Searching for a College

As you go through your senior year of high school, the question you will hear over and over again is "Where do you want to go to college?" For some people this is a relatively easy question to answer, but for many, this question can bring with it a lot of fear and uncertainty. Obviously, not knowing if you will be accepted to the college you hope to attend is one area of concern, but for many students even getting started with the application process is a challenge. It can feel overwhelming to know that there are so many colleges out there - colleges you have not even heard of previously - and yet you are being ask to select and apply to the schools which will be a part of your future. I recognize that it can seem overwhelming, but you will be able to get through the college application process. 

No matter what grade you are in, when you start the college search – the answer lies in you! I know, that sounds a bit cheesy, but it is true. Before you really start looking for the “right” school it is important to figure out what you WANT in a school and that can only be found by looking in yourself and determining what factors are most important to you.

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

The size of a school is another factor for many students. Small, Medium, Large or somewhere in between – the challenge is that many students will say, “I don’t know” and that is where making a variety of visits to different sized schools can be advantageous. You can explore a small school and see if the experience of knowing lots of people on campus and in your classes is better for you than a medium or large school where you may have a class in a lecture hall with hundreds of other students. As you visit the schools you may find that there are experiences or advantages that a larger school can provide that a smaller school can’t such as a wider variety of clubs or groups for students to be involved. The key is to figure out what size school fits you and then you can narrow your search to explore more schools in that range.  However, it is important to keep an open mind about size because there is only 24 hours in a day so the way you will spend your time is going to be very similar no matter what size of a campus you select.

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

Again, I cannot stress the point that everyone is different and what is best for one person is not necessarily the ideal school for someone else. All too often I listen to students who are only looking at the 2 or 3 schools that their best friend or sibling looked at rather than trying to find the school that fits best for them. Also, I truly believe that it is about being a good match – for both you and the college and that there is not 1 perfect school.  You will be successful no matter where you end up attending.

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

Recommendation Letters

There is always a lot of confusion about recommendation letters.  Many colleges have moved away from requiring letters of recommendation - in part because all students will pick teachers that like them to write letters on their behalf and so the letters often sound similar.  So, your very first step connected to recommendation letters is to figure out if the colleges you are considering will actually need any letters of recommendation.

Some colleges will require teacher recommendation letters, some counselor letters, others may be open to coaches, bosses, religious leaders or other adults who know you well, and yes, some may even want multiple letters.  Each college gets to make up their own mind and determine what information they want to have as a part of your application package.   OSU, for example, does NOT require any recommendation letters. (Can you blame them? Imagine trying to read 52,000 recommendation letters on top of the applications and essays that they receive.) Case Western Reserve University, on the other hand, will require 2 teacher recommendations and a counselor recommendation. After reviewing the college websites, if you are still having problems determining if the colleges you are considering require recommendation letters – just stop down to see me and I can try to help you figure it out.

If you find that you do need recommendation letters, you have some work to do.  First, give some thought about who you would like to ask for the recommendations. Look at the requirements specified by the school – are they open to coaches or community representatives writing letters or do they want them to come from academic teachers? If it requires that the letters come from teachers can it be from any subject area or are they only open to the core subjects of English, math, science, and social studies? Are you looking at a career in a specific area that a teacher at WKHS can write about your strengths in that field? For example, if you are considering majoring in Spanish perhaps a recommendation letter from one of your Spanish teachers would be appropriate. What teachers know you best? Who can speak to your work ethic and classroom contributions? If possible, it is often ideal to show your strengths across multiple subjects, so if you have a few teachers to pick from and 2 are math and 1 is science perhaps it would be beneficial to ask 1 math and 1 science teacher rather than the 2 math teachers simply to show that diversity. Remember, in recommendation letters from teachers the colleges are asking for information about you as a student and your potential for handling the academic rigors of college.

Once you have figured out the teacher or teachers that you want to ask for a recommendation (if needed) it is then time to ASK them if they are willing to write a letter for you. It is really important to be reasonable in the amount of time that you are allowing them to have to write your letter. (Think at least 30 days preferably more!) They are very busy with their classroom work and grading homework and papers and of course life in general and many teachers are often bombarded by students requesting recommendations. If a teacher is unable to write a recommendation letter for you – either because they don’t feel that they know you well enough to write a strong letter or because they have too much on their plate, don’t take it personally, simply ask another teacher. You will be thankful that you didn’t force them to write the letter because it wouldn’t be as solid of a recommendation letter if they were rushed or only had vague highlights to discuss.

