Scheduling "Fun"

On Friday the WKHS administration officially "locked" the master schedule into place and handed it over to the counselors. What this means is that they have determined what time of day and in which room each class will meet during the school day to try to fit the schedule with the most student requests possible. They ran all of your requests through the computer to obtain as high of a match rate as possible.

And now, the "fun" part starts. Unfortunately, everyone's schedule requests do not work exactly like we had hoped. As counselors we are now going through each schedule that didn't match by hand to try to figure out if there is a solution and what possible options we can use to make a schedule fit together. I spent a large part of the weekend pouring over schedules and still have a long ways to go. Needless to say I have a lot of work to do and will likely have to continue calling down some of you to talk about back up choices based upon the conflicts in your schedule. This is never easy and I know it is disappointing when you don't get all of the classes that you wanted, so I promise that I am doing the best I can to make everything work together.

There are many changes to the schedule and your course requests due to upcoming cuts. For example, all Family & Consumer Science (FCS) classes have been eliminated. This means that if you had requested Healthy Cuisines, it has been cut out of your course requests as it will not be offered next year at WKHS. There have also been cuts related to Art (all Craft courses have been eliminated) and French (French 4 and AP French will now only be offered at TWHS) and many other areas have decreased sections available for the classes which can increase the possibility that two classes will only be offered at the same time (for example, I know that this happened with Orchestra & AP Spanish). Clearly, this isn't easy and we are doing the best we can to adjust to the changes as they come our way.

In the past there was a general expectation that all students in grades 9, 10, and 11 would take at least 6 courses each semester and that seniors would maintain at least 5 classes each semester. There is no formal written policy which requires this, so all students are STRONGLY encouraged to take at least 5 classes each semester plus the 2 PE classes. This would mean that if a student took the minimum recommended courses that he/ she would graduate from high school with 20.5 credits. If you are considering a 4-year college, we STRONGLY encourage you to take MORE than the 5 course minimum. The goal of working with recommendations as opposed to requirements is that we do not want to force students into courses that he/she hates and would therefore perform poorly in because of this lack of interest. We would rather you utilize your extra time in meaningful ways such as community service, clubs or organizations of interest, athletics, or a part-time job - all of which will add meaning to your college application. Plus, students that are sitting in classes that they do not want to be taking are preventing other students from taking the same class that is of significant interest to them.

I also know that as I continue calling down students to talk about their conflicts everyone else wants to stop by and find out where their classes fall during the day and I am BEGGING you to wait until exam week before we start looking at your classes. And to answer some of the questions that I hear every year at this time, no, I am sorry you can not have a copy of your schedule and no, it is not set in stone, so even though it might look perfect to you now, I can't guarantee that it will be exactly the same next year when we start up again. Thanks for your patience!

Happy Memorial Day!

I love the quote that "America is only the land of the free because it is the home of the brave." I cannot imagine the courage and conviction it requires for men and women to make the decision to serve in our nation's military. I am incredibly grateful that there are people who are willing to dedicate their lives to protect our country. On Memorial Day, I hope you will join me in thinking not only of those who have sacrificed their lives for our freedom and for the families they left behind, but also for all who have proudly served to make us the home of the brave. God Bless America and all who have made the choice to serve!

Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow for a 4-day week and the last week of regular classes!

Final Exams are Rapidly Approaching

This week (Wednesday and Thursday) the seniors will complete their final exams. Seniors will be on a regular bell schedule along with the rest of the school, so your teachers may be splitting lengthy exams over two days.

For underclassmen, you have just 4 days of class remaining before your final exams. As with semester exams, these exams will be done in blocks. The final exam schedule is below for your reference.

I know that the stress of having 20% of your grade in one test combined with the anticipation with finally being done with another school year can seem overwhelming. Remember, the time you spend studying now will determine how well you do on your exam, so please take the time to study!

Monday:
7:45 - 9:45 2nd period exam
10:00 - 12:00 5th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:05 - 3:05 8th period exam

Tuesday:
7:45 - 9:45 1st period exam
10:00 - 12:00 6th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:05 - 3:05 7th period exam

Wednesday:
7:45 - 9:45 3rd period exam
10:00 - 12:00 4th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 NO Lunch Provided!
1:05 - 3:05 Exam Make Up Period

Senior Details

For seniors everything is winding down... well, actually, everything but graduation parties. :-) That circuit has definitely started in full swing this weekend.

