ACT Pre-Registration Reminder

Juniors, don't forget, you need to be sure that you have taken the time to log into the ACT website and completed the Pre-Registration paperwork including creating your account, giving information about your grades, and selecting where you want your free test scores to be sent following your test.  

This was covered last week during the PACK period when you were filling out your answer document bubbles.  If you are having any trouble with getting this completed, please bring your directions and code with you (that you were given during PACK period and that has also been sent to you via email) and we can work on figuring it out together.  This is a really important step that you don't want to mess up so please get it taken care of ASAP.  

Also, one other reminder, when you create your ACT account information, please be sure to save the information such as your username and password somewhere.  It has become so common for people to think "I'll remember it" and then later when students need to request for their scores to be sent to a college and they can't remember their ACT account information it is a major problem.  None of the information they ask for is too challenging, you just need to pause and be sure to get it done because you will be taking the ACT two weeks from today!

CC+ Form Reminder

A quick reminder to all of the students who are hoping to participate in Ccollege Credit Plus (CC+) next year - your Intent to Participate forms are due back to me TOMORROW to give you the best chance to have your desired CC+ class for the registration process.  As we discussed, if you don't have your form to me, you cannot be enrolled in the class until you get the form turned in to me and then I could put you back into it.  You really want to make sure that you have the correct courses in the system when Mr. Almanson works on building the schedule so I can't stress enough how critical it is to get those Intent to Participate forms turned in ASAP!

Remember, on the Counselor Website you and a parent will watch the 2 videos and then sign off on the Intent to Participate form.  You will then apply to the college(s) because there are 1-2 additional forms based on your intended college and you need to have your college student ID number to fill out those other forms for CSCC.  I need the whole completed packet submitted for you to be eligible to enroll in the classes. (The pink packet of forms is for CSCC and the green packet is for COTC.  The packets are also available for download on the Counselor website).  

The absolute latest date that I can change your requests and receive your packet(s) to be eligible to participate in CC+ next year is April 1st.  But again, I would NOT recommend waiting that long as the master schedule will be built based upon the requests in the system on March 1st.

If you have questions about the CC+ forms, please stop and see me.

Congratulations & Good Luck

When WKHS students are competing and advancing to the highest levels during tournament is always an exciting time and deserves to be celebrated.

In swimming and diving only the top 24 in each event qualify for the state championships which were held this weekend. Paige Delma, Lily Banner, and Nathan Ambler were among those individuals who qualified for states. Congratulations on making it to States! 

The WKHS girls bowling team has also advanced to District's and will compete on Tuesday.  2 of my students, AJ Brockway and Avery Childress, will be among those competing.  Good luck!

The College Tour

I recently came across The College Tour which is a series of shows that students can watch for free on their website or on Amazon Prime.  This series, now in it's 8th season (so clearly I missed the boat on this before now), showcases a college campus using the students on the campus to tell about some of the best features and aspects of the school.  As I watched various episodes, I enjoyed seeing what it was that the college and the show chose to focus on as the best parts of the campus and trying to pay attention to the stuff in the background as I watched the campus as a whole.

Obviously not every college has been covered in the show and so it might not have schools that you were looking for, but perhaps you will be pleasantly surprised about what you learn about a school you hadn't previously considered.  Or perhaps you just want to check it out for the fun of it... even if it isn't a school you are actually considering.  (I'd suggest you watch the episode from Season 8 on Pepperdine University - easily one of the most beautiful campuses I have ever stepped foot on.)

The videos can't replace a college tour, but it is yet another way to get a view of a college campus and to explore what it is that you are looking for in a college for your future.  I hope you enjoy checking it out on their website or streaming on Amazon Prime.

Musical - The Little Mermaid

I am so excited for this year's musical.  There is no question that Mr. Robey, Mr. Jones and the rest of the cast and crew of the Little Mermaid have been working so hard to put together an incredible show.  I know that it wasn't possible for all of the students to be able to see the teaser today, but it made me even more excited to see the show!  I encourage you to get tickets for one of the 3 shows (1 Friday & 2 on Saturday) to support your fellow students and to see the talent on display at WKHS.