After you have asked a teacher to write a letter on your behalf (and they agreed), then you will want to provide them with the teacher recommendation letter forms that can be found on the www.wkhscounselors.com website or in the Counseling and Career Center.  You will also need to be sure to invite your teachers electronically if you are applying through Common App.  It is rare that you will need any of your recommendation letters as a hard copy, but if that is the case you are responsible for providing your teacher with an envelope addressed to the appropriate college.  Please be sure that you have indicated to your teachers your application deadline.  You can submit your application through Common App even if your teachers have not uploaded their recommendation letter, but your application packet will not be complete until all parts (including the rec letters) have arrived at the college.

If you are applying to schools that do not need teacher recommendation letters, please do not waste your teacher's time by asking them to write a letter. Also, only ask the number of teachers that you need recommendations from - so if you are applying to two schools and both need 1 teacher recommendation letter, just ask one teacher to write a letter that will be used for both schools. You do not need to ask for more letters in case one is "better" than another - if you are not sure the teacher will write a positive letter for you, then you need to pick someone else. If you trust the teacher enough to ask them to write the letter, then you should trust them enough to be able to send their letter (without seeing it) to the college.  In fact, you should not be reading your recommendation letters - they are supposed to be confidential.

For those students that will need a counselor recommendation, please be aware that I write the letters on a first come first serve basis. It is the only way I know how to be fair. Recommendation letters are incredibly time consuming - especially when I have so many to write because unlike with teachers, if your college requires a counselor recommendation letter you don't have a choice about who you are asking to write your letter.  So please, watch your deadlines and try to help me write the best letter possible by allowing me to have the time with it. As with the teachers, please plan to give me at least 30 days to write your rec letter.  Also, there is a Counselor Recommendation Letter supplement form that we ask each student to fill out and a Parent Brag sheet that we ask you to have your parents complete and turn back in to me to use when writing your letter.  Please, be detailed and thoughtful when completing these forms because I want to be able to showcase you in the best way possible.  Each of you are unique and have wonderful qualities that you will bring to a campus, but when writing recommendation letters generalized praise is wasted space so I need stories and examples to help give people a true image of you and to make it more than just what they can read about you in your application. Once you have turned in your 2 forms, I will add your name to my recommendation letter list and I strongly prefer that EVERY student who I will be writing a recommendation letter for actually come in and TALK to me!  This conversation will allow me to ask a few additional questions and hopefully help me to get your voice in my head as I work on writing your letter.  Also, if you have developed a resume or list of activities and awards I would love to have that because this information can also be helpful when writing your recommendation letter.

Before I close I want to point out that the need for counselor recommendation letters is a great reminder of why it is important for students of every grade level (Sophomore, Junior, and Senior) to drop by my office throughout the year to allow me to get to know you better.  I sincerely want to know students of all ages so that I am more comfortable with talking about some of the incredible things that you all are involved in and are accomplishing during your high school careers.

Grade Point Average

Yesterday I mentioned that we do not rank, but I realized that some students might not even know how grade point averages are computed.  Your transcript consists of every high school class you have ever taken and the grade you earned in each class. 

The "easy" explanation for how your GPA is calculated is that every class you take at WKHS taught by a Kilbourne teacher with traditional grading is computed into your GPA.  Some students begin taking high school courses while still in middle school.  Those grades will appear on your transcript, but they are not calculated into your GPA.  This is done to assist you because many times middle school students haven't recognized the impact that their grades have on their high school GPA and the long-term impact on their future college applications.  Additionally, any classes that you pass that were taken as pass/ fail appear on your transcript but will not be calculated in your GPA.

All regular and honors classes are unweighted which means that they are all based on a 4.0 scale.  AP, IB and CC+ courses are weighted on a scale of 1.25.  Below is a chart that shows how GPA is calculated.

