Counseling Today - May 2025

May 14, 2025

Here is your May newsletter! This is the last one before summer, so we wish students good luck on finals, give a big shout out to seniors for graduating, and hope everyone has a wonderful summer!

We are also proud to say that our counseling department is a Recognized ASCA Model Program (RAMP), with CDH having earned RAMP status during the summer, 2023. We are the only private high school in Minnesota to have this designation and it is good until 2028. Feel free to read more about this great honor, what it took to earn, and what it means for our students! 

If you need to contact us, take a look at our contact page on the school website to determine the best person to help address your needs. We also encourage you to also follow us on Instagram for more regular reminders and updates.

School Counseling

All CDH Students

Bring out the Brilliance is still up and running for the end of this school year. CDH’s Counseling Department offers these academic skills sessions on Tuesdays during both Flex periods. If your student is struggling in a class, looking for support with test prep, organization, or time management, this is the small group for them. This can be especially helpful in preparing for finals! Reach out to Brother Michael in counseling for more information.

The AP exams are still taking place now. Registration is closed. AP has changed formatting of the exams to fully digital or hybrid. There are no longer paper-only exams. If you have any questions, please email Peggy Mansur. The schedule is as follows:

* These exams are hybrid as opposed to fully digital. 

All students should bring the following items with them:

• Their school-issued iPad, fully charged.

• Student ID - make sure the lanyard is on and visible when checking in.

• Students should bring 2 sharpened #2 pencils with good erasers (non-mechanical) and/or 2 black or blue ink pens. These can be used with scratch paper, even if the exam is fully digital.

• An AP-approved calculator if their test requires or allows one.

• A watch (optional and cannot be a smart watch) to pace yourself

• A snack to eat and water to drink during the break if you’d like

Do NOT bring any of the following items:

• A backpack (leave it in locker room, classroom, or elsewhere)

• Any electronic device other than their school iPad and a permitted calculator (this includes a cell phone, smart watch, fitness band, headphones, camera, etc.)

• Textbooks, dictionaries, scratch paper, notes, or other aids

• Highlighter pens, colored pens or pencils, or correction fluid/tape

• Reading material 

College Counseling

Juniors

Letters of Recommendation

If you haven’t done so, please remember to request your teacher letter(s) of recommendation before the end of the school year. Forms are available in the counseling office. 

Seniors

May 1 - College Decision Day
Seniors wore college sweatshirts over their uniforms to represent the college or university they will be attending this fall! Check out some fun pictures from the day:

End of the year reminders and details:
NCAA Recruited Student Athletes

You must request your final AMATEURISM CERTIFICATE from the NCAA Eligibility Center before you can be eligible to practice, compete and receive athletics aid in college. This is a quick but vital step in the process. Contact Mr. Brewer with any questions.

Final Transcripts 
A reminder that ALL colleges require a final official transcript of your high school grades as proof of graduation and as a condition of enrollment. In mid-June, once all third trimester grades have been submitted and recorded, CDH will send your final official transcript to the college/university you indicated you will attend on your senior survey and no other request is necessary. If you change your mind about where you will attend, you must let us know.   

If there is a "hold" on your CDH account (unpaid tuition, missing books, damaged iPad, etc.), we will not be able to send your transcript until the hold is satisfied. The CDH business office will notify you of any holds that need to be settled. If you have a college advising/registration appointment prior to mid-June and need a transcript, you can use an unofficial copy on your Infinite Campus account.

It is against the “Code of Ethics and Professional Practices” of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling for students to make multiple college enrollment deposits. CDH will send only one final transcript in June. Consult with your counselor if you need help making your decision.

PACC (Program for Advanced College Credit) Classes 
Graduates in the Class of 2025 who have paid for PACC credits from St. Mary’s University of Minnesota and who want to get college credits for these courses must have a transcript sent from St. Mary’s to the college or university where you will attend this fall. Your college can then determine whether or not they will award college credit for this work in high school. Wait until mid-June to request a college transcript, as CDH has to get the final grades to the college.

