New Classes

Each year the staff of WKHS are working not only to make sure that all students have the best possible experiences in your current classes, but also to anticipate the future needs and interests of students and to adjust or develop new classes that will interest our students.  As an outcome of this there are several new courses being offered in the coming year which may interest students.


Forensics - this is a Science semester-long elective course available to students in grades 11 and 12.  This class focuses on the collection, identification and analysis of crime scene evidence.  Emphasis will be placed on the methods that link suspect, victim and crime scene.  Labs will include fingerprinting, handwriting analysis, ballistics, blood typing, hair and fiber examination, and DNA analysis.  Case studies and current events will be explored.

Biomedical Science - this is Science semester-long elective course and is available to students in grades 11 and 12.  This course investigates concepts of biology and medicine as they explore health conditions including heart disease, diabetes, sickle-cell disease, hypercholesterolemia, and infectious diseases.  Students will be introduced to human physiology, basic biology, medicine and research processes.

Environmental Studies - is another semester-long Science elective course for 11th and 12th graders.  This course surveys key topic areas including the application of scientific process to environmental analysis, ecology, energy flow, ecological structures, earth systems, and atmosphere, land and water science.  Students will also learn about decisions impacting the environment and the use of resources.

Astronomy - this is also a Science semester-long elective course for juniors and seniors.  This class introduces students to the composition and structure of the universe.  Content includes historical astronomy, astronomical instruments, the celestial sphere, the solar system, the earth as a system in space, the earth. moon system, the sun as a star, and stars.

IB Math Studies - this is a new IB Math class that is a 1-year IB math course and is easier than the other IB math class - this class is going to be more similar to Pre-Calculus.

CC+ MET 1281: Engineering Design & Development - this is equivalent to the ED & D course already running at WKHS and the college class will still be taught over the year by WKHS teachers, but if you elect to sign up for this course you will automatically earn 2 credits from Sinclair Community College that you can use to hopefully transfer to your intended college.  Please note that because it is just a 2 credit hour class, you will not be able to count this class for athletic eligibility because it is equal to .66 credits for the year or .33 credits for each semester.

There are also some classes you won't find as options for next year...

AP French is no longer being offered - students are encouraged to take IB French instead.

Natural Systems Science (NSS) is no longer being offered - all of the other new science semester electives have taken it's place.

CC+ Honors PreCalculus is no longer being offered.  Students still have the option of Math 150 CC+ PreCaclulus, but not the honors precalc course.  But, remember, Students who take Math 150 (regular PreCalc) for 5 credit hours will then go to Calculus 1 for 5 credits the next year.  Students who take Honors PreCalc will then be on track to go to Math BC which is Calculus 1 and 2 which is also worth 10 credit hours of college classes so they both equate out to the same amount of college credits earned.

Law 2 is not running next year because they are trying to rotate this course into the offerings every couple of years and it ran this year, but don't worry, it will be back again in the future.

IB and Blended Classes

When we look at the learning options available to meet the needs of our students, sometimes it is the approach to the learning which varies and that is the case with the IB program and with the blended learning courses.  I wanted to spend a few minutes giving you highlights related to these options so that you are aware as you are scheduling your classes.

One of the top factors colleges consider when evaluating applicants is the strength of the academic schedule students take on during high school.  (And, of course, that they do well in those classes.)  One of the options that students can consider for selecting a rigorous academic schedule that also has the benefit of providing students with a global perspective and integrated learning to make connections across courses, is the International Baccalaureate (IB) program.

Students who are interested in completing the full IB diploma program will have specific IB courses to take along with completing the IB exams, an extended essay, and a community action service project along with a Theory of Knowledge course.  Even if students are not sure that they want to take on the full diploma program, you can still participate in IB courses!  You can take just a handful of classes (or even just 1) if that is what appeals to you.  For example, students interested in Psychology or History might elect to take just the IB Psychology course or just the IB History course.  And there is an IB partial program that you can explore if you fall somewhere in the middle.

As an IB World School, our students have the opportunity to participate in a rigorous group of classes to push themselves to learn and grow.  Students that are in the IB program are among the first to talk about how much they have enjoyed the program.  If you have questions about IB I definitely encourage you to talk with students in the IB program or to Ms. Goodwin who is the IB program coordinator.  And, of course, you can always talk to me too.

