Tomorrow's Bell Schedule

We will be having a Pep Rally at school tomorrow morning ahead of prom this weekend.  I wanted to make sure that you knew what the bell schedule will be for tomorrow.

1st Period- 8:40-9:20

2nd Period- 9:25-10:12

Pep Rally- 10:12-10:50

3rd Period- 10:55-11:35

4th Period- 11:40-12:20

5th Period- 12:25-1:05

6th Period- 1:10-1:50

7th Period- 1:55- 2:35

8th Period- 2:40-3:20

The Pep Rally will be a fun celebration of spring sports and to boost the connection and school spirit within the building.

Mandatory Senior Questionnaire

Today, all seniors received an information link for the Senior Information Questionnaire that we need for you to complete and submit prior to May 2nd.

Every year, the graduating high school seniors have the option of picking a teacher, coach, administrator, counselor, secretary, or other Worthington staff member who has played a significant role in their lives to give them their diploma.  This is one of my favorite traditions at Kilbourne!  It is a way to make the graduation ceremony much more personal and memorable.  You will select your 1st choice and 2nd choice diploma presenters on the form.

The form also allows you to request where you want us to send your final transcript.  When you head off to college or enlist in the military, they will all want a copy of your final transcript to confirm that you did officially graduate.  The information you submit on the form is what will enable us to make sure we send your transcript to the appropriate location.

We are busy working on preparing for the senior recognition and commencement ceremonies and we need additional information from you in order to put together the programs!  As you complete the senior questionnaire you will be asked to list what scholarships you received and are accepting and how much they were worth.

And finally, the form also allows for you to share some thoughts about your reflections related to high school because we value the insight and perspectives that our seniors share each year.

These forms are due back ASAP, but no later than May 2nd.  

If you have updates/ changes after you have submitted your form - such as you received an additional scholarship, please email that new scholarship information to Mrs. Focht at afocht@wscloud.org.  We will try our best to include your updated scholarships in the program, but it is possible that information received after May 2nd may not be able to be included if the program has already been printed.

Complicated College Decisions

Historically, colleges have all different deadlines for admissions, financial aid, and scholarships, but they have been a united front on May 1st as the National Decision Day deadline.  Until this year.  This year, things are complicated because of the financial aid fiasco and so many colleges not yet being able to report to students and families what the cost of attending their school will be.  This is a major problem for any student who needs to keep finances in mind when making the decision about what school will be their best fit and for where they will attend.

Colleges know that this is a problem and many of them have extended their deadlines to May 15 or June 1.  But not all have.  Which creates a challenge for students.

I will post more soon about navigating the struggles of how to handle your college decisions if you haven't received your financial aid package, but there is still a lot that seniors need to be thinking about now as you try to finalize your decision about where you will attend for college next year.

Remember, there is no right or wrong choice - it is all about what is the best fit for YOU!  As you start thinking about your different schools, it is essential to determine what you really want in a school and what is most important to you in a college.

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

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

And of course, a harder factor to compare at this point is how do the schools compare regarding the costs?  What will the difference in costs mean to you over the long haul?  Ask yourself if the school will meet your academic needs, if you will have the social life you desire, and if you and your family can make the investment. As you are progressing through your decision making process, remember not to be shy about asking questions and getting them answered because you are entitled to feel confident in your decision. This is your choice. You are not a victim in this process – you are the key active participant so as those offers of financial aid start coming in, look at them closely to see how they will influence your decision. 

Remember that if you want to stop in and talk about your college decision I am always here for you, but know that I can’t make this decision for you – just like your family and friends can’t make this choice for you.

Caps and Gowns

Tomorrow and Wednesday during lunch periods the staff from Buckeye Scholastic will be at Kilbourne to distribute the Caps and Gowns to seniors.  Each year as seniors pick up their cap and gown, I always feel like that is a moment that makes it feel REAL that graduation is really going to happen in just over a month.

My biggest suggestion is that once you get your cap and gown home that you be sure to take it out of the package and let it hang.  The month of hanging will help make it a little easier to get the wrinkles out when you iron it.