At this point in time you are hopefully finishing up your school projects and are prepared for your final exams and any other remaining academic requirements since you only have 3 days left. I wanted to make sure that you had taken care of some of the other last minute details...

* Finish strong: If you are not doing well in your classes, please make sure you do everything that you need to do to pass your classes with the highest grades possible. Above all, please make sure that you pass all of your classes that are requirements for graduation!

* Final Transcript: When you graduate from WKHS and move on to college the college will want a copy of your final transcript showing your 2nd semester grades and the fact that you did graduate. As is always the case we cannot release your records without your express written permission. So, it is essential that you complete one of the yellow transcript release forms and turn it in with $2.00 to one of the secretaries in the counseling center so that we can mail your transcript to your college.

* Fees/ Fines: Some students still have outstanding fees and fines that you owe to the school. It may be a very small fee for an overdue library book or it could be a much larger fee for a lost textbook, but either way, please make sure that all of your debt is paid before this week so that you will be able to participate in the commencement ceremony.

* Textbook/ Library Book Returns: You will need to turn in all of your textbooks as well as any library books that you still have. The book room will be open for you to return your textbooks after you have finished with your exams and are done with your books.

* Scholarship Thank You's: If you received a scholarship, don't forget the importance of writing a thank you note to the individual, group or organization who is providing you with the scholarship. This article provides good information and suggestions as you write your scholarship thank you.

* Stop by and see me: Selfishly, I would like to also add this to your list as I would love to have a few more minutes with you while you are still in high school. And, for those of you who still haven't given me a senior picture, I will remind you again that I would love to have one! :-)

Enjoy the long weekend and try not to eat too much as you move from grad party to grad party. :-)

Finish Strong

I don't know about you, but it is still hard for me to believe that this school year is nearly over. Time is running out and it is very important that you finish strong! In most classes your 3rd quarter grade counts for 40%, your 4th quarter grade counts for 40% and your final exam counts for 20%. Clearly your exams can make a huge difference in your final grade for a course. In addition to completing all of the work assigned for your classes in the school days remaining (4 for seniors and 8 for everyone else), it is also time to be studying for your exams.

For the seniors, a quick, but important reminder... you MUST pass your graduation requirements in order to graduate and to participate in the commencement ceremony! We counted today and there are 39 seniors that are currently failing Senior Comp or Advanced Comp! :-( This does not make me happy. (Fortunately the 39 kids are not all my students.) These senior English classes are just 2 of the many courses required for graduation so please, make sure you do not decide that you are done a week ahead of schedule when every point still matters.

Senior Recognition Night

Tonight was the Senior Recognition Night - a time when graduating seniors are honored for the contributions and awards received over the last four years of high school. A very impressive group of 206 students were honored tonight.
With 48 of "my" students being recognized tonight there was no way that I could try to get the entire group together for a picture, but I was able to grab this group of 9 students for a picture during the post-ceremony reception. (Left to Right) Back Row: Richie Cole, Chris Duann, and Ethan Dixius Middle Row: Wyatt Allread, Eric Barbe and George Domer Front Row: Heather Boortz, Carmen Casillas and Brian Aguirre

Congratulations to everyone honored tonight! I am proud of you and was grateful to be able to participate in your evening of well-deserved recognition!

Josh Buda

It is with such deep sadness that I share the news that Josh Buda died yesterday. Josh graduated from Worthington Kilbourne High School in the class of 2009. Josh’s death has left a hole in the hearts and lives of his family and friends. My thoughts and prayers are with everyone who is grieving for Josh.

Josh’s family will receive friends on Friday, May 27th from 12:00 until the mass of Christian burial at 2:00pm at St. Joan of Arc Catholic Church, 10700 Liberty Rd., Powell.

Here is a link to Josh’s complete obituary.