We also offer a range of Blended Courses.  In the blended format, students will meet with the teacher for more traditional instruction, full class discussions, and learning activities a few days a week and then, depending on the class and how the teachers have it set up, on the other days out of the week students may be in the classroom working in groups or on their own or they may even have the flexibility to take more personal responsibility for their learning by completing online assignments, engaging in digital conversations, or completing other activities to push their learning forward.  As you are probably aware, Digital Art is a course that is only offered in the blended format.  Students also have the choice of selecting between regular or blended courses for AP English Language, English 3 and Contemporary Voices.   Blended Learning courses provide an exciting opportunity for many students, but it will not be right for all kids so please know that the traditional format for these classes will also still be available if that is what you prefer.  Please note that if you are choosing a class that is offered in a traditional format and a blended format the numbers are the same, but the blended course sections have a different ending to the course code so if you do want to enroll in one of the blended courses next year, be sure to select the proper code/ course.  If you want to learn more about Blended learning, check out the video the district created.

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.

It is important though to remember that 5 classes is the minimum required in order to be considered a Full Time student.  Being full time is critical for a wide range of reasons - insurance, child support, good driver discounts, etc.  So you will definitely not want to be looking at less than 5 classes in any semester!

If students are behind on earning their credits, then it may be necessary to plan on taking more classes during 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. 

Also, please be sure that you double check and make sure you are taking enough classes to be eligible to participate in athletics and other co-curricular activities. (Remember, any school sponsored activity that involves competition requires you to be eligible. So this includes band, choir groups, Mock Trial, In the Know, Dance Team, etc.)

In order to be eligible you must PASS at least 5 of the half credit courses each quarter. If you are signing up to take a Wellness for Life course, you need to remember that these classes are only worth .25 credits so they do not count in the courses needed for co-curricular eligibility.

If you have questions about eligibility, please stop in the co-curricular office or to see me for additional clarification.

Meeting Madness

I wanted to let you know that over the next three weeks there are multiple days each week that will be very hectic with one-on-one meetings which means I will NOT be available in the same way as normal. If you have questions or would like to touch base about anything, I wanted you to be aware up front so that you could plan accordingly.

This week I am not available at all on Monday and Wednesday. Next week I will not be available on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. And the following week I will not be available on Monday and most of Wednesday. During each of these days I will be meeting individually with students regarding their course selections for next year and, for the juniors, also discussing their plans for life after high school.

Please understand that your concerns and needs are very important to me so I will work to see you around my scheduled individual registration meeting days.

Also, don't forget that the online registration is now open, so log in and complete your course registration!  Tomorrow night, Monday, January 29th is curriculum night so that students and parents can learn more about the various academic choices so if you're still not sure about which classes you want to select, please come to WKHS tomorrow night to learn more!

Balancing Your Classes

Hopefully you are ready to request your classes online (and thanks to all those who have already done so) .  Don't forget, you need to submit your online registration by this coming Friday (February 2nd) and, if you are a junior scheduled to meet with me this week, please be sure to complete your registration before our meeting. 

When you are considering which classes you want to take it is really important to try to find a balance. You want to challenge yourself with courses that will push you and help prepare you for the future. At the same time you want to remember that it is high school and you need to be reasonable about your expectations for yourself. There is a balance that should be sought - between too many "easy" classes and too many "hard" classes. You know yourself best and what you can handle so while it may feel good to have every teacher recommend you for honors, AP, or IB classes it doesn't mean that it would be the ideal situation to load your schedule with 7 advanced classes. This week I even had students stop by proclaiming a plan to take 8 classes by skipping their lunch period.  I get it, there are a lot of incredible classes available at WKHS, but overloading your day and burning yourself out does nothing for your love of learning or your ability to successfully complete your classes.  I cannot stress enough how much I want you to think about the rest of your commitments.  

What sports, clubs, music groups, part-time jobs, and volunteer commitments do you have?  When will you have time to relax and breathe, spend time with your family and friends and, perhaps most importantly, still get a good night's sleep each night?

