Friday, December 20, 2024

Winter Break

One of the downsides of ending the semester with exams is that it impacts my ability to see as many of you before break as I would like.  I hope your final few exams went well and that you are ready to head into break with the chance to relax and enjoy some time with your family and friends.  Most of all, I hope that you will be safe over break and have fun!  

For what it is worth, I will also be off and not checking emails and rarely (if at all) updating the blog as I will also be trying to enjoy the time with my family and enjoying some down time.

Congratulations again on successfully completing exams and your first semester!

Thursday, December 19, 2024

December Students of the Month


Last Friday we were able to recognize 15 students as being Kilbourne Students of the Month.  This recognition can only be earned once in a student's high school career.  Each student who is nominated is being recognized for the contributions they make in helping to make WKHS a better place.  The students honored make a difference in the classroom, athletic fields, and community and we are all stronger because of the impact of these students.

A special congratulations to "my" students who were among those recognized this month (in alphabetical order): Nathan Bradley, Sean Brennan, Aminata Bundu, Diego Cobo, and Riley Douglas.  I am proud of you! Thanks for making a positive difference at Kilbourne!

Just 1 more day of exams left!  You've got this... finish strong!

Wednesday, December 18, 2024

Care Closet

WKHS is fortunate that we have a group of dedicated, compassionate moms who make up a group called the Activity Club.  This group of parents are focused on finding positive ways to give back to the Worthington community so that we are all stronger together. 

One of the projects that they spearhead for Kilbourne students and families is the "Care Closet."  In this designated area they have stocked a wide range of personal care items that individuals may want/ need but not have the extra money to keep on hand.  For example, in the Care Closet you can find shampoo, conditioner, lotion, soap, shaving cream, toothbrushes and toothpaste, deodorant and so much more!  And it is all there FREE for anyone who could benefit from a little extra help.  This can be particularly helpful to families during the holidays when money may be even tighter than normal or a family might need some basic toiletries to use as a gift.  

The Care Closet is a cabinet located in the back hallway between the Counseling Center and Administrative Offices.  Please know that we WANT you to use this resource!  That is why they provide it for our families.  So, if this is something that you know would help you, please stop and help yourself.  You can also see me if you want me to help point out where the supplies are located.  And then, in the future, you can always go to the Care Closet area and help yourself to any materials that you or your family need.  (Parents, know that you too can come in to take advantage of the Care Closet if your son or daughter won't make use of it on their own.)

Also, as an ongoing reminder, we invite all students, families and community members 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.  Donations can be dropped off in the front Student Services office or in the Counseling Center.

Tuesday, December 17, 2024

Good Luck on Exams

Today featured some extra fun in the entertainment of "Wolf Wishes" to help encourage you with lots of good luck heading into exams.  Test Anxiety can be common for students - especially with exams since they can have such a significant influence on your semester grades.  But remember, you have literally been preparing for exams every single day in class since August... so you've got this! The best strategy to prevent test anxiety is being prepared. It is much more likely that you will be anxious and struggle with feeling overwhelmed if you have not adequately studied and prepared for the test. Unfortunately, for some students, you can be well-prepared, but still struggle with anxiety.

There are a wide range of strategies you can use to help deal with anxiety:

- Research has indicated that spending several minutes before a test to write about your feelings will help decrease test anxiety and improve test scores. The University of Chicago researchers “believe worrying competes for computing power in the brain’s ‘working,’ or short-term memory.”

- Practice putting yourself in testing situations when studying. The more you get used to the experience and feelings of testing the less anxious you will feel when in the actual test.

- Just before the test, avoid talking about the test material with your friends. Chances are fixating on the test material and talking about it with your friends right before the test will only make you more anxious.

- Approach the test with a positive attitude. Don’t go into the test expecting the worst to happen. You can remind yourself that you have studied and know the material.

- Avoid distractions so that you can focus on the test and not on what other students are doing. Do not compare yourself with others and how they are doing on the test.

- Take a deep breath, relax, and do the best you can.

I should also mention that smart testing strategies like getting a good night of sleep, eating breakfast, having all of your required materials (pen, pencil, calculator, scratch paper, etc), getting regular exercise, and giving yourself plenty of time to get to your test on time will also benefit you as a whole and in testing situations.

Remember, Lexi and I will both be around during all of the exam days so if you're feeling overwhelmed and anxious, we are here to help!  Good luck on your exams - you'll do great!

Monday, December 16, 2024

Stressed

How are you holding up?  Are you feeling tired, stressed, overwhelmed, anxious, worried or frustrated?  This time of year often brings a range of stress-related feelings.  The holidays can be stressful.  Exams can be stressful.  High school life can be stressful.

Obviously, if you are struggling, I want to talk to you!  I want to problem-solve with you and help develop a plan for managing the feelings and experiences you are going through. 

Stress comes from a range of events and life circumstances. 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 strategies for dealing with stress.

Holidays can also create stress because expectations tend to be higher during holidays. Families are often together and sometimes that can be difficult or it could mean that siblings who are off to college are home and the change in routine can cause challenges. Students whose parents are divorced are often juggling multiple holidays and trying to be in several places at once which is never easy. Whatever the circumstances are for your family, try to remember that even though the holiday will not be the picture of perfection that you might see portrayed on movies or TV shows, it can still be enjoyable - even if it is stressful.

