Charlie Brown Christmas

I am getting ready to go and see the WKHS Theater program's production of A Charlie Brown Christmas tonight and I can't wait.  In talking with some of my students who are a part of the production, they are having a great time preparing for the play.  The WKHS theater productions are always incredibly well done and I'm confident tonight's presentation will be as well.  If you have never taken the opportunity to see one of the Kilbourne plays, I encourage you to take advantage of the performances this weekend.  They will be providing shows again tomorrow and Saturday and I believe there are still tickets available so don't miss out.

Tomorrow's Bell Schedule

In Worthington Schools there is a commitment to making sure that every student has a positive learning experience.  In order to help make sure that the district is working effectively to achieve these goals, the district is asking that every student complete a district-wide survey about school culture and climate.  This survey will be done tomorrow during your 3rd period classes.  (And if you don't have a 3rd period class they will be working to find you to complete the survey.)  So, I wanted to make sure you had tomorrow's bell schedule because we are on a VERY different schedule in order to give time for the survey.

1st Period: 7:45 - 8:32

2nd Period: 8:37 - 9:24

3rd Period: 9:29 - 10:45 (you will do the survey 3rd period)

4th Period: 10:50 - 11:37

5th Period: 11:42 - 12:29

6th Period: 12:34 - 1:21

7th Period: 1:26 - 2:13

8th Period: 2:18 - 3:05

Exam Schedule

You don't need to panic about exams, but you do need to prepare for them!  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 13th:

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 14th:
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 15th:
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 15th.)

Hope that helps clarify.

Cocoa and Cram

Over the next 3 days all freshman students will be invited to participate in "Cram and Cocoa" sessions during your lunch periods.  These study strategy sessions will be held in Room 120 which is just off the Commons area and the Counseling Center.  Cocoa and Cram is provided by the Link Leaders and serves as a great opportunity for students to get a jump start on effectively preparing for exams. 

You now have just 11 days of classes to not only learn and master everything you are currently covering in class, but also to go back and study to refresh the material you have covered since August when we returned to school.

The Link Leaders have been providing these "Cram and Cocoa" sessions for the last 5 years to help every student feel successful heading into exams.  The feedback I heard from all of my students who participated in the past was that it was incredibly helpful.  I sincerely hope you will take advantage of their willingness to help you prepare!

Counselor Website

I have written about the Kilbourne Counselor website before and I mention it in posts frequently, but I still feel like it deserves frequent reminders.  When we created the counselor website we wanted to provide students and parents with an easy, one-stop place, to get as many of the resources and information answers that you regularly need.  

Have you visited www.wkhscounselors.com lately?  

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

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

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

Take a deep breath

Breathing is important.  Obviously you need oxygen and it happens without any thought - on average we each take about 960 breaths per hour (or 16 per minute).  And yet, it is something that we often don't do well... especially if we are stressed or upset!

When you are under a great deal of pressure, your body responds - again, without you having to think about it.  Your breathing often changes and your muscles will grow tense.  It is an automatic reaction that your body does in taking over functioning for you to prepare you to manage whatever danger is coming your way - think of it as your body going into an early "fight/ flight/ freeze" response.  But that is a challenge because your stress and frustration are not likely to need to prepare you to run from a lion or whatever other danger might have necessitated a fight, flight or freeze response and so we have to take back control over our body.

I have to acknowledge something.  I hate the concept of breathing as a stress reliever!  I. HATE. IT!  Except for the fact that it WORKS!

Even for me, when I am upset about something I often think to myself, "what would I tell my students right now" and the answer is always to slow down and take a few deep breaths.  And immediately I think again how much I hate that answer because I always feel as if the problem I am facing is too big to be solved just by a few simple breaths.  But I do it anyway because that is what I ask each of you to do and then inevitably, it helps.  And, yes, as crazy as it is, it makes me mad that it works at the same time I am grateful that it is helpful.

Controlling your breathing is really important because it assures your brain that you are not in danger and it then allows your brain to be able to have the ability to think logically and talk about what is happening "left brain" rather than just staying in "right brain" mode of emotion.

But here is the reality, you need to practice deep breathing when you are calm and relaxed to help your body know how to relax itself and calm down with deep breaths when you are stressed out.  Again, I know it seems too simplistic and you are right, it is not going to make all of your problems go away, but it will help you to manage the challenges you are facing.

