TOP 10 REASONS TO SEE YOUR COUNSELOR

1. Get help solving conflicts – Sometimes it’s hard to manage conflicts on your own.  Your school counselor can help you brainstorm solutions to your conflicts.

2. Get help with managing your busy schedule – Life can get really hectic between school, work, friends, sports, and other extracurricular activities.  Your counselor can give you tools to help you manage your time wisely.

3. Get help with planning your future – Thinking about your future can sometimes be overwhelming.  Your school counselor can guide you to the right path in order to accomplish your goals.

4. Talk about college and career choices – Once your school counselor gets to know you, they can help you identify colleges and post-secondary training opportunities that would be a good fit for you.

5. Find out how to search for scholarships – There are thousands of scholarships opportunities available.  Your school counselor can help you find the ones that you qualify for and will be the most beneficial to you.

6. Guidance counselors write awesome letters of recommendation – The majority of post-secondary schools will ask for a letter of recommendation to accompany your application.  If you have taken the time to get to know your school counselor well, more than likely they will be willing to write a letter of reference for you. 

7. Get help making important decisions – Decisions can be hard to make on your own, your school counselor can give your guidance in making those choices.

8. You want to do better in school – Some classes are tougher than others, your school counselor can help connect you with a tutor.

9. You just want to talk to someone who will listen – Many things happen throughout the day, some good, and some bad.  Your school counselor is always available to lend you an ear.

10. Your School Counselor is really cool – enough said.

Below is a copy of the senior contract regarding all senior activities. All attendance stipulations are listed below.. You will receive a paper copy of the contract that must be signed and returned to your counselor no later than September 30, 2013.

Welcome to Benito Juarez Community Academy’s Senior Expectations Meeting.  Being a senior at Benito Juarez not only provides you with opportunities and privileges, but also requires that you adhere by certain expectations. As seniors, you represent years of hard work and academic success, and as such you must continue to set the example for the community and your fellow classmates. Therefore, in order to ensure that your senior year is an enjoyable and successful experience, you must agree and adhere to the following:

• Abide by the attached attendance stipulations.
• Must be passing at least 5 classes one week prior to Senior specific events in order to be eligible to participate.
• Must not have major disciplinary infractions.
• In addition to disciplinary consequences for major behavioral incidents (Group 6 or repeated Group 5), as well as repeated lower level infractions (Groups 1-4) privileges may be denied or revoked at the discretion of the discipline office.

Consequences for not adhering to the above:

• Loss of privileges (including, but not limited to: School Dances/Functions, Senior Week activities, Senior Prom, and Graduation) 

I have read the above and agree to follow the rules.

_________________________________      _________________________________
Student name (print)                                                    Student name (signature)

_________________________________      _________________________________
Parent name (print)                                                      Parent name (signature)

Good Standing Attendance Stipulations
Below is a list of the number of total absences (any combination of excused and unexcused) that will result in exclusion from certain events. Note that Senior-specific events take into account attendance for the full year while general school events are dependent on absences per semester.

Senior Specific Events

• Being marked Unexcused Absence for even one class period throughout the day (meeting with counselor, meeting with social worker, cutting, etc) will result in an Unexcused Half Day Absence (Missing a class period on two days =  Full Day Unexcused Absence).
• If you miss a class period for a legitimate reason (Counselor, Social Worker, Perc, etc), it is your responsibility to ensure attendance is captured for you.
• You are responsible for bringing any documentation for absences (sick notes, doctor’s notes, etc) immediately upon returning to school.
• Enforcement of this policy in extreme circumstances will be left to the discretion of the Attendance office.
• INCENTIVES will be offered for high attendance

The following are additional senior requirements which may exclude students from participating in senior events.