I would like to remind all of my students that you are important to me, that I care about you and want only the best for you. Remember that there are always people (like me) who are ready and willing to lend a hand so if you need someone to talk to, please know I'm here to listen.

Arts in Action - 2011

Did you have fun on Friday during Arts in Action day? I enjoyed having a chance to wander around and see the artwork/ hear the music of many of my students. I never cease to be amazed at the level of talent you all display in all areas - academics, athletics, and arts! During the day I stopped in to watch some of the videos, viewed the artwork, listened to the musicians, and watched the pottery throw-down competition. Here are a few of the images I captured throughout the day...

Cassie Barrett who WON the Pottery Throw-Down Competition!

Jada Earl

C.W. Boyles

Kristin Cellentani

Rosan Eldadah

Katelyn Cassidy (left) and Jill Brandenburg (right)

Carmen Casillas

Members of Acafellas - including 4 of "my" students - Hunter Atha, Clarke Chidester, Josh Cook, and Arthur Ding

Congratulations to everyone who worked hard throughout the year to be able to showcase all of your talents and abilities during Arts in Action day! And, while we're talking about art, I would also like to recognize the students who were recognized with art awards this year.

Naomi Barker, Rachel Berg, and Jada Earl were each Governor's Regional Art Show winners and Emily Cantrell and Rachel Berg were Governor's State Art Show winners. Congratulations! I am proud of you!

25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee

Tonight I had the opportunity to attend the final play/ musical of the year called the 25th Annual Putnum County Spelling Bee. It was AWESOME! The kids did a great job and the show itself was cute, funny, and entertaining. I was incredibly impressed! A special congratulations to "my" students who were a part of tonight's show including: Josh Cook (a spelling bee competitor), Gina Badillo (a spelling bee competitor), Matthew Cooperman (who directed the music), and Robyn Du (stage manager). Your talent made for a delightful evening - thank you for sharing it with all of us!

Academic Signing Day

This morning approximately 45 WKHS seniors participated in the academic signing day ceremony. Students are given the option of participating in this ceremony if they have been awarded $4,000 in academic, merit or fine art scholarships. ($4,000 one time or $1,000 renewable for 4 years) Each student came onto the stage and announced the scholarship they had received, where they would be attending college and offered their thanks to people who have helped them during their high school career. These students were awarded over 2 million dollars in total! A very impressive accomplishment!
7 of "my" students were among those honored today. A special congratulations to: (L to R) - Holly Klepek (Miami University), Jami Brunner (Centre College), Carmen Casillas (Notre Dame), Christine Bukovac (OSU), Katie Baldwin (Otterbein), Ali Wright (University of Dayton) and Chris Duann (OSU). Congratulations and I am proud of each of you!

Summer Camps

Last week one of my posts talked about what you were planning for the summer. Many students will seek out opportunities to learn new and different information through the chance to attend summer camps. We have organized all of the summer camp information that we have received into a filing cabinet in the counseling center. If you are interested in learning about the opportunities available, stop by and check out the summer camp drawer. As you walk into the counseling center, there are two filing cabinets that you will see that make up the center island area and the bottom drawer contains the summer camp opportunities. There are also experiences available at http://www.enrichmentalley.com/. And, hopefully it goes without saying, but if you end up participating in a camp on a college campus, I'd like you to bring a picture back of you somewhere on campus! :-)

Recommendation Letter Requests

Recommendation letters are a time consuming process requiring a great deal of thought and time. As you begin to narrow down the list of schools where you will be applying, it is important to determine if you are going to need a recommendation letter from a teacher (or two). Most of the Ohio schools - Ohio State, Ohio University, BGSU, University of Cincinnati, Kent State, etc. do NOT require teacher recommendations.

If you are applying to schools that need teacher recommendation letters, it is very helpful and beneficial to the teachers if you can give them as much time as possible to write your recommendation letters. That means, if you know now that you are definitely going to be applying to a school which needs a teacher rec letter, then I would like for you to ask the teachers in the next two weeks if they would be willing to write a letter on your behalf, allowing them to have the entire summer to write your letter. After you ask the teacher, you will need to provide them with information that can help as they write your letter. We have several handouts in the senior information drawer in the counseling and career center that you can use for this purpose.

