Teacher Recommendation Letters

Juniors, remember when we talked in our junior meetings about the fact that I'd remind you when it was time to start asking teachers about possibly writing a recommendation letter on your behalf?  Now is the time.  :-)

Recommendation letters are a time consuming process requiring a great deal of thought and time. Juniors, as you finalize the list of schools where you will be applying next fall, it is important to determine if you are going to need a recommendation letter from a teacher (or two). Many of the Ohio schools - Ohio State University, OU, BGSU, Kent State, etc. do not require teacher recommendations.  Because rec letters are a time consuming process, if the colleges where you are applying do not require recommendations, then do not waste your teacher's time by requesting letters that won't be needed or used!

If you are applying to schools that need teacher recommendation letters, it is very helpful and beneficial to the teachers if you can give them as much time as possible to write your recommendation letters. That means, if you know now that you are going to be applying to a school which needs a teacher rec letter, then I would like for you to ask the teachers this spring allowing them to have the entire summer to write your letter. (These next few weeks are a great time to ask!)  After you ask your teacher(s), you will want to provide them with information that can help them as they write your letter. We have several handouts in the counseling and career center and on the WKHS Counselor website that you can use for this purpose. 

And yes juniors, this is also a reminder that you need to be working now toward finalizing a list of where you plan on applying to college because, as the seniors can definitely tell you - it goes by fast!

Speaking of seniors and time passing quickly... tomorrow is May 1st!!!  Which means that it is National College Decision Day!  Congratulations to all of the seniors who will now finally have a decision because they cannot procrastinate any longer.  Be absolutely certain you have submitted your deposit and confirmation to your intended college as well as notifying other schools that you will not be attending.  I can't wait to hear from those of you who I don't already know about where you will be attending!

College Admissions Tests

Juniors, since most students improve their scores when they repeat the tests, I encourage you to consider signing up to take another college admission test this spring or summer.  You can take either the ACT or the SAT (or both).  Don't forget, while there are some test dates in the fall, it can be tough to get the tests completed before the earliest application deadlines.

Here are the upcoming test dates and the regular registration deadlines:

- June 2 SAT: Register by May 3rd

- June 9 ACT: Register by May 4th

- July 14 ACT: Register by June 15th

- August 25 SAT: Register by July 27th

To register for the tests, please visit their websites.

ACT: www.act.org

SAT: www.collegeboard.com

Stressed?

Stress comes from a range of events and life experiences. When positive things happen such as getting a new job, dating someone new, or graduating from high school, stress levels increase. And, obviously, stress levels are higher when negative things take place like failing a test, fighting with family or friends, or having a lot to do in a limited amount of time. Quite simply, the reality is that stress is a part of life and it cannot be escaped, but it is important to learn healthy strategies for dealing with stress.


I like this video about how stress affects your body and mind.

What is a stress reliever for one person may not work for someone else so you will need to think about strategies that tend to work best for you.  One suggestion is to think back to other stressful times in your life and consider what you did in those situations that helped you to deal with the stress.  Below are just a few examples of some strategies that people have found effective.

Deep breathing is frequently overlooked as a strategy, but it is one of the most powerful and can be done in every setting.  Slowing down your body and decreasing your heart rate by focusing on your breathing can help shift the chemicals in your brain because when you are feeling stressed the chemicals that cause a "fight or flight" reaction are geared up putting your body on edge.  By breathing, you are showing yourself that you don't need to be prepared to have a "fight or flight" reaction and it can shift the chemicals in your brain so that you can relax.  If you don't know how to take deep breaths (yes, I really mean that - because there are effective ways and ineffective ways), please check out this website to learn more: http://www.lifehack.org/324889/heres-how-breathe-youre-stressed-out

Talk it out!  Talking to trustworthy people around you is an effective stress management strategy.  You can talk to family members, friends, teachers, religious leaders, siblings, and obviously you  can come see me to talk.

Distract yourself with something enjoyable.  When used within reason positive distractions can help give you a break from the stress you are currently feeling.

