PE Waiver

The PE waiver is just what it sounds like - it provides the opportunity for students to waive having PE as a required class for graduation.  This option is available to students participating in high school athletics including cheerleading and marching band.  (For ease of explaining and writing this, when I refer to sports or athletics throughout this post, please know that it also includes marching band.)  All students must still earn the full 20 credits to graduate from high school, this waiver would simply mean that what has typically been required (1/2 credit of Physical Education) would not need to be included in the 20 credits earned.

The option to utilize a PE waiver is open to any current 9th, 10th, or 11th grade student (as well as all future, incoming Kilbourne students).  The waiver option is NOT available to any current 12th grade students because athletic participation during your senior year will not count.

In order to utilize the waiver, students must successfully complete two full seasons of athletics.  This can be 2 different sports in one year, it could be 1 sport over two years, or even 1 sport one year and another sport the other year.  So, for example, if I participate in both football and basketball in the same year, I could apply for the waiver.  If I participate in football as a sophomore and again as a junior, I could apply for the waiver.  If I participate in football as a sophomore and track as a junior, I could apply for the waiver.

The waiver option went into effect as of this August, so any sports completed prior to the start of this school year do not count toward the two sports needed to meet the waiver requirement.  This is very important for current sophomores and juniors to pay attention to because unless you are going to participate in 2 sports during your junior year, then the waiver is not an option for you.  As mentioned previously, senior year athletic participation does not count toward the waiver.  So, essentially, as of August 2013, every student began with "0" sports and then will have to fully participate in 2 seasons before the end of junior year to be able to apply for the waiver.

In order to have your sport counted as one which can be used for the waiver, it must be an approved high school sport.  This means that your club sport participation, like club soccer or club volleyball, is not included in the waiver eligibility.  Also, bowling, dance team, and the competition cheer team are all club teams and not high school sponsored athletics and so they are not eligible for the waiver option.  Additionally, team managers and statisticians cannot count their involvement as a season toward the waiver.

Students must complete a "full season" in order to have the sport count which is considered from the first practice through the last event or banquet.  If a student is "cut" from a team, quits, or has an athletic/ activity code violation which requires them to forfeit 50% or more of the season, then that season would not be able to be used to meet the two-season requirement.  If you were to get hurt, the injury will not eliminate the option of having the season count if the principal, coach and athletic director concede that the student actively participated and made contributions in spite of the injury.

Many students asked if it could be a partial waiver because they had already completed one of the PE required courses and would only have 1 season of sport eligibility and the answer is no, there is no ability to mix and match.  If you have already completed a PE course, you can still utilize the waiver to eliminate PE as a required course, but you must complete 2 seasons of sports in order to apply for the waiver.  The bottom line is that 0 seasons of sports = needs PE/ doesn't meet the waiver eligibility requirement, 1 season of sport = needs PE/ doesn't meet the waiver eligibility requirement, and 2 seasons of sports = meets the waiver eligibility requirement and can apply for the waiver (therefore doesn't need PE classes).

The PE Waiver application is available in the Co-Curricular Office.  When you finish your season of participation, you will get a signature on the form by your coach.  After you have completed two seasons (and have both signatures on the form) you will submit the waiver form to Mr. Todd and he will verify your completion.  Mr. Todd will turn the forms into me (or he will have you bring it to me) and we will then you will have fulfilled the PE requirement.  

Common Application Essays

The Common Application is an application website that many colleges will use allowing students to fill out one application that can then be submitted to various colleges.  You may have heard about Common App this year due to the problems it was causing for many of the seniors.  I'm sure that they are continuing to work on improving the difficulties experienced with the system this year.  I don't know if any colleges who had been using Common App will decide to change their application system or not. 

The Common Application has announced that the essay questions from this fall will continue to be the prompts for next year's applicants.  So, juniors, take a look at these prompts and start brainstorming what your answers might be for each question.  After you list your thoughts for each question, look at which response tells the best story of who you are and will be the best introduction of you to the admissions committee.  Then it is time to start drafting and editing and drafting some more.  :-)  Students who utilize the common app will be asked to select and answer one question in 250-650 words.  (Please don't worry about word count on your first draft - it is always MUCH easier to cut words than it is to try to add more in later.)

Below are the common app essay questions to help you get started: 

• Some students have a background or story that is so central to their identity that they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

• Recount an incident or time when you experienced failure. How did it affect you, and what lessons did you learn?