Here are a few articles that can be helpful if you'd like to read more about different deep breathing strategies. 

Stress management: breathing exercises for relaxation

Relaxation techniques – breath control helps quell errant stress response

I also have lots of other breathing strategies (3/3/3, square breathing, double out, etc.) that we can practice together once we are back to school if you know that this is something you would like help focusing on to help with your emotional well-being.  I also like the breathing tool in the Virtual Hope Box app which you can download for free.

Hope your Thanksgiving vacation has been peaceful and stress free which means that you are not needing the deep breathing strategies and tips!  Looking forward to seeing you soon and hearing about your break.

Thanksgiving

I hope you and your family enjoyed a wonderful Thanksgiving!  I am enjoying being with my entire family gathering together at my sister's house for the holiday.  It's been busy but with lots of good memories.  

Today as I am reflecting on all that I am grateful for I wanted to be sure that you know that I am so thankful to have each of you in my life.  I am blessed to have a job I enjoy and I never forget how fortunate I am to walk alongside you in your journey through high school.  

Enjoy the rest of your break and Happy Thanksgiving!

Have a great break

I can't believe it is already Thanksgiving break.  I hope you have a wonderful 5 days off!

Also, I know some of you will be combining the Thanksgiving break with formal visits or informal stops on college campuses. Please remember that I would like to have a picture of you on EVERY campus that you step foot on - regardless of your intention to apply to that school or not.  Enjoy exploring the campuses you get to see over the holiday and I will look forward to hearing about it when we are back at school.

No matter if you are staying home or if you will be enjoying far away travels, I hope you will have fun and be safe!

Stay Informed

Did you know that you can receive these blog posts to your e-mail automatically?  Perhaps that is how you are viewing them already, but in case you aren't I thought it might help to know that you don't have to try to remember the lengthy website address for my blog.  (Sadly, I know that it is not an easy address to find but back in 2007 when I started the blog I didn't realize how much of a problem it would become.)

The way I have it set up is that the title of the blog post will be the subject line of the e-mail so you can always delete the post without reading it if you realize that it will not be applicable to you.  To sign up for the updates, scroll part way down the page on the right hand side to the area that says, "Follow By E-mail" (it is below the Blog Archive & Contributor sections).  Type in your e-mail address and click "Submit."  This will pop up another box with some funky random letters/ numbers to make sure that you are a real person and then you will click on "Complete Subscription Request."  After you do that you will have an email in your in-box that you need to click on the link to confirm that this is a list you want to join and follow.  You do have to follow all of those steps to make sure that the posts will come to you directly.

So, if you want to make sure you never miss out on a blog post, sign up for automatic updates.

The other key way that the counseling center is trying to keep you informed is through "Remind."  Through this service you can receive short text messages with important reminders.  If you would like to subscribe, send a text message to 81010 with the appropriate code below:
For the class of 2018, text @wkhs2018
For the class of 2019, text @wkhs2019
For the class of 2020, text @wkhs2020
For the class of 2021, text @wkhs2021

You probably already know this, but this is NOT an actual phone number and the texts we send are from a website and not a cell phone so we can't receive phone calls or messages from you to the number which appears.  It is only for us to send messages.  It is free for you to sign up, but regular text messaging rates apply through your phone company.

At Kilbourne we are making a concentrated effort to streamline the parent emails that are sent out so instead of sending each separate message in it's own email, all of the messages are now being held and combined together into one weekly newsletter email message.  Parents will want to be sure to open and read this newsletter each week to learn the latest updates.

It isn't necessarily hard work to keep up with all of the upcoming dates, deadlines and opportunities if you are staying organized, writing down key dates and maintaining your planner, but I want to make it as easy as possible so that you are never caught off guard.  By following my blog and receiving Remind texts plus reading the weekly newsletters and following @wkhswolves on Twitter, I believe you won't have any difficulty staying informed.

4 year colleges

How long will it take you to make it through college? Most people will quickly think to themselves "4 years" because most WKHS students are looking at 4-year colleges.

