Happy New Year!

I hope you have been having a wonderful and relaxing break.  As 2018 comes to a close, I hope you will look back with pride over your accomplishments from the past year and look forward to the future with hope and possibility. Tonight, as you are celebrating the new year, please remember to stay safe and be smart!

Merry Christmas

Merry Christmas to all of the Kilbourne students and families who are celebrating today!  I find myself thankful for the joy that this season brings.  Joy for the moments and memories spent with those with love most.  Joy for the people who are in my life - my family, my friends, and you - my students, who bless my life every day.  I am so grateful and blessed beyond measure.  I hope this day was filled with love and joy in your life too.

Winter Break

Congratulations on successfully finishing exams and the first semester!

I wish you the best during the holidays and hope that you enjoy time relaxing with your family.  If you are travelling, please stay safe. Also, I wanted to let you know that I will not be blogging much over break as this is a vacation for me too and I am heading out of town. :-) 

I'll be looking forward to hearing all about your holiday fun after we get back to school. Again, have a great and safe winter break!

Good Jobs

At Kilbourne we tend to spend a lot of time talking about college, but did you know that there are lots of good jobs available that don't require a college degree?  In fact, there are many opportunities available with some additional training that will allow students to further their education without going into a lot of debt and then make a significant income.

This can frequently be seen in apprenticeship programs.  In fact, according to the state, students who complete an apprenticeship program will earn an average income of $60,000.  I think that is pretty incredible.  If you are interested in learning more about apprenticeship programs in Ohio, check out this website.

Aditionally, the Georgetown University Center on Education and the Workforce has done research called the "Good Jobs Project."  You can check out their report and findings on this website.  Part of what I liked looking at in this report was how they had broken down three different educational pathways towards securing a good job - a high school diploma, middle skills, or a bachelor's degree.  Explore the website to see what jobs are strong nationally or in Ohio, consider what good jobs might spark your interest and the level of education and training required to be successful, and what industries and occupations have the good jobs available.

If you are thinking about your future career path and want to explore more options or get some clarity about what to major in for college based on where good jobs will be available when you graduate, then I hope you will spend some time looking at the research findings.

Test Anxiety

How was the first day of exams? Were you feeling anxious? Test Anxiety can be common for students - especially with exams since they have such a significant influence on your semester grades. The best strategy to prevent test anxiety is being prepared. It is much more likely that you will be anxious and struggle with feeling overwhelmed if you have not adequately studied and prepared for the test. Unfortunately, for some students, you can be well-prepared, but still struggle with anxiety.

The smart testing strategies that you'd use for any test such as getting a good night of sleep, eating breakfast, having all of your required materials (pen, pencil, calculator, scratch paper, etc), getting regular exercise, and giving yourself plenty of time to get to your test on time will also benefit you as a whole and in testing situations, but exams may mean that you are having more anxiety than usual.

There are a wide range of strategies you can use to help deal with anxiety:

- Research has indicated that spending several minutes before a test to write about your feelings will help decrease test anxiety and improve test scores. The University of Chicago researchers “believe worrying competes for computing power in the brain’s ‘working,’ or short-term memory.”

- Practice putting yourself in testing situations when studying. The more you get used to the experience and feelings of testing the less anxious you will feel when in the actual test.

- Just before the test, avoid talking about the test material with your friends. Chances are fixating on the test material and talking about it with your friends right before the test will only make you more anxious.

- Approach the test with a positive attitude. Don’t go into the test expecting the worst to happen. You can remind yourself that you have studied and know the material.

- Avoid distractions so that you can focus on the test and not on what other students are doing. Do not compare yourself with others and how they are doing on the test.

- Take a deep breath, relax, and do the best you can.
Don't forget - I am around (and so is Lexi) if you want try to decompress some from your feelings of anxiety.

Good luck in the next two days of exams!

Good Luck on Exams

I just wanted to wish all of you good luck on your exams tomorrow (and the rest of the week.) Good luck with your last minute studying, get a good night's sleep and then tomorrow, relax, eat a good breakfast, take a deep breath and do your best on each exam!  

