Good Luck!

Today the Varsity Girls Lacrosse team will compete in the State Final Four Tournament games!  Game time is 5:15 at Thomas Worthington High School and I hope to see many of you there supporting the lady wolves.  Good luck to the entire team, but especially to "my" students who will be competing - (L to R): Maggie Baumgardner, Addy Boyles, Miriam Bassani, and Grace Cameron!

School's Out

Congratulations! You have successfully completed another school year. I hope exams went well and that your grades for the 2nd semester will be strong. Teachers will be in the building tomorrow working on finalizing grades and I will still be working through part of next week. Have I mentioned lately how jealous I am that you get to sleep in and enjoy your summer vacation already? :-)

Words of Wisdom

Over the last few weeks seniors (now graduates) have spent time talking about their thoughts and feelings related to high school.  There was a great deal of similarity in what I have heard from all of you.  I heard often that it was hard to believe how fast the last 4 years had gone.  You are ready to move on to the next stages of your lives and there is excitement about finishing high school, but for many of you there was also a bitter-sweet feeling about leaving your friends and the familiarity of high school behind.

As you spend time over the next few weeks reflecting back on your high school career, please consider passing along some of your words of wisdom.  You have created a positive impression and many of the younger students look up to and admire you.  I'm sure you can remember some of the older students who made an impression on your life and this is your opportunity to pass along the gift of your wisdom to those who will continue in high school.  Let the younger students know what you are glad you did, what you wish you would have done differently, and other suggestions and tips for being successful and making the most of their high school years.  As you share your insights, you may never fully realize the difference that you have made, but you can be sure that your legacy will continue to make a positive impact in the years ahead.

Tomorrow are the last 2 exams for everyone - good luck and please finish strong!

Congratulations Graduates

I love graduation day! It is a celebration of all that you have accomplished - not only in high school, but really from your very first day of Kindergarten. There is such joy and excitement seeing all of you in your caps and gowns. I love to watch as you march in and try to search for your families in the stands and then, of course, watching when you receive your diplomas and are officially high school graduates. There are just so many reasons to smile!

Although I wasn't able to get a picture of each of my students, I wanted to share a few of the pictures that I was able to capture...

(L to R): Alexa Dauphin, Paris Cyrus, Jamie Cosner, Conor Corcoran, Hunter Coldiron, Michael Coen, and Raeshawn Cason

(L to R): Liz Bates, Paul Barrie, Jimmy Barbin and Patrick Archambeau

(Front to Back, Left to Right): Ashly Butler, Brianna Bare, Lea Araya, Justin Anthony, Nick Anderson, Chelsea Brooks, Anna Bright, Hunter Bonvillain, Alexa Dauphin and Paris Cyrus

"My" Graduates with Highest Honors - (L to R): Emily Cantrell, Jenna Boue, Lauren Barnhart, Lindsey Bauer, Naomi Barnhart, and Katie Dyer

(L to R): Justin Anthony, Nick Anderson, Nick Ambrozich, Zach Alexander, Ryan Adolph, Tosin Ademodi and Sarah Adams

(L to R): Lauren Barnhart, Ryan Adolph and Lindsey Bauer

(L to R): Chelsea Brooks, Anna Bright, Hunter Bonvillain, Lexi Bond, Austin Bollinger, Luke Bogatay, Izzy Benzegala, Sean Baumgardner, and Jimmy Barbin and in the row behind them, but making an appearance: Conor Corcoran and Hunter Coldiron

Grace Ellis and Nate Deagle

What an awesome day to celebrate your accomplishments!

Ms. Schwartz was on the other side of the room, but I liked this picture she took as you all tossed your caps into the air as your ceremony concluded.

2 of Kilbourne's most recent alum's - Rosan Eldadah and Katie Dyer

Jimmy Barbin shows off his diploma

And last, but certainly not least, Michael Dillow, a 2013 Hall of Fame Inductee

Congratulations to the entire class of 2013!  I am so proud of you all!

Memorial Day and Exams

I hope that you had a relaxing Memorial Day spending time with your family and friends. I also hope that you had the chance to pause and reflect on the meaning behind this holiday. Today I am 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! 

