Counseling and Guidance

We’re excited to announce that Two Rivers High School is participating in Minnesota’s Direct Admissions program this fall. This statewide initiative, led by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, makes college more accessible by automatically admitting seniors—based on their academic record and projected graduation—to a wide range of Minnesota colleges and universities. The program also waives application fees and reduces the stress of admissions by offering an early “YES!”

More than 50 Minnesota colleges and universities are part of the program, including two-year community and technical colleges, four-year public and private universities, and tribal colleges. 

How It Works

• In or around October, seniors will receive a personalized email and survey through their school email with a list of colleges and universities where they already meet admissions criteria for Fall 2026.
• The list of colleges will be based on the student’s unweighted GPA and courses taken.
• Students can choose which colleges they’d like to be directly admitted to, then complete each school’s admissions process (with waived application fees).
• If a student isn’t interested in any of the colleges on their list, no action is needed. Students are not limited to this list—they can still apply to any college of their choice.

For more information on the Direct Admissions program visit our Direct Admissions webpage or contact your counselor.

We’re excited to announce that Two Rivers High School is participating in Minnesota’s Direct Admissions program this fall. This statewide initiative, led by the Minnesota Office of Higher Education, makes college more accessible by automatically admitting seniors—based on their academic record and projected graduation—to a wide range of Minnesota colleges and universities. The program also waives application fees and reduces the stress of admissions by offering an early “YES!”

More than 50 Minnesota colleges and universities are part of the program, including two-year community and technical colleges, four-year public and private universities, and tribal colleges. 

How It Works

• In or around October, seniors will receive a personalized email and survey through their school email with a list of colleges and universities where they already meet admissions criteria for Fall 2026.
• The list of colleges will be based on the student’s unweighted GPA and courses taken.
• Students can choose which colleges they’d like to be directly admitted to, then complete each school’s admissions process (with waived application fees).
• If a student isn’t interested in any of the colleges on their list, no action is needed. Students are not limited to this list—they can still apply to any college of their choice.

Based on a review of your student’s 11th-grade transcript (unweighted GPA and courses taken), your student will receive an email and portal access in or around October, indicating the colleges that your student qualifies for. Your student will then be asked to select the colleges they would like to be directly admitted to.

By selecting “yes” to be directly admitted to one or more participating colleges, the following information is collected by the school and shared with the Minnesota Office of Higher Education: Name, MARSS number, academic information, the high school transcript, contact information, gender, and birth date for direct admissions. This data will be used to notify colleges of your student’s participation, waive application fees at the participating colleges, and provide colleges with your student’s contact information to complete the admissions process.

If you do not want your student to participate in Direct Admissions Minnesota, please fill out the form below.

Click here to complete the opt-out form in English
Click here to complete the opt-out form in Spanish

For more information on the Direct Admissions program and who to contact at Two Rivers with questions, visit our website. Our counselors will also be available at the Back to School

Monthly emails sent to all Two Rivers students that include information regarding college preparation, scholarships, and other post secondary information, as well as general school counseling support.

***Do you have any information regarding post secondary options or scholarships that you think would be helpful for students to know? Please send the information to britney.mezarodriguez@isd197.org. Thank you! 

          February 2026 Counseling Newsletter

         25-26 School Year Archived Newsletters:

• January
• December
• November
• October
• September

Earning College Credit at Two Rivers

Click here for important Graduation requirements and college and career resources. 

Many of you have started working on applications to college. If you haven't yet, that's okay! The earliest deadlines begin in October, with many early application deadlines in November. Most schools' regular deadlines won't be until early 2026, so there's time if you're still researching and deciding where to apply.

If you have started your applications, you may be wondering how to request transcripts and, if necessary, letters of recommendation. Here is a video about how to submit those requests in Naviance. If you haven't logged in to Naviance in a while, here's a video about how to log in (hint: you do not need a password).

Additionally, here are some answers to some frequently asked questions:

Senior class size: 273

We use weighted GPAs on a 4.0 scale.

Two Rivers does not use exact class rank. We use a decile rank system, meaning students are grouped into the top 10%, top 20%, etc. Attached to this email is the school profile with the decile information about the senior class.

If you have any questions, reach out to your counselor for a meeting! We would love to meet with you to help you navigate your plans for next year whether you are applying to college, considering a gap year, joining the military, planning to work, or are unsure of your next steps.

Admissions representatives from various colleges come to Two Rivers throughout the year to meet with interested students. Students can check the calendar outside of the Guidance Office, or check the shared calendar College Visit and Open House Calendar (shown below) and meet with the college reps  This is a great opportunity to learn about the programs that different colleges offer as well as the application process. 

If you would like to meet with the Admission Representatives from any of the Colleges or Universities visiting Two Rivers, simply sign up in the Counseling & Guidance Office and you will receive a pass for that time. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Counseling/Guidance Office.

Students can use the comprehensive tools in Family Connection to plan for college and a career, and their school counselor can assist them along the way. Family Connection allows students to: get involved in the planning and advising process, research colleges and careers, create plans for the future, and prepare for the ACT and AP exams.