Remember, you don't have to be THE best, as long as you do YOUR best!

As always, I will be anxious to hear how things go for you on your exams - so stop in, visit Lexi and say hi to share an update (and, of course, you can pick up a piece of candy too.) :-)

College Credit Plus - Save the Date

Save the Date!  

Students who are interested in participating in College Credit Plus or at least learing more about the options available to take college credits for free while you are in high school need to plan on attending the Academic Options night on Thursday, January 10th at 7pm in the WKHS Auditorium.

Yes, even if you attended the presentation last year, you still have to attend again this year if you plan to participate in CC+ next year.  It is a state requirement that you participate in this information session every year.

The evening presentation will explain all of the details of the College Credit Plus program and to provide you with the forms necessary.  This will be a joint meeting for all of the students and parents in Worthington.  (So please know that there will likely be a large crowd in the WKHS Auditorium!)  Every college in a 30 mile radius was invited to participate in the meeting.  

You need to see me if you are unable to attend this meeting as it is a state requirement that you attend one and there are other options being provided at local colleges which you can attend if you can't make it to the Worthington meeting.  Let me stress this again - this is a mandatory meeting for any students who want to participate in CC+ next year!

DACC and Exams

As you all know, exams will take place this week on Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.  In past years the DACC schedule and the exams up there were completed before our exams were done.  Unfortunately, this year that is not the case as DACC and WKHS are both finishing up this Friday.  This creates a challenge for some of our DACC students because you have exams at DACC and at WKHS happening at the same time.

At WKHS, the modified exam schedule to allow 2 hours for each exam works fine for Delaware Area Career Center seniors who are at WKHS in the mornings as you will have one exam at WKHS each morning which then frees you to finish your day as normally scheduled at DACC.  Unfortunately, juniors who are at WKHS in the afternoons have conflicting schedules.  Your 6th period exam at WKHS is scheduled for Thursday from 10 - 12 and, as you know, you don't get back from DACC until noon which means you miss that exam.  As a result, you should plan to communicate with your 6th period teacher.  Most of you will plan to take your exams during the make-up slot on Friday from 1-3.  The one note I will make to you is to make sure you arrange for your own transportation to be able to get home on Friday afternoon as busses will not run at 3.  The other note to be aware of is that WKHS will not be serving lunch on Friday which means you should plan to pack your lunch.  I know that the limitations related to transportation and the lack of lunch may make this challenging for some students to take exams on Friday afternoon which is why I strongly encourage you to talk to your teacher tomorrow.  Some students are going to work with their teachers to split their exams up over Wednesday and Thursday lunch periods.  Others are starting their exams in class on Monday and Tuesday.  And others are going to be able to take their exam on Friday afternoon so that they can just have their one exam per day and not have a conflict in timing.

I'm sorry that this isn't an easy or perfect situation.  If you have questions or problems, please come see me.

Holiday Stress

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 the 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.

If you are struggling with high stress levels heading into the holidays, please make time to stop and see me so that we can talk more about it!

Balance Hope & Expectations

Soon many students from across the country (and at WKHS) who applied to colleges under the Early Decision and Early Action plans will be receiving their admissions decisions. This can be both very stressful and very exciting so I wanted to remind you that it is important to find a balance between hopes and expectations. Not only is this important when you are waiting for your own admissions decisions, but it is also essential that you keep in mind that your friends are facing the same worries. While it is normal to be curious to find out if someone in your class was accepted to a particular college, please remember that it could be very hard for your friend to announce to everyone that they had not been accepted. As a general rule, allow your friends and classmates to inform you of their admissions decisions on their own. Trust me, if they receive acceptances they are going to share the good news in their own time.

Concordance Tables

As a school counselor I receive questions about the ACT and SAT tests all the time - which test should I take, do I *have* to take a test, how many times should I take a test, what does my score mean, what if I didn't score as high as I think I should have and how do you figure out how the scores compare to one another... and quite honestly the list goes on and on.

