Such a Big Weekend!

This is such a big weekend for all WKHS students.  For the underclassmen, you are finished for the year and ready to relax and enjoy the start of summer.  For the seniors, this weekend marks so much more than just the start of summer - it is your chance to celebrate your accomplishments and to look ahead to the future with hope and excitement.

Friday started with graduation rehearsal where you enjoyed looking at all of your old school photos and reading about what you had worked on and accomplished in various grades throughout your Kindergarten through 12th grade education.  You learned where you will be sitting (stage right for most of the students in my part of the alphabet) - and were reminded to tell your parents so that they know which side to sit on to have the best view of you walking in and out of the ceremony.  (A reminder, for my kids that would be sitting on the left side of the venue when you are looking at the stage.)  And I heard more than once that it seems weird that you won't be coming back to Kilbourne to be a student any more.

The graduation related fun continued on Friday evening with the Baccalaureate ceremony.  This is one of my absolute favorite parts of graduation weekend each year.  I love watching your class celebrate your accomplishments together and to see your talents on display.  The Baccalaureate ceremony is sponsored by the Activity Club and each year they do an incredible job making sure that the perfect tone is set to kick off graduation festivities.  Thank you to all of my students and parents who were a part of planning, speaking or performing at the ceremony.  It was outstanding!

And then, in just a few short hours it will be time for your actual commencement ceremony to begin!  Wow, time really does seem to pass so quickly.  Since after tomorrow you will no longer be my students I wanted to take a moment and share a letter with "my" seniors.

Dear Seniors,

Congratulations!  It has been my honor to have the opportunity to know and work with you over the last 4 years.  I am proud of what you have accomplished during high school, but even more than that, I am so excited about what the future has in store for you.

When I think about your class I think about your independence, your strength and your courage.  Your high school years have been quite the journey.  You display an ability to persevere when things are tough and to find your way even when it sometimes feels like you are walking alone.  I have been inspired by your ability to care and support one another even when you are hurting yourself.  You have continually impressed me by your ability to think critically, to figure out what is going to be the right path for you, and your steadfast focus to do things your own way.  (And yes, let's be honest, sometimes those very same characteristics were what made some days tough because a stubborn refusal to change from your goal or to release a past hurt can be both a strength and a burden.)  Even more than your independent nature, it is your strength and courage which will probably be the hallmarks I remember most from your class.  And when I think of your strength and courage I, of course, think of the big things such as how your class dealt with the emotions of having peers get sick, facing physical or emotional battles of your own or among your friends and family, loved ones fighting illnesses, and the tragic deaths of those family members and friends you cared about, but it is so much more than that!  It is your daily ability to push through when times were tough and it was difficult to focus and you felt like you might let everyone down (including yourself).  It is your ability to look beyond your own circumstances to reach out to those who needed support and encouragement.  It is your refusal to give up on learning that one subject that just never seemed to make sense to you.  It is your willingness to face the tough stuff and to reach out for help when you recognized that this was bigger than you could manage alone.  It is your ability to set your fear aside and return to the field with your team hoping that you would not get hurt again.  And it is your never give-up spirit which shines through each and every day in your own unique ways and specific circumstances.

I have been touched by your willingness to open up and to allow me to share in your lives - both in times of joy and in times of sorrow.  There really is no way that I can effectively articulate how much of an honor that is to me and I hope you know that it is not something I take for granted.

You have one of the most talented classes to have passed through the halls of WKHS.  You are going to do incredible things in the future and regardless of what that will look like for each of you, I know that you will leave behind a piece of yourself that is a part of your legacy.  But the best is yet to come!  Among you in the future there will be military leaders, collegiate sports stars, those who excel in music, people who dedicate their lives to caring for and helping others, professionals who revolutionize the businesses with which you will work, and even those who leave high school with no clear direction, but will make a difference in the world as you figure out what it is that interests you most and helps to give you focus for how you can change the world.  And that, quite honestly, is what I think most of all... your class is full of young men and young women who are going to make a positive difference in our world!  You have the strength, the courage, the intelligence, the commitment, and the HEART to change the world - one person at a time, one day at a time, you ARE making a difference.  You have already made a difference in my life and I cannot wait to see the impact you will have in the future!