I also hope that you spent time over the long weekend studying for exams!  My assumption is that you know the exam schedule for the next few days, but if you have misplaced it - check out my post from last week for the exact schedule.  Good luck on your exams tomorrow!

It's Graduation Day!

Congratulations Class of 2013 - today is your day!

In just a few short hours we will be at the Battelle Grand in the Greater Columbus Convention Center for commencement.  If you didn't give your parents the information sheet that was distributed at Friday's practice, please make sure you find it and hand it to them.

One of the most important details that seniors need to remember to pass along to their parents after the rehearsal is which side of the stage you will be on at the commencement ceremony. As a general rule, assuming you are one of my students, you will be on "Stage Right" which means that if you are standing on the stage you are on the right side or, put another way, looking at the stage you will be on the left side. This is the side where you will march into the Battelle Grand and around until you reach your seat on that half of the center aisle as well as the side where you will go up the stairs to receive your diplomas. Trust me, your parents will not be happy if they end up being on the "wrong" side and don't have a good view of your special day.

Don't forget that you need to dress up beneath your cap and gown and that you should be sure that you bring your cap and gown with you to the ceremony.  You need to be there around 3:00 to check in.  

For what it is worth, don't forget to iron your gown - especially if you are just taking it out of the package today.

Perhaps the best recommendation that I can give to you and your families is to pick a place where you will meet up - and more specifically, a place that is NOT near the bottom of the escalator.  I realize that most of you haven't been to the site of today's ceremony, but I can assure you that the most chaotic place to be as soon as the ceremony is over is anywhere near the bottom of the escalator because everyone who attended the graduation ceremony will be trying to leave and coming off the escalator to try to find and meet up with their families and friends.  

It is going to be a great day and I cannot wait to see all of you enjoying and celebrating your accomplishments of the last 4 years at WKHS, but really of your entire educational careers.  Congratulations, I am proud of you!

Baccalaureate

I suspect that it is not a huge surprise to those of you who follow my blog with any level of consistency that any activity or accomplishment that “my” students are a part of is something that brings me great pride and excitement. Reaching the end of the school year and all of the graduation related festivities are among some of the most special moments for high school students and their families.

In my opinion, graduation weekend truly kicks off each year with the Baccalaureate service. Held annually at a local church, this activity is sponsored by the Activity Club and celebrates the accomplishments of the WKHS seniors, honors the impact they have left on the school and community, and wishes the seniors good luck as they move on in life toward the exciting activities and adventures ahead.

As a part of the inspirational service, one of my students, Naomi Barker, put together the photo slide show which was so fun to see.  It is amazing to look at the baby pictures and the pictures of each senior now and think about how far you have come and all you have been through.  Add in the fact that the video was to music and it was a special part of the ceremony.  Additionally, the parents of one of my students, Kelly Baumgardner, (mom of Sean) was the parent speaker and she gave a wonderful and touching talk!  I loved what she shared and wondered how many seniors thought to themselves, "wait, I've heard Miss Abbott use that quote too" when she quoted Steven Furtick about we compare our behind the scenes with other people's highlight reels.  Very true and a wonderful message from a passionate, caring and dedicated mom.

Throughout the service I am confident in saying that I was not alone in thinking of special moments and memories with the seniors and offering up prayers of gratitude for the people you are today and the impact you will make on this world in the future! I wish all of you the best and hope that this was just the start of a wonderful and memorable weekend.

A Letter to "My" Seniors

To “My” Seniors,

Congratulations!  Today was your last day of school and I am so proud of you and all that you have accomplished over the last 4 years.  It was my honor to be able to join you on your journey through high school.  You have grown and changed in so many ways and I cannot wait to see what the future has in store for you. 

For most of you high school has had its share of ups and downs.  I have been so proud as I watched you achieve your goals in the classroom, the athletic fields and creatively through music, theater and art.  I have been encouraged by your strength – the way that you will stand up for what you believe and follow your heart and beliefs.  I have been inspired by your kindness – the way you reach out to encourage, support and care for those around you.  I have been brought to tears alongside you demonstrated courage as you faced difficult days and struggled to find your way through experiences I and many others could barely imagine.  I have been uplifted by your delightful sense of humor – with the stories of daily life that never cease to bring a smile to my face.  I have spent many days shaking my head because your class certainly has an interesting mix of perfectionists and procrastinators.  You excel in areas of interest and passion and you have, unquestionably, left your mark not only at Kilbourne and in the community, but also on my life.

