Happy Halloween

Happy Halloween!

Since this is the first year that I have lived in my new house for Halloween I was really excited to be able to pass out candy to the kids coming to trick-or-treat.  The weather obviously didn't cooperate, but I did have a decent number of kids come by.  The cutest one was a little boy dressed up as a lion.  After I put his candy in his bucket, he kept trying to share it back with me.

Granted, I didn't get to see my *favorite* kids for Halloween... my niece and nephews!  My niece, Carly, dressed up as Oscar the Grouch.  My nephew, Colton, dressed up as a SWAT team member.  And my week-and-a-half old  nephew, Brady, was a tiny pumpkin.  Although I acknowledge that I am biased, Brady is definitely the cutest pumpkin in the patch!

I am proud of all of you who volunteered your time this evening to go trick-or-canning to help gather food for the Worthington Food Bank.  You made a difference to many people because of your efforts tonight!

And on a totally different note, thanks to everyone for their attendance at today's assembly.  I thought it was incredibly powerful and was touched by how open and brave the inmates were while they shared their stories.  I hope you will remember that there are people you can talk to and, as they pointed out today, it is essential that you speak up and don't hold all of your feelings and emotions and even pain inside of you.  Please remember that I am here if you want or need to talk!

"Tyler's Light"

Drug Safe Worthington has partnered with Worthington Schools to provide a presentation from "Tyler's Light" tomorrow night, Tuesday, October 30th.  This presentation is an effort to provide an honest look into the current drug culture within and around our community.  The night will feature a presentation and breakout sessions.  A complimentary light dinner will be provided for all who attend.

6:00 - 6:30 - Light Dinner
6:30 - 8:30 - "Tyler's Light" Presentation and Breakout Sessions

"Tyler's Light" Speak up!  Save a Life! is an insightful combination of video clips, and personal testimonials about the ravaging, life-altering effects of prescription medicine abuse.  Tyler's Light, a non-profit organization, was created in memory of a loving son and caring brother, Tyler Campbell.  Tragically, Tyler died from an accidental overdose when he was only 23 years old.

"It takes a community to Just Say No!"

End of First Quarter

Do you feel like this school year is going unbelievably fast?  Friday marked the end of the first quarter.  This is an important point for you to pause and reflect.  Remember, quarter grades are not included on your transcript - just semester grades.  This means that you have reached the half-way point in earning the grades that will be on your transcript.  Some of the questions you should ask yourself include: Are you where you want to be?  If you are not, what do you need to do different to turn things around?  If you need ideas for how you can improve your grades, I strongly encourage you to meet individually with your teacher.  You should also take advantage of the help available from the academic assistants in the Teaching and Learning Center (which is located in room 209).  You are also welcome to stop by and talk to me and we can try to brainstorm some ideas to help.  If you are happy with your current progress, congratulations!  Make sure you think about what you have done that has been helpful to your success and continue to put forward those same actions.

Also, with it being the end of the first quarter, you have a late start day on Monday!  :-)  Enjoy sleeping in on Monday!

Career Fair Volunteers

Students, I need your help! As you are aware, the 2012 WKHS Career Fair will be on Thursday, November 15th from 7:30 - 9:15am. This is a huge event and we need help from students to make it possible. We are particularly in need of students to help with setting up the tables and materials for the event on Wednesday night (November 14th). We have multipe shifts running from 3:30 - 9:30 on Wednesday night and we also need help early on Thursday morning starting as early as 6:45. I have a sign up sheet in my office, so if you are willing to help, I would appreciate it if you could stop by and sign up as that will allow me to know how many people we can expect to help out. I will also be honest that chances are good that I will start begging you to help as you stop by and visit over the next few weeks. (Consider yourself warned!) :-)

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on Thursday, November 8th, and Wednesday, November 14th. Conferences begin at 5:00pm and run every 20 minutes with the last conferences beginning at 8:40pm. All conferences with teachers are scheduled through Mrs. Hammond, one of the building secretaries. Appointments can be scheduled now by calling 450-6498 or by e-mailing jhammond@worthington.k12.oh.us. This is a great opportunity for parents to be able to meet with teachers and review your student's progress.  I hope you will take advantage of the opportunity!

Congratulations

Tonight was a great night athletically and artistically at WKHS!