Enjoy this milestone moment as you pick up your cap and gown!

Culture Day

Tomorrow at WKHS we will be celebrating all of the various cultural backgrounds that contribute to and shape the lives of our Kilbourne students and staff.  

As a component of this fun day, all students will have the chance to explore and engage with information and experiences during your lunch period.  This includes watching animated short films with popcorn and global hot tea, browsing trifolds and table displays, tasting foods, making bracelets, playing Mancala games, enjoying music and dancing and there will even be a henna station.  Additionally, since tomorrow is Earth Day, there will also be an interactive map exhibit.

I know that our students have worked really hard to put together a meaningful and impactful experience for all of our students.  There is no question that we are stronger because of our differences and the backgrounds which have shaped us into the people we are today.  I hope you will take the time to check out the exhibits and thank the students who have worked so hard to make this day special.

ACT/ SAT Test Prep

Juniors, now that (most of) you have received your scores back from the school administration of the ACT it is time to come up with a plan for what comes next.  

Some of you may be perfectly content with your scores and not need to do anything else, but for many of you, I know that you are focused on improving your scores.  Statistically, many students are able to improve their scores when they repeat the tests because you are now familiar with the pace required to complete each section and what to expect from the tests.   As a result, I encourage you to consider signing up to take another college admission test this spring or summer.  You can take either the ACT or the SAT (or both).  Don't forget, while there are some test dates in the fall, you need to watch your timing so that you can get the tests completed before your earliest college application deadlines.

To register for the tests, please visit their websites.

ACT: www.act.org

SAT: www.collegeboard.com

And, yes, sorry, there are fees for the rest of the times you take the college admissions tests.  However, if you are a student who qualifies for free or reduced lunch, please stop to see me as I am able to help give you a fee waiver that can cover the cost of a test.

The other point we need to talk about is what you are going to DO between now and when you retake the test to help improve your scores.  There are a wide range of options that students can do to help improve their scores, but generally speaking if you don't do something different, you will typically not see a significant change in scores.  This list is in no way fully inclusive of all of your options, but it can help get you started on ideas...

- Look at your test and reflect back on what you remember from the test and review the areas that are weakest for you.

- Take free practice tests online.

- Use question of the day practice opportunities to regularly get adjusted to the types of questions you will see on the ACT/ SAT.

- Work with an individual tutor or sign up for a course.  These options will have a range of costs associated with them and so it is important to know that ACT and SAT will say that the best preparation is a rigorous curriculum.  However, many students have found that having someone that they are meeting with and having an appointment to work on preparing for the tests helps to hold them accountable so that they can master the strategies and truly show what they know when they take the tests.  We have many tutor resources available on the Counselor Website if you are interested and I also have business cards in my office from some of the tutors/ companies.

- Make use of websites such as Khan Academy that have free test prep sections.  The ACT and SAT websites also have resources and materials available for students to help prepare for their tests.

- Get one of the books with practice tests (you might even be able to find them at the library, but many students prefer to buy them so that they can write in the books).  

And that actually brings me to a key point that I hit on a little earlier - I can mention lots of different ideas and strategies, but these tests are so easy to procrastinate on and think "I'll work on that later..." but so often "later" becomes "never."  I know because I have been there.  So try to figure out what you are realistically going to be able to set up for yourself as a plan and then stick with it.  Have someone help hold you accountable and don't stop until you have reached your goals.

Good luck on your test preparation.  Most of all, don't stress about it - that will never help your scores, but do the best you can and it will pay off in the long run!

Senioritis

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

With Seniors only having 4 Mondays of high school left, the appeal of letting everything slide to just enjoy the remaining time seems to be very strong. I even have younger students who are claiming to have “senioritis” early and this is definitely not a good thing.

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

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

April Students of the Month

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

A huge congratulations to "my" students who were recognized during the ceremony including (L to R): Estefani Cuberos Torres, Georgia Brinegar, Hailey Brooner, Grace Glaros, Alyssa Carson, Roslymar Carrero Ramirez, Jade Bishop Stargell, and (not pictured) Summyr Abuzeide.  I am proud of you all!