• Reflect on a time when you challenged a belief or idea. What prompted you to act? Would you make the same decision again?

• Describe a place or environment where you are perfectly content. What do you do or experience there, and why is it meaningful to you?

• Discuss an accomplishment or event, formal or informal, that marked your transition from childhood to adulthood within your culture, community, or family.

College Search Articles

Exploring colleges and finding schools that will be the right fit can feel a bit daunting to students, but it is also supposed to be exciting.  As you begin searching for colleges, it is critical that you know yourself and what is important to you.  That can be challenging though and, as I mentioned in many of our junior meetings, it can be hard for students to figure out what they want in a college because you haven't lived it yet.  So, it seems to me, that gathering information and resources from a variety of sources and considering different aspects related to colleges can be helpful in searching for the school that will be the right fit for you.  Below are a variety of articles connected to searching for colleges.  I hope they are helpful.

3 types of schools you should consider when applying to colleges

10 best college websites

9 alternatives to a college visit

36 questions to ask on a college visit

7 tips to get the most out of college tours

Don’t believe a college sticker price

Why does diversity matter at college anyway?

Parents, read this if your child is applying to college

10 tips for starting your college search

10 reasons to go to a research university

Top 4 tips for making your college application list

4 more tips for putting together the college application list

10 reasons to go to a small college

7 tips for narrowing your college list

Colleges with top 4 year graduation rates

Why colleges admit applicants

Questions to ask a college career services office

Back to a 5 Day Week

Did you miss me on Friday?  I definitely missed all of you!  I had a fever and was pretty miserable and I had to miss out on even more registration meetings.  To say that this winter hasn't worked well for the registration process is an understatement.  My hope is that this week I will be able to wrap up the meetings with all of the students that I haven't had the opportunity to review registration materials with yet.  (Keeping my fingers crossed...)

Speaking of registration meetings, I want to say a special thank you to all of the junior parents who made time to come in and meet with me and your son/ daughter.  Many (most) of you had to reschedule at least once due to the weather and I want you to know how much your flexibility is appreciated.  Having the opportunity to spend the time with the juniors and parents is hectic and fast paced, but I enjoy it very much and I have already been thrilled with the "repeat visits" that some juniors have fit in since our meetings.

I suspect that this coming week will be a shock to many of our systems in that we will once again return to having a full five-day week.  :-)  As we return to reality, I hope you will try to take moment and stop by and fill me in on how things are going.  I have missed having the chance to talk to all of you.

Course Adjustment Deadline

Next Tuesday is the last chance for students to change a class from conventional grading (A, B, C, etc.) to Pass/ Fail grading! The forms are in the counseling center and require a parent signature. If you plan to switch a class to pass/ fail, please be sure to pick up a form and return it before Tuesday! 

February 25th is also the last day that students can drop a class without an F on their transcript. I only recommend this as an option if students have above the minimum number of classes recommended (5 for seniors and 6 for sophomores and juniors). And yes, it is too late to add a class. Sorry.

College Application Related

By now it shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that I read a LOT about college admissions.  I feel like it is the way that I can best help my students when dealing with the application process.  The WKHS Counselors are all a part of the National Association for College Admissions Counseling which is the organization that works with counselors and college admissions.  Every year they release a "State of Admissions" report for members and I wanted to go through it and summarize some of the results that I thought would interest you.  Then I read Mr. Todd Johnson's Blogpost from College Admissions Partners and he had done such a great job of hitting the highlights that I am going to save time and just pass along the link to his blog post about the State of College Admissions report.  :-)

http://www.collegeadmissionspartners.com/college-admissions-counseling/state-college-admissions-2013/

I suggest you take the time and read through some of the current information.


Here are a few other articles related to applying to college that might also interest you:

Common mistakes on college applications

Students share tips on applying to top national universities

How to handle a deferral

Demonstrated Interest – What it is and why it is important

Deferred?  What now?

‘Tear Soaked’ Admissions Tales

15 reasons I regret not applying for more scholarships

ZAPS ACT Prep Course

At the end of each year we survey the senior students as a way to help evaluate what we are doing and to identify areas that need improvement. Students have shared that they would have liked to have more ACT/ SAT preparation options. We have consistently heard from ACT representatives that the best preparation is a rigorous high school curriculum, but we wanted to try to be responsive to the student feedback we have received. As a result, we investigated several test prep course options to try to find one that would work with us on scheduling and would be a cost effective alternative.