Get the thoughts and feelings out of your head.  Journal, write, draw, or color.  Any safe source of personal expression can be helpful.

Physical activity is another beneficial strategy for managing stress.  Take a walk, work out, dance, run, lift weights, or play a sport you enjoy.

Embrace the power of music.  Performing music or listening to music can have a powerful impact on your mood and overall stress levels.  

If you are an animal person, spend some time cuddling your pet or Lexi hopes you will come visit her and pet her for a while - yet another easy, positive stress reliever.

Strive to maintain perspective.  Even if you fall short of your goals and fail to achieve something you had hoped to accomplish, it does not mean that you are a failure!  Treating yourself with compassion and trying not to be too critical on yourself are important steps to help minimize your stress levels.

If you are struggling with feelings of stress, brief or long-lasting, then one other suggestion I have for you is to download the free app called the Virtual Hope Box.  It has the option for you to include pictures or videos of people important to you, there is a great deep breathing visual that you get to set for yourself, and lots of other strategies for coping.

Believe me, I know that it isn't easy to deal with the stress of high school so please, remember that I am always here to listen and help in any way possible.  Also, know that you have been through bad days before and your success rate for making it through them is 100% so you will be able to make it through this too.

Below are some articles related to stress management that may also interest you:

How to instantly calm stressful situations

No worse fate than failure

Managing social media stress with mindfulness

Tips for beating test anxiety

How to help kids who are too hard on themselves

How to worry less

How self compassion can help you heal your inner critic

6 easy ways to calm down fast (by an EMT)

End of School Year Approaching Quickly

Seniors have just 16 days of school remaining and underclassmen have 20 days (including the 3 exam days) before summer break.

Obviously that means every moment counts if you are not doing well in your classes and you are trying to pull off a passing grade for the semester.  It is essential that you spend the remaining weeks taking care of your classes so that you do not jeopardize your future.

The truth is that this last month of the school year is essential for many WKHS students.

For seniors, I realize that there is a rampant case of senioritis running through the school, but I must remind you that next year most of you will be heading to college. You have already received your acceptance letters and (hopefully) decided where you will be attending school next year so it seems like your grades this last semester don't really matter... except they do! You must submit a final transcript to your college. If you go back and read the acceptance letters that the colleges sent to you, you will notice the fine print that points out that they can turn you down if you don't maintain the level of grades that they expect from you and your past performance. Last year schools did turn away hundreds of students and I can't even imagine how hard it was for a student to believe they knew where they would be attending to suddenly find out that they could no longer attend there because they blew off school during their final semester.  The other comment I hear from seniors often is that school doesn't matter now, but that next year, in college, when it matters they will turn it around and try. Well, while I would love to believe you (and I hope you are right), the reality is that it isn't always that easy. Bad habits are hard to break. Next year there won't be anyone bugging you about turning in homework or reminding you that a paper or project is due next week. They won't accept late papers. Most teachers won't check attendance and they don't care if you want to throw your money away by not attending class. It is your introduction to the real world. At WKHS if you show up late to class and get a tardy or two you end up with a detention. In the real world, if you show up late for work you get fired. At WKHS if you can't manage to turn in a paper or project on time teachers take points off and it might hurt your grade, but in the real world the devastation of not following through and meeting the expectations of your boss are much more serious. I know, you think I am just nagging and I promise that I am not trying to lecture you, but I am worried. The last few weeks of high school need to be a time to practice developing some good habits. For many of you, you have taken a long enough break at the beginning of this quarter. Spend time studying. Work on your organization skills. Practice taking better notes. All of those things will help you in college and in the future.