I completely understand that this can be hard to figure out the balance because you aren't at next year yet to be able to imagine what your days will feel like, but the Kilbourne staff created a Time Commitment Planning Calendar which can help you gain insight into what your intended plan will really look like.  You can find copies on the Kilbourne Counselor website - www.wkhscounselors.com - or there are hard copies available in the counseling center.  A student helped by completing a sample calendar so that you can see what a completed one looks like and that is also on the Kilbourne Counselor website.  I strongly encourage you to consider 2 of your busiest weeks and fill out the calendar so that you can have a realistic perspective for what the classes you are considering would provide a good balance for you - being both rigorous (particularly in any area of passion) and reasonable.

If you are struggling to find that balance, please talk to your parents about the classes you are considering and stop down to see me so that we can discuss it too.

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up soon.  Conferences will be held on Monday, February 5^th from 5:00pm - 9:00pm and Thursday, February 8^th from 3:30pm – 7:30pm.  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 any 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, you will be able to sign up now.  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 email 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.

Career Searching for Future Planning

Sometimes students will talk about being stressed, overwhelmed or worried when thinking about the future and trying to decide what they want to be when they grow up.  I get it, but I have to admit – this kind of makes me sad.  I think that the process of exploring potential careers for your future should be fun and exciting.  It should provide you with the chance to learn more about yourself – what you like, what you don’t like, what you are interested in learning more about, and how you can contribute to make the world a better place in big or small ways.

Yes, I realize that this all sounds like pressure and that is not what I intend.  Let me be clear – I am not asking you to decide today what you will do for the rest of your life.  I’m just hoping that you will consider doing some career exploration and using that information to help you as you select your courses for next year.  Even a little bit of exploration now while you are in high school can help give you insights into possible fields to investigate.  We specifically gave this information to juniors as a part of their registration packet, but I think it can be helpful and interesting to students of every age.

Some students have done a Myers Briggs personality test and the codes of your personality can be connected with potential career fields.  If you have never taken a Myers Briggs type test, today is the day!  This website provides a free version of the test.  It takes 12 minutes to complete… what are you waiting for?  In case it entices you to complete the test, the results will not only tell you about potential career paths you might like it will also highlight some of your strengths and weaknesses, styles of interactions and needs with others, and work habits.  Plus, once you have your Myers Briggs code type (it will be 4 letters) you can do a Google search to find information about top careers for your personality type and that will result in much more detailed, specific career related information.  I also have a cheat sheet of different careers that might fit well based on your personality type.

If a personality test seems too abstract for a career interest inventory, then I also have another free career test that you might like.  This is a quick 56 question test where you indicate how much or how little you are interested in various areas.  It isn’t the “prettiest” site, but the information is good – when you get to the results page just scroll down below the video to see what it indicates as being your results.

After you have done either or both of these tests I hope that you will save or print your results and bring them in so that we can talk about them and what you think based upon your own interests for your future and if you agree or disagree with the results.  And yes, it is ok to disagree… a quick simple test online cannot replace your own thoughts, feelings, interests, and insights!

Graduation Requirements

When picking out your classes it is helpful to start with the end goal in mind - Graduation! It is important to be aware of the graduation requirements as you plan your course selection.  And if you can't remember what classes you have already completed, please check out your transcript on Infinite Campus - it has now been updated with your 1st semester grades!  (You can find it in the Reports section.)

Below is the list of the courses required in order to graduate.  (In addition to these classes, you will also have the testing component to fulfill, but let's focus on classes for today.)

- 4 credits of English: the place where this can sometimes get confusing is senior year when students get to select what classes they want to take to fulfill this 4th credit requirement.  You can either take one of the year long classes (AP Literature, IB English, or Contemporary Voices) or if you are taking two electives then you will need to make sure the English elective classes that you select fall into two separate categories and that you get one which fulfills the English Reading component and one that fulfills the English Writing component.  They are marked on the course selection sheet for your reference.

- 4 credits of Math: this must include passing Math 3.  So, for some students that will be Math 1A, Math 1B, Math 2, and Math 3.  Others will fulfill the requirements by taking Math 1, Math 2, Math 3, and then their 4th credit of Math through Financial Algebra, Transitions to College Math or Pre-Calculus.

- 3 credits of Science

- 3 credits of Social Studies: this must include Government

- 1/2 credit of Health

- 1/2 credit of Physical Education: this can be met through 2 semesters of PE classes - each worth 1/4 credit or if students plan to use the PE waiver then this requirement can be substituted for 1/2 credit of any other elective.

