Happy New Year!

Have you missed me on here?  I have been enjoying the winter break and haven't been on my computer.  I wanted to pop on here really fast to wish you a happy new year!  I hope you have been having a wonderful and relaxing break.  It's hard to believe we are back to school the day after tomorrow... I'm looking forward to hearing all about your break.

As 2013 comes to a close, I hope you will look back with pride over your accomplishments from the past year and look forward to the future with hope and possibility. Tonight, as you are celebrating the new year, please remember to stay safe and be smart!

Winter Break

Hooray! We reached winter break! I don't know about you, but it seems like the last few weeks have been a major sprint - especially with exams being held before break.  You made it through and now I hope you will be able to relax and enjoy the upcoming days off.

I wish you the best during the holidays and hope that you enjoy the time with your family.  If you will be travelling, please stay safe. Also, I wanted to let you know that I will not be blogging as consistently over break as this is a vacation for me too. :-)

I'll be looking forward to hearing all about your holiday fun after we get back to school. Again, have a great break!

PSAT and PLAN Test Results

Your scores have arrived! Any 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 during your lunch period or before or after school from the secretaries at the front of the counseling center. 

The score sheets have a lot of useful information and tips for understanding your scores as well as the information and links that we have available on the counselor website -http://www.wkhscounselors.com/. 

If you have questions about your scores, I invite you and your parents to attend an Understanding your Results Workshop during the late start time on Monday, January 6th from 7:45 - 9:00am.  This will provide a great chance to develop a better understanding for what your results can tell you.

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 Anxiety

How did the first day of exams go? Were you feeling anxious? Test Anxiety can be common for students - especially with exams since they have such a significant influence on your semester grades. The best strategy to prevent test anxiety is being prepared. It is much more likely that you will be anxious and struggle with feeling overwhelmed if you have not adequately studied and prepared for the test. Unfortunately, for some students, you can be well-prepared, but still struggle with anxiety.

There are a wide range of strategies you can use to help deal with anxiety:

- Recent research has indicated that spending several minutes before a test to write about your feelings will help decrease test anxiety and improve test scores. The University of Chicago researchers “believe worrying competes for computing power in the brain’s ‘working,’ or short-term memory.”

- Practice putting yourself in testing situations when studying. The more you get used to the experience and feelings of testing the less anxious you will feel when in the actual test.

- Just before the test, avoid talking about the test material with your friends. Chances are fixating on the test material and talking about it with your friends right before the test will only make you more anxious.

- Approach the test with a positive attitude. Don’t go into the test expecting the worst to happen. You can remind yourself that you have studied and know the material.

- Avoid distractions so that you can focus on the test and not on what other students are doing. Do not compare yourself with others and how they are doing on the test.

- Take a deep breath, relax, and do the best you can.

I should also mention that smart testing strategies like getting a good night of sleep, eating breakfast, having all of your required materials (pen, pencil, calculator, scratch paper, etc), getting regular exercise, and giving yourself plenty of time to get to your test on time will also benefit you as a whole and in testing situations.

Good luck in the next two days of exams!

Good Luck on Exams!

I just wanted to wish all of you good luck on your exams tomorrow (and the rest of the week.) Good luck with your last minute studying, get a good night's sleep and then tomorrow, relax, eat a good breakfast, take a deep breath and do your best on each exam!  

Remember, you don't have to be THE best, as long as you do YOUR best!

As always, I will be anxious to hear how things go for you on your exams - so stop in and say hi to share an update (and, of course, you can pick up a piece of candy too.) :-)

Holiday Assembly

As you know, today was the annual holiday assembly.  Many of my students showcased their leadership and talents as a part of the ceremony.

Lauren Hedges and Danny Darby helped lead assembly and shared feedback from some of the people who received gifts as well as those who delivered them.  It was incredible to hear that our student body raised nearly $7,000 to help make the holidays a little brighter for some of the families in our community.

Joey Ambrozich and Charlie Cox were a part of the jazz band which performed.

Bailey Andrews, Michelle Borchers, Grayson Brown and Emily Dyer sang two songs with Encore.

Josh Blake (who had a solo), Steven Borchers, and Alex Brothers performed as a part of Acafellas.

And last, but not least, Maggie Barrie wrote and directed the video which included Andy Cook and Bryn Caswell.

Today was a wonderful celebration of your generosity and the positive impact you are making in the school and community.  I am so proud to work with you all!

