Studying

Studying for exams can be daunting - especially because sometimes you don't know *how* to study. I frequently ask students the question – “Do you know how to study?” and, quite honestly, the most common response is "no." It really isn't a surprise though. The reality is that until high school gets hard enough that you hit the wall and it no longer comes easy to you, studying isn't something you typically have to worry about or spend a lot of time focusing on.

The challenging part of studying is that what works best for one person may not be what works best for someone else. And, even if you figure out what works best for you in one particular subject area, that still doesn't mean that this particular strategy will be most effective for a different subject.

One lesson I have learned (from both experience and from other students) is that just reading your notes is NOT studying. You really need to be doing something in order to effectively study for exams. And yes, I am aware that for some of you, and for some classes, reading through your notes is sufficient, but in general as you sit there reading your notes it is common for your mind to wander. Then, as you are taking the test, you realize that all of the information you thought you knew was actually just familiar.  (So you sit there taking the test thinking, "Um, I know this, it was on the left page of my notes..." but then are left blank.)

The best news is that there are lots of different ideas and strategies that you can use to develop a study strategy that works best for you!  So, perhaps in addition to reading through your notes you could try some other ideas. If you are struggling to find strategies to try out, I encourage you to visit the WKHS Counselor website as there are lots of examples listed on the site.  I am listing a few examples below, but again, it is about finding a strategy that will work for you.

Re-write or type your notes instead of just reading them.

Try to recall as much information from memory as possible. So, think back on the class and try to remember all of the key points and pieces of information that you think you are going to have to know for the test and write them all down. Then compare that list to what you actually are responsible for knowing. What information did you forget about completely? What areas were you unable to recall enough informational details? Briefly review that information and then move on to studying for another subject and then later come back and try to recall everything that you will need to know again. Were you able to do better this time? This strategy is effective because it forces you to figure out what you can recall from just your brain at a certain time - just as you will have to do on your exams.

Make flashcards and review the content.

Have someone else question you from your notes, study guide, or text book.

Another great strategy is to go through and review your old tests - paying particular attention to questions that you answered incorrectly.

Make your own practice tests. You can use homework questions, sample problems from your classroom notes, or questions from your book or tests and put them together into one test just like your teacher would do for the exam. Give yourself a day or two away from looking at it (or at least a few hours of working on a different subject) and then go back and put yourself into a similar test environment and take the test. Practice going straight through the whole test without a break, without distractions, and without stopping to look at your notes or book just as you will have to do in the actual exam. When you have completed the test, check your answers and see how you did. You can then identify areas where you need more practice and review. It may also help you identify concepts that you need to seek help from your teachers or academic assistants on to help make sure you better understand the material.  (If your parents or siblings are willing to help you study, asking them to select questions from your homework, notes, and old tests to create the practice test for you can be a great help as you work to prepare for your exams.)

Spend time reviewing old learning targets, homework assignments and worksheets and you definitely want to work through the study guides your teachers provided (if they gave you one) as this is also a highly effective strategy.


Another helpful strategy is to teach someone else. Sometimes this involves teaching a fellow student who is struggling to grasp the concepts, but it can just as easily be your parents, siblings, or a grandparent. By having to explain the information you know, you are reinforcing the concepts in your own mind and seeking useful ways to help someone else to understand the information and why it matters.

Take advantage of the opportunity to seek extra help from your teachers. Some teachers offer review sessions, others will meet with students individually or in small groups to answer questions. And other teachers are willing to respond to e-mails to help clarify questions you might have. Remember, they know what is on the test (they created it!) and so they are your best resources for help, yet the work must be done by you to make certain that you truly know the concepts being covered in class.

You can also work with the Academic Assistant's in the Teaching and Learning Center (Room 209) as they have a wealth of knowledge and helpful tips for study strategies that can help you in their particular subject areas as well as studying overall.  And, last, but not least, you can also stop in and see me and I can help brainstorm ideas that you could try.

For what it is worth, think of learning to study like you think of learning to run. You already know some skills that have helped you to know how to study and to be successful - just like you already know how to run, but if you practice and really train at running, you can improve significantly and studying will work just the same. Keep working at your study strategies, practice and continue refining your technique until you find the perfect combination that works for you.

Good luck and happy studying!

