Counseling and Guidance

We know that this is a difficult time where you may be feeling anxious, wondering what each day will bring. Just know we are all in this together and we will persevere. Think of things that are in your control to reduce any anxiety. We encourage you to keep a healthy routine. Your school counselor is available by email and google hangout. Please reach out to them individually to know further of what their working hours are.

The COVID 19 pandemic has impacted us all in unexpected and difficult ways.  Many families may be feeling increased stress and anxiety due to fears about ...

• You or a loved one contracting COVID-19
• Providing childcare while schools are closed
• Travel restrictions
• Economic downturn
• Lost wages
• Accessing healthcare
• Obtaining necessary products and supplies
• Being isolated from friends and family

The following are resources (articles, tools, videos, etc) to support you and the young people in your life to manage stress and other mental health impacts of all the disruption:

• Mental Health Support and COVID19 - NAMI
• COVID 19 and the Mental Health of Your Children - The Youth Mental Health Project
• Don't Go Down a Coronavirus Anxiety Spiral 
• How To Talk to Your Kids about the Coronavirus --You Tube video, the Child Mind Institute
• Managing Anxiety and Stress--Center for Disease Control 

Weekly emails sent to Juniors and Seniors that include information regarding college preparation, scholarships, and other post secondary information.

***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 our Administrative Assistant, Danielle Barbosa Brown at danielle.barbosabrown@isd197.org. Thank you!

October 2, 2020

October 9, 2020

October 14, 2020

October 23, 2020

October 30, 2020

November 6, 2020

November 13, 2020

November 20, 2020

November 24, 2020

December 4, 2020

December 11, 2020

December 18, 2020

January 8, 2021

January 15, 2021

January 22, 2021

January 29, 2021

February 5, 2021

February 12, 2021

February 19, 2021

February 26, 2021

March 5, 2021

March 12, 2021

March 19, 2021

March 26, 2021

April 2, 2021

April 9, 2021

April 16, 2021

April 23, 2021

April 30, 2021

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 2022, 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: 370

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.

_______________________________________

En Español:

Muchos de ustedes han comenzado a trabajar en solicitudes para la universidad. Si aún no lo has hecho, ¡está bien! Las primeras fechas límite comienzan en octubre, con muchas fechas límite para solicitudes anticipadas en noviembre. Las fechas límite de la mayoría de las escuelas no serán hasta principios de 2021, por lo que hay tiempo si todavía estás investigando y decidiendo dónde mandar las aplicaciones.

Si has iniciado tus aplicaciones, es posible que tengas preguntas acerca de cómo pedir tus expediente académico y, si es necesario, cartas de recomendación, vea este video
de como pedirlos en Naviance. Si no has iniciado sesión en Naviance desde hace tiempo, aquí hay un video sobre cómo hacerlo (pista: no necesita una contraseña).

Además, aquí hay algunas respuestas a algunas preguntas frecuentes:

Número de estudiantes en la clase de último año: 370

Usamos GPA (promedio de calificaciones) ponderados en una escala de 4.0.

Sibley no usa el rango de clase exacto. Usamos un sistema de clasificación decil, lo que significa que los estudiantes se agrupan en el 10% superior, el 20% superior, etc.

Si tienes alguna pregunta, comunícate con tu consejero. Nos encantaría reunirnos contigo para ayudarte a navegar tus planes para el próximo año, ya sea que estés solicitando ingreso a la universidad, considerando un año sabático, ingresando al ejército, planeando trabajar o no estés seguro de tus próximos pasos.

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 join the virtual meetings to meet with the college reps over Google Meet. 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 that are virtually visiting Two Rivers, simply click the link to the Google Meeting at the appropriate time and you will be connected with them directly. If you have any questions, please reach out to the Guidance Office Administrative Assistant, Danielle Barbosa Brown.

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 in February. A Parent Meeting for all incoming 9th grade students is offered in February 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.-3:30 p.m. To request a packet by mail contact the enrollment coordinator at enrollment@isd197.org or 651-403-7041.

