9-10th Grade Updates September 2023

We are so happy to have your 9th grader as a student at CHS. Periodically we will send out information that is helpful to families and their students. We also want to introduce you to our staff. Please reach out to us if you ever have any questions!

Our department is made up of 6 counselors, one office manager, and a registrar. Mrs. Jenni Smoker is our office manager, you can reach out to her to schedule appointments or for general questions. Mrs. Smoker's email address is jesmoker@duneland.k12.in.us. Our registrar is Mrs. Christine Starkey and her email address is cstarkey@duneland.k12.in.us

School counselors serve students and their families in the areas of academics, college/career readiness, and social/emotional support. We are educators who have specialized in counseling through our master's programs and we work with every student at the high school. The American School Counselor Association states " High school years are full of growth, promise, excitement, frustration, disappointment and hope. It is the time when students begin to discover what the future holds for them. High school counselors have an impact on these years by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program and collaborating with school staff, parents and the community to create a safe and respectful learning environment."

The Construction and Skilled Trades Day will be held on September 20th at the Porter County Expo Center. The School Counseling office will be taking students to the event. We have limited spots available, so please sign up soon! Stop by the counseling office to sign up for this exciting field trip!

In October, the School Counseling Office will host a College Fair and a Career Pathways Fair. These events will be held during the school day on Wednesday October 4th (College Fair) and Thursday October 5 (Career Fair).

We will send out more information soon!

Believe it or not, it is not too early to begin preparing for college! If your student is interested in attending college after they graduate from high school there are some things that you can be doing now to help them be ready.

One thing they can do is take a career interest quiz. This will help them to begin thinking about what they want to do after high school.

• Princeton Review Career Quiz
• Career One-Stop Career Quiz

You can consider visiting a college or university when you are traveling. This is a great way to start the college process. It will give your student a chance to imagine what it might feel like to go away to school.

If your student plays sports, please familiarize yourself with the NCAA and NAIA athletic recruiting requirements.

We offer a variety of resources for students to utilize before and during the school day if they need help with their coursework. Students can reach out to their teachers directly to arrange a time for extra help, either before school or during SRT. We also have a tutor lab where students can go and get assistance.

There are a number of online resources that are helpful to families and students.

• Khan Academy
• AskRose.org
• March2Success

Students will take the PSAT in October. Did you know that your student can link their College Board Account with Khan Academy to get a personalized study plan? This is an excellent resource for students, it can give them tutorials in areas where they need to improve. Have your student log into their College Board account to link it with Khan Academy.

Linking College Board with Khan Academy

This is a great time for your student to begin exploring career options. It may seem far away, but graduation comes faster than we think it will! CHS has a subscription to Naviance, which is an excellent tool to help foster college and career planning. Students use their active directory log-in for Naviance. Go to https://student.naviance.com/chestertonshs and choose "Sign in With Clever" to check out all that Naviance has to offer.

Another great career exploration resource is Road Trip Nation. You can check it out by clicking here.

Young people really enjoy social media, however, it is important to remember that anything that is posted online can never truly be deleted. It isn't common, but colleges and universities have been known to rescind admissions offers if students have posted questionable or offensive material on their social media accounts. One good rule of thumb is that if you wouldn't want your grandmother to see it, don't post it!

Another thing to consider is how your social media use may be impacting your brain and your ability to concentrate. Parents all over the country (and educators as well) are noticing that young people are having a more difficult time concentrating. Do you notice your mind getting bored when you are asked to read for school or work on assignments? It might be that you are experiencing what is being called "Tik Tok Brain."

Tik Tok Brain isn't a diagnosable condition, but researchers are starting to see patterns in how our brains respond to short videos like those on Tik Tok. These videos can release dopamine into our brains, which makes it feel addicting to watch and can also have a negative effect on our ability to pay attention. You can read more about this phenomenon in these articles.

What is Tik Tok Brain and Is it Real?

Tik Tok Brain Explained: Why Some Kids Seem Hooked on Social Media Feeds

Tiktok Brain Explained: Endless Dopamine Rush From Short Videos Get Kids Hooked

Researchers are suggesting that we all unplug. Set limits on how much time you spend on social media, particularly Tik Tok. It can also be useful to put your phone in the other room when you are doing your homework, so that you can avoid distractions. Also, don't sleep with your phone in your room! You need a break from that overstimulation and constant influx of information!

September is Suicide Prevention Awareness Month. This can be a difficult topic to discuss, but it is an important one. Suicide is the second leading cause of death for youth in the state of Indiana. Approximately one in five high school students have thoughts about suicide and nationwide one out of every eleven high school students have made a suicide attempt in the past twelve months.

To learn more, please visit the following websites.

National Suicide Prevention Hotline

Indiana Center for Prevention of Youth Abuse and Suicide

All of us learn differently. Knowing your preferred learning style can help you when you are studying for tests, working on projects, and even when considering future careers! Encourage your student to take this short quiz to learn a little more about their learning style.

Learning Styles Quiz

Get involved in a couple of clubs, sports or other extracurricular activities either at your school or in your local community. Keep track of your engagement over time on this simple spreadsheet.

Check out the many clubs and sports offered at CHS! If you can't find a club that you are interested in, consider starting one!

Talk with your school counselor about how you can challenge yourself academically by taking higher-level courses. Don't be afraid to ask! You can also check out the course description guide to learn more about the classes offered at CHS.

Mrs. Jenni Smoker-Office Manager jesmoker@duneland.k12.in.us

Ms. Lauren Pelletier-Intern and College and Career Assistant lpelletier@duneland.k12.in.us

Suicide Prevention Hotline

1-800-273-8255

Crisis Text Line

Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor

Suicide and Crisis Lifeline

Dial 988

Email: jesmoker@duneland.k12.in.us
Website: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/domain/145
Location: 2125 South 11th Street, Chesterton, IN, USA
Phone: 219-983-3730
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/CHS.CounselingOffice
Twitter: @CHS_CCCoffice