Unfortunately, that is not always the reality. While a college is a 4-year school, for many students it is not always realistic that their students will, in fact, graduate in 4-years. You may wonder why this matters now, but it is very important for you to look at the 4-year graduation rates when you are considering colleges for your future because the longer it takes you to graduate from high school, the more you will be taking on in costs for college as well as the longer it will take you to graduate and get out into the working world or to move on to grad school.

You can usually find the 4-year graduation rates on college websites, but it isn't always easily accessible. This is a link to a US Department of Education website called College Navigator where you can search for schools and then by looking at the retention/ graduation rate area you will be able to see the statistics for each school in an easily accessible way.

Each school's 4-year graduation rates should not be your sole factor in making a decision, but it is another piece of the puzzle to help you. You should use the information to help you ask more questions about why their graduation rates are so low. Is it because it is too difficult to schedule classes when you need, is it because the costs are too expensive, is it because students change majors too many times so they end up with a lot of classes that do not help them toward their major, etc.

Happy Searching as you look for the school that is the best fit for you and your future.

Study Strategies

Do you know how to study? I ask students that question 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 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! 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.  We have a large number of study strategies, resources, ideas and information on the WKHS Counselor website in the academic section so I hope you will check that out.

Also, in order to try to help students get a jump start on preparing for exams and to learn some effective strategies for studying, freshmen are encouraged to attend the Cram & Cocoa sessions hosted by the Link Leaders on November 28, 29, and 30th during every lunch period.

Delaware Area Career Center

Today was a field trip to the Delaware Area Career Center. As a reminder, don't forget that even if attending the career center, WKHS students are always WKHS students. With most programs you will have the option of attending the career center for full days (where you would take your lab coursework which counts as elective credits and your academic courses all at the career center) or for half days (where you only take the lab coursework at the career center and then return to WKHS for the other half of the day for your academic classes). You will graduate from Worthington Kilbourne and continue to participate on our athletic teams - even if you decide that you want to attend the career center for the full day. 

I strongly encourage you to check out the programs because the hands on opportunities to learn something new while also gaining your required elective credits can be a very appealing option! If you didn't have the chance to participate in today's field trip or wanted to check out a different program, there are multiple second look days that you can take advantage of over the coming months. Any students interested in making these visits should stop by the WKHS Counseling & Career Center to pick up a permission slip from the secretaries. Permission slips must be submitted in advance in order to make arrangements for your visit.

The online application to attend the DACC is now available so if you know this is an option you would like to pursue, please fill out your application as soon as possible.

Countdown to Exams

The countdown is on... we have just 15 days of school left before semester exams. I *know* some (or maybe all) of you don't want to hear this, but it is REALLY important that you start studying now for exams. 

With exams taking place before winter break, it is important that you take a critical look at where you stand in each of your classes and what you need to do to fully prepare for exams.  If your grades are not where they should be at this point in time, please make use of the resources available to you - the academic assistants in room 209 and, most importantly, your teachers. I am also here to help you with studying strategies and tips if needed. For many students, your final grade for the semester will come down to how you finish out this quarter and how well you do on semester exams. Please don't neglect this opportunity to make the most of the remaining time as a chance to start reviewing for exams.

Procrastination

Procrastination is one of the more common problem areas that students battle. Every year I meet some students who are "master procrastinators." (And I believe this year's senior class is taking this to an entirely new level with their college application procrastination...)  The reality is that some people don't mind putting everything off until the last possible second and then working like crazy to get everything accomplished before the deadline, but this can result in a lot of unnecessary stress. Procrastination certainly doesn’t mean that you are lazy or incapable, but it is often a sign that something is getting in your way of completing your tasks and responsibilities. If you are interested in learning strategies for gaining control over your tendencies to procrastinate, it is important to remember that there are no quick fixes. As with most things in life, what works for one person will not necessarily work for someone else so it is important to find a strategy that will work effectively for you. I doubt that any of these suggestions will be ideas that you have never heard of before, but it comes down to deciding that you want to try to make a change. So, reward yourself for progress made because it does take time to improve.

Some ideas to help combat procrastination:

Plan ahead.

Break your big projects, assignments, or responsibilities down into smaller, more manageable tasks.

Commit to spending at least 15 minutes working on something that you have been avoiding.

Remind yourself that there is not going to be a better time – not tomorrow, not next weekend, or next month – something else will always come up that continues to contribute to the procrastination.