And so now, as you graduate and leave behind the people and memories of your high school years, I hope you will remember that even though you will no longer be my student you will remain important to me.  Please know that I care about you, I believe in you and I want the best for you.  I am always just a phone call or email away if you need anything or even if you just need a reminder that you can accomplish whatever goal you have set for yourself no matter what obstacle might be in front of you.

Congratulations on your graduation.  Enjoy tomorrow - you deserve to celebrate after everything you have been through and it will be a wonderful day!  Thank you again for letting me share in your lives.

Love, Miss Abbott

And before I finish this post, can I offer one last piece of advice... pick a place where you will meet your family after the ceremony has finished.  (And do not select the bottom of the first set of escalators leaving the Battelle Grand...)  I realize that this is tough since you have probably never been down there, but when you and your family are arriving to line up, make a plan before heading in your separate directions.  It is CHAOTIC after the ceremony ends and everyone is anxious to leave to get food, to get water, to take picture with friends, to see their extended family and this is just one more added stress that can be managed by deciding ahead of time where you are going to go to try to find one another.  Each year too many people are trying to get on their phones to call to find people and the noise and the craziness just seems to make that a much more difficult task than it seems like it would be so trust me on this one and just decide on where you will meet.  :-)

Lexi and Exams

You know we have a therapy dog at WKHS, right?  :-)  I'm pretty sure that 100% of our students and the vast majority of our parents know about Lexi... after today a lot more people will know about her too.

During the day today a reporter and a photographer from the Columbus Dispatch came to WKHS to visit with Lexi and meet some of our students to get an idea of how Lexi can help relieve stress leading up to exams.  The story should run in tomorrow's Dispatch, but the story and video are already up on the Dispatch website and you can check it out here: http://www.dispatch.com/content/stories/local/2016/05/23/therapy-dog-brings-up-the-morale-at-worthington-kilbourne.html

Lexi and I both wish you all the best of luck during exams!  You will do great.  Remember, we are around if you need anything over the next 3 days... and, we hope you will stop to see us and say good-bye before summer vacation!

Managing Test Anxiety

It’s normal to feel a little bit nervous before and during a test. What is important is to learn how to deal with those anxieties so that they do not become overwhelming. Below are a few key strategies for managing test anxiety. If this is something that you struggle with, please feel free to stop in and see me so that we can discuss additional ways to help manage your test anxieties.

- Study. Being prepared is the single most effective way to help manage test anxiety. If you are confident that you know the material and have put forth your best effort to be prepared for the test, then you can relax and do the best you can.

o Learn from past quizzes and tests

o Ask the teacher for suggestions on how to best prepare for the upcoming test

o Don’t cram – that only adds to the stress and pressure of trying to “squeeze” everything in

o There are lots of study strategies available that can help students and I have a variety of ideas, so if you are interested, stop by and see me and we can talk about different techniques you can try to implement for various classes.

- Stay Positive. Being confident and entering the test with a positive attitude will help you to achieve success. There are lots of strategies people use to help maintain a positive outlook –visualization (imaging yourself doing well on the test) and positive self-talk (we all talk to ourselves so instead of thinking that you are going to fail the test replace that self-talk with positive comments such as “I am prepared” or “this test will allow me to show how much I have learned”). Sometimes it is important to stay away from other people who tend to express their negative outlooks and opinions going into a test… those people who will just stress you out more with their panic about the test.

- Take care of yourself. I *know* that you hate hearing things like this (and yes, I acknowledge that at times this can be a hypocritical statement for me to make), but it is important to take care of yourself. Get plenty of sleep so that you are well rested and mentally alert for the test. Eat a healthy meal (breakfast/ lunch) because you don’t want to be sitting in class focusing on food or listening to your stomach growl and you also don’t want to be coming down off a sugar or caffeine high and be dragging the rest of the testing period. Allowing yourself time to exercise is also important as it is a physical release of stress and can reinvigorate you for studying as you prepare for the test.