There is a large cast and crew involved with this production.  I want to send extra good luck wishes to "my" students who are part of the production including:

On stage performers: Kya Angle (Ariel), Meara Couvillon (Chef Louis & Alana), Ella Blanton (Arista), and Jamey Chimbidis (chorus).

There are countless hours of time spent behind the scenes without the applause and recognition that the actors/ actresses will receive and so I want to acknowledge: Ethan Bevington (Stage Manager), Alyssa Berger (Light operator), Aron Berger (Light operator), and Nikolas Dudley (run crew).

And last, but certainly not least.  A musical is only a musical if there is music and so I also want to recognize my students in the pit orchestra: Olivia Bailey, Claire Bentley, Maela Best, Stella Bixler, and Cee Costello.

Good luck and I can't wait to see the whole show!

Local Scholarships

Last week I talked a little bit about searching for scholarships and taking advantage of all of the opportunities that are out there.  I neglected to address one of the most important scholarship opportunities that Kilbourne students should be pursuing - LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS!

Local Scholarships are great because you are only competing against other WKHS students (for most of them) and, at most, against other students from the general area. These scholarships are all among the scholarships we have listed on the WKHS Counselor website and I strongly encourage you to take the time to check them out.  To find the scholarship listings on the Counselor Website - you can use the logo on the right side of the page or hover over the College/ Career tab and Scholarships are the bottom option.

The majority of the local scholarships have due dates ranging from March 1st to April 14th although there are a few outliers.  As you read through the scholarships available, look carefully to determine which ones you might be a good candidate for and therefore want to apply to try to receive.  Please remember that time flies and many of the scholarships have requirements such as essays or recommendation letters, so it is important not to procrastinate and to get your applications completed on time.

Managing College Mail

It is hard to find many high school students that havn't started receiving mail from colleges - especially if you have taken the Pre-ACT, PSAT, ACT, or SAT. At first it is often a rush of excitement to learn about different colleges and I know that lots of students will pour over the different brochures, booklets, or information packets. In time though most students get frustrated and overwhelmed by just how much mail comes from all of the different colleges. This is a perfect reminder that colleges are a business and they are marketing themselves as a result. When you get the mail from the colleges take a few minutes and look it over - remember, they are not saying you will be accepted, but it can help give you an idea about the characteristics and features that are most important to you in selecting the college that is best for you. Go ahead and keep any that look particularly appealing to you, but don't worry about throwing the rest away.

College Fit

During junior meetings there were quite a few students who expressed that they weren't sure where to start with finding a college that would "fit" them.  And fit is essential for the college search process.  The reality is that the college search process isn't a prize to be won by being accepted to the most schools or even to the most prestigious colleges.  It is a match to be made.  You will have your own goals and desires for what you want in a college environment.  The college will have their own goals and objectives of what they are searching for when building their classes.  When those goals are shared that is when the best fit is present.

So how do you know if a college is a good fit for you?  There are a lot of different aspects you can consider when determining a fit.  Most specifically, you will typically be looking for colleges that are a fit across the domains of academics, social, and financial.

Academically, you are trying to find schools that offer your major, have good internship/ job placement opportunities, are at a rigor that you will feel comfortable, have class sizes that match what you're looking for, offer learning experiences that are engaging to you (such as honors programs or research opportunities), and that are a match for what you're wanting in your interactions with professors.

Financially, you are taking into consideration the cost of attending the college, how much debt you will have to take on, the distance you'll have to travel to and from the college to home, the cost of living on campus or in the community of the campus, and the opportunities available to work while you are at school.

Socially is actually the most broad category for looking for a fit.  College is more than just the classrooms and book instruction that you will be learning and so finding a school where you will be able to make friends, enjoy the food, and have clubs, sports or other activities that you enjoy, is really important to finding the college that will be a good fit for you socially.  Does the college have a greek life, volunteer opportunities, or engagement with social justice issues that matter to you?  Is school spirit, religious affiliation, or arts and other cultural experiences important to you?  Do you feel safe on campus and can you imagine spending the next 4 years living, learning, and interacting with the people around you?  If you think "ugh, I don't want to talk to these people" then it is a pretty good indication that this is not a good social fit for you.