We were thrilled to find ZAPS, a test prep company, who has offered to work with our students by providing a course that will span 3 mornings on March 10, 11, and 12 from 7:45 - 9:30am during the late start times during OGT testing.

An informational letter including registration instructions was mailed to the home of all junior students. The cost of this 3-day ACT prep course is $79. If you are interested in participating, please be sure to register as soon as possible to make certain that you don't get closed out of the course.  If you plan on participating, you need to register online at www.zaps.com.

Interview Articles

Over the weekend I had a student ask about what to expect in an interview and although it is a bit late for me to just now be posting some additional information related to interviews from a college admissions interview perspective, it is still helpful for students who might need to participate in interviews for scholarships.

My best suggestion if you are preparing for an interview is to be yourself!  Allow the interviewer to have the opportunity to get to know you - what interests you, excites you and makes you a special and unique person.  Having confidence in yourself is important for helping the interviewer to see why you are the ideal person for their college or for their scholarship.

If you are wanting more details about what to expect and questions you should think about to prepare yourself for an interview, then I hope this information can help...

The WKHS Counselor website features a long list of questions that you may be asked during an interview as well as a list of questions you might want to ask of the college representative who is interviewing you.

Here is a list of articles that also might interest you:

10 things you need to know for the college interview

What will you contribute to our campus – interview tips

Does your record reflect your ability – interview tips

4 tips to ace a video interview

Why are you interested in our college – interview tips

Avoid these top college admissions interview mistakes

Good and bad questions to ask during your college interview

Tell me about yourself? – A simple interview question?

10 college interview mistakes

Recommend a good book to me – interview tips

Does your record reflect your ability – interview tips

Your objectives for the college admissions interview

Make a good impression in your college admissions interview

After the college admissions interview – building a positive impression

Who has most influenced you? – Interview tips

Overview of the Scheduling Process

Trying to wrap up the registration process has been quite challenging this year, but I wanted to take a moment to thank all of you who have met with me and also those who have been flexible about rescheduling appointments (some 3 or more times) so that I can try to meet everyone's needs.  As I have been meeting with students, a common question is why do we have to do this so early since it is just the start of the 2nd semester.  You are right, it is early, but it will take every bit of the time remaining to get the schedules ready for next year.  As a result, I wanted to give you all a quick overview of the process to try to help you a little more about what happens and what the next steps involve.

As you are aware, students receive teacher recommendations, discuss their course plans with their parents and then select their classes online.  I then meet with every student 1:1 to review the course selections.  I have more students to meet with from all three grades and will be working hard to finish this up this week.  Some of you also owe me forms, so please make sure you get your needed signatures and return those forms to me this week!

All of the course selections need to be finalized, ideally, by the end of this week and officially given to the administration as the "final" registration requests.

Once the final requests are submitted by all of the counselors the administration (principal and assistant principals) will look at the numbers for all of the courses requested to determine what, if any, classes do not have enough students signed up to be able to offer the class. After they figure this out they will provide that information back to the counselors with a list of students impacted and we will work with those students and their alternates list to find a suitable replacement course.

The administration will also begin working to determine the total number of sections of each class (for example English 1's) needed to meet the demand. They will then work with computer services to create a schedule that will create the smallest number of conflicts possible. This is a MUCH bigger challenge than most people would imagine. For example, if a class like AP Computer Science is only offered 1 time in the day, then they have to figure out what students want to take that class and try to make sure that the time of day selected to offer the course will not conflict with any other classes - especially any other classes that are only offered once in a day (like Band, Choir, or AP Foreign Languages).

Eventually (hopefully before the end of the year) they will create a schedule and "lock" it in place. When that happens they will then come back to the counselors with a list of all of the kids with conflicts in their schedules. In some cases, we are able to make minor adjustments - move a few classes around and make the schedule work. In other instances, we will have to work with the student to make tough decisions about what classes they do or do not want to take and use the alternates to find other courses that would work and still meet requirements toward graduation.

And that's it - we will ultimately get the schedule set just how we want it and hopefully all of you will pass all of your classes 2nd semester so that we don't have to go back and add anything into your schedule or change classes that you no longer meet the pre-requisites for, but all of those types of changes will happen after the final grades are submitted in June.

I hope that helps you to understand what is going on with the scheduling and registration process. It is a long and tedious process and I appreciate your patience.

