Senior Reminders

Seniors, a few last minute reminders...

- Don't forget to order your cap and gowns!  You can order them online by visiting: http://nrpgradohio.com/3227-worthington-kilbourne/  - Order before December 16th for the discounted rate!

-  Today was the deadline to request your transcript if you are applying to a college with a January 1st application deadline.  Sorry, I forgot to remind you in advance.  As a result, if you haven't signed your transcript release card for a college that has a deadline between now and January 1st, PLEASE come to the counseling center on Monday and sign the release card so that we can get the process moving for you so that you won't miss the deadline.

-  Be sure that you are taking care of getting your senior pictures taken... the deadline for submitting those for the yearbook is January 31st.

Tomorrow's Bell Schedule

The holiday spirit was definitely alive and well at Kilbourne today.  Watching all of you out in the commons wrapping presents and seeing the impact of your unbelievable generosity was incredible!  To build on that enthusiasm, tomorrow will be the annual holiday assembly.  It has to be earlier than normal because of exams, 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.

Here is the breakdown for the day:

Period 1 - 7:45 - 8:30

Period 2 - 8:35 - 9:20

Period 3 - 9:25 - 10:55  (Students will be divided to spend 1/2 of the time in class and 1/2 in the assembly)

Period 4 - 11:00 - 11:45

Period 5 - 11:50 - 12:35

Period 6 - 12:40 - 1:25

Period 7 - 1:30 - 2:15

Period 8 - 2:20 - 3:05

End of Course Assessments

This week many of our sophomores and juniors are taking End of Course assessments.  These are the tests that you need to take to help you reach your graduation goals.  The scores you earn on these assessments will contribute toward your total points so I encourage you to take your time, do your best, but don't stress over them.

As a reminder, end of course assessments are offered in English 1, English 2, Math 1, Math 2, Biology, US History and Government.  You will need to earn 4 points from English, 4 points from Math, 6 points from Science and Social Studies and 4 additional points from any of the categories.  It isn't the best to have the timing for the End of Course assessments be at the same time as your final preparations for semester exams, but remember, these tests are in alignment with the exams you are taking for the classes so in that regard it is helping you to be prepared for your semester exams.  The reality is though, these testing dates are set by the state and not by our district so we are just following through on the requirements set for us.

Good luck for all of you who are taking the End of Course assessments - don't stress - just show what you know!

Exam Schedule

You don't need to panic about exams, but you do need to prepare for them! As you are aware, we have just 5 days of classes before exams begin. Exams play a significant role in your final grade for the semester of each course (and remember, because we grant credits based on the semester this is really important to you!) Most of your classes will follow the structure that your 1st quarter grades are worth 40% of your final semester grade, the 2nd quarter grade that you are currently wrapping up now will make up another 40% and then your exam grade is worth 20% of your final semester grade.

20% is a really big deal...Think about it, if you had a 57% the first quarter and end up with a 60% this quarter then you can still pass the class as long as you earn a 66% or higher on the exam. On the other side, if you are trying to make sure that you earn an A in a course and you had a 95% first quarter and an 88% this quarter than you need to earn an 85% or higher on the exam to reach your goal.

Clearly, exams are an important part of your grade, but more importantly, they 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.

Below is the schedule for the semester exams:

Day One - Wednesday, December 14th:

7:45 - 9:45: 2nd period exam
10:00 - 12:00: 5th period exam
12:00 - 1:00: Lunch
1:05 - 3:05: 8th period exam

Day Two - Thursday, December 15th:
7:45 - 9:45: 1st period exam

10:00 - 12:00: 6th period exam

12:00 - 1:00: Lunch

1:05 - 3:05: 7th period exam

Day Three - Friday, December 16th:
7:45 - 9:45: 3rd period exam

10:00 - 12:00: 4th period exam

12:00 - 1:00: NO Lunch Provided!

1:05 - 3:05: 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 4th period lunch that you do not have to come to school at all on the 16th.)

Hope that helps clarify and continued best wishes with studying! :-)

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.  The counselors are here to help!

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 means lots of questions about your college plans 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 may 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.

Tomorrow, Tuesday, December 6th during lunch periods all of the counselors will be hosting a stress-relieving workshop where we will be working with students on developing coping skills strategies.  This will include identifying strategies you can use to help manage stress-related feelings and personalizing plans that can help you if you are feeling overwhelmed.  I hope you will bring your lunch into Room 120 and join us for the lunch-chat and start developing your own personal coping skills resource!

(and we can handle that!)  :-)

Studying

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

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

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

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

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

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

Make flashcards and review the content.

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

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

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

Spending time reviewing old learning targets, homework assignments and worksheets and working through the study guides your teachers provided (if they gave you one) is also an effective strategy.


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

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

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

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

Good luck and happy studying!

Career Dreams

What do you want to be when you grow up? When you were little perhaps it was a professional athlete, a superhero, or a famous entertainer. Chances are, now that you are in high school, you have started re-thinking some of your potential career choices. While there is still a lot of uncertainty and there will, in all likelihood, be plenty of other times when you will change career paths in the future, it is time to start figuring out what you would like to be when you grow up.

I *know* you hate it when I say this, but the reality is that you need to know yourself and what is most important to you. If you love what you do and you are willing to work hard then you will be able to find success. Everyone has their own unique gifts and talents and it is imperative that you determine what career will meet your needs. This means you have to figure out what is important to you and how you can incorporate that into your life. For example, for those who love sports it can be hard to imagine life without athletics and, many times, these individuals will pick (at least initially) careers that involve sports - athletic training, sports management, sports marketing, etc. This might be the perfect combination - or maybe not. Knowing yourself and knowing what you have a passion for is important in determining what characteristics of a job will be best suited for you. In this example, the sports minded person might pick a career that involves teamwork where groups of people work closely together to reach a common goal. Or, if you decide that you are not going to meet a particular interest in your life through your career, then it is important that you still honor that influence in some other way - perhaps playing on an adult recreational team or coaching a youth sport team. While this example deals with sports the same concept applies to any of your interests and passions - art, music, learning.

So, while I am not asking you to abandon your dreams of fame and fortune as the professional athlete, superhero, or entertainer, I am asking you to start thinking seriously about what will make you happy, what is important to you, and how a career can help meet your needs and goals in life.  Knowing yourself is the first step toward helping you find clarity in what your future holds in store.