- Be a “smart” test taker. Don’t panic! Read the directions carefully. Take a deep breath to relax. Answer the questions to the best of your ability and if you don’t know an answer, skip the question to return to it later and continue on to other questions that you are more confident in answering. Budget your time, but don’t rush to be the first finished – this is not a race. Stay focused. (Focus on answering the question – don’t allow yourself to get off track and worry about your grade or how others are doing – just continue to refocus on answering the next question.) If you start to become overwhelmed with anxiety during the test, take a few slow deep breaths, relax your muscles and remember that you are in control of dealing with these feelings so just take it one step at a time.

- After you are finished, give yourself a short break from thinking about the test, but also don’t forget to consider what worked well and what could have gone better and then make changes accordingly for the future. If you were able to manage your anxiety effectively then you can continue practicing these skills for future tests. If some of the strategies were not effective, then you can try to adjust and adopt new strategies to help manage the anxiety.

Remember, it is also important to keep the test in perspective. It is actually quite rare that a single test will make or break you. (And yes, this even includes the End of Course Exams/ SAT/ ACT tests because you can always repeat these tests again in the future.) Good luck on your exams!

Seniors - Words of Wisdom

Congratulations Seniors!  You made it!  Today was your last day of high school and the upcoming celebrations will pay tribute to the hard work and dedication you have displayed over the last four years.  I was fortunate enough to see many of my seniors today and I think a lot of you shared similar thoughts and feelings.  I heard often that it was hard to believe how fast the last 4 years had gone.  You are ready to move on to the next stages of your lives and there is excitement about finishing high school, but for many of you there was also a bitter-sweet feeling about leaving your friends and the familiarity of high school behind. 

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

Enjoy the fact that you get to relax and sleep in tomorrow while the younger students still have another week of school.  :-)

Senior Project

Senior project is a great opportunity for Kilbourne seniors to get an in depth view of a career.  Those students who elect to participate in senior project spend the last month of their high school career out shadowing and assisting at various career sites.  This opportunity allows students the chance to learn more about what a career involves.  This up-close, in depth look at what a job really entails enabled the students to decide if this specific career is what they'd like to pursue in the future.  At the end of the internship experience, the seniors are required to come back to WKHS and share information about what they learned.  As a component of this requirement they spent several hours in the commons showcasing their accomplishments and then after school they presented in small groups to educate  a committee about their senior project experience.

14 of the students participating were "my" students including RaeAnne Adams, Eaman Abay, Danielle Ding, Trey Flores, Mackenzie Calvert, Micah Vincent, MollyKate Cline, Ari De La Cruz, Cece Bryant, Katy Beth Crider and pictured (L to R): Alex Craig, Erica Chen, Andrew Cook and Bailey Andrews. My students selected a wide range of careers at some awesome places including Matt the Millers, Ohio Environmental Council, Ohio Democratic Party, Columbus Fire Department, Sonic Lounge Studio, Willowbrook & Clay Counseling, Nationwide Children's Hospital, John Byrd Research Lab at the James Cancer Hospital, Biochemistry Lab at OSU, Riverside Methodist Hospital, Paris (France), Sutter Park Preschool, Linworth Children's Center and Defense Logistics Agency doing everything from hospitality management, sound engineering, counseling, research, teaching, vascular nephrologist, to studying fashion design. In talking with the students today some felt that this experience solidified their future plans and others felt it was valuable because it helped them realize that this was not exactly the job they wanted to pursue for the rest of their lives - valuable information either way. It sounded as if they all had meaningful and informative experiences during the month as they spent time in a career field of interest. Congratulations and Great Job on your Senior Projects!

Final Exams are Rapidly Approaching

This week (Wednesday and Thursday) the seniors will complete their final exams. Seniors will be on a regular bell schedule along with the rest of the school, so your teachers may be splitting lengthy exams over two days.

For underclassmen, you have just 4 days of class remaining before your final exams. As with semester exams, these exams will be done in blocks. The final exam schedule is below for your reference.

I know that the stress of having 20% of your grade in one test combined with the anticipation with finally being done with another school year can seem overwhelming. Remember, the time you spend studying now will determine how well you do on your exam, so please take the time to study! Stop and see me if you are struggling to juggle it all.