Finding the stress relievers that are effective in your own life is important not only during the holidays, but throughout the year. Talking to friends, journaling, drawing, reading, listening to music, running, coloring, playing sports, spending time with your pets, taking a walk, dancing, exercising, watching a funny movie, or helping someone less fortunate are all examples of some simple stress relievers that might be ideas you can consider utilizing.

Remember, I am here for you and I want to talk with you... especially if you are feeling stressed!


Sunday, December 15, 2024

Studying for Exams


This week all Kilbourne students will have semester exams.  Exams are an important part of your grade, but they also provide you the opportunity to practice a more realistic glimpse of what testing will be like in college and helps you to showcase your semester's worth of knowledge.

Interestingly, for many high school students, you don't yet know how to study.  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.  And, while, the week before exams isn't the ideal time to figure out what study strategies tend to work best for you, it is better late than never.

The best news is that there are lots of different ideas and strategies that you can use to develop a study strategy that works for you! 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.

If you are struggling to find strategies to try out, I encourage you to visit the WKHS Counselor website as we have lots of examples there.  You can also work with your teachers and the Academic Assistant's in the Teaching and Learning Center 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.

Thursday, December 12, 2024

Tomorrow's Assembly Schedule

The holiday spirit has definitely been alive and well at Kilbourne lately.  Hearing about the contributions and watching students wrapping presents and seeing the impact of your generosity was incredible!  To build on that enthusiasm, tomorrow will be the annual holiday assembly.  Because of exams, you will still have another week of school left, but it will be a great way to celebrate the end of the first semester.  

Below is the bell schedule for your reference as it is definitely different than normal.

Period 1 - 8:40 - 9:19

Period 2 - 9:24 - 10:56 (Students will be divided to spend 1/2 the time in class and 1/2 in the assembly)

Period 3 - 11:01 - 11:40 

Period 4 - 11:45 - 12:24

Period 5 - 12:29 - 1:08

Period 6 - 1:13 - 1:52

Period 7 - 1:57 - 2:36

Period 8 - 2:41 - 3:20

I am looking forward to seeing all of my students who are participating as a part of the assembly tomorrow.  I also want to send out a huge good luck to all of the Band, Orchestra, and Choir students who will be performing tonight and tomorrow in the Home for the Holidays concert.

Wednesday, December 11, 2024

College Decision Terms


We are in the earliest stages of college application decisions starting to come back.  I wanted to make sure you knew some of the terms you might see in your decision notifications.  If you receive an email or letter and are uncertain what it means, please feel free to let me know or to contact the college directly.

- Accepted: Congratulations - they are inviting you to join and be a part of their college/ university!

- Declined/ Rejected/ Not Accepted: For whatever reason the college did not feel that you would be a good fit. While it is understandably disappointing, please remember that there are lots of colleges and universities out there so don’t give up on finding a good match.

- Decision Deferred: The college is not sure yet… usually they will tell you what additional data/ information they are interested in receiving to help them make their decision. The most common piece of data they will look for are senior year grades at the semester time.

- Wait List: The wait list is not a denial, but it is not an acceptance either. Colleges use wait lists as insurance to make sure that their freshman class will be the appropriate size. If enough students decide to attend, the college will not accept anyone off of their wait-list.  We will talk more about wait lists later in the spring because this rarely a response students will receive at this time of year, but it is more common later in the application season.

One of the realities of the college admission process is that not every student will be accepted to every college. The waiting game can often be one of the more frustrating aspects. With family members and friends consistently asking, "Where are you going to college?" the uncertainty present with each "I don't know" response can be overwhelming.  Remember, I am here to help support you in managing all the stress related to admissions decisions.

Tuesday, December 10, 2024

Senior Application Deadline Reminder

Seniors, I know many of you are still working on college applications.  I wanted to remind you to please, watch your deadlines!  

If you are looking at an early January deadline, you need to make sure that you have completed your transcript release form and invited me through Common App to submit your transcript. This should be done no later than this Friday, December 13th, in order to make sure I can get it taken care of before break.  Like you and your teachers, I will not be here during winter break to get a transcript for you, so you must plan ahead.  

Remember, you can have me upload your transcript to Common App without you being ready to submit your application so please, go ahead and invite me on Common App now!  And don't forget that you must also go to the Counselor Website to request your transcript in order to authorize it's release to the colleges.  It's a quick process, so just go ahead and knock that piece out now.

If you have any questions, please stop and see me!

Monday, December 9, 2024

Exam Schedule


I wanted to give all students and parents a summary of the semester exam schedule with some additional frequently asked questions...

Day One - Wednesday, December 18th:

8:40 - 10:35: 1st period exam

10:45 - 12:40: 4th period exam

12:40 - 1:20: Lunch

1:25 - 3:20: 7th period exam


Day Two - Thursday, December 19th:

8:40 - 10:35: 2nd period exam

10:45 - 12:40: 5th period exam

12:40 - 1:20: Lunch

1:25 - 3:20: 8th period exam


Day Three - Friday, December 20th:

8:40 - 10:35: 3rd period exam

10:45 - 12:40: 6th period exam

12:40 - 120: NO Lunch Provided! 

1:25 - 3:20: Make-Up Exams


A couple of questions that tend to come up at exam time...

Yes, you are REQUIRED and EXPECTED to be in all of your classes during an exam. (Even if you don't have an actual exam, the teachers are going to be working with you on projects, papers, or other learning related to their course.)