Letter Grades	Percentage	GPA Scale	AP/ IB Weighted Calculation	AP/ IB Weighted GPA
A	90 – 100%	4.0	4.0 x 1.25	5.00
B	80 – 89%	3.0	3.0 x 1.25	3.75
C	70 – 79%	2.0	2.0 x 1.25	2.50
D	60 – 69%	1.0	1.0 x 1.25	1.25
F	0 – 59%
S	Satisfactory
P	Passing

All classes are granted credit based upon the semester.  This means that when you pass the 1st semester you have earned that credit and it is computed into your grade point average.  Each semester class is worth 1/2 a credit excluding physical education courses which are worth 1/4 a credit.  So, if you earn a B in the first semester of English 1 and a C in the first semester of Physical Science, then your GPA for these two semesters of classes would equal a 2.5.  Plusses and Minuses in your grades are still calculated based upon the base grade as we don't have different GPA weights for a B+ vs a B or B-.

It is important to know that some students have taken classes at other schools and are transferring their credit to WKHS.  Those classes will also appear on your transcript with the grades, but are not computed into your GPA.  This is because your Kilbourne GPA will just reflect your Kilbourne classes - any classes you took in another district or an online school will have the GPA that you earned at that school.  So, for example, if you transferred to WKHS from a surrounding district, your classes and grades will be transferred over to Kilbourne, but they won't be included in your Kilbourne GPA.  This means that students will not have a grade point average until after a semester at WKHS.  The reason that this is important is that some students have transferred from schools that have different grading scales and it doesn't allow equitable comparisons.  When students are applying to college you will submit both of your transcripts so that they have the complete picture of your grade point average.

You can see a copy of your transcript on Infinite Campus and it also shows your grade point average.  If you have any questions about your GPA, stop by and see me.

Class rank

When completing college applications you will find that most colleges will ask “What is your class rank?” and if they can’t get you to give them an exact rank they might also ask you for a percentile ranking. (Some schools may not ask you and may ask on the counselor form that I am required to complete for you.) The official answer is “We Do Not Rank.”

That is what I write on all of the forms that I complete for you and what you should indicate on your application – UNLESS you are one of the students with a grade point average of a 4.0 or higher for your high school career. If you have greater than a 4.0, then you are automatically ranked #1 in the class. (So yes, that would mean that there are multiple Seniors, Juniors, and Sophomores ranked first in their respective class.)

As you already know, WKHS is an academically competitive high school and we would not want a class ranking to hurt you in any way. For example, a GPA at WKHS might rank in the top 20% , but at a less competitive school the same GPA might rank in the top 5 or 10%. So, unless you have a 4.0 or better, do yourself a favor and write “Do Not Rank” when completing your applications.

College Application Time to Start and Reminders

Seniors, how are your college applications going?  I get it... you still feel like you're getting your feet under you for the new school year, we haven't even had senior college night yet, and I am already bugging you all about your applications.  Procrastinating on college applications always makes me nervous.  I get that it seems like there is tons of time, but please (PLEASE!) don't wait! The time to start working on your applications is now. That doesn't mean you have to have the entire application complete, but begin getting organized, start thinking about and drafting your essays, start filling out the "easier" paperwork section that requires name, address, and other basic information because it can become time-consuming, and (if you still haven't done so) put together a master list of activities and experiences you have had during high school so that you can add that information to your applications easily.
I know that not everyone is procrastinating on working on college applications and some have already submitted their applications and will be hearing back soon.  :-)

Another reminder, to help all senior students and parents there will be a Senior College Information Night on Tuesday evening, August 29th, at 7:00pm.  Please plan to attend as we will be covering details you will need to know during the application process!  And yes, it is VERY important that you attend this night and don't just send your parents!  YOU are the one applying to college.  You'll want your parents to join you so that you are on the same page, but seniors, you need to plan to be there.

Also, a general reminder that tomorrow all of the CSCC college credit plus classes begin.  Hopefully you completed your online orientation and logged into blackboard.  Your instructors are looking forward to meeting you tomorrow and/ or Tuesday (depending on which classes you are taking).

OSU Admissions Update

Yesterday I attended a meeting at OSU to learn from their admissions staff about the latest requirements and updates.  To give you the short version - OSU continues to grow more and more competitive to be accepted directly to main campus, but there are still opportunities for every student graduating from WKHS who wants to be a Buckeye to start at a branch campus.  I normally will not highlight updates from every college, but because so many students plan on applying to OSU each year I wanted to pass along some of the information I learned.

