Trick or Treat

Happy Halloween! I don't know if it is just me, but Halloween isn't nearly as much fun as it would be if there were little kids around.  In spite of the bad weather, I hope you were able to make some little kids really happy as you passed out candy to them and complimented their costumes. 

These pictures are of my niece and nephews in their halloween costumes for this year.

Above:  Brady is a Dalmatian puppy and Carly is Cruella De Vil.  (It is hard to believe how big Brady is when I think that he was not even 2 weeks old on Halloween last year!)  Below:  Colton is a Fighter Pilot

I know that I am biased, but I think they are too cute!

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. There is a great deal of flexibility though as students reach their junior and senior years. One of those options includes the possibility of attending the Delaware Area Career Center.

Today during English classes, all sophomores listened to a presentation about the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) and the programs they have available for students. This is a great opportunity to earn your elective credits in an area that interests you rather than taking electives that you are selecting simply because they will fill up your schedule. One of my students, Natalie Berg, did a great job as one of the student ambassadors who spoke during the presentation.

It was interesting to hear about all of the different programs that are available for students to explore. There are some unique experiences and opportunities available that can really stand out to colleges. If you are interested in participating in the field trip to the DACC, please be sure to return your permission slip to the counseling center right away.  (They ideally want your permission slips by Friday, but at the very least it must be back no later than November 8th.)  The field trip is scheduled for Friday, November 22nd.

Junior Student & Parent College Information Night

On Monday, November 4th the WKHS Counseling department will be hosting a Junior Student and Parent College Information Night. Over the last few years, this program has received some of the best feedback out of all of the information nights we host. The students and parents who attended this meeting in the past have expressed how much this helped them get started and move forward with the college search process and developed a better understanding of what to expect along the way. The meeting is at 7:00pm in the auditorium. I hope you will plan to attend! And yes, I want you to bring your parents to this meeting and no, I don't want you to just send your parents instead... this is YOUR future and you are responsible for deciding what direction you will take.

By the way, the bands did an outstanding job tonight at the concert.  Congratulations on a great evening!

Career Dreams

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

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

So, while I am not asking you to abandon your dreams of fame and fortune as the professional athlete, superhero, or entertainer, I am asking you to start thinking seriously about what will make you happy, what is important to you, and how a career can help meet your needs and goals in life. 

Late Start Reminder

Just a last minute reminder that tomorrow is a late-start day.  This means that classes will begin at 9:10
instead of 7:45.  The reason for tomorrow's late start is that it is a chance for your teachers to work on finalizing your first quarter grades and all teachers must have grades submitted and updated on Infinite Campus by noon on Wednesday.  I don't know about you, but it is still hard for me to believe that we have already reached the start of the 2nd quarter!

Also, I am hoping that I see a LOT of my seniors tomorrow morning for the college application completion workshop!  While some students are ahead of the game in that they have already applied to college and a few have even heard back from their schools of choice, most are not finished with applications.  Obviously, it is still early, but you should be working on your applications now!  If you haven't started yet, tomorrow will be the perfect opportunity to get started.  If you have already started, bring your materials with you and join us in the computer lab to work on your applications.  It will be a productive way to start your day!

Activities

At WKHS you are blessed to have a wide range of activities from which you can choose to be involved with based upon your interests. Whether it is athletics, musical groups, theater, clubs, or community service outreach opportunities, every student can find a place where they can contribute and belong. And, in the off chance that there is not a group that you are interested in, it is also possible that you can work with a staff member to establish your own group.  

If you would like to see a list of all of the opportunities that already exist, stop by the Athletics Office.  They also have interest forms that you can complete and leave for the advisor of the club that you would like to join so that they can help connect you with information about upcoming meetings and opportunities.

Sometimes students or parents will talk about their belief that colleges want to see students who are involved in a ton of activities. What is more important than just being a part of a lot of activities is that students find areas of passion and pursue those areas with focus and long term dedication.

As you are considering your areas of involvement and how you can get involved, please remember that it is far more important that you are involved because it is meaningful to you rather than because it will "look good" on a college application!

Technology Survey

Technology is such an integral part of our lives.  I cannot imagine living without my computer (even though I remember when we received our first computer for Christmas - yes, I am old) and it makes me crazy whenever something is happening and technology isn't working the way I think it should.  Perhaps you know the feeling?