- 5 credits of Elective: Any classes beyond those meeting the above requirements will fall into the category of meeting elective credits.  So, for example, if you take 4 credits of Science (which most of you should plan on doing) then the extra science credit will count as an elective credit. 

- When planning your classes you need to be sure that you have fulfilled your other course requirements related to Fine Art and Financial Literacy.  The fine art requirement can be met between the grades of 7-12 and all students must pass 1 full year of fine art courses.  (This can include art, music, or theater.)  For the Financial Literacy requirement, students can meet this component through Personal Financial Management (a business elective course), Economics & Financial Literacy (a Social Studies elective course), Financial Algebra (a 4th year math course), or through the IB History courses.

To help you in keeping these requirements straight, we provided you with a check sheet with today's registration packet.  One side of the sheet allows you to check off the classes you have already passed.  When I fill out this sheet I also put a dot in the places where students are currently taking classes so that I know those requirements will be met this semester.  And then it helps you to see what the remaining requirements are for you.  Once you know what your remaining graduation requirements are you can use the other side of the paper to plan out how you will be filling the 8 periods of your day each year.  (And for those of you who are older and don't have that many years left you can just leave the extra years blank or you can use it to experiment between different options of what you are considering.)

Registering for Next Year's Classes

Tomorrow kicks off the process for registering for classes for next school year.  You will be on an extended homeroom schedule.  (Seniors will have a class meeting since you won’t be picking HS classes for next year!)  

Here is tomorrow's bell schedule:

1st period- 7:45 - 8:32
2nd period- 8:37 - 9:24
Homeroom- 9:29 - 9:53
3rd period- 9:58 - 10:45
4th period- 10:50 - 11:37
5th period- 11:42 - 12:29
6th period- 12:34 - 1:21
7th period- 1:26 - 2:13
8th period- 2:18 - 3:05

I recognize that it feels too early to be making these decisions when you are just a few weeks into the new semester, but the time it takes to be able to take your requests and then build a master schedule that will meet your needs is very complex.

One of the most common reactions for students (and parents) as soon as they hear that it is registration time is to panic.  So please, right now, before you even receive your registration information, pause, take a deep breath and relax!  Thinking about the future can feel overwhelming, but I promise that I will help you through it.  This is a very hectic time of year for me dealing with far more than registration, but I want to reassure you that I am aware of the anxiety and we will get through it together.

So, let me give you a quick glimpse of what these next few weeks will include.  Tomorrow will be homeroom where you’ll get the details of what you need to do to register for your classes.  You will submit your course selections online through Infinite Campus in the next week.  The deadline to submit your requests is Friday, February 2nd.  I will meet with every student individually to review your requests.  We will still be able to make adjustments to your requests at that time so if you are uncertain about something, go ahead and make your best guess on what you are thinking and then we will talk about it when we meet together.

Here are some of the key dates you’ll need to know about:

-          Wednesday, January 24^th: Registration materials distributed and online registration begins

-          Monday, January 29^th: Curriculum Night at 7:00pm – you and your parents can come to talk with the teachers and learn more about the different options available to you; Individual meetings with juniors and parents as scheduled

-          Wednesday, January 31^st: Individual meetings with juniors and parents as scheduled

-          Thursday, February 1^st: Academic Options Night at 7:00pm at TWHS – you and your parents MUST attend this information to learn about College Credit Plus if you want to be able to take college classes next year while still in high school

-          Friday, February 2^nd: Deadline to submit online course requests

-          Monday, February 5th: Individual meetings with all freshmen students during science classes; Evening individual meetings with juniors and parents as scheduled

-          Tuesday, February 6th: Individual meetings with all sophomore students during science classes

-          Thursday, February 8^th: Individual meetings with juniors and parents as scheduled

-          Monday, February 12^th: Individual meetings with juniors and parents as scheduled

-          Friday, February 16^th: My deadline to be able to make any adjustments in the online system

Over the next few days, during classes, your teachers will be 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.  You will be getting a form signed indicating your teacher recommendations and  you will also have your parent sign the form so that they verify you have had the chance to review the input from the teachers about what they would suggest for you to take.  You will turn in this form to me during our individual meeting.  You will have a course selection sheet to help guide you in the different options available and you can use that sheet to make notes about your thoughts on what interests you and then you can highlight to help select your classes that you will then enter online.  If you would 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 or come to meet with them during Curriculum Night.  (Let me know if you need help finding a teacher during one of their off periods.)