For the underclassmen... it is far too early for you to be claiming senioritis (although I heard that from quite a few students recently). The classes that you are taking now will impact your grades and grade point average. Having a higher grade point average doesn't guarantee you admission to the school of your dreams, but it does provide you with more options. For most of your classes - you need it to meet graduation requirements. (Even your elective classes as you need 5 credits of electives to graduate.) It always surprises me when students give up at this point in the year. I don't understand it. If I was faced with the option of working really hard for the last few weeks of school and kicking butt on the exams or taking the class for an entire semester (or year) again over the summer or next year there is no question that I would apply myself now. That is what so many of you need to do. Stop and think about it for a moment. Your 3rd quarter grade was worth 40% of your semester grade. This quarter's grade is worth another 40% of your semester grade and your final exam makes up the remaining 20%. That means that with your exam and this quarter you are dealing with 60% of your total points for the semester. Hopefully you realize that this also means that you can still pass, but you must commit yourself now and not let a single point slip by without trying to earn it.  Every point matters! Talk to your teachers, get input from them on what you need to do differently in order to turn things around in your classes. Please, don't wait until it is too late. If you have already realized that there is no way to pass the class and your teacher agrees that there is no hope, please come and see me so that we can talk about what your plan is to make up the class. Are you going to take it during the summer? Are you going to take it next year? If you are taking it next year does that bump out any of your other classes because you are now missing the requirements? There is a great deal to consider. If you aren't going to be able to pass one class, please work hard to make sure that you pass all of the others. As soon as you realize that one class is a lost cause it doesn't mean that all of the others are gone too. Try to use your time wisely and put more effort into the ones that still have hope. Feel free to stop in and talk to me if you need help developing a plan on how to focus your energy and effort to passing your classes.

Believe me, I do understand that it is hard to focus right now. And yes, I admit that I don't always want to get up and come to school when there are other things that sound more appealing for the day. But we only have one today and the decisions we make today have a much bigger influence than we can imagine. Please make the most of today!

Tomorrow's Bell Schedule

Tomorrow all students will be on a 16 minute homeroom schedule, but not everyone will go to your homerooms.

9th graders and 12th graders WILL go to their designated homerooms.

10th graders will go to the Main Gym during their homeroom period.

11th graders will go to the Auditorium during their homeroom period.

The reason for this is that the 10th and 11th graders will hear speeches for class officer positions.

Freshmen students will be voting for class representatives during homeroom, but the officer positions were uncontested so no speeches are needed.

Seniors, obviously you will not be at WKHS next year and so you don't need to participate in the voting process, however your homeroom is really important to the counselors and administrators!  All seniors are being asked to complete a senior survey to give us feedback and insight into what worked well and what programming wise we should change to try to better help students in the future.  This survey deals with more of the mental/ emotional health of students as well as the academic/ college and career supports received and needed.  Your thoughtful reflections and insights are very much appreciated!  The survey is electronic and has already been sent to your wscloud email.

Here is tomorrow's bell schedule:

1st period: 7:45 - 8:33
2nd period: 8:38 - 9:26
Homeroom: 9:31 - 9:47
3rd period: 9:52 - 10:40
4th period: 10:45 - 11:33
5th period: 11:38 - 12:26
6th period: 12:31 - 1:19
7th period: 1:24 - 2:12
8th period: 2:17 - 3:05

Picking a College

Seniors, by now you are hopefully well aware of the fact that Tuesday, May 1st is national college decision day.  The colleges have all united in the fact that they will not require you to make decisions about where you will attend prior to May 1st, but this is one of the deadlines that is firm.  As you are aware, through the college application process each college has their own timeline and often have different application deadlines, financial aid deadlines, and announce their admission decisions at different times, but May 1st is a universal deadline among all colleges requiring students to declare their decision.  Please remember that this not only means that you have informed the college of your choice that you intend to attend their college, but it also typically includes submitting a deposit.  

At the same time as the seniors are trying to finalize their decision, juniors are beginning your search and trying to determine which schools you can imagine in your future.

No matter what year you are in, there are so many resources available to review and consider to aid you in making your decision. Campus visits, reviewing the college websites and meetings with admissions representatives when they visit Kilbourne are all great strategies for learning more about the college and finding the school that is the best match for you. I want to remind you that a wealth of information and resources are also available in my office that you are welcome to come in and read to help you in making your choice. There are books that give perspectives of different colleges based upon the responses current college students have provided in surveys about school, others that rank selectivity of schools based upon majors, and others that provide insight about the schools from expert researchers.

