Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School

SJND Counselors

John Gunty, Director of Counseling, 510-995-9450. Personal counselor for freshmen, A-LE; sophomores, juniors, seniors, E-M.
Angelica Bailon, College Admissions Counselor, 510-995-9448. College support for all students.
Andrea Davis, Academic and Personal Counselor, 510-995-9449. Personal counselor for freshmen, Li-Z; for sophomores, juniors and seniors A-D, N-Z.
Marel Grunt, Learning Services Counselor, 510-995-9504. Personal counselor for students by designation.
Marie Exberger, Counseling Department Assistant, 510-995-9451.

The Counseling Department is dedicated to each student’s success at Saint Joseph Notre Dame High School.

The department consists of four counselors who are committed to meeting the needs of students in all areas of academic advisement, college guidance, personal counseling and support for students with special needs. With a low counselor to student ratio of 140:1, counselors develop important relationships with students and their families and help them on a path toward college and future success.

College Admissions Counseling
We're pleased to announce the school is building on its college counseling program and beginning in 2012-13, SJND will be one of the only area Catholic high schools with a counselor dedicated to college admissions. Having a dedicated college counselor who is a specialist trained to support students in their college search and who can develop strong relationships with college admissions personnel, will provide our students with better opportunities to gain acceptance at their college of choice.

Gains in academic achievement at SJND from 2010 through 2012 have led to a 17 percent increase in the number of SJND students accepted by colleges and universities in the Top 100 U.S .News & World Report college rankings list and a 10 percent increase in the percentage – now 87 percent -- of SJND graduates attending a four-year college.

Ninety eight percent of SJND graduates go on to college, and college success is important at SJND. More than $3.16 million in scholarships and awards was offered to the Class of 2012, and the graduating seniors finalized their college choices to include the Ivy League, California's top universities and the nation's elite private universities.

Academic Counseling
Counselors monitor the academic progress of students and help them schedule their course work, directing students toward appropriate enrichment opportunities and graduation requirements.

Students are placed in courses through a combination of student interest, ability, college requirements and parental input. High-achieving students are advised to follow the Advanced Placement path of coursework, and other students are encouraged to try a range of honors and elective courses that reflect their interests and will appeal to colleges.

Personal Counseling
Adolescence is a time of growing independence, maturity and exploration of self. Counselors are fully trained in discussing and advising teens on all matters related to their successful development and maturation.

Learning Services Counseling
SJND provides educational support for students with documented learning differences. A learning plan with requisite accommodations, designed to enhance and maximize each student’s inherent abilities, is developed for each student who qualifies.SJND's Learning Services Counselor is on staff to provide educational support to students and their families and research-based teaching tools and strategies to faculty and staff. Students are also enrolled in an after-school program, the Pilot Prep tutoring program, which teaches organizational support and learning strategies for classroom success.