Counseling / General Info / SDOHS Academics

SDOHS Counselors

Kathy Coleman - Students Last Name " N, P, S "

Jeff Jasinek - Students Last Name "A, B, I, J, Z "

623-445-7167

About the Councilor

Hello O'Connor Nation! I am Jeff Jasinek, a school counselor, seasoned educator, husband, father, and a Phoenix area native. I started my career in education in 2004. I spent almost two decades teaching foundational Science and Social Studies skills to middle grade students. I also have experience teaching ELA, Math, Reading intervention and Title 1 programs. I spent multiple years as a Guidance Counselor at Deer Valley Middle School and was excited to join the SDOHS team in 2025. When I am not working in schools, I enjoy spending my time with my wife and our 3 children. I enjoy sports including baseball and football often rooting for the Chicago Cubs and Arizona Cardinals. I have also been attempting to practice getting better at golf over the course of 30 years. I am thankful to be a part of the O'Connor community.

Holly Gillaspy - Students Last Name "E, L, M, U "

Tracey Heath - Students Last Name "G, H, W "

Meta Kitna - Students Last Name "C, K, Q, T, Y "

Jennifer Swaine - Students Last Name "D, F, O, R, V "

General Information

Counseling Office Hours

Request a meeting with your counselor

SDOHS Mission & Vision

School Profile

Transcripts: Official and Unofficial

PowerSchool Registration Instructions

SDOHS Academics

Grading and Reporting

Grade Improvement

Students who want to improve their grade in English language arts, math, science, social studies or world language courses may repeat the same course through an approved DVUSD course. The original grade will remain on the transcript. The higher grade will become the grade of record upon request. Credit will be given for one course, not both. The Duplicate Course/GPA Acknowledgement Form must be submitted prior to the student repeating the course for grade improvement.

Students who request grade improvement for courses that DVUSD does not offer may take a community college course approved by their school counselor prior to attendance of the course.

Summer Schools

**ALWAYS CONTACT YOUR CHILD'S COUNSELOR BEFORE REGISTERING **

Aspire (online)

/Domain/10689

$175 per class

Summer Registration opens 4/1/23-please contact your counselor to register for classes

Blueprint (online)

www.BlueprintEducation.org

$159 /.5 credit

DVUSD Pathways Summer Sessions (in person)

See Pathways website for current enrollment information and enrollment forms Click Here for Pathways Website

Peoria Accelerated High School (in person)

http://www.peoriabulldogs.com/summer.html

8885 W. Peoria Avenue

Peoria, AZ 85345

623-979-0031

Peoria School District (online or in person)

www.peoriaud.k12.az.us

623-486-6000

Paradise Valley School District (online or in person)

602-449-2450

ALWAYS CHECK WITH YOUR COUNSELOR BEFORE SIGNING UP FOR A CLASS!

SDOHS Course List

Graduation Requirements

Dual Enrollment Information

In Dual Enrollment classes, students will earn high school credit as well as college credit. The college credit is earned through Rio Salado Community College and will require tuition. Any student that earns a C or better will earn college credit for the course. Most of these courses are not considered Honors and do not get a weighted point in the GPA with some notable exceptions (CHM130, CHM151/152, SPA101/102, SPA201/202, MAT187). Students attending a different college or university after they graduate will need to make sure they send an official Rio Salado Community College transcript to their college or choice in addition to sending their high school transcript to that college.

To see how any community college course will transfer to the three state universities, see: AZ Transfer website (Tools, Course Equivalency).

For a list of classes offered as dual enrollment: List of OC Dual Enrollment Classes.

Rio Salado/OC Associates Degree Pathway: OC Classes for Associates Degree

For more information (including contact info/registration help at Rio Salado), please visit their website: https://www.riosalado.edu/start-rio/early-college/dual-enrollment

Dual Enrollment Registration

Registration help:

Dual Enrollment Steps Guide

Representatives from Rio Salado College will be on campus August 2025. Dates coming soon.

