Future Focus

As we wrap up another fantastic school year, the CHS and CSHS counseling teams want to thank our families for allowing us to support your students, our Dragons, through such an important season of growth. It has truly been a joy walking alongside them academically, socially, and in planning for their futures. We are especially excited to celebrate our seniors as they graduate this month and step confidently into the journeys ahead, and we look forward to welcoming the Class of 2030 to begin their own Dragon story. As summer begins, we encourage families to take time to rest, recharge, and enjoy meaningful moments together. Growth doesn’t only happen in the classroom—sometimes the most important learning comes from new experiences, reflection, and simply spending time with the people who matter most. We can’t wait to see everyone back in the fall, ready for another great year!

It has been a busy and productive semester at CSHS & CHS! Our counselors have been focused on finalizing student course requests for the upcoming school year, including meeting one-on-one with every rising freshman, sophomore, junior, and senior to plan for their next school year thoughtfully. CSHS & CHS partnered to prepare our rising juniors for an exciting new opportunity: dual credit courses now available to juniors for the first time in CISD.

We were grateful to welcome Alliance for Children, who provided valuable guidance lessons to students at both campuses. Our team also connected with all rising seniors through College 101 presentations, followed by an evening Parent University event to ensure families felt informed and supported throughout the college planning process.

We wrapped up the season by hosting our 2nd Annual Dragon Decision Day at CSHS, celebrating our seniors and the exciting postsecondary paths they’ve chosen. It’s been a meaningful semester of planning, preparation, and celebration as we continue supporting our Dragons every step of the way.

This spring, our CSHS Counseling Department presented College 101 and Parent University, a comprehensive guide designed to help our junior students and parents understand the college application process. During this presentation, students and parents learned essential information about creating a college list, navigating the application timeline, understanding admission requirements, and managing the emotions that come with this important transition.

If your student attended, they now have a roadmap for the exciting journey ahead.

Here are some additional ways you can support your student:

• Help them stay organized with deadlines (suggest a shared spreadsheet)
• Read drafts of essays and offer feedback
• Discuss the college list together to ensure fit across academics, social, and financial factors (SchooLinks can help)
• Talk about financial aid and the FAFSA early
• Celebrate their efforts and remind them that this is just one milestone in their journey

If you missed this event, the presentation can be found HERE.

Have questions about high school? This brief video provides clear answers and an overview of what to expect, helping you start strong and feel confident on your first day in August! Here's the link to the video: High School 101

Save the Date: Freshmen are invited to attend Freshman Friendsie on August 7. During this event, students can explore the high school, walk their schedule, connect with current students, learn CHS procedures, and more.

This semester, HOPE Squad students actively planned HOPE Week activities and attended the Texas-Sized HOPE Peer-to-Peer Youth Conference. It was an amazing opportunity to connect with other HOPE Squads in the state and learn how to make a difference on campus and in the community.

This year's HOPE Week was held April 27th-May 1st. HOPE Squad students planned activities designed to support and encourage all students. It was a memorable experience for all and was a successful conclusion to their efforts this academic year.

Dragon Decision Day is a celebration of senior decisions and a cherished CSHS tradition that began with the Class of 2025. This all-day, come-and-go event gives seniors the opportunity to make their college decisions official and tangible by adding their name and college logo to a beautiful banner that greets everyone who enters our school. The casual format allows students to participate whenever it fits their schedule, and throughout the day, seniors enjoy cookies, sausage rolls, cinnamon rolls, photo opportunities, and—most importantly—quality time with their classmates discussing college plans and reflecting on their time at CSHS. The banner created on Dragon Decision Day is more than just a beautiful piece of art; it's a powerful symbol of our school community that has quickly become one of the first things parents, students, and visitors see when they walk through the doors of CSHS. It is not uncommon to see visitors, students, and parents gathering at the banner, discussing the vast array of institutions our students attend, reminiscing about their own college days, or daydreaming about where they'll be when it's their turn to sign the banner. Although this was only the Second Annual Dragon Decision Day, it means so much to our graduating class and is definitely a tradition worth protecting.

What an incredible year it has been! As we look back on the 2025-2026 school year, the counselors at both CHS and CSHS are amazed by the resilience, growth, and achievements of our students. Whether it was watching juniors navigate the college application process with thoughtfulness and intention, celebrating our seniors' college decisions through Dragon Decision Day, supporting students through challenges, or simply being there to listen and guide, we've had the privilege of witnessing our students thrive.

We are incredibly proud of every single Dragon! As we close out this school year and prepare for the exciting 2026-2027 year ahead, we want you to know that we're here for you, ready to support, celebrate, and walk alongside our Dragons on your journey.

And exciting news: the CSHS Counseling Department now has an Instagram account! Follow us for tips, resources, updates on upcoming events, and inspiration to help you thrive. @CSHS_Counseling We can't wait to see what next year brings, and we're grateful for the opportunity to be part of your story. Here's to an amazing summer, and we'll see you soon, Dragons!

Mark your calendars!

June 1-24 - Summer School

August 7 - Freshman Friendsie (CHS)

August 7 - DARN College Application Workshop (more to follow)

October 28 - College Fair