Thursday, December 20, 2012

We Made It!

Tomorrow is finally the last day before break - we made it!  :-)

I hope you did well on your Science exams this week.  I know that many of you were struggling with the stress of classes wrapping up along with your exams, but the good news is all of that stress is over (at least for a while).

Don't forget that we are having a Holiday Assembly tomorrow so we will be on a 3A/ 3B assembly bell schedule.  (And yes, I know, most of you are hoping that we don't have school tomorrow, but unfortunately I suspect we will be there like normal.)

If you are planning on leaving town during break, please travel safe!  I will also be taking a break from blogging over the break.  I hope to add a few updates during our time off, but they will be much less frequently than normal.

Tuesday, December 18, 2012

Socratic Society

Last Friday morning approximately 60 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): Kristen Barone, JC Bartok, Bryn Caswell, Griffin Dahn, Erin Dieringer, Alex Coddington, Andy Cook, and Lydia DeWeese.  Also honored, but not pictured include: Cameron Cleaves and Marco Contreras.  I am so proud of you all!

Monday, December 17, 2012

Studying for Science

Have you started studying for your science exam?!?!?  I really hope the answer is yes.  As you are aware, all of the science courses are piloting administering the exam portion this week, before winter break, and then during the actual exam block you will be completing lab experiences.  I feel like I spent a lot of the day reminding kids that they need to study for their science exam because having the exams before break is a new experience.  Please prepare for your exam in the same way you would have if it would have been during the traditional exam week.  And, good luck on your exam!

Sunday, December 16, 2012

Career Fair Photos

Yesterday marked 1 month since the career fair... which, to be perfectly honest seems both like it was yesterday and like it was a VERY long time ago.  I would like to express my gratitude again for all of the students who volunteered their time to help prepare for the event in the days leading up to the career fair, for those who helped set up the night before and especially to those who woke up bright and early to help with the event in the morning.  Reading the survey responses from all of the career professionals showed how impressed they were with the students as a whole, but in particular how welcoming and kind all of the student volunteers were who helped out during the day.  We couldn't have done it without you!  Additionally, I would like to thank all of the career professionals who participated in the event sharing career information and insight with our students.  Right after the career fair I was happy that it was over.  Now that a little more time has passed I am still happy that it is over, but I also am so proud of our students and thankful that so many students had the opportunity to learn about possible career options for their futures.

And now some long awaited pictures... Enjoy!


















Saturday, December 15, 2012

Reflections on School Shooting Tragedy


I have been sitting in front of my computer with tears in my eyes and sadness in my heart trying to come up with words to share my thoughts and reflections on yesterday’s school shooting tragedy in Connecticut.  The “right” words escape me.

When I first learned that a shooting had taken place in a Connecticut elementary school, I imagined a little kid bringing in a gun to show his/ her friends and it going off by accident.  It didn’t occur to me that anyone would have been killed let alone the way the tragedy actually played out.  As I learned the depth of the horror which took place my mind raced and hasn’t stopped yet.

As you all know, my niece and nephews mean the world to me.  My niece is in 4th grade and my nephew is a first grader.  I cannot think of them and this tragedy without tears and a feeling of panic seizing my heart.  I am thankful that it was not a shooting at their school and that they are not facing the trauma which all of the children in Newtown, Connecticut are enduring. 

Tonight there are parents grieving the senseless loss of their children, but this tragedy extends far beyond the parents.  For each individual who died, there are also siblings, grandparents, aunts, uncles, friends, and neighbors who are left to grieve, there are teachers who have lost students and colleagues, but most of all, there are children and an entire community who have lost their innocence.

When I first talked to my grandmother following the shooting, she commented about the evil which is playing out in the world and situations like this certainly make us stop and focus on the bad things which happen, but I immediately replied to her that I see good every day too – in each of you!  Although it has required a conscious effort, as I watched and heard of the terror which unfolded yesterday, I have tried to focus equally on the good – such as the love, support, and prayers of people who are embracing and supporting this community.

