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.

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!

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!

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!

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 4^th 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.

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.

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.

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.

Articles, Articles and More Articles

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

Happy Reading!  :-)

December college checklist for juniors

December college checklist for seniors

Demystifying the CSS Profile

College application stress tips for parents

Tips and Suggestions for Alumni Interviews

An at-home college readiness test for students with learning disabilities

Tips for an essay on a character in fiction

Scholarships for volunteers reward students who give back

How to let go of a resentment

Life with parents #2:Just Visiting

College application essay checklist

The importance of sleep

How to interact with college reps

What is demonstrated interest?

More on what colleges are looking for

What do colleges look at when evaluating students

When you get the test back

Understanding college admissions: an Infographic

The Do’s and Don’ts of the “Additional Information” section on college applications

College Admissions:What your PSAT Scores Really Mean

How to make a high school resume

3 tips for writing the “Letter to your future roommate” college essay

The College Essay as an Early Memoir

On College Essay Write about Something that Made You Feel Deeply

Advice on Whittling your Admissions Essay

Be prepared going into college interview

College essay tips: 5 things you shouldn’t put in your college app essay

Tips for the inevitable college essay question: why are you a good match?

5 horrible essay topics for your college application

Major Decisions

4 SAT and ACT Test prep tips for families

Today Video – What do you need to know to get into the college you want

3 tips for getting started on your college essay

5 scholarships for students with learning disabilities

Lessons from “How I Met Your Mother” on applying to college

5 college visit tips you haven’t heard before

Lack of sleep may trip up student athletes

4 ways to guarantee you won’t be accepted

How to nail your college interview

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.

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!

Review and Print Preview

Today I had a large number of students ask me to double check their applications and make sure everything looked OK before they submitted them to their respective colleges.  I am more than happy to help provide another set of eyes, but please remember that I will not necessarily know if you have your parent's college information right or if that is really your social security number.  For those details, you need to make sure you have someone (your parents or an older sibling) take a look with you.

As we were reviewing the applications that were on Common App I was surprised by how many of my students had not yet checked their application with Print Preview.  There are lots of places on Common App that remind you to double check how your application will actually show up to the colleges when they download it off the Common App website.  You need to look at it and make sure that none of your written information is being cut off.  This includes the short-answer essay and the other areas such as descriptions of your involvement in activities and course names and credits for each of your senior year classes.

In case you don't believe me, this article also talks about the importance of using print preview so I promise you it really is worth the time to double check it before you submit.

Transcript Release Deadline Reminder

I wanted to remind everyone that if you are in the process of applying to college you need to make sure you come in and fill out a transcript release card.  This process must be completed for EVERY college where you are applying.

If you are applying to schools utilizing the Common Application, your transcript will be submitted electronically.  You will need to report me as your school counselor on the School Forms page so that I am assigned the transcript data responsibility and given access to submit them on your behalf.  If you are unsure how to do this, bring your common app username and password to school with you after you have completed the majority of your application and we will fill out the assignment component together.

If you are applying to schools that don't use the Common Application, you need to send your transcript in on your own.  After you request your transcript you will come back to see Mrs. Hoyt in 3 days with $1.00 for each transcript you have requested.  You will then receive a copy of your transcript to mail directly to the college.  The transcript will be in a sealed envelope with a stamp across the back which is what tells the college that it is an official transcript.  Do not open this envelope or else the transcript is no longer official and you will need to request a new transcript and pay for it again - a waste of your time and money.  Once you have picked up your transcript, add the mailing address, postage and send it to the college to complete your application.

Some students have asked me if you have to be done with your applications to request your transcript and the short answer is no, but you should be close.  The one time that it doesn't matter if you are close or not is when we get close to winter break (which is rapidly approaching).  Remember, we are not at school over Christmas either, so if you are applying to colleges with a December 31st or January 1st deadline, you need to make sure that you have requested your transcript no later than December 17th to have to mail in before the college application deadline.

I am looking forward to seeing many of you very soon to fill out your transcript release card!  :-)

A Weekend of Essays?