No, you do NOT need to be in school during your scheduled lunch period or during your Options or Prep periods. (Which means, for example, that if you have 3rd period prep and 6th period lunch that you do not have to come to school at all on the 20th.)

Yes, there will be two bus runs on Wednesday - so you can leave after your 6th period exam, but if you need to stay for a make-up exam period then there will be another bus run to take you home then too.

Hope that helps clarify and I hope your studying efforts are going well.

Sunday, December 8, 2024

DACC and More

Prior to Thanksgiving break students had the opportunity to participate in a field trip to visit the Delaware Area Career Center (DACC).  But I know that many parents are also interested in learning about the programs offered at DACC and so the Family Tours provide a great opportunity to do that.  There is also an open house coming up next week on the 11th for their Senior-Only programs.

As a reminder, if you decide to attend the career center, WKHS students are always Kilbourne 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!  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 17th.

Information about the Senior Only Open House, Family Tours and the application to attend DACC are all located on their website.  

Additionally, while thinking about career exploration opportunities, all students received an email inviting you to sign up for a Healthcare Career Summit which will take place in February, but the deadline to register is this coming Friday, December 13th.  There was a MASSIVE response to the email so I believe we already have more than the 64 students we are allowed to take to the event, but if you didn't sign up and are still interested in trying to attend, please be sure to register asap.  There is a chance we will end up needing to prioritize by grade level since 9th graders would have 3 more years to participate, but Juniors and Seniors have a greater need to attend now with their time available to explore careers running short.  But we won't know what we are going to do for registrations to attend until we see how many people were hoping to try to go.

Thursday, December 5, 2024

Applying for Scholarships

In addition to the need-based aid aspects of doing the FAFSA, you should also be considering seeking out and applying for any and all scholarships that would apply to you.  I know that some students will find scholarships through AI, some will find them from colleges, and others will find them from scholarship search websites or apps.

If colleges are sending you emails encouraging you to apply for a scholarship on their campus, APPLY!  Too many times students don’t follow through and throw away that opportunity.  Most of the best scholarship money comes to students when you are coming straight out of high school to be a college freshman, so you don’t want to miss out on these opportunities.  Often times these scholarships are renewable which means they help you all 4 years of your college career.  

I encourage you to ask the colleges questions about if they will look at updated information (like testing data) if you get the data before they are reviewing the applications.  Another great question you can ask colleges or read on their websites is what will you be required to complete in order to be able to maintain the scholarship over time.  

There is also value in considering scholarships that are beyond the college.  If you go to the Searching for Scholarships page on the Counselor website you will find lots of websites you can use for searches.  I also encourage you to make sure you check to see if there are any Franklin County Alumni Association scholarships offered for the colleges you are considering.  You should also think about organizations that you or your family are involved with – service groups, community organizations, religious groups, parent businesses, etc. On the WKHS Counselor searching for scholarship page there is also a sample tool that you can use to help keep your scholarship applications organized and that has been particularly useful to students in the past.

The reality is that college is expensive, but you CAN and SHOULD take steps now to help mitigate as much of the cost as you can.

Wednesday, December 4, 2024

Financial Aid Deadlines

As students give a sigh of relief for each college application that is submitted, it is easy to think to yourself: "Application, Essay, Rec Letters, Transcript, Test Scores all submitted means that I am done!" And you are done with the application process.  But if you care about how you are going to pay for college then you are not done at all.

Financial Aid and the financial resources to help students pay for college is an important aspect of the college application process for students.  One of the challenges related to financial aid is that much like college admissions deadline dates, each college gets to establish the dates by which they would like to receive student's applications for financial aid (FAFSA and sometimes also CSS profile).  The priority deadline date is the day you would want to be sure they have your required forms completed by in order to put yourself in the position to get the maximum possible aid.  The colleges, as a whole, will continue to give out whatever available money they still have left over for those who submit their applications for financial aid later, but you are potentially dealing with less money being available.

So you will want to check each college's website and look at the portion of their website related to costs and aid and see what their priority deadline date is and be sure that you submit ALL of your required paperwork to them ahead of that deadline.

Tuesday, December 3, 2024

Net Price Calculator

This is actually a reminder for students in EVERY grade level... 

Every college features a net price calculator on their website. This requirement was established in an effort to help provide students and parents with the information needed to make more informed decisions and choices about what they can expect to pay for a college education at each school. 

Now, I will forewarn you that not every net price calculator is the same and some are more detailed than others. Why does this matter? Well, if it is very specific and takes all of the different factors into consideration that the financial aid office will be looking at when creating your financial aid package, then you are likely to get a better picture of what your estimated aid might be, but if it is a more simplistic calculator then there could be more variance when compared to your actual aid package.  Plus, of course, the accuracy of the information that you submit will determine the accuracy of the information that you receive back.

Without a doubt, college is very expensive and so trying to figure out which colleges will be financially reasonable/ realistic is an important factor to consider in your college search and selection process. I hope that this tool will be useful to you as you investigate schools.

Monday, December 2, 2024

Merit vs Need Based Aid

In honor of the FAFSA being open and because today I talked to a few students about scholarships and financial aid - one who was thankful to be done with the CSS profile and another who spends 1 hour per week applying to various scholarships - I decided that this week I will try to let topics related to paying for college be our over-arching theme.

