Grand Prairie High School Counseling Services inspire success one student at a time to reach their fullest education potential, ensured by support of a comprehensive counseling program that partners with families, staff, and community members. We ensure access to the necessary skills and tools for students to meet their goals towards College, Career, and Military Readiness.

Grand Prairie High School Counseling Services is an integral part of the school’s total commitment to helping each student meet their maximum potential. Counseling Services will implement a comprehensive counseling program that will assist all students in acquiring the skills, knowledge, and attitudes necessary to promote college, career, and/or military readiness, while partnering with families, staff, and community members.

Grand Prairie High School will shatter barriers for all students, empowering and nurturing them to realize their full potential by providing culturally responsive, student-centered instruction.

First semester grades have posted to your transcript. Did you fail a required CORE class?

Check your Canvas for all Gopher Academy invitations, accept the invitations, complete the required assignments with a 70 or higher.

Upon completions and passing the Gopher Academy opportunity, you may earn back credit for CORE courses failed during first semester.

Gopher Academy must be completed by March 3rd, 2022 by 11:59p.m.

• Gopher Academy is offered for graduation-required courses only.
• Core subjects and a few graduation-required electives
• Gopher Academy is credit recovery NOT grade recovery.
• Successful completion of Gopher Academy grants a student a “P” (pass) on their transcript.
• The failing numerical grade remains on their transcript for GPA / class ranking purposes.
1. Colleges typically don’t look favorably upon “P’s” – they look for the grades and high GPAs.
• Gopher Academy is NOT an automatic pass simply because they participated.
• We are still held accountable to the state.
• All Gopher Academy content was created by highly trained professionals – your co-workers. In most cases, the content was created by content team leads.
• Students MUST earn a Gopher Academy Credit Recovery course average of 70% or higher to recover lost course credits.
• Failure to earn a Gopher Academy course average of 70% or higher means:
• Students will NOT regain lost credit even though they did the work – failing is still failing.
• Students will need to repeat and pass the entire “original” in-person, semester-long course before they are granted credit and permitted to graduate.
• The majority of the students that claim “I’m going to sit (in your class) and do nothing, then make it up in Gopher Academy” are, shall I say, bending the truth!
• Historically, only 20% of students enrolled in Gopher Academy actually recover their lost credits.
• Failure to successfully complete Gopher Academy Credit Recovery could potentially delay a student’s graduation date.

National School Counseling Week 2022, “School Counseling: Better Together,” sponsored by the American School Counselor Association (ASCA), will be celebrated from Feb. 7–11, 2022, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems and how students are different as a result of what school counselors do. National School Counseling Week highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career.

The special week honoring school counselors provides recognition for school counselors who “implement comprehensive school counseling programs, a vital part of the educational process for all students as they meet the challenges of the 21st century.

Thank you for support of National School Counseling Week 2022 (#NSCW22)

COUNSELORS HAVE CONDUCTED PRESENTATIONS WITH ALL GRADE-LEVELS FOR THE PAST FOUR MONTHS OF SCHOOL.

SEE THE EXAMPLE POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS BELOW. INFORMATION WAS PRESENTED TO EACH GRADUATING COHORT OR CLASS WITH IMPORTANT INFORMATION FOR HIGH SCHOOL SUCCESS.

We will meet in the draft room next to the school secretary's office and snacks will be available starting at 3pm. The meeting will officially start at 3:15pm.

You are welcome to join us in person or via zoom. Here is the zoom link.

Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/5985995848

Thank you for serving on this committee and for the feedback we received at our last meeting. I look forward to our discussion this time.

Xello is an engaging, fun-to-use software that students can access online, at school or at home. Students can even access Xello from their mobile devices. Using Xello, students plan their journeys toward the future by creating their very own unique roadmap for future success.

The program is implemented through the GPISD Counseling Services Department at every elementary and secondary campus. The mission of the Counseling Service Department is to guide students from cradle to career, making every student future-ready!

Middle Schools, here we come! GPHS Counselors will be meeting with 8th grade students who will be future Gophers for course request selections beginning February 14th!

Since 1976, every American president has designated February as Black History Month and endorsed a specific theme.

The Black History Month 2022 theme, “Black Health and Wellness,” explores "the legacy of not only Black scholars and medical practitioners in Western medicine, but also other ways of knowing (e.g., birthworkers, doulas, midwives, naturopaths, herbalists, etc.) throughout the African Diaspora. The 2022 theme considers activities, rituals and initiatives that Black communities have done to be well."

Currently 60% of the Senior Class of 2022 have completed their FAFSA/TASFA applications to gain access to FEDERAL FINANCIAL AID to secure their futures and pay for college, trade school, or even attend college while serving their country in the armed forces.

Seniors, if you have not completed your financial aid application, which is a requirement this year for the Class of 2022, it is not too late. Please visit the College & Career Center, or meet with your School Counselor for assistance.

Registration for Y Achievers’ National College Tour during Spring Break in Atlanta, GA is currently underway. This will happen from March 14-17, 2022. During this tour, students will be visiting Spelman College, Morehouse College, and Emory University. The cost for this trip will be $250 with financial assistance available through our https://www.ymcadallas.org/form/y-achievers-program-assistance . The cost for this trip will cover hotel lodging, transportation, meals, sight seeing, and tour t-shirts.

This will be open to High School Juniors only. There will only be 45 spots in total for this tour with 20 slots left open at the moment. The application will be open until mid February. Here is the link to register: https://forms.gle/e9VrHTEHe5G7MAhw7

• Everyone needs someone to talk to. DialCare is standing by.

  In addition to the continuing counseling services provided by campus counselors and social workers, Grand Prairie ISD is offering an opportunity for students in 6th through 12th grades to receive virtual counseling services with a trained licensed professional counselor before and after school hours and weekends through Dialogue. Counseling is available through the app or on the phone.

  Adolescents are often faced with social-emotional challenges that may be difficult for them to handle on their own. Many times, just having the chance to talk through these issues can lead to personal growth and wellness. Actively taking steps to improve one's overall well-being and happiness is a key component of self-care. Self-care plays a vital role in helping adolescents cope with and conquer the challenges of life, especially during these unprecedented times.

  This program is easy to use:

  • Students can schedule counseling sessions Monday through Friday before or after school hours and on Saturday and Sunday from 7 a.m. to 10 p.m. Counseling sessions should not be scheduled during school hours.

  • Our mental health professionals will reach out via phone or video chat upon request.

  • Consultations are available in both English and Spanish.

  How it works:

  Step 1: Students can schedule an appointment by app, website or phone: 844-249-4094

  When signing in through the website or app, your member ID is your student ID

  Step 2: Our mental health professionals will reach out to the student via phone or video chat at the scheduled appointment time.

  Step 3: Appointments can last up to 30 minutes.

  THIS IS NOT INSURANCE and is not intended to replace health insurance.

  
  

  
  

• Students in K-5th grade

  Counseling will be provided to Grand Prairie ISD students in kindergarten to 5th grade experiencing behavioral or emotional concerns. Visit the GPISD Counseling Center to learn more.

CLICK THE LINK BELOW FOR THE MOST RECENT WELLNESS LESSON TOOLKIT

If you want to get better rest at night, consider all the lifestyle choices you make during the day. As more research is finding, there’s a deep connection between how well you sleep and your physical activity, diet and stress levels.

St-Onge, who is a leading researcher on the links between sleep and overall health, suggests these healthy habits to improve sleep quality.