- November 1st is the Early Action deadline for admissions.  It is also their deadline to be considered for their automatic scholarships.  Students who plan on applying for the Honors and Scholars program, major in the college of Engineering, or the Morrill Scholarship program are strongly encouraged to submit their applications by this date as well.  The November 1st deadline includes having all of your supplemental materials received by the admissions office in addition to your application (such as test scores and transcript).  If you apply by the November 1st deadline, you can expect to hear back on your admissions decision in mid to late January.

-  OSU does NOT require a letter of recommendation.  They will accept one if you send it and it can be from anyone who knows you well - a teacher, coach, counselor, boss, etc.  Can you imagine reading 50,000 recommendation letters?!?  Yikes.

-  OSU had over 52,000 applications last year and enrolled just over 7,500 new freshmen.  For those admitted to the Columbus campus, the average ACT composite score was a 29.2 and 95% of the students were in the Top 25% of their class (64% were in the top 10%).  Needless to say it is very competitive to gain admission onto main campus, but they pointed out the opportunities available for admission to OSU at the branch campuses with open enrollment.

-  Students who begin their college career at a branch campus have the opportunity to stay and complete their degree in some majors if they want, but they can also change campuses and move from the branch to main campus after completing 30 credit hours (1 year of full time classes) and earning a 2.0 GPA.  This is not a transfer application, it is an automatic change of location form to be completed with your academic adviser at OSU.  Please note that if you are anticipating starting at a branch campus, you may want to apply directly to the branch instead of applying to main campus because that will qualify you for the branch campus scholarships.

-  There are no set numbers for being admitted or for being deferred to a branch campus.  Representatives from the regional branch campuses also talked and shared about some of the opportunities and experiences on their campus and they are still academically strong.  Additionally, by indicating your back-up branch campus on your OSU application, it does not make you more likely to be admitted to a branch campus rather than main campus.  And this year OSU will automatically assume you want the closest branch to your home if you don't indicate a back-up option.

-  They are major blind in acceptance to the university and then you would be considered for acceptance into your particular major or preferred program.  (So for those students who hope to "game the system" by picking some obscure major that you really are not interested in, that won't actually matter for admissions to the university.)

-  Their FAFSA Priority Deadline is February 1st.  The Financial Aid Officer reminded us to encourage all students to complete the FAFSA even if you know that your family will not qualify for need-based financial aid.  She explained that there are some merit based scholarships that are not dependent upon financial need, but that have a pre-requisite that students have completed the FAFSA to make sure that they had already received any need based aid the student would qualify for before the scholarship could be awarded.  OSU hopes to announce financial aid award packages by the end of February.  (She also pointed out that even if someone submits their FAFSA in October, it will not change when they hear about their financial aid package at OSU.)

-  One other important testing related issue that impacts financial aid... The November 1st deadline for scholarship consideration means that all testing results must be received at OSU prior to that date.  So, the September ACT and the October SAT are the last test dates that you can take and have arrive at OSU in time for the November 1st deadline.

-  For those students taking CC+ classes, especially if you are taking CC+ classes on a college campus, they stressed the importance of using the additional information section to write in what classes you plan on taking during your second semester so that they know you are still planning to complete a full academic load during your senior year.

Over the next few weeks I will be attending more informational meetings to get additional information about other colleges in Ohio and beyond so that I have the latest information to be able to share with you as you are working on your applications.

Don't forget - Tuesday night, August 29th, is Senior College Night at 7pm.

Get Involved

One of the goals many students have each year is to get involved in the school or community.  I love that goal because being involved in sports, clubs, volunteer outreach, or other areas of interest helps connect you as students to our school and community.  

You have special gifts that only you can share and you can make a positive difference!  WKHS is very fortunate to have a wide range of opportunities available within the school setting for you to get involved.  There are 29 interscholastic sports, over 40 clubs, the school newspaper, video news team, yearbook and a wide variety of performance groups (choirs, bands, orchestra, and plays).  

For underclassmen, it makes your transition to high school easier because you get to know older students and you find a place where you can belong.  For upperclassmen, being involved gives you the opportunity to demonstrate leadership and to grow in your areas of interest.  The reality is there is something for everyone... and if you have a new idea for a group that doesn't already exist then I encourage you to find a staff member to serve as a faculty representative and get a club started!  I have one student who has already started that process this year.  

It doesn't matter if you are participating in the same activity you have done since you entered elementary school or trying something new, I can't wait to see the impact you will have at Kilbourne this year!

