As an IB school serving a trilingual community, Concordian pairs personal, preventive counseling with the academic, university and career guidance that older students need. Our Grade 9 to 12 counselors come to know each student as an individual, helping them build self-awareness and resilience, navigate the demands of the IB Diploma, and plan with confidence for university and life beyond Concordian.
The IBDP Guidance program for Grades 11 and 12 assists and supports students in the following ways.
College & Career Guidance
- Disseminate relevant information about colleges and careers to students and parents.
- Provide a resource centre for college and career information, and keep materials current.
- Set up and monitor online Naviance accounts to support college/career planning and portfolio development.
- Support students to identify their strengths, interests and abilities in relation to their future.
- Invite outside guests to speak about careers.
- Coordinate college visits on and off campus to meet representatives and admissions officers.
- Support students through the college application process.
- Write counselor recommendation letters.
- Monitor records that support progress toward graduation, such as transcripts and grade point averages.
- Run workshops on essay writing and personal statements, in liaison with English classes.
- Conduct a College Night session.
- Meet with parents on an ongoing basis as they prepare their son or daughter for post-secondary life.
- Supervise the PSAT/NMSQT for Grades 10 and 11, preparing students for the SAT taken in Grades 11 and 12 (a required admission test for the most selective US universities).
- Advise and support students in taking the tests needed for university entrance.
Supporting Students
- Counseling for students with personal or social concerns, individually or in small groups, with referrals to community resources, external agencies and experts when needed.
- Academic counseling on course selection and appropriate subject levels, and on meeting High School / IB Diploma and college admission requirements.
- Identifying students experiencing academic difficulties and coordinating support to meet their needs.
- Advising on stress, time management, decision making, responsibility, study skills, substance abuse, social skills and transition.
- Orienting new students and assisting with their adjustment to school (transition within, into and out of CIS).
- Providing crisis intervention services.
Supporting Parents
- Consulting on concerns affecting their son’s or daughter’s academic and social/emotional growth.
- Promoting positive partnerships between home and school.
- Clarifying the screening procedures and results of social, emotional and/or behavioural assessments.
- Providing post-secondary planning.
Supporting Teachers & Administration
- Providing information and resource services.
- Assisting with the placement and follow-up services of students.
- School-wide assessments and data sharing.
- Participating in meetings and activities that contribute to a positive educational environment.
- Consulting and collaborating to better understand and meet the special needs of students.
- Facilitating good relations between students, their parents, their teachers and the wider school community.