- The Girls Soccer Team won their tournament game.  They have advanced to Saturday's game which will be held at Canal Winchester at 2:00 on Saturday.  Congratulations girls on a huge victory!

-  Tonight was also the year's first choir concert.  Our choirs are incredible!  I love going to the concerts and being amazed by all of your talents.  My favorite part is definitely the traditional Kilbourne Singers entrance to "Come to the Water."  This is such a beautiful song and I especially enjoy the chance to make eye contact with my students as they sing during the processional.  If you have never been to a choir concert, I strongly encourage you to go to their winter concert - you won't regret it!

Tomorrow the seniors have a class meeting.  You will be released from 2nd period a few minutes early and you will be admitted to 3rd period a little bit late with the senior class meeting in between.  The purpose of this meeting will be to provide you with your cap and gown order forms and announcement information.  It is always an exciting time to have the "official" reminders that graduation is quickly approaching.

Deadlines

Just a friendly reminder to watch your deadlines. It is really important that you stay organized and submit all application materials to colleges prior to their designated deadlines. There are several schools that have scholarship deadlines of November 1st. (This means that if you want to be considered for the maximum scholarship offering that you need to apply by November 1st.) Other schools have November 15th, December 3rd, December 15th, or even later deadlines, but because every school is different it is really important that you stay on top of this and meet the requirements with plenty of time. If you have a college application with a November 1st deadline and you have not seen me already, please be sure to come in immediately!

Don't forget, you need to allow plenty of time to request your transcript, get it back and mail it in to the college. Most schools hold firm to the requirement that their deadline doesn't just mean that the online application has been received by that date, but that all supporting documentation is also in their hands by their designated deadline date. This means that they also need to have your transcript and official ACT/ SAT test scores prior to the deadline date. All the more reason to watch this closely and give yourself plenty of time to get your materials to the college.

If you are having trouble figuring out your deadlines, stop down to see me and we can look it up together.

Meet Brady

On occasion I try to update my blog with information that provides you with more of a personal glance at me because I think it helps to give you an idea of who I am and what is important to me.  I believe that this will allow you to know more about me to ultimately help you to feel more comfortable with me when we talk.  That being said, this post is entirely personal!  :-)  So, if you are one of the parents and you were hoping for study strategies or college information, today's post is one you might want to skip.

Meet Brady!

My sister, Macy, gave birth to her 3rd child, my 2nd nephew, Brady Joseph Spalding, on Friday, October 19th at 5:50pm.  Brady is a special little boy with a special name.  His dad is Brad so his first name honors his dad and Brad's dad and brother are both named Joseph which is how his middle name was selected.

I have been anxiously awaiting Brady's arrival since I found out my sister was pregnant on April 1st.  And yes, I completely believed that they were trying to pull an April Fool's Day joke on me when they called to tell me that they were having another baby.

My niece, Carly, and nephew, Colton, were so excited to meet Brady for the first time!  They are going to be wonderful to their little brother, but they aren't sold on changing poopy diapers yet.  Haha.

The whole family was completely enamored by Brady!  Pictured above (L to R) is Colton, Brad, Brady, Macy and Carly

 Me with my sister and Brady!

  Brady is the little man who completely captured my heart.  :-)

Brady is so precious and I look at these pictures and think that he looks big (7 pounds 9 ounces and 20 inches long at birth) yet the reality was that he seemed so incredibly tiny in person that these pictures just don't do him justice.

Good luck on PSAT & PLAN

Tomorrow many of my students will be taking the PSAT and PLAN tests and I wanted to wish you good luck!

If you are taking the PSAT, you will report directly to the gymnasiums when you arrive to school on Wednesday morning. You will need to bring your student id with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. The test will begin promptly by 7:45 and you will finish testing at the start of 4th period.

If you are taking the PLAN test, you will go to your 1st through 3rd period classes and then you will be released to head to the commons to quickly eat your lunch and check in at the gymnasiums for the test. Check in begins at 11:00am and you will test for the remainder of the day. (As with the PSAT, don't forget to bring a number 2, non-mechanical, pencil, a calculator and a watch.)

If you are one of the students who love testing so much that you have elected to take both the PLAN and PSAT, you will test 1st through 3rd, have a quick break for lunch, report back to the gym and test again for the remainder of the day.  For what it is worth, I'd suggest that you consider packing your lunch so that you don't have to lose time waiting in line, but plenty of students who took both tests last year still bought their lunch and had enough time to eat.