Tuesday: 
7:45 - 9:45 2nd period exam
10:00 - 12:00 5th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:05 - 3:05 8th period exam

Wednesday: 
7:45 - 9:45 1st period exam
10:00 - 12:00 6th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 Lunch
1:05 - 3:05 7th period exam

Thursday: 
7:45 - 9:45 3rd period exam
10:00 - 12:00 4th period exam
12:00 - 1:00 NO Lunch Provided!
1:05 - 3:05 Exam Make Up Period

Academic Signing Day

This morning about 25 WKHS seniors participated in the academic signing day ceremony. Students are given the opportunity to participate in this ceremony if they have been awarded $4,000 in academic, merit or fine art scholarships. ($4,000 one time or $1,000 renewable for 4 years) Each student came onto the stage and announced the scholarship they had received, where they would be attending college and offered their thanks to people who have helped them during their high school career. This group of students have accepted over a million dollars in scholarships!  This clearly shows that hard work and dedication in high school pays off in big ways.  Congratulations on your accomplishments!

9 of "my students" were among those honored.  A special congratulations to (L to R): Mackenzie Calvert, ChaRon Booker, Andrew Cook, Alex Cash, Bailey Andrews, Eleanor Donaldson, Micah Vincent, Erica Chen and Joey Coogan.  I am so proud of each of you and grateful that I had the opportunity to work with you over the last 4 years!

GPA Calculator

Many students are trying to guesstimate what they need to do in order to raise their grade point average. This features a GPA Calculator which will allow you to calculate what grades you would need to earn in order to achieve your desired GPA. (You will need to have your current GPA which you can find on your transcript in the reports area of Infinite Campus.) 

College Visits

A few days ago I mentioned things that one of the summer things you might be doing is making college visits.  If this is a part of your plan, I strongly encourage you to check out these articles so that you can make the most out of your visits.

10 tips for an effective college visit

Don’t ask these ineffective questions while on college tours

Impress campus tour guides with these questions

10 questions to ask career services during college visits

The college tour: the inside story

5 unusual questions to ask on a college visit

5 things you didn’t know you could do during college visits

6 smart ways to save on college tours

It’s time to tour: steps to planning college visits

Make sure you make the most of upcoming campus visits

The 4 must-do’s on college campus visits

Planning ahead: the college visit circuit

4 campus visit tips for parents

Touring colleges? Be sure to make these 3 connections

Do’s and don’ts on campus: the college visit circuit

How to test drive a college

Last minute campus visit tips

Making the most of a college visit

College Prep: Making the most of your campus visit

Maximizing college visits while minimizing the cost

College visiting essentials

Colleges aren’t all the same, but you wouldn’t know it from the campus tour

Play college tour bingo

Senior Details

For seniors everything is finally winding down...

Last night was Senior Recognition Night and I loved being able to watch all of you walk across the stage to receive the recognition you deserve for your accomplishments.  It was incredible to sit back and reflect on how impressive each of you already are and to consider the bright futures which are ahead of you.  I would have loved to have been able to gather all of my students together for a picture after the event was over, but that didn't seem possible.  Pictured are just a few of my students who were near me in the commons and graciously agreed to be in the photo.

For me, senior recognition night was my "ah-ha" moment of truly realizing how quickly your high school years are coming to a close.  At this point in time you are hopefully finishing up your school projects and are feeling prepared for your final exams and any other remaining academic requirements since you only have 5 school days left. I wanted to make sure that you had taken care of some of the other last minute details...

* Finish strong: If you are not doing well in your classes, please make sure you do everything that you need to do to pass your classes with the highest grades possible. Above all, please make sure that you pass all of your classes that are requirements for graduation!

* Final Transcript: When you graduate from WKHS and move on to college the college will want a copy of your final transcript showing your 2nd semester grades and the fact that you did graduate. As is always the case we cannot release your records without your express written permission. We are covering the fee for this for you, but you need to make sure that the information you turned in on the post-secondary and final transcript form is accurate.  If you are one of my students who has changed their mind (and I know this has happened for a few), please make sure that you update our form regarding the college who should be receiving a copy of your transcript.