After you have determined which courses you would like to take, please talk it over with your parents and then login and register on Infinite Campus.  When you submit your course requests on Infinite Campus they will be saved automatically.  You will need to be sure to submit 3 alternates.  I will only use those to replace classes if your first choice selections are absolutely not possible.  After you have submitted your requests online, you will print out your request summary sheet and have your parents sign it.  You MUST bring this signed form back with you to our individual meeting along with the teacher recommendation form.

Freshmen and sophomores will be meeting with me individually during your science class.  I will be honest, there are a few periods when I have WAY too many students to meet with during your science period.  So, as a result, I will have to bump some of your meetings to an off period on the same day so that I can give everyone the individual time you deserve.  Unless you receive a pass from me indicating a different period, please anticipate that you will come during your science period.  As a reminder, freshmen, you will come on Monday, February 5th and sophomores, you will meet with me on Tuesday, February 2nd.  Juniors, you will have individual meeting times assigned to you.  I will be distributing passes for when your assigned time is tomorrow during homeroom.  This will be your only pass so please don’t lose your appointment slip because this will be your only reminder and your pass if you need to leave class.  Please be aware that some of your appointments will be before the online registration window closes, but you must submit your requests online before our meeting!

Also, just in case you lose any of your forms, we will have extra copies posted, along with the video from tomorrow’s presentation, the powerpoint, and the Course Planning Handbook all available for students and parents to access on the Kilbourne Counselor website – www.wkhscounselors.com – and as of tomorrow we will have it on the home page for your convenience.

Once again, I am here to help you, but I do beg for you to try to be patient with me as having more than 300 students makes it hard to get to everyone all at the same time.

College Credit Plus & Credit Flex

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

The College Credit Plus (CC+) program is an opportunity for high school students to take college courses while still enrolled in high school. Students have the option of completing courses on a college campus, online, or at WKHS.  

College classes at WKHS include both classes that are taught by WKHS teachers who are eligible to serve as adjunct faculty at colleges and classes where CSCC instructors are coming to Kilbourne to teach our students.

Classes that we anticipate being taught at WKHS (dependent on enough students enrolling in them) include: Pre-Calculus, Calculus 1, Calculus 2, Intro to Business, Intro to Programming Logic, English Composition 1, English Composition 2, Intro to Psychology, Intro to Sociology, Intro to American Government, Ethics, African American History, Classical Mythology, Physical Geology, and Art History 1.

There are a lot of details involved in participating in the CC+ program and students must complete and submit the paperwork before April 1st to indicate their intent to participate in the CC+ program in the following school year.  CC+ is also available for students to take classes during the summer in addition to during the 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 must plan to attend the Academic Options night on Thursday, February 1st at 7:00pm in the TWHS auditorium.  This will be a joint meeting for all of the students and parents in Worthington.  (So please be sure you go to the TWHS auditorium!)  Every college in a 30 mile radius was invited to participate in the meeting.  You need to see me if you are unable to attend this meeting as it is a state requirement that you attend one and there are other options being provided at local colleges which you can attend if you can't make it to the Worthington meeting.  Let me stress this again - this is a mandatory meeting for any students who want to participate in CC+ next year!

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 are 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.

If you have any interest in learning more about College Credit Plus and Credit Flexibility, please plan to join us at TWHS on Thursday, February 1st!

Cap and Gown Reminder

I don't know about all of you, but last week felt like a REALLY long 3 day week.  I have no clue how we are going to adjust to this week's 5 day week!  :-)  It will be busy for sure.

Over the weekend I kept having my mind wander to the fact that seniors, you are now just 4 months from graduation!  How crazy is that? 

As you start thinking ahead to graduation, I'd like to remind you of a few things...

1. You have to finish your graduation requirements successfully!  I spent part of the weekend going through and doing credit checks for all of you.  Do NOT let up now.  You still have classes that you need to pass in order to graduate!

2.  You need to order your cap and gown!  WKHS works with National Recognition Products for the cap and gowns as well as announcements if you are interested in those.  You can order your cap and gown directly off of their website which is: http://nrpgradohio.com/wk/  All students should order their cap and gown by January 31st.  They will still be available after that date, but for an additional cost.  You must wear a cap and gown in order to participate in the commencement ceremony.