Generally speaking, the majority of juniors will be testing in the morning and the majority of sophomores are testing in the afternoon so teachers have adjusted the coursework being covered in class accordingly. Ultimately though, you will be responsible for making up any missed work from class.

The Power of Friendship

We are not meant to be islands.  We need to have people in our lives to support and encourage us when we struggle and who will celebrate with us when we succeed.  Friendships are an essential part of our daily lives.  Having a true friend is priceless - knowing that you can trust yourself, your stories and your secrets with someone is a gift.

Lately I have been reminded of the power of friendship - how friends can make sad times a little less sad and happy times feel even more joyful.  Yet what impresses me most is the way that I have watched as friends stepped up and supported one another even if it wasn't easy or convenient.

As you have probably figured out based upon the alphabet break-downs, Grayson Biglin, is one of my students.  In case you hadn't heard, Grayson was diagnosed with cancer last month.  He underwent surgery and is now going through chemotherapy.  His friends have been there in all sorts of ways - sending him e-cards when he is in the hospital, calling or texting him, the Gray-Out, painting the rock, carrying his books to and from classes, and spending time just hanging out and having fun.

As if all of those examples of friendship were not enough, yesterday Grayson had arranged for Coach Souder to buzz his hair to help deal with some of the impact of the chemotherapy.  When he arrived at the Souder's, 6 of Grayson's friends were waiting for him and one by one they each followed Grayson and had their hair buzzed off too.  What a wonderful gesture of unity and support each of these young men did for Grayson.

Above is the picture of the group before they had their hair cut and below is the picture of the group after their hair cut.

I hope none of you have to experience what Grayson is currently going through, but no matter how big or small the battles that you might face in your life, I sincerely hope you will be surrounded by people who will demonstrate their friendship to you in ways that you will always know that you are loved and cared about every day.

If you want to support Grayson, visit his Caringbridge page at www.caringbridge.org.  His site name is: GraysonBiglin.  You will have to register to visit the site, but you can leave him encouraging messages in the guestbook and receive e-mails after he posts updates.

Career Dreams

What do you want to be when you grow up? When you were little perhaps it was a professional athlete, a superhero, or a famous entertainer. Chances are that now that you are in high school you have started re-thinking some of your potential career choices. While there is still a lot of uncertainty and will, in all liklihood, be plenty of other times when you will change career paths in the future, it is time to start figuring out what you would like to be when you grow up.

I *know* you hate it when I say this, but the reality is that you need to know yourself and follow your passions. If you love what you do and you are willing to work hard then you will be able to find success. Everyone has their own unique gifts and talents and it is imperitive that you determine what career will meet your needs. This means you have to figure out what is important to you and how you can incorporate that into your life. For example, for those who love sports it can be hard to imagine life without athletics and, many times, these individuals will pick (at least initially) careers that involve sports - athletic training, sports management, sports marketing, etc. This might be the perfect combination - or maybe not. Knowing yourself and knowing what you have a passion for is important in determining what characteristics of a job will be best suited for you. In this example, the sports minded person might pick a career that involves teamwork where groups of people work closely together to reach a common goal. Or, if you decide that you are not going to meet a passion in your life through your career, then it is important that you still honor that influence in some other way - perhaps playing on an adult recreational team or coaching a youth sport team. While this example deals with sports the same concept applies to any of your interests and passions - art, music, learning.

So, while I am not asking you to abandon your dreams of fame and fortune as the professional athlete, superhero, or entertainer, I am asking you to start thinking seriously about what will make you happy, what is important to you, and how a career can help meet your needs and goals in life.  We are currently working on plans for the 2012 Career Fair which will be held next month. If there are particular careers you are interested in pursuing we hope that the career fair will provide you with the chance to talk to professionals in that (or similar) fields.  You are welcome to let me know which careers are of particular interest to you as we are still working to find professionals to come and meet with our students.  And, parents, if you are reading this, please remember that we NEED your help at the Career Fair on November 15th!  If you are willing to share your insights and career experiences with our students, we would greatly appreciate it.  Complete the career questionnaire at www.surveymonkey.com/wkhscareerfair if you are able to help.