Family Connection also lets us share information with students about upcoming meetings and events, local scholarship opportunities, and resources for college and career information. Students can also use the site to communicate with their counselor. Students can log in to their account using their school email address and student ID number by CLICKING HERE.

Naviance Login

CURRENT STUDENTS IN GRADES 9-11
Current students in grades 9-11 register for classes in February. Students should access the registration guide (see below) they received as a freshman to select classes for the next school year. School counselors are available to assist students with registration and course planning. Students should stop into the Counseling Office (C201) to make an appointment.

STUDENTS IN GRADE 8 AT HERITAGE AND FRIENDLY HILLS MIDDLE SCHOOL
Two Rivers School Counselors meet with and hand out registration materials to current 8th grade students at Friendly Hills Middle School and Heritage E-STEM Magnet School. A Parent Meeting for all incoming 9th grade students will take place on December 6th at Two Rivers High School. 

NEW STUDENTS ENROLLING IN DISTRICT 197
Two Rivers welcomes resident and non-resident students to join our school community.

New Student Registration Process: 

• Complete an enrollment packet available in our District Office or online.
• Provide a transcript from your current school with up-to-date grades. 
• Make an appointment to meet your counselor to select your courses. 
• Welcome to Two Rivers! 

Registration packets for high school-age students NEW to the district may be obtained at the District Office. The office is open during the school year from 7:30 a.m.-4:00 p.m. To request a packet by mail contact the enrollment coordinator at enrollment@isd197.org or 651-403-7030.

New students are encouraged to submit their registration by March 1 of the year prior to the year they will start at Two Rivers. Students may arrange a day to shadow a current student during their school day at Two Rivers. This can be done by contacting 651-403-7208.

Learn more about Our School or Enrolling at School District 197.

If you have a child that is enrolled at Two Rivers and they have decided to transfer to another school, please email Tricia Bluhm at tricia.bluhm@isd197.org to let us know. Please be prepared to return all electronic devices, textbooks and library books that your student has checked out. Any items not returned to the school will incur a fine.

To find out what your child has checked out, please contact:

Savannah Jones - Textbooks and library books - savannah.jones@isd197.org or 651-403-7209

Cristie Sward - Electronic Devices (Macbook, Chromebook, Thinkpad, HotSpot) cristie.sward@isd197.org or 651-403-8400

ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP) COURSES
The Advanced Placement (AP) program is sponsored by the College Board, which develops courses and administers advanced tests that help students develop the intellectual skills and self-discipline they need to do well in college, while they are still in high school. The curricula for these classes are the same as those taught on a college campus; therefore, it is important that students understand that an AP course is significantly more difficult than a high school course. Students are required to do considerable outside reading and other assignments and to demonstrate the analytical skills and writing abilities expected of first year students in a strong college program.

In May, students can take a national test that measures their knowledge in the areas they studied during the year. If the students score high enough, they will receive college credit at over 3,000 institutions nationwide. While the amount and type of credit you receive depends on the college you attend, most will allow you to skip basic courses and around half will allow you to start as a sophomore if you passed enough AP classes.

Students who are highly motivated and who meet course prerequisites are recommended to take AP courses and examinations. AP courses offered at Two Rivers include AP Language and Composition, AP Calculus (AB), AP Calculus (BC), AP Statistics, AP Computer Science, AP Music Theory, AP Chemistry, AP Biology, AP Physics, AP Physics Mechanics C, AP Psychology, AP US History, AP World History, AP Economics Macro and AP Economics Micro.

*2023-2024 AP Testing Schedule*

COLLEGE IN THE SCHOOLS (CIS) AND CONCURRENT ENROLLMENT COURSES 

College in the Schools (CIS) is a concurrent enrollment partnership between the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities and School District 197. CIS delivers U of M courses to high-achieving students in their own high schools. Selected high school teachers are appointed as affiliated U of M faculty and receive ongoing, continuous professional development from U of M faculty. CIS courses are offered in Physics by Inquiry, Algebra Thru Model, German III, German IV, French IV, and French V. Concurrent Enrollment courses are offered in Spanish IV-CE and Spanish V-CE through MN State University, Mankato.


PROJECT LEAD THE WAY
Project Lead the Way courses at Two Rivers include Introduction to Engineering Design, Principals of Engineering, Civil Engineering and Architecture, and Computer Integrated Manufacturing.
 

Post-Secondary Planning Whether you plan on attending a four-year college, two-year college, community college, technical college, enlisting in the armed forces, or pursuing another endeavor, the faculty and staff at Two Rivers High School are dedicated to providing an appropriate, quality education that will prepare you for life after high school. For students intending to enroll in a post-secondary institution, admission requirements are important to consider when planning your high school program. It is necessary to be aware of the specific requirements that each institution has in place for new students. Below are recommended preparation requirements (Grades 9-12) for students planning to attend various types of post-secondary institutions.