Ask for help.

Focus on the desired outcome – rather than your fear or inaction.

Be realistic – most tasks take far longer than you expect.

Minimize Distractions… and take care of whatever is distracting you.

Let go of perfectionism. (And, for those of you who are perfectionists, I know that this is a hard one, but the reality is that many things aren’t worth doing perfectly, so just start and do your best – it will still be better than not doing it at all.)

Recruit a friend to help keep you accountable. (If you tell someone else about your goal or plan to battle your typical procrastination blocks, you may be more likely to follow through, but please make sure it is a friend who will help you stay accountable not convince you that it is OK to put off starting your paper for a few more days.)

Do the hard part first… or… do the easy part first. (Whichever is more motivating to you is the one you should choose.)

Keep track of your progress so you don't lose sight of how much you've accomplished.

The bottom line is that if you get it done when you need to instead of procrastinating, you’ll feel better about yourself and have less stress… so get to work. :-)

If you are wanting to procrastinate a little longer from doing the work you should be accomplishing right now, perhaps these articles about procrastination will be of interest:

The anatomy of procrastination

What we finally got around to learning at the procrastination research conference

Learn how to stop procrastination: from immediate fix to long-term production boost

FAFSA & Net Price Calculators

Seniors, are you making progress on completing and submitting your FAFSA?  Don't forget, the FAFSA application is now open and available for you to submit and the deadlines are rapidly approaching!  Each college sets their own deadlines and you need to make sure you have submitted your FAFSA prior to the 1st deadline of all of your colleges.

For those of you who are younger students and trying to get an idea of the financial aid offers you might receive from particular schools, you can use the Net Price Calculator.  Every college is required to feature a net price calculator on their website. This is in an effort to help provide students and parents with the information needed to make more educated decisions and choices about what they can expect to pay for a college education at each school. Now, I will forewarn you that not every net price calculator is the same and some are more detailed than others. Why does this matter? Well, if it is very specific and takes all of the different factors into consideration that the financial aid office will be looking at when creating your financial aid package, then you are likely to get a better picture of what your estimated aid might be, but if it is a more simplistic calculator then there could be more variance when compared to your actual aid package.  Plus, of course, the accuracy of the information that you submit will determine the accuracy of the information that you receive back.

Without a doubt, college is very expensive and so trying to figure out the best ways to be able to finance your education is an important factor to consider in your college search and selection process. I hope that this tool will be useful to you as you investigate schools.

Application Checklist

So, it seems that lately a lot of seniors have been worried that they are missing steps related to their college applications. In many ways I feel like I have addressed this a lot - at senior night, in multiple blog posts, and on the counselor website, but it is still the most frequent question that I have been getting lately.  So, the most accurate and most important response that I can give to you is to look at exactly what the college is asking for and make sure that they have each item requested by the deadline date. (And remember, that means that they actually have the materials in their office - not the date that you bring it to WKHS or even mail it by the postmark deadline - it is the date that they need to have your entire completed application packet.)

1. Complete your application online.

2. Write your essay. I have mixed emotions if I should list this as #2 because you can't actually complete your application without your essay if one is required, but you probably don't know what the essay questions are unless you have started the application. Some schools will not require an essay while others will require multiple essays. Please plan accordingly because they take a long time to perfect.

3. Complete the Transcript Release card for each school where you are applying. You will get this card in Mrs. McDaniel's office. There is a $1.00 transcript fee for transcripts unless they are through Common App or SendEDU application systems.

Sometimes people ask what are the other papers that might need to be submitted. This is one of those pieces that goes back to what the colleges require. Many will have some kind of a college prep/ counselor form that I will need to complete. Although less common, some colleges will have other requests such as a resume, an extra essay, teacher recommendation letters, a picture, etc. If it is to be mailed to the college, then you should include it all in the same packet that you submit to them, but if it can be submitted electronically then that is the college's preferred option.

4. Send your test scores - You need to make sure that you have submitted your ACT or SAT test results directly from the testing agency to each college where you are applying. You complete this step directly with the testing companies. If you are not sure if your test was sent, please log on to their site and double check.

5. If your college requires a teacher or counselor recommendation I really hope you have already arranged for someone to write them. Again, you should be giving your recommender at least 30 days notice to write a letter.