Tomorrow's Schedule

We have a VERY different schedule than normal tomorrow.  It is a late start day so you get to sleep in a little more.  Classes will start at 9:10.  And then because of exams, the annual holiday assembly will be held tomorrow instead of the last day before break.  It should be a great way to kick off the last school week of 2013.

Here is the breakdown for the day:

Period 1 - 9:10 - 9:40

Period 2 - 9:45 - 10:15

Period 3 - 10:20 - 12:10  (Students will be divided to spend 1/2 of the time in class and 1/2 in the assembly)

Period 4 - 12:15 - 12:45

Period 5 - 12:50 - 1:20

Period 6 - 1:25 - 1:55

Period 7 - 2:00 - 2:30

Period 8 - 2:35 - 3:05

I hope you have been studying this weekend and are feeling confident for your upcoming exams.

Balance Hope and Expectations

Over the next few days many students from across the country (and at WKHS) who had applied to colleges under the Early Decision and Early Action plans will be receiving their admissions decisions. This can be both very stressful and very exciting so I wanted to remind you that it is important to find a balance between hopes and expectations. Not only is this important when you are waiting for your own admissions decisions, but it is also essential that you keep in mind that your friends are facing the same worries. While it is normal to be curious to find out if someone in your class was accepted to a particular college, please remember that it could be very hard for your friend to announce to everyone that they had not been accepted. As a general rule, allow your friends and classmates to inform you of their admissions decisions on their own. Trust me, if they receive acceptances they are going to share the good news in their own time.

Studying For Exams

Studying for exams can be daunting - especially because sometimes you don't know *how*to study. And, while, the weekend before exams isn't the ideal time to figure out what study strategies tend to work best for you, it is better late than never. The one lesson that I have learned (from both experience and from other students) is that just reading your notes is NOT studying. You really need to be doing something in order to effectively study for exams. And yes, I am aware that for some of you and for some classes reading through your notes is sufficient, but in general as you sit there reading your notes it is common for your mind to wander. Then, as you are taking the test, you realize that all of the information you thought you knew was actually just familiar.

So, perhaps in addition to reading through your notes you could try some other ideas. Here are some examples, but again, it is about finding a strategy that will work for you. Remember, this will be different for each student and, typically, it also varies by different subject areas.

Re-write or type your notes instead of just reading them.

Make flashcards and review the content.

Have someone else question you from your notes, study guide, or text book.

Another great strategy is to go through and review your old tests - paying particular attention to questions that you answered incorrectly.

Make your own practice tests. You can use homework questions, sample problems from your classroom notes, or questions from your book or tests and put them together into one test just like your teacher would do. Give yourself a day or two away from looking at it (or at least a few hours of working on a different subject) and then go back and put yourself into a similar test environment and take the test. Practice going straight through the whole test without a break, without distractions, and without stopping to look at your notes or book just as you will have to do in the actual exam. When you have completed the test, check your answers and see how you did. You can then identify areas where you need more practice and review. It may also help you identify concepts that you need to seek help from your teachers or academic assistants on to help make sure you better understand the material.

Spending time reviewing old homework assignments and worksheets and working through the study guides your teachers provided (if they gave you one) is also an effective strategy.

It can be very helpful to enhance your notes by adding supplemental information such as what you have learned in the textbook or on other assignment sheets.

Create a concept map to help illustrate how all the points are connected and what areas are different or unique.

Another helpful strategy is to teach someone else. Sometimes this involves teaching a fellow student who is struggling to grasp the concepts, but it can just as easily be your parents, siblings, or a grandparent. By having to explain the information you know, you are reinforcing the concepts in your own mind and seeking useful ways to help someone else to understand the information and why it matters.

Try to recall as much information from memory as possible. So, think back on the class and try to remember all of the key points and pieces of information that you think you are going to have to know for the test and write them all down. Then compare that list to what you actually are responsible for knowing. What information did you forget about completely? What areas were you unable to recall enough information details? Briefly review that information and then move on to studying for another subject and then later come back and try to recall everything that you will need to know again. Were you able to do better this time? This strategy is effective because it forces you to figure out what you can recall at a certain time - just as you will have to do on your exams.

And last, but certainly not least, take advantage of the opportunity to seek extra help from your teachers. Some teachers offer review sessions, others will meet with students individually or in small groups to answer questions. And other teachers are willing to respond to e-mails to help clarify questions you might have. Remember, they know what is on the test (they created it!) and so they are your best resources for help, yet the work must be done by you to make certain that you truly know the concepts being covered in class.