Grief & Holidays

Dealing with grief while navigating the typical challenges of being in high school can be very stressful and overwhelming.  I wish none of you had to say good-bye to a loved one who has died and yet the statistics about how often this happens are daunting.  According to the Childhood Bereavement Estimation Model, 1 out of every 12 children in the US will experience the death of a parent or sibling by the time they reach 18 years.  Not to mention all of the other loved ones who play an important role in your lives.  There are no words that can take away the pain or make life return to the way it was after the death of someone you love, but I can promise you never have to walk through this experience alone.  I am here to listen and care and to support you as you learn to live life with grief.

As we head into the winter holiday season, for those students who have experienced the death of someone important to them, the holidays combined with grief can be incredibly challenging.  In recognition of the difficulties that grief during the holidays can create, we will be hosting a Holiday & Grief Workshop on December 7th for students to join in to learn more about what to expect when grieving during the holidays and ways to honor the memory of a loved one during the holidays.  If you are a student who is living with grief this holiday season, please reach out to me so that I can add you to our holiday & grief workshop list.  I'd love for you to participate with us!

Pre-ACT Results

Your Pre-ACT scores are already back!  Your scores are available for pick up starting tomorrow in the Counseling Center.  You can pick up your score sheets during your lunch periods or before or after school from any of the secretaries at the front of the counseling center. 

One nice feature of the PreACT is that you will get your test booklet and the score summary written report.  You can use this information to help you determine what you did well on and what you want to improve on in the future.

Don't forget, these are just practice tests so they are giving you an indication of where you might expect to score on the actual ACT and you can use your results to help guide you in preparing to achieve college readiness.

I hope your scores were what you were expecting (or perhaps even better).  If you have any questions don't hesitate to stop by and see me.

Also, to senior students and parents - don't forget that tomorrow night, November 29th, is the Financial Aid night presentation at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.

Sprint to the Finish

I hope you and your family had a nice, relaxing and enjoyable Thanksgiving break.  I am looking forward to seeing you all and hearing about your time off. 

Additionally, as we return to school tomorrow, the push will be on in classes as you finish up the the semester.  You have just 15 days of classes left before exams.

If your grades are not where they should be (or where you want them to be), please make use of the resources available to you including both the Academic Assistants in Room 209 and, most importantly, your teachers.  Remember too that I am here to help you with study strategies and tips as needed.

For many students, your final grade for the semester will come down to how you finish out this quarter and how you perform on your semester exams.  This means that it is essential for you to make the most of the remaining time in your classes and start reviewing for exams now.

The 18 days of school between now and winter break are going to fly past so take a deep breath and remember, you can do this!

Thanksgiving Break

It's now officially Thanksgiving break.  I hope you have a wonderful and relaxing 5 days with lots of good food, family time, and positive memories on Thanksgiving.  If you are traveling over break, please be safe as we need you back at WKHS next week!

I am feeling so grateful right now as I await my extended family's arrival at any moment.  I am thankful that we can all be together again this year for the holiday.  I am grateful for my dogs who bring so much love to my life.  I appreciate being able to work with my amazing students (and their families) who bless my lives daily.  And during this holiday I am always reminded of how much I have that I tend to take for granted like my health, having a roof over my head, hot water, and food to eat, and yet as I stop to think about it I realize how lucky and blessed I am not just today, but every day.

Before I close for tonight, I have to say a HUGE Thank You to Worthington Presbyterian Church.  They donated all of the food to allow nearly 50 WKHS families to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal this holiday season.  We appreciate their generosity and kindness and it was such a privilege to be able to be a part of sharing that joy with others as we handed out the food today.

Have a wonderful and relaxing break!

Kilbourne Kindness Closet

The counselors are working to start a new initiative called the Kilbourne Kindness Closet and we need the help of families in the WKHS community to make this possible.

We invite you to contribute to the Kilbourne Kindness Closet by donating any gently used Kilbourne clothing items that you no longer need. Whether it's an old sweatshirt, a sport specific t-shirt, or any WKHS apparel that you no longer want or use, we would be grateful for your contributions.  This includes both student and parent Kilbourne clothes. We know that wearing Kilbourne clothes strengthens school spirit and builds connection among students and families.

For any former students/ families who still read my blog, if you no longer want your blue Buckeye Scholastic graduation gown, we are also accepting graduation gowns that were from 2021 through 2023 to provide to seniors who cannot afford a new gown.  (Gowns worn before 2020 were a different color and material so, unfortunately, they cannot be reused by current students.)

In addition to Kilbourne specific clothes, we are also collecting gently used jeans of all sizes and styles to make available in the Kilbourne Kindness Closet.

Donating is easy! Simply drop off your contributions at Worthington Kilbourne High School in the front, Student Services Office between 7:30am-3:30pm or to the Counseling Center office.

