Counseling

Kids must come first in education. Period. That belief  is central to our magnet philosophy and begins with the relationship between counselor and student developed through personalization of the student’s program. We do not assume all magnet students are the same; in fact, we believe that they are individuals with different strengths and weaknesses, and thus deserve to be treated as such. Our counselors meet individually with students beginning in the eighth grade to establish their needs and ensure they are on track to go to a four-year college or university of their choosing.

Here is a list of some Frequently Asked Questions for Parents (click each question for the answer):

 

Who is my counselor?

Ms. Howe is the counselor for all students with the last names A-I, and can be reached via email. Ms. Morales is the counselor for all students with the last names J-M, and can be reached via email. Ms. Delondi is the counselor for all students with the last names N-Z, and can be reached via email.

What is a typical schedule for a ninth grader?

Honors Geography, Honors English 9, Environmental Studies, Math (Honors or Regular Algebra/ Geometry/Algebra 2), Foreign Language (Spanish/French/Japanese/Korean) , and PE (swim class, dance class and sports teams are also options for PE) are typical courses. If your child is in Spanish 1 in middle school, then s/he will be programmed into Spanish 2.

How is math programmed?

Students who are in Algebra 1 will go onto Geometry–if they have a C or better. Good algebra skills are needed to be successful in Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, and Calculus. Some students want to go onto an Honors class. Typically, we will look to see if the grade in the prior math class is an A or a B. Honors classes are offered.

What electives do ninth graders take?

Typically, ninth graders use their elective class to take a foreign language. Some students who may need extra support in their “core” classes take a college prep seminar class as their elective course. Students are invited to this class based upon their grades in middle school.

How often do the counselors meet with students?

We meet with students individually at least twice a year to discuss programming for the next semester, grades, tutoring options and more. In the junior year, this meeting takes place in our offices and lasts about 20-25 minutes and covers GPAs, testing, college selections, careers, majors, and more. When you child is a junior, you may attend this meeting, however we ask you send your child with 2-3 dates and times that work for you to schedule the appointment. Unfortunately there aren’t enough hours in the day for us to meet individually with every child’s parent.

What is the philosophy behind the selection of classes for my child?

We automatically program students on a four-year college trajectory that covers the “A-G” courses required by the UC and CSU systems. If your child tries to evade a class (e.g. French 2), that is a required A-G course, then we require a parent conference.

What sports are offered and how does my child try out for the team?

Football, Cross Country, Boys Water Polo, Girls Volleyball, Drill Team, Girls Golf and Girls Tennis are fall sports; Boys & Girls Basketball, Girls Water Polo, Boys & Girls Soccer and Wrestling are winter sports; Track, Swimming, Diving, Softball, Boys Volleyball, Boys Golf and Baseball are spring sports. Teams host tryouts during the previous semester as well as the summer for fall sports. Check the Cleveland Athletics website to see when tryouts are happening. Participating on a sports team will satisfy the PE requirement. If your child does athletics outside of school (competitive gymnastics, ice skating, equestrian, etc), s/he will still have to take PE at Cleveland High School. This is a LAUSD requirement, not a Cleveland decision. When your child is trying out for a sport, s/he must bring an emergency card or s/he will not be allowed to participate in the try out.

How can my child satisfy the Health requirement?

Health can be satisfied in several ways. It can be taken throughout high school. Students can also take it through Adult School, however they must be either in 10th grade or 16 because it is an Adult School class. Cleveland offers a credit recovery health class before and after school beginning with the 10th grade. Also, some students will enroll in Opportunities for Learning or Mission Academy online program (independent study program) and take Health A for 5 credits.

What should I do if my child is experiencing a social or emotional emergency?
When students are anxious or stressed out about academics or otherwise, we are here for them. Their social and emotional health is as important as their academic health. Our teachers and counselors are our first line of defense, so we encourage you to reach out to any of us with your concerns. We have a transition program in place to help our freshmen make the leap from middle school to high school. In addition, we stress the importance of having a "Growth Mindset" and encourage students to do the same. We also have many social and emotional support providers on campus to help students who may need additional services.

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