Over the weekend we received an e-mail asking all staff members to complete a technology survey to help guide the district's decision making for future improvements.  There are also student and parent surveys that they are hoping people will complete.  My plan was to write up a full blog post explaining this in detail and giving links to the surveys, but Dr. Bowers, the Assistant Superintendent, writes a blog called Exponential Impact and he beat me to it, so I am cheating...  :-)

Here is a link to his blog post and I hope that you will read more about the surveys, their purpose, and then take a few minutes of your time to share your thoughts and feelings.  As students and parents, you have the most critical voice and opinion to share - please help them by completing the survey - it didn't take long.  Thanks!

Happy 1st Birthday

I am confident that anyone who has stepped foot in my office has noticed all of the pictures I have around the room of my niece, Carly, and my nephews, Colton and Brady.  They are awesome kids and I adore them!

This past weekend I was able to spend time in Kentucky to celebrate Brady's first birthday!  He is a sweet, but wild man - he has been walking for 2 months already (I think because he wanted to keep up with his older brother and sister) and he likes to try to do things by himself.

I can still vividly remember when my sister and her family all called together to tell me that they were having another baby - I definitely didn't believe them!  Granted, they were calling to tell me the big news on April Fools Day so I thought they were just trying to fool me, but Brady was no joke and we cannot imagine life without him.

He has amazing blue eyes and a smile that melts my heart.  It is hard to believe he is already one!  Time sure does fly!  Happy Birthday Brady!

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up soon.  Conferences will be held on Monday, November 4^th from 5:00 - 8:40pm and on Thursday, November 7^th from 3:30pm – 7:10pm.  Each conference will be scheduled in 20 minute time blocks.  Conferences allow parents the chance to learn about your student’s classroom performance from the teachers, it allows the opportunity for you to ask questions and they provide an opportunity to build a dialogue with the teachers regarding thoughts and concerns you might have.

Parents, if you are interested in arranging to meet with one of your son or daughter’s teachers during conferences, the online system is now up and running for you to register for a meeting time.  Conferences will be scheduled as people sign up for them, so if you want to make sure you have times that work well for you, I strongly encourage you to register right away.  

Please follow the steps below to register for a parent/ teacher conference:

-  Go to http://ptcfast.com/schools/Worthington_Kilbourne_High_School.  This will take you to the conference scheduler.

-  Click on the teacher you would like to meet with for a conference.

-  Sign up by entering your child's last name, first name, your name and your e-mail address and then click Submit.

-  The next screen will direct you to check your e-mail inbox for a message with the subject "Select Date/ Team for Teacher Conference Now."

-  Open the e-mail and click on the link to select a conference time.  If you do not receive an e-mail, please check your junk/ spam folder.  Please note, you MUST follow the link in the e-mail in order to complete the sign-up process.

-  The link will take you to a Time Picker.  Available time slots will appear on this page.  If there are no available appointments that suit your schedule, please e-mail the teacher directly to set up an alternate meeting time.

-  After submitting your time slot, you will be prompted to finish, schedule another appointment for the same student or register another student.  Once you have completed your reservations, you will receive an e-mail confirming the date and time of your conferences and a link by which you can make changes to your date or time if you need to do so.

If you have any problems using the online conference registration system, please contact Julie Hammond at WKHS.  She can be reached by e-mail at jhammond@worthington.k12.oh.us or by phone at 450-6498.

Also, junior students and parents, don't forget that Monday, November 4th at 7:00pm is the Junior Student and Parent College Night.  We schedule this meeting on conference night to try to help parents minimize the number of nights that you have to be at school, so if you'd like to take advantage of both opportunities on the same night, simply select teacher conferences before 7 and then come and attend the college night in the auditorium.

Homecoming

This was a fun week of Homecoming festivities and it will be topped off tonight with the dance.

A special congratulations to my students who were chosen as a part of the coming court (L to R): Brittany Ayers (Junior Attendant), Bryn Caswell (Homecoming Queen), and Bailey Andrews (Sophomore Attendant).

Have fun today as you get all dressed up and I hope you enjoy the pictures, dinner and the dance.  Most of all, please stay safe and make good choices!

Oh The Places You'll Go

Are you spending today's day off making a college visit?  I know that there were quite a few of my students who were planning to explore campuses during the long weekend and so I wanted to remind you that I would like you to take a picture on every college campus you step foot on.  It doesn't matter to me if it was for vacation or for an official visit - because each impression helps to shape your view of what you want and expect from a college. 

I have been begging for pictures for a long and continue to hear reports of more students with pictures that they just haven't dropped off yet so I am looking forward to seeing who else will bring us pictures in the days, weeks, and months ahead. Each picture you have submitted already has been exciting and for those of you who are planning college visits, I hope you will take a moment to capture a picture of you somewhere on the college campus. As a reminder, the picture can be anywhere at the college - a pretty place, in front of a cool building or an area where you expect to spend a lot of time, or, as seems to be the biggest hit - in front of a sign featuring the name of the college.