There are so many additional questions that can help you determine if a school is going to be a good fit such as, do you want a large, fast paced environment or a smaller, laid-back space for learning?  But trust yourself.  Enjoy the process of exploring different campuses.  See what feels most comfortable to you.  And recognize that when you figure out the things that you don't care for as much in a college, you are actually that much closer to identifying what you do want in a college for your future!

Scholarships

Seniors, during my meetings with juniors to talk about their senior year and life after high school, we have been talking about the importance of searching for scholarships.  I thought it was time that I reminded you to not let up and keep pushing to find all potential sources of funding to help pay for your college education.

I know that many of you are so relieved to finally be done with your college applications that it can be hard to get motivated to complete scholarship applications. Several years ago I remember one student who complained all the way through his scholarship application and he ended up getting it done and submitted within hours of the deadline. As it turned out, he ended up receiving the scholarship and it was a significant scholarship (although, for the record, I believe that any scholarship received is significant as it is money that you do not have to pay on your own). Looking back, this student shared that he couldn't imagine earning that amount of money for just a couple of hours of work to complete the scholarship application.

I tell you this story to try to remind you that while I understand it can be hard to stay motivated to complete scholarship applications when only one or perhaps a handful of students will receive the scholarship award, it will be worth it if you receive a scholarship.

I also need to clarify that most money does end up coming directly from your colleges, but there are so many other places to look for scholarships and you should consider all of the options to try to help make your college experience even a little more affordable. For example, do your parent's employers offer scholarships for dependent children? What about your place of worship? If you volunteer for an organization, do they offer scholarships for their student volunteers? There are also countless scholarship search websites where you can complete personalized searches for other qualities and characteristics that would be ideal for you. If you want to see some of these sites, please check out the WKHS Counselors website and look in the Financial Aid section under the Colleges Tab.

Pre-Apprenticeship Programs

Worthington Schools has had a partnership with Worthington Industries for several years now to provide Pre-Apprenticeship opportunities to our students.  But the district, recognizing that not every student will want or need to graduate high school and go straight to college, has been working with local businesses to establish Pre-Apprenticeship partnerships for our students.

These Pre-Apprenticeships are the chance for high school seniors to get an inside look at the job field, learn the responsibilities and requirements needed to be successful in that career, and to earn both high school credit and real-world job experiences at the same time.

Beginning next year, in addition to Worthington Industries, Worthington Schools will have opportunities for students to pursue Pre-Apprenticeship programs with Performance Columbus for an Automative Maintenance PreApprenticeship, Eco-Plumbers for a Plumbing PreApprenticeship, and Simpson StrongTie for a Materials Production PreApprenticeship.

Performance Columbus and the Automotive Maintenance PreApprenticeship Program (AMPP) will be hosting open houses for students and parents to come and see the opportunities available at their facility.

The Open House sessions will be held at Performance University on the second floor of Drive Direct at 2361 Morse Rd. Columbus 43229

Session 1: Thursday, February 23, 5:30-6:30PM

Session 2: Wednesday, March 8, 6:30-7:30PM

 

Interested students and parents can sign up today and up until the day before the session they are attending.

Additionally, they will have a representative at WKHS tomorrow during lunch periods to talk with interested students in the large conference room off of the Counseling Center.  So if you would like to talk to them to learn more, please stop by during your lunch!  We will also have our final Career Club speaker (in April) as a representative who works in Automotive Maintenance as a way that students can learn even more about this career field and if it is an area of potential interest for your future.

If you have questions about any of these opportunities and want to learn more, please stop by and see me as they are great experiences for students!