Free Healthcare Opportunities

There are certain healthcare related steps that all students must complete in order to comply with school requirements.

Probably most familiar to students and families is the sports physical.  Any student hoping to participate in band or a sport, must have a current, updated sports physical on file every year.  There are free sports physicals being offered by OhioHealth Sports Medicine.  These will take place on May 20, 21, and 22nd in Grove City, Westerville, and Dublin.  You can use the QR code on this page to access the full list of locations, times and to sign up.

Additionally, the state requires all students to have an updated meningococcal vaccine by August of their senior year.  The requirement is that one dose of the Meningococcal (MenACWY) vaccine must be given on or after the age of 16.  Proof of vaccination is due prior to senior year by the State of Ohio.  In order to help students fulfill this requirement, a Free Vaccine Clinic will be held at WKHS on Friday, May 3 from 8:30am-12:30pm.  This is a free opportunity for students from the Columbus Public Health Department to get this requirement completed during a school day.  Parents do not need to be present, but a consent form is required.  Consent forms can be picked up from Nurse Julie in the health office at school.  It is important to note that the consent forms are due back by this Friday, April 19th so that the Columbus Public Health department has time to process the forms.  So, if you are going to take advantage of this free opportunity, you need to act right away!

In addition to the Meningococcal vaccine, they will also be offering influenza, Tdap, and HPV vaccines for free to students who want/ need them.

Any questions about the free vaccine clinic or the meningococcal vaccine requirement can be directed to WKHS Nurse Julie at jgarner@wscloud.org.

This Week's Schedule

We have a busy, unique week ahead.  Sophomores are going to be testing all week.  Freshmen and juniors will likely have some days of testing and some days of sleeping in and Seniors get to enjoy the mornings off for the week.

End of Course Tests:

This week we will have late starts for the End of Course tests.  We will be on a modified bell schedule where you have classes from 12:25-3:20.  On Monday, Wednesday and Friday you will go to your 1st through 4th period classes.  On Tuesday and Thursday you will go to 5th through 8th period classes.

On Monday and Tuesday, students will take the English 2 End of Course test which contains 2 parts.  Part 1 will be completed on Monday and Part 2 will be taken on Tuesday.

On Wednesday, students will take the Biology End of Course test.

On Thursday, students will take the US History or the US Government End of Course tests.

On Friday, students will take both sections of the Math 1 or the Math 2 End of Course tests.

Here is a link to the bell schedule for the week.  Good luck to everyone who will be testing!  And please, remember to bring your fully charged chromebook with you to school for testing!

Essay Workshop:

On Wednesday, we will be hosting the essay brainstorming workshop from 10-11:30am in Room 207 for juniors who are planning to apply to a 4-year college in the future.  Please be sure to sign up if you plan to attend.  The link has been included on the email that was sent to you and it is also on the Counselor Website and you can sign up there - www.wkhscounselors.com

Senior Project:

9 of my seniors will be starting their Senior Project experience tomorrow.  Good luck to each of these students as they complete an internship on a job site in an area of future career interest.  I can't wait to hear your stories!

Cut Them Free

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

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

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

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

Essay Workshop

For most students, writing your college essay is one of the most stressful aspects of the college application process.  In order to try to help better prepare juniors the counselors will be hosting a workshop about selecting a topic for writing your college essay.

The Essay Brainstorming Workshop Session will take place one week from today, on Wednesday, April 17th, from 10:00am - 11:30am in Room 207.

We are really excited to be able to offer this workshop during the late-start time when younger students will be taking their End of Course exams.  This workshop is just for junior students (and not parents) as it is the student's essay and your voice is what admissions officers want to hear!  This session is optional and is ideal for those students who will be applying to a 4-year college.  (Those who will be starting at a 2 year program like Columbus State will not have to write an essay so you will not need the information covered in this session.)

So that we can plan for how many students to expect, we ask that you please RSVP using this link.