I am grateful for each of you.  You have made me a better person and you provide hope when I think of all you will accomplish in the future.  And so, as you leave high school behind, I hope you will look back on your four years with a sense of accomplishment and pride.  I hope you celebrate your achievements and look forward to the future and the possibility which lies within you.  And I hope that you will always know that you were cared about and have people (like me) who will be here believing in you!

Best wishes for a bright future and please keep in touch!

Congratulations and Good Luck,

Miss Abbott

PS – Tomorrow is graduation rehearsal.  You will need to be at WKHS by 9:00 in the auditorium.  You do NOT need to wear your cap and gown for the practice.  In fact, rehearsal is a relatively boring experience so I would suggest that you bring something quiet to do (read, draw, play on your phone, etc.) while you are waiting.  Ultimately the practice will be worth it though to make sure you have a positive and memorable commencement ceremony on Sunday.

Senior Project

Today, the seniors who participated in Senior Project spent several hours in the commons showcasing their experiences and accomplishments. 7 of the students participating were "my" students including (L to R): Maria Calvert, Katie Dyer, Naomi Barker, Patrick Archambeau, Hannah Vincent, Grace Ellis and Hunter Bonvillain. 

Senior project is a great opportunity for Kilbourne students.  Seniors who elect to participate in senior project spend the last month of their high school career out shadowing and assisting at various career sites.  My students selected a wide range of careers including (among others) fire fighter, defense attorney, marketing/ public relations representative, teacher, and civil engineer. This opportunity allows students the chance to learn more about what a career involves.  This up-close, in depth look at what a job really entails enabled the students to decide if this specific career is what they'd like to pursue in the future.  In talking with the students today some felt that this experience solidified their future plans and others felt it was valuable because it helped them realize that this was not the job they wanted to pursue for the rest of their lives - valuable information either way. It sounded as if they all had meaningful and informative experiences during the month as they spent time in a career field of interest. Congratulations and Great Job on your Senior Projects!

Final Exam Schedule

The countdown is on - final exams will begin in just a few days and another school year will conclude. 20% of your grade will come down to this one test, so it is important to study now so that you will be completely prepared for your exams. Remember, the time you put in now will determine how well you do on your exam, so please take the time to study!

For those of you needing a reminder about the exam schedule:

Tuesday:

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

Wednesday:

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

Thursday:

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

Seniors, I assume you know this already, but your exams begin tomorrow.  Good luck!

Academic Signing Day

This morning nearly 30 WKHS seniors participated in the academic signing day ceremony. Students are given the opportunity to participate 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. This group of students was awarded over 2 million dollars! Congratulations on your accomplishments!

5 of my students were among those honored.  A special congratulations to (L to R): Neil Hedges, Hannah Vincent, Naomi Barker, Emily Cantrell and Lindsey Bauer.  I am so proud of each of you and grateful that I had the opportunity to work with you over the last 4 years!

Arts in Action

Arts in Action is always a fun day for WKHS students.  I hear you all talk about it in much the same way as elementary school kids talk about their end of the year field day fun.  And while it is meant to be fun, it is also a special way to showcase the many talents of the WKHS artists.  Kilbourne is certainly blessed with some amazing artists!  And I appreciate the fact that on Arts in Action day all the various art forms are celebrated and honored.  Throughout the day I was able to capture a few of my students creating art of their own.  Additionally, Nia Brown was recognized as the Top 2-D Kilbourne artist of the year!