If you want to talk out your choice with someone, please feel free to stop in and talk to me or just stop by to use my books and the resources that I have in my office to help guide your decision making.

Here are articles about making the college decision that may also help you:

Questions to ask before deciding where to go to college

The counterintuitive economics of choosing a college

Summer School

Did you fail a class during 1st semester?  Are you wanting to try to get ahead in one of your course requirements?  If you answered yes to either of these questions then I strongly encourage you to register NOW for summer school.

Worthington offers summer school opportunities each year with a wide range of opportunities to try to meet your academic goals.  If you failed a class and will be taking it for credit recovery your summer school class will even be free of charge.  Once again this year summer school will be housed at the Worthington Academy and transportation will be available for students who need it.  Most classes will run from June 4th - June 29th.  There are a limited number of get-ahead courses that are also offered through Worthington summer school and information about those classes and the costs associated with those courses are on the website.  For all Worthington Summer School related information and to register online, please visit the district website at:  https://www.worthington.k12.oh.us/summerschool

We always get questions about taking online courses or classes in other districts and as long as it is an accredited school this is completely fine.  So, for example, if your parents are divorced and you go to spend the summer with a parent who lives in another state you can take your summer school class at the school near your other parent and then transfer the credit back to us.  Or for those students who plan on traveling a great deal over the summer, taking an online course might be more in line with your needs.  Again, in Worthington we try to be very flexible in helping all students to meet their academic goals so as long as the school you are taking classes from is an accredited school, we will transfer those credits to Worthington.

Students and parents often ask me which online schools they can use and again, if it is accredited it is fine.  I would say that the school we have probably had the most students utilize in the past has been TRECA due to the cost effectiveness of their credits.  But again, that can change from year to year and so I encourage you to search for the schools and programs that will best meet your individual needs.  I do know that as of this past week TRECA summer school registration has opened so if you were planning to take a TRECA summer school class, please be sure to get signed up for that soon too.  Their website is: https://treca.org/programs/summer-school

Please, especially if you have failed a class during the 1st semester, get signed up for summer school so that you can stay on track for graduation with your class!

Wait List

For high school seniors, the question that is asked over and over is "Where are you going to college?" It can be a exciting to share the answer when it is the school you had your heart set on for your future. It can be overwhelming when you still haven't decided and are still trying to figure out which school is the best fit for you. For some students though, this question still brings anxiety and uncertainty because the top school on their list didn't fully accept or reject them - they put them on their Waiting List.  Being wait listed often feels like being in an emotional limbo.  I have had several students stop in to talk about their feelings about this life in limbo and I understand how difficult it can be as I'm not always the most patient person either.

I need to be brutally honest (even though I know you don't really want to hear this...) and say that there is not a lot that you can do to improve the chance of coming off the wait list and being accepted to the college. You need to make plans and start getting your mind set on attending one of the other schools who accepted you. If, in time, you find out that you have the opportunity to attend the school that had previously put you on their wait list, then you can re-evaluate and decide if you still want to attend. The reality is that very few students actually end up being selected off the wait list for acceptance. (Once again, this is why it is so important to tell colleges as soon as possible when you know that you will not be attending in the future so that they can make plans to potentially accept other students off their wait list.)

In the mean time, if you decide that you want to remain on a college's waiting list, be sure to follow their directions (usually mailing back a post-card indicating your desire) and then you can also consider sending them a letter updating them about any new achievements, awards, or other information that you have accomplished since your application to their college so that might be able to take that into consideration when making their waiting list decisions.

Here are some articles related to being on wait lists which might help you:

Are you on the wait list at your dream college?  Here is what you should do.

How to write the perfect letter to get off college wait list

Colleges and high schools again debate use of waiting list in admissions

Wait listed questions

Wait, wait.  Don't admit me or will I ever get off the waiting list

As always, if you have questions about the waiting list process, please feel free to stop in and see me!