Believe me, the essays are such a critical part of the application process that this won't be the only time I talk about them on my blog, but it is also a fun and creative opportunity to introduce yourself to the admissions officers and so it is worth the time you will put into making it a great essay.  I hope you will give up a little bit of your sleeping in time and join us for the workshop!

Parent Lunch & Learn

On Friday we will host another Lunch & Learn for parents.  This month's topic is understanding the Kilbourne Grade Point Average (GPA).  What all counts in the GPA, what is weighted and what is not, how much the weights are, and how students can work to improve their GPA is all a part of our planned conversation for Friday.

As usual, the Lunch and Learns are quick, 30-minute zoom meetings over 1 specific topic to educate parents and to answer your questions on a particular topic.  Because the meetings are virtual from 12-12:30pm, parents are invited to grab your lunch and listen in on the presentation.  Zoom links are emailed out on Friday morning ahead of the session and the link is also posted on the Kilbourne Counselor website.  

I hope you will join us on Friday, April 12th, at noon!

Eclipse

Today was a cool day... obviously it was nice to have a 3 day weekend and, I will be honest, I wasn't sure how exciting the eclipse would be this afternoon.  But I was genuinely amazed!  It exceeded even my best hopes for what it would seem like.

I have been thinking a lot about why the eclipse today is standing out to me as such a significant event.  Yes, of course it was cool to see it get so dark out in the middle of a beautiful, sunny day.  Yes, it is interesting to think of the science and how small we are as you witness the moon making it's way across the sun.  But I think it is more than that.

Today, millions of people across the United States all stopped in what they were doing to look at the sky.  We jointly paused in what we were doing, in the busy rush of our days, to simply observe.  And so often when we are watching things in nature that are beyond our control we are doing so because it is something bad or scary - like when there are tornado warnings or hurricanes and we are all watching and preparing for something terrible.  But this was a reminder that things beyond our control in nature can be good too. In my neighborhood, spontaneous cheers erupted for the 2 minutes and 15 seconds of totality.   And then the moon kept moving and the daylight returned and I was left wondering how people had such amazing photos while I had just been sitting there in awe of it all.

My take away from today is that I am thankful for moments that we can all pause for something good and appreciate the beauty in the world around us.  The eclipse represented that for me.  I hope you have some good memories from today too and I look forward to hearing about it all this week.

CSCC App Day

Are you planning on attending Columbus State Community College next year after you graduate? This is a great option for a lot of students because it allows students to transition from the high school to college expectations in typically smaller classes and for a fraction of the cost. 

Students attending CSCC have much later deadlines for admission and so it can be easy to procrastinate on completing the application.  Next Thursday, in the Conference Room off the Counseling Center (Room 120), we will be hosting the admissions representative from Columbus State Community College for an Application Day.  Seniors, if you have not already applied to CSCC and want to have it as an option for you in the future, please take advange of this application day!  Students can come during lunch periods and should bring their Social Security Number so that your entire application can be completed on the spot.  

For students who are already technically CSCC students because of participating in College Credit Plus, you don't have to submit an application to attend full time next year, but there are steps that need to be completed and the admissions rep will be able to assist you with completing those requirements as well.

Even if you're not sure you're ready to go to CSCC right away or if you are still holding it as an option for financial reasons as you try to make your decision about college, you can also come and participate in the Columbus State Community College Application Day.  

Feel free to stop and see me if you have any questions.

Online Summer School

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

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

Advisory Council

Last spring the WKHS Counselors wanted to start an Advisory Council to bring together parents, teachers, students and administration to help provide us with insights, feedback, and guidance on the counseling program that we put into practice every day.  Since we value the input from ALL stakeholders, we tried to get a representative mix of voices to represent different grade levels, backgrounds, feeder schools, etc.  And, because we get to talk to administrators, teachers and students every day, we made sure to have the bulk of the advisory council consist of parents/ guardians.

Having never implemented an advisory council in our building, we were honestly nervous about how it would go and what input they would share with us.  But I have to tell you that it was INCREDIBLE!  It was helpful to hear varying perspectives, to get ideas and feedback, and to be able to be challenged with new ways of how we can try to approach best meeting the needs of every student.