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 Danielle Barbosa Brown at 651-403-7208.

Learn more about Our School or Enrolling District 197.

Registration for 2022 AP testing will take place in or around October 2021. Please stay tuned for more information.
 

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.

*** The schedule for 2021-2022 Spring AP Testing has not yet been set ***

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.
 

Students who have enrolled in PSEO classes at local colleges are reminded to schedule an appointment with their counselor to update their schedule at Two Rivers. We will need a copy of their PSEO courses for second semester before the start of the school year. 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. Contact your student's assigned school counselor directly (see list on this page for contact information) if you would like to schedule an appointment to verify their graduation requirements.

---

Updated Language Available for School Websites to Meet Statutory Requirements for Dissemination of Postsecondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) Information

By March 1 of each year, or three weeks prior to the district or charter school’s fall course registration date (whichever is earlier), a district or school must provide up-to-date information about the PSEO program to all students in grades 8-11 (Minnesota Statutes, section 124D.09, subdivision 7). This requirement applies to both districts and charter schools.

This information must be published on the district or school’s website, and in materials that are distributed to parents and students about the PSEO program—and include information about enrollment requirements and the opportunity to earn postsecondary credit. In an effort to provide consistent and helpful guidance about PSEO, updated language is available on the department website that should be used to satisfy this statutory obligation.

• Access suggested language that covers all the information that must be provided on the website and in materials distributed to families.
• Please ensure that this information is provided to those responsible for your district/high school's website.
• Per state law, this information should not only be posted on the district website, but also in materials distributed to all 8th -11th graders and their families three weeks before students register, or by March 1, whichever comes first. We recognize that unfortunately the passage of time means some districts and charters will not have this to students before they register, or 3 weeks before they register. We strongly urge that this become a high priority and all 8-11th grade students and their families receive this information within a week of the time you receive it.

If you have any questions, contact Beth Barsness, PSEO/Concurrent Enrollment Specialist, 651-582-8336. 

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.

 

If you or your family is struggling during the holidays, please take a look at the newsletter created by Associated Clinic of Psychology which addresses a number common concerns and obstacles that families are facing right now.

 

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 Sibley. 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 http://www.crisischat.org - 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.

Do you need to make up credit in any of the following classes? 

- Language Arts: Comp/Lit, World Lit, American Lit
- Math: Intermediate Algebra, Geometry, Algebra 2

Students can earn a semester of credit for every session they successfully complete. There will be three sessions. Students can sign up for only one Language Arts class per session and only one math class per session. The courses will be held online via distance learning only. Students are required to spend 18 hours in class with a certified teacher and need an additional 30 hours to complete the class. Students are required to attend every class in the session and receive a passing grade in order to earn their 18 hours.

 

___________________________________________________

¿Necesita recuperar crédito en alguna de las siguientes clases?

- Artes del lenguaje: Comp / Literatura, Literatura mundial, Literatura estadounidense
- Matemáticas: Álgebra intermedia, Geometría, Álgebra 2

Los estudiantes pueden obtener un semestre de crédito por cada sesión que completen con éxito. Habrá tres sesiones. Los estudiantes pueden inscribirse en solo una clase de artes del lenguaje por sesión y solo una clase de matemáticas por sesión. Los cursos se impartirán en línea únicamente a distancia. Los estudiantes deben pasar 18 horas en clase con un maestro certificado y necesitan 30 horas adicionales para completar la clase. Los estudiantes deben asistir a todas las clases de la sesión y recibir una calificación aprobatoria para poder ganar sus 18 horas.

 

If you have a child that is enrolled at Two Rivers and they have decided to transfer to another school, please contact our Guidance Office Administrative Assistant Danielle Barbosa Brown at 651-403-7208 or via email danielle.barbosabrown@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:

Katie Naughton - Textbooks and library books - katie.naughton@isd197.org or 651-403-7209

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

Please send all requests for academic records directly to danielle.barbosabrown@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!

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 danielle.barbosabrown@isd197.org.