 Anne Dargenio painting

 Dallas DeWitt and Jonathan Blake freestyle rapping

 Isabel Bensusan painting

 Jacob Bloom competing in the pottery throwdown competition

 Michael Calvert and Dom Brown (above) and Tori Eger (below) all work on the sand art display

And then my favorite part of the entire Arts in Action day... I guess technically it wasn't artistic, but it was definitely entertaining!  The deans agreed to assist the sophomore class in their fundraising efforts for next year's prom by participating in a competition to raise money.  Mr. Souder lost and Mr. Schirg was able to put a pie in Mr. Souder's face, but then Mr. Schirg graciously allowed a 2nd pie to be put into his face too.  It was very messy, but they were great sports about it and I give them both a ton of credit.  Clearly they would do anything for our students!  Here is one of the pictures I captured.

Also, since I didn't get these pictures up here earlier this weekend there are actually 2 posts today, so if you are a senior, be sure to continue scrolling down and take a look at the senior detail reminders in the next post.

Senior Details

For seniors everything is winding down... well, actually, everything but graduation parties... that circuit is just getting started. :-)

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 4 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. We are covering the fee for this for you, but you need to make sure that the information you turned in on the post-secondary and final transcript form is accurate.  If you are one of my students who has changed their mind (and a few of you have done so), please make sure that you update the college who should be receiving a copy of your transcript.

* 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.

* Submit your Commencement Agreement: If you have not turned in your commencement agreement form, you need to make sure that you get that turned in this week!  It requires both your signature and the signature of your parent.  Completed forms should be turned in to the co-curricular office.  If you can't remember if you turned in your form or not, there is a list posted outside of the co-curricular office that can tell you.

* Make sure you turned in everything else: In addition to paying your fees and submitting your commencement agreement, please double check to make sure you have submitted the other items that will help make your senior year memories special.  There are a few of you who haven't submitted your diploma presenter request forms yet and many who haven't turned in their senior pictures for the yearbook.  Do these things right away so that you are not left out!

* 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! :-)

A Lot of Reading

I have been collecting a lot of links lately and for many of them had the intention of writing individual blog posts related to their topics, but the reality is with the end of the school year approaching, it isn't doing you any good if I keep the list of links to myself.  So, here you go...  Happy Reading!

Targeted Test Practice

College searching tips from an Ivy League dean (video)

What are my chances

What should you do this summer

Columbia University struggles to decide who to admit

Why women should consider a women’s college

Cutbacks = Tuition Increases

How to probe for the right college fit

Should you study with your BFF?

Record your notes for reinforcement

What college majors will match your personality?

Why you need a balanced college list

Insider Information on admissions from the collegesthemselves

What are you willing to get good at?

Playing the wait list game

How “Yield” figures into the admissions equation

The realities of athletic scholarships

9 questions unhappy people never ask

7 positive things you should say today

5 ZZZZZeasons why your teen should put tech devices away at nightand go to sleep

10 tips to prevent cyber-bullying

Getting over SAT and ACT test anxiety

Don’t wait to get off a college waitlist: 10 proactive tips

The college essay – 6 tips to finding your voice andsurviving the process

Before you’re a freshman – learn how to deal with collegestress

What is a holistic admissions policy?

AP Classes – why they matter

No acceptance letters? What now?

Advice for smart students on succeeding in college

Colleges report 2013 acceptance rates

Space Availability Survey Results 2013  (This is a list of colleges who are still accepting applications even though we are beyond the May 1st deadline.)

The odds of a full ride athletic scholarship

7 ways to help teens cope with stress

Advice from a Dean of Admissions on Selecting high school courses

7 Reasons to avoid senioritis

3 Specific ways to reduce anxiety

Advice for students on the wait list

Take 4 steps for scholarship seekers this summer

Inside the room during a college admission decision (video)

Creating a persuasive personal statement

Who reads your college applications anyway?

How to decide between college acceptances

How to demonstrate interest in a college

Stress one-upmanship: Unhealthy competition and how to avoid it

Next time you skip class, consider how much money it’s costing you

Hey, High Schoolers! What are you doing this coming summer?

On College: Admissions for Student Athletes

SAT Tip: How do the ACT and SAT tests differ?

Timing tips for the ACT and SAT

4 ways to make your scholarship essay stand out

Making your campus visit effective

Admissions 101: Learning from your campus tour mistakes

College Admissions: High School classes colleges look for

Tip Sheet: 5 study strategies for the SAT

23 science-backed study tips to ace a test

College Choices: 10 iPhone apps to help manage your college search

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.  29 of "my" kids were among those being recognized tonight. I am proud of all of you and was honored to participate in your evening of well-deserved recognition.