Throughout the year, we had 18 advisory council members volunteer their time to attend 4 meetings.  The Kilbourne counselors are so grateful to each individual who so generously agreed to join us in this endeavor!  Some of the advisory council members are pictured above, but below is the complete list of our incredible Advisory Council:

Parents/ Guardians: Stoyna Arnaudova, Dan Beck, Rebecca Billingslea, Alison Heller, Vikki James, Rick Kellner, Mandy McGlone, Stacy Niemantsverdriet, Angela Pope, Jennifer Shaw, and Elizabeth Woodyard

Students: EJ Adams, Esther Ferreira Alves, and Ranim Pharra

Teachers: Ben Berens, John Jordan, and Yo Smith

Administrator: Josh Almanson

Thank you to all of the 2023-2024 Advisory Council members for helping serve us this year!

College Rejections

Throughout spring break I received dozens of emails from various colleges sharing updates on when they will be releasing their decisions and how competitive their classes are this year.  Statements like, "we had 6% more students apply than in the past for the same number of slots" are feeling common with each email I open.  I don't have any magical answers for why one student gets accepted and another seemingly comparable student does not.  And it makes me sad to think that there are students who are receiving notifications that you have not been accepted who would, unquestionably, be highly successful at each of these colleges.  But, sadly, that is part of the college admissions "game."  

And, yes, I know that when it is your dream college, none of it feels like a game, but I really want for you to try to think of it more in that regard because even the college may know that you would have been a great candidate with a lot to offer to their college, but it is all a part of the process.  I can tell you that I did not have a single student apply to colleges where I could not see you being successful.  And I believe, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that if you were to be accepted and attend that college that you would have been successful there!  BUT, I also believe that no matter where you attend college that you WILL be a success!  It is NOT the college that would make you successful, but rather it is your work ethic, your drive, your intelligence, your commitment, and the contributions you will make on whatever campus is lucky enough to have you joining their college which will make all the difference.

Try to remind yourself that not everyone will be accepted and that it is not a reflection of your potential for lifelong success.  Don't believe me?  I did a google search to look for a few articles to showcase some successful people who were also rejected to their top choice colleges.  I am confident you will recognize many of their names.

7 famous people who were rejected by their dream colleges

Before they were titans, moguls, and newsmakers, these people were… rejected

15 celebrities who didn’t get into their dream colleges

If you are dealing with the frustration and disappointment of not being accepted, remember that it is ok to be sad just please be sure to reach out and talk about how you are feeling with your family members and/ or with me!  I don't want anyone to ever believe that this one college decision is a reflection of your value because there are plenty of other great schools that will be thrilled to have you as a member of their incoming class.  Eventually, after you have had the time to process through your disappointment, you will then be able to refocus on making the most of the opportunities available to you.  Believe in yourself and know that the college where you ultimately attend will be lucky to have you as a member of their incoming class.

ASVAB

I hope you had a wonderful and restful spring break!  I am anxious to see everyone again, but not quite sure I'm going to feel ready when the alarm clock goes off tomorrow morning.  Somehow I suspect I won't be alone in that feeling.

Back in January we offered the ASVAB to interested students.  There has been so much interest in the test since then that we are going to have another ASVAB administration coming up this Friday, April 5th.  Please see me asap or email me if you are interested in taking the test so that I can get you on the list.

As a reminder, while the ASVAB is used for determining military job options, it is also a great tool that can be used for career research for those who have no interest in the military.

As we return to school tomorrow, I hope you will stop by and fill me in on how your break went and Lexi is thrilled to be heading back to school and she can't wait to get all the love and attention that she has missed out on over the last week!

ACT Scores

Juniors, I have heard that the ACT scores for the March test you took at WKHS are back for most of our students.  (ACT technically says scores are released anywhere from 10 days to 5 weeks later so it is possible your scores might not be there just yet.)  