Did you have a nice weekend?  I hope that you enjoyed the holiday and all of the fun that comes with it, but I know that for many seniors, this weekend was probably filled with writing essays.  For students working on college applications this weekend is often referred to in the college world as the "Black Weekend" where parents are forcing their sons and daughters to complete their college applications.  If you were among those who spent lots of time writing out essays, I hope you were productive!  It is important to have people look over your essays again and make sure that they are saying what you are hoping to convey with a tone that puts you in the best possible light.

I had listed this article in my last list of articles that I thought might be helpful for you and I have been printing it out for a lot of students for the last few weeks so I wanted to post it up here again on it's own.

The Common App Essays: Breaking Down the Questions

As you review your essays, please be sure to look at your final piece with a critical eye to see if it is a good "college essay."  This can be frustrating because a lot of times students will have beautifully written essays that don't make good college essays because the reader won't learn anything about you from the essay.  Please, help your application by introducing yourself fully and completely to the admissions committee.

I'm looking forward to seeing all of you tomorrow.  Stop by and let me know about your Thanksgiving break!

Thanksgiving Thankfulness

Happy Thanksgiving!

I hope you and your family are enjoying a wonderful holiday.  I am so blessed and today as I pause to give thanks I wanted to share some of my Thanksgiving thankfulness thoughts with all of you.

I am thankful for:
- My Family!  We are so lucky to be gathered together this holiday weekend.  I am grateful for the joy they bring to my life.  They love me unconditionally and are always there for me.  Of course, in particular I am so grateful for my 3 favorite turkeys - my niece Carly and my nephews Colton and Brady.  They always make me smile and I love their enthusiasm.
- My mom's cooking.  Technically, I suppose this should still be under my family, but I was thinking about all the ways that my mom shows her love for us and her cooking is one example.  We are so spoiled - she takes care of the entire holiday meal each year and I love that we have the same Thanksgiving meal each year.
-  My job.  I am so lucky to have a job that is rewarding, fulfilling, and that never gets boring.  No two days are alike and it is always exciting to see what will happen with each new day.
-  My students.  Let's be honest, the reason I love my job is because I have the best students!  I am so fortunate to be a part of your lives.  The fact that you choose to talk to me during difficult days and include me in your celebration on happy days means far more than you can imagine.  I consider it an honor to work with you and I learn so much from you.
-  The families of my students.  Not only do students welcome me into their lives, but many families do so as well.  The words of encouragement and appreciation mean a great deal.
- My friends.  In some ways I should include my friends as part of my family.  I have many friends, but even more importantly are the small group that make up my "true friends" - those people who I can count on no matter what.  They bring such joy to my life.
-  My coworkers.  I am lucky to work with people who I consider friends.  They listen, support, encourage and believe in me.  I trust them without question and I am a better person and a better counselor because of them.
-  My health.  This year in particular as I have witnessed one of my students struggle through his incredibly courageous battle with cancer I am aware of just how fortunate I am to be blessed with good health.
-  Since I mentioned Grayson in the last item, I have to say that I am thankful that he is (or soon will be) cancer free.  Hopefully he will soon get the wonderful news that his cancer is gone and so I am grateful that he will have beat cancer.  And if he has to continue on in the fight, then I am grateful to know that all of the WKHS students and staff will continue to stand behind him until he is cancer free.  For now though, I am choosing to believe that he has already won the battle and being thankful that his health is returning!  :-)
-  My former students.  There is no way that I can express how much it means to me when former students keep in touch.  E-mails, calls, text messages, or visits when they are home - each are priceless gifts to my heart.  I am so thankful that these students choose to stay in touch even though there is nothing that I can do for them any more.
-  Generosity and compassion in action.  It is so inspiring to see acts of kindness, generosity and compassion being demonstrated in big or small ways.  I love seeing it directed toward those most in need and also appreciate the times when it has been shown to me.
-  Stability.  I am incredibly fortunate to live a stable life.  I have a solid foundation of faith, food on my table, a roof over my head and a warm bed to sleep in each night.  There are so many people in our world who pray for the things I tend to take for granted.
-  Freedom.  I am so blessed to live in this country and am thankful for all the men and women who have sacrificed so much to maintain our freedom.

