Honors Diploma

Thank you to all of the students who successfully completed the online registration and especially to all of the junior students and parents who have taken the time to come in and meet with me.  I realize that you have already turned in your course requests, but I hadn't had the opportunity to post about the requirements for the honors diploma and I wanted to make sure you had it in case you want me to go back in and make adjustments to your requests for next year.

For some students, earning an Honors Diploma is an important goal. I have to be honest, this is not a factor for the colleges because the honors diploma recognition isn't granted until you graduate so colleges are not considering it when making their admissions decisions. The requirements for the honors diploma listed below are established by the state department of education.

To receive an honors diploma you need to fulfill 7 of the following 8 criteria:

- English: 4 units
- Math: 4 units (including Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2 or equivalent and another higher level course or a four-year sequence of courses that contain equivalent content - obviously the names of these courses will be changing with the common core implementation)
- Science: 4 units (including Physics and Chemistry)
- Social Studies: 4 units
- Foreign Language: 3 units (including at least 2 units in each language studied)
- Fine Arts: 1 unit
- Grade Point Average: 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
- ACT/ SAT Score (excluding scores from the writing sections): 27 ACT/ 1210 SAT

One of the areas that I have noticed as a trend of some students falling short of meeting the honors diploma requirements is in science. This is because some students have decided to take a different AP Science course instead of taking physics. The other area where students frequently don't meet the designated standard is with the 4 credits of Social Studies since only 3 credits are required. Don't forget, it would still be possible to earn an honors diploma if you were missing one of these, but you will need to make sure you fulfill all of the remaining criterion.

Online Registration Reminder

If you are a student interested in participating in programs at the Delaware Area Career Center, Worthington Academy, or through College Credit Plus, it is important to remember that each of these programs are application based.  This means that when you are completing the online course registration, you will fill out the request as if you are taking a full day at WKHS.  Later, when you find out that you have been accepted to the program of your choice, then I will go back in and adjust your classes.

Also, the Delaware Area Career Center priority deadline is Friday, January 30th, so if you are applying to DACC, please get your application completed and turned in ASAP.

If you are interested in participating in the College Credit Plus program (the chance to earn college credit while still in high school for free) then please make sure you add the information night to your calendar.  The College Credit Plus information night will be held on Monday, February 9th at 7:00pm in the WKHS auditorium.  This is a mandatory meeting if you want to participate in College Credit Plus program.

Worthington Academy applications will be available soon and students who want to have the chance to participate in the Academy program should stop by and see me so that I can add you to the list so that you can have a chance to apply as soon as they become available.

Graduation Requirements

Don't forget that the online registration window is now open so you can select your classes for next year.  As students have been trying to determine which classes they are taking in the future, many have had questions about which classes are required to graduate.

The good news is that while there are different testing requirements for different grades, the Course Requirements are the same for ALL STUDENTS in grades 9 - 12.  

These course requirements include:
- 4 credits of English
- 4 credits of Math (including equivalent of Algebra 2 - for us that is CCSS Math 3)
- 3 credits of Science
- 3 credits of Social Studies (including US History and Government)
- 1/2 a credit of Health
- 1/2 a credit of Physical Education (if you utilize the PE Waiver for athletic/ band participation, you must replace this requirement with 1/2 a credit of any elective)
- 5 credits of Elective (electives can also include additional credits in the core subjects above - so, for example, if you take 4 credits of Science, the 4th credit would be an elective credit.)
- 1/2 a credit of Financial Literacy (can be met with Personal Financial Management, Economics & Financial Literacy, Financial Algebra, or the IB Social Studies classes)
- 2 semesters worth of Fine Arts successfully completed between grades 7 - 12

You can check your transcript in Infinite Campus if you have any questions about what classes you have already completed.

How Many Classes Should I Take?

"How many classes should I take?" It is a common question that students are asking and, in all honesty, the answer depends.

A general rule of thumb for students planning to attend college is that all freshman, sophomore, and junior students should plan to take at least 6 classes each semester. All seniors that are on track for meeting their graduation requirements can decrease the total number of courses each semester due to the demands of other requirements such as college and scholarship applications, but should still plan to take at least 5 classes each semester.

If students are behind on earning their credits, then it may be necessary to plan on taking more classes for a semester or the year.

In order to progress forward with your class, all freshman students must earn at least 5.0 credits to be classified as a sophomore. All sophomore students must earn at least 10.0 credits to be classified as a junior. And, to be classified as a senior, students must earn at least 15.0 credits. 

"But do I have to?" When we talk about the recommended courses, a lot of students will come back asking if they have to take 5 or 6 classes. The answer is no, but you will need your parents to sign off that they approve of you taking less than the recommended number of courses.