We believe the Kilbourne Kindness Closet will not only provide essential clothing items but will also serve as a symbol of the caring and supportive community we have in Worthington.  Thank you for considering donating to help our families!

DACC Application

On Friday nearly 90 WKHS students participated in the field trip to the Delaware Area Career Center. I want to remind you that even if you decide to attend 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 still 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 because the hands on opportunities to learn something new while also gaining your required elective credits can be a very appealing option! If you didn't have the chance to participate in the field trip, or if your parents are interested in learning more and visiting DACC with you, there will be an Open House coming up on December 7th.  

Attending the Delaware Area Career Center is a competitive process and students must apply for consideration.  If you are interested, please make sure to start working on your application because it is now open and you'll want to get it submitted so that they can consider you for a spot in their program.  The priority application deadline for optimal consideration is January 12th.

Information about the open house and the application to attend DACC are all located on their website.  

College Athletic Commitments

Over the last week several WKHS seniors have been celebrated for signing their official commitment to participate in college sports next year.  4 of the students who have made that declaration are "my" students and I want to pause for a moment to recognize and honor each of them.

Aubrey Bally has committed to play soccer at Bellarmine University in Lousiville, Kentucky.  

Mikaela Bevelander has committed to play soccer at Tiffin University in Tiffin, Ohio.

Morgan Boone has committed to play lacrosse at Lock Haven University in Lock Haven, Pennsylvania.

Marissa Dolciato has committed to play lacrosse at the University of Cincinnati in Cincinnati, Ohio.

I am so unbelievably proud of these 4 young women and their success not only on the athletic field, but also in the classroom and, most importantly, in how they live their lives.  As athletes, they are fierce competitors who challenge themselves to grow and improve.  As people, they care about others and strive to make others feel heard and welcomed.  Each of these students deserves the recognition and accolades they are receiving.  The accomplishments we are celebrating now as they commit to continuing their athletic competition in college is a reflection not just of 4 seasons of hard work during high school, but of countless practices, games, sweat and tears.  

Aubrey, Mikaela, Morgan and Marissa - I am so proud of you!  I applaud your hard work and your dedication.  I love your never give up spirit and I am grateful that you are role models for the rest of the WKHS students who hope to participate in sports in college.  I cannot wait to see all that you accomplish in college.  Congratulations!

Be Here Now

There are so many things which demand your attention that being present to "be here now" can be a challenge.  Even right now, as you are reading this blog post, chances are you have other emails awaiting your attention, notifications popping up about social media posts, reminders, or messages you're receiving.  Life never seems to slow down.

Yet we each have the same 24 hours in our days.  How we choose to spend that time is our decision.  But each choice we make comes with consequences.  Some of those consequences are positive (I study for a test and I get a good grade) and some of the consequences are negative (I didn't study for the test and I got a bad grade).  But here is the interesting thing I have noticed... it is all too common for students (and adults for that matter) to fake it.  We fake studying.  We fake working on a paper.  We fake being fine.  We fake paying attention.  We fake a lot, but why?  Is it because you are fooling yourself or someone else?  Is it because you want to impress someone for how much time you spent studying? (Even if the reality was you weren't really studying because you were spending most of your time finding music, responding to messages, or daydreaming.)

So stop.  Be all in.  Wherever you are, be all there.  This is your life - your one chance to do things fully, completely and as meaningfully as possible.

You can get more studying done in 30 minutes when you are intensely focused than you can over 3 hours of a half-focused study session.  Be present with your friends or family when you are spending time together - put your phone away and actually listen.  If you're not in the mood to write your paper, find a different approach to get yourself into the mindset to be fully focused on the task at hand rather than sitting in one place for hours on end growing more frustrated by how long it is taking you to complete the assignment.  But that is just part of it... remember, if you normally spend 3 hours half-way studying and are now just spending 30 minutes of focused work, you have the added benefit of gaining 2.5 hours of extra time to spend being fully invested in yourself and the activities you enjoy like spending time with friends, watching a show or even scrolling on social media.

For yourself, for your future, and for your overall well-being, please try to build the habit of being present and being all in with your time and your commitments.  It will serve you well in high school and beyond!

Financial Aid Night

Seniors, you and your parents likely already know that the FAFSA is changing in big ways.  We still don't know an exact date when the new FAFSA that you will complete will be launched and available, but it will be some time in December.