PSAT and PLAN Reminder

I wanted to make sure that all students and parents were reminded that you should be registering to take the PSAT and PLAN tests this week!

Juniors: Take the PSAT.  The PSAT is the practice SAT and qualifying exam for the National Merit Scholarship Competition.  Registration costs $15.00.

Sophomores: Take the PLAN test.  The PLAN test is the practice ACT.  Registration costs $12.00.  Sophomores also have the option of taking the PSAT as a practice for your junior year when you'll be taking it for the National Merit Scholarship Competition.  (Please submit separate checks if you plan on taking both tests.)  If you only plan on taking just 1 test, then you should take the PLAN test.

Freshmen: You have the option of taking either or both or none of the tests and it is entirely up to you if you want to take one of these practice tests.

You register by stopping into the Counseling Center and providing your check (made payable to WKHS) to one of the secretaries.  Both the PSAT and PLAN tests will be held next week, on Wednesday, October 17th.  The PSAT is in the morning and the PLAN will follow it in the second part of the day.

Teen Sleep

Perhaps it is just because it is a Monday, but all day today I had student after student talk about being tired, needing more sleep and being exhausted.  The reality is that we all need to be sleeping more than we are, but especially you – teens are in need of far more sleep than you typically get in a night.

I acknowledge that it is easier said than done.  Today you all are pulled in so many different directions – homework, time with your family, sports, jobs, clubs, community service, time with your friends and perhaps even a little personal time to spend on relaxing – and so, unfortunately, sleep gets pushed to the back burner and becomes what you do with the little time you have remaining.  This is far from a good thing as sleep is essential to your mental, physical and emotional well-being!

I wish that it was easy to just decide that you wanted to get more sleep and be able to make it happen, but I know that isn’t always the case.  It will take a concentrated effort and a decision that you deem to be significant and worthwhile enough to adjust your sleep schedule.

Not sure if you believe me when I say that sleep is essential?   Here are some articles from experts who are addressing the importance of sleep.

3 tips to parents to teach healthy study habits to teens

How lack of sleep plagues college students  (I realize that this is addressing college students, but it applies to you too!)

Should you stay up late to study?

Teenagers: Don’t Stay Up Late

To earn the “A,” set the alarm clock early

Improving teen sleep: helping teens who have too much to doand get too few zzz’s

19 Ways to Fall Asleep Fast

Sleep Prep is a Choice – How Far will you go to catch thebest zzz’s?

Blog, Homecoming & Articles of Interest

Recently I was talking with one of the parents about this blog and I found out that the e-mailed updates of my blog don't get sent out on weekends.  It is an automatic service that I was so excited was available through my blog, but it is not something that I have control over so I was bummed to realize that this means when I post an update on the weekend you are going to get multiple e-mails on Monday's.  So, I have a question for you... would you prefer fewer updates per week so that you don't get multiple e-mails on Mondays or are you ok with receiving multiple e-mails on Mondays?

As we head into the week, I wanted to remind everyone that it is Homecoming Spirit Week.  Each day has it's own theme.  As you celebrate the school spirit, please remember that you still have to follow the school dress code so they are going to ask for no bare shoulders which could impact your selection of attire for several days this week.

Monday is Lax Bro Day
Tuesday is America Day in celebration of Alex Hendrick's and his Olympic appearance
Wednesday is Twin's Day
Thursday is Formal Attire Day
Friday is Kilbourne Spirit Day

Ok, now that some of the details are out of the way, I wanted to share with you some of the awesome articles I have been reading lately that I think you might enjoy.

The Common App essays: Breaking down the questions – Part 1

What not to do when applying to college

College Admissions: Why GPA’s lie

Applying to College

Advice from college admissions directors

The 5 most important connections you need as a high school senior & how to make them

Focus on 7 Strategies to get into college

Application advice from college admissions officials

Know your Ivies (This article gives a brief overview of the different Ivy League colleges.)

Create great scholarship applications with these 6 answers

The grass is greener: The impact of the (actual) campus on college life

3 tips for parents to help their kids with SAT’s

Four steps to time management success

When someone you care about is depressed: the duties of friendship

The best way to study

Scholarship Search Resource

Do you need to take SAT subject tests?

Have I written a good college application essay?