How do you find out your scores?  You log into your MyACT account that you had created before the test date.  Information about how to do this was handed out during the PACK Period presentation in the auditorium and it was also emailed to you twice by Mrs. Dominach and Mrs. Backhurst.  If you didn't create an account at the time instructed, my hope is that using the code in the email and on the handout you received will still allow you to set up an account now and access your scores.  If that doesn't work then you will need to call ACT directly.  Their phone number is on the bottom of the ACT website.  One important note if you need to call - ACT will not talk to the parents or to the school about your score results.  They will only talk to the student so you will need to be the one to call them to figure out how to link your score to your MyACT account. 

We always get the results later than students, but we hope to receive a score report summary from ACT in the coming weeks.  But what that means is that unfortunately, at this time, I can't even look up your score to tell you what you scored on the test.

Hopefully you are happy with your test results!  Enjoy your final weekend of spring break!

Spring Break

Yay!  We made it to spring break!  I hope you have a wonderful, relaxing, fun, week away from school.  I know that some sports will continue to have practices and games (or are traveling to compete) which can make it hard to feel like you really get away, but hopefully it will still be fun to be with your friends and teammates.  No matter what your plans include, I hope that it will give you lots of reasons to smile!

So Many Paths

On my blog I tend to spend a lot of time talking about college related information because there are so many students who have questions about college applications and processes.  But it is important to realize that college - especially a 4 year college - is NOT the only option for students!

In fact, did you know that Columbus State Community College is the most common college for our Kilbourne graduates to pursue after graduating from high school?

Worthington has worked hard to expand opportunities and offerings to make sure all students know that there is a path ahead of them in the future.  I saw this article about options for plans after high school that are alternatives to a traditional 4 year college and I thought it would be something that you might enjoy reading and thinking about as well.  Know that if you are considering something other than a 4-year college, I am still here to help you with making that future path a reality!

Final CC+ Reminder

All students looking to earn free college credit in classes next year MUST turn in the College Credit Plus intent to participate form by April 1st!  This is a firm deadline established by the State of Ohio and we cannot extend it so please make sure you get your forms turned in to us!  

Just as a reminder, this includes college classes on the college campus, online college classes, college classes taught by college instructors at WKHS (English, Psychology, Government, Sociology, Ethics), and the regular WKHS classes taught by the WKHS teachers which can get you college credit for the exact same class you may have already signed up to take (Pre-Calculus, Honors Pre-Calculus, AP Calculus AB).  

If you have any questions about College Credit Plus - stop and see me or watch the videos on the counselor website.  (www.wkhscounselors.com).  The intent to participate form packets which includes the video sign-off forms are also available on the counselor website.

Common App Essays

The Common Application has announced that their essay question prompts for next year will remain the same.  In case you don't know, Common Application is an application website that many colleges use allowing students to fill out one application that can then be submitted to various colleges and is one of the primary methods that students will utilize when applying to college. 

Juniors, you can take a look at these prompts and start brainstorming what your answers might be for each question.  After you list your thoughts for each question, look at which response best allows you to tell the story of who you are and will be the best introduction of you to the admissions committee.  Then it is time to start drafting and editing and drafting some more.  :-)  

Students who utilize the common app will be asked to select and answer one question in 250-650 words.  (Please don't worry about word count on your first draft - it is always MUCH easier to cut words than it is to try to add more in later.)

Below are the common app essay questions to help you get started: 

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Reflect on something that someone has done for you that made you happy or thankful in a surprising way.  How has this gratitude affected or motivated you?

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and new understanding of yourself or others.

6.  Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.  Why does it captivate you?  What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7.  Share an essay on any topic of your choice.  It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

Also, don't forget that on April 17th we will host an Essay Brainstorming Workshop to help you prepare for writing your essays.  More details about this will come after spring break.

How do you want to feel?

One of my friends and I were talking over the weekend about doing what you need to do now so that you feel how you want to feel later.  It is a concept that I think will resonate with many of you as well.

What does "do what you want to do now so you feel how you want to feel later" really mean?  Well, it is taking time to actually look at your actions and making intentional choices about what you are doing so that it will lead you to places that you feel good about later.