To help you with the college financial aid process we will have a Financial Aid Meeting coming up on Wednesday, November 29th at 7:00pm in the WKHS Auditorium.  We are fortunate enough to have Faith Phillips, a financial aid director for OSU Newark and COTC, sharing her expertise with our parents and students.  She always has useful insight and is able to present it in engaging ways that will help you in completing your financial aid application.  

Because the FAFSA has so many new aspects and differences, this is likely an important night for senior families - even if you have older siblings who have been through the FAFSA process before.  I hope you will make plans to join us on November 29th!

Pre-ACT Reminders

If you are taking the Pre-ACT tomorrow, you will report directly to the gymnasium when you arrive to school in the morning. You will need to bring your student id with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. 

The test will begin promptly by 8:40 and you will most likely finish testing during 5th period.  (If you have lunch 4th period we will be sure you have time to eat and give you pass to go to 5th period.)

I was very happy to see so many of my students signed up to be taking practice test for the ACT and I wish you all good luck!  I hope it will be a meaningful practice opportunity for you in preparation for when you take the actual ACT in the future. Good luck on the test!

For the rest of my students, please be aware that I will be helping to proctor the test which mean I won't be available during 1st through 5th periods tomorrow.  Sorry!  We can hopefully connect tomorrow afternoon if you need to talk.

Searching for Colleges

When you start the college search – the answer lies in you! I know, that sounds a bit cheesy, but it is true. Before you really start looking for the “right” school it is important to figure out what you want in a school and that can only be found by looking in yourself and determining what factors are most important to you.

For example, for some students distance from home may be a big deal. Being close can have it’s advantages – like being able to come home and have a free home cooked meal or a place to do your laundry and also not having to worry about flying half way across the country any time you would want to come home for a visit. Going to school at a college far from home can also have it’s advantages – often a different climate, a new experience and adventure where you can be independent, and no concerns about mom or dad just dropping in unexpectedly. And, of course, there are some students who will elect to find a school that is not too far and not too close. (Remember, that by communicating with your family about what you are looking for in a school you may find that a college outside of your comfort zone is still worth looking at because you and your parents may be able to reach some mutually agreed upon ground rules – so the concern that they might come see you or you might come home too often can be eliminated by talking about those issues up front.)

The size of a school is another factor for many students. Small, Medium, Large or somewhere in between – the challenge is that many students will say, “I don’t know” and that is where making a variety of visits to different sized schools can be advantageous. You can explore a small school and see if the experience of knowing lots of people on campus and in your classes is better for you than a medium or large school where you may have a class in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students. As you visit the schools you may find that there are experiences or advantages that a larger school can provide that a smaller school can’t such as a wider variety of clubs or groups for students to be involved. The key is to figure out what size school fits you and then you can narrow your search to explore more schools in that range.

Other factors that often influence a student’s college decision will include the types of majors or programs offered at the school, their athletic programs – both collegiate sponsored and intramurals, the food, the dorms, the cost (but don’t necessarily eliminate potential colleges simply based upon sticker price cost because often the private schools are much more expensive, but also offer a much larger financial aid package to make it competitive and comparable to a public school), extra-curricular opportunities, and on and on.

Again, I cannot stress the point that everyone is different and what is best for one person is not necessarily the ideal school for someone else. All too often I listen to students who are only looking at the 2 or 3 schools that their best friend or sibling looked at rather than trying to find the school that fits best for them. Also, I truly believe that it is about being a good match – for both you and the college.

I know it can be a bit intimidating to search for a school and to try to figure out what you really want in a college and for your future, but it is also supposed to be fun so try not to put too much pressure on yourself to find “perfection” and make every effort to take a step back and figure out what will make you happy. It really can be fun, but I know it is also overwhelming so remember that I am here to support and help you in any way that I can.

Missing College Application Items

This week I have received so many emails from seniors in a panic about the notifications they have received from colleges about additional requirements needed to complete their applications.

There are things that you have to know and take care of related to your applications - transcripts and test scores are two of the big ones that seem to be causing the most problem at this point.  See, the challenge is that colleges know these are components that many students forget so as soon as they download your application, many colleges automatically generate an email to remind you about needing to send them.

So what do you do if you get one of these notification letters?

The first step is to stop and ask yourself - did you request your transcript?  That means, did you fill out the transcript release form for us off of the Counselor Website?  If you did, and the application was through Common App or SendEDU you can log onto the websites to verify that your transcript was sent and on what day it was submitted.  If you applied through a college that doesn't use Common App or SendEDU, you can stop and see me or Mrs. McDaniel to find out when your transcript was submitted.

