Counselor's Corner

School Schedule Update Beginning October 13

Beginning Tuesday, October 13, our school day will be adjusted slightly to add instructional time. Because Conroe ISD used an inclement weather day early this year, this change will help cover the missed day and provide a banked day in case of another weather closure.

Our updated school schedule is included below. The District worked with Transportation to prevent changes to bus pick up and campus arrival times. Please review the new times and plan accordingly.

Thank you for your flexibility as we prepare for the possibility of more severe weather this year.

DAEP

Regular School Day: 7:12 AM–2:37 PM

Early Release Days: 7:12 AM–11:17 AM

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. Tomorrow, I will have a guest speaker from the Child Advocates of Montgomery County to discuss emotional regulation and healthy coping skills. 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

When e-cigarettes were originally developed, they were intended to be a device that smokers could use to quit smoking. It was thought that they were less harmful than traditional cigarettes. Unfortunately, some vaping companies decided to create flavors that would appeal to younger consumers. In addition, there are chemical additives inside vapes that can cause lung damage when they are vaporized. According to the Centers for Disease Control, e-cigarette use among adolescents and teens increased 900% between 2011 and 2015. Apparel and accessory companies have capitalized on the popularity of vapes as well. There are now countless ways that students can conceal the vapes they have from the adults in their lives.

In the graphic above, the following devices are vapes: B, D, F, and G.

Many students tell me that vaping is "safer" than cigarettes. I often point out that when cigarettes became popular in the 1940s and 1950s, people thought they were safe. Some of my colleagues even remember a time when their high school had an area where students and staff could smoke. However, we now know the long-term effects that tobacco can have on a person's health. Over the next 15-20 years, we might realize that vaping leads to its own series of health effects.

Are you ready to talk with the children in your home about vaping, but don't know where to start? There are free parent resources at Catch.org. They have a "parent toolkit" available online for all the school aged students in your home.

For younger students (K-4th grade), go to: https://catch.org/program/vaping-prevention/#parents.

For older students (5th-12th grade), go to: https://digitalcatchdirectuploads.s3-us-west-2.amazonaws.com/thinkific/cmb/CATCH+My+Breath+Parent+Toolkit.pdf.

When faced with an obstacle or setback, it is easy to get discouraged. Sometimes that means we get so frustrated that we shut down and decide to quit trying to work towards a goal. On other occasions, we use that experience as motivation to grow and move forward. If you feel like your student struggles to bounce back after difficulties, I'll be sharing ideas and suggestions in each of my newsletters.

This week, we will focus on rock bottom resilience. You can start by:

1. Talk to your child about a difficult problem or challenge they have had in the past

2. Discuss people who showed resilience despite tough circumstances

3. Talk to your student about which characteristic(s) of rock bottom resilience they could focus on in the future:

-"flipping the switch" when discouraged

-how to combat hopelessness

-believing in their ability to change

-remember that losses in the past don't mean future failures

-consider options that they haven't considered

For additional ideas, go to: https://resilienceguide.org/pg-rock-bottom-resilience/

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 so, the Federal Student Aid website can help you plan accordingly. There 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 they have not already, they need to think about taking the SAT or ACT. We recommend students take either exam during their junior 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 2025, 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.