Counseling

The counselors at Notre Dame Preparatory School work with all students individually, in small groups, and in classroom settings to help them achieve academic, personal, college, and career goals. Counselors also are available to meet with parents and school staff whenever necessary. Additionally, a Wellness Specialist provides programming that supports and encourages healthy lifestyles and all aspects of wellness.

List of 5 items.

Upper Level Counseling

Preparing students and families for the college selection and application process is a four-year process. During freshman year, students are assigned a Personal Counselor and a College Counselor who follow them for four consecutive years. Our Freshman Seminar class addresses topics such as the transition to high school, developing study skills, good decision making, and more.  This collaborative approach ensures that each student has the most comprehensive academic, personal, and college preparatory program available in a high school setting.
Middle Level Counseling

A dedicated Middle Level Counselor meets with 6th, 7th, and 8th grade students in a classroom setting each week. The curriculum is discussion-based and includes topics such as adjusting to middle school, seeking academic support, discussing issues of early adolescence, managing friendships, as well as general concerns. The Middle Level Counselor is available for individual, small group, and parent meetings when needed.
College Counseling
Notre Dame Prep's college counselors work to ensure that NDP students receive comprehensive assistance in the college application and decision process.

By attending national professional conferences, seminars, and workshops, they are well informed on topics such as college admissions, financial aid, and NCAA eligibility standards. They meet regularly with high school counselors from area independent schools sharing information regarding trends in college admissions.

Each year, our college counselors visit college campuses and meet with admission representatives to discuss current admission trends, university admissions requirements, Division I athletics, financial aid resources, and scholarship programs.

Some programs offered by our college counselors include:
- - College preparation seminar classes for juniors and seniors
    Grade-level evening sessions for families on college prep 
    Workshops on essay writing, resume writing, and completing college applications
    Comprehensive online resource portals for students and parents
    Mini College Fairs offered in the fall open to all students
NDP's college counselors also belong to the following organizations:
- - National Association of College Admission Counselors (NACAC)
    American School Counselors Association (ASCA), and
    Association of Independent Maryland Schools (AIMS)
    Maryland School Counselors Association
Wellness Program

Notre Dame Prep has a Wellness Counselor on staff who focuses on providing resources and strategies so young people can be proactive in managing their mental health. Discussions, assemblies, workshops, and various exercises are scheduled at each grade level and schoolwide throughout the school year. Wellness Days engaging all school members are organized. In addition, the Wellness Counselor works in partnership with the Physical Education Department to teach freshman health classes.
School Counseling Department Resources

NDP’s School Counseling Office uses Scoir for college, career, and academic planning throughout high school. The Scoir platform allows students access to college and career information for use in seminar classes, personal meetings, and at-home investigation. In addition, parents have access to their student’s Scoir account. The School Counseling office also displays a Counseling Resource Board with information and self-serve pamphlets regarding topics of particular interest and relatability to the student population. The Counseling Newsletter is published each month with a variety of academic, social, emotional, and college counseling information for all students and parents to investigate. The School Counseling Department welcomes all students and parents with questions concerning the specific personal and college needs of each student.