Worthington Job Fair

Seniors, are you looking for full or part-time employment for after high school?  I know that there are several students who are hoping to work before starting college because of the need to save money or they only plan to attend school part time so that they can work and earn money while going to school.  There are many competitive employers in the central Ohio area who are interested in meeting those soon-to-be graduates from Worthington to see if you might be a good fit for working at their organization.

On Friday, May 4th from 9:00 - 11:00am at the Worthington Education Center there will be a Job Fair for Worthington seniors.

Students are expected to have a resume, dress professionally and be ready to interview with potential future employers.  There will also be the opportunity to participate in mock interviews and complete job applications on the spot.

Please visit the WKHS Counselor website to see the list of employers who plan on participating in the event.  And stop by the Counseling Center to pick up the permission slip to go to the Job Fair on the 4th!  If you have questions, please see me.

Making the College Decision

Seniors have exactly two weeks left to decide what college they will be attending next year.  Remember, there is no right or wrong choice – it is all about what school is the best fit for you and your individual wants and needs in a college. Try to take a deep breath and relax as we head into the final countdown. Trust yourself and know that you will be successful in the future – no matter where you end up!

In talking with some of my students who are stressed about trying to pick which college they will attend, it has become obvious that part of the struggle is even in determining how to compare and contrast them.  As you are starting to think about your different schools, it is essential that you determine what you really want in a school and what is most important to you in a college. If you are still struggling with your choice, then chances are pretty good that the schools that you have narrowed your decision down to are probably relatively similar.

Take the time to go back and look at the same factors you considered when picking which schools you wanted to apply to and try to get really picky about the different factors that played into your choice. Perhaps creating a chart can help you clarify how important each factor is to you and how each school compares in that category. For example, think about the location of the school. How important is that issue to you in picking a college? The schools are likely within your comfort zone of a location from home, but when looking at two colleges consider how far or close they are from your family. What does it mean to you if the school is 10 minutes away, 4 hours away, or a flight away? How important is it to you to be able to come home for an evening, a weekend, or a holiday? You can also look at the size of the school. Consider the advantages and disadvantages of the different sizes of schools. For example, the larger school might provide additional choices and the smaller school may provide better teacher/ student ratios. What is more important to you? And if both are important to you then you will need to consider what you will do to adapt to make sure that the school will meet your needs. Consider the social life and activities on and around the campus. Is it what you picture for your college years? Most importantly, you need to figure out what categories and issues are critical to you and compare the schools on those aspects.

If your school comparison charts are similar and you still can’t decide – try to go visit the schools again. Sit in on the classes and, if possible, arrange for an overnight visit (yes, you are running out of time for overnight visits). People watch and consider your interactions with the students on campus. Are the students friendlier at one school over the other? What about the professors that you talk to? Are they engaging and whose classes are you most interested in attending? How was school safety? What strategies are in place to help keep students safe? Which campus support staff (admissions, financial aid, etc.) is friendlier and more helpful? (While this is not necessarily a key factor it can give you an image of the school and a glimpse at their culture and values as an academic institution.)

How do the schools compare regarding the costs?  What will the difference in costs mean to you over the long haul?  Ask yourself if the school will meet your academic needs, if you will have the social life you desire, and if you and your family can make the investment. As you are progressing through your decision making process, remember not to be shy about asking questions and getting them answered because you are entitled to feel confident in your decision. This is your choice. You are not a victim in this process – you are the key active participant. 

Remember that if you want to stop in and talk about your college decision I am always here for you, but know that I can’t make this decision for you – just like your family and friends can’t make this choice for you. The good news – the stress is almost over and you will be relieved to be able to finally answer the question that everyone asks endlessly of “Where are you going to college?”

Procrastination

Today's question of the day at school asked about what you do on a regular basis that creates anxiety.  The most common answer I heard was "school work."  But the more I talked with several students about this answer I found that it is really the procrastination of the school work which was creating the stress and anxiety. 