Students need to bring the following with them:

MEID Number and password for their account
course numbers for all dual classes they are registering for
if your class requires an EdReady placement test score, complete exam and get the goal score needed before you see the Rio Representative

If you are new to dual enrollment, you'll also need to have the following (preferably in a digital file/photo on your mobile device or Chromebook)

photo ID - AZ state ID or US Passport works best

high school photo ID AND a picture of a US Birth Certificate

2025-26 Tuition Assistance For Dual Enrollment Students

The Academy of Civic Engagement and Advanced Studies

Certificate of Advanced Academics

Advanced Placement (AP) / AP Capstone Diploma

Advanced Placement (AP) classes are developed by the College Board (PSAT, SAT, CLEP are also College Board). All AP classes will follow the College Board's AP content/curriculum. For more information about AP, please see the College Board's website: What is AP?. AP Classes do earn an honors point in the GPA for an A, B, or C and will improve a student's weighted GPA. Students may earn college credit for certain scores on optional AP exams. AP exams currently cost $102.00/exam. Please see the College Board's page to research each college's Credit for Exam Policy

AP Capstone diploma: Our students now have the ability to qualify for the AP Capstone diploma. This involves taking 2 prescribed AP classes, AP Seminar and AP Research, and passing those respective AP exams. AP Seminar can be used to satisfy our 10th grade English requirement and AP Research meets the 12th grade requirement. In addition, students must pass four other AP exams throughout their high school career. Please see the College Board's AP Capstone website for more details: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/ap-capstone.

Seal of Biliteracy / Seal of Arts

Sandra Day O'Connor is currently offering two special diploma designations approved by the state of Arizona. Please see the link at the AZ Department of Education for information about the Seal of Biliteracy and the Seal of Arts: https://www.azed.gov/diplomaseals/sealofcivicslit

For more information about the district program for the Seal of Art:

For more information about the district program for the Seal of Biliteracy:

To complete the required application for the Seal of Biliteracy:

Career Planning

Career and Technical Education (CTE) and West-MEC

CTE programs empower students to develop leadership, academic, and technical skills needed in the global economy for continuous learning and workforce success.

In Deer Valley Unified School District Career and Technical Education:

Be career and college ready! Work individually and in teams to develop the expertise, confidence, and skills for today's top careers.
Learn from experts! Connect with experienced and qualified instructors to acquire professional, technical, and academic skills for high-demand careers.
Fund your future! Use your career-tech experience to earn an above-average wage, pay for advanced training, and make money for college.

For more information about our CTE programs, please visit our district website:

For more information and the application to apply for any CTE Signature Program offered on other DVUSD high school campuses, please visit:

For more information about West-MEC and the cutting edge programs they offer, please see the district website: and the West-MEC website: https://www.west-mec.edu/

Career Planning

Students will use Major Clarity throughout high school which includes personalized assessments, career options based on assessments, interactive video and activities for 66 career paths as well as college searches, scholarship searches, the ability to earn micro credentials and more! Students can access Major Clarity by following the directions below:

1. Go to the DUVSD start page and login with school login: www.start.dvusd.org

2. Choose CLEVER from the list of options

3. Choose LOGIN WITH SSO. You will be taken to the district portal login page

4. Enter your district login and password

5. Choose MAJOR CLARITY

Additional Career Resources:

College Information & Important Links

College Admissions Representatives

Arizona Colleges & Universities

Arizona Christian University

Amanda Hoskinson
Office: (602) 489-5300 ext 4075
Email: amanda.hoskinson@arizonachristian.edu

Arizona State University
Katarina Kunert
Office: 602-496-7353
Email: ASUKatarinaKunert@asu.edu

Set up appointments: https://calendly.com/katarina-kunert

Arizona State University - Mary Lou Fulton Teachers College

Tyler McDowell-Blanken
Office: (602) 543-8566
Email: tjmcdowe@mainex1.asu.edu

The Art Institute for Phoenix
Randy Real
Office: (480) 338-8444
Email: rreal@aii.edu

Avalon School of Cosmetology
Lilly Benbrahim
Office: 602-443-0076
Email: lbendrahim@avalon.edu

Barbizon Southwest Model and Talent Agency
Kiana Johnson
Office: (602) 955-2155
Fax: (602) 955-2928
Email: kiana@swmtagency.com

Embry Riddle
Blair Watts
Office: (928) 777-6647 or (800) 888-3728
Fax: (928) 777-6678
Toll Free: (800) 888-3728
Email: boiesb@erau.edu

Glendale Community College
Ivy Avanzado

Glendale Community College

ivyjane.avanzado@gccaz.edu

https://www.gccaz.edu/

Office: 623-845-4779

Grand Canyon University
Zane Bandelier/Kristen Fleming
Office: (602) 247-4746

Cell: (480) 586-5964

Fax: (602) 761-3397
Email: Zane.Bandelier@gcu.edu

International Academy of Hair Design and Aesthetics

Beverly Martiniano

Office: (602) 616-4763
Email: internationalacademybev@cox.net

Northern Arizona University
Jake Rardin
Office: (928) 523-9629

Email: Jacob.Rardin@nau.edu

Northwest Christian University
Jazzy Villarruel
Office: (541) 684-7302

Email: javillarruel@nwcu.edu

Ottawa University

Eric Brown
Office: (623)