With so many 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 these groups of students who happened to be near one another after the ceremony.  Above (L to R): Grace Ellis, Ryan Adolph, Sarah Adams, Naomi Barker, and Austin Bollinger.  Below (L to R): Hannah Vincent, Sean Baumgardner, and Lindsey Bauer.  

Congratulations to all of the seniors honored tonight!

Spring Cleaning

Another school year is winding down (but it is not over so you still need to apply yourself fully and finish school strong) and the spring weather and upcoming exams are two likely reasons that you may decide to do some "spring cleaning" of your school materials. As you go through your bookbags and homework/ study areas there are a few things to keep in mind. Does your system work for you? Are you able to find everything you want and need without having to search? Do you spend more time organizing and looking for the piece of paper that you know has the answer than you do actually completing the project or assignment? Do you know what you want or need to save for the future? And yes, seniors, I am talking about more than just digging out of your room in case your parents decide to convert your room into a guest bedroom after you go to college... :-)

Keeping your notes organized and any study guides, equation summary sheets, as well as old tests and quizzes in a way that will allow you to pull upon that information in the future is very important. I can tell you that from my experience in college, if I had not saved my notes from calculus in high school then there is no way that I would have passed that class in college! Your notes can often be the most useful resource (assuming you take good notes each day) because you are re-writing the main topics in your own words and organizing the information in a manner that makes sense to you. Old study guides, tests and quizzes are all very useful when trying to study for an upcoming exam.

So, take a little time now to prepare for your upcoming final exams and (for the seniors) for college when you might want or need this information by getting organized today. If you need help with talking about some better strategies for organizing your materials, feel free to stop in and we can talk about some different ideas to see if one of them sounds like it could work for you.

Summer Volunteering & Scholarship

Looking for a great Summer Volunteering opportunity?

iCanBike (formerly called Lose the Training Wheels) will be held on June 3 - 7th at WKHS. This is a week long opportunity for campers with disabilities to learn to ride two-wheeled bikes. Students who have volunteered in the past have shared how fun and rewarding this experience has been for them as well as for the campers who are learning to ride their bikes. Students interested in volunteering should register online at http://icanbikecbusvol.eventbrite.com or call 614-314-1834 with questions.

Additionally, JA BizTown has a unique volunteer opportunity this summer. There will be two weeks of Summer Camp, June 10-14 and June 17-21. High school students can serve as junior counselors for the camp. Each volunteer will work from 9 - 3 all 5 days of their assigned camp. The junior counselors will be assigned a small group of kids to work with for the week learning about the importance of financial literacy. Kids "design a town", interview for jobs, work on business ideas and preparation, then work in our "town" for two days of each camp.

Their website is www.jacols.org and the summer camp information is on this page: http://jacols.org/ja_biztown/ja_biztown_summer_camp

Interested volunteers may contact Mr. Crozier at pcrozier@jacols.org.

Also, seniors, there is still time for 1 more local scholarship - the Insight Bank Scholarship!  Students with a 3.0 GPA or higher who will be attending college full time at a school in Ohio and majoring in business, banking, or finance are eligible.  The submission deadline is no later than next Wednesday and as of today there were no applicants.  Don't miss out on this $1,000 scholarship opportunity!

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 on the WKHS Counselor Website. If you are interested in learning about the opportunities available, check out the link on the left for "Summer Camp Opportunities" and you can also find it in the Upcoming Events area. 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! :-)

Credit Flexibility

I want to start off with a disclaimer… this post is going to give you a broad overview of Credit Flexibility, but it will, in no way, provide all of the information or details about the Worthington Schools Credit Flexibility program. The entire plan is 27 pages long and can be found here. The development of this plan has taken over a year and there are a lot of different aspects so if you have any questions, please don’t hesitate to let me know. If I don’t know the answer I will certainly work to find out for you.