Paying for college is expensive! There is no question that higher education costs add up quickly.  There are two broad categories that come into play when we are talking about financial aid – Merit Based aid and Need Based aid.

Merit Based aid is what you think of when you think “Scholarships.” These are usually awarded to students based on academic achievements, leadership, athletics, special talents such as art or music, volunteerism, or other personal qualities that set you apart. These scholarships do not consider financial need. A significant portion of all merit-based aid comes directly from the college/ university. Some schools may require additional scholarship applications, essays, interviews, and many colleges will have earlier deadlines to be considered for their scholarships. It can be helpful to know that a lot of times the smaller, private colleges will have more money available for scholarships in order to help make attending their school competitive with the lower sticker prices of the public colleges. It is helpful to keep an eye out for unique scholarships that might apply to your personal situation. Last year I had a student who was able to qualify for an Italian heritage scholarship. Perhaps one of your grandparents won a purple heart or maybe you have time to write an essay for one of the other scholarship competitions… no matter what the situation, if you find a scholarship that you meet the criteria for go ahead and apply – you might be pleasantly surprised at the result and if you don’t, the answer is definitely a “no.”

Need Based aid is what you will sometimes hear people refer to as “Financial Aid” even though both Merit Based and Need Based aid technically fall under that one category. There are a variety of different Need Based aid programs which will require you to fill out the FAFSA (and/or CSS profile) in order to be considered for them. Grants are considered gift assistance – they give you money and you do not have to pay it back. Loans which can come from a wide variety of sources – the federal government, the college, and private banks is money that you are required to pay back. Work Study programs are on campus job opportunities that the government helps find that allows you to earn money for college through working on campus. 

The big difference between Merit Based and Need Based aid is that with Need Based aid is that the type and amount of Need Based aid you will receive depends upon the level of financial need you have.  And, yes, just to add to the confusion – there are some scholarships that will consider financial need as a criterion. They are still awarding the scholarship based upon some specific aspect of who you are it is just allowing them to narrow down the potential applicant pool.

Try not to get frustrated as you walk through the whole financial aid process.  Just take it one step at a a time and remember that all of these applications ultimately will help you to make college more affordable.

Sunday, December 1, 2024

Gratitude Journal


I hope that you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving break!  

For years, I have read the research about the benefits of writing down what you are thankful for.  And during COVID I decided it was time that I truly put that to the test and I began keeping a gratitude journal.  And so every day, I pause to reflect on what 3 thigns I had to be grateful for in that day.  I try to be really intentional about not just writing the same things over and over again because it would be easy to say: Family, Friends and Health on repeat... and it would absolutely be true.  But for me, it was the challenge to dive deeper and once I had acknowledged something I needed to be more specific or find something different to be able to identify.  It has been a game-changer for me.  Don't get me wrong, I still have bad days, but even on the worst days I have not had any problems identifying at least 3 things from the day which made me grateful.  And how lucky does that make me?!?  

As we leave Thanksgiving behind... a time when many of us all paused to think about what we were thankful for I'd like to issue a challenge to all of my students... every day, for the next month, please write down 3 (different) things that you are thankful for that day.  You don't need a fancy journal.  Just open up the notes section of your phone or grab a piece of notebook paper, write the date and I'm Thankful For... and then list out 3 things.  Repeat that process for the next month.  I will be excited to hear some of the things you come up with and how being intentional about identifying the things you are grateful for impact you.

In case you are wondering, here is what will make my list tonight when I fill out my journal.

12/1/24: I'm Thankful For...

- Having leftover Chocolate Caramel Brownies

- Being able to sleep in for the last 5 days

- That my sister's family made it home safely after visiting for the holiday

Please know that I am also thankful for each of YOU who read this blog!  And I hope that you will consider taking on my challenge to see how focusing on gratitude impacts you over the next month.

Tuesday, November 26, 2024

Have a Great Thanksgiving Break!

I hope you have a wonderful 5 days off and that no matter if you are staying at home or traveling near or far that you will have fun and be safe!  The holidays can bring many mixed emotions with them so try to enjoy the good moments and let the more stressful/ challenging moments pass without letting it negatively impacting your whole break.  And no matter what your Thanksgiving traditions include - family, friends, near, far, watching the Macy's Thanksgiving Day parade, football, eating turkey, or taking a nap - I hope that you will find some small reasons to smile and just be fully present in the moment.

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 40 WKHS families to enjoy a traditional Thanksgiving meal this holiday season.  We appreciate your 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.

See you all next week!

Monday, November 25, 2024

Winter End of Course Tests

Let's talk about End of Course tests for a moment.  And no, I am not talking about your semester exams that count for grades in your actual classes.  The End of Course tests are those assessments required by the state of Ohio that all students must complete.  The tests are also how you will earn the various components that you need to graduate.

The Monday after Thanksgiving starts the winter testing window for the End of Course tests and testing will continue through December 12th.  You will be taking these tests if you are currently in Government, if you took a tested class during the summer, if you took a tested class last school year but due to illness or other reasons you weren't able to complete the tests when the state testing window was open, if you need to try to improve your scores, or if you moved in from out of state and need to take the assessments.

All students are strongly encouraged to check your school email to look for information about End of Course tests.  If you need to complete a test then you will have received an email giving you information about what date you will complete your test and which room to go to for testing.

