The Guidance Department of St. Francis High School shares in the general philosophy of the school in its respect for the uniqueness of each student and her right and responsibility to achieve her potential.
This department supports the spiritual, intellectual, social and psychological development of each student and believes in her right to guidance as she makes life, academic and career choices.
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Andreas Agos
Principal
452-3461, ext. 128 |
Debbie Austin
College Advisor to all Class Levels
452-3461, ext. 124 |
Fr. Edward Pepka
Chaplain/Spiritual Guidance
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Naviance Family Connection
St. Francis has a license to Naviance Family Connection, a web-based service designed especially for students and parents. The Family Connection website is a wonderful resource students can use to help in making decisions about courses, college and careers.
Click the graphic below to go to Naviance...
Counselors
Each student is assigned a personal guidance counselor. Click the graphic below for a current list of counselors...
Links to Guidance Department Services
The Guidance Department provides services specific to each class level. Bookmark your class level page for the latest available workshops and information.
- Senior Class of 2009...
- Junior Class of 2010... (coming soon)
- Sophomore Class of 2011... (coming soon)
- Freshman Class of 2012... (coming soon)
Additional Links:
SFHS Guidance
Academic Guidance
The academic counselors inform, advise, support and monitor each student's academic progress through the following activities and services:
- Orientation to St. Francis High School's course offerings and graduation requirements
- Advice on schedule choices for each student
- On-going monitoring of student's fulfillment of graduation and college entrance requirements
- Facilitation of parent/teacher/student conferences as necessary
- Referral to peer tutoring
- Provision for study skills sessions
- Administration of national tests (PSAT, PLAN, CT, AP) and interpretation of results
- Concurrent enrollment in college classes
For students with learning difficulties the academic counselors offer support through:
- Referral for diagnostic testing
- Provision for recommended accommodations
- Coordination of student study teams
- Assisting communication with teachers as necessary
College and Career Guidance
The college/career guidance program begins with an introduction at the ninth grade level and increases in scope each year to culminate in extensive counseling in the twelfth grade. Counselors remain current on developments in all aspects of the college application process by attending several workshops each year.
Click the following links to learn more:
- College and Career Guidance by Class Level...
- Financial Aid News...
- College Representatives - Schedule of Visits...
- College Tours
- Scholarships
- College Summer & Abroad Program
Personal Guidance
The personal counselors provide the following services:
- Short-term individual and small group counseling for personal issues
- Crisis intervention counseling
- Facilitation of programs and activities on teen issues
- Referral information on services available in the local community
- Education on mental health issues
Spiritual Guidance
The Guidance Department recognizes, respects, and values each student as a unique individual. We support each student's sense of dignity and self-worth by offering her guidance and reflection through the Christian faith. Students are also referred to the Chaplain, Campus Ministry, and Theology teachers for deeper discussions about their faith and decision making.
Standardized Testing Program
- Open to all levels: Learning Styles Inventory, Do as you Are
- Freshman level: Learning Styles Inventory & Study Strategies Workshop
- Sophomore level: PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test); PLAN (Pre-ACT)
- Junior & Senior level: PSAT/NMSQT; ACT, SAT Reasoning & SAT Subject Test, Advanced Placement Exams in spring
Confidentiality Statement
Personal Guidance: In the school context, personal counseling, both individual and group, focuses on creating a safe place where students can talk openly about the issues troubling them, and get support and assistance in problem solving. It is important to distinguish school counseling from psychotherapy. Students who may require individual or family therapy will be referred to outside agencies for assessment and possible on-going therapy.
Confidentiality: Any information of a personal nature disclosed by a student in the process of counseling is confidential. However, while maintaining the anonymity of the student, matters of health, life and safety may be discussed with the Principal, and/or appropriate member(s) of the Administration.
In addition, California State Law specifies six exceptions to this understanding of confidentiality:
- Discussing issues with licensed physicians, psychiatrists, psychologists or other health care providers for the sole purpose of referring the student for treatment.
- Reporting child abuse as required by law.
- Reporting information to the Principal or parents when the counselor has reasonable cause to believe that disclosure is necessary to avert a clear and imminent danger to the health, safety, or welfare of the student or others.
- Reporting information to persons outside the school when a student indicates that crime involving the likelihood of significant personal injury or significant property losses will be or has been committed.
- Reporting to one or more specific persons identified in a written waiver which has been read and signed by the student. This waiver will be preserved in the student's counseling file.
- Disclosing confidential information when ordered to do so by a court of law.
Informing staff of required modifications: In many instances, parents will ask that academic modifications be shared with the professional staff. In these cases, every effort will be made to assure the privacy of the student and her family. While privacy is extremely important so is the sharing of classroom modifications. This information will be shared with the teachers and substitute coordinator via confidential and secured email by the student's counselor at the beginning of each semester. Health information will be shared in the same manner to the same audience by the Administration.
