Counselor/Parent Chats Q & A November 15, 2023
Guest Speakers: McAlister Institute Q&A:
Are students aware of the harm with nicotine and vaping?
Yes, we speak to youth as well and educate teenagers on the health concerns with nicotine and vaping.
Do you go to schools and present?
Yes, I visit a lot of schools to help educate students.
How can we tell if our student is vaping?
A lot of vapes still have a smell and release smoke. The smell is like a fruit. The smell will stay on clothes, furniture. If you go into their room or bathroom, check their things. Some vapes look like highlighters. As we continue to research the consequences of vaping, more information surfaces.
Can schools require random tests for students like they do in some workplaces?
At McAlister center parents can pay $25 cash for marijuana tests. Results will be available within 5 minutes. Per school counselors, we cannot test students, but we can provide resources like MCAlister where they can take their student to be tested.
Does school allow vaping and/or vapes on campus? No
How do staff/administration check if a student has vape?
They don’t do random searches, however, if they catch students in a bathroom, etc., and suspect the student is under the influence they will search student belongings.
Counselor Parent Chat- Q&A:
There was a military presentation in one of her students' classrooms, but when she called the school no one on campus knew about it. Why does this happen?
I would welcome a parent to speak with their student counselor. The counselor can help investigate and help discover the answer.
Do you have support for ADHD?
Yes, any student with diagnosed mental/physical disability, we have support for your student. We encourage parents to contact their child's counselor for further details.
Is there a fee waiver for community college?
There is no fee for community college applications. The CSU/UC application has questions built in application that determine if a student is a candidate for fee waiver.
I always check my child's grade, but it shows a missing assignment but my student tells me they turned it in?
I suggest, via jupiter grades, email the teacher directly to confirm what assignments are missing, or contact your student counselor for help.
In addition, usually if it’s marked as missing it’s because they turned it in late. Very likely the student did it late, and it may take time for the teacher to correct late work. I would encourage parents to tell students that they can review the work they turned in late.
Do teachers update grades weekly or do they have some kind of timeframe?
There are no guidelines. The requirement is that the teacher give a progress report and final grade. Anything in between progress reports and final grades is teacher discretion.
There are many programs, how can parents be prepared to best guide their students with options available for pre registration?
At suhicounseling.com website, parents/students can access Course List with descriptions and some include videos.
What options are available for period 0/7?
These are very limited to MCJROTC and bands. Please contact your student counselor for additional help.
When are the next grades?
They are the final semester grades.
What is the support students with IEP receive, or can parents select classes for students?
Students with IEPs get the same opportunity to request classes with counselors. In addition, students with IEPs, have IEP meetings to discuss placement, case carrier and counselor to support them.
What are the upcoming College University and FASFA Deadlines for 12th graders?
Counselors are currently reviewing post-secondary plans with seniors during their individual credit check meeting. Important dates and deadlines can be found on our “So You Want To Go To College” flyer. Seniors can access their grade level presentation on their Google Classroom. The Deadline for CSU/UC’s is November 30th. FASFA Deadline for priority is March 2nd.
Which teacher does my student turn in their hours to and what places are approved by the school?
Community Service Forms need to be turned into History/Social Science teachers. Students need to submit hours ideally that school year. For information on pre-approved places please visit our website under the community service tab.