Good luck and happy studying!

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.

And, for those of you who are still preparing for college admissions tests, below are articles about the ACT and SAT.

Should you take the ACT or SAT?

Avoid running out of time on the SAT, ACT

Break through an ACT or SAT Test Score Plateau

How to choose between taking the ACT/ SAT

Ace the ACT with Tailored Test Prep

Who should take the SAT and who should take the ACT?

Is the SAT or the ACT the easier exam?

Does the PSAT matter?

Even more totally awesome test prep tips you can take to the beach

Give thanks for online SAT test prep resources

Achieving Academic Success

Academic success isn't just about exams, but a lot of time and attention has been on exam preparation and that is certainly valuable.  The reality is that you have been preparing for your exams every day since the start of the semester back in August. Studying to review the content and make sure that you are confident and prepared is important though.

One of the keys for achieving academic success is trying to pace yourself while eliminating distractions so that you can maintain your focus. There are lots of strategies that can be effective to help eliminate distractions to help you sustain focus on studying. Turning off the tv or your cell phone can be good ideas. For many students the stronger attraction and distraction is on the computer with Facebook or Twitter. 

Here are some additional articles with topics related to achieving academic success that might interest you:

10 online apps for better focus

10 ways to improve your time management skills

Help prep your kids by setting back to school goals

The easiest way to finally get organized

6 study hacks for your easiest test prep yet

Practice college study skills during high school

6 ways you can spend less time studying and still get better grades

Study techniques that work and (surprisingly) don’t

7 free apps that increase student productivity

5 Tips to improve your study habits

10 ways to beat stress and anxiety

Whatever your strategy, I hope you are preparing now for next week's exams.

Exam Schedule

You don't need to panic about exams, but you do need to prepare for them! As you are aware, we have just 6 days of classes before exams begin. Exams play a significant role in your final grade for the semester of each course (and remember, because we grant credits based on the semester this is really important to you!) Most of your classes will follow the structure that your 1st quarter grades are worth 40% of your final semester grade, the2nd quarter grade that you are currently wrapping up now will make up another 40% and then your exam grade is worth 20% of your final semester grade.

20% is a really big deal...Think about it, if you had a 57% the first quarter and end up with a 60% this quarter then you can still pass the class as long as you earn a 66% or higher on the exam. On the other side, if you are trying to make sure that you earn an A in a course and you had a 95% first quarter and an 88% this quarter than you need to earn an 85% or higher on the exam to reach your goal.

Clearly, exams are an important part of your grade, but more importantly, they provide you the opportunity to practice a more realistic glimpse of what testing will be like in college and helps you to showcase your semester's worth of knowledge.

Below is the schedule for the semester exams:

Day One - Wednesday, December 18th: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

Day Two - Thursday, December 19th:
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

Day Three - Friday, December 20th:
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: Make-Up Exams

A couple of questions that tend to come up at exam time...

Yes, you are REQUIRED and EXPECTED to be in all of your classes during an exam. (Even if you don't have an actual exam, the teachers are going to be working with you on projects, papers, or other learning related to their course.)

No, you do NOT need to be in school during your scheduled lunch period or during your Options or Prep periods. (Which means, for example, that if you have 3rd period prep and 4th period lunch that you do not have to come to school at all on the 20th.)

Hope that helps clarify and happy studying! :-)

Snow Day Joy

Did you enjoy the bonus of having a long weekend because of the gift of a snow day?  I have to admit that
the snow day was a wonderful gift for me too!  As many of you know, I was out sick most of last week and I tried to come back to school on Thursday and, as a result, I lost my voice completely.  Having the snow day and the weekend gave me a chance to rest and recover with the hope that my voice can tolerate being back to school for the whole week.  :-)

Hopefully you were able to spend some time enjoying the snow day, but that you were also able to make use of the extra day off to prepare for exams.  Those students that I had a chance to see last week were definitely beginning to stress out about exams and the pressure of balancing preparing for exams along with all of the expectations in classes to try to learn the new things that you are still covering.  I know that it can be challenging, but stay organized and take it one step at a time so that you will be prepared.  Also, don't forget that the Academic Assistants are available to help you in the Teaching and Learning Center in Room 209.

