Counseling

Hours of Operation

 

Counselors:                                                   
Mr. Batista      A-ENR
Ms. Garcia      ESM-MAC
Ms. Watson    MAD-RIVA
Ms. Vega         RIVE-Z

 

Hours: 7am-4pm
Mar Vista’s counseling office is staffed by four full-time counselors, a secretary, and the school registrar.  Each student is assigned to a counselor alphabetically. Students are encouraged to get to know their individual counselor so that a solid working relationship can be established.  However, all counselors are available to answer general questions for any student, regardless of alphabetical assignment.
Mar Vista’s counselors are responsible for implementing a school-wide guidance program that focuses on three major goals: Academic Achievement, Career Development, and Personal & Social Development.
Academic Development includes the acquisition of skills in decision- making, problem- solving, goal- setting, critical thinking, logical reasoning and interpersonal communication along with the strategies in which to utilize these skills.
Career Development strategies and activities support the development of a positive attitude toward work and the development of necessary skills to transition from school to the world of work.

 

Personal and Social Development supports and maximizes students’ personal growth and empowers all students to become successful learners and responsible members of society.
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Counseling services include, but are not limited to, providing:

·         All students with a 4-year plan leading to graduation
·         Appropriate referrals to community resources for psychological counseling and substance abuse programs
·         Information regarding tutoring & test preparation courses
·         Support groups on a variety of issues
·         Assistance in selecting courses related to career & college planning
·         Access to financial aid and scholarships for college
·         Career assessments and interest inventories
·         Information on college entrance and placement exams
·         Classroom presentations on college requirements
·         Information on student grades, credits, schedules, and standardized test scores
·         Assistance in facilitating parent/teacher conferences
·         Crises counseling
·         Assistance in taking concurrent Community College courses
·         Conflict mediation
·         Access to college representatives and information on college presentations and college fairs
·         Safe and confidential atmosphere for students to share personal issues
·         Study team approach to research appropriate services for at-risk students
·         Information on alternative school programs
·         Assistance in obtaining and completing college application.

 

The Counseling staff at MVH is concerned with helping students meet their personal, social, educational, and career goals.  Our objective is to provide support for the development of a positive learning environment for students, teachers, and administrators.
Every student is seen by his/her counselor automatically once each semester to review the student’s records and plan for the following semester.  In addition, counselors make classroom presentations to all students each spring in order to explain graduation and college entrance requirements.
Parents are welcome to visit the Counseling Center at any time but it is best to schedule an appointment with the appropriate counselor by calling (619)628-5700. Students are encouraged to discuss personal or school problems with their counselor who will respect the student’s privacy.  Students may come to the Counseling Center to schedule an appointment before or after school, lunch, or nutrition break; problems of a pressing nature will be handled by providing the student with a call slip to give to the teacher at the time of appointment.
A Student Study Team composed of teachers, counselors, administrators, and other staff meets on a regular basis to review interventions and provide recommendations for students who are having difficulties at school.
Support Groups in selected areas are offered each semester based on student need. Students may be referred by a parent, teacher, or through self-referral.
Counselors meet with every student during the first semester of the 9th grade to prepare and review a student’s Four Year Plan. This plan lays out the course requirements for a student to graduate from high school, taking into consideration their post-secondary goals.
The Compact for Success guarantees admission to San Diego State University for Sweetwater graduates who meet the required academic benchmarks. You may review the detailed requirements at http://mvh.sweetwaterschools.org/parents/Pages. You may also see your counselor for more information.
Course Selection

Course selection for the following school year is held in March and April.  Counselors visit all classes prior to course selection to review with students the requirements for graduation and for college admission.  In March counselors visit the middle school to discuss high school requirements with in-coming 9th graders and to assist them with their course selections.  Informational meetings for parents of 9th graders are held to discuss high school requirements and to provide advice on college preparation.

If a student fails a required class, he/she should contact his/her counselor about ways to make up the credits.  Adult Education programs are available each semester and may be used to make up required classes.  Counselors must approve each class and enroll the student. Applications for summer school are available in the spring and also require counselor approval.
If a student fails an elective subject, he/she is not required to repeat the class, but credit must be earned in other areas to bring the total to the required 44 credits for graduation.
Student Aide classes are restricted to juniors and seniors only because of course requirements for underclassmen. Students may take no more than one (1) student aide class per semester and must have satisfactory attendance and behavior.
 
  

Schedule Change Policy
 
The best learning takes place when students are continuously enrolled in classes from the beginning through the end of each semester.  Class changes are discouraged as they interrupt the continuity of the curriculum and may be detrimental to students.
The state frameworks, which are tied into the school wide assessments, require that classroom instruction begin on day one of the semester.  Consequently, we do not allow students to make changes once the semester gets under way except for purposes of balancing classes.  The teacher’s contract calls for this to be done by the end of the second week of instruction; MAKE INFORMED, WISE DECISIONS!  The last day for student/parent-initiated changes will be the Wednesday before the start of each semester.  The expectation is that each student will work to his or her full capacity.  If however there is a perceived misplacement, please see the counselor for a petition.  This petition is available until the Friday after the first progress report period of each semester.  After that time, petitioning for a change will not be permitted.
Only due to extreme and extenuating circumstances will the principal approve a schedule change after the aforementioned period of time.  Students will be required to complete the previously assigned class work in the new class.