The reality is that procrastination is one of the more common problem areas for many students. Every year I meet some students who are "master procrastinators." The reality is that some people don't mind putting everything off until the last possible second and then working like crazy to get everything accomplished before the deadline, but this can result in a lot of unnecessary stress. 

Procrastination doesn’t mean that you are lazy or incapable, but it is often a sign that something is getting in your way of completing your tasks and responsibilities. If you are interested in learning strategies for gaining control over your tendencies to procrastinate, it is important to remember that there are no quick fixes. 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, or 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 may be 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.)

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 it done when you need to instead of procrastinating, you’ll feel better about yourself and have less stress… so get to work. 

Here are some articles related to overcoming or managing procrastination so you can accomplish your goals that might interest you:

9 best tips for a procrastination free life

How to overcome procrastination

How to stop procrastinating

How to focus and maximize your productivity

Top 10 ways to defeat distractions and get your work done 

National College Fair

The National College Fair is coming to Columbus on Saturday, April 21, 2018.  This will provide students and parents with a wonderful opportunity to meet with admissions representatives from hundreds of colleges to learn about the opportunities available on their campus.  This college fair will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center from 1 - 4pm and is free.

The National College Fair is organized by the National Association for College Admissions Counselors. One major difference from the Columbus Suburban College Fair is that they do ask all students to register for the fair in advance.  Registering will allow you to provide your information one time so that you save time from having to fill out information cards as you walk through the college fair.  You will print and bring the barcoded pass so that as you walk around and talk to college admissions representatives they can scan the barcode to receive your information.  This allows you to spend your time talking about academics and other opportunities on campus instead of filling out the same information multiple times.  You can register at www.gotomyncf.com.  Students who register using their smart phone can also save the image of the barcode for later use.  Be sure to bring your barcode print out with you to the college fair!

When you are at the fair you will be able to pick up the on-site locator for the latest school list and a booth location map.  In addition to talking individually with college admissions representatives, there will be workshops and information about gap year programs.

I hope you will take advantage of this great opportunity to further your college search.

Tomorrow also starts Senior Project for many WKHS Senior students.  Good luck to each of you as you head out and start your "real world" adventures.  You will do great!

Happy Birthday Lexi

Today is Lexi's 3rd birthday!  And I can tell you that to Lexi, the best gift of all was that we were in school for her birthday!  (Last year we were on spring break)  Worthington Kilbourne High School is her home... her happy place! 

Lexi loves being surrounded by each of you every day.  There are so many students who will stop in to see her regularly and she is always so happy to see you.  And then on other days when she is in the halls and people smile, say hi, and reach down to pet her in passing - you have no idea how much all of that means to Lexi.  Obviously as her "mom" I can tell all of this because I am around her not only when she is at school, but also when she is away from Kilbourne. 

Every day when we drive to school, she lays down in her seat until the moment we get to Hard Rd just in front of the building and then she sits up... she can sense that she is close.  Heaven forbid I try to finish up anything in the car before taking her into school because she will whimper to tell me to HURRY UP!  When I ask her if she wants to go see her friends, she dances and vibrates with excitement. 

So I would like to thank all of you!  Lexi is, undoubtedly, the most spoiled dog on the planet!  Thank you for loving her and caring for her.  Never doubt that you have made a difference in her life and that your presence at school each day matters not only to the staff members and your friends, but also to Lexi.  You belong at Kilbourne... and if you are ever doubting that, stop by the counseling center - there will be a dog who is VERY excited to see you and will gladly sit nearby for you to pet her for a while... and who knows, she may even try to give you a kiss.

Happy Birthday Lexi!

Test Prep Courses

One of the more common questions I get from parents every year is "Should my son/ daughter take an ACT or SAT test prep course?" There are a wide range of options accessible to students from private tutors, small group instruction, larger group courses/ strategy sessions, online practice questions, and books that families can invest in to try to reach their desired score. The reality is, I cannot tell you if you should or should not participate in tutoring or test prep courses - it is an individual decision and you know what will work best for you and your family as well any potential financial constraints.

