 4 CSU ERWC*
• Honors English 1,2*
• AP English 3,4*

Mathematics

• Integrated Math 1,2,3*
• Integrated Math 1, 2, 3 Honors*
• AP Calculus*

Social Sciences

• CP World History*
• AP World History*
• CP U.S. History*
• AP U.S. History*
• CP Government/Economics*
• AP Government/Economics*

Science

• STEM 1 Engineering*
• STEM 2 Vex. Robotics*
• AG Biology*
• AG Chemistry*
• Integrated Science*
• CP Biology*
• AP Biology*
• Honors Chemistry*
• Honors Physics*

Visual and Performing Arts

• Art 1,2,3,4*
• AP Studio Art*
• Drama 1,2,3*
• Band 1,2*
• Orchestra*
• Choir*
• Creative Digital Media*

Language Other Than English

• Spanish 1,2,3*
• AP Spanish 4*
• American Sign Language 1,2,3*

Skill Building (Freshman only)

• Math Lab (non A-G)
• English Lab (non A-G)

Physical Education

• PE (non A-G)
• Weight Training (non A-G)
• Varsity Weight Training (non A-G)

Practical Vocational Art 

• Food Services 1*2
• Yearbook
• Ag Fabrication 1,2*
• Multi-Media II

Italics=College Credit 

Asterisks*=A-G approve

ROP Courses:

Selecting Coursework: All students are encouraged to graduate from Central Valley High School with the skills it takes to be College and Career Ready!

Students create a  4-year high school plan for the 1st time, in the 9th grade, during the month of January.  This plan can be viewed on Aeries, from the parent and student portal. Students know that their plan can and probably will change, but it should not be done so on a whim. A student’s 4-year plan will be finalized during sophomore counseling appts; occuring during the 3rd and 4th week of March. Parents are encouraged to attend in person or via phone. A student’s Academic Plan will inform the parent and student as to whether or not the student is on track to meet A-G (College entrance) , CTE Pathway completion and graduation requirements. A parent should also ask their 10th and 11th grade students to show them the transcript they’re given by their counselors when selecting coursework in the month of March. These transcripts contain feedback from counselors, informing them whether or not they’re on track to graduate high school and meet post-secondary goals.

Taking Classes at Shasta College:

We strongly encourage students to take college level coursework when they are ready. We offer the following classes on our campus to all students:

In addition to the courses available on our campus, high school students can take Shasta College courses on campus or online tuition free. *There is a flat rate campus fee of $40.50 per semester + the cost of books.

If you’re interested in taking college courses through Shasta College, make an appointment with your counselor. We will guide you as to what courses you’re most likely to successfully acquire credit and we will assist you with filling out a concurrent enrollment form.

Credit Value assigned to transferable college courses: College courses are typically multiplied by 3 and rounded up to calculate the equivalent high school credit.  

E.g.  4 college units x 3= 13 high school credits

        3 college units x 3= 10 high school credits

Schedule Change Requests:

We pre-register students for coursework in the spring of the prior school-year. After courses are selected we calculate the number of sections we will offer for each course. This is called, “balancing the Master Schedule”. In order to provide your student with the best education possible, once the school year starts, changing a schedule can only be accommodated for a few reasons. The reasons are stated below.

****Schedule change requests are available in the counseling office****

A-G requirements are a sequence of courses that students are required to take and pass with a C or higher, to be eligible for a 4 year University. Often we hear students say, “but I’m just going to Shasta College”. We would like to reframe that way of thinking. 

Shasta College is College. We want ALL students to graduate with ALL options!

Credit and A-G Recovery:

School districts require you to have a specific # of credits in a specific sequence of courses. See graduation requirements. If you have failed a course, you do need to "re-take" that course. We are not currently able to fit "retake" courses into a regular school day.

You have 2 options:

• You can concurrently enroll in an equivalent course at Shasta College
• You can take the course on Odysseyware (online school paid for by our district)

Please see your school counselor to explore which option would be best for you.

If you have failed multiple classes, you're 16 and graduation is at risk, your counselor may recommend a transfer to Mountain Lakes High School.

Recommended transfer guidelines:

10th grade semester 1- 20 credits behind

10th grade semester 2- 30 credits behind

11th grade semester 1- 40 credits behind

11th grade semester 2- 40 credits behind

12th grade semester 1- 30 credits behind

12th grade semester 2- 15 credits behind

All students are encouraged to meet A-G requirements for 4-year college entrance. Meeting A-G requirements only requires getting C’s or higher in CP or AP courses and taking 2 years of Spanish or American Sign Language. If a student gets less than a C, and they would like to remain eligible for a 4-year university they can retake the course on Odyssey or take an equivalent course at Shasta College online or after school. In addition, some A-G courses can be validated. Validation can get complicated. Please see your counselor with any questions.