Thank you for bearing with me through my lengthy list.  Quite honestly, if I gave you more specifics this list would continue on and on because I am so blessed.  I hope that today you will find time to reflect on what you are grateful for this Thanksgiving.  And, if your life is feeling pretty rough and you don't have much to be thankful for, please know that you are in my prayers and that I hope things will improve.

Stressed

How are your stress levels?

Stress comes from a range of events and life experiences. When positive things happen such as getting a new job, dating someone new, or graduating from high school, stress levels increase. And, obviously, stress levels are higher when negative things take place like failing a test, fighting with family or friends, or having a lot to do in a limited amount of time. Quite simply, the reality is that stress is a part of life and it cannot be escaped, but it is important to learn healthy strategies for dealing with stress.

Hopefully having 5 days off school is helping to decrease your stress levels, but I am also very aware of the fact that holidays can also create a great deal of stress. Expectations tend to be higher during holidays. Families are often together and sometimes that means lots of questions about your college plans or it could mean that siblings who are off to college are home and the change in routine can cause challenges. Students whose parents are divorced are often juggling multiple holidays and trying to be in several places at once which is never easy. Whatever the circumstances are for your family, try to remember that even though the holiday may not be the picture of perfection that you might see portrayed on movies or TV shows, it can still be enjoyable - even if it is stressful.

Finding the stress relievers that are effective in your own life is important not only during the holidays, but throughout the year. Talking to friends, journaling, drawing, reading, deep breathing, listening to music, running, coloring, playing sports, spending time with your pets, taking a walk, dancing, exercising, watching a funny movie, or helping someone less fortunate are all examples of some simple stress relievers that might be ideas you can consider utilizing. Remember, once we are back at school if you need someone to talk to about additional strategies for learning to manage the stress in your life, I am around and willing to listen.

We Survived!

Wow, it is hard to believe the career fair is over!  I hope you enjoyed it and learned a lot from the professionals who volunteered their time to talk with you.  After I was done problem solving I tried to wander around and I didn't make it through the whole fair so at least for me I felt like the event went by fast. I hope you were able to make it to talk to everyone you were interested in meeting.

I don't know that I could decide what I thought was the coolest part of the professionals that were there...

- I was totally shocked that the Dolphin Researcher (Luke Bogatay's aunt) and one of the construction people flew in from Florida and participated in the career fair.

-  I met a lady who told me that she was there with 2 of her sisters and that the three of them were graduates of Worthington High School (back when it was all 1 school) and that they had driven into town and stayed at a hotel in order to attend.

-  Speaking of giving back to your alma mater, there were 5 recent Kilbourne grads in attendance who had been WKHS students in the time that I have been at Kilbourne.  I know there were more adults who were Kilbourne grads, but these were actually students I knew and so that made it special.  I also think it is cool to think about the fact that when we do this career fair again in the future and you are no longer high school or even college students, that you might volunteer your time to come back and talk to the current students.

-  And, of course, I cannot leave out the parents who graciously gave their time to attend.

Perhaps the lack of updates to my blog gave you a pretty good guess, but I had a pretty quiet and relaxing weekend.  I literally slept more on Thursday night into Friday than I had on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday nights combined.  :-)  This is the first time I have turned on my computer at home since my last blog post.  With this being a holiday week, we won't be back to a regular update schedule just yet, but I will get at least one or two more updates up this week.

Many of you had plans to spend the long weekend making college visits and I cannot wait to hear what you thought about the campuses you saw (and hopefully see your pictures).  I'm also looking forward to hearing your thoughts and impressions about the career fair and what you learned about yourself and your potential career choices for the future.