Confidentiality

It is very important to me that I work to earn your trust every day. During high school there are times when you may wonder if there is anyone who cares and is willing to listen to what you are going through and I want to remind you that I am here for you. Please remember that what you say to me is confidential between us unless you are a risk to yourself or someone else in which case I am required to report it.

If you want to meet with me - just drop by my office! That is honestly the BEST way to meet with me. You don't need to schedule an appointment in advance. I'm generally around before and after school as well as during your lunch or academic prep/ option periods for you to stop in and chat. You don't need a big reason to come down and say Hi. I am happy to see you even if you just wanted to tell me how well or how poorly you did on a test that day. If I am busy meeting with another student or parent - you can stop back down or leave a pass for me. If I don't know who you are and you have left a pass that leads me to search for you in the commons please try to help me out and let me know that "you" are the student. (I know, not always easy, but if you left a pass and I haven't tracked you down that day or the following day, chances are I can't find you in the commons - so please come back!)

Don't forget I have candy and toys in my office - so it is always worth just stopping by to say hello. :-) 

Meet the Teacher Night

Tomorrow you will be on a 16 minute homeroom bell schedule.  During your first homeroom of the year you will be completing your Counselor Connection Forms.  Please take your time and share thoughtful and honest answers.  I absolutely read them and they are often very helpful to me in the future - including when it is time to help you come up with college essay ideas or recommendation letter components.  

Also, tomorrow night, Wednesday, August 23rd, is this year's PTO Meet the Teacher Night. This is a night when your parents can come through school, follow your schedule, and meet all of your teachers. Just before the Meet the Teacher night, Mr. Thomas will be providing an overview of the year regarding initiatives, improvement plans and upcoming events.  The information session by Mr. Thomas will begin at 6:40pm and the Meet the Teacher part of the evening will be over by 9pm. Each class will be 10 minutes in length and yes, your parents will have the same 5 minute passing time that you have during the day. (Hopefully they won't get lost and be late or else they could end up with lots of tardies!) :-)

Here is the schedule for the evening:

Overview of the Year by Mr. Thomas - 6:40 - 6:55

1st period - 7:00 - 7:10
2nd period - 7:15 - 7:25
3rd period - 7:30 - 7:40
4th period - 7:45 - 7:55
5th period - 8:00 - 8:10
6th period - 8:15 - 8:25
7th period - 8:30 - 8:40
8th period - 8:45 - 8:55

Please make sure you give your parents a copy of your schedule or at least write down the room numbers for all of your classes so they know where they are heading for the evening!  Of course, if you have lost your copy of your schedule, your parents can print off your schedule on Infinite Campus.

Please make sure your parents know about this evening because I know many of them will want to attend and they usually like putting a face with a name so that if you are talking about a test in Mr. ____'s class or an assignment for Mrs. ____'s class they will be able to keep it straight.

Solar Eclipse

What a cool and unique day today was as we all paused to see the Solar Eclipse.  I enjoyed being able to be alongside of you as we witnessed this historic occurrence in our lives.  As we went outside I couldn't help but be grateful that we are in a district dedicated to allowing all students and staff the opportunity to learn about the eclipse and to take the time out of the day to make these memories.

But even more than that, I kept finding myself thinking about the importance of embracing joy, wonder and appreciation in the little things.  And this isn't just with regards to the eclipse.  I have so much to be thankful for even in just the first few days of the new school year.  I appreciate the fact that I am able to work with each of you.  From the seniors who took time out of the final summer days to get a jump start on the college essay brainstorming process to the new freshmen that I got to talk with on the first day it means so much to me each time we can interact.  I appreciate all the love and attention Lexi has been receiving from staff and students - I wish I could tell you how happy she has been since school started again.  And I appreciate each student who has stopped by not just to change their schedules, but also to catch up and tell me about your summers and what is new in your lives... that is always the best part of my day!

I hope that today was memorable to you as well and that you are also working to find the joy, wonder and appreciation in each day.

Last day to Add Classes & Eclipse Schedule

A quick reminder that tomorrow (Monday, August 21st) is the last day to add a 1st semester or year long class to your schedule. Please make sure that you bring in the schedule change form (which you may have picked up from the counseling center or you can download from the WKHS Counselor Website) signed by your parents indicating that they support your class change request if you are still hoping to make an adjustment to your schedule.  After tomorrow we can no longer make any additions for the 1st semester.

