Counseling Corner

Each month the counseling department will provide a newsletter covering the three domains in counseling: academics, college/career, and social/emotional well-being. We will also provide pertinent grade level information as it relates to counseling.

• The first progress reports go out Thursday. Please be sure to check your student's grades to get ahead of any concerns.
• Teacher support: students can sign up with their teacher for their Wednesday tutorials. These are available to students every Wednesday except the first one of the month when they have a lesson from the counseling team.
• Additional support: Brainfuse HelpNow is an on demand, anytime, anywhere eLearning platform available for all ages and levels. Last week, it was announced that every Californian can now access free online tutoring available 24/7 through a new initiative offering homework help in every K-12 subject and skill-building resources for K-12 and adult learners.

  Real-time homework assistance can now be accessed 24/7 here and on the websites of any of the 1,130 local public libraries around the state – click on the “HelpNow” link to reach a one-on-one tutor. The pilot program led by the State Library offers assistance in Math, Language Arts, and other core K-12 subjects in English, Spanish, Mandarin, Cantonese, Vietnamese, and Tagalog. There’s no age limit to who can use the service. Adult learners can also access writing assistance, citizenship resources and other tools.
  

College Application Workshops

The Counseling Department has organized UC, CSU, and Common App. application workshops for seniors. These workshops are general and are presented by college admissions representatives to help students navigate the college application process. Seniors are encouraged to attend and bring their questions. Workshops take place during 5th period in the library. Students with a 5th period will be excused if attending.

Common Application Workshops:

September 19

October 4

UC Application Workshops

September 13

October 13

CSU Overview Workshop

October 23

CSU Application Workshop

October 17th

Seniors should register for application workshops using this link.

For questions about senior application workshops, please contact ROP/College and Career Specialist Ms. McDonald.

College Rep Visits

College representative visits are underway! These visits are for students only and take place before school, during zero period, at lunch, and after school in the Career Center. This is a great opportunity for students to meet directly with a college admission representative to demonstrate interest in a college, ask specific questions, and learn more about their college options. Please see the list of college visits and encourage your student to attend.

Coastline Regional Occupation Program (ROP) Fall Class:

Coastline ROP is excited to offer Careers in Artificial Intelligence this fall to provide an overview of this exciting field. This all virtual, 60-hour class will be granted 3.0 high school credits after the completion of class hours and a one-day Saturday field trip to an artificial intelligence corporation. Students may use the QR code on the attached flyer to register for the class in CourseStorm. The class is a Tuesday / Thursday class from 4:00-7:30 PM and begins on September 27, ends November 17, and includes a field trip on Saturday, October 29, TIME TBD. Registration opened on Wednesday, September 14 at 3 PM on CourseStorm: Coastline Regional Occupational Program Classes (coursestorm.com).

While all students may register, we encourage students who might not normally enroll in a course of this type such as those underrepresented in the field, females, and minorities to enroll.

If you have questions about the course, you may contact James Piccola.

See the course flyer here.

**ROP classes are FREE for Beckman students and count towards high school graduation credit. Students may not have more than 7 courses on their schedule (Beckman and ROP classes combined).

Save the date! Cash for College Nights

Cash for College workshops for seniors and families will be on October 18 and December 6 from 6 – 7:30 PM at BHS in rooms 131-132. During this general workshop geared for seniors and their families, you will be introduced to the FAFSA and CA Dream Act Application, how to get started on the applications, and the types of financial aid that students can qualify for. The goal is for students and families to have their financial aid application completed by the end of the evening! Please note that financial aid applications open on October 1, 2022 and students are strongly encouraged to apply early to qualify for the most financial aid.

Register here to attend.

HSF College 101:

HSF College 101 is a FREE, bilingual program, designed to help middle and high school students, and their parents, prepare, plan, and pay for college. They are hosting a free webinar via Zoom on Saturday, September 24, 2022, from 10:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. Pacific Time. HSF subject-matter experts will deliver the content and will be joined by admissions representatives from Santa Clara University, Stanford University, UCLA, and the University of Oregon. Please share this opportunity with your students and families. Registration information linked HERE.

• Club Rush runs virtually from September 12-23. We encourage students to get involved outside of the classroom! It's a great way to develop interests and friendships.

• Parent Patriots, Orange County Department of Education is offering free district-wide online parent workshops for all high school parents starting in October. There's a variety of topics provided, including "Screen Time and Mental Health" and "Positive Parenting." We encourage you to look through workshops you would like to attend and use the QR code on the flyer* to register! Workshops provided in both English and Spanish.

• The September CCR lesson, given the first Wednesday of the month, covered available resources including both academic and social/emotional. Next month, we will continue this discussion in the CCR lesson focusing on Mental Health Awareness.