If you are not sure yet if you will be applying to schools which require recommendation letters, then wait to request letters because they are very time consuming so you don't want to ask teachers for letters that might not be necessary.

Feel free to stop in and see me if you are having trouble trying to determine if a college requires recommendation letters so that I can help you figure it out. Also, if it is going to be needed, I would also love the option of meeting with you this spring about your recommendation letters so that I have the summer to write my letter for you too.

My Trip to North Carolina

Last weekend I made a whirlwind trip to North Carolina. The weather was beautiful for the whole 28 hours that I was there. It had to be a quick trip so that I could make it back to Columbus in time to chaperone prom.

While I was there I was excited to be able to see two of my former students, Will Campbell and Nick Beattie, compete in the University of North Carolina vs. Notre Dame lacrosse game. This isn't a great picture, but it was the best I could get with both kids together. It was a great game and even went into overtime. (They are in the center - Nick is on the left and Will is on the right)

During my time in North Carolina I also managed to squeeze in visits to 3 college campuses. I was able to see North Carolina State, Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. The campuses were actually very close to one another (although I managed to get lost on all 3 campuses) and yet were distinctly different. As you will see below, I struggled with trying to get an "Oh the Places You'll Go" picture since I was visiting the schools by myself so I didn't have anyone who could take the picture for me, but I did get one of the Duke students to agree to help me take a picture during my tour of their campus so at least that picture does a little better at showing you some of the school in the background.
North Carolina State - Raleigh, NC - A much bigger school than I had imagined!
Duke - Durham, NC - A bit of a castle like feeling to many of the buildings.

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill (UNC) - Chapel Hill, NC - Beautiful campus with lots of school spirit - probably even more so because it was graduation weekend.

May Socratic Society

This morning 23 students were inducted into the Socratic Society. Staff members are given the opportunity to recognize students for excellence in one or more of the core Socratic values of Scholarship, Integrity, Personal Effort, Compassion, or Lifelong Learning. Students are only eligible to be selected for this honor one time during their high school career. A special congratulations to "my" students who were among those recognized this month! (Left to Right): Lauren Hedges and Brian Aguirre as well as Vanessa Childers who is not pictured. I am proud of you!

Candy & Toys

I try to make sure that you are always welcome in my office. You never need an excuse to stop by and say Hi as I would love to see you. Yet, to some people, it can seem easier if you feel like you have an excuse... if that is how you feel, then perhaps your "excuse" can be to stop by for the candy or toys in my office.

A student requested that I write a blog post celebrating the fact that dark chocolate is delicious. Granted, this student will probably be very disappointed if suddenly all of the other students decide to eat all of the dark chocolate out of the candy jar as a result of this post. :-) I have a range of different types of candy in the candy jar in my office, so feel free to use that as reason enough to stop by and say Hi!

Summer School

Just a quick reminder that if you are planning on signing up for Summer School that you should definitely plan on doing this as soon as possible! Many classes are filling up quickly. For example, today we learned that Speech class is full for the 2nd term of summer school and there are only 4 seats left for the 1st term.

Other classes will not be offered if there are not enough students signed up before school ends. This is particularly true with the math classes. Remember, current freshmen must earn 4 credits of math and 4 credits of English which means that if you fail either semester of English or of math then you need to repeat the course during summer school to stay on track for graduating with your class.

If you are struggling significantly in a class and want to make sure you have a summer school seat, they will allow you to sign up for summer school and then if you end up passing the course, they will refund your money. With the concerns of having a seat during summer school being so significant, I strongly encourage you to take advantage of this opportunity to sign up early, risk free.

Summer school brochures are available in the counseling center and more information is also available on the district website.

Voting for Class Officer

Tomorrow we have another 8-minute homeroom bell schedule. (below)

1st period - 7:45 - 8:34
2nd period - 8:39 - 9:28
Homeroom - 9:33 - 9:41
3rd period - 9:46 - 10:35
4th period - 10:40 - 11:29
5th period - 11:34 - 12:23
6th period - 12:28 - 1:17
7th period - 1:22 - 2:11
8th period - 2:16 - 3:05

During the homeroom time freshmen, sophomores and juniors will vote for the 2011 - 2012 class officers and seniors will meet in the auditorium for a brief meeting.