As a counselor, I have tried to consider what the impact something like this would have on our community had this tragedy taken place in Worthington rather than Newtown.  I have tried to think about what my response would be, where I would go, how I could help.  I imagine many of you have shared similar thoughts.  It is a valuable reminder of the significance of safety drills (no matter how much we may have grumbled about them in the past), but more importantly it is a reminder of the need to look out for and care for those around you.

What do we learn from times like this?  My reflections on what I want to learn (and put into action) and what I hope you will learn from this too includes a deeper understanding of what truly matters in our lives, to treat others with respect and compassion, to speak up if you or someone else needs help dealing with personal difficulties, and the importance of expressing our appreciation for those in our lives with our words and our actions.

And so, before I close, I want to take a moment to make sure you know how grateful I am to have you in my life.  I cannot imagine let alone express the heartache and sadness I would feel if anything happened to any of you.  Thank you for allowing me to share in your lives.

Tuesday, December 11, 2012

PSAT and PLAN Scores


Your scores have arrived! All students who took the PSAT and PLAN tests in October can now pick up your score reports from the Counseling Center. You can pick up your score sheets and test booklets during your lunch periods from either of the secretaries at the front of the counseling center.

Remember, the PLAN Test is the practice ACT and it has a lot of great information about careers so be sure to check that out to see where your interests and abilities are for various future fields.

For those who are trying to figure out what your PSAT scores mean, a good "rule of thumb" for looking at the scores is to add a 0 to the end of each score. So, for example, if you have a 45 for the math section, then it will be like a 450 on the actual SAT. Adding the math and critical reading sections together gives you a guesstimate for your score out of 1600 and if you add all three sections together it compares your score based upon a 2400 scale.

When reviewing your results, be certain to pay close attention to the information at the bottom of the page for feedback and suggestions on areas to study in order to improve your scores in the future. You will also be receiving your test booklet so this can be a great study tool to use to go back and figure out what the questions were and why you selected your answer and why it was or was not the best choice.

If you have questions about your scores, feel free to come and see me next week when I am back in the office or else in January and we can take a look together, but I will say that the score sheets have a lot of useful information and tips as well as information that we have available on the counselor website - http://www.wkhscounselors.com/.

Don't forget, these are just practice tests so they are giving you a general indication of where you might expect to score if you were taking the ACT or SAT with no additional preparation or review.

Sunday, December 9, 2012

Test Score Submissions

The college admissions tests (ACT and SAT) are one of the basic components that most colleges consider when evaluating an application. While any scores that we have appear on your transcript, the vast majority of the colleges want to receive the score results directly from the testing agency. You receive the option to send your scores to 4 colleges for free and there is an additional charge for any extra schools you want to send your results to after those initial four.

You can log in to the ACT and SAT websites to review the locations where you selected to send your scores to make sure that every college you are considering has received a copy of your scores. This is an important step as you are completing the application process. So, in addition to making sure that you have completed your application form, written your essay, secured your recommendation letters, and submitted your transcripts, please make sure that you have sent your test scores to each of the colleges where you are applying.

Don't forget, not every college will require these tests so it is not the end of the world if you are not a strong test taker. Visit http://www.fairtest.org/ for a list of the over 800 colleges that do not require admissions tests as a component to evaluate the applicant.

Friday, December 7, 2012

Demonstrating Interest

It is interesting to stop and think about all of the different factors that play into a college admission decision. When colleges are evaluating all of their applications, one of the aspects that may help set one student apart from another is the level of interest that they have demonstrated. The reason that demonstrating interest is important to a college is that they have a limited number of spots that they can offer for admission. They are trying to find a way to maximize the number of students who they accept that will actually attend their college in the future and they still want to find a way to get the most competitive, involved group of students that they can find.

So what are some of the ways that you can demonstrate your interest in a college?