I know that it is really hard to miss class time for the testing (especially when you have so few days of classes left in the semester), but remember that because these tests play a critical role in you earning the graduation requirements, you want and need to try to do your best on the tests when taking them.

Sunday, November 24, 2024

Pre-ACT Results

Your Pre-ACT scores are back!  Your scores are available for pick up 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.

Saturday, November 23, 2024

FAFSA Open NOW!

In a surprising turn of events, the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) which was not supposed to open until December 1st has been fully released early and is now available for students and parents to complete and submit.

A few reminders:

1. This is a FREE application.  You do not need, nor should you, pay for someone to complete the FAFSA for you.

2. The link to complete the FAFSA is: https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa and you will be filling out the version for 2025-26.

3. Each student and parent will require their own FSA ID in order to sign the and submit the FAFSA application.  Here is the link to request your FSA ID: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

4. Every college will have their own financial aid deadlines when they will ask for you to have your FAFSA submitted.  Submitting your information in a timely manner and ahead of the deadlines is your best way to make sure you have a chance to be considered for all of the financial help that you might qualify for from the colleges.

5. There are a lot of students and families who "know" that they won't qualify for money through the FAFSA and you may wonder why we say you should still fill out the FAFSA.  The reason is that there are some scholarships at various colleges that are only considered after need based aid has been distributed.  If you haven't completed the FAFSA to determine what, if any, need based aid you would qualify for then they can't look at you for those other merit based scholarships.  So it can be helpful to fill it out for that reason.  Additionally, even if you don't qualify for grants, filling out the FAFSA will make it possible for you to be able to decide if you want to take out federal student loans to help pay for your college costs.

6. It will take you about an hour to fill out the FAFSA.  So just relax, be patient and take it step by step.  You can totally do this and it will feel so good to have it done and out of the way!

Thursday, November 21, 2024

Countdown to Exams

The countdown is on... you have just 15 days of school left before semester exams begin. That means that you have 15 school days left in the 2nd quarter.  15 days to make sure your quarter grades are where they need to be prior to exams.  And yes, while I *know* some (or maybe all) of you don't want to hear this, with only 15 days left, it is also REALLY important that you start studying now for exams. 

Please take a critical look at where you stand in each of your classes and what you need to do to finish out the quarter and begin fully preparing for exams.  If your grades are not where they should be at this point in time, please make use of the resources available to you each day - the academic assistants in the Teaching & Learning Center and, most importantly, your teachers. I am also here to help you with studying strategies and tips if needed. For many students, your final grade for the semester will come down to how you finish out this quarter and how well you do on semester exams. Please don't neglect this opportunity to make the most of your remaining time.

Wednesday, November 20, 2024

"What do you want to be when you grow up?"


The question, "What do you want to be when you grow up?" is such an unfair question.  It doesn't mean that other people (myself included) won't ask it of you, but I just want to acknowledge up front how daunting the question can be for so many different reasons.

1. You are in high school.  You're still trying to figure yourself out let along what you want to do for the rest of your life.

2. You only know what you have been exposed to in your 14-18 years of life.  How would you know if you might love anthropology or ecology or philosophy if you haven't had a chance to learn anything about it yet.  There is so much to learn in front of you!

3. The careers you might end up selecting and pursuing may not even exist yet.  With the way that AI has stormed into our lives, it is hard to imagine what all of the future technological changes will look like and how you, as a future adult in the working world, might be in careers that are new and evolving.

So why do we even both asking what you want to be?  Well, part of it is likely an excitement over the future of the possibilities in front of you.  Adults may be curious to see and hear what you are interested in and what excites you as options for the future.  They also likely know that your future plans will change over time, but just having an idea of where your passions are currently is fun for those who care about you. 

If you find yourself surrounded by extended family over the holidays and they start asking what you want to be when you grow up, you can share whatever you are currently thinking.  You can tell them that you aren't sure, but are excited to start dreaming about and exploring all of the opportunities ahead of you.  Or you can flip the tables on them!  (Which is one of my favorite suggestions.)

If you are flipping the tables on them you can start asking them about THEIR career path, what they wanted to be when they were in high school, what they studied, what their first job was, how they transitions to various jobs or additional responsibilities over time, what they like about their job, etc.  This is often nice for students because the pressure is taken off of you and the feeling that you need to have your whole life planned out.

But you can use your extended family members for potential contacts.  If you know that you are interested in pursuing a career in a particular field you can share that information and then ask your family if they know anyone who works in a similar job.  This can be incredibly valuable information because oftentimes students can benefit by talking to someone in their desired jobs or shadowing for a day.  If your family members know of someone who works in a job that you're considering for their future, ask if they would help connect you with that person.  Often your aunts, uncles, cousins, grandparents, or family friends are thrilled to be able to be a resource to help support you on the way towards your future path.  Plus, even if they don't know of anyone off the top of their head, you never know who they might meet or come in contact with that could connect you in the future.

Tuesday, November 19, 2024

Current Seniors & Honors Diploma

The students in the Class of 2025 (seniors) are the last group with the current honors diploma requirements.  I will talk more about the updated honors diploma requirements for students in the Classes of 2026 and beyond in a future post.

But, I wanted to draw seniors attention to the honors diploma requirements because I know that heading into your 2nd semester of senior year it can be tempting to request to drop classes in favor of an easier final semester of high school.  Before you make that decision you should keep in mind all of your other goals - and if honors diploma is one of those goals, then you will want to be sure that dropping classes won't change your eligibility status.