3.  This isn't a mandatory requirement for graduation as the two points above are, but important just the same are your senior pictures!  Mrs. Mullen needs your senior picture for the yearbook and she asks that they be submitted to her by January 31st.  If you will not hit this deadline, please talk to her so that she knows your picture is still coming and when she can expect it.

Graduation will be here before you know it!  So take care of the things that you need to complete now to be prepared.

Thank you notes

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. 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 teachers who have written recommendation letters for you. Many people do not realize the time and effort it takes to write a good recommendation letter. If you didn't thank your teachers at the time they wrote your recommendation letters, perhaps now - as you wrap up your college application process - is the perfect time! Thank them for their help and support in your college applications. It is important to 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. Have a great weekend!

Delaware Area Career Center

The Delaware Area Career Center (DACC) offers a wide range of programs to help students get a jump start on their college and career plans.  If you have never been to the career center you and your parents are encouraged to go to the Open House one week from today - Thursday, January 25, 2018 from 5 to 7pm.  During the open house you will have the opportunity to visit the hands-on labs and meet with the instructors and some of the current students to learn about all of the different options available.  The DACC is a great option for earning elective credits and there are a wide range of impressive programs available for students!

Don't forget that even if attending the career center, WKHS students are always WKHS students. With most programs you will have the option of attending the career center for full days (where you would take your lab coursework which counts as elective credits and your academic courses all at the career center) or for half days (where you only take the lab coursework at the career center and then return to WKHS for the other half of the day for your academic classes). You will graduate from Worthington Kilbourne and continue to participate on our athletic teams - even if you decide that you want to attend the career center for the full day. I strongly encourage you to check out the programs as the hands on opportunities to learn something new while also gaining your required elective credits can be a very appealing option.

My students who have attended the DACC have loved it!  They like the opportunity to push themselves in an area, the chance to determine if a career field is right for them, and to learn in different ways than the traditional classroom setting.  Each time I step foot into a DACC lab, I am impressed by all the things that students are doing.  Whether it was building sheds, welding, driving fire trucks, playing with kids, repairing cars, cooking & serving food, participating in research on animals at the zoo, teaching, or focusing on providing pain-free dental experiences, all of the students were engaged and thriving.  Most of the programs at the Delaware Area Career Center are 2 year programs for students to complete their junior and senior years, but there are some sophomore programs and some senior only programs.   For example, the pharmacy tech program is one of the senior only programs that is very popular.

If you didn’t participate in the field trip back in November and would still like to learn more about the opportunities at the Delaware Area Career Center you can still visit!  They have second look days coming up where you can visit one of the DACC campuses and spend time in the labs seeing what the students in that program are doing on a day-to-day basis.  

In just a few weeks we will begin the registration process for next year’s classes and I wanted to remind all students about the great opportunities available at the career center.  It is important to remember though that the Delaware Area Career Center requires students to apply and the priority deadline is coming up this Friday, February 2nd.  So, if you are interested in applying to DACC, please get your application completed and submitted online ASAP.

When you are completing the WKHS online registration, for current juniors who are already enrolled as students at DACC, as long as you are in good standing with your program then you are automatically eligible to continue in your program next year.  So, when you register you will select the 1/2 day or Full day option that you prefer and register only for the classes at WKHS that you plan on taking.

If you are a sophomore or junior who has applied to the career center then 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 to reflect your half day or full day DACC preference.

For more information about the Delaware Area Career Center programs, please visit their website at www.delawareacc.org.

Student Recognition

The start of the semester has felt so strange to me because it has been so chaotic, so full of meetings, and so inconsistent of available time that I have not been around as much as I would have liked.  That combined with the snow day and the early release due to the weather have left me missing seeing all of you as much as I would have liked.  So, I am still hoping we can find time to catch up more soon!

For now though I have a few of "my" students that I need to recognize.  Unfortunately, I don't have pictures to go with any of these celebrations.

January Students of the Month:
Last Friday morning was the ceremony to honor our January Students of the Month.  Students are only eligible to receive this recognition once during their high school years.  Students are nominated by staff in recognition for their outstanding dedication to the school and community.  A special congratulations to my students who were among those recognized as Students of the Month: Trixie Abbott, Evan Anderson, Davis Bailey, Erin Beard, Joclyn Blake and David Boord.  I am proud of you all!