Veterans Day

Sorry that there has been a lag in my blogging.  This coming Thursday is the Career Fair and every spare moment when I haven't been meeting with students at work has been spent trying to make sure that the students will have a great experience interacting with the professionals who are so generously volunteering their time to attend the event.  I will try to get some career related updates up this week since that is what is top of mind right now, but I appreciate your patience if I am slow in getting posts up again this week.

As you know, today is Veterans Day, a day when we pause to remember and honor the men and women who have served the United States in our military to protect our freedom.  I knew that I wanted to post something in honor of our nation's military and ended up looking back at last year's Veterans Day post and realized that even one year later it perfectly captured my thoughts and so I am sharing it with you all again...

As I reflected on how much I appreciate the service, dedication and sacrifice so many men and women have given to our country, I couldn't help but have my mind wander specifically to a few different groups of people. My mind went first to my grandfather and his friends, then I thought of all the Marines that I met while at the Parris Island for the Educator's Conference (what all the pictures and newspaper article in my office are from), and then I couldn't help but think of all of my former students who have served (or are currently serving) in the military.

I'll be honest, there is a part of me that is worried to put up this list because I am scared that I am missing people, but this is the list I could come up with tonight in alphabetical order... Vinnie Aebi, Adam Bardelang, Alex Blake, Josh Burton, Taylor Castelli, Eric Castoe, Austin Clouse, Tom Collier, Drew Cox, Dorothy Dibble, Joda Dotson, Stephen Downard, Michael Frizzi, and Zach Ellifritz.

There are no words to adequately express my gratitude and respect for your courage, strength and dedication to country. To all Veterans, thank you for your service and for those of you still in the military, thank you and please, stay safe!

Also, for those of you who might be thinking that you'd like to find ways to honor our nation's military men and women, I thought this article had some great ideas:

15 great ways for students to support our military

Students of the Month

Last Friday morning 18 students were recognized as WKHS Students of the Month.  This honor can only be received once during your four years of high school.  Four of "my" students were among those honored.

Congratulations to (L to R): Sydney Chesser, Hunter Bonvillain, Rosan Eldadah, and Gabrielle Dendinger.  I am proud of you and grateful for the positive impact you have on our school community!

Additionally, I would like to congratulate Shane Bennett who was honored as a Delaware Area Career Center Student of the Month nominee in the Welding program.  Way to go Shane!

Election Day Reminders

I wanted to remind everyone that you do not have school tomorrow because it is election day.  The staff have a professional development day, but students are not in session on election day since so many of the buildings are used as polling places.  Student security is of the utmost importance and this is one way to help make sure everyone stays safe.

I have heard that many students and their families are planning to take full advantage of this day off by visiting a college while students are in session allowing for a greater chance of sitting in on a class and interacting with people on a "typical day" on campus.  If you are among those making a college visit tomorrow, please remember that I would love to have a picture of you for the "Oh the Places You'll Go" display.  Other students are making use of the day off by volunteering their day as a poll worker.  Whatever you are doing, I hope you will be productive!

With it being election day, I will also remind you that the Worthington school district has 2 issues on the ballot - Issues 53 and 54.  Please be sure to look for these issues to support the school district.

Delaware Area Career Center

When students enter 9th grade, many are excited about the different choices and opportunities available in high school. Unfortunately, the reality is that the first two years of high school really don't have all that many choices academically. There is a great deal of flexibility though as students reach their junior and senior years. One of the most exciting options includes the possibility of attending the Delaware Area Career Center.

On Tuesday, all sophomores listened to a presentation about the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) and the programs that they have available for students. Attending the Delaware Area Career Center is a great opportunity to earn your elective credits in an area that interests you rather than being forced to pick classes simply because they will fill up your schedule. 

It was interesting to hear about all of the different programs that are available for students to explore. There are many unique experiences and opportunities available that you can explore!

Sophomores – if you are interested in participating in the field trip to the DACC, please be sure to return your permission slip to Mrs. Windisch in the Counseling and Career Center. She will also give you a teacher permission slip that must be completed before you can attend. The field trip is Monday, November 19th.

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.