* Fees/ Fines: Some students still have outstanding fees and fines that you owe to the school. It may be a very small fee for an overdue library book or it could be a much larger fee for a lost textbook, but either way, please make sure that all of your debt is paid in the next week so that you will be able to participate in the commencement ceremony.

* Textbook/ Library Book Returns: You will need to turn in all of your textbooks as well as any library books that you still have. The book room will be open for you to return your textbooks after you have finished with your exams and are done with your books.

* Submit your Commencement Agreement: If you have not turned in your commencement agreement form, you need to make sure that you get that turned in!  It requires both your signature and the signature of your parent.  Completed forms should be turned in to the co-curricular office.

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

* Scholarship Thank You's: If you received a scholarship, don't forget the importance of writing a thank you note to the individual, group or organization who is providing you with the scholarship.

* Stop by and see me: Selfishly, I would like to also add this to your list as I would love to have a few more minutes with you while you are still in high school. And, as genuinely sad as this is for me to admit, I haven't received any senior pictures this year, please know that I would love to have one! :-)

What should I do this summer?

Summer is a great time to relax and unwind from the hectic schedule of homework, studying and the general day to day expectations of school. But your summer shouldn’t just be wasted away into day after day of doing “nothing.” The summer is a perfect time to explore your passions, investigate your interests and indulge in fun activities that you might not have time for during the regular school year. As we reach the last few weeks of school, I wanted to encourage you to start thinking about what you will do this summer to make sure that you have a productive summer and don’t spend the entire break being bored.

So, what are some ideas of how you can spend your summer? Consider taking a class (or two) in summer school. This is especially important if you are behind in credits and not doing well in school. Success rates of summer school completion are very high – in part because you are able to focus on just one subject at a time and you generally have smaller class sizes so the teacher can focus more one-on-one time with each student. If you are planning on taking a class in summer school it is important to sign up as soon as possible to make sure that you will not be closed out of the class of your choice.

Perhaps you are looking for ideas that do not involve more school… Summer vacation is a great time to expand your resume and pursue your passions by volunteering or working a summer job. Many students don’t know where to volunteer and the truth is the sky is the limit – anything that interests you has the potential for being a volunteer service project. Get creative in your approach! There are opportunities that are available around school - iCan Bike is one example where students will volunteer for a week during the summer to help teach a student with Down Syndrome how to ride a bicycle. There are also lots of opportunities available in the greater Central Ohio community. For more ideas about existing needs for volunteers you can visit HandsOn Central Ohio. Speaking of resumes, during summer break, you should really spend an hour or two updating your resume. (And if you don’t have a resume, the summer is a great time to make a resume.)

If you are starting to consider different careers, perhaps you have a family member or friends that would allow you to shadow them for a day or two on the job to see what their particular career is really like as this will help you determine if that career is truly of interest to you.

Current juniors (Soon to be Seniors) – this summer is going to be busy as you prepare for your senior year. Hopefully you are taking the time to visit colleges from your list and getting an idea of what you think about different schools. (Don’t forget to take a picture of you somewhere on campus for me!) You can also begin drafting your college application essays and preparing for the ACT and SAT exams.

Of course, there is always spending quality time reconnecting with your family, going on vacation, reading, and even attending camps or other formal activities which can be a part of the summer for many.

The bottom line is try to be productive this summer – at the very least it will give you great stories to share next fall when people ask you what you did over the summer.

And, yet another article - this one related to summer plans...

If you thinkthese ‘elite’ summer programs will get your kid into college, guess again

Happy Mother's Day

Happy Mother's Day to all of the Kilbourne mom's who help make our school and community such an incredible place.  It doesn't matter if it is "just" looking out for your own children and their physical and mental well being or if it is taking the entire student body under your wing, parents and especially moms make a significant difference every day.  I am in a position where I get to witness the compassion and love that many of our Kilbourne mom's anonymously show to our students and I can honestly say that they are AMAZING!  So, I hope that today you will honor your mom and all of the other Kilbourne mom's who help to brighten your days.