For your test scores, it is often harder to recall off the top of your head if you had submitted your scores or not since you signed up for 4 free scores to go to colleges when you registered for the tests.  So, I suggest that you log into the ACT and SAT websites and double check that your test scores were sent to every college where you are applying.

Colleges get really back-logged at peak application times and so it can take them several weeks to get all of the various components of applications matched up and processed and updated on their computer systems.  So, if your materials were sent in within the last 2-3 weeks and you can see that your materials were submitted, then you can relax because it just means that their system is backed up.  You can continue double checking on the college website to verify that they have everything.  If you are reaching the end of the 3rd week and they still don't show that they have everything, then you can give them a call to double check the status of your materials.  Like I said, chances are they just haven't made it there yet, but there are times where materials can get lost in the mail or filed in the wrong area.  If your transcript needs sent again, we can help you work to take care of that, but first make sure that it is really missing.

Stay Informed

Did you know that you can receive these blog posts to your e-mail automatically?  Perhaps that is how you are viewing them already, but in case you aren't I thought it might help to know that you don't have to try to remember the lengthy website address for my blog.  (Sadly, I know that it is not an easy address to find but back in 2007 when I started the blog I didn't realize how much of a problem it would become.)

The way I have it set up is that the title of the blog post will be the subject line of the e-mail so you can always delete the post without reading it if you realize that it will not be applicable to you.  To sign up for the updates, scroll pretty far down the page on the right hand side to the area that says, "Follow By E-mail" (it is below the Blog Archive & Label sections).  Type in your e-mail address and click "Submit."  Once you do that, you will be set up to receive the posts.  So, if you want to make sure you never miss out on a blog post, sign up for automatic updates.

The counseling center also uses "Remind" to help directly communicate via message to students.  If you would like to subscribe so that I can send messages to you or you can send messages to me, send a text message to 81010 with the appropriate code below:
For the class of 2024, text @2024Abbott
For the class of 2025, text @2025Abbott
For the class of 2026, text @2026Abbott
For the class of 2027, text @2027Abbott

You probably already know this, but this is NOT an actual phone number and the texts we send are from a website and not a cell phone so we can't receive phone calls or messages from you to the number which appears.  It is only for us to send messages.  It is free for you to sign up, but regular text messaging rates apply through your phone company.

At Kilbourne we try to balance how we communicate with families and how we share information out.  There are some messages that we will send directly to parents.  We have a monthly newsletter that we send out to families.  And then we also have additional information that we share through the building's weekly newsletter that is sent out every Sunday night.  Hopefully all of those methods will help keep parents/ guardians alerted to the happenings in the school.

My hope is that students and parents will all feel like they are able to be aware of what is happening at WKHS through the various modes of communication.

PSAT Scores

CollegeBoard has released your PSAT scores today.  Your scores are available electronically.  This means that you will log into your CollegeBoard account to view and download your scores.  (Which is what you will do in the future when you take your SAT as well.)  CollegeBoard has a BigFuture mobile app that you can use for accessing your scores or you can use their website.

If you submitted your email account when completing your answer sheet then you should have received an e-mail from CollegeBoard notifying you that your scores are accessible. Even if you didn't receive an e-mail from CollegeBoard you can still access your scores.

One of the best parts about the PSAT is that CollegeBoard has partnered with Khan Academy to use your scores to make a personalized practice plan.  This is a fantastic option and I strongly encourage you to use it.  If you have questions about this FREE option you can visit the Khan Academy website at: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat

Once you have your scores, you may be wondering what they mean.  The score sheets from PSAT provides a wealth of information so it can take some time to digest it all, but if interested, please know that the counselor website can help give you additional information, tips and links to better understand your scores.   http://www.wkhscounselors.com/. 

Don't forget, these are just practice tests so they are giving you an indication of where you might expect to score on your college admissions tests and you can use your results to help guide you in preparing to achieve college readiness.

I hope your scores were what you were expecting (or perhaps even better).  If you have any questions don't hesitate to reach out and ask me.

Socratic Society

On Friday morning 44 students were inducted into the Socratic Society. Staff members are given the opportunity to recognize students for excellence in one or more of the core Socratic values of Scholarship, Integrity, Personal Effort, Compassion, or Lifelong Learning. Students are only eligible to be selected for this honor one time during their high school career.