As you have also heard a lot about, tomorrow is also the first Solar Eclipse of your lifetime!  We will be on a modified bell schedule so that every student has the opportunity to witness this science phenomenon and I suspect that some day when you are old, it will be a day all of us will still be able to look back on and remember.  Just please, be sure to wear the eclipse glasses that the school has provided for you so that you do not damage your eyes!

Here is the bell schedule we will be following:
1st Period:  7:45 - 8:27
2nd Period:  8:32 - 9:14
3rd Period:  9:19 - 10:01
4th Period:  10:06 - 10:48
5th Period:  10:53 - 11:35
6th Period:  11:40 - 12:22
7th Period:  12:27 - 1:09
8th Period:  1:14 - 1:56
Eclipse Viewing outside:  2:00 - 3:05

Please note that all students must remain in the supervised eclipse viewing areas until the end of the day and no one will be permitted to just leave early.

Time to get started & CC+

Today we had a great day welcoming the freshmen students to Kilbourne.  I was so impressed with the Link Leaders who made the day fun, meaningful and welcoming to the 9th graders.  Thank you Link Leaders for your service and commitment.  I was proud of how you demonstrated your leadership and set the standards for what can be expected at the high school.  I have to admit that if I could have students wear name tags every day, my life would be much easier! :-)

As we return to school tomorrow, I wanted to remind those of you who are taking College Credit Plus (CC+) classes through Columbus State (this includes English, Psychology and Mythology) that while your classes are listed on your WKHS schedule, they don't actually start until August 28th.  English meets on Mondays and Wednesdays.  Psychology meets on Tuesdays and Thursdays.  Mythology is completely online.  So, for those classes you have another week and a half until they start.  In the meantime, please be certain that you have completed the required CSCC online orientation and accessed blackboard.  (CSCC has sent you emails about these requirements and we have also posted it on the WKHS Counselor website.)

The CC+ classes through COTC  (which include math classes and Intro to Business) all begin tomorrow like regular classes as they are taught by your WKHS teachers.

I'm looking forward to seeing you all in the morning.  Sleep well!

School night (for Freshmen)

It's a school night... for the freshmen!  I am so excited to get the 2017-18 school year underway.  I look forward to seeing each of you, hearing about your summers, and finding out what is new and exciting in your lives.  Tomorrow though, the whole day is for and about the freshmen who make up the Class of 2021.

Yes, that means that the majority of sophomores, juniors and seniors have one more day of summer vacation.  The exception to that is those of you who will be attending the Delaware Area Career Center - your classes start at DACC tomorrow.  There will also be a lot of upperclassmen at WKHS tomorrow to help lead the freshmen day and they have been working hard to prepare to make sure it will be a great day.  I know that I am looking forward to having the chance to meet all of the freshmen during the day.

I think what I like best about the start of a new year is that it is like an unopened present - full of excitement, hope, and possibility.  You get to make this year whatever you want it to be and I hope that it will be your best year yet.  Get a good night's sleep because 7:45am will feel really early!

New Faces at WKHS

When we start school on Wednesday there will be lots of new staff members for you to meet and get to know.  Perhaps you have already seen the different names on your schedule and wondered who all of the new staff members are that make up the Kilbourne staff.  We are lucky to have a wonderful group of new staff coming to work with you.  They are passionate about making a positive difference in your life and I am confident you will enjoy having them as teachers.

You may have heard the news at the end of the school year that Ms. Adrean got hired to be the Chief Academic Officer for the district so she will no longer be Principal at WKHS.  Mr. Thomas has taken over as the new principal and is looking forward to getting to know you.

One of our Deans, Mr. Anderson left to be an administrator in Hilliard, but we are lucky enough that Mrs. Lippert will join Mr. Souder as the new dean.  Mrs. Lippert has been a consistent member of the Worthington Kilbourne HS community since her days as a student, teacher and intervention specialist.  She is excited to work with all of you in her new role.

We have several new staff members in the special education department including Mr. Goff, Ms. Linn, Ms. Somerville, Mr. Fibelkorn, Mr. Johnson, and Ms. Mess.

As you know, we had several teachers retire from the math department.  Mr. Isenhour, Mr. Boso and Mrs. Minor will all teach Math at WKHS this year.  (Some of you may remember Mrs. Minor as she returns to WKHS from TWHS.)

