Lunch & Learn: Registration Process

The WKHS Counselors will be hosting our next Lunch and Learn Series for parents this Friday, January 10th.  This session will provide information about the upcoming Course Registration/ Selection Process.

As a reminder, the lunch and learns are brief presentations on a particular topic over zoom during lunch time so that parents/ guardians can join and listen in from home or work while eating their lunch.  The goal is that the presentation will take about 15 minutes and then that will give about 15 minutes for any other questions that families might have that we could address as a whole group.  We are excited about this opportunity to leverage technology and to meet families where they are so that you can get the most up to date information that we can share with you.

The session will begin at noon on Friday, January 10th.  The zoom link will be emailed to all parents and we will also post it on the Counselor Website on Friday morning.

We know that the idea of making sure that your son/ daughter is selecting the right courses for next year can feel overwhelming, so I hope you will make plans to join us online over zoom so we can help introduce you to the process as well as review the requirements your son/ daughter must meet in order to graduate as that is always the fundamental core of course selection.

Snow Day Joy

Did you enjoy having the snow day today?!? It was definitely a nice bonus day following the holiday break and hopefully just having a 4 day week will make the transition back to school a little easier.

Another reminder, as we start this new semester, please take a moment and make sure that you are ready to hit the ground running.  Spend a little bit of time tonight to clean out your bookbag, organize your notes, get new supplies if needed, find your planner and start filling it out, and make the most out of each day in front of you.  I am excited to see what you will accomplish in the classroom and beyond over the next few months.  As always, if you need help in your classes, please reach out to your teachers, utilize the support from the Academic Assistants, and see me for additional resources.

I am excited to see you tomorrow.  For the record, Lexi is even more excited than anyone can imagine as she has desperately missed being around all of you!  I hope you will stop by and see me to check in and let me know how your break went... it feels like it has been so long since I have had the chance to talk with all of you and to hear about your lives.

And, for tonight... get some sleep!  It is going to seem REALLY EARLY tomorrow when the alarms start going off!  (That is the only thing I am not looking forward to about being back at school tomorrow.)

Time for 2nd Semester

How was your winter break?  I hope that you are feeling relaxed, refreshed, and... ready for a snow day?!?  :-)  I know, we just had 2 weeks off, but a snow day is always fun to hope for at any time.  I share that feeling.  I love the added bonus of a day off that is unexpected.  My favorite snow day tradition is drinking hot chocolate with a good book, cuddled under a blanket with the fireplace on.  No matter what happens tomorrow I will take it as a win/ win.  I miss seeing all of you and am excited to hear about your breaks, but I also would love to have the bonus of a snow day.

The start of 2nd semester is a fresh start for you academically.  Everyone is back to a clean slate academically and you can make this semester whatever you want it to be... and hopefully it will be a great one!  Just 90 days of school left until summer break... it will go faster than you think.

One of the questions I always receive as we start the new semester is "can I change my schedule?" and the answer depends.  If you have semester long classes and there is another semester long course that is offered and available that fits in your schedule then sure, I am happy to make that adjustment for you.  But if you want to drop a year long class or change a year long course to a semester long class, then those changes will require your parent's signature as well as the acknowledgement signature of your teacher on the add/ drop forms.  Those forms are located in the counseling center office on the bookshelf.  I will need the form signed and submitted no later than Wednesday to make any other schedule changes for you other than semester long elective class switches.

Looking forward to seeing you soon...

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!

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!

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.

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!