6. Double check your entire application, pay your application fee and submit the application.

It truly is not meant to be overly difficult, but it does require a great deal of organization and follow through on your part. With over 300 seniors in this year's graduating class it is important to remember that you have to stay on top of things because deadlines are real and you do not want to lose the opportunity to apply to a school or to earn a scholarship just because you had not taken care of all of the details required.  The one guarantee is that if you do not apply, then you will not be accepted so if you are trying to keep your options open then you need to work on your applications and get them submitted.

If you have questions, stop by and see me and I will try to help make sure that we are all on the same page regarding what you need to do before your deadlines to complete all of your college applications.

More Career Search

A few weeks ago I talked about the Ohio Means Jobs website which is a wonderful resource.  There is also an app that could interest you in exploring possible careers and how they might impact your future.

The app is called PathSource.

One of the cool aspects that I like about it is that there are over 2800 informational videos from career professionals who share insights about their jobs and what they like or don’t like about their jobs.  It also includes career assessments, job opportunities, salary and budgeting and more.

I also really like the free career and major search website MyMajors.com.  If you want to try to reflect on your academic history, what you like and dislike, this is a great resource to use.  I would suggest that you use this worksheet first and then take the quiz and see how the results play out.  I would love to have you come and share your career insights when you have used them - no matter what site you are using to explore.

Veterans Day

As you are aware, today is Veterans Day. How fortunate and blessed are we to live in a country where men and women willingly agree to serve in the military to protect all of the rights and freedoms that we enjoy every day.  As I paused to reflect on how much I appreciate the service, dedication and sacrifice so many men and women have given to our country, I couldn't help but think of all of my former students who have served, or are currently serving, in the military.

I can't possibly begin to name all of my former students who have joined the military because the list is too long, but the reality is there are no words to adequately express my gratitude and respect to each of them for their courage, strength and dedication to our country.  I somehow hope that today they are surrounded by people who are able to express gratitude for their service and, above all, that they will stay safe.  

Be Patient

I know that it can be frustrating when you have to be patient when waiting for something to happen. Waiting to hear any news that you are anxious for can be nerve-wracking.  Waiting to hear if you have been accepted to college is one of the biggest pressure filled waits many students have experienced so far in life. The idea of waiting for the next phase of your life can be tough. Waiting... waiting... and still more waiting.

But the reality is you need to be patient.

Right now colleges are overwhelmed and frequently back-logged with all of the applications they have been receiving. When colleges are receiving materials it often takes them two weeks to get everything processed and updated in the computer. But at the same time they often send out notices to students that are automatically generated letters which they send just to remind you that you need to send your transcript and test scores and a recommendation letter. Students tend to panic when they receive that letter and want to send the materials again. Colleges typically do not want that happening as it will simply back up their system even more. 

Try to be patient. If you get one of these letters (from any college) take a moment and double check - did you send your transcript? Are they missing everything or some particular item? If you applied via Common App you can log in and check to see if everything was submitted and downloaded by the college.  If your materials were mailed within a 2-3 week time-frame, then take a deep breath and relax knowing that it is likely just because their system is backed up. Continue double checking on the college website (most will give you access to see your application status) and see if they have everything. If you are nearing the end of the 3rd week and they still don't have all of your items you can give them a call to double check. Chances are they just haven't made it there yet, but there are times where things get lost in the mail or filed in the wrong area. If items need to be sent again then we will work on taking care of that, but first make sure that they really are missing it.

As always, swing by my office to see me if you have any questions.

Holiday Help

It's the most wonderful time of the year...

Except that for many people, it is not really the most wonderful time of year and can, in fact, be one of the most difficult times of year.  The holiday season often presents a challenging combination of high expectations, family drama, and school pressure with semester exams - all of which can result in unbelievably high levels of stress.  This is even more prevalent if you and your family are struggling to make ends meet this holiday season.  