I appreciate everyone who has helped with taking pictures to make this display possible. A couple of acknowledgements...

I cannot remember for sure, but I believe the first picture received from this year's class was from Gabrielle Dendinger on a trip to Bowling Green State University.

The most pictures received ended up coming from Lauren Hedges who brought in pictures from 4 colleges - UNC Wilmington, UNC Charlotte, North Carolina State, and East Carolina.

Michael Chambers brought in a picture from a school the greatest distance away from WKHS with his action shot at New Mexico State.

Thank you also to Erin Dieringer, Joey Cipicchio, Danny Darby, Addy Boyles, Sarah Ahrens and the group of students who took a picture at CSCC who have already given me pictures - I appreciate it very much!

There Is No Better Time

As we head into the long weekend, I am reminded of a phrase that Mr. Cooke (an English teacher who is now at TWHS) used to say often to his students - There is no better time.  He is right.  There is no better time!

It is normal to tell ourselves that we will do an assignment, write an essay, or clean up our room later.  I suspect you are like me in telling yourself things like, "I have a lot of work to do tonight, I will work on it tomorrow" or "It's the weekend, I deserve to relax today, I will work on it tomorrow" or "It's for school, I will wait and do it during the week."  Whatever the phrases that you tell yourself, I encourage you to pause and really see this for what it is - a procrastination strategy.

Believe me, I do understand that this is common.  Unfortunately, I am seeing a great deal of it right now with students who need to be working on their college applications and especially with drafting their essays.  It becomes so easy to think that you will work on the essay tomorrow or next weekend, but there really is no better time.  The moment when you have right now is the best time to begin working on your application.  Something else will always come up - a paper, more homework, something fun that you want to do with your friends, spending time with your family, sleeping, and the list goes on and on.

So, this weekend, while you have the extra time, please use it productively.  There is no better time than now.  Enjoy the long weekend, but try to enjoy it by making today productive.  It will be worth it in the long run!

College Application Workshop

It may seem scary how fast time flies and that college application deadlines are rapidly approaching.  I don't want you to be haunted by your applications!  Even though it may still be dark outside, on Monday, October 28th, from 7:45 - 9:10am, the counselors will be in the computer lab to assist you.  (This is during the late start time.)  The most important trick is to bring your information with you.  Sometimes the essays may seem spooky and common app can be ghastly, but do not be afraid - the counselors are here to help.  No costumes are required, but we will have some treats.  You don't want to boo hoo because you miss it.  :-)

Students are in very different places in their application process.  Some of you still haven't started and so this will be a great opportunity for you to get started with your applications with our support and assistance.  Most of you have started, but are struggling to get finished and so if you are needing help finalizing your essays or just finding the time to be able to work through your application and get it finished, this is the perfect opportunity to complete your applications.

While I understand that sleeping in is very appealing, the reality is that you are already used to getting up and coming to school in the morning.  By spending a few hours on focused application work, I am confident you will find the progress you make on your applications worth the sacrifice.  So, unless you have finished 100% of your applications, I hope you will join me and the rest of the counselors in the computer labs on Monday the 28th during the late start time to work on finishing them!

Good luck on the PSAT and PLAN Tests

As you are aware, tomorrow is the PSAT and PLAN testing day. I thought it might help if I gave you a few reminders.

You will need to bring your student id card with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch.

If you are taking the PSAT, you will report directly to the gymnasiums when you arrive to school.  If you are taking the PLAN test, you will go to your 1st through 3rd period classes then you will eat your lunch quickly 4th period before checking in at the gymnasium for the test. Check in begins at 10:50am and you will test for the remainder of the day. 

As with any test, don't forget to get a good night sleep, eat breakfast, and dress in layers as the room can seem hot or cold randomly. You will not be allowed to have your cell phone with you at your desk nor can you have your bookbag, so I'd strongly suggest leaving all of your personal items aside from your pencils, calculator, student id and watch in your locker.

Good luck on the tests!

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 early action or 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 1st, 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 tomorrow!

Don't forget, it also takes us time at WKHS to process all of the applications so you need to allow plenty of time to turn your application around and get it back to the college. Most schools hold firm to the requirement that their deadline doesn't just mean that the application has been received by that date, but that all supporting documentation is also in their hands by that particular date. This means that they also need to have your transcript, recommendation letters and official ACT/ SAT test scores prior to the deadline date. All the more reason to watch this closely and give us plenty of time to get your materials to the college.