Happy Valentine's Day

Are you a fan of Valentine's Day?  I know there are some people who are fiercely in favor of celebrating all things love and just as many who see Valentine's Day as a "Hallmark holiday."  I probably land somewhere in between.  I can understand and agree with those who believe we should be celebrating love and the positive difference it makes in our lives.  And I can also understand and agree with those who say if we are celebrating love it shouldn't be because of some random date on a calendar and the pressure that can come with it.

So Yes, I love love.  And I must admit a lot of my greatest lessons on learning about whole-hearted love have come from my dogs.  Obviously this is NOT about romantic love, but on how we should love everyone around us at all times.  My dogs are always happy to see me.  They get excited to be doing anything together.  They live in the moment and soak up the joy.  They know how to listen without judgment or (clearly) the need to say something in response.  All characteristics of love that I value in all of my relationships.

There are lots of different types of love around us - love for our family, our friends, our significant others, our encouragers, those who push us, challenge us and believe in us to be our greatest selves, our classmates/ teammates, and our pets.  And all of those people in all of those different types of love deserve to be celebrated and honored.  So it doesn't matter if you did it today or on another day (or hopefully strive to do it every day), but I hope you will take a moment to reflect on who helps you to feel loved in your life and who you are grateful for in your daily interactions and try to show them - either through your words or your actions so that they will know how much they mean to you.

Happy Valentine's Day!  Remember, YOU ARE LOVED!

College Visits

Are you excited about the fact that we have a long weekend coming up next weekend?  For many students this is the perfect opportunity to make a college visit.  Many colleges will host special visit days on Monday because they know that high school students are off and so they often plan days that will allow students to learn more about the different programs and opportunities that are available on campus.  Perhaps you are trying to decide what colleges you might want to apply to in the future and this can allow you to get started.  Or, for seniors, making additional visits can help you when trying to decide which of the many schools you applied to will be your future home.  I hope you will try to take advantage of the long weekend and make a college visit.

Don't forget, students should be the ones contacting the college to set up the college visit.  Also, if you are going to make a visit on a college campus, please make sure to take a picture somewhere on campus for me! For the record, the picture can be anywhere on campus, but I would like you in the picture!  So, pick out a pretty place on campus, find a cool sign announcing the college's name, or snap a picture in front of the building that houses your major where you anticipate spending most of your time in the future.

If you have no idea what colleges you might be interested in for the future, you can still make use of the long weekend by starting to explore colleges.  You can, of course, begin your search online and try to find colleges that fit your interests, but more often than not, students tell me that they don't even know what they want in a college.  If that is you, then perhaps starting your college search by exploring some nearby campuses would be a valuable use of your time.  As you walk around the campus, people watch and listen to the presentations by the college admissions representatives you will begin to see various aspects of college life.  From these impressions you will be able to start forming an impression of what you like and what you don't like.  These views will be extremely valuable to you as you start narrowing your college search.

No matter how you spend your long weekend, I hope you will enjoy the extra day off!

Summer School

Am I the only one confused by our weather lately?  It is February and later today is the Super Bowl which I always think of as a winter event.  But the sun is shining and it has been and this week looks like it will continue to be relatively warm (especially for February).  And I was still hoping for another snow day, but evidently I should just be hoping for summer...

So let's talk about Summer School.  I talked with lots of students about the need for summer school to stay or get back on track for graduation when we were having our 1:1 meetings.

Worthington's summer school registration is now open.  There are 2 different sections of summer school offerings available in Worthington Summer School.  

1 - Students can register to take classes as credit recovery - meaning that if you had failed a class you can take the class over again in Worthington's summer school.  Credit recovery courses will be free of charge.  

2 - There will be a limited number of classes available for getting ahead in credits and those classes will have a fee associated with them.  

Worthington Summer school will run from June 5th - June 29th at WKHS and free transportation will be available to students who need it.  Registration is completely online on the district website along with tons more information about summer school - check it out at https://www.worthington.k12.oh.us/Page/4034.