Sample Transcript of a student who has many options after he graduates. 

This student’s academic, weighted GPA is  a 3.76, which puts him in the top 20% of his graduating class. He has taken and completed a CTE (Career Technical Education) pathway. He has a score of 3 on a World History AP test. He may be awarded college credit for getting a 3 or higher. He has taken 4 college classes and passed 3 of them. This school year he is taking 3 more college classes. He scored 4 on SBAC testing for Math and English!

We like seeing scores of 3 and 4!

Short Term Independent Study:

.                                                                                         

        CENTRAL VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

                                           HOME OF THE FALCONS

              A California Distinguished School

Short-Term Independent Study Pre-Approval

Student __________________________________________________ Grade______

Contract Dates: from ____________thru _____________ Total days cannot exceed 10.  

In order for a student to participate in short-term independent study they must agree to the following. Please initial acknowledging that:

_____   No pupil with exceptional needs may participate unless the Individualized Educational Program (IEP) specifically provides for participation. Contact your students Case Manager. 

_____  Assignments must be turned in to your teachers the day you return. Your teachers will need to put a grade on your IS form and you will need to turn it in to attendance. Work turned in late shall be considered "missed assignments". No attendance credit will be given for missed assignments. Not turning in work assigned is equivalent to all day unexcused absences and regular attendance policies apply. Six unexcused absences may result in you being placed on an attendance contract.  

_____  Assignments completed and submitted the day you return will earn full academic and attendance credit. To receive full credit, all work in all subjects must be completed. The manner, time, frequency and place for submitting work is specified on assignment contract.

_____  Failure to complete this contract will likely result in the lowering of your student’s grades and may result in your student being ineligible for a future Independent Study Contract.

Parents, please sign acknowledging that you and your student have spoken about the above requirements and you acknowledge the counselor recommendation.

Parent Signature: ___________________________ Date: ______________________

Counselor Recommendation

Students who have less than a “C” in any class and/or have an absence rate greater than 10% are not good candidates for IS. It requires a high level of responsibility and self-discipline.

_____  Your student is recommended for short term IS, because they have a grade of C or higher in all classes and less than a 10% absence rate.

_____  Your students is not recommended for short term IS, because they have less than a C in a class and/or greater than a 10% absence rate.

Counselor Signature: ____________________________________     Date:  ___________________

Long Term Independent Study:

Central Valley High School does not offer Long Term Independent Study. The Independent Study program in our School District is GEO (Gateway Educational Options). As is the case with all Independent Study Programs there is a cap on enrollment. You will need to make an appointment with your students School Counselor, and they will submit a referral to administration, if appropriate.

• If your student has an IEP (Individual Education Plan) you must contact your students case manager. Transitioning to another program/school requires an IEP meeting. There is a cap on the # of students with an IEP who can be enrolled in GEO.

• GEO is not a credit recovery program. If your student is failing classes and/or has greater than a 10% absence rate your student is not a good candidate for Independent Study. IS requires an incredible amount of responsibility and work ethic. If your student is failing with the help of direct instruction, they’re not likely to be more successful without it.

• Submitting a referral does not guarantee that your student will be eligible to enroll in the Gateway Educational Options program. Administration may believe direct instruction is a better fit for your child’s education. It’s also possible that GEO is full and your student will be placed on a waiting list. Submitting a referral only begin the process. In the meantime, your student must continue attending school. Not doing so may result in your student’s referral being revoked.

The process is as follows:

Parent meets with counselor → Counselor submits referrals → Principal approves or denies referral → If approved, referral is sent to the Principal of GEO → Principal approves or denies referral → If approved Counselor calls parent to inform that parent needs to check student out of CVHS → GEO teacher calls parent to schedule an appointment.

• The best time to transition into and out of an Independent Study program is at the semester (August and January).  Transferring into an Independent Study program mid-semester will likely lead to your student being “credit deficient” and therefore off-track for graduation. Referrals are generally only approved mid-semester if there is a compelling circumstance, such as the inability of a student to get to school for a health reason.  This is a weekly credit formula to predict how many credits a student can earn while enrolled in GEO.

We are dedicated to our students at Central Valley High School.