I have also recently noticed one issue with some students and recommendation letters related to common app.  I have some students who are applying to colleges through common app with November 1st deadlines and have a teacher recommendation letter for those applications, but they also plan on applying to other schools with a January 1st deadline that require a counselor recommendation letter.  These students were planning to wait to give me their forms for their recommendation letter until later which would normally make sense because the rule of thumb is 30 days, but the way the common application system is set up the area where I submit your school forms and transcript is the same area where I submit your recommendation letter for those schools which require them.  Just like with your general common app section, the counselor and teachers all submit our information one time and then it goes to all of the schools which you designate.  This creates difficulty in that if you require a counselor recommendation letter for ANY of the colleges where you are applying, then I need to write it and include it with the school report section at the same time as I submit information for your first college deadline.

If you are having trouble figuring out the deadlines or in understanding the recommendation letter timelines, stop down to see me and we can look it up together.

Homecoming Week

This week is Homecoming Week! It is full of a variety of festivities and activities to celebrate and honor the tradition and experiences of high school at WKHS.

Here are some of the highlights:

- Windows are painted in the commons - they look great! Congratulations to everyone who worked so hard to design and create the masterpieces.

-  There are unique themes for spirit week.  Monday is Superhero day, Tuesday is Pajama day, Wednesday is Preppy day, and Thursday is America day.

- There will be a bonfire at 7:30pm on Wednesday night behind the school where the Homecoming attendants for grades 9 - 11 are announced and the senior king and queen candidates are reduced to 3 each.  (Good luck to all of my students who are among the nominees: Lauren Anderson, Abby Eymann, Abby Souder, Christo Boudreault, Bailey Andrews, Katy Beth Crider, Brittany Ayers, Martina Cuneo, Dom Brown, Bryn Caswell, and Danny Darby.)

- On Thursday there will be an afternoon assembly in the Main Gym where the Homecoming King and Queen will be crowned. 

-  The football game is at 7:30pm on Friday night.  (And although it isn't for homecoming, I suspect that you're already well aware that we don't have school on Friday so you get to enjoy a long weekend.)  :-)

- Saturday is the Homecoming Dance from 8:00 - 11:00pm.  (Please be safe and have fun!)

Enjoy this week's festivities!

E-mail Update

I hope you are enjoying the weekend.  As you know, I typically check my school email every day - including weekends. But I wanted to let you know that the school e-mail is down this weekend. I'm hopeful that it will be back up tomorrow evening or at least by Monday. Thanks for being patient.

I did get a few questions yesterday from students and parents about signing up for the PSAT and PLAN tests. If you missed the deadline of last Friday, we will still accept your registration but please be sure to sign up first thing on Monday.

What do you want to be when you grow up?

How many times have people (including me) asked you what you want to be when you grow up? I often see many students stare back in a look of pure panic because they really don't have any idea what they would like to do when they are out in the "real world." Don't worry! It is normal to be uncertain of what career you will spend the rest of your life pursuing, but it is helpful for you to start exploring different career fields and considering different jobs that might be a good fit with your strengths, needs, and interests.

If you are among those students who are at a loss and wouldn't even know a broad area that you might be interested in considering for your future, perhaps it would be worth your time to take a Career Interest Inventory.

The Ohio Career Information System (OCIS) has an online assessment that the district provides access to for WKHS students. You will need to know the username: Worthington and password: ohiocis03

Here are a few other sites with career related information that you can explore:

Occupational Outlook Handbook: The Occupational Outlook Handbook is a nationally recognized source of career information, designed to provide valuable assistance to individuals making decisions about their future work lives. The Handbook is revised every two years.

O*Net (Occupational Information Network): source providing comprehensive information on key attributes and characteristics of workers and occupations. This site also includes a Skills Search section for students to complete as a self-assessment.

Enjoy exploring these different sites and learning about careers and opportunities available in your future!

And, on a totally different note, tomorrow Erica Chen will be competing in the District Tennis Tournament.  Good luck Erica!

College Admissions Interviews

Some colleges will require or strongly encourage all prospective students to participate in an interview with an admissions counselor or an alumni representative as a component of the application process. If you are looking at a school which requires an interview – don’t panic!

It is important to relax and be yourself. This is your opportunity to shine. Display your personality and allow your interests and passions to be expressed.

In addition to answering their questions, don’t be afraid to ask any questions you have about the school. Be sure to complete some research ahead of time so that you are not asking questions you easily could have found by visiting their website.