PSEO for Students and Families Visit About PSEO for a short guide about benefits of the program, making the decision to participate and how to apply. Students who desire to enroll in PSEO classes at local colleges are reminded to schedule an appointment with their counselor to complete the PSEO student agreement process through Two Rivers and once enrolled to update their schedule at Two Rivers. Students school counselors will need a copy of their PSEO courses prior to the semester beginning, whether that is fall or spring. Whether the student is taking an online or campus class. It is the student's responsibility to make sure they are taking the necessary credits to graduate.

Please see the document below for additional information, a checklist and the PSEO Agreement: 

Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO):  Handout, Checklist and Agreement

We, as Guidance Office staff, are very aware of the emotional and physical stress that the recent years have put on us all, and most importantly on our students. Below, you will find information about mental health, including warning signs to look for in your children, and links for help if help is necessary.

Warning signs Parents can look out for in their children:

**Please note: Individually, many of these symptoms may be part of normal development, however further consultation may be indicated if the symptom(s) appear to be impacting functioning at school and/or home.

Emotional/Mental Health

• Signs of depression, such as crying without a reasonable and identifiable trigger, persistent low energy
• Non-verbal signs of anxiety, such as frequent physical complaints (headaches, stomachaches), pacing, pressured speech, poor sleep/nightmares
• Perfectionistic tendencies
• Separation anxiety
• Appears unmotivated to engage with others or engage in class
• Delusions or hallucinations
• Compulsive behavior (checking, counting, or other rituals)
• Obsessions (persistent preoccupation with an idea, feeling, or thought)
• Irritability or explosive anger
• Suicidal statements
• Poor concentration

Behavioral Health:

• Disruptive behavior
• Behavior that causes harm to self (cutting, head banging, etc.)
• Restlessness or agitation
• Behavior that causes distress to others, such as physical aggression, bullying, or poor boundaries
• Tantrum-type behaviors
• Attention seeking
• Defiance
• Excessive tardiness, absences or school refusal
• Difficulty with transitions

Interpersonal Troubles:

• Bullying or bullied by others
• Demanding
• “Yes, but…”
• Blaming
• Triangulating (playing staff or family members against each other)
• Makes accusations against staff
• Attacks or alienates others
• Withdrawn, socially isolated

Family Troubles:

• Indecisiveness
• Excessive worry
• Too little involvement
• Too much involvement
• High family discord
• Numerous recent changes/transitions/losses

Staff Involvement:

• Staff spending significantly more time with a student than usual
  • Either because the student is particularly difficult
  • Or because staff appears particularly attached or overly-involved
• Staff becoming frustrated with a student
• Staff making statements such as “I shouldn’t have to deal with that”

Finding HELP:

If you feel that HELP is needed, please feel free to reach out to the Guidance Office Staff, most notably your student's assigned counselor. Associated Clinic of Psychology (ACP) Also offers counseling services through Two Rivers. If you feel your child would benefit from counseling services, you can contact your child's counselor or access the referral form directly for ACP here: https://acp-mn.com/referral-form/

However, if you feel additional help is needed, please reach out to the resource you feel is most appropriate:

• Phone 911 - Actual critical emergency (Police, Fire, Medical)
• Dakota County Mental Health and other Support: https://www.co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/MentalHealth
• Phone 1-800-273-8255 - Suicide Prevention Hotline
• Phone 1-888-628-9454 - Spanish Suicide Prevention Hotline
• Chat format login - https://988lifeline.org/help-yourself/youth/         Nationwide emotional support, crisis intervention, and suicide prevention

As the school year progresses, we will begin our group counseling sessions. If you do not want your child to participate in group counseling, please reach out to your students' counselor.

CREDIT RECOVERY 2025-2026

Program Description:

Students can earn an elective semester of credit for every class they successfully complete. The Work-Based Learning courses are a combination of state and district-produced curriculum that meet local and state standards. Students must take the Work-Based Learning Seminar class and will spend at least 16 hours in class with a certified teacher (students are required to attend each class period listed below). In addition to the seminar class, students can earn additional elective credit for field work (hours of part-time job) outside of the normal school day. An individual training agreement (signed by student, parent/guardians, employer and school representative) must be completed for the field work credit to be awarded. 

Program times: 3:30-5:30 

Location: Room A264

Session 1 (Mon/Wed)

Work-Based Learning Seminar:  

November 10,12,17,19

December 1,3,8 and 10th

Work-Based Learning Field Experience:

Signed agreement form and 80 work hours logged

TO REGISTER FOR CREDIT RECOVERY:

Visit your counselor to sign up.

Please send all requests for academic records directly to trhsrecords@isd197.org. If you are a secondary school that is requesting records for a Two Rivers student that is transferring to your school, please send an official Records Request form from your school. If you are not an official educational institution, please include a signed Release of Information form. Thank you!

For current high school students: Please request your transcript through Naviance.

For alumni: Please use the following link to request your transcript and pay the $5.00 transcript fee. You will need to create a username & password: SmartSchool /epaytrak

If you have difficulty using the site, please call: 1.800.934.2621

If you are a representative from a background screening company, potential employer, or other entity in need of an official Education Verification, please email your request along with a signed copy of the applicant's Release of Information to trhsrecords@isd197.org.