5 ways to help your counselor write an effective recommendation 

A new tool for merit scholarship searches

The difference between the SAT and ACT

5 tips for a college admissions essay on a significant experience

The short answer – common application tips

Start your scholarship search here

The What, When, and How of Wait Lists

4 ways to quickly rid yourself of too much stress

Stuck on the essay? Try writing a letter to an imaginary college roommate

October checklist for juniors

October checklist for seniors

Answers from Princeton’s Dean of Admissions (This is a 5 part series of answers and although it is written regarding Princeton they provide GREAT insight into all competitive college admissions!)

Part 1

Part 2

Part 3

Part 4

Part 5

8 things admissions officers wish you knew about applying tocollege

5 ways to find your college fit

Paid to Live on Campus (This is an article about OSU’s efforts to make the transition to requiring sophomores to live on campus in the future.)

October Students of the Month

Yesterday morning was a ceremony to honor 15 students as being October's Students of the Month.  The recognition of being a Student of the Month can only be earned once during a student's high school career.  7 of the students selected for this month's recognition were "my" students!

Congratulations to (L to R): Jake Byrne, Ryan Adolph, Lindsey Bauer, Anna Bright, Katie Dyer, Leeann Castle, and Shi'aja Craig for being honored!  I am proud of you!

Oh the Places You'll Go...

Don't forget to take a picture on every college campus that you step foot on - even if it is a school you are not seriously considering for your future. We would love to see the pictures, plus, every interaction you have with a college shapes your views on what you are looking for in the future.

I am thrilled with the pictures I have received already, but I also know that many of you have recently taken or are soon planning college visits and we'd like to continue to build on our picture display! (The office workers have been busy helping us create tags for all of the new colleges and will be updating the board again soon!)  As a reminder, the picture can be of you anywhere at the college - a pretty place, in front of a cool building or an area where you expect to spend a lot of time, or, as seems to be the biggest hit - in front of a sign featuring the name of the college.

Hannah Vincent gets the recognition for giving me the first picture for the class of 2013.


Lauren Barnhart gets the recognition for giving me the picture from the college that is the greatest distance from WKHS. (University of Maine)


Anna Bright gets the recognition for giving me the most pictures to date. (6 colleges) 

Thanks again to everyone that has helped with this project by taking pictures! Please continue taking pictures - I love seeing them when you bring them back and hearing more about your visit to the school!

National Merit Semifinalist

Lots of my students impress me with their academic, athletic, or musical talents. Today I am applauding one of these outstanding young ladies, Emily Cantrell, for being recognized as a National Merit Semifinalist.

Students qualify for this recognition based upon their PSAT scores during their junior year. There were 3 other WKHS students who also earned this recognition. They will now participate in a nationwide competition for scholarships based upon their academic successes.

Congratulations Emily!  I'm very proud of you!

PSAT and PLAN Tests

PSAT Test Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Location: WKHS Gym
Time: 7:00 (check-in) beginning promptly at 7:30am – 10:45am
Cost: $15 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PSAT is the practice test for the SAT. Juniors and interested underclassmen can register in the Counseling and Career Center by bringing in a check made out to WKHS. This is an important practice test for the SAT and it is also the qualifying test for the National Merit Scholarship competition. Even if you took the test as a sophomore you should re-take the test as a Junior!

PLAN Test Date: Wednesday, October 17, 2012
Location: WKHS Gym
Time: 10:50am (check-in) beginning promptly at 11:15am – 3:00pm
Cost: $12.00 (checks payable to WKHS)

The PLAN Test is the practice test for the ACT. This test intended for sophomores. (Freshman students can elect to take this test, but it is not an option for juniors!) The content of the PLAN test is closely tied to that of the ACT achievement test, which is used for college entrance and placement decisions. It covers the same subjects and gives you estimated ACT scores.

The PLAN test has many benefits. It can help you get started in thinking about and planning for life after high school. It will show you areas where you may want to seek extra help. The results can also be used to help focus your test preparation to improve your ACT scores. Additionally, one of the other valuable aspects is that the PLAN test includes a career component that helps identify career interests and possible career fields. For all of the students who have no idea what they might want to do some day this is one way to help come up with some ideas.

Both of these tests are only practice tests; therefore, scores willnot appear on your transcript.

Students can register for these tests in the WKHS Counseling and Career Center today through October 12th.