Maggie Crozier:
Excelling in school and sports can be a challenge, but Maggie makes it look easy.  In fact, Maggie is not only excelling she is setting records!  Maggie has set several records with the WKHS Basketball team.  She recently became the all-time leading scorer - an incredible achievement!  In celebration of her achievements this past week Maggie was recognized as a Dispatch Athlete of the Week and as the 10TV Athlete of the Week.  Congratulations Maggie!  I am impressed not only by your achievements, but also by your humility and grace under pressure.  

Chase Brown:
Achieving accomplishments while in high school that help propel students toward the future is always exciting.  For Chase, his hard work and dedication to writing have been remarkable.  As a result, he has earned local and national recognition.  Chase finished runner up in the Best Sports Writing category in the Central Ohio Society of Professional Journalists and Dispatch Media Group's The Martys awards.  In the National Scholastic Press Association's 2017 Sports Story of the Year, Chase placed 4th in the nation.  Congratulations Chase!

Winter Sports Teams:
The winter sports teams are half way through their seasons and some have had incredible starts and some have struggled, but I am so impressed by the ongoing dedication, hard work, and never give up spirit that is being displayed each day.  So, no matter if it is because of being willing to take a last second shot in a big basketball game, going for a new skill in gymnastics, or pushing through your 100 x 100's in swimming, I am impressed by you.  And sometimes you get recognized for those accomplishments, but all too often it is the small victories that are happening behind the scenes away from the cheering crowds.  Congratulations to all of you - including the hockey team who got their first win of the season this past weekend.

Senior Mixed Emotions

Did you enjoy the REALLY extra long weekend from the snow day today?  While it was nice to spend another day relaxing in sweats, I have to admit I genuinely miss seeing all of you (and I won't even mention how much Lexi is missing you) today!  In some ways I guess this is my mixed emotions - I am happy for a snow day, but still missing all of you.

For seniors this is such a time of mixed emotions for many different reasons.  The excitement about being in your final semester of high school battles the disbelief that high school has flown past.  The eagerness to be done with high school because you are ready to move on to whatever is next competes with the fears about what will come after high school.  The joy of college acceptances comes at the same time as the disappointment and sadness of deferrals and rejections.  None of it is easy!

Over the past few weeks as more and more college admissions decisions have been arriving, I noticed that students will sometimes forget that others are around and start announcing where they were accepted and their feelings about different schools. 

When you have been accepted to a school, it is wonderful news and completely understandable that you want to shout it from the roof-tops, but it is also important to try to be sensitive to those around you and to remember that some of your friends and classmates are NOT being accepted into the very same colleges. 

While receiving a college rejection letter is hard, it is even more hurtful to hear someone else say something such as, "Oh, I was accepted to ___ (insert name of college) but I would never actually go there." Particularly if the school mentioned was the one where a student was recently rejected and had been their top choice college. 

So, go ahead and share your excitement, but please be sensitive to what you say about other schools and how you "rate" your own schools. No one school is perfect for every student and every student is not perfect for every school - it is important to find the right balance and I sincerely believe that every student will be able to find the college that is right for them.

Finding a way to balance the range of emotions you are experiencing as seniors is important. Sure, many of you are excited to graduate and be done with high school, but that also means the future, starting college, getting jobs, and being "adults" is just around the corner. I know that this is a time of high anxiety and remember, I am here to help support you! Please, do NOT sabotage yourself and your grades in your classes as a *solution* to not feeling ready to leave high school. Stop in and see me - let me know how you are feeling about high school coming to an end in just a few short months. I look forward to chatting with you soon!

PE Waiver

The PE waiver 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 student (as well as all future, incoming Kilbourne students).  Please be aware that athletic participation during your senior year does not count toward the waiver.

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.

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, 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 district is currently working to develop a system to track your athletic participation automatically, but that is not in place at this time.  So, for the time being the PE Waiver application is available in the Co-Curricular Office and on the WKHS Counselor Website.  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.  

As I have been reviewing student's credit checks I noticed that there are a lot of students who are waiver eligible, but have not turned in their waiver application.  Please, make sure you get the form, get it signed by your coaches, get it approved by Mr. Todd and bring it to me as soon as possible!