There has been a lot of research over the years on the impact of those courses.  There is some data that says the courses tend to have an impact on a student's score, but the impact is usually minimal.  Additionally, there has been data that shows that the best and most effective test preparation is a rigorous high school curriculum - challenging yourself in your classes and maximizing your learning every day.  Students who repeat the tests can sometimes improve their score just because they are now familiar with what to expect.  As with anything, it depends on how much effort the student is going to put forth as to whether any of the test prep options will be worth it or not.  I definitely recommend that students at least review some of the free resources that are available online (and there are lots of them!)  And, above all, students are encouraged to relax and do their best as that is all they can ask of themselves.

Also, don't forget, there are plenty of schools that are test-optional meaning that they don't require the ACT or SAT for their admissions decisions and other colleges such as Columbus State that will have placement tests instead of requiring an ACT/ SAT score so one test is never going to make or break you and your future.

Senioritis

I can't even begin to count the number of seniors who have stopped in and shared that they are feel like "senioritis"  is taking over.  While I understand that it can be a challenge to continue motivating yourself to finish your high school career strong, it is important!

With Seniors only having 5 Mondays of high school left, the appeal of letting everything slide to just enjoy the remaining time seems to be very strong. I even have younger students who are claiming to have “senioritis” early and this is definitely not a good thing.

Third quarter grades were rough (to say the least). This is particularly a concern for seniors as it can jeopardize graduation (a real fear for many) and it can also jeopardize your college future. For example, remember, the colleges reserve the right to revoke your acceptance if the grades you are earning are not on pace with what they expected at the time of your application. They can also place you on academic probation and take back scholarship offers. Obviously, these would not be good scenarios, but it does happen every year. 

So, while the weather is finally improving, senior tag, and "fun" days like Arts in Action in the coming weeks may make it hard to focus on the day to day responsibilities of meeting your classroom expectations, it is very important!  Please keep pushing to work hard in your classes!

Cut Them Free

Seniors, as you start narrowing down your college choices it is important to cut your other schools free. As you begin identifying which college or the few colleges that are still in the running, it is important for you to notify the other colleges that you do NOT intend to attend their school beginning next year. 

Please wait to tell the schools that you will not be attending until you are completely sure that you are no longer considering them. However, I realize that many of you have narrowed your choice to a smaller group of colleges and you have completely eliminated others from consideration. Those which have been completely eliminated are the colleges I am recommending you notify now. 

This is important because it allows the college to plan for their upcoming student body and to know if they have room to accept other students off of their wait-lists. Think about your classmates who might be on the waiting list for a school and they want to hear back from the schools as quickly as possible and there are other students across the country in the same situation. Colleges can't begin opening up additional slots until they know which students will or will not be attending. 

Additionally, if you received scholarship offers from one of the colleges that you have eliminated from the running, this can also potentially allow the college to offer that money out to other students which, again, can help people such as your fellow classmates. Believe me, the colleges will not be angry with you for deciding that you will not be attending their school - they understand that this is part of the process, so just go ahead and take a few minutes to let them know of your intent to attend a different college.

April Students of the Month

Last Friday morning the ceremony to honor April's Students of the Month was held. Students are nominated as students of the month by Kilbourne faculty and staff for their academic achievement, good citizenship, and/or contributions to the school or community. Students can only earn this recognition once in their high school career. 

A special congratulations to "my" 7 students who were among those recognized.  Josh Blankenship, Trevor Boughton, Owen Cline, Josefia Coombs, Katie Coppel, Kaleb Dave and Mitchell Fisher.  I am proud of you!

This Coming Week's Schedule

By now I am confident that everyone is aware that we will be having a VERY different schedule for the next week.  This is in order to allow all of the students who will be completing their End of Course exams to do that in a positive testing environment where they don't have the added stress of also missing classes as students have experienced in years past.

For the most part, Freshmen students will test on Monday (English) and Wednesday (Math).  Sophomore students will test on Tuesday (English), Wednesday (Math), Thursday (US History), and Friday (Biology).  The exact length of each of the tests varies, but in general students will test from 7:45am - 12:00pm. 