To request an official St. Mary’s transcript, go to Saint Mary's University of MN Transcript Requests  Click on "National Student Clearinghouse", type in Saint Mary's University of Minnesota (it will start auto filling but you must spell out Saint). You will then be able to order your transcript. If you do not know your ID number, you can use your social security number. Questions? Call St. Mary’s at 507-457-1501. 

CIS (College in the Schools) Classes 
If you took CIS at CDH through the University of Minnesota and want these classes to be considered for college credit at the school you will attend next fall you will need to request an official University of MN transcript. Go to UMN Twin Cities Transcript Request to request your transcript. Instructions will also be given to you by your CDH CIS class teacher. 

AP Scores 
To send your official AP scores to your college, go to Requesting Official AP Scores and follow instructions. Scores for tests taken in May of 2025 will be available in July. 

Tuition Reciprocity 
Graduating seniors who are planning to attend state colleges and universities in Wisconsin or North Dakota must file a “Tuition Reciprocity Application” with the Minnesota Higher Education Services Office in order to receive tuition reciprocity. Applications for the 2025-2026 academic year are available online at Reciprocity Link 25-26. This application must be filed and approved before a student can register for classes at the reduced tuition rate.

Thank Your Teachers! 
Please remember that CDH teachers write hundreds of letters of recommendation for students as they apply to colleges and universities. This is over and above all the other responsibilities they have as classroom teachers and coaches. Be sure to let your recommenders know where you have decided to attend college in the fall and please take a minute to thank them for this very important work that they do on your behalf. 

Chemical Health Counseling

All Students

Chemical Health Corner

Zyn Pouches
My observation is that Zyn nicotine pouches have surpassed vaping in popularity with some teens.  There is evidence they are quite popular here at CDH according to one of the latest MAJ’K newsletters:  “Students are putting them in urinals and toilets and we are finding them on the floors around school”. They are certainly a less detectable way to use nicotine as they have no odor, require no device and are difficult to see when a student has one between their lip and gum. 

Because of the continued prevalence, the following is from a chemical health corner from last March:

Zyn pouches are available at gas stations with little or no check for age. They are marketed to teens with enticing candy flavors and as an alternative to vaping.  Here are some points to consider if you use Zyn or know someone who does:

• Nicotine is a highly addictive substance any way you consume it.  

• Nicotine affects your cardiovascular system, increasing your heart rate and blood pressure.  

• It affects your GI system creating nausea and vomiting in some cases. 

• These pouches can cause gum disease, raise your risk of tooth decay, oral cancer, heart disease and stroke.  

• Using them can lead to acne and hair loss. 

• Nicotine can give you an immediate sense of relaxation but it is short lived. When it wears off there is a spike in edginess and anxiety leaving you craving more to feel normal again. This creates a cycle of addiction. 

Signs you may be addicted to nicotine pouches:

1. Craving them

2. Using them when you are sick

3. Using them where you shouldn’t like in school or church

4. Continuing to use them despite knowing these health risks

The good news is there are strategies to help you quit if you are addicted to Zyn. For example: eating apples, carrots and/or pickles, working out, talking with a friend and journaling.  

Please contact me with your questions, concerns or anecdotes about how you quit or reduced your use. I would love to hear them.

Laura Esping

Chemical Health Counselor

Cretin-Derham Hall

Important Dates

May 14

AP English Language and Composition exam

AP Physics C: Mechanics exam

May 15

AP Spanish Language and Culture exam

May 16

AP Psychology exam

May 17

Prom

May 19

AAPI Celebration

May 23

Last day of school for seniors

May 26

Memorial Day - No school

May 28

Baccalaureate Mass and brunch

Graduation

Senior Lock-in

June 4

Finals

June 5

Finals

Last day of school

Counseling Data

In the month of April we had Easter break, lots of allergies, and 399 visits to the Counseling Office! Tuesdays became uncharacteristically popular due to unusual weekly schedules throughout April. We also had quite a few more walk-ins compared to March, likely due to our seniors finalizing their college decisions before May 1st!