Letter of Intent

Congratulations to Manda Cash who signed her national letter of intent to play Softball at the University of Dayton.  Manda had her "signing" ceremony after school on Wednesday. Manda was joined by 4 other seniors who were celebrating their commitment to continue their athletic careers at the collegiate level.  She was surrounded by her family, coaches, teammates, and friends who attended to show their support and to celebrate this great accomplishment with her.  Congratulations Manda!  We are proud of you! 

A Heartbreaking Day

Today was one of the toughest days I have had in a while.  As all of you know, one of Kilbourne's current seniors, Luke Bender, passed away.  Luke was one of "my" students and I am so thankful that I had the honor of knowing him and working with him.  I will always fondly remember his cowboy boots and belt buckles along with his charming smile and kind-hearted personality.  My heart is hurting that I will never see him again... and I know many of you feel the same way.


As today progressed, I was struck by how much our school cares about one another.  Everywhere I looked, people were hugging one another and supporting or listening to each other.  While I wish that you NEVER had to experience anything as sad as what you went through today, I am proud of you for the compassion you displayed.


Some students have asked what they can do to help support one another and how they should try to help their friends who are having a difficult time.  When faced with the news that someone you know has died there are a range of emotions and experiences. If it is a person very close to you, it can be a struggle just putting one foot in front of the next. If you are a friend of the person grieving it can be a time when you feel helpless because the reality is that you cannot take away the hurt and sadness for your friend, but you can help!


- Listen! I know it may not feel like much, but that is often what your friend will need the most.


- Say the name of the person who died – don’t be afraid to use their name. Some people worry that if they bring up their name that it would bring up their pain. The reality is that the pain and sadness are always there, but by using the name of the person who died you give your friend permission to talk about him/ her. If you knew the person who died, share some stories or memories you had of him/ her.


- Remember that everyone grieves differently. There is no right or wrong way and no timeline for when they will be “over” their loved ones death. Actually, I don’t think you ever get “over” a death, but you do develop a new sense of “normal” which is far different than the old “normal” (that they would really like to have back.) Remember that it is OK to cry and show emotion.


- Try to remain focused on your friend and their needs. Avoid statements like “I know how you feel” or making comparisons between your past experiences and their present grief. This can be a slippery slope as you may soon be talking all about your past experiences rather than focusing on your friend and how he/ she is doing.


- Be normal. Your friend is still your friend. While in some ways everything in their live feels like it has turned upside down, he/ she is still the same person they were before and will still look for opportunities to be and enjoy their normal activities of the past. Your friend might want to try to return as many things to normal as quickly as possible and that is certainly OK. You do not have to sit around and just be sad. Look to your friend for cues.


- Be realistic with yourself. You know what you can and cannot handle. If it simply too challenging/ emotional for you, particularly because of your past experiences, accept that and do not blame yourself.


- Be there for your friend over time. It is easy to forget that life has changed for your friend forever. Continue to provide him/ her with support over time. This can be by listening and talking, writing a card or note, or other helpful positive outreach days, weeks, or even months from now.

These ideas are in no way a complete list of ideas that you can do to try to help your grieving friend. It is also important that you allow yourself to grieve if this is someone that was important to you. Remember, if you or your friend are struggling with your grief it is important to make sure to communicate with a trusted adult. I hope that you also know that I am here to help now and in the future.

The Olympics

I *LOVE* the Olympics! As you probably know, I enjoy watching sports as a whole, but the Olympics are so special and unique. It is thrilling to watch all of the different sports and witness the passion and excitement as athletes compete not just for themselves or for one particular team, but for their entire country. It is remarkable to think of the dedication, hard work, and perseverance the athletes have displayed as they made sacrifices and overcame obstacles to achieve their goals. We are blessed to live in a great country and I, for one, am proud to cheer on all of the men and women who will be competing.

I even have a picture of a former Olympian and Bronze Medalist hanging in my office.  Do you know which athlete I'm talking about?  If you're not sure, stop by my office and check it out!

Over the next few weeks, every spare chance I have will be spent watching the Olympics.  I hope you enjoy cheering on the USA during the Olympics too!

Caps and Gowns

Seniors, did you order your cap and gown? Commencement is just under 4 months away and the list of students who have not yet ordered their cap and gown is unbelievable. The deadline to order your cap and gown is February 15th!  If you are among the many students who haven't placed your order, please visit the National Recognition Products website to order your cap and gown online today!