Mrs. Goodwin used to be at WKHS but then spent a few years at TWHS has rejoined the Kilbourne staff as the IB Coordinator and an English teacher. 

Ms. Lee is the new science academic assistant and Mr. Wood will be the new Social Studies academic assistant.  But don't worry, Ms. Elliott and Mr. Freisner will still be in the Teaching and Learning Center along with the new faces.

Mrs. Dominach has changed roles.  She will no longer be in the drop in lab - she is now a secretary in the Counseling Center so you will still be able to see her often.

Mr. Dickson is the new education assistant working in the Drop In Lab.

Please be sure to welcome all of the new staff members to Worthington Kilbourne High School!

College Rankings

There are a lot of different resources available for students to get a better idea about different colleges and how life might be on campus. Nothing can replace your impression of the campus and how you can (or cannot) imagine fitting in at a particular school, but there other tools such as school websites, visits with admissions representatives, and books or other resources all have information that can help round out your view of a school. 

Many people put a great deal of stock into college rankings and each year Princeton Review releases a book which features summaries of different schools and lists "Top 20's" for 62 different categories. There is some very interesting information that you can find by reading these lists. For example, if you love sports then it should be a big warning to you if you find that your top choice of college is on the "Nobody plays intramural sports" list.  And maybe you'd be happy to find that your choice of college has made the "Happiest students" list.  

I do want to caution you - do not read too much into just this resource - use it as one source. For example, when you read things like top party schools (OU is not on the list for the 2nd year in a row after being on it for multiple years including topping the list back in 2011) you will find that some students might be responding in a way that they want people to perceive a school and also it is important to keep this in perspective because students can find and make college into whatever experience they want. Obviously since they are highlighting 382 colleges all schools are not included - it is about 13% of the colleges in the US. Enjoy checking out the 62 lists to see where your colleges of choice fall on the various lists.

This article points out the importance of using caution when considering these lists.  The problem with ranking colleges like mine.

In case you don't want to check on the various lists to read all top 20 schools for each list, here are a few summaries that articles have done which might interest you.

From the Princeton Review Press Release:

Other Princeton Review ranking list categories and #1 colleges on them in the new lists and book include:

• "Most Accessible Professors"— Colby College (ME)
• "Best College Dorms"— Scripps College (CA)
• "Best Campus Food" — University of Massachusetts Amherst
• "Best Health Services" — University of Wisconsin—Madison
• "Most Beautiful Campus"— University of San Diego (CA)
• "Best Athletic Facilities — Auburn University (AL)
• "Happiest Students" — Vanderbilt University (TN)
• "Most Politically Active Students" — Columbia University (NY)
• "LGBTQ-Friendly" — Bryn Mawr College (PA)
• "Party Schools" —Tulane University (LA)
• Stone-Cold Sober Schools" — Brigham Young University (UT)
• "Students Pack the Stadiums" — Syracuse University (NY)
• "College City Gets High Marks" — Tulane University (LA)
• "Their Students Love These Colleges" — Virginia Tech

Here’s the best of the 2018 Princeton Review Rankings

Most surprising results from Princeton Review’s 2018 Top College Rankings

Ohio University earns rankings on 3 Princeton Review lists

Senior College Information Night

Seniors, have you started to work on your college applications?  I suppose that you aren't "officially" seniors until Thursday, but the reality is now is the time for you to start the process of college applications.  On Thursday, I was so happy to be able to spend some time with some of my seniors who elected to come in and discuss brainstorming effective college essays.  I cannot wait to see what unique topics they come up with to showcase their incredible individuality.  I also want seniors and senior parents to plan ahead for one for one of the most important senior nights.

The Senior Student and Parent College Information Night will be held on Tuesday, August 29th, at 7:00pm at WKHS. This is one of the most important meetings for senior students and parents to attend because there are so many college related questions that we will be able to answer.

We will be reviewing the college application process, the procedures for submitting your items to WKHS and to the colleges, and other information you need to know for college. I really hope you will make every effort to attend… and yes, this is for you and your parents because this is YOUR life, so you need to be there as you are the one responsible for completing all of the work to get accepted into college. It is beneficial for your parents to also attend because they will be a very valuable in helping you through this process. And, trust me, your parents will appreciate having an overview of how this entire process will play out so bring them along with you so that they can get the information all at once with you. 

