Upper School Counseling & College Planning
At Minnehaha Academy’s Upper School we provide students with a comprehensive school counseling program aimed at encouraging students’ academic readiness, college and career preparedness, as well as social-emotional and spiritual well-being.
The counselors assist students as they navigate through the post-secondary planning process by developing their God-given potential, and by encouraging students to attend institutions aligned with their academic and career goals. Through a whole-child focus on each student, our goal is to create a learning environment where all students are welcome and successful.
Academic Support
We strive to teach students self-advocacy, giving them tools to ask for what they need in order to be more successful as they navigate the school’s college preparatory curriculum. We collaborate with faculty to find students’ strengths and help them engage in their schoolwork in order to maximize their gifts and talents.
Social-Emotional Care
We recognize that students’ experiences are more than just academics, and that their well-being has an impact on their overall school success. Our department delivers dynamic programming that addresses the ever-evolving needs of the student body and supports students at all times throughout their time at the Upper School.
College and Career Readiness
We walk alongside students to assist in planning course loads that are appropriately challenging to help students achieve their postsecondary goals, while also encouraging them to maintain a healthy life balance. Our department thoughtfully utilizes a holistic model of counseling, getting to know our students beginning in 9th grade, helping them make informed decisions about their future plans.
What Makes Upper School Counseling Unique?
We approach counseling at Minnehaha's Upper School using a holistic model.
Our Upper School counselors:
- Begin building relationships with each student in ninth grade
- Integrate college and personal counseling, these are not separate roles
- Guide college decisions in context to the whole student
- Provide a safe space for students as they grow into whole and holy people
Students are more successful because we provide an academic safety net and early intervention. Structured processes make sure that all students are seen and supported:
- Student Support Team: Our Student Support Team meets weekly, conducts bi-monthly grade reviews, and can identify struggling students early to get them the assistance they need.
- Academic Safety Net: We want each child to find success, and our academic safety net helps provide students with the resources they need to achieve their goals.
Minnehaha Academy Outcomes
Students at Minnehaha Academy find success in many ways because their unique personalities, talents, and skills are identified and encouraged by a caring team of adults.
- Multiple students offered full-ride, merit-based scholarships
- 93 national academic awards won by students
- 100% of students take at least one AP class before graduation
- 78 seniors took 168 AP exams, 77% earned a 3 or higher
- 649 potential college courses earned before graduation
- 96 graduates, 25 matriculating states
- 1 in 6 grads chose faith-based schools, 1 in 3 chose research universities
Meet the Upper School Counseling Team