As you know, you must earn credits in order to graduate from high school. Typically, you sit through a semester of classwork taught by a teacher and earn ½ a credit when you pass the class. This traditional format can be called “seat time” credit. The simplest way that I can explain credit flexibility is that it is any other way a student earns high school credit other than the traditional seat time credit option. So, for example, a student can develop an independent study project for credit, a student can demonstrate proficiency of a course material by completing an end of course test, project, or combination of test and project, or a student can elect to complete a course through some other program such as online or through a correspondence course.

Demonstration of Proficiency is the first category for credit flexibility. This is basically a way for students to declare that they already have proficiency or understanding of the course content and objectives and that they will demonstrate that proficiency. Each department was required to go through all of the courses offered and determine if it could be assessed through a one time test, through a test plus some type of performance or if it must be through performance alone. For example, a math course likely falls in the test only category. So, a student who wants to demonstrate that they are proficient in Algebra 2, for example, would complete a credit flex application indicating that he/ she would be demonstrating proficiency in Algebra 2. The tests will then be administered on designated dates 3 times each year and the student would complete the test on the date he/ she had selected. Whatever grade he/ she earned would be reflected on the student’s transcript. A course that is test plus performance might be a Chemistry class where the student would complete the test for the course, but also have to demonstrate that he/ she had knowledge of how to complete some lab elements fundamental to the course curriculum. A performance only option might be a theater course where the student would perform in various plays and programs and earn his/ her credit in that manner.

Educational Options is the second category for credit flexibility. This would be any student designed project or program to earn credit in some area of interest. The most common way that I see this option being used is with independent study programs. One of the neat aspects of this category is that it does not have to be for a course that is already in existence. So, if a student has a passion for underwater basket-weaving and can demonstrate how he/ she will study and develop this area of learning and how it will meet various learning targets then it could be possible for the student to earn high school credit for this area of study.

All of the other aspects of earning credit would also be classified as educational options. Courses that are designed, developed and accredited, but provided by a source outside of the traditional Worthington Schools option would be examples. This includes courses that are completed through Post-Secondary Enrollment Options, online courses, and correspondence courses.  These credits are transfer credits as another educational provider serves as your official teacher of record.

If you are interested in completing a course through Credit Flexibility, you must complete an application to have it approved before starting your work. The application is available on the district website.  (It is a form, so you will be able to type directly into the application and then print out the completed application to submit for approval signatures.

There are a lot of students for whom credit flexibility will be a great option. Please be cautious though because each attempt you take to complete a course through credit flexibility will be reflected on your transcript. As always, if you have any questions, please feel free to stop by and I will do my best to answer them for you.  (We also have several pages of information related to credit flexibility on the WKHS Counselor site in the Academic Options section.)

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is national Teacher Appreciation Week!  WKHS is blessed to have a staff of incredible teachers who are committed to their student's success - not only in the classroom, but also in life.  I can think of so many examples of teachers going the extra mile to help students.  They are often found: spending time before or after school reviewing material with students, cheering on kids at concerts and games, responding to e-mails and text messages on evenings and weekends to clarify questions, developing exciting and engaging learning experiences, writing beautiful recommendation letters, listening to a student who needs to talk after a bad day, and countless other examples that make an impact in ways big and small.

Thinking about all of our awesome teachers also led me to think about the educators I encountered in my life who made a positive impact.  In no way could I thank them all because, quite honestly, I had amazing teachers who made me love learning, but I decided that in honor of teacher appreciation week I would send notes to a few of them.  Ultimately I picked 4 people who I had as teachers in middle school or high school and wrote them each a note that I sent today.  I'm fairly confident that 2 of them will remember who I am since I have seen and talked to them since I graduated from high school.  The other 2 are far less likely to remember me and I am 100% ok with that.  My note wasn't about them remembering me, but rather making sure that they knew that what they taught me, the care that they showed, and the impact they had on my life was long lasting.

It's been a LONG time since I was in high school and I wish I wouldn't have waited so long to tell them how grateful I am for their role in my life.  I hope that this week you will take a moment to simply say thanks to one of the teachers at Kilbourne who has had a positive impact on your life.  You never know - maybe your kind words to them will stay with them for years to come.