School Counselor Newsletter

Mental Health

• National School Counseling Week
• Self Love
• Meet Emma Nagel - Bay Port PHD Intern
• Mindfulness Practice

Academic/Career

• Next Year Course Selection Process
• Greater Green Bay Community Foundation Scholarship Info - Feb 11 PIRATE Time

February is a great time to remind students that self-love includes taking care of their mental health. Valentine’s Day can bring pressure, comparison, or big emotions for teens, so small, supportive check-ins at home can make a big impact.

Ways families can support self-love & mental wellness:

• 💬 Check in without fixing – Try “How are things feeling lately?” instead of jumping straight to solutions.

• 😴 Protect sleep – Consistent sleep routines support mood, focus, and stress management.

• 📵 Encourage breaks – Time away from screens and social media helps reduce comparison and overwhelm.

• 💖 Normalize emotions – Remind students that stress, sadness, and frustration are part of being human—and help is always available.

Quick activities to try together:

• 📝 One Good Thing – Share one thing each of you appreciated about the day.

• 💌 Self-Love Notes – Have your student write a note to themselves with encouragement for tough days.

• 🚶 Move Together – Take a short walk or do something active to reset stress.

• 🎧 Calm Reset – Try a 3–5 minute breathing or music break after school.

Our school counselors are always available to support students’ emotional well-being, stress management, and healthy relationships—with others and themselves. February is a perfect reminder that mental health care is an act of self-love.

National School Counseling Week is a time to recognize the important role school counselors play in supporting students’ academic success, mental health, and future planning. Our high school counselors work daily with students to help them manage stress, build healthy coping skills, navigate academic decisions, and plan for life after graduation—whether that includes college, careers, or other pathways.

Adolescence can be an exciting but challenging time, and having trusted adults at school makes a difference. School counselors partner closely with families to support students’ overall well-being, encourage resilience, and help students grow into confident, capable young adults. We are grateful for the dedication, care, and advocacy our counseling team provides to our students and school community every day.

Current 9th, 10th, and 11th graders have began selecting courses for the 2026-2027 school year. Talk to your child about their post high school plans and review the coursebook with them! Bay Port offers so many amazing courses for students to learn, grow, and experience hands-on learning to prepare them for their future hopes, goals, and dreams.

Linked here is our coursebook for the 2026-2027 school year. Please make sure to have your child review the credit load requirement for their grade.

Other things to discuss with your child:

• Graduation requirements
• Start College Now/Early College Credit options
• Youth Apprenticeship
• AP/IB Courses
• CTE courses
  

If you have questions about your child's graduation progress, please reach out to their school counselor!

On February 11th during Pirate Time, College Ready representatives will be at Bay Port to host a workshop for Seniors to complete the College Ready scholarship application.

In order to complete the application, students will need to have the FAFSA completed to determine if they qualify for consideration. Sign up instructions Seniors will be posted in Schoology the last week of January.

College Ready WI offers scholarships mostly for need based students who have completed the FAFSA and qualify.

Last year Bay Port had 9 students receive scholarships from College Ready totaling $32,800!

Parent of current seniors:

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) opened up on October 1st. This is a form you complete to see if your student will qualify for loans, grants, and/or wok study opportunities. Early submission gives you the best chance at receiving limited funds. Students who are undecided about their postsecondary plans should still submit the FAFSA to keep their options opened.

Due to the government shutdown, the ASVAB is currently on hold. We expect a date to be set for January sometime but this is still up in the air. Learn more about the ASVAB here!

Applying to college can be stressful and a little overwhelming! There are many different types of applications and we want you to know that we're here to help your child apply to college. Counselors will be held a senior meeting during PIRATE time earlier this year. You can find the slides shared by following the link below:

Senior Meeting Presentation

Transcript Requests: Unofficial transcripts will be available for students to download in Xello sometime during the week of Sept 8th. Instructions on how to send their official transcript through Xello can be found below:

College Application Instructions

As school counselors, we are always looking for ways to better support students and families. We invite you to take a few minutes to complete our Counselor & Newsletter Feedback Form below. Your input helps us understand what’s working well and what resources or topics you’d like to see more of in future newsletters.

Thank you for partnering with us to make our counseling program stronger!

9th Grade Counselor

920-662-7258
debohebe@hssdschools.org

Grades 10-12, Last Names A-E

920-662-7257

broorous@hssdschools.org

Grades 10-12, Last Names F-K

920-662-7257

tammkrue@hssdschools.org

Grades 10-12, Last Names L-R

920-662-7260

trennoe@hssdschools.org

Grades 10-12, Last Names S-Z

920-662-7255

katinoe@hssdschools.org

Alternative Education (SAIL/Captains)

920-662-7261

kellmier@hssdschools.org