This shows up in all different aspects of your life.

In school, doing what you need to do now may mean buckling down and writing a paper that you have been procrastinating on so that you don't have to worry about it over spring break.  Or studying and working really hard in your classes throughout 4th quarter so that you can relax and enjoy summer vacation without the burden of summer school.

In our relationships with others, doing what you need to do now may mean taking the time to slow down and cherish the moments with your grandparents or a beloved elderly neighbor before they are gone and you can't spend the time with them any more.  It can also mean speaking words of hope and encouragement to your friends and the significant people in your life so that you will feel good about the quality of your interactions together.

In sports or music or art, doing what you need to do now may mean training and running the extra drill or practicing the difficult part more so that you will have the joy of accomplishment later.

The concept of doing what you need to do now so that you will feel how you want to feel later is so simple in theory, but it isn't always easy to put it into practice.  We are all human and we won't be perfect, but whenever possible, try to actively look at your choices and think about if they are helping you to feel how you will want to feel later.  It is a practice that will make a difference in the quality of your choices and therefore the quality of your life.

College Fit

Happy St. Patrick's Day!

Students in all different grade levels are starting to contemplate what colleges might be a good fit for them in the future.  Seniors are at the point where they are looking with a critical eye at the schools which all seemed like a good possible fit when applying to determine now which one is the best fit for their future.  For juniors, working to develop the list of strong fit schools will make college applications more reasonable.  And even for freshmen and sophomores, while it might seem far away, it is fun to start exploring and thinking about what you might like for your futures and if college might be a part of that picture.

College fit is an essential component of the college search process.  The reality is that the college search process isn't a prize to be won by being accepted to the most schools or even to the most prestigious colleges.  It is a match to be made.  You will have your own goals and desires for what you want in a college environment.  The college will have their own goals and objectives of what they are searching for when building their classes.  When those goals align between the students and the college is when the best fit is present.

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

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

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

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

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

Also, I read this article this week and loved it so I wanted to share it with you as well: When a College Says No

4th Quarter Reminder

This past week started the 4th and final quarter of the year.  So while it is obvious that you want to do your best in your classes to pass them and earn the credit, it is also important to remember that your 4th quarter grades impact next fall's eligibility.  Just as each quarter in the school year determines if you will be eligible to participate in sports or other co-curricular competitive activities, the 4th quarter determines that for students for the next fall.  This means that how you do in your classes this quarter will determine if you are eligible to participate in sports, marching band, In the Know, and any other fall related co-curricular competitive activity.

Remember, in order to be eligible you must pass at least 5 half credit classes each quarter.  (PE classes and TOK are only worth 1/4 credit and so they cannot count towards those 5 courses.) 

Apply yourself in the classroom today so that you will be able to have the extracurricular opportunities that interest you in the future!

Local Scholarships

Seniors, now is the time to be working on submitting your applications for local scholarships!

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

The majority of the local scholarships have due dates of April 1st, but there are some with earlier or later deadlines so it is important to pay attention to those details so that you don't miss out on the opportunities.  As you read through the scholarships available, look carefully to determine which ones you might be a good candidate for and therefore want to apply to try to receive.  Please remember that time flies and many of the scholarships have requirements such as essays or recommendation letters so it is important not to procrastinate and to get your applications completed on time.

Senior Picture Deadline

Just a quick reminder to all seniors... the deadline to submit your Senior Picture for the yearbook is next Friday, March 22nd.  All seniors are invited to turn in a preferred photo to Mr. Cecutti at tcecutti@wscloud.org to have your picture included in the yearbook.  For students who do not submit a photo before the deadline, the school pictures by HR Imaging that you had taken in August will typically be used for the yearbook.  If you have any questions, please stop and see or email Mr. Cecutti.

Admissions Decisions Coming Soon

The next few weeks will be big as students finally hear back about the college admissions decisions that you have waited months to receive. Most of the schools that have yet to announce their decisions will be releasing them over the next couple of days to weeks. This can be a very stressful time for students. Try to take a deep breath and relax – you have done the best job to put yourself in the best situation possible with your applications. If you are stressing out awaiting the news, feel free to stop in and see me so we can talk about it.