For some students, earning an Honors Diploma is an important goal. I have to be honest, this is not a factor for the colleges because the honors diploma recognition isn't granted until you graduate so colleges are not considering it when making their admissions decisions. The requirements for the honors diploma listed below are established by the state department of education.

To receive an honors diploma current seniors need to fulfill 6 of the following 7 criteria:

  • Math: 4 units (CCSS Math 3 and another higher level course)
  • Science: 4 units (including two advanced level sciences)
  • Social Studies: 4 units
  • Foreign Language: 3 units (including at least 2 units in each language studied)
  • Fine Arts: 1 unit (during high school)
  • Unweighted Grade Point Average: 3.5 on a 4.0 scale
  • ACT/ SAT Score: 27 ACT/ 1280 SAT

One of the areas that I have noticed as a trend of some students falling short of meeting the honors diploma requirements is in Social Studies since only 3 credits are required for graduation so students won't take the full 4th credit needed. The other area where students frequently don't meet the designated standard is with the 1 credit of Fine Art.  This is because many students rely on the fine art courses they took during middle school for their graduation requirements, but those courses do not equal high school credits.  (They count for graduation, but aren't actual credits earned.)  So students who want to have that requirement met for the honors diploma would need to complete the 1 credit of fine art during the high school years. 

Don't forget, it would still be possible to earn an honors diploma if you were missing one of these, but you will need to make sure you fulfill all of the remaining criterion.

Also, I wanted to point out that these are the requirements for the most common pathway to the honors diploma, but there are also honors diploma pathways for students participating in the IB diploma program or in a Career Tech program at the Delaware Area Career Center and the state of Ohio also has additional pathways such as STEM, Arts, and Social Science & Civic Engagement pathways.  You can check them all out here.

Remember, you don't earn the honors diploma until graduation so obviously this doesn't matter to colleges when they are evaluating your application for admission, but if it is a personal goal you have set for yourself then you want to make sure you end your high school career strong so that you reach that goal.

Monday, November 18, 2024

WKHS Counselors Website

I mention the Kilbourne Counselor website often, but I still feel like it deserves to have a post all of it's own.  When we created the counselor website we wanted to provide students and parents with an easy, one-stop place, to get as many of the resources and information answers that you regularly need.  

Have you visited www.wkhscounselors.com lately?  

We work really hard to keep the website current and so it is updated on a regular basis.  The site features information about succeeding academically, college/ career pursuits, and personal/ social information resources.  So often people ask me questions and I point them to the website for the answer because it is the easiest place to find the information over waiting until you are back at school and going and finding the paper version of the forms, etc.

Take a moment and check it out and please be sure to bookmark the site so that you can refer back to it often.  And, if there is anything that you think it should include but don’t see on the site, please let me know so that we can add it.

Of course, I have to acknowledge that none of the counselors are very website savvy and so while I have literally read a "Joomla for Dummies" book to try to help create the website, none of what you see would be possible without the expertise, know-how, dedication and countless hours of time that Mr. Estice from Phoenix Middle School has contributed.

Sunday, November 17, 2024

Teen Sleep

I cannot even begin to explain how often I hear students frustratingly proclaim, "I'm so tired!"  It is a statement that I hear over and over again each day.  Sleep is a tough issue to tackle because it is one of the best things we can do for ourselves and yet it is also something we frequently push aside.

The research about the importance of teen's getting sleep has frequently been touted and yet, as I talk to you, it is shocking for me to realize how little sleep so many of you are getting.  Lack of sleep is not only exhausting, but it decreases your immune system, makes it more difficult to regulate your emotions, and can mimic the signs of ADHD.  

I wish it was as easy as saying you need to go to bed earlier, but for many of you, your schedules are so packed with homework, studying, jobs, sports, clubs, and other activities that it is hard to make everything fit into the window of time that you have between the end of the school day and a "reasonable" bedtime.  Additionally, many students have talked about the fact that it is hard for them to go to sleep once they eventually go to bed because their mind races, they think of "one more thing" they need to do, or they lose track of time while texting or checking social media late into the night.  And, although it isn't easy, sleep is important and it is a choice to make it a priority because the reality is that so many of you genuinely are exhausted!

I am the first to admit that I NOT a morning person and, quite honestly, I don't think I ever have been.  When my sister and I were in high school my mom set 9:00pm as our bedtime.  Every now and then we would argue that we should be allowed to have a later bedtime like all of our other friends and she would agree and say, "No problem, as soon as you can wake up in the morning without me having to say anything to you to wake up, then you can stay up later."  (FYI, my mom is really smart!)  She knew there was no way in the world we could successfully wake up without extra help because we were tired and we needed the sleep.  We couldn't argue with her because she wasn't having us go to sleep earlier as a punishment - she was trying to help us get the amount of sleep that we needed.  Later, when I was in college and was getting WAY too little sleep, I would call my mom stressed and upset and she, with all her perfect motherly wisdom, would simply say, "Stop what you are doing and go to sleep."  She knew that I was too tired to think straight and that I wasn't doing a good job with studying or homework or whatever else I might have been working on at the time because I was exhausted.  While I am certainly not your mom and in no way am I saying that 9:00pm is the right bedtime for you, I do think that most of you could benefit from getting more sleep.  