Junior Students & Parents

Juniors, are you getting excited about the fact that planning for your senior year has started?  Each year as we begin the process for registering for next year's classes, I offer up the opportunity to meet for a 30 minute time block with every junior student and his/ her parents, if the parents are interested in joining us. I have set aside several days for these individual junior meetings - Thursday, January 29th (7:30am-8:00pm), Friday, January 30th (7:30am - 7:00pm) and Thursday, February 5th (8:00am - 7:00pm). They will be hectic days with back-to-back meetings, but I love the chance to meet with you and your parents to talk about the classes you have selected for your senior year and what your plans are for life after high school. I sent an e-mail out to your parents early this week, so talk it over with them and pick out a date and time that will work well with your schedule so that we can set up a meeting time.  If I haven't heard back from your family about setting up a meeting, I will assign you a time for us to meet.  Don't forget, please make sure you complete your online registration before our meeting!

ACT/ SAT Start-Up

Next Monday evening current freshmen and sophomore students have the opportunity to participate in an ACT/ SAT Start Up.  This test is being offered to Kilbourne students free of charge.  It will provide students with the opportunity to learn about the ACT and the redesigned SAT which will begin next year.  The Princeton Review is offering this practice exam.  In addition to being exposed to questions from both the ACT and SAT in one test, you will also receive a score report detailing your strengths and areas to focus on improving.  The test will take place at WKHS on Monday, January 26th at 6:30pm.  It is free of charge, but you MUST register in advance.  For additional information about this test opportunity and directions to register, please visit the WKHS website - www.wkhscounselors.com - it is at the bottom of the home page.  Sign up today so that you don't miss out!

Registration

As you heard today, all students currently in grades 9, 10, or 11 will use the online registration system to select the classes you would like to take next year.

Over the next few days your teachers will continue reviewing the different classes offered within their departments as well as talking with you individually about the courses they would recommend for you to take next year. Please be sure to carry your registration materials with you so that you can get your teacher signatures on the course selection sheet/ recommendation form and you can make any notes about other classes of interest. If you'd like to hear more in depth information directly from the teachers who teach particular courses, please set up a time to talk to the teacher. Let me know if you need help finding a teacher during one of their off-periods.  I also strongly encourage you and your parents to come to Curriculum Night next Monday, January 26th at 7:00pm to learn more.

After you have determined which courses you would like to take, please talk it over with your parents and then log in and register. (The online registration system will open Monday after you have received your teacher recommendations.) You will register when you log into infinite campus with your username and password.  If you have any problems using the online registration system, please stop in and let me know so that I can try to fix it.  After you have completed your online registration, make sure you print your requested courses and have your parents sign it.

Don't forget to save your signed course recommendation forms! You *MUST* turn those in along with your requested courses page.  If, after talking with your teachers and parents, you still have any questions about the classes you are going to take, please stop by to see me so that we can talk through your options.

Tomorrow's Schedule

A quick reminder that tomorrow we will be on an extended homeroom bell schedule. This schedule will allow all freshmen, sophomores and juniors to receive information about registering for classes next year. Freshmen and sophomores will receive information about next year's classes during your academic prep period.  If you are in 9th or 10th grade and don't have a prep, please attend the presentation during your lunch period.  In order to make up for taking away your prep period, all freshmen and sophomores will be able to utilize the homeroom time to study or do homework.  All juniors will receive the registration information during the actual homeroom time during a class meeting in the auditorium.  I know that it probably seems early to be working on selecting next year's classes, but the entire process takes a lot longer than expected.

Seniors, in case you are curious - you will be having a class meeting in the gym.

The homeroom bell schedule is important to remember if you have late-start as it means 2nd period will start earlier than normal. :-)

Here is tomorrow's bell schedule:
1st period- 7:45 - 8:31
2nd period- 8:36 - 9:22
Homeroom- 9:27 - 9:59
3rd period- 10:05 - 10:51
4th period- 10:56 - 11:42
5th period- 11:47 - 12:33
6th period- 12:38 - 1:24
7th period- 1:29 - 2:15
8th period- 2:19 - 3:05

Let's Try This Again

Have you missed me?  I am so sorry for dropping off the planet with regards to blogging.  As you may have realized if you tried to stop by and see me last week - I was sick with the flu and in addition to missing multiple days of school I was sleeping a ton.  Thankfully I am feeling better and will return to blogging regularly.  I hope you enjoyed the long weekend!  Looking forward to seeing you tomorrow and catching up.

Office Workers

Office workers play a vital role in the smooth operation of the counseling center.  They frequently help us by delivering passes to the students we need to see throughout the day and sometimes they help us with other special projects.  Most days they even have time to work on their homework.

The office workers earn community service hours for their volunteer commitment.  Many students feel this is an easy way to earn service hours because it is completed during the school day.

Personally, I love having my students among those serving as office workers because it allows me to get to know them better.  During the first semester I was fortunate enough to have 2 of my students working as office workers - Danielle Barker and Katie DiMauro. 

Many students are not able to continue working as office workers both semesters and so many of the class periods have openings for 1 or 2 office workers.  If you are interested in giving up your academic prep, options or lunch periods to sign up as an office worker, please stop by the counseling center to pick up an application.  It is important to have strong grades in your classes because working as an office worker will require you to give up the time that you normally would have been able to dedicate to studying.  I would love to have more of "my" students working as office workers during 2nd semester, so please consider this possibility.

