The Counselor CARE-ier

College and career planning doesn’t start after graduation — it starts now. The Campus hosted our 5th Annual ICAP Day & Career Fair on November 12th. Students explored career pathways, attended various workshops to help develop professional skills, and learned how their interests can connect to future opportunities. Early exposure helps students discover their strengths, build confidence, and make informed decisions about life after high school. By preparing now, students can graduate with a clear plan, valuable experiences, and the skills needed to succeed in college, career, and life.

Career help isn't limited to the month of November. Students can work with their counselor and the Choice and Success Advisor, Mr. Mike Masino, throughout the year. Let us help you!

Students, if you have not already done so, please take a moment to fill out the Student ICAP Day/Career Fair Survey. You must use your D49 school email to complete the survey. Your honest feedback is appreciated. Thank you.

• Join the Class of 2026 Remind Group so you don't miss important announcements. Text code @26ssae to 81010
• Complete the Colorado Career Tool. This is a new Career Exploration Tool being utilized by D49. You will create an account and complete the brief assessment. This will take approximately 10 minutes and IS REQUIRED for graduation. If you need help with this, please reach out to Mr. Masino (michael.masino@d49.org)
• Submit Senior Photo & Quote (Photos do not have to be professional. If you do not submit a photo, your school ID photo will be used in the yearbook)
• Submit Senior Slideshow photos (submit 3-4 photos of yourself throughout different stages of life; ie, baby, toddler, childhood, now). PLEASE have the student upload using their D49 district accounts.
• Order Cap & Gown Package: Caps/gowns will be distributed at Senior Breakfast. Any other items you may purchase should be delivered to your home address. The "Basic Cap & Gown Package" is the only thing you must buy (the gown is black & purple); all other items are optional.
• Sign up to take Accuplacer if you have not yet shown mastery in English and/or Math. Emails were previously sent (early September & again this week) to those students still needing to demonstrate mastery. The next Accuplacer is 12/2; sign up today!

Please keep track of your own to-do list/submissions. There are several staff members tracking various tasks, and thus, they cannot easily look and tell you what has been completed and what hasn't.

SENIOR DATES (PLEASE NOTE CHANGES TO GRAD REHEARSAL & GRADUATION CEREMONY)

• Senior Breakfast: Friday, May 1, 2025, 7:30 - 9:00 am (complimentary for graduate and 2 guests)
• Graduation Rehearsal: Wednesday, May 13, 2025, 3:30 - 4:30 pm (this is a mandatory event)
• Graduation Ceremony: Friday, May 15, 2025, 11:30 a.m. at COS City Hub

  4304 Austin Bluffs Pkwy, Colorado Springs, CO 80918, USA

Time to secure the bag, seniors! 💰 There are tons of scholarships out there for all kinds of students — artists, athletes, gamers, volunteers, future leaders, and everything in between. This month is your chance to explore free money for college or career training. No essay? Small essay? Big award? There’s something for everyone- Not just seniors, either! Younger students may also find scholarship opportunities out there, too! Dip into those small local scholarships; remember, small amounts start to add up, and the applicant pool is smaller, giving you better odds. The peak application time is from November to March. Don't wait! Get started applying today!

Falcon High School has graciously invited other district high school families to join them for a FAFSA Completion Information Session. If you would like to attend the event, please fill out the form linked here. Pikes Peak State College Financial Aid staff will be on-site offering assistance and helping families navigate the process. Interested in attending? Sign up here!

This comprehensive document provides links to numerous resources available throughout our state. Be sure to check it out! Community Resource Directory

Use the link below to find Walmart's offer of a holiday meal for 10 under $40. As advertised, the price can vary depending on how the list is modified.

https://www.walmart.com/i/shoppable-lists/Thanksgiving-value-meal/929

Quick Read:

Good parenting means being supportive without being enabling. But it can often be hard to tell the difference. This is especially true when a child is struggling with a mental health or learning issue. How do you know if you are helping your child — or limiting their growth by doing too much?

Supportive parents empower kids to be more independent. They work with their kids as they learn to overcome obstacles. Being supportive means acknowledging how your child is feeling, including difficult emotions. It also includes modeling healthy coping skills for managing challenging things, and providing structure and clear expectations. Giving lots of praise for progress — even little steps — and getting kids extra help if they need it are also empowering for children.

Enabling, on the other hand, inadvertently reinforces undesired behavior. All parents do this to some degree, because we want to protect kids from pain and difficulty. But if kids are going to grow, they need to learn to take little risks. This boosts their confidence and makes them more independent. Being enabling includes letting your child avoid uncomfortable situations. It can also look like being inconsistent about rules because you feel bad for your child. Another thing that doesn’t help kids is protecting them from the natural consequences of their actions.

Sometimes it’s hard to see what kids can and can’t handle. A depressed teen might have the energy to do something one day and not be able to leave bed the next. One way to evaluate if your expectations are fair is to go through a checklist of things that make kids struggle more. Have they not gotten enough sleep, food and medication? Are you being inconsistent with your expectations? Has it been a difficult week (bullying, family strife, etc.)?

Sometimes things feel impossible to kids, but they are just big challenges. It helps if parents can validate how they’re feeling but still be encouraging. You might say, “It’s normal to be nervous about something like this. How can you feel less anxious right now?” or, “I know this is difficult, but I think we can figure out how to help you manage it.”

Article written by Julia Johnson Attaway and shared from the Child Mind Institute. Read the full article here.

Anonymously report anything that concerns or threatens you, your friends, your family, or your community. We take your reports any time, any day. This is the BEST way to report a concern to the district!

What happens when I make a Safe2Tell Report?

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