So, here is my encouragement and challenge to each of you.  Consider what 1 small thing you could do in these next few weeks to try to increase the amount of sleep you get each night.  Even if you are just getting an additional 30 minutes to an hour of sleep per night, it can make a difference.  You need to decide what you think would work for you, but a few ideas you could consider would be to stay off your phone after a certain time, start your homework earlier so you aren't up so late working on assignments, or using your time throughout the day wisely so that you can make the choice to go to bed earlier.  If you want to discuss what you are doing to help yourself get more rest or to brainstorm other strategies, please stop by and see me!

Saturday, November 16, 2024

Missing Application Items

This week I have been receiving so many emails and visits 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 online transcript release form for us?  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 and downloaded.  If you applied through a college that doesn't use Common App or SendEDU, you can double check with Mrs. McDaniel that your transcript was sent as requested.

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 that you wanted your test scores used in your application.

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 reach out to them to double check the status of your materials.  Chances are high that 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.  (For example, OSU sent us an email last week saying that they know that they have students in a panic about missing application items and that it will take them a few weeks to get everything updated.  They specifically asked us not to re-send duplicate copies because it will just back up their process even more.)

If you have done everything that you were required to do then for now, try to just relax and wait this process out - I promise, this is a common frustration for seniors at this time of year.

Thursday, November 14, 2024

CSS Profile

Thanks to everyone who came to the Financial Aid presentation tonight.  In addition to the FAFSA which opens up on December 1st, I wanted to be sure to remind you that you need to look at your desired colleges closely to see what their financial aid requirements include.

At some of the more competitive colleges - particularly those who cover all of demonstrated need for students, in addition to requiring the FAFSA, many of those colleges will also require that students and families will submit the CSS profile.  The FAFSA helps colleges determine federal aid, but the CSS profile helps colleges determine institutional aid.  The CSS profile typically asks for a lot more detailed information from families than the FAFSA does.  And while the FAFSA is free to complete, there are fees associated with the CSS profile, but fee waivers are available to students who qualify and are on free/ reduced lunch.

Usually this is a topic students figure out as they are going through the whole financial aid application process and the CSS profile is just another step in that process, but with the timing of the FAFSA being delayed, I realized that the CSS profile dates and timing haven't changed and so I wanted to encourage you to double check if your intended colleges are requiring the CSS profile and to watch your deadlines closely so that you don't miss them while waiting for the FAFSA to be released.

Wednesday, November 13, 2024

FSA ID

First, a quick reminder that tomorrow night is our Financial Aid Presentation at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.

When students and parents are completing the FAFSA, you will each need to have an FSA ID number.  This number will allow you to electronically sign your FAFSA and in the future it would let you sign promissory notes as well as complete future FAFSA's.

The student and parents will each create their own separate numbers.  You cannot use the same e-mail addresses for the creation of the FSA ID so if you don't have an e-mail address and have been using your parents e-mail in the past then this is the ideal time to create your own e-mail account.

You will make your own challenge questions to help you access your number if you forget it in the future so it is important to write down those challenge questions and answers to make sure you will remember it down the road.  I recommend that students and parents make a folder related to FAFSA where you store all of this information so that you will always have it when you might need it.

Here is a link to create your FSAID numbers: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

Tuesday, November 12, 2024

Volunteering

When I was in high school my mom encouraged us to volunteer at a local hospital. We’d go every week and put in the hours and it was a fine experience – something I was glad to do – and to be able to list on my applications, but there wasn’t anything particularly unique or memorable about the experience. For example, my main memory from my days of volunteering was the job of refilling the water jugs in patient rooms… and how my sister would skip the rooms of anyone moaning… who’d have thought she’d end up becoming a nurse?! (My sister would NOT be happy with me for telling this story!) But that was it – no great epiphany or story beyond the fact that I had volunteered.

As you begin applying to college and for scholarships there are many times that questions come up about what community service experiences you have had. And, even if not asked directly, if you had memorable experiences they can often be used to support your essay responses.

No need to panic! Your volunteer work doesn’t have to be a huge project or consist of thousands of hours of time – what is important is to get involved!  No matter what year you are, now is a great time to start working on volunteering – the experiences will help you in the long run.

Community service opportunities are as different as each individual who decides they want to help make a difference in the world around them. The sky is the limit and I encourage you to find something that inspires you.

Some volunteer ideas that could help get you started could include – community beautification projects (cleaning up parks or areas of the city), helping elderly neighbors, visiting nursing homes to perform music or talk with residents, homeless outreach, helping at the library, packing groceries for a food bank, assisting at the humane society or other animal shelters, wrapping and handing out gifts to those less fortunate, organizing and attending holiday parties for kids or the poor that would usually have nothing to celebrate, serving in a project for those who are disabled or ill (such as Make a Wish, Adventures for Wish Kids, or the Special Olympics), fundraising or recruitment events, becoming the champion for a cause and helping with awareness (Diabetes, Cancer, Organ Donation), and the list literally goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there are several co-curricular groups at WKHS that focus on community service such as Interact Club, REACH club, Project MORE and Wolves for Cubs and you are encouraged to look into those opportunities as well.  Also, if you are trying to volunteer during the school day at WKHS, don't forget that every semester we use office workers to help out in the Counseling Center and that counts as community service too.


I am anxious to hear your community service stories and the ways you are working to make a difference!