I know that it is not always possible for every student and family to attend, but I hope you will make every effort to try to attend. Remember, I have about 90 seniors, so it becomes very challenging to try to repeat the same basic information and make sure everyone understands unless we all start with the same foundation of information. This evening will answer a lot of your basic questions and then we’ll figure out the rest together as the year continues. I’m looking forward to talking college with you on August 29th!

Office Workers

It is funny when people look at their schedules, what one person sees as a negative aspect, another views as a positive.  Over the last two days I heard that often.  Some students are thrilled to have academic prep 1st period and others prefer it later in the day.  Lunch early or late was another hotly debated topic among a group of students.  As people were discussing different aspects of their schedule, the idea of how the students were going to effectively use their "off" periods was emphasized by many parents.

Several times I found myself mentioning a volunteer opportunity that students can take advantage of during the school day within the comfortable walls of WKHS.  We have office workers volunteer their time to help out in the counseling/ administrative offices. Our office workers each year have been amazing!  They helped run passes, update the bulletin board, put together packets or whatever else was needed.  Some days were busier than others and so there were days when they didn't have to do much of anything to help us other than be available.  We do have an application process to be selected as an office worker, but if you are interested, we'd love to have you!  And selfishly, I'd love to have more of "my" students helping as office workers because it is a nice treat to see you each day.  Students with a period of academic prep or options in their schedule would be eligible to apply.  (You would no longer have prep or options if you chose to work in the office.)  You will accumulate community service hours as an office worker.  Applications are available in the front of the counseling center.  No more than 2 students will be selected for each period of the day.  Please apply as soon as we start back to school if you are interested so that we don't miss out on the opportunity to have you involved!

Prepare for Success

It was so nice to be able to meet some of the freshmen students and parents today as well as to have a few minutes to reconnect with some of my seniors!  I have missed all of you and it made my day to see you.  I'm looking forward to another great day with sophomores and juniors tomorrow.

Over the next week as you wind down your summer and focus on your summer assignments, I'd also like to ask you to try to spend some time considering how you can put yourself in the best position possible to successful in the new school year.

The first step is to set your goals for the year.  What are you hoping to accomplish?  What do you need to do to reach these goals?  It is often easier to dream big and, quite honestly, most of you could achieve any goal that you set your mind to, but it will take dedication and commitment.

Many of you are also out searching for new school supplies.  As you buy your folders, binders, and notebooks I encourage you to think about what organization system tends to work best for you.  Are you a "stuffer" who just stuffs papers into whatever happens to be available?  If so, folders are probably best for you.  If you are the type of person who wants to be able to combine notes from class with notes that you take from the book, you might gravitate toward a binder with loose-leaf paper rather than a spiral notebook. Whatever system you select, make sure it is one that will work for you.

Preparing for success is probably most closely connected to having an organization system for tracking your assignments.  Perhaps you bought a planner at schedule pick up day today (or will tomorrow).  Maybe you are going to use an app on your phone (there are lots of options of useful apps out there.)  Or it is possible that you do something else creative such as using a dry erase marker on your binder each day.  It doesn't matter to me what type of an organization system you have selected, but it is essential that you pick something and commit yourself to using it!

This will be a great year!  I hope you are looking forward to getting started (even though it means that summer is over) and if you need help with setting reasonable goals or with organization, please don't hesitate to stop in and see me.

Schedule Changes

Tomorrow is the first schedule pick up day and, if past years are any indication, it will be a hectic and fast-paced day in the counseling center.  I am excited to see all of you and hear about your summers.

Don't forget that schedule pick up days are also when you will have your school pictures taken so you will want to dress appropriately for your photos.

If something is wrong on your schedule, you will have to fill out a schedule change request form.  You do NOT have to wait to see me - if I am able to make the adjustment, I will make it and you can pick up your revised schedule anytime between now and the first day of school or print it off of Infinite Campus.  (IC will be live just before the first day of school.)

Remember, as in the past, if you need to change to a core class, you will need your parent's signature indicating that they authorize the change.  I have to be honest with you, classes are tight with VERY few seats remaining so you need to be prepared for the fact that it may not be possible to make many changes.  Also, as you know, we cannot make any teacher changes. 

If you make a schedule change, don't forget to save your original schedule though because the new schedule will not have your locker or computer access information.

See you tomorrow (or Wednesday)!