Lunch will be from 11:30 - 12:20 daily for ALL students.  And then classes will resume in the afternoons from 12:20 - 3:05 for all students.  However, with such a short amount of time there will only be 4 classes held each day.  Students will go to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and they will go to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th period classes on Tuesday and Thursday.

I will also point out though that for all students taking a College Credit Plus class, your classes will continue as normal!  So even though there is a late start for the high school classes, you still have your regularly scheduled college class!  Do not miss it!

I have responsibilities to help with testing all week which means I may have limited availability to meet with you, but if you are feeling stressed about the tests or just wanted to talk in general, please don't hesitate to try to stop by and if I am not available, please leave a pass and I will do my best to get to you as soon as possible.

Scheduling Process

I keep getting random questions from students about next year's schedule.  It makes sense that you'd have questions since you submitted your requests in February and so I thought it might be helpful if I give you a quick overview of the scheduling process. (I am saying quick because it is actually boring and is known to cause massive headaches for those trying to put it all together and make it work for every student.)

After all of you entered your registration requests in the computer system, I started the process of meeting with you and reviewing your course selections. All of the course requests were then finalized and officially given to the administration as the "final" registration requests.

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

The administration (principal and assistant principals) will look at the numbers for all of the courses selected to determine what, if any, courses do not have enough students signed up to be able to offer the class. After they figure this out they will provide that information back to the counselors with a list of students impacted and we will work with those students and their alternates list to find a suitable replacement course.  This is the area where we are right now - administrators are determining which sections can't run and how many sections of each class will be offered.

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

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

I hope that helps you to understand what is going on with the scheduling and registration process. It is a long and tedious process and I appreciate your patience with understanding that no, I truly have no clue how your schedule will look next year.

Email

For some students, using and checking email is not something you do regularly.  However, no matter what grade you are in it is important that you start getting into this habit.

Let's talk for a moment about your wscloud email account.  This is only useful for students in communicating back and forth with other students or staff members who also have wscloud email accounts.  The student accounts do not allow for emails to be received from outside accounts.  So, for example, if you gave your parents your wscloud email account, they would not be able to send a message to you.  However, it is still an important account.  This is where all reminders and information that we need for you to know is shared.  It is where we send surveys when we are trying to get your input and hear your voice.  (And if you haven't done the survey from last month, please log into your wscloud email and fill it out - it will take you about 20 seconds to complete.)

Email is also vitally important when you start thinking about the college application process.  When you are applying to college and creating an account with the application system, the colleges will ask you for your email address.  As mentioned previously, you cannot use your wscloud email account for this purpose.  Additionally, when you are taking the ACT/ SAT they will use your email accounts as well.  

If you do not have your own personal email address, then it is time to create an account.  There are tons of free choices - gmail, yahoo, hotmail, many cable companies, etc.  

If you do have an account (that is great), but it is also important to look at your account and make sure that your name is an appropriate email name.  So, for example, if you created your email account when you were in 7th grade and it is "SexyPurplePanda" you might not want that as your account name used for the people you will eventually want to impress (such as college admissions officers).

Double check to be sure that it YOUR own email account.  I can't even begin to tell you how often students just rely on their parents e-mail addresses which can work in high school, but when you are at the college application point it is important to have your own account as the colleges will ask for your address and your parents address.  

Colleges will frequently use your email as their primary way of communicating with you including notifying you of your admissions decisions which is also a reason that it is important that you check your email accounts on a regular basis!

In addition to having an e-mail account, it is also important to remember to use proper etiquette when communicating with college representatives via e-mail. For example, when you need to e-mail admissions officers for any reason, as well as any other college representatives (advisor, professor, etc.) that you communicate with, please remember that the way you write your e-mail is a reflection of you. Please do not use text talk, avoid ALL CAPS, be mature, and write it in an official format “Dear _(insert their name with Mr/ Mrs)_, Text of your message, Sincerely, _(insert your name)__”.