Monday, November 11, 2024

Motivation

Lately, I seem to find myself having the same basic conversation with a wide range of students.  They are struggling because they "aren't motivated" to do whatever it is they are needing to do.  And that has been a different responsibility for each - getting out of bed to come to school, going to practice, doing their homework, showing up in class, studying, taking care of their chores at home, or working when they are scheduled at their job. 

But here is the thing... it ISN'T about motivation.  You won't always feel motivated.  Sometimes you will never feel motivated.  But it IS about discipline.  It is about doing the thing directly in front of you that needs to be done so that ultimately you can have the outcome you want in the long run.

The first time I really heard about this was during the times when I had met with students who were at boot camp working towards becoming Marines.  They were definitely NOT always motivated for the tasks in front of them, but they definitely wanted to achieve their long term goal of becoming US Marines.  So they talked a lot about focusing on the moments directly in front of you and doing what must be done.  They had a concept of waking up and making it from there to breakfast.  Once they made it to breakfast, they turned their focus on making it to lunch.  At lunchtime, they shifted their attention to making it to dinner.  And at dinner they aimed to make it to bedtime.  That process was repeated day in and day out.  It was the discipline to take care of each day one day at a time.  Granted, in the effort of becoming a Marine they had drill instructors helping to push them, but, let's be honest - you have people trying to help push you too.  They may be your parents, teachers, coaches, boss, friends, or even me, but ultimately it still comes down to you doing what you need to do - movitation or not.

So, perhaps it will help you too... quit searching for motivation and just start practicing the acts of discipline to do this one thing right now and then repeat with the next thing that is required and keep repeating that practice over and over until you achieve your goals.  If you only work on days when you feel good, you won't get a lot accomplished.  Please just take it one step at a time - you can and will get there!

And, since it is Veteran's Day and this was a concept I learned from some of the men and women serving in the military, I want to say a huge thank you to every individual who has had the courage to choose to serve our country in any of the branches of the military.  I am thankful for the freedoms we have today because of your service.

Sunday, November 10, 2024

Executive Functioning Lunch & Learn

On Friday, November 15th, we will host the next session of our Lunch & Learn series for parents.  The topic for Friday's zoom conversation is Executive Functioning.  Executive Functioning refers to the skills that we use to manage every day tasks.  For example, this includes organization, planning, focus, and juggling multiple tasks.  These can be challenging tasks for us as adults, but can be a significant struggle for students.

The Lunch and Learn series is set up so that we focus on one particular topic of interest and share information for about 15-20 minutes and then give 10-15 minutes to answer questions that you may have related to that topic.  The goal is that in just 30 minutes, parents will walk away more aware of the topic at hand and how it impacts their kids.  

The Lunch & Learn session will run from 12 to 12:30pm over zoom so that parents can grab their lunch to eat while tuning in to learn about the topic of the month.  The zoom link will be posted to the Counselor Website on Friday morning and will be emailed to all WKHS parents/ guardians.

I hope to see you on zoom on Friday, November 15th at noon for the Executive Functioning Lunch & Learn!

Saturday, November 9, 2024

Sports in College

As our fall sports come to a close, I have been having lots of conversations with students about the role high school sports have played in their lives and what the future will look like.

In high school, participating in sports is very common for students.  Think about it chances are good that you or one of your friends have participated in a sport at Kilbourne.  Perhaps you even know someone who is striving for the 12 Seasons of Greatness award by competing in 3 sports all 4 years of high school.

While this level of athletic participation is common at the high school level, only a small number of students will continue on to compete at the varsity level in college.  Students planning to participate at the varsity level in college, will be looking at NCAA or NAIA colleges.  Athletic scholarships can be offered to students attending NCAA Division I or Division II colleges and NAIA colleges.  NCAA Division III colleges do not offer athletic scholarships for participation.

But that doesn't mean that athletic participation is over if you are not recruited to play a varsity sport in the future!  If sports are a priority in your life, you do not have to give up on the joy of competing and playing.  Most colleges offer a variety of different ways that students can still have sports as a part of their lives in college even if they are not competing at the varsity level. 

Intramurals and Club sports are the two most common ways that most students will continue participating in athletics in college.  Intramurals are a lot like intramural basketball at Kilbourne - they provide a fun, light-hearted, chance to play.  Some schools will have a ton of intramural options such as lots of different sports (even including non-sports such as ultimate frisbee, dodgeball, quidditch, and inner-tube water polo) and other schools may have varying levels of competitiveness in the sports (such as a relaxed, a moderate, and a competitive basketball league).  Club sports are typically in between the competitiveness of intramurals and varsity sports.  Club teams typically have a coach, travel and compete against other teams at surrounding colleges.  There are lots of benefits to continuing your involvement in athletics in college such as allowing you to get exercise, make friends, relax and have fun. 

If being able to continue participating in a sport is important to you in college or if you are interested in exploring new athletic opportunities in college, be sure to include this as one of the factors you are considering when you explore schools.

Plus, if you are not planning to go to college or if you are thinking about life after college, remember, there are still plenty of ways that you can continue to have sports be a part of your life such as adult leagues and community recreation sports or switching from athlete to referee.  

Thursday, November 7, 2024

Financial Aid Night


Seniors, you and your parents have probably already heard that the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) will release for you to begin completing on December 1st.

To help you with the college financial aid process we will have a Financial Aid Meeting coming up, one week from today, on Thursday, November 14th 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 tends to create a lot of questions, 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 14th!