Counseling Services

• Academic Guidance
• Assignment of Students Counselors
• College Guidance
• Making a Counseling Appointment
• Parent Communication
• Personal Counseling
• Parent Programs
• Special Counseling Programs

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Academic Guidance

The goal of academic guidance is to support student academic success during their time at Archbishop Mitty High School.  These services include the following:

• Availability to teachers and parents for conferencing with students regarding educational issues
• Assistance to families in identifying outside resources for tutoring and/or educational diagnostic testing for learning needs of students
• Testing to assist in educational and career planning

Assignment of Students to Counselors

Each student is assigned a counsleor by the Administration during the summer before freshman year. This counsleor will make an appointment in the fall to meet the incoming student. This counsleor will monitor the student’s progress throughout the freshman and sophomore year. At the conclusion of sophomore year, the student is assigned a college guidance counselor who will guide the student through the college admissions process and will provide any other necessary counseling services.

College Guidance

Freshmen and Sophomores

During the freshman and sophomore years, the counselors primarily focus students on being successful at Archbishop Mitty High School.  This “success” means doing one’s best academically, becoming involved in school activities, and discovering and developing one’s special talents.  Students interested in exploring college careers and majors may go to the Archbishop Mitty High School Web Page or visit the Counseling Center, each of which provides extensive college exploratory resources. College Viewbooks are also available in our library.

Juniors and Seniors

Intensive college counseling begins in junior year with the required college counseling appointment that includes college exploration, testing information, and preparation for the college application process.   Juniors take an interest inventory that assists the student, parent, and counselor in identifying college majors and careers.  In the senior year, individual counseling sessions are designed to assist seniors in selecting colleges, choosing majors, completing college applications, filing for financial aid, and applying for a variety of scholarships.  Senior year counseling activities culminate with finalizing all aspects of the college selection process. In addition, all juniors and seniors participate in the junior/senior college guidance curriculum that is taught by the junior/senior college guidance counselors during the regular school day.

Making a Counseling Appointment

Freshman and sophomore students can call or email their counsleor regarding an appointment time.  Students can make appointments with their junior and senior counsleor through the Administrative Assistant for Counseling, Mrs. Duquette.  If a student needs to make an appointment during class time unless it is an emergency, the student needs to get permission from the counselor before the appointment can be scheduled.  While students and parents are free, at any time, to make an appointment with their counselor, counselors often call students in for appointments.

Parent Communication

Counselors at Archbishop Mitty High School provide extensive services to parents in academic and college guidance and consultation regarding personal matters.  Parents may call the the Counseling and Guidance Department at any time.  Counselors will respond to voice mail and e-mail messages within twenty-four hours.  If there is an emergency, parents should contact the Administrative Assistant for Counseling, Mrs. Duquette, at 342-4217 who will assist them.

Personal Counseling

Within the comprehensive student counseling and guidance program, Archbishop Mitty High School provides personal counseling services to students.  These services are offered when there is a need for a counselor to assist a student regarding important personal, social or developmental issues.  Often personal counseling takes place at the request of the student and/or family regarding some immediate concern.  Personal counseling services include the following:

• Student appointments made to discuss:  balancing social and academic demands, difficulties with specific classes, and misunderstandings with friends
• Family conferencing at the parent’s request regarding an issue interfering with student success
• Crisis intervention around current issues that endanger the welfare of the student
• Support to families in response to long-term illness and other personal crises a student is experiencing

Parent Programs

Five major parent evening programs are hosted by the Counseling and Guidance Department.  The “Freshman Parent Night” introduces parents to the Mitty four-year academic plan, the counseling and guidance model, and the various services provided by the Counseling Department.   The “Sophomore Parent Night” includes an overview of current college admissions information.  The “Junior Parent Night” initiates the formal college exploration process by providing both detailed information and support for parents.   The “Senior Parent Night” kicks off in September with an overview of the college application process. Lastly, a "Senior Financial Aid Night" provides information and assistance in completing the necessary financial aid forms for scholarships and/or loans.

Special Counseling Programs

Academic Monitoring

Students whose Academic-Grade-Point-Average is a 2.0 (“C-”) average or lower, receive an “F” or more than one “D” at either the quarter or semester, are placed on “Academic Probation” by the school administration and are assigned to “Academic Monitoring” by the Counseling Department. The following is the role of the Counselor during Academic Probation:

1. Assist the student and/or parents in discovering factors that result in poor academic performance
2. Assist the student in exploring ways to become more actively involved in the learning process;
3. If requested, to advise parents on ways to assist and support their student’s improved performance; and
4. To be available to the student, parent, and teachers as a resource

Academic Resources Coordination (ARC)

Special guidance services are provided for those students who have been identified as needing special academic support.  There are two groups of students who qualify for these services:

• Students exhibiting serious academic difficulties; multiple low grades
• Students who have been identified as having either a learning disability or an attention deficit disorder

The program coordinator for ARC hosts a parent information session in September.  The coordinator actively works with counselors, teachers, parents, and outside professionals and coordinates the accommodations that may be needed in the learning process.

Drug and Alcohol Education

The coordinator of this program works with the Academic Council and teachers in various disciplines to develop curriculum related to the recreational use of drugs and alcohol. The program also features coordination with other high schools regarding educational programs, policies and strategies for supporting students at risk. The program supports parent education and guidance through providing information and coordination with teachers and an informational parent night.