I also wanted to let you know that I will be out of the building until approximately 6th period as I have a meeting at central office, but feel free to stop by in the afternoon if you need anything.

What are your summer plans?

Summer is a great time to relax and unwind from the hectic schedule of homework, studying and the general day to day expectations of school. But your summer shouldn’t just be wasted away into day after day of doing “nothing.” The summer is a perfect time to explore your passions, investigate your interests and indulge in fun activities that you might not have time for during the regular school year. As we reach the last few weeks of school, I wanted to encourage you to start thinking about what you will do this summer to make sure that you have a productive summer and don’t spend the entire break being bored.

So, what are some ideas of how you can spend your summer? Consider taking a class (or two) in summer school. This is especially important if you are behind in credits and not doing well in school. Success rates of summer school completion are very high – in part because you are able to focus on just one subject at a time and you generally have smaller class sizes so the teacher can focus more one-on-one time with each student. If you are planning on taking a class in summer school it is important to sign up as soon as possible to make sure that you will not be closed out of the class of your choice.

Perhaps you are looking for ideas that do not involve more school… Summer vacation is a great time to expand your resume and pursue your passions by volunteering or working a summer job. Many students don’t know where to volunteer and the truth is the sky is the limit – anything that interests you has the potential for being a volunteer service project. Get creative in your approach! There are a lot of requests that are currently being publicized around school - Lose the Training Wheels is one example where students will volunteer for a week during the summer to help teach a student with Down Syndrome how to ride a bicycle. The Columbus Recreation and Parks Department is seeking volunteers and has a wide range of opportunities available as outlined in this newsletter. The Columbus Housing Partnership,a non-profit organization, is seeking volunteers to serve as program assistant's by running programs for children between the ages of 5 -13. For more ideas about existing needs for volunteers you can visit FirstLink. Speaking of resumes, during summer break, you should really spend an hour or two updating your resume. (And if you don’t have a resume, the summer is a great time to make a resume – you can use the tool in OCIS or create your own.)

If you are starting to consider different careers, perhaps you have a family member or friends that would allow you to shadow them for a day or two on the job to see what their particular career is really like as this will help you determine if that career is truly of interest to you.

Current juniors (Soon to be Seniors) – this summer is going to be busy as you prepare for your senior year. Hopefully you are taking the time to visit colleges from your list and getting an idea of what you think about different schools. (Don’t forget to take a picture of you somewhere on campus for me!) You can also begin drafting your college application essays and preparing for the ACT and SAT exams.

Of course, there is always spending quality time reconnecting with your family, going on vacation, reading, and even attending camps or other formal activities which can be a part of the summer for many.

The bottom line is try to be productive this summer – at the very least it will give you great stories to share next fall when people ask you what you did over the summer.

Happy Mother's Day!

I hope you did something sweet for your mom today and took a moment to make sure that she knows how much you appreciate everything she does for you. There are a lot of aspects I think of when I think of my own mom, my grandma (who I call Mugga), and my sister – they are among the people who know me best in the world (and love me anyways), they always look out for me and willingly go the extra mile to show their love, support, and encouragement, they believe in me and cheer me on when I succeed or when I fail, and they are all amazing moms. To all the mom's who read this blog - I hope you had a wonderful mother's day!

2011 Prom

Tomorrow night is prom for WKHS juniors and seniors. This is an exciting and memorable night for students and I hope you have a great evening. Let's be honest, I also hope that it is a safe evening! You want prom to be memorable because it was a positive experience...

Congratulations to "my" four students (pictured left to right) who are on the Prom Court: Sammi Coen, Kevin Carey, Katie Baldwin, and Beathan Bowlby! Hopefully you have finalized all of your plans and are looking forward to a great night both at prom and at After-Hours. I am looking forward to being a chaperone at prom again this year because I love seeing "my" students dressed up and enjoying themselves. It should be fun.