I was honored to be able to pin so many students as a part of the ceremony.  I had 11 students in my part of the alphabet who were honored.  A special congratulations to "my" students who were among those recognized this month! (Alphabetically): Joseph Adrian, Aya Ahmed, Addison Baird, LIly Banner, Mira Bixler, Becca Boue, Dmytro Chubenko, Maksym Chubenko, Eloise Cotterman, Mason Cottle, and Marissa Dolciato.  I am proud of each of you!

Homework

Over the last 2 weeks I have been spending time talking to students who failed a class in the first quarter.  For all of you, the new quarter is your chance to reset and refocus.  As I have been talking to students about plans for turning around their grades in classes, one topic that has come up over and over again is homework.

I get it... for some of you, doing work at home is not always a top priority.  Either you tend to tell yourself that you'll do it the next day, that it isn't really that important, or that you forget about it completely, but then it isn't working out the way you had wanted.

Homework has value because it is practice.  Your teachers are not assigning homework to you just because they think it is fun.  They are trying to extend your learning to make sure you know and understand the concepts being covered in class.  Being able to spend your time learning and fully understanding the material is worth the investment of your time and energy.

So let's talk for a second about those top reasons students have been citing about why they haven't been doing their work...

- I'll do it the next day... Saving your work to finish during academic prep or lunch sounds like a viable option, but if you have been saving your work and it isn't getting done, then it is time to rethink your approach.  Getting through the work rather than having it hang over your head will take away the pressure and allow you to feel the success of having your work completed.

- It really isn't that important... I get it - in some of your classes homework is weighted really low compared to other assignments or tests and so it doesn't always feel as if the work is worthwhile, but here is the reality - Every Point Matters!  Especially if your grades aren't where you want them to be.  But think about it for a moment.  If homework is worth 10% of your grade and you don't do it then you're already starting with a 90% in your class and the only way you could earn a 90% would be if you get a perfect score on every other assignment outside of your homework.  And, let's be honest, if you aren't doing the homework to practice and develop a deeper understanding of the material, then it isn't realistic that you will be able to earn a perfect score on all of your other classwork and tests.

- You forgot about the work... if this is you then it is time to get organized and keep a planner or use an app for tracking your assignments.  Your head is the place to think - not the best place to try to keep track of all of your work that needs to be done.  This is especially the case when you take into consideration all of the long-term assignments and projects which you have to keep track of throughout the year.

The reality is a few students also mentioned that they are struggling with homework because they try, but aren't sure of what to do.  If that is you, then I need to stress the importance of doing the best that you can on what you know and then using your academic prep, lunch or before/ after school time to meet with your teacher or the academic assistants to ask questions to make sure you learn and understand the material.  I actually see this struggle as a possible strength because if you are trying the assignments and are able to seek help to learn the specific components that you weren't sure about then you will have a much richer understanding of the material than anyone who didn't even attempt the work in the first place.

I know that homework is not particularly fun.  I know you have other things happening in your life that can make dedicating the time to complete work a challenge.  But school is your job.  You need to maximize your learning and take care of this responsibility by doing your homework on a regular basis so that you don't fall behind and then have to dig out of a hole.  I am confident that if you do, you will see the reward in your grade and most importantly in your learning and understanding of the material.

It starts to get real...

For seniors, it starts to get real that this is your final year of high school when you hit submit on your college applications.  It also seems more real when you get the information about ordering your cap and gown.  For many of our senior students, those two occurances have taken place today!

November 1st is a large "early" deadline for colleges and so I know many of my students have been working hard to get their applications finalized before they pressed submit and paid the application fees.

And then, today during Pack Period, seniors received the information about cap and gowns.  There are a few things to know regarding the cap and gown ordering process.

First, all seniors will now wear stoles.  Those students who are highest honors students, will receive a special stole at senior recognition night that they will wear instead.  But the cap and gown packace for all students will include the cap, gown, tassle, and stole.

For students who plan to wear the cap and gown of an older sibling, that is still fine and you can do that.  You will just need to order your updated tassle and stole and those are available separately for you to purchase rather than ordering the whole package.

Second, seniors are asked to fill out a google form in addition to their ordering information - that is to help make sure that the right size will be ordered.

And finally, there is "early bird" pricing offered right now through November 17th.  So, if you order your cap and gown in these next few weeks you'll get a better rate than if you wait.  All orders must be received by January 31, 2024 in order to make sure that your cap and gown will arrive before graduation.

I know that the costs of ordering a cap and gown can be a struggle for some families and so if you find yourself in that situation, please talk to me and I will see what I can do to help.

We are less than 7 months to graduation and the time will go fast, but it is definitely an exciting time to be a senior!