Meeting with the college admissions reps when they come to WKHS is a great first step. I'll be honest, for this year, admissions officers visiting Kilbourne has come to an end, but for the younger students, this is something you should keep in mind for next fall. The reason that this is such a significant way to demonstrate your interest is because a lot of kids don’t take advantage of this opportunity so when you do take the time to come and meet with them, you will stand out.

Attend their community nights – many colleges will offer presentations at area hotels or community centers that students and parents can attend. We have been listing these upcoming nights on the WKHS Counselors website. These events tend to be more common in the fall and spring months so you can always check our website and also the college's website for opportunities to meet with them.

Visit their campus! Visiting their school is probably the best way to demonstrate your interest in their college. Because the college visit is such a strong indicator of your interest and because there are many things to consider when you are making a campus visit, I am including a few articles below - many of which deal with the college visits. (Hopefully I will be able to get the links to work better this time. I am very sorry that they haven't worked recently!)

I know it isn't always feasible to visit every single school that you are interested in applying to so find other ways to familiarize yourself if you can't make it to their campus. Visit their website. Read the admissions blogs. Don’t be a pest, but if you have questions, seek the answers by contacting admissions representatives. (And, for the record, you should make those contacts rather than having one of your parents call on your behalf!)

Some schools will offer alumni interviews in the area and if the school you are considering is among them, it would be wise to take advantage of this opportunity as it, again, demonstrates the sincerity of your interest in their college.

Thursday, December 6, 2012

Articles, Articles and More Articles

I have a whole lot of articles on a wide range of topics for you today...

Happy Reading!  :-)















































































Monday, December 3, 2012

Number of Years in College

How long will it take you to make it through college? Most people will automatically think to themselves "4 years" because most WKHS students are planning on attending 4-year colleges after graduation.

Unfortunately, graduating from college in 4 years is not always the reality. While a traditional college is a 4-year school, it is not always realistic that their students will, in fact, graduate in 4-years. You may wonder why this matters now, but it is very important for you to look at the 4-year graduation rates when you are considering colleges for your future because the longer it takes you to graduate from college, the more you will be taking on in costs for college as well as the longer it will take you to graduate and get out into the working world or to move on to grad school.

You can usually find the 4-year graduation rates on college websites, but it isn't always easily accessible. This is a link to a US Department of Education website called College Navigator where you can search for schools and then by looking at the retention/ graduation rate area you will be able to see the statistics for each school in an easily accessible way.

Each school's 4-year graduation rates should not be your sole factor in making a decision, but it is another piece of the puzzle to help you. You should use the information to help you ask more questions about why their graduation rates are so low. Is it because it is too difficult to schedule classes when you need, is it because the costs are too expensive, is it because students change majors too many times so they end up with a lot of classes that do not help them toward their major, etc.

Happy Searching as you look for the school that is the best fit for you and your future.

Sunday, December 2, 2012

December Planning

Can you believe it is December?  I am excited to be in my new house for my first holiday and so I have already put up my tree and decorated the outside with lights.  Pretty impressive for me to have this much done in advance.  This weekend certainly didn't feel like December since the weather was so warm, but a quick look at the calendar confirms it and I wanted to give you a heads up that my December includes a great deal of meetings and times that I am required to be out of the office.  Below is a list of days when I will be in meetings and unavailable for at least half of the day:

- Wednesday, December 5th: Out all day
- Thursday, December 6th: Out first half of day
- Friday, December 7th: Unavailable for first half of the day
- Tuesday, December 11th: Out all day
- Wednesday, December 12th: Out all day
- Thursday, December 13th: Out all day
- Friday, December 14th: Out for first half of the day

I know that this can be particularly challenging as the holidays are a stressful time not to mention science exams will be conducted before winter break, and many of you are working hard to complete your college applications.  Please know that I will do my best to meet your needs in spite of being out so try to give me as much time as possible so that we can be sure we are able to connect.  Thanks for your patience and flexibility!