One last reminder about safety - please remember to talk with your parents before you leave tonight about what you will do if you end up in an unexpected situation and need help. If, for any reason, you need help tonight while at prom - you know that you can find me. Have a good time - be smart and be safe!

Senioritis

Senioritis - it's a term I hear often around my office and while I understand that it can be a challenge to continue motivating yourself to finish your high school career strong, it is important!

With Seniors only having 3 Mondays of high school left, the appeal of letting everything slide to just enjoy the remaining time seems to be very strong. I even have younger students who are claiming to have “senioritis” early and this is definitely not a good thing.

Third quarter grades were rough (to say the least). 4th quarter interim grades are due tomorrow and glancing at eSembler I continue to be worried. This is particularly a concern for seniors as it can jeopardize graduation (a very real fear for many) and it can also jeopardize your college future. For example, remember, that the colleges reserve the right to revoke your acceptance if the grades you are earning are not on pace with what they expected at the time of your application. They can also place you on academic probation and take back scholarship offers. Obviously, these would not be good scenarios, but it does happen. The latest data that I have read indicated that approximately 25% of all colleges revoked offers of admission and most of those were due to dropping grades. OSU has revoked admission offers and requested students whose grades dropped off in the 2nd semester to provide written documentation about why there was a change.

So, while the improved weather, senior tag, and "fun" days that are coming up like Arts in Action and the field trip to Cedar Point may make it hard to focus on the day to day responsibilities of meeting your classroom expectations it is very important!

Here are some articles that shed light on the problem of Senioritis and some suggestions for pushing through it.
Senior Slump: A cautionary tale
Beware of Senioritis (and Junioritis too)
Spring Fever: Staying Focused Now that it’s Sunny

With Gratitude

On Monday morning the counseling department was in charge of presenting the professional development session for the WKHS staff during the late start time. We were fortunate enough that 11 students volunteered their time, energy, and talents to help make the staff education session a success. Pictured above (left to right) are "my" three students who participated: Josh Cook, Lauren Hedges, and Jonathan Black. The other students who participated included Dave Reinbolt, Olivia Zimmer, Lauren Stoll, Brad Friedman, Susanna Harris, Josh Hudson, Ally Good, and Garrett Parsons. They gave up several off periods and, more importantly, came in at 7:15am on Monday morning when the rest of the school was able to enjoy sleeping in for the late start day, in order to help us. I am so grateful for each of the students who participated, but especially to Jonathan, Lauren, and Josh - we never could have done this without you!

Random News, Notes, and Reminders

Several different pieces of information for you:

- This week I will be out of school all day on Friday. If you know that you need something, please plan to stop to see me tomorrow or Thursday.

- Tomorrow we are on a 3A/ 3B Schedule to allow all of the 9th - 11th grade students to hear speeches from their class officer candidates. The schedule is listed below.

7:45 - 8:30: 1st Period

8:35 - 9:20: 2nd Period

9:25 - 9:35: 3rd Period Attendance and move to designated location

9:35 - 10:05: Class Assembly (Freshmen will meet in the Aux Gym, Sophomores to the Main Gym, and Juniors to the Auditorium.) Seniors will report to their homerooms where you will complete a senior survey needs assessment for the counselors.

10:05 - 10:10: Return to class

10:10 - 10:55: 3rd Period Class

11:00 - 11:45: 4th Period Class

11:50 - 12:35: 5th Period Class

12:40 - 1:25: 6th Period Class

1:30 - 2:15: 7th Period Class

2:20 - 3:05: 8th Period Class

- And last, but certainly not least, Seniors, remember that we need to receive your post-secondary planning forms in the Counseling Center no later than Friday of this week. All students must complete at least the front page of this form! If you have received a scholarship and will be accepting it, you can also participate in Academic Signing Day and those applications are also due by this Friday. Please make sure you get all of these forms turned in as soon as possible!

AP Tests

Over the next two weeks many WKHS students will be putting the knowledge learned over the course of the school year in their classes to the test with the Advanced Placement Exams. The tests are held at the WEC on designated days and I know that many of you have been spending an extraordinary amount of time studying to prepare for the exams. Good Luck! Stop by sometime and let me know how you felt after the tests.