Some students and parents have had questions related to taking summer classes through a different school district or through Online schools.  The basic answer is yes, you are allowed to take classes through any accredited school.  Please be sure that they are accredited before you sign up for their classes.  After you have completed your course, they will give you a transcript and you will need to provide that to us at WKHS so that we can transfer your credit.  

As these courses are not coordinated or run by Worthington, I don't have a lot of details about various options, but a Google search for "online summer school" has been successful for students in the past.  (Some students also search for their intended course name to help make sure their search return gives them schools that offer that class.)  You can select any accredited program that works best for you - so look at their costs, learning experiences, expectations, and determine what seems to be the best fit for what you are seeking.

My top tip is to make sure you are signing up for their summer school classes because I do know that in the past students found there was a significant difference in the cost if they were taking a class online during summer school vs. taking a class online during the school year.  The school we receive the most transcripts from each year is TRECA, so that is one option to consider, but it is definitely not the only one out there.

We gave summer school information in your registration packet so you can use that as an additional reference.

Pass/ Fail & Drop Deadline

I wanted to make sure that all of you are aware that next Wednesday is the last day to drop a class without it appearing on your transcript!  Wednesday is also the deadline for students to be able to switch their schedules from traditional grading to pass/ fail grading.  

So, if this was something you were considering, please be sure to pick up the form on the bookshelf in the front of the Counseling Center or download the form from the Counselor website, get them signed and be sure to submit them by the end of the day Wednesday!

College Fair

I should have posted about this before now and am sorry that it had slipped off my radar, but hopefully you've seen it on the Counselor Website and advertised in the signs around school because TOMORROW, February 11th, from 1-4 is the National College Fair!

This event is put on by the National Association of College Admissions Counselors and will take place at the Greater Columbus Convention Center.  It is free and open to any interested students and parents.  

Admission representatives from hundreds of colleges and universities will be available to speak one-on-one with you about all aspects of the college admission process, including paying for college, admission requirements, activities on campus, and more.  The fair will also include access to gap and pre-college summer programming.  Students and parents who want to learn more about an experiential gap time from academic studies to deepen practical, professional, and personal awareness can do so at the fair.

Students should register for the National College Fair online at https://www.nacacattend.org/23Columbus 

Advance registration will allow you to receive fair details, avoid lines on site, and will provide you with printed barcodes to easily share your information with your selected colleges.

What Grade Do You Deserve?

How are you doing in your classes?  Are you getting the grades you think you deserve?  Pause for a second and really think about that... when you think about your grades, are they in alignment with what you believe you have earned?

This tends to be a hard question for many students.  Some of you will reflect on that question and say, "No!" And quickly cite examples like the tests are too hard, the teacher demands too much homework be completed, or I work hard and do everything I am asked and it still doesn't result in a good grade. 

Other students will reflect on this question and say, "Yes!"  Their answers may include statements such as I work hard and it pays off or I learn what I need to pull off the grades I am earning. 

And probably the majority of students would answer, "I don't know."  Perhaps you know that you are not fully applying yourself to your school work every day so maybe you could do better if you tried harder, but you feel like you are doing "good enough" and are struggling to decide if putting forth the additional work would result in a marked improvement or not.  Interestingly, I would actually say that my guess is these students who don't know if their grades are what they deserve or not are in the best position to try to make a change.

If you automatically take the victim role line of thinking that it is too hard or believe you are not good enough then you're already in a position where you likely believe that nothing you do can make it better.  (For the record, I do not believe this is true... ever!)  For those of you who are thinking that you're getting the grades you earn then part of me says "Great!  Keep after it" and part of me says I hope you are not just settling for "good enough."  But the rest of you - it's time to try something new.  Rather than just going through the motions and hoping for the best, you can take control and own your learning!  Push yourself to understand the material being covered in class.  Try to consider how the concepts being taught apply to the rest of your world.  Use your experiences of studying, time management and work completion as practice for your futures because in college and some day, when you are "old" and working in your selected careers, you will always still be learning new concepts, trying new things, juggling commitments and responsibilities and you have to be able to take responsibility to put forth your best effort.

