DAEP Digest

Dear DAEP Families,

Welcome to the Conroe ISD Disciplinary Alternative Education Program (DAEP). I am honored to serve as principal and look forward to partnering with you throughout your student’s time in our program.

At DAEP, we believe every student deserves the opportunity to learn, grow, and make positive changes. Our goal is to provide a safe, structured, and supportive environment where students can continue their academic progress, develop positive behaviors, and prepare for a successful transition back to their home campus.

Our theme, “New Beginnings. Better Choices. Brighter Future.”, reflects our belief that challenges do not define a student. Each day provides a new opportunity to make better decisions, demonstrate personal growth, and move forward with purpose.

Students are expected to attend school daily, arrive on time, follow all campus expectations, complete their assignments, and treat others with respect. Our staff is committed to maintaining high expectations while providing the encouragement, guidance, and support students need to be successful.

Your partnership is essential. We encourage families to remain involved, communicate regularly with our staff, and reinforce the importance of attendance, appropriate behavior, and academic effort. Working together, we can help every student make meaningful progress and return to their home campus prepared for continued success.

Thank you for trusting us to support your student. We look forward to a productive and successful 2026–2027 school year.

New Beginnings. Better Choices. Brighter Future.

Marcus L. Cowart
Principal
Conroe ISD DAEP

mcowart@conroeisd.net

Welcome to DAEP! I am the counselor at DAEP and my goal is to help your child make a successful transition back to their campus by supporting them in developing healthy coping skills to effectively manage challenging situations at their home campus and beyond! During the time your child is at DAEP, they will have the opportunity to participate in guidance groups. We will discuss coping skills, how to manage stress, and overcoming obstacles. In addition, I will occasionally have guest speakers that will come talk to students about specific topics such as drug prevention, boundaries, and careers. I am also available to meet with students individually if they have other issues they would like to discuss privately. If they ever want to meet with me, they just need to tell one of the teachers in their DAEP classroom.

If you feel like your child needs ongoing counseling on a regular basis, feel free to give me a call or send an e-mail, and I can provide you with referral resources to counselors in the area. In addition, I can help find counselors who specialize in specific areas such as anger management, substance abuse, or anxiety.

In this newsletter you will find buttons below to find local mental health resources. The district does not endorse the content or accuracy of the information on the sites of local resources. You will find information on prevention and awareness of the following topics: Bullying prevention, human trafficking awareness, mental health resources, online safety, substance use awareness and prevention, suicide awareness and prevention, teen dating violence awareness and trauma/grief resources. Additionally, you will also be able to find information on postsecondary planning and college in the buttons below. If you need to discuss any of these resources, please feel free to reach out to me directly. Thank you!

Sincerely,

Aimee Castillo

DAEP Counselor

Phone: 936-709-8104

Email: aimcastillo@conroeisd.net

Here are a few tips about getting back to studying! Although every student has a different set of interests, many express a desire to do better academically than they did the previous semester or year. Even students who excel in their classes seem to have one class that challenges them more than the others. As your student gets settled into this new school year, you might talk with them about what they want to accomplish. If your child struggles to study, encourage them to start some new habits this grading cycle that will carry them through the rest of the year. If they maintain good grades early on, they can continue to maintain them as the semester progresses. However, if students fall behind the first few weeks, they may find themselves trying to catch up for the remainder of the semester.

The video below describes 13 study tips you can share with your student. Some of these techniques may be familiar to them. However, there may be a few that they don't currently utilize. With some practice now, those new skills could help them for the rest of the year!

If your student typically does well academically, they may have a different goal this year ... Perhaps they want to do a better job of managing their stress and anxiety. The adolescent and teenage years are stressful for our students ... and for us!

Although we typically use our cell phones for communication, they also offer some wonderful apps. Apps like Headspace, Calm, or Ten Percent Happier have short guided meditations that you can try. The videos below are a couple of great examples ... Each one only takes a couple of minutes.

In addition, you can find some soothing videos and music on YouTube. The next time you (or your child) has a particularly stressful day, take a few minutes to go outdoors. If you can't go outside, sit by a window. Research suggests that just looking at things outside (flowers, trees, and animals) can reduce stress hormones in your body.

If you are stuck at a desk at your job, you can find soothing music or nature sounds to listen to while you work. If you listen to music with a slower beat (ideally about 60 beats per minute), it can help slow down your heart rate. In turn, that reduced heart rate will help you feel more calm. Nature sounds (like rain drops or ocean waves) also have a similar calming effect.

Strong relationships are the foundation for helping children build resilience. When young people feel connected, heard, and supported, they are often better equipped to navigate challenges, learn from setbacks, and develop confidence.

This month, we invite you to explore Start with the Relationship, a free parent resource from WhyTry. It offers practical ideas for strengthening your connection with your child through everyday interactions.

Read the full resource here: https://resilienceguide.org/pg-start-with-the-relationship/

We hope you find these ideas helpful as you continue supporting your child's growth and well-being.

This year, the Conroe ISD School Counseling Department will offer free parent presentations for Conroe ISD families. The purpose of this series is to support, educate and empower our community to make a positive difference for growth and connection.

Stay tuned for this year's Community Education Series. Please click below to access presentations from past events.

https://sites.google.com/conroeisd.net/conroeisdcommunityconnections/home

The Conroe ISD College and Career Readiness website has information on a variety of career paths. Click on the button below if you would like to explore them!

If your child is college bound, the Federal Student Aid website can help you plan accordingly. The following links below are checklists for students--and parents--for different grade levels. They can help your student stay on track towards their college application journey. Click on the buttons below for more info!

If your child is planning on attending a four year college, they need to think about taking the SAT or ACT. We recommend students take either exam during the spring semester of their junior year or fall semester of their senior year. If they don't get the score they want, that allows them time to study and retake the test prior to applying to colleges. Check with your student's home campus to see if there will be an option to take the SAT on campus during the school day. If so, consider taking advantage of that opportunity. If they are graduating in May, they should plan to take the SAT or ACT as soon as possible.

Registration for the school day SAT will happen through your student's home campus counselor. Registration for Saturday SAT and ACT tests can be done online.