About
Student ServicesOur Mission
The mission of Student Services at St. George Academy is to create a safe and welcoming school culture in which students are able to take risks, strengthen relationships and foster a grow-mindset that will positively enhance each student’s academic and life goals.
We Are Providing an Environment for Our Students to Grow & Excel
Academic Advising
Student Services collaborates with teachers and mentors to help students determine appropriate course placement and plan a program of study. Students progress is monitored to reach student goals and to foster academic success.
The Carson Smith Special Needs Scholarship provides tuition assistance for eligible special needs students with a current IEP. Prospective applicants and their parents may view the program specifics and application process on the Utah State Office of Education at https://www.schools.utah.gov/specialeducation/programs/carsonsmithscholarship
Student Connection and Engagement
Student Services serve students and families on these topics:
- Academic planning
- Advanced placement courses – Student AP Classroom
- Concurrent enrollment – Dixie State University CE Registration
- Course selection, placement, and enrollment
- Graduation requirements and progress toward graduation
- New student registration and transfer credit
- Scheduling/ adding and dropping courses
Academic Planning and Course Section
Each year, students meet with Student Services in planning their academic schedule. This includes making sure that students are taking classes that are rigorous and meet their individual goals. Collaboration with teachers and mentors provide the foundation needed to make sure challenging courses are selected. Student Services also help manage any changes to student schedules throughout the year, tracking graduation requirements and transfer credits.
Counseling
Student Services works to ensure that students academic, emotional, and social developmental needs are met. We understand that this means educating the whole student. When students struggle we provide personal support as we collaborate with the student, parents, teachers and other resources to develop and implement academic or individual support plans to help support student success.
Counseling Services
Student Services Serve Students and Families On These Topics:
- Collaboration with St. George Academy’s Special Education Department for student accommodations
- Consultation with parents, instructors, and other educators, such as tutors or other specialists with whom families are working with
- Development and implementation of Student Support Plans
- Intervention and advocacy at a systemic level
- One-on-one short-term confidential counseling
- Peer-to-Peer Suicide Prevention
- Referral to in-house, peer-based programs, such as tutoring
- Referrals to outside support services and community resources, such as mental health professionals
- Student check-ins using scaffolding. As students progress and need less support, fewer check-ins are scheduled.
Emergency & After Hours Counseling Services
- Emergency: 911
- Child Abuse Hotline: 1-855-323-3237- Utah Child Protective Services
- Eating Disorders: 1-800-931-2237- National Eating Disorder Association
- Rape & Sexual Assault Hotline: 1-888-421-1100- The Dove Center
- Referral services: 211- https://211utah.org/
- Runaway Hotline: 1-800-231-6946- 1800runaway.org
- Self-Injury/Cutting: 1-800-366-8288- How to Deal with Self Harm
- Shelter Services 435-339-0787- Youth Futures
- Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) National Helpline 1-800-622-HELP (4357) – SAMHSA Online
- Suicide Prevention (United States): 1-800-273-TALK (8255)- SafeUT
- Trevor Hotline for LGBTQ Youth: 1-866-488-7386- thetrevorproject.org
- Utah Domestic/Relationship Violence Hotline: 1-800-897-LINK (5465)
- https://www.udvc.org/
Mental Health Resources For Parents
Helping Students During a Crisis
How to Make Goals to Improve Mental Health
How to Recognize & Help Manage Stress
How to Help Bullies & the Bullied
Hope4Utah Family Mental Health Lessons- English/(Espanol)
Podcasts with The Ripple Effect: https://tre3.podbean.com/
Developing healthy lifestyles, including information on stress management, teen behavior, ADD and more.
Behavior
Student Services believes that all behavior makes sense. It is a means of communication. When a student is acting out or shutting down there may be multiple reasons; not all students engage in behavior for the same reasons. Student Services strives to understand what the student is trying to communicate to help determine how to best correct the behavior
Behavioral Services
Student Services strives to support the following:
- Collaboration with Peer Mentorship in social emotional learning
- Consultation with parents, instructors, and other educators, or other specialists with whom families are working
- Developing and implementing of Student Behavior Plans
- Focusing on a safe learning environment
- Intervention and advocacy at a systemic level
- Places emphasis on teaching students the skills needed
- Providing professional development for teachers and staff
- Referrals to in-house, peer-based programs, such as mentoring
- Referrals to outside support services and community resources, such as mental health professionals
- Student check-ins on behavioral interventions- scaffolding with fewer check-ins as the student progresses and needs less support.
- Working to promote positive behaviors and school culture
The Academy’s Three Values
Respect the Space:
The Academy is an institution built to impart knowledge, to open minds, and to impassion hearts. As such, everyone must recognize that there is an appropriate way to behave when you are inside our walls. The Academy is a sacred space constructed in conscious design as we are products of our physical environment.
Respect the Other:
Each person is unique and important and worthy. Each person encountered at The Academy is a whole. Just like you, they love and seek to be loved. They are perfectly unique but no different than you. Both they and you are the other. Collectively, we share our space with countless others. The effects of our actions ripple through the lives of those around us. An organization will thrive or decline based on how its members treat one another. When there is strife, animosity, or unkindness, individuals isolate themselves. Consequently, the sacred fabric holding us together disintegrates. Conversely, when we communicate kindness and support, the bonds between us strengthen. Individual capacities emerge in compassionate communities as we are products of our social environment.
Respect the Instructor:
The men and women who comprise the faculty and staff of St. George Academy have devoted their lives to the sacred mission of teaching what they know to those impelled to learn. To do that effectively, they must be able to conduct their classes free from the burden of unnecessary disruption and conflict. It is imperative that we all respect the instructor as we are products of our mentor environment.
Bullying Prevention
St. George Academy Policy 504 states, It is essential that a basic and uniform prevention curriculum be in place so that every school will acquire a foundation of prevention upon which to build a culture of safety and mutual respect. Such a culture is necessary for the creation of an effective learning environment. Within this Behavior Framework prevention will be accomplished through:
Developing supportive school climate strategies- including clear expectations and shared values to guide interactions between students, and between staff and students.
Teaching all students social and emotional skills- establishing classroom and school-wide practices that promote relationship building. This includes teaching all stakeholders to speak out when they see or hear bullying, degrading language, bias or prejudice.
Effective Discipline Practices- Establish predictable responses that address the root cause, teach skills, build empathy and repair harm.
College Counseling
College Counseling Services
Student Services serve students and families on these topics:
- College application assistance
- College and career exploration
- FAFSA assistance
- Scholarship guidance
- Work-based learning opportunities
Dean Of Students
Jodi Jensen
Dean Of Students
B.S. Dixie State Univeristy
M.Ed., Cleaveland State University
Jodi Jensen earned her undergraduate degree at Dixie State University in Psychology and continued her graduate studies at Cleveland State University where she received her master degree in Counselor Education and is a licensed school counselor. While living in Cleveland she taught strengths based parenting classes and worked in collaboration with multiple charter schools. She is a QPR certified gatekeeper instructor and teaches HOPE Squad at the Academy. As a first generation college student, Ms. Jensen understands the importance of educating the whole student. She believes that schools, families and communities play a vital and integral role in each student’s life. Contact Ms. Jensen at – jjensen@stgacademy.org