Counseling

Students must meet all course credit requirements and graduation standards, as established by the State of Minnesota and the District 833 School Board, in order to graduate. A student must earn 66 credits in grades 9-12 to graduate. One credit is earned for successful completion of a one trimester course. Students must earn:

12 credits in English

9 credits in Social Studies

1 credit in Economics (grade 11 or 12)

9 credits in Math

9 credits in Science

1 credit in General Physical Education (grade 9 or 10)

1 credit in Health (11 or 12)

2 credits in Fine Arts

22 credits in electives

Students at the Alternative High School have the option of taking classes at the Northeast Metro 916 Career and Technical Center in White Bear Lake. It becomes part of their school day as they are bused to the College in the mornings and return by lunch. They then take their required classes in the afternoon. This option allows students to explore a career that might be a good fit for them. Check out the description of the courses available! See Kate Jenkins, School Counselor, if you are interested.

Career Resources

• Northeast Metro 916 Career and Technical Center Programs
• www.iseek.org
  • This website gives good information on colleges in Minnesota. It also has some self assessments that are free to take that match interests or skills to careers.
• www.mncis.intocareers.org (see counselor for username and password)
  • MCIS is an outstanding post secondary planning resource. You can use the website to access occupational information, college information and individual career planning information. A special feature is its ability to sort schools across the country on 10 criteria and scholarships using various criteria. It also has job preparation

ACT/SAT Info

• www.actstudent.org
  • This is the ACT website. You can check out the dates of the test, register for the tests and view practice tests on this site.
• Practice tests (ACT, ASVAB, Accuplacer, SAT, etc.)
  • www.testpreview.com
  • www.studyguidezone.com
  • www.chompchomp.com

Financial Aid

• FAFSA on the Web: www.fafsa.ed.gov
  • The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is the federally approved application for financial aid. it generates information for colleges to determine a student's eligibility for grants, work study, loans, and some forms of need-based scholarships. For this year's seniors, the FAFSA cannot be completed unit the family completes its taxes, or after January 1st. This application is free and can be completed online at the above link.

Reciprocity

Minnesota has the reciprocity with South Dakota, and parts of Iowa and Manitoba, Canada. Essentially, what this means is that students can attend public institutions in these locations and pay tuition that would be comparable to a similar Minnesota public institution. Students must complete a reciprocity agreement with the appropriate state or province to qualify.

Get Ready for College

• www.getreadyforcollege.org
  • Financial aid estimator, information on reciprocity and preparing for college.

CSS/Financial Aid Profile

• http://.profileonline.collegeboard.com
  • Some colleges (Augsburg, Carleton, Gustavus, Macalester and St. Olaf) also require the completion of the College Board's CSS/Financial Aid Profile. Be sure that your college requires it, as there is a fee included.

MN Career Info System

• www.mncis.intocareers.org (see counselor for user name and password)
  • MCIS can access thousands of sources of financial aid and scholarships. Go to "financial aid" to get an alphabetical list of financial aid sources and/or to "financial aid sort" to sort

Military

• www.todaysmilitary.com

 

Jenkins, Kate
School Counselor
651-425-7004

South Washington Alternative High School is lucky to have partnered with Youth Service Bureau. For more information on services offered by our Youth & family Therapist contact Katie Maier. For information on services offered by our Chemical Health Specialist you can contact Almarely Guerrero Sanchez.
 

 

Washington County Resources: A comprehensive list of resources in Washington County.

Operation Glass Slipper: A non-profit dedicated to providing prom dresses and accessories to girls who have financial need.

Park Nicollet Melrose Center: Outpatient, inpatient, and speciality care for those with eating disorders.

Education of Homeless Youth: Resources for homeless students living in the district

Have Concerns? If you're concerned about yourself or someone else and would like information on symptoms of depression and warning signs of suicide, please visit save.org or mayoclinic.com. If you recognize any of the listed signs or symptoms, please speak with a parent/guardian, family doctor, or counselor right away. The Mayo Clinic website also has specific information about types of depression.

Note: It is critical to discuss any concerns with a parent/guardian, family doctor, or counselor.

Website: www.save.org

Website: www.mayoclinic.com (Search for major depression symptoms)

Before using your mental health insurance benefits, we recommend that you take the following actions.

• Call the customer service number on the back of your insurance card.
• Ask for a list of mental health providers in your area; you may request male or female providers as well.
• Ask about specific coverage (e.g., number of sessions, co-pay, and how much insurance will pay).

Your family doctor is another resource you can use to find a mental health provider. Ask him/her for a referral or name(s) of providers to consider.