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GHS Counselor Connection
April 2024
Happy Spring, Foothillers!
We hope you are enjoying your Spring Break. Counselors are taking a break, too! Please read below for important updates and resources. Our team will return on April 8th to support students and families in the Counseling & Wellness Center on the 2nd floor of the main office. Students may visit during break/lunch, or with a pass from their teachers. Caregivers should contact the counselor to schedule an appointment.
Upcoming Events
Grossmont College Virtual Tuesday
Join us between 3-6pm to get ahead with priority registration, complete steps needed for the Promise Program, select classes, and meet counselors! Register here.
Tuesday, Apr 2, 2024, 03:00 PM
virtual
SDSU College Rep. Visit
Students may use this form to sign up to attend a presentation with a representative from San Diego State University during period three in the College & Career Center.
Tuesday, Apr 9, 2024, 10:30 AM
GHS College & Career Center
East County Resource Fair
Click here for the flyer.
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024, 09:00 AM
East County Courthouse courtyard, 250 E. Main St., El Cajon, CA 92020
CalKIDS Webinar
CalKIDS is a California state program that helps children and families save for college or career training after high school. Eligible children are awarded a college savings account with an initial seed deposit in it. This webinar will give an overview of the program and provide an opportunity for questions at the end. Click here to register.
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024, 11:00 AM
virtual
How to Accept Your Financial Aid Package Webinar
Are you a 12th grader who has submitted a FAFSA or CADAA? Colleges might be sending you financial aid award packages. Now what? How do you accept this money for college? Find out how to ensure you get the money you qualify for. Register here.
Wednesday, Apr 17, 2024, 06:00 PM
virtual
Supporting School-Life Balance to Achieve Academic Success
Presented by Katherine Nguyen Williams, PHD, this webinar is part of a free series for parents and caregivers offered through a partnership between the San Diego County Office of Education and mental health experts from Rady Children's Hospital. It will be followed by a 15 minute question and answer session. Register here.
Wednesday, Apr 24, 2024, 05:30 PM
virtual
Wings of Hope
This free community event hosted by Elizabeth Hospice is a butterfly release ceremony to remember and honor the people who have touched our lives in a beautiful way. RSVP here by April 19th.
Sunday, Apr 28, 2024, 01:00 PM
California Center for the Arts, 340 North Escondido Blvd, Escondido, CA, 92025
Grossmont College Family College Information Night
Learn about academic departments, student services, financial aid, and athletics. Plus campus tours, transfer info, food, fun, and application support. Dinner and resource fair will be from 4-7pm. Free parking. Click here for more info.
Tuesday, Apr 30, 2024, 04:00 PM
8800 Grossmont College Dr., El Cajon, CA 92020
Wellness Center
Princess Project
Supporting Mental Health in Kids and Teens
"Parents are important partners in supporting their child’s mental health. Certainly, the most important building blocks of healthy self-care are consistent sleep, exercise and a nutritious diet with good hydration. However, there are other important habits that can help children and teens to build resilience. As a pediatric neurologist who focuses on neurobehavioral diagnoses, I often provide these five tips to families..." Click here to read more from Nevada Reed.
Academic Support & College/Career Preparation
All Grade Levels:
Summer School at GHS on June 10th - 28th
Summer school will be held on the GHS campus on Mon.-Fri. from June 10th - 28th with a holiday on June 19th. Students will have the opportunity to repeat a D or F grade in one or two classes. There will be a morning class from 8am - 11am and an afternoon class from 11:45am - 2:45pm. Counselors recently reviewed progress with students and signed them up for summer school if they indicated they are able to attend. Parents, please avoid planning travel during the month of June if your student needs to make up a course. Watch your email in May for more details.
El Cajon Police Department Teen Academy 2024
Interested in a career in law enforcement? Want to learn more about the El Cajon Police Department? Apply to be part of this once in a lifetime experience on June 10th - 20th. Applications are due by May 1st. Click here for the application.
College Summer Programs
Many universities offer Pre-College Programs during the summer, offering students the opportunity to expand their knowledge in a particular subject and experience a college campus. You can find many of these posted on our website here. Application deadlines vary throughout the spring and can be competitive. Costs vary as well and some programs offer scholarships.
Ninth & Tenth Graders:
GUHSD Summer Academies
Check out these free opportunities for enrichment this summer! Open to all current GUHSD 9th & 10th graders. Register by April 30th!
June 14th - 21st: Power Up, Culinary, Sports Medicine, and Transportation
June 24th - 28th: Film Academy & Robotics Challenge Camp
Click here for more information and registration.
Registration for Incoming Freshmen and New Students
Please click here for information on how to register new Grossmont students!
Juniors:
College Bound Juniors: Consider Registering for the ACT/SAT Exams
Please click here for SAT/ACT information and test dates. Please note that CSU/UC universities are no longer using ACT/SAT test scores for admissions purposes. In fact, nearly 80% of US colleges do not require them. However, some universities may require one of these exams, or they may have a test-optional policy, which means an excellent score can add value to an application. They may also be required by specific programs or scholarships. Fairtest.org has put together a list of test optional and test free colleges.
Seniors:
San Diego Building Trades Pre-Apprenticeship Program
This twelve-week program provides a unique pathway into the construction industry, offering invaluable hands-on experience and skills development. What makes this program particularly exciting is the potential for students to transition directly into sponsored positions on local construction projects upon completion. For instance, projects like the one at the San Diego Airport, have expressed interest in sponsoring students from this program. The program has recently been awarded a grant to assist mothers with childcare responsibilities.
Apply for Financial Aid by May 2nd!
Pro-Tips for the 2024-2025 FAFSA Form
Understanding the FAFSA and Financial Aid Guide
California State University Events for Admitted Students
Click here for a list of CSU Campus Admitted Student Days that provide admitted students and their families an opportunity to experience and explore CSU campuses. Day of activities may include campus and housing tours, academic program and student life showcases, financial aid workshops and other activities.
University of California Open House Events
The UC campuses are hosting events for admitted students, where students and families can attend to learn more about the campus, scholarships, financial aid, choosing a major, student organizations, resources, and housing. Unless otherwise linked, further event information and registration details can be found in the host campus’ applicant portal. Events denoted with an asterisk (*) are also open to prospective students.
UC Berkeley: Cal Day on April 13th, Cal Week (virtual) on April 22nd–26th
UC Davis: Aggie Day on April 6th
UC Irvine: Celebrate UCI on April 20th
UCLA: Bruin Day on April 13th
UC Merced: Bobcat Day* on April 20th
UC Riverside: Highlander Day on April 13th
UCSD: Virtual Triton Days on April 10th-11th, Triton Days Open House on April 13th
UC Santa Barbara: Open House* on April 13th, Virtual Open House* on April 15th–19th
UC Santa Cruz: Banana Slug Day: April 13th