Cell: (623) 233-7566

Email: eric.brown@ottawa.edu

Paradise Valley Community College

Elizabeth Gutierrez Bravo Paradise Valley Community College Student Services Specialist | Recruitment

https://www.paradisevalley.edu/

Office: (602) 787-6815

Email: elizabeth.gutierrez.bravo@paradisevalley.edu

Trine University
Bob Portillo
Office: (623) 518-1981
Fax: (623) 878-0871
Email: portillor@trine.edu

Universal Technical Institute Inc.

Ben Strawhecker

Office: (602) 686-7507
Email: bstrawhecker@uti.edu

University of Arizona
Christian Cancino

Office: 602-827-2183

Email: ccancino01@arizona.edu

University of Arizona, The Honors College

Alex Nunez

Office: 520-621-0460

Email: atn1990@arizona.edu

Other State Colleges & Universities

Azusa Pacific University
Joeley Harper
Office: (626) 815-2073
Fax: (626) 812-3096
Email: jharper@apu.edu

Biola University
Alyssa Morales
Office: (562) 903-4752
Fax: (562) 903-4709
Email: alyssa.morales@biola.edu

Boise State University
David Tovar
Office: (209) 426-3960
Email: david.tovar@boisestate.edu

Colorado State University
Sue Hendrickson
Office: (970) 491-7387
Fax: (970) 491-7799
Email: sue.hendrickson@colostate.edu

Conservatory of Recording Arts & Sciences
Ferny Felix
Office: (480) 858-9400
Email:ferny@cras.edu

New Mexico State University
Megan Morrow
Office: (575) 932-9629 or (800) 662-6678
Fax: (575) 646-6330
Email: mpayne@nmsu.edu

Seattle Pacific University
Megan Chao
Office: (206) 281-2558

Southern Utah University
Elizabeth Wallis
Office: (435) 865-8798
Email: elizabethwallis@suu.edu

Texas State University
Carlos Laird
Office: (512) 245-2340
Fax: (512) 245-8100
Email: jl20@txstate.edu

University of Alabama
Alina Cao
Office: (602) 540-4924

Email: alina.cao@ua.edu

University of California, Davis

Mayra I. Escobar

Office: (530) 752-1223
Fax: (530) 752-1280
Email: mescobar@ucdavis.edu

University of California, Merced
Frank Ramirez
Office: (661) 578-3290
Fax: (209) 228-4244

University of California, San Diego
Yoly Woo-Hoogenstyn
Office: (858) 534-0890
Fax: (858) 822-0042
Email: yoly@ucsd.edu

University of Chicago

Andrea Mondragon
Office: (773) 702-8650
Fax: (773) 702-4199
Email: amondragon@uchicago.edu

University of Colorado Boulder

Jillian Jensen
Office: (303) 492-8316
Email: jillian.jensen@colorado.edu

University of Nevada, Las Vegas
Nicole Cummings
Office: (702) 895-2366
Email: nicole.cummings@unlv.edu

University of South Dakota

Rylan Craig
Office: (605) 658-6227
Email: rylan.craig@usd.edu

University of San Francisco

Sergio Maravilla
Office: (415) 422-6563
Email: smaravilla@usfca.edu

Vanderbilt University

Samantha "Sam" Joustra

Office: (615) 322-4096

Fax: (615) 343-7765

Email: sam.joustra@vanderbilt.edu

College Essays

College Testing and Prep : SAT / ACT

PSAT

PSAT/NMSQT:

How to Prepare:

http://www.collegeboard.com/student/testing/psat/prep.html

The PSAT/NMSQT focuses on the content students learn in the classroom and reflects strong instruction in math, English language arts, science, history, and social studies and relates directly to the skills research shows are essential for college and career.

Benefits of taking the PSAT

SAT Practice: The PSAT is an inexpensive opportunity to practice and prepare for the SAT. Your scores will provide a “predictor” for your performance on the SAT. You will gain firsthand practice for the SAT and become familiar with the kinds of questions and directions on the SAT.

Access: The PSAT connects students with AP courses and scholarship recognition programs, as well as college planning resources.

Scholarship Opportunities: Juniors enter the competition for scholarships from National Merit Scholarship Corporation. The PSAT is the qualifying Test for National Merit Scholarships (Juniors Only). If you qualify as a national merit scholar, you can compete for prestigious scholarships and recognition programs. Taking the PSAT as a sophomore can help improve your junior year scores.