You have many professionals who can assist you!

Our college access partners are located in room 80!

Our Career Technical Education Coordinator, Debbie Harkreader dharkreader@gwusd.org is in rm 61: Mrs. Harkreader can assist you with information regarding ROP, the military, ASVAB or Career Exploration. 

Our School Psychologist and School Psychologist Intern

are located in the counseling office:

Kelly Backhues kbackhues@gwusd.org 

Brittany Ostendorf bostendorf@guwsd.org 

Athletic Eligibility:

Students must maintain a minimum unweighted GPA of 2.0.  (CIF Bylaws) GPA is recalculated at each Quarter/Semester grading period.

• Quarter- October
• Semester 1- December
• Quarter- March
• Semester 2- June

A waiver of the 2.0 GPA requirement can be used for only 1 quarter in a student’s entire 4 years of high school.

GPA Calculator:

Your grade point average (GPA) is calculated by adding the total number of grade points, and then dividing by the number of classes you are taking.

Points:

A= 4

B= 3

C= 2

D= 1

F= 0

E.g.: Your grades are A, A, B, C, D, D. You add 4+4+3+2+1+1 = 15. You are taking 6 classes, so your GPA is 15/6= 2.5.

If you are interested in playing College Athletics,

please go to the NCAA website!

The Importance of Testing/ Types of Tests:

College & Career Planning Timeline

9th

• Register for coursework that meets A-G Requirements
• Get involved in clubs and sports
• Monitor your grades via Aeries ((Keep your GPA above a 3.0 throughout high school))
• Talk to your teacher or counselor if you are having difficulties. We are here to help.
• Research Careers!
• Meet with your counselor in March to update your 4 year plan and pre-register for your Sophomore year classes

10th

• Talk with your counselor if you received a D or F
• Take the PSAT in October
• You and your parents will meet with your counselor in March to update your 4 year plan and pre-register for your junior year classes

​11th

• Take the PSAT in October
• Start Researching Colleges!
• Start Studying for the SAT and/or ACT during Winter Break
• Take the  SAT/ACT in the Spring/Early Summer-  continue studying throughout summer if you are not confident in your score
• Meet with your counselor in March to update your 4 year plan and pre-register for your senior year classes

12th

• Re-Take the SAT/ACT by December, if needed
• Attend Senior Night in October
• Attend College Quest in October
• Complete your FAFSA application ASAP after October 1st
• Complete your CSU and UC applications by November 30th
• Complete Private College Applications based on individual deadlines
• Complete your Shasta College Application, Orientation and Educational plan with a Shasta College counselor by April 15th
• Create a Web Grants 4 Students account, if applicable, and accept your Cal-grant award.

Ethical  and Legal Obligations for High School Counselors according to the American School Counselor Association:

• We aim to provide counseling to students in a brief context and support students and families/guardians in obtaining outside services if the student needs long-term clinical counseling.
•  We do not diagnose but remain acutely aware of how a student’s diagnosis can potentially affect the student’s academic success.
• We cannot and will not become involved in any family legal issues, including divorce or child custody.
• Students have a right to privacy. Our primary obligation to confidentiality is to the student. Particularly regarding birth control, pregnancy and abortion. We also understand that “parents/guardians have a legal and inherent right to be the guiding voice in their children’s lives, especially in value laden issues”. (Page 110) Therefore, we may not be able to divulge exactly what the student is going through. However, we are committed to collaborating with parents to the fullest extent possible. We recognize that students do best when everyone works together to support the student.
• We are required to keep a record of our interactions with students. However, unless one of the limits to confidentiality has occurred, or our records are subpoenaed, we will not share these records.  

• Limits to Confidentiality:

• We have to break confidentiality when a student poses a danger to himself or others.
• We have to break confidentiality when there is the possibility of “serious and foreseeable harm” to anyone.

We try our very best to remind the student of the limits to confidentiality during every conversation that could possibly lead to breaking confidentiality.

 Examples:

• When we are conducting a suicide risk assessment
• When we are discussing potential abuse within the home.

We are mandated reports.  We can lose our jobs if we do not report every time there is the potential for abuse within the home.

How to help your student if he/she is:

Counseling Resources are available on our school website  http://cvfalconpride.com/

Student Clubs

Credit Recovery

Wellness and Community Resources

CVHS Counseling Lesson Plans

College and Career Planning

College Entrance Exams

College Application Resources

Scholarships and Financial Aid

Military

Regional Occupational Program (ROP)