Academic Options Night

In addition to the wide range of courses that we have available here at WKHS, there are other academic options available to our students.

The Post-Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) program is an opportunity for high school students to take college courses while still enrolled in high school. There are two alternatives for the PSEO program.

Option A is when students take courses at any college of their choice and pay for the courses on their own (often at a discounted rate) and are able to earn the credit for college credit only.

Option B is available in Central Ohio at Columbus State Community College, the Ohio State University, and Franklin University and is paid for by the school district. Students who participate in this option earn both high school and college credit.

There are a lot of details involved in participating in the PSEO program and it is not meant to replace or substitute for coursework available at the high school, but rather to enhance the educational opportunities available. Students must complete the paperwork by March 30th to indicate their intent to participate in the PSEO program in the following school year.

In order to explain all of the details of the program and to provide you with the forms necessary, all students and parents interested in participating in this program should attend the Academic Options night on Monday, February 10th at 7:00pm in the WKHS auditorium.

Credit Flexibility is another program we will highlight during the Academic Options night.  Credit flexibility allows students to earn credit based on a demonstration of subject area competency, instead of, or in combination with, completing hours of classroom instruction. Students will be able to customize aspects of their learning around their interests and needs. It encourages student self-direction and motivates learners to develop new skills and fulfill their potential. Examples of credit flexibility opportunities include, but are not limited to, independent study, online learning, and demonstration of course proficiency.

I hope that all students and parents interested in learning more about PSEO and credit flexibility will join us next Monday evening.

King & Queen of Hearts

I love the traditions at WKHS and the King and Queen of Hearts is among those I particularly like. As you are aware, this weekend is the Winter Dance and the King and Queen of Hearts will be announced. In order to be crowned the King and Queen of Hearts, the nominated students have spent the last few weeks raising money for the winter charity (leukemia and lymphoma society). The male and female students who raised the most money will be the individuals crowned. 2 of "my" students were among those working to raise money as King and Queen of Heart candidates - good luck and congratulations to: Lauren Hedges and Danny Darby.

Also, sophomores, don't forget to bring your registration forms to turn in tomorrow during your history class!

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up soon.  Conferences will be held on Monday, February 10^th from 5:00 - 8:40pm and on Thursday, February 13^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, on Monday, February 10th at 7:00pm is the Academic Options Night.  This evening will highlight opportunities available through alternate means including PSEO and Credit Flexibility.  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.

A quick reminder - freshmen, please bring your registration forms with you tomorrow so that you can turn them in during your science classes!

Limited Availability

By now everyone should have registered for your classes online.  I need you to be aware that my availability for this entire week will be VERY limited.  Tomorrow I will begin my meetings with junior students and parents and I have non-stop meetings scheduled for every 30 minutes all day long.  On Tuesday I will be meeting with every freshman student in my caseload and on Wednesday I will meet with each of my sophomore students.  Thursday I have hit-or-miss meetings, but that is definitely the best chance to catch me this week if you need something.  And then once again on Friday I will be completing more meetings with junior students and parents all day long.

Don't forget - you have late start tomorrow.  Enjoy sleeping in!

College Goal Sunday

Tomorrow many of us will spend Super Bowl Sunday watching football (or the commercials).  I wanted to make that all seniors and their parents are aware of an event that is coming up next Sunday, February 9th, that is known as College Goal Sunday.

Completing the FAFSA forms can be intimidating for some students and their families. You should NEVER need to pay to have someone you complete these forms and free help is available if you are unsure of what to do. 

College Goal Sunday is a free workshop where you will have expert help from Ohio college financial aid representatives to complete and submit your FAFSA forms.  College Goal Sunday is held across the nation on Sunday, February 9th.  Ohio College Goal Sunday will feature a range of workshops all across the state. Sign in starts at 1:30 and the workshop begins at 2:00. There are five locations in central Ohio that you and your family can choose between. You will be working on the computers and completing the actual online FAFSA forms during these workshops so it is necessary to register in advance. 

The list of materials you should bring with you include: Your IRS 1040 tax return and W-2’s, your parent’s IRS 1040 tax return and W-2’s, your social security card and driver’s license, and any other benefit and income information.

If you are uncertain about how to fill out your FAFSA forms, I hope you will take advantage of this free help.  Remember, your financial aid deadlines are quickly approaching!