Getting the decision can be hard enough, but often the more difficult aspect is being asked, “Did you get accepted?” by well-meaning friends. Trust me on this one, if they were accepted, the students would be telling everyone – you won’t need to ask. If they don’t offer up the news sharing if they were accepted or not, then be sensitive to the fact that more than likely they did not get accepted and don’t ask about it as it puts them on the spot to share disappointing news.

I also want to remind the seniors that we try to keep track of all of the college admissions decisions as that helps us understand current trends in admissions. I would really appreciate it if you'd stop by when you're ready and update me about your college admission decisions.

Good luck!  I hope you get the acceptances you are anxiously awaiting.

Tomorrow's ACT Schedule

Tomorrow we are on a VERY different bell schedule!

Freshmen, Sophomores and Seniors - you will be functioning on a late-start schedule tomorrow.  This means that you get to sleep in and relax a little bit in the morning.  If you ride a bus, your bus will pick you up  90 minutes later than normal.  If you walk or drive to school, you can determine what time you want to arrive just be sure to make it to school in enough time to be able to get to your 5th period class at 12:55pm.  As I mentioned, with late start buses running 1.5 hours later than normal, this means that if you ride a bus that will likely mean you will arrive to school around 10:10am and you'll have that time until the start of classes to study, eat lunch, and hang out in the Aux Gym.

Juniors - you will ride the bus at the normal time and arrive to school like every other day.  You will then report to your assigned testing location by 8:40am so that you can begin taking the ACT right away.  The test will conclude around 12:20 and you will then have a break and a chance to grab lunch before the start of classes.

And then everyone (9th through 12th grade) will proceed to afternoon classes with the following bell schedule:
5th Period - 12:55 - 1:29
6th Period - 1:34 - 2:06
7th Period - 2:11 - 2:43
8th Period - 2:48 - 3:20

I also have a few ACT Testing reminders for the juniors:  This test is an official ACT so you are strictly bound to all of the restrictions and requirements set forth by ACT.  Testing will begin promptly at 8:40am so you will need to report to your assigned rooms (check your email for location assignment).  Please be sure to bring your Student ID card, number 2 pencils (no mechanical pencils are allowed!), and a calculator.  And I would also suggest that you bring a watch.  Cell phones are NOT allowed to be on in the testing room at all.  Hopefully you have already completed the pre-registration paperwork to create your MyACT account so that you will be able to access your scores.  If you haven't, please stop and do that now.   Good luck on the test tomorrow!  You will do great!

Group Opportunities

Did you enjoy the long weekend?  Even with seeing snow flurries today and losing an hour of sleep, I hope that overall it was a fun and positive weekend for you.  As we gear up to start back to school again I wanted to share information about a couple of group opportunities that the counselors will be providing this spring for interested students.

The first will be a grief group.  The death of someone significant in your life impacts everything.  Students will have the opportunity to meet and discuss their loved ones and do engaging activities as a way to help move forward in their grief.  This is not just a sit around and be sad experience - the goal is to provide a healing opportunity and understand the wide range of feelings present when grieving.  We will be partnering with a bereavement counselor from OhioHealth Hospice to provide the grief groups.  Members of our school community have experienced so many heartbreaking losses and we hope this will be a meaningful way to honor the lives of those you miss.

The second group opportunity is a resiliency group.  Resiliency is how we recover in the face of set-backs, how we cope when things get tough, how we overcome past hurts or disappointments so that they don't derail our present or future, and even how we view ourselves and others related to difficult experiences.  The reality is that this group would be great for everyone because we all need to hone those skills.  We will be doing a lot of practical activities as a part of this group and believe it will be empowering for participants.  

There will be limited space for each of these groups so if you are interested in participating in either opportunity, PLEASE let me know this week!  I would love to have you be a part of it.  Or, if you have more questions or want more information about either group, don't hesitate to stop by and see me so that we can discuss it.