Thank you notes

I have recently been reminded of the power that a simple thank you holds. When you think about it, a thank you note is a simple enough idea - let someone else know that you appreciate them. I don't know about you, but a lot of times I am terrible at writing thank you notes. (In fact, I have several that I need to write tonight.) It doesn't mean that my gratitude is any less, but... and that is where everything falls apart. If I don't express my gratitude to the person who has been a positive influence in my life or who has done something nice for me or gone out of their way to help me, then how do they know how much I appreciate it? See the problem?

And I am pretty confident that many of you face the same problem. So, I want to remind you of the importance of thank you notes. They do not have to be long or flowery - simply thank the person who has helped you. This is especially important for individuals or organizations who have provided you with college scholarships.  Additionally, if you haven't thanked your teachers who wrote recommendation letters for you, perhaps now, as you finish your high school journey, is the perfect time.  Many people do not realize the time and effort it takes to write a good recommendation letter. Thank them for their help and support in your college application process. Let them know where you ended up being offered admission and where you have decided to attend and make sure that they know how much you appreciate their help along the way. It won't take you a long time, but it will certainly mean a lot to them.

Before I close this post, I want to be very clear - I am NOT talking about writing to me! I do NOT need nor am I in any way hinting, asking for, or needing you to write a thank you note to me! I just figured we could all use a reminder in the importance of writing thank you notes and expressing our gratitude for those around us.

Playing Sports in College

Playing sports in college is often seen as a major honor - and it is, but it is also a HUGE commitment - of time, energy, passion, and effort.  Students that have the dream of playing sports in college need to be aware that not everyone who participates in high school and has a love of the game will have the opportunity to continue with their competitive involvement at the college level and the number who receive scholarships to play is even smaller.  But, if participating in college sports is your dream, these articles may interest you.

4 tips for would-be college athletes

Be active in the recruiting process, understanding deadlines and options

One bad tweet can be costly to a student athlete

7 things you need to know about sports scholarships

Welcome to College Athletics: A letter from your strength coach

Recruiting column: learn from experience

Recruiting column: making sense of your college options

Unveiling the myths of Division III sports and recruiting

Recruiting tip: highlights of a year by year recruiting checklist

Recruiting column: Top 2 questions of 2015 – am I being recruited? If not, why not?

College admissions: the real danger in being a high school athlete

Student athletes need an early start

Recruiting column: how to get your first e-mail noticed by college coaches

Recruiting column: stop asking these questions

Recruiting column: which colleges are the right fit?

How new NCAA rules are affecting scholarship offers

Recruiting quiz: what school should I sign with?

Student athletes: how to get your field of dreams

Student athletes more likely to thrive after college than non-athletes, survey says

Recruiting tip: be realistic

4 tips for would-be college athletes

Should football be part of your college search

Recruiting column: how NOT to talk to a college coach

Recruiting column: 5 worst recruiting tips (of all time)

NCAA athletes need education on long odds of making pros,study finds

Recruiting column: your first impression

Recruiting column: tools of the trade

Young athletes increasingly facing health problems

Recruiting tip: don’t rely on someone else to handle your recruiting

ABC Guide for parents of student athletes

Recruiting column: how to get (yourself) recruited

Recruiting tip: one college option isn’t enough

Recruiting column: parent’s perspective

Recruiting column: the perfect recruit

When your child wants to become a college athlete

Obtaining Athletic Scholarships at NCAA Division 1 Universities

Dear Athlete – Here is how you build confidence

Spring Cleaning

Another school year is winding down (but, once again, it is not over so you still need to apply yourself fully - read post from last week about the importance of finishing school strong...) and the spring weather and upcoming exams are two likely reasons that you may decide to do some "spring cleaning" of your school materials. Hint: If your book bag looks anything like this photo (which, sadly, is one of my student's) then you definitely need to work on cleaning things out and getting organized!

As you go through your book bags and homework/ study areas there are a few things to keep in mind. Does your system work for you? Are you able to find everything you want and need without having to search? Do you spend more time organizing and looking for the piece of paper that you know has the answer than you do actually completing the project or assignment? Do you know what you want or need to save for the future? And yes, seniors, I am talking about more than just digging out of your room in case your parents decide to convert your room into a guest bedroom after you go to college... :-)

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

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

Procrastination

Procrastination doesn’t mean you are lazy or incapable, but it does often result in increased stress levels. If you have been fighting procrastination, there are no quick fixes and, as with most things in life, what works for one person will not necessarily work for someone else so it is important to find a strategy that will work effectively for you.