Comparisons: See how your performance on an admissions test might compare with that of others applying to college. The test provides an impartial assessment of your ability to do college level work. You will find out how you rank nationally with other students in Verbal and Mathematical skills.

Information from colleges: You can get free information from colleges and scholarship programs by opting in to Student Search Service when you take the test.

Eligibility: College bound athletes are encouraged to take the PSAT. It will help with the NCAA Clearinghouse process.

Feedback: Comprehensive Score Report: You will receive a very detailed score report that will help you better prepare for the SAT, as well as aide in college and career searches. You will receive feedback on your strengths and weaknesses on skills necessary for college study.

Financial Aid

Financial Aid
There are three ways of paying for college: merit-based scholarships, need-based aid, and student loans or grants. Merit-based scholarships are based on academics, artistic, athletic, and/or leadership. Need-based aid is based on your demonstration of financial need by completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at fafsa.gov, utilizing tax forms, which may qualify you for low interest Government Loans, Grants, and Student Work Study program.

YOU must take the initiative in starting your scholarship search. You will be completing lengthy forms, composing essays, and requesting letters of recommendation. Scholarships are available throughout the school year; however, there are fewer scholarships offered in the spring.

Where do you start? Call or email the colleges for financial aid information. Perhaps the best place to start looking for scholarships is the financial aid office of the colleges you are planning to attend. Many students find the majority of their scholarship money comes from the colleges themselves. Utilize the computer to conduct scholarship searches, to write your essays, and to request information from colleges. Contact the colleges of your choice via their websites.

The Deer Valley Unified School District has compiled scholarships that you can search at this link: DVUSD Scholarship List

Individual appointments with your counselor can help you with Scholarship Searches and help clarify information and planning (although students will have to do the heavy lifting of finding and apply to scholarships which does take dedication and time).

Attend evening events for parents and students designed to provide families with financial aid information-on and off campus. SDOHS will hold a FAFSA night in October each year (FAFSA application opens each October 1st).

Guide to Paying for College – Financial Aid, Scholarships, Savings, & Student Loans

FAFSA APPLICATIONS OPEN OCTOBER 1ST EACH YEAR! START HERE: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa

For 24/7 help with FAFSA, visit: https://www.askbenji.org/

Scholarship Information

Personal / Social

Community Resource Booklet

Downloadable file with a plethora of resources to help, including: grief and loss, healthcare, substance abuse, counseling, hotlines, self help groups, and tons more!

Download Now

MidWestern University Multispecialty Clinic

MidWestern Flyer

Midwestern University Psychology Services offers patients affordable, accessible, and high-quality services. Advanced student practitioners assess cognitive, emotional, and learning difficulties and help alleviate disturbances and promote emotional health and well being.

All psychological services are provided under the supervision of licensed clinical psychologists. A wide range of services are offered. To schedule and appointment: 623.537.6000

Crisis Response

Mercy Care AZ (for all health and wellness resources including mental health, crisis, and substance abuse)

MIND24-7 24 Hour Walk-In Mental Health Care text/call 1-844-MIND247 (844-646-3247)

Any Lab Test Now

TEEN DRUG TESTING. Trust, but Verify.
It’s not about catching your teen using drugs. It is about preventing drug abuse and the peer pressure that goes along with it. Give your teen a reason to say “no” – discreet teen drug testing
with ANY LAB TEST NOW

ASAP The Adolescent Substance Abuse Program

8607 North 59th Avenue, Glendale

(602) 434-0249

To find ASAP online, click here: www.asapaz.com

Addiction Resource: resources for families

Billy's Place website: giving hope to families who are grieving

Not My Kid Website: inspiring positive life choices

Crisis/Suicide Hotlines

Arizona Behavioral Health Crisis Line 24-hour Crisis Hot Line 1-844-534-4673 or text HOPE to 4HOPE (44673)
Banner Behavioral Health 800-254-HELP or (602) 254-4357
St. Luke's Behavioral Health 602-251-8535 OR 1-800-821-4193
Teen Lifeline 602-248-TEEN OR 1-800-248-TEEN http://www.teenlifeline.org

Quail Run Behavioral Help Crisis Line 844-772-7771

Hope Zone

Essential Academic & Social Behaviors

5 Ways to Cope with Anxiety

Additional Parent Resources

Registration/Schedule FAQ

What Parents Can Say in Anxious Moments from https://calmmindcbt.com/