Today, let's talk for a second about the score comparisons. A lot of students took both the Pre-ACT and the PSAT or will attempt both the ACT and SAT and then consider which test to focus on preparing for in the future.  It's important to review the requirements for the schools you are considering and see what they are looking for and where you fall compared to their averages. Some students will want to take both tests and some will elect to focus on the test they did "better" on the first time through and try to improve that score.

But how do you know which test you did "better" on? Well, the ACT and SAT are different tests with different score structures, but you can see what scores would be most comprable by using the concordance tables. These tables can help students (and colleges) compare scores for students across the different tests. I'll be honest - these tables can seem a little confusing at first, but if you spend a little time looking at the information it will help you understand them. 

Try not to get stressed out about the college admissions tests... I know it can be frustrating, but remember it is only one piece to the puzzle that the colleges will be considering when evaluating students!

PSAT Results

CollegeBoard has announced that PSAT scores will be released beginning tomorrow. It sounds like  there will be a gradual release, but many of the scores will be accessible to students starting tomorrow.

The PSAT scores are being offered electronically.  This means that you will log into your CollegeBoard account to view and download your scores.  (Which is what you will do in the future when you take your SAT as well.)

You should receive an e-mail from CollegeBoard notifying you that your scores are accessible online sometime after tomorrow.  Even if you didn't receive an e-mail from CollegeBoard you can still access your scores.

Go to the CollegeBoard website and select the PSAT test you took - 9th graders should select "PSAT 8/9" and 10th and 11th graders should select "PSAT/ NMSQT and PSAT 10" from the choices across the top.  https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/ 

Once you are on the website in the middle of the page it will have an area for getting your scores.  If you already have an account, you can sign in using your username and password.  For many of you, you may not have an account yet so you will need to create one.  Next to the "Sign In" button there is a "Sign Up" spot - select that and then create your account.

After doing that you will be able to access your scores.

One of the best parts about the PSAT is that CollegeBoard has partnered with Khan Academy to use your scores to make a personalized practice plan.  This is a fantastic option and I strongly encourage you to use it.  If you have questions about this FREE option you can visit the Khan Academy website at: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat

For what it is worth, I remember that in the past it took some students and parents multiple attempts of accessing the website to be able to see the scores - for example some said that it said no scores were available, but after refreshing a few times the scores eventually showed up.  CollegeBoard was having some technical issues due to the high demand of people trying to view their scores.  Hopefully that won't be an issue this year, but I figured I would mention it in case you run into any problems.

Once you have your scores, you may be wondering what they mean.  The score sheets from both PSAT and Pre-ACT provide a wealth of information so it can take some time to digest it all, but if interested, please know that the counselor website can help give you additional information, tips and links to better understand your scores.   http://www.wkhscounselors.com/. 

Don't forget, these are just practice tests so they are giving you an indication of where you might expect to score on your college admissions tests and you can use your results to help guide you in preparing to achieve college readiness.

I hope your scores were what you were expecting (or perhaps even better).  If you have any questions don't hesitate to stop by and see me.

Graduation Points

All students have the goal of earning a certain number of graduation points in addition to passing designated classes to graduate.  Students will earn these points based on the End of Course exams that you have to take each year.

There are 7 tests that contribute to the total graduation points.  Every student will take tests in:
- English 1
- English 2
- Math 1
- Math 2
- Biology (current seniors took Physical Science and Biology and the higher score will be used)
- US History
- Government

Students must earn a total of 18 points in all of these tests.  This is complicated a bit in that 4 of the points must come from English, 4 points from Math, and 6 points from the Science and Social Studies areas.  This allows the other 4 points to come from any of the tests together.