If there is anything about yourself that you want to be sure that the admissions representatives understand – unique circumstances, experiences, or special traits that they might not ask about don’t hesitate to offer up this information. This is your one opportunity to actually discuss these areas with a real person. By bringing up these topics, it may spur them to ask additional questions that you will be able to answer.

And, hopefully it goes without saying, but remember that first impressions are important – so be polite, smile, dress appropriately and arrive on time for your interview!

Learning Free-For-All

What are you doing this weekend?  On Saturday, October 12th, Columbus State is providing a Columbus State Day event available to students and families and it is all free.

There have been so many times in the past when students have come in after making college visits excited about all of the different classes that are offered at the college level that they are interested in taking in addition to the major.  Unfortunately, a lot of those same students end up going through their college years without ever ending up being able to take classes in areas of interest.  By participating in this day you will have the chance to explore more than 80 classes and presentations for every age and interest.  It will give you a glimpse of college opportunities and be fun too.

Classes are taught by faculty and staff experts at Columbus State.
• Free 45-minute classes
• Free “how-to” presentations
• Free demos—many for children
• Free health screenings
• Free brain-bending activities
• Free safety tips
• A free transformational keynote speech
• And free stuff

Here is a sampling of the courses being offered:
- The Elevator Pitch: Sell Anything in 40 seconds
- Game ON: Video Game Art & Animation
- Stress Busting for Busy Lives
- Caring for Your Furry Companions
- Kiss Your Bad Habit Goodbye
- Your Foolish Brain: Make Better Decisions
- The 411 on Auto Safety Systems
- What’s the Deal with Casino Math?
- 50 Shades of Green: A Half Century of  Environmental Progress
- Take Your Photos from Point ‘n’ Shoot to Professional
- Positive Parenting
- Fun with Flash Fiction
- Hunting Bigfoot
- Using Photoshop Like a Pro
- Punked—by Your Own Brain!
- Smart Ways to Fix Leaky Pipes
- How to Have Great Dates by Being One
- Back to Byzantium: An Immersion Excursion
- Exploring Your Political Personality
- Polymers R Us or Fun with Flubber
- Is the Stock Market Easy Money or Risky Business?
- Harnessing the Power of Your iPad
- What Your Body “Says” about Energy Drinks
- Stage Fighting without Stage Fright
- Serial Murder: Separating Fact from Fiction
- Buy Locally, Think Globally
- Preserving a Cherished Family Story
- Chromatography: The Science of Red M & Ms and Blue Markers
- Shooting Home Videos Others Will Actually Want to Watch

It seems like there is something everyone might be interested in learning more about being offered during the day.  The Keynote Speaker is Dr. Shane Lopez, author of "Making Hope Happen".  Shane Lopez, Ph.D., is the world’s leading expert on hope – how to create it, use it, and share it.

To register for this free learning event or to learn more about the opportunities available, please visit: http://www.cscc.edu/community/cs-day/

PSAT and PLAN Update

Don't forget - this week you can register for the PSAT ($15) and/ or the PLAN ($12) tests by stopping by the counseling center to see Mrs. Focht.  You don't need any forms - just your cash or check and she will get you signed up.

I know that having both the PSAT and PLAN test on Wednesday have created some questions for students...

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

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

If you are one of the students who love testing so much that you have elected to take both the PLAN and PSAT, you will test 1st through 3rd, have a quick break for lunch, report back to the gym and test again for the remainder of the day.  :-)

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

Also, just a quick FYI - I will be out of the building all day tomorrow, but will be back for the rest of the week.  As always, please see another counselor if it is an emergency otherwise please plan to stop by on Wednesday instead.

Students of the Month

Last Friday morning was a ceremony to honor the October Students of the Month. The recognition as a Student of the Month can only be earned once during a student's high school career. 8 of the students selected for this month's recognition were "my" students.

Congratulations to (pictured left to right): Front Row - Grayson Brown, Michelle Ding, Elizabeth Findell, and Ben Delay and Back Row - Courtney Fisher, Jacob Bloom, and Michael Chambers.  Also recognized, but not pictured - Keegan Flaherty.  I am proud of you all!

Picture Re-Takes

Smile and Say Cheese!  Just a quick reminder that picture re-takes will be held this Thursday, October 3rd.
 Any students who have not yet had their picture taken or who would like to have their picture re-taken, should plan on having that completed Thursday.  They will be taking pictures in the auditorium during all 4 lunch periods so you will just have to take a few minutes out from your lunch to go and have your picture taken.