I doubt that any of these suggestions will be ideas that you have never heard of before, but it comes down to deciding that you want to try to make a change. So, reward yourself for progress made because it does take time to improve.

Some ideas to help combat procrastination:
Plan ahead.

Break your big projects, assignments, or responsibilities down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Commit to spending at least 15 minutes working on something that you have been avoiding.

Remind yourself that there is not going to be a better time – not tomorrow, not next weekend, and not next month – something else will always come up that continues to contribute to the procrastination.

Ask for help.

Focus on the desired outcome – rather than your fear or inaction.

Be realistic – most tasks take far longer than you expect.

Minimize Distractions… and take care of whatever is distracting you.

Let go of perfectionism. (And, for those of you who are perfectionists, I know that this is a hard one, but the reality is that many things aren’t worth doing perfectly, so just start and do your best – it will still be better than not doing it at all.)

Recruit a friend to help keep you accountable. (If you tell someone else about your goal or plan to battle your typical procrastination blocks, you are more likely to follow through, but please make sure it is a friend who will help you stay accountable not convince you that it is OK to put off starting your paper for a few more days.)

Do the hard part first… or… do the easy part first. (Whichever is more motivating to you is the one you should choose.)  For some people getting through the toughest material while you are still fresh and focused is best and then when you are finished you can wrap up with the easier material.  For others, doing the easy stuff gets you into a pattern of completing work so that you can focus on the tougher stuff with some momentum on your side.

Keep track of your progress so you don't lose sight of how much you've accomplished.

The bottom line is that if you get your work done when you need to instead of procrastinating, you’ll feel better about yourself and have less stress… so it is time to get to work. :-)

Social Media Articles

Social Media continues to be an issue for many of our students.  It can have implications far beyond the present day and so it is a common topic for many articles:

3 points to discuss with teens about anonymous messaging

The 12 apps every parent of a teen should know about

Lots more college admissions officers are checking your Instagram and Facebook

Boost college applications with a positive online presence

To the well-intentioned but ignorant parents of teenagers

Teens are using secret hashtags to share dangerous habits

What do college admissions officers look for on Facebook pages?

Teens and technology use

Cyberbullying risk is much higher for young women and moderate internet users

Does social media affect college admissions, how to prepare your profiles

Study: college application process gets social

College admissions: using social media during admissions process

Why many kids are leaving social networks

More colleges are cyber-stalking students during the admissions process

Study: increased social media use linked to depression like symptoms in teens

Expressing Gratitude - Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is national Teacher Appreciation Week!  WKHS is blessed to have a staff of incredible teachers who are committed to their student's success - not only in the classroom, but also in life.  Kilbourne teachers are passionate about what they do as they try to inspire a love of learning.  Their care for your success extends beyond the boundaries of the classroom walls. 

Additionally, I also hope that you will consider thanking our administrators for their role in leading our school each day.  Let’s be honest, Ms. Adrean, Mr. Johnson, Mr. Nally and Mr. Todd have tough, demanding jobs that require long hours and they don't get thanked enough for everything they do.  

I hope that this week you will take a moment to simply say thanks to the teachers at Kilbourne who have had a positive impact on your life.  You never know - your kind words may stay with them for years to come.  And I encourage you to find time in these last few weeks of the school year to thank the administrators for everything they do to help lead Kilbourne. 

And I will use this as my opportunity to say thank you to all of Kilbourne’s amazing teachers and administrators!

It's Decision Day!

It's National Decision Day!  Congratulations to all of the seniors who have now finalized their plans for next year and which college they will be attending in the future.  For all those who were struggling to decide, today is such a wonderful day because the decision has been made and you can finally just be excited without the weight and stress of deciding.  I am excited for you and the bright futures you have in front of you!

Don't forget, now that you have made your decision, your mandatory graduation questionnaire is due back tomorrow.