Danielle and Katie-  Thank you for your dedication and commitment to helping as office workers!  I appreciate your time and energy to help us with anything that we needed.  Your positive attitudes and generous kindness often brightened my day.  I am grateful that this provided me the chance to get to know you each better.  Your responsibility and dependability are admirable traits.  Thanks again for your help!

New Website!

I am SO EXCITED!!!!

The Kilbourne Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com - has been completely revamped!  This has been a huge project and we have worked for the last few months to get the website up and running.  Our goal was to make sure that the information you and your families might want or need would be accessible to you on our website any time you wanted it.

There is no way I can thank Mr. Robert Estice, dad of Hana and a Phoenix Middle School teacher, for all of his hard work, assistance, encouragement, and dedication to making this new website a reality!  If you know Mr. Estice, please express your appreciation for helping to make this site available to you.

Now, please, Please, PLEASE, I am begging you - go and check out the website!  There is so much information that is now available to you and I can't wait to hear what you think of the website's new look.

A Fresh Start

Today started 2nd semester.  Can you believe we are already half way through the school year?  For seniors, you are in your LAST semester of high school!  For the rest of the student body, you are another semester closer to being finished.  :-)

One of the best parts about functioning on a semester system is that you get to start fresh.  As of today, you are not behind in ANY of your classes.  You are able to create new goals, take new steps, and focus on achieving whatever goals you have set for yourself.  It doesn't matter if you did great 1st semester or if it was a disaster.  You start over today.  This semester is in front of you for you to make of it whatever you want to see happen.  You are in control.

So, as we start this new semester, please take a moment and make sure that you are ready to hit the ground running.  Clean out your bookbag, organize your notes, get new supplies if needed, find your planner and start filling it out (see me if you need a new planner), and make the most out of each day in front of you.  I am excited to see what you will accomplish in the classroom and beyond over the next few months.  As always, if you need help in your classes, please reach out to your teachers, utilize the support from the Academic Assistants, and see me for additional resources.

It is going to be a great semester and I hope you are excited to have a fresh start!

And, for your 1st week back to have 2 days off is pretty crazy, but enjoy the "cold" day tomorrow!  :-)

Snow Day!

Are you enjoying your snow day?!  What a treat - you didn't even have a day back to school this year before the extra day off for a snow day.  (Remember, last year you were back for 1 day and then had a snow day the following day...)  :-)

I hope you are enjoying this bonus day.  I am sitting here getting caught up on some school related reading and enjoying a fire in my fireplace.  A great way to spend the day!

Even though we didn't have school today, I wanted to make sure that all senior students and parents are aware that the Financial Aid presentation scheduled for tonight is still ON!  We will still be having the presentation tonight at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.  This is your opportunity to learn from financial aid expert, Faith Phillips, and I hope to see you all there tonight!

Also, just a reminder about the the fact that we begin a new semester tomorrow.  That means that some of your classes may have changed.  Don't forget to print out a copy of your schedule from Infinite Campus so that you will know where you are going.  If something has happened and you find that you are scheduled for the wrong class and need to make a change, don't forget that you will need to fill out and get your parent's signature on the add/ drop form before I can make a change to your schedule.  You can pick up these forms in the counseling center or you can download it off of the WKHS Counselor website.  As always, you only have the first 3 days of the semester to add into a new class.

Enjoy the rest of your snow day!  I will see you tomorrow!

Financial Aid Night

Now that we have passed the 1st of the year it is officially Financial Aid Season!

To help you with the college financial aid process we will have a Financial Aid Meeting for parents at 7:00pm tomorrow (Tuesday, January 6th) in the WKHS Auditorium.  We are fortunate enough to have Faith Phillips, a financial aid director for OSU Newark and COTC, sharing her expertise with our parents and students.  She always has useful insight and is able to present it in engaging ways that will help you in completing your financial aid application.

There is also an event known as “College Goal Sunday” which is Sunday, February 8th at 2:00pm where financial aid administrators will provide free expert help in completing the FAFSA forms. To find locations and to register you can visit http://www.ohiocollegegoalsunday.org/.

Excited to See You

Can you believe it is already time to go back to school?  Ok, well, technically you have one more day of vacation, but your teachers and I will all be back to the real world tomorrow.  The alarm will be painful in the morning.  :-)  I hope that you have had a great break.  I am excited to see you and catch up on how things have gone during your break.  I was able to see some of you briefly yesterday during the WKHS vs TWHS basketball game.  While the outcome of the game on the court was a heart-breaker, off the court it was an awesome game!  I was so proud of Grayson Biglin who organized (with the help from some of his friends) a fundraiser called Coaches vs Cancer.  I loved the support he received from the student body as he spoke and it still gives me chills thinking about the standing ovation he received (led by our students).  I am always so impressed by our students and the class you showed in supporting one of your fellow students made me unbelievably proud.  In case there was any question, I believe that Kilbourne students are the best!  Thank you for the way you carry yourself and for helping me to look forward to being back at school with all of you!  Enjoy your last day of vacation!