Most juniors have taken 6 of the 7 tests - leaving just the Government test.  You can look up on Infinite Campus where you currently stand toward reaching your goal points.  Let me assure you, I am watching these points closely!  Most students don't need to worry about the points - and for those who have retaken a test, they have typically improved their scores.  So, I don't want you to stress or be anxious about these tests, but I do want you to do your best on every end of course test.  If you have not done well in the tests in the past and are short of the points you will need to achieve your goal points, then I do recommend that you take the test(s) again and see if you could improve your score.  (For example, some students have earned a 2 on a Math 1 test and a 1 on the Math 2 test resulting in a total of just 3 points for Math - this would be the perfect situation for the student to repeat the Math 2 test to try to earn 2 points as that would result in the student earning 4 points for Math as needed for graduation.)  I have been meeting with students and talking to parents if you or your son/ daughter needs to be retaking a test in December.

Additionally, please know that even if you are not able to reach the point goals on the End of Course assessments, there are still other options to successfully fulfill the testing requirement for graduation.  For example, students can achieve college readiness scores on the ACT or SAT exams.  Earning a certificate for specific in-demand careers and a designated score on the Work Keys test is also an option for completing this requirement.  

For current seniors, the state is working on additional alternate options to help you reach graduation by earning the state approved options if you are going to fall short of earning the End of Course graduation points or one of the alternatives that applies to students in all grades.  The Governor is expected to sign it into law this week and then it will take effect in 90 days.  I promise it is an option I am watching closely.

I don't tell you all of this to overwhelm you or to stress you out, but I just want to be sure that you are aware that there are options for graduation and we will work together to make sure that you WILL graduate!

As always, if you have any questions, please don't hesitate to stop in and let me know.

Students of the Month

On Friday morning 21 students were honored as December's Students of the Month! Students can only earn this recognition once during their high school career.  

A special congratulations to "my" students who were honored as Students of the Month!  They included (L to R): Connor Burke, Brigid Dix, Josh Carter, Lucy Brandt, Kyle Dillon, Harley Davidson, Tadrion Chapman, Blair Andrews, Sophie Baker and not pictured Katie Bartlett.

I am proud of you! Thank you for representing the best of Worthington Kilbourne High School.

Years in College

How long will it take you to make it through college? Most people automatically think to themselves "4 years" because most WKHS students are planning on attending 4-year colleges after graduation.

Unfortunately, graduating from college in 4 years is not always the reality. While a traditional college is a 4-year school, 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 college, 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?  Is it because their majors are typically 5 year majors to start with?  There are lots of possibilities and it is worth exploring.

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

Sports in College

Competing in sports during high school is such a huge part of many student's lives.  The hours of time that you dedicate to practice, the effort you put forth during games, and the friendships you have made through your involvement all combine together to make this one of the more significant areas of these four years.  It can be hard to imagine life without your sport, but the statistics are not great - most high school athletes do not continue on to compete in college at the varsity level. But please don't let that news frustrate you because you can always find a different level of involvement so that athletics can continue to be a part of your life.  For example, most colleges offer a variety of ways that students can meet their athletic goals such as through club and intramural options.

Club sports are often competitive and frequently include tryouts.  They frequently will compete against other colleges and travel in season.  It is less intense of a time commitment than varsity sports at the college level, but still a rigorous athletic commitment.

Intramural sports are more about having fun.  Depending on the college, there may be different levels of intensity available for you to choose from on intramurals or they may have just one level for the sport. In addition to different levels of competitiveness of the teams, they may have some options that will be guys only, girls only, or mixed participation so you will find a lot of different intramural options.  This provides a great way to meet new people and to even have fun doing sports you have never tried before (or sports that don't really exist like intertube water polo).

The biggest reminder that I have for you is that if you are sad because your seasons has come to an end and you are trying to imagine your life without sports, please remember that there are always ways to find opportunities to meet those needs in your life.  If, for some reason, your college doesn't have the sport you love, maybe you will find a new sport to enjoy.  Or you may start to explore what adult leagues may be available that you could join in the community.  For example, if you are a hockey player, you might not find hockey at your campus, but there are adult hockey leagues that you could join.  