Deadline Reminder

I know there are a lot of you who are still working on your college applications.  I wanted to remind you to please, watch your deadlines!  As you are all aware, Common App has been having a large number of problems this year and you don't want to get stuck trying to submit your application on the last night it is due and find that there is a problem with your account in their system that won't allow you to submit.  So please, do not procrastinate on your applications!  Also, if you are looking at a January 1st, or 3rd deadline you need to make sure that you have made arrangements with your teachers who will be writing your recommendation letters and provided them with all of the forms so that they can write your letter before we leave for break. Remember, your teachers will be off enjoying their holiday break too so they won't be around to write a last-minute recommendation letter for you if you just "forgot."  And, in all sincerity, there is no such thing as a last-minute recommendation letter!  Your teachers put in a lot of time, energy and effort to write a strong letter on your behalf.  It is important to give them an adequate amount of time to successfully advocate for you as a student.  (Your goal should be to give them at least 30 days which has already passed for January deadlines...)  Also, don't forget that you need to complete a transcript release card and pick up your transcript before we leave for break so that you can mail in your transcript by the January 1st deadline.  Like you and your teachers, I will not be here during winter break to get a transcript for you so you must plan ahead.  If you have any questions about your upcoming deadlines or where you stand in your application process, please stop by to see me.

Things to do

I admit it... I am a list maker. I have lists for just about everything you could imagine. I have lists of things to do today and tomorrow.  I have  a list of things I *MUST* accomplish before we leave on break (only 13 more school days!) - not to mention the list I already have at school of the "other" things I need to do. I also have a list of things to do over break, lists for other upcoming school related projects, and even a list for "when I have time." So, as you can see, I could probably benefit from having a list of all of my lists. :-)

The reason that I am mentioning it, is that lists work for me, but everyone needs some sort of a system to help keep your thoughts organized. It is much more difficult and demanding to try to hold something in your head than it is to refer back to it on paper. I heard once that your head is a good place to have ideas, but not a good place to hold them and I believe that philosophy. It doesn't require a lot of time, but the payoffs are large as long as you stick with it. Personally, I love being able to cross something off my list knowing that I had achieved a goal - no matter how small.

As you start thinking about the end of the semester, please work on staying focused and organized. What do you need to do to make sure you end this quarter successfully? What about preparing for exams? There is still time left to make improvements, but you need to start now. If lists are not your way to stay organized, that is OK, but find a system that works and use it.

Cram and Cocoa

Over the next 3 days all freshman students will be invited to participate in "Cram and Cocoa" sessions during your lunch periods.  This study strategy session is being provided by the Link Leaders and will be a great opportunity for students to get a jump start on effectively preparing for exams.

Exams will be here before you know it!  As you have already heard, exams will be held before break this year on December 18, 19, and 20th.  That means you have just 11 days of classes to not only learn and master everything you are currently covering in class, but also to go back and study to refresh the material you have covered since August when we returned to school.

These "Cram and Cocoa" sessions are a new outreach effort that the Link leaders are trying to offer to help every student feel successful heading into exams.  I sincerely hope you will take advantage of their willingness to help you prepare!

Articles of Interest

I hope you had a great Thanksgiving.  I am looking forward to catching up with you all over the next few days and hearing about your holiday.

Tonight I wanted to pass along some more articles that I think might appeal to you.  All of these are articles that are more personal or socially related.  How we treat ourselves, what we do to take care of ourselves, how we manage our feelings or stresses, and how we interact with others are all vitally important to our well being.

Often times we can get so wrapped up in our own lives and our own viewpoints that we can forget that others are experiencing difficulties as well.  Remember, we are often comparing our "behind the scenes" with their "highlight reel."  That is never going to be a fair comparison.  So, even though someone else's life may appear to be "easy" or "great" I encourage you to try to remember that nothing is as perfect as it seems.

I hope you enjoy checking out some of these articles.

5 Productivity tools for teens


20 things to do when you feel extremely angry


A field guide to procrastinators


12 Habits of highly ineffective people  (In other words - if you realize that you are doing these things, you should really consider stopping and finding different approaches!)


10 Things to remember when everything seems to be going wrong


10 Practical ways to dealing with difficult people anywhere


7 tips to deal with anger


15 ways to manage your FOMO and avoid social media addiction  This is a tough one for teens in particular... do you know what FOMO means?  Fear Of Missing Out.  It is present at any age and with social media being such a primary form of communication among those your age this is a huge concern for many students if you aren't careful.


6 ways to deal with anxiety


How to raise assertive teens who speak up for themselves and others


3 ways a deep breath can reduce your anxiety


Tips for parenting a child with ADHD


Study: Digital Natives not too worried about online risks


40 ways to let go and feel relieved