My top recommendation for everyone is to try to keep a sense of perspective on what is reality.  It becomes very easy to get caught in the mindset that the holiday is supposed to be this picture-perfect celebration.  Yet, that is seldom the reality.  When watching TV it is nearly impossible to escape seeing commercials and holiday movies that depict images of snow gently falling, families coming together with smiles and excitement, food overflowing on the tables, loved ones unwrapping the perfect gifts, sleigh rides through parks decorated with holiday lights, and communities gathered together singing carols.  I enjoy the sentiments that the movies are trying to depict, but if we begin thinking that this is what life is really like then we are bound to be disappointed.  For example, in my family we have wonderful holidays, but we have never gone on sleigh rides or participated in community caroling and, if I am being completely honest, the wonderful moments are also mixed with stressful times of trying to get everything ready or missing those who are unable to be there for the holiday.  If I were to compare my real holidays with that perfect image seen on TV I would inevitably be disappointed.  

So, what can you do to help with the holidays?

Don't expect the holidays to be perfect. They NEVER are.

Focus on what you have, not what you don't. Ignore the commercials where the husband surprises his wife with a brand new luxury car or a diamond ring. This only leaves you wondering, "What about me?" Remind yourself that it's not the stuff that makes the holidays important.

The holidays can bring back memories of loved ones that have passed away. Give yourself permission to grieve, and deal with the loss in your own way. If you want to cry, go ahead. If you want to remember your loved one in a special way, do it - light a candle, put together a scrapbook, decorate the grave stone with flowers, or whatever else you find comforting.

Feel whatever you are feeling.  Sometimes people talk about “holiday blues” or feeling depressed by the holiday stress and others might feel excited, generous or disappointed.  Try not to over-analyze how you are feeling and just experience it – acknowledge it and try to live in the moment no matter the feeling.

Holidays can bring a great deal of joy and holiday spirit and I hope you will embrace that when possible.  This is most evident each year as I watch our school come together each year to help families in need with the “Adopt a Child” campaign.  It is heart-warming to see our student body unite together to help other students and families.  Knowing that you are helping to brighten the holiday for families experiencing financial and emotional stress is one of the greatest gifts you can give and helping others is often the best way to help make you feel better too.

However, for some students it is hard to focus on trying to brighten the holiday for other families when you are worrying about what you will have for Thanksgiving dinner or how you will eat during winter break.  I hope I can suggest some resources that you (or maybe a friend of yours) could use.  

Below is a short list of places where you may be able to get help.

- One of the local churches, Worthington Presbyterian Church, is providing WKHS with all of the food for Thanksgiving meals so that we can distribute them to families in need.  If you need help with a Thanksgiving meal, please contact me ASAP so that I can try to see if I can arrange for a meal for you.

-  Community Cares Backpack Program:

     A group of dedicated, compassionate and incredibly thoughtful Worthington mom's do a variety of things to help our school community through the Activity Club.  One of those programs is to provide backpacks of food that students can take home with them over the weekend to add a little extra to their family's food supplies.  Every other week, we receive several backpacks that we can distribute.  If this resource is something that would be helpful for you, please let me know so that I can add you onto the list for future backpacks.  Please note that while this is provided by WKHS mom's, it is still confidential - they provide the backpacks to us and we distribute the bags to our students in need.

- Worthington Resource Pantry:www.worthingtonresourcepantry.org   614-985-1766

     Located at 6700 Huntley Rd., Columbus, OH 43229, the Worthington Resource Pantry provides families in our community with food and other resources of support.  Their hours are Mondays 10 - 2, Wednesdays 3 - 7, and the 3rd & 4th Saturdays of the month from 10 - 12.  

-  Dublin Food Pantry: www.dublinfoodpantry.org

     If you live in the 43016 zip code you could also utilize the Dublin Food Pantry.

-  Faith Mission: 

     If you are in need of a free meal, please join Faith Mission at the Community Kitchen (245 N. Grant Ave.) during the following times. Breakfast: Men – 6:30 – 7:15 (8:30 – 9:30 on weekends and holidays) Women and families – 7:30 – 8:15   Lunch: Women and families – 11:30 – 12:15 Men – 12:30 – 1:30   Dinner: Women and families – 5:30 – 6:15 Men – 6:45 – 7:45  See more at: http://www.lssnetworkofhope.org/faithmission/services/

-  Kroger Community Pantry:

     The Kroger Community Pantry is run in partnership with Mid-Ohio Food Bank.  The Kroger Community Pantry is located at 3960 Brookham Dr., Grove City.  Current hours are on Tuesdays from 12 – 5pm, Wednesdays from 4 – 7pm, Fridays from 9 – 2pm, and Saturdays from 9 – 1pm.  Please arrive at least 15 minutes prior to posted closing time.  Also, because the pantry relies on volunteers to remain open, the pantry may close earlier than posted times. Please call 614-317-9487 before you arrive to hear any changes to the schedule.  https://www.midohiofoodbank.org/get-help/

-  Hands On Central Ohio: http://handsoncentralohio.org    By phone: 211

     Hands on Central Ohio is an organization dedicated to connecting those in need with resources.  Information about Thanksgiving meals for those who need them can be found at: https://211centralohio.org/MatchList.aspx?k;;0;;N;0;573603;Thanksgiving%20Meals;Thanksgiving;Partial;570443 

      And they also have information about Christmas food and gifts that can be found at: https://211centralohio.org/KeywordList.aspx?;;0;;N;0;573604;Holiday;Partial

-  Regular Monthly Meals:

     You may already know this because we have this resource is available year-round and is featured on the WKHS Counselor website, but several local churches provide meals to anyone in the community needing assistance.  This page highlights where and when these meals are available to families in need. 

I am fully aware that all needs are not just related to food.  Here are a few resources if you have additional needs.

-  Charity Newsies   http://www.charitynewsies.com/getting-help/

     Charity Newsies is an organization that provides clothing to students in need.  A parent/ legal guardian needs to arrange for the clothing to be provided, but they can provide a complete set of clothing needs for each student that qualifies and needs it.

-  Salvation Army:  Food and Toys

     Perhaps you have seen the red kettles that appear each year - these donations are used to help provide food and gifts for families in need.  Information about their Christmas assistance program is available here: http://co.salvationarmy.org/CentralOhio/christmas-assistance

     Registration for assistance will take place this coming week (Week of November 13th) and the week after Thanksgiving (Week of November 27th).  Specific details about times and locations as well as required documentation are available on the Salvation Army's website.  Once families have registered for food and toy assistance, you will then go to the Ohio State Fairgrounds on December 19, 20, or 21st to receive your toys and holiday meal.  If you have questions, you can contact them at 614-358-2622.

-  2 Hands:  Specific Needs

     This online resource helps connect Ohio families in need with those who are willing and able to help.  Families indicate their specific needs on the website and then others volunteer to help meet those needs.  Information about this resource is available at: http://www.2hands.org/online-christmas-help/in-ohio.php

-  Single Parents Alliance of America

     I heard that this organization also had resources to help support individuals who qualify, but I will be honest, I am not sure what those resources include.  It is worth looking into though if you are a single parent to see if it might be of help.  http://www.spaoa.org/splash/?gclid=CPTnge_tg8kCFQktaQodF9sNpA

As always, please stop by and talk if you are having problems this holiday season. If you need food, clothing or just want to talk about some struggles you are having, my door is open for you. I hope you are able to relax and enjoy this holiday season.

Stressed

How are your stress levels?

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.

Heading into the holiday seasons can also create stress. 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, writing, drawing, reading, listening to music, running, coloring, playing sports, spending time with your pets, taking a walk, dancing, exercising, watching a funny movie, or helping someone less fortunate are all examples of some simple stress relievers that might be ideas you can consider utilizing. Remember, if you are needing someone to talk to about some additional strategies for learning to manage the stress in your life that I am always around and willing to listen!

Also, below are some articles related to stress that might interest you:

Stanford psychologist has a simple mental exercise for tackling student stress

How to be better at stress

5 little shifts that will make your “stressful” life 5 times easier

Stress in America: coping with change

Good Luck on Pre-ACT

Tomorrow many of my students will be taking the Pre-ACT test (practice test for the ACT) and I wanted to wish you all good luck!  I hope it will be a meaningful practice opportunity for you in preparation for when you take the actual ACT in the future.

If you are taking the Pre-ACT, you will report directly to the gymnasium when you arrive to school on Wednesday morning. You will need to bring your student id with you in order to check in. You will also need a number 2 pencil (no mechanical pencils allowed), a calculator, and I would recommend a watch. The test will begin promptly by 7:45 and you will finish testing at the start of 5th period.  (If you have lunch 4th period we will be sure you have time to eat and give you pass to go to 5th period.)

Good luck on the test!