That leads me to an important point that you may even be wondering how you will adjust to life without sports after college... and so, as I just mentioned you can pursue adult leagues in the community, but if sports are really important to you it is worth considering how you can take those skills and aspects that you love and tie them into your career choices.  For example, if you are a highly competitive person who loves working on a team toward achieving a common goal, then hopefully you will work to find a job that will allow you to work cooperatively towards common goals in a competitive environment.  If you are someone who needs the physical activity to burn off stress or to help you focus, then hopefully you will consider either a job that has physical variety or you will make working out a primary commitment in your daily life.

For now, if you are finding yourself struggling with the idea of being done with your competitive athletic career, always feel free to come and talk to me as I know that this is a big adjustment.

Senior Schedule Changes

Every year we have seniors come in asking to drop 2^nd semester classes from their schedules.  And every year when a senior approaches me with that request I encourage the student to stay in the class and if they really feel strongly that they want to make the change that they need to contact all of the colleges where they have applied to see if it will impact their admissions decision.  Students will frequently roll their eyes and think I am crazy for making that suggestion, but we consistently hear that message from colleges because it is so important.  This is from a college where many of our students apply and I am copying it for you just so you will realize that I'm not making this up:

Because strength of curriculum is an important factor in our decision, we require students to notify us if they plan to change their senior year course schedule.  Please ask them to include the following information in the email: their current spring schedule as it appears on their original application, the change they would like to make, and the reason(s) for the change.  We will review and respond to all requests as promptly as possible.  If the student has already been offered admission, the Admissions Committee may choose to reconsider that offer based on the change of schedule.  If a student has been notified that his or her decision is being deferred, any course changes will be considered when the final admission decision is made.

So, as you can see, making changes at the semester – especially if you are looking to drop a class – is NOT a decision you should take lightly.

If you are struggling with your academic load and NEED to make a change, please come see me so we can talk about the options, but again, I strongly encourage you to maintain a rigorous schedule throughout your entire senior year.

Exam Schedule

I keep talking about studying for exams and I'd like to point out that 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 19th:

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 20th:
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 21st:
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.

Ohio Means Jobs

The Ohio Means Jobs website features a student section to engage students in grades Kindergarten through 12^thgrade to start thinking about their careers.  

If you go to the Ohio Means Jobs website you can take a guided tour on the site.  I encourage you to create an account so that you can save your information and refer back to it in one place in the future.  For example, if you complete career interest inventories or other assessments, the information is all saved in your “backpack” on the site.  All of your information on the site is saved for you so if you started using the site when you were in elementary or middle school it will still be there for you to access and reference when you are in high school.

There are cool features on the site including the opportunity to create a budget including rent or house payment, grocery costs and utilities.  The site also helps you know if the job areas you have indicated that you are considering will be adequate enough to meet your budget.

The site allows you to find out which colleges in Ohio offer majors in your areas of interest.  So, for example, if you are interested in studying architecture, you can get a list of all of the colleges which offer architecture.

There are practice tests for ACT, SAT, Compass, ASVAB and AP tests along with areas to help with your current classes.

It is a fun site to get on and explore and can help spark areas that might interest you in your career exploration.

Also, as you are thinking about careers, I'd like to remind you that the Delaware Area Career Center is hosting an Open House Thursday night, December 6th, from 5-7pm.

Studying plus Cram & Cocoa

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.

Over the next 4 days all freshman students are invited to participate in "Cram and Cocoa" sessions during your lunch periods.  This study strategy session is being provided by the Link Leaders and will be a great opportunity for students to get a jump start on effectively preparing for exams. The feedback I have heard about these "Cram and Cocoa" sessions in past years is that they are incredibly helpful.  I sincerely hope you will take advantage of their willingness to help you prepare!

You (now) have just 11 school days of classes left 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.  

If you are struggling to find strategies to try out, I encourage you to visit the WKHS Counselor website as there are lots of examples listed.  You can also work with the Academic Assistant's