So, I'd like to clarify, it is a lot less important to me what the exact letter grade you earn ends up being.  What is important to me is that you are giving your best effort and that you are learning and growing!  When you are trying your best and seeking help when you need it, then I will always be happy because you don't have to be THE best as long as you are doing YOUR best!

DACC Flex Learning Options

Last week when meeting with juniors I had many conversations with students about the Flexible Learning Options available at the Delaware Area Career Center.  These are 1-year programs that are only open for seniors that run from 2:45-5:00pm Monday-Thursday.

DACC recently announced that they will be hosting open houses specific to each of the Flexible Learning Options programs to allow students and parents to learn more about the programs and to visit the labs.

The following programs are DACC's One Year, Senior-Only Programs:

Healthcare Technician Spotlight

Monday, February 13 (5:30-7:00 pm): register here

Digital Design Techniques Spotlight

Wednesday, February 15 (5:30-7:00 pm): register here

Nail Technician Spotlight

Thursday, February 16 (5:30-7:00 pm): register here

App Development & Programming Technician Spotlight

Thursday, February 23 (5:30-7:00 pm): register here

Facilities Pre-Engineering Program Spotlight

Wednesday, March 1 (5:30-7:00 pm): register here

If you are interested in learning more about any of these programs, I hope that you will take advantage of these visit opportunities.

Fentanyl Awareness Event

Tomorrow night, WKHS will be the host location for a Fentanyl Awareness event with an organization called Birdielight.  The event will be from 7:30-8:30pm and is free for anyone interested in learning more to attend.  One of the WKHS staff members has a connection with BirdieLight and has helped to bring this opportunity to our community.

Whenever I see and hear about events like this I know it is so easy to think "not my child" and I hope that will always be the case!  But I also know that the best way to make sure it will not be any of our children is to engage in meaningful dialogue and face the realities of the challenges facing our young adults today.  

Student Congratulations

Last week we had 2 ceremonies honoring students and several of "my" students were among those honored and recognized.

The first was a Football Athletic Commitment Signing Day Ceremony on Wednesday.  Four WKHS football players including (left to right) Connor Asbury and Tyler Cain, shared their commitment to continue playing football at the college level.  

Connor will be attending Ohio Wesleyan University and Tyler will be attending Tiffin University.  This ceremony and celebration recognized the years of hard work and dedication both Connor and Tyler have put towards their sport and their academics to make their continued athletic participation at the college level possible.  Congratulations Connor and Tyler, I am proud of you!

The second ceremony was on Friday morning and was our February Student of the Month Ceremony.  Students are recognized as Students of the Month based on their dedication to school and the positive difference that they make in or outside of the classroom.

17 students were recognized at the ceremony including (left to right): Hailey Chafin, Diana Contreras, Alexis Amlin, Mallory Carlin, and Via Asman.  I am so thankful to know these students and to be able to see them receive the recognition they deserve for the impact they have at Kilbourne.  Congratulations on being Students of the Month!

The Week Ahead

The first full week of February is a busy week at WKHS!

As a reminder, on Monday and Tuesday the counselors will meet with every freshman student during their Science classes and on Wednesday and Thursday we will meet with every sophomore during their English classes.  The good news is that we will get to spend 1:1 time with all 9th and 10th graders, but the bad news is that there won't be any free time available during the day for us to see other students.  So if you are needing something urgently, stop and let a secretary know and she will help to connect you to support even if it isn't with me directly.

In addition to the happenings in the Counseling Center, this week Student Council is also hosting a Spirit Week.  The theme for each day will be:

Monday: Minion Day

Tuesday: "Dressing" Day:

• Freshmen: Thousand Island (Island & Hawiian attire)
• Sophomores: Caesar (Greek attire)
• Juniors: Raspberry Vinaigrette (Pink attire)
• Seniors: Ranch (Cowboy attire)

Wednesday: Worthington/ Wolves Day

Thursday: Anything but a backpack day

Friday: Pajama Party

They will also be doing fundraisers and special connection opportunities in the Commons so be sure to participate and check it all out.