Ways You Can Help Your Teen Make It Through College Application Stress

Applying to college can be a stressful experience for teens, especially when they must balance homework and extracurricular activities with college applications and essays. Fortunately, you can guide your child through the process and turn it into a meaningful, positive experience. Here are some helpful tips:

• Make sure your child eats well and gets adequate sleep.
• Help them find extracurricular activities that are meaningful to them, and emphasize quality over quantity.
• Remind your teen of the big picture when they feel overwhelmed.
• Focus on finding the right college, not necessarily the best college.
• Listen to their needs, dreams, and concerns.
• Encourage authenticity rather than focusing on status.
• Remind your teen that there are hundreds of great schools out there, even if they are not on a “best schools” list.
• Remove some of the pressure, and do not spend every moment talking about college.
• Enjoy quality time with your teen that gives them a break from college concerns.
• Take a moment to reevaluate your expectations if you find yourself worrying too much about your child’s college or achievements.
• Discourage your child from taking on too many challenging courses or extracurricular activities just to impress an admissions officer.
• Help your teen figure out their priorities and what’s most important to them to help them feel less overwhelmed by options.
• Reassure them you are there for them no matter what.
• Maintain a positive attitude and make the experience meaningful for both of you.
• Emphasize that success is measured by good health, character, and learning new things rather than acceptance into a college.

Senior 1-on-1 Meetings

The counselors will be meeting with their seniors during Gov/Econ class from September 7st- September 28th. These meetings are intended to discuss graduation status and post-high school plans. If students are absent, they will be rescheduled during a makeup day.

BCAP (Beckman College Application Process) Reminders

Juniors, now seniors, completed the BCAP Lesson and project in English classes during the Spring semester of 11th grade. The BCAP included instructions on the application processes for each type of post-secondary path, how to request letters of recommendation, as well as necessary documents: student/ parent questionnaires, resumes, & personal statements. All seniors also have access to their counselor’s BCAP Google Classroom which includes instructions on the application processes and important deadlines. Check out the BCAP Video Playlist below. The Counseling Department will be hosting multiple 4-year, Community College, Financial Aid, Military, and CTE workshops in the next couple of months, please encourage your students to attend.

• B Prepared for Post-Secondary Success Night for 10th and 11th grades will be an asynchronous virtual presentation this year to assist your family in preparing for life after high school. It will be sent out via email on September 29th and be posted on our counseling website.
• Juniors received a CCR lesson at the beginning of the month on resources available on our campus and a mini tour of Naviance, our online platform to help with post-secondary planning.
• Junior year is a great time to start planning. In addition to Naviance, we encourage juniors to attend visits from college reps from throughout the country and even from other countries. Students can sign up on Naviance as well as access the list here.

• Welcome to your child's sophomore year and their first year in high school is now in the books! The sophomore year offers another opportunity to accomplish the many things they wanted to do as a freshman. If you feel their grades could have been better, they can still improve them. If they wanted to join a team or club but never got around to it, they can, and should, get involved now. Their sophomore year will be a year in which they become more active academically and socially, a year when they continue to make plans for the future, and a year that will bring more challenges and excitement.
• We understand that high school can lack excitement here and there. However, it is important they stay focused and maintain goals as this effort will pay off in the long run. Encourage them to work hard to keep up their grades and seek help if they are slipping. Grades are a key factor in college admissions. If they need help, make sure they talk to their teacher and counselor.
• In addition to grades, colleges will want to see what your student did with their spare time in high school. Did they hold down a job? Did the take part in a summer program? Did they play a sport? Volunteering and involvement with a club are also great ways to show involvement and NOW is the time to start! Look for opportunities to grow, explore interests, and develop important life skills. Encourage them to get outside their comfort zone!
• B Prepared for Post-Secondary Success Night for 10th and 11th grades will be an asynchronous virtual presentation this year to assist your family in preparing for life after high school. It will be sent out via email on September 29th and be posted on our counseling website.

• The freshman webpage has been revamped! Come check out all the information and resources for freshman here
• If you missed 9th Grade B Prepared for High School Night, you can view the slide deck here. Post questions on the parent padlet wall here.
• Your student will receive a Welcome Lesson on resources and ways to get involved in their CCR class on Wednesday, September 7th. You can view the informative slide deck here

• Club Rush is on September 20th - October 1! (waiting on real date) Students will have an opportunity to check out all the clubs available on campus. Clubs motivate student to get involved on campus and allow students to make connections with others with similar interests. Check out our club page here.

• Parent tip: 10 ways to help your student suceed in high school

• Be sure to visit your student's teachers at Report Card Night on October 19th