Roles & Responsibilities

By honoring these guidelines, we will achieve our mutual goal of seeing O'Donel High School students reach their potential as responsible adults and successful learners. Please know that although a high percent of OD graduates go on to college or other post-secondary education pursuits, our counselors have a wealth of information for those who are interested in joining the workforce or military after high school.

Together we can provide a rewarding high school experience and a smooth transition from O'Donel High School to college or career. We welcome the opportunity to discuss this journey with you, feel free to contact us. Thank you.

Students

• Communicate desires/wishes honestly with parents and counselors

• Speak to us if there are personal issues you need help with

• Be realistic about expectations

• Respect advice of counselors

• Be actively engaged in the admissions process

• Create a file and keep all college admission/career materials organized

• Know your application deadlines, application fees and individual college's required supplements

• Keep a calendar for admissions processes

• Focus on the right colleges/careers, those which will meet your needs

• Punctually attend all group and individual guidance meetings

• Sign up online or submit paper applications by all test deadlines

• Meet deadlines by submitting materials to your counselor two weeks before due dates; understand your counselor will be supporting many student requests

• Follow up on communications and requests from colleges in a timely manner

• Refrain from submitting multiple deposits

• Continue to focus on high school studies after acceptance, as counselors are obliged to report to colleges any significant changes in a candidate's academic status or qualifications between the time of recommendation and graduation

Parents

• Check the O'Donel website and this Guidance website regularly for important announcements.

• Attend guidance/parent meetings

• Proactively communicate with students/counselors

• Be realistic about expectations

• Allow the student's college list to be their list vs. yours

• Respect counselors' advice and interact with them as professionals

• Please work with us - not against us, and know that we want what is best for the student

• Hold students accountable for carrying out their responsibilities

• Support student's desires/needs; enable the student to be accountable and take ownership of the college application process

• Monitor the process (due dates, etc.)

• Make college campus visits a top priority

• Celebrate student successes; don't dwell on failures

• Be supportive of student's feelings of stress during the process

Guidance Counselors

• Be knowledgeable about the college admission's process

• Educate students/parents about the admission process

• Listen to students and parents

• Treat each student as an individual

• Advocate for the student

• Be accessible; communicate frankly, honestly and promptly

• Facilitate the application process including providing colleges with a transcript, school profile, and official school recommendation for each candidate

• Keep the student's best interest in mind

• Maintain confidentiality

• Inform students/parents of the Financial Aid/Scholarship process

• Report to colleges any significant changes in a candidate's academic status or qualifications between the time of recommendation and graduation

• Provide future assistance after graduation

• Counsel student and parents on social and/or personal issues

• Make referrals to outside support sources as as needed