Financial Literacy

One of the graduation requirements is for all students to complete a Financial Literacy Course.  Sometimes we get a lot of questions about what fulfills this requirement because at WKHS we actually have a wide range of different choices that can fulfill the financial literacy course requirement.

All students grades 9-12 can take:

Economics and Financial Literacy - this class is a Social Studies elective course that will give you a SS elective credit and meet the financial literacy requirement.

Personal Financial Management - this class is a Business elective course that will give students an elective credit and fulfill the financial literacy requirement.

Independent Living - this is one of the new Family & Consumer Science classes I wrote about earlier in the week and it will give you an elective credit and fulfill the financial literacy requirement.

The state has changed the guidelines for students in the class of 2026 and beyond related to financial literacy so the following classes do NOT meet the Financial Literacy requirement for current 9th graders and beyond, but do count for our current sophomores through seniors:

Financial Algebra - this is a year long math class that meets the financial literacy requirements.

IB History SL or HL - Mr. Jordan currently addresses the financial literacy components within both the SL and HL versions of IB history. 

IB Business HL - Mrs. Kucharek currently addresses the financial literacy components in the HL version of the IB Business class.

Registration & Other Programs

One of the aspects of registration that can feel tricky is what to do if you are involved with, or hope to be involved with a program at a different building such as DACC, Linworth or the Academy.

It is important to remember though that the Delaware Area Career Center requires students to apply and even though the priority deadline has passed, they assure us that they still welcome your application.  So, if you are interested in applying to DACC, please get your application completed and submitted online ASAP.  

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 online 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.

Linworth is another incredible option for some of our WKHS students.  While most students who attend Linworth start there as freshmen, there are limited opportunities for older students to apply and attend.  If you are interested, we need to set up a time for you to visit and interview.  For current Linworth students, please register online for just the classes you will take at WKHS.  As always, you will set up your Linworth schedule at Linworth on the first day.  

Worthington Academy is another application based program available to WKHS students.  The Academy is housed on the west end of Perry/ Phoenix Middle School and it provides students with the opportunity to blend their learning with a mix of teacher instructed and online courses.

Much like the DACC, students who are already attending the Academy and are in good academic standing can register for the Academy as a part of their registration process and then select only the classes you plan on taking at WKHS.  Those students who are applying for the Academy for the first time will register as if you were going to be attending classes at WKHS for the full day.  Once you are accepted, the Academy staff and I will go in and update your course requests so that you have the Academy and only the classes you plan on taking at WKHS in your schedule.

Please know that there are limited seats available at the Academy, so if you are interested in applying you want to get your application in as soon as possible.

If you have questions about the Worthington Academy, feel free to stop and see me or you can also contact the Academy Principal, Mr. Flynn, via e-mail at sflynn@wscloud.org.

Parent/ Teacher Conferences

Parent/ Teacher conferences are coming up soon and the online system for parents to sign up for a time to meet with teachers opened this morning.  Conferences will be held on Thursday, February 9^th from 5:00pm - 9:00pm and Wednesday, February 15^th from 3:30pm – 7:30pm.  Each conference will be scheduled in 15 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.

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.

My Schedule = Meetings

I need to give you all a heads up that the next 6 days of school include very little to no down time for drop in appointments.  In advance I want to let you know that I am sorry about that!

I will be starting my junior meetings tomorrow and Friday.  Then next week on Monday and Tuesday I will have individual meetings with every freshmen student.  Followed by Wednesday and Thursday including meetings with every sophomore student.  

Junior meetings will continue the week of the 13th until I reach the point when I have meet 1:1 with every student in grades 9-11 to review your plan for next year and, in particular for juniors, talked about your plans for life after high school.

If you need something urgently, you can let a mental health specialist know and they will try to help out until I'm available.  Or you can, of course, email me and I'll get back to you when I can.  I am genuinely looking forward to the 1:1 time with all of you even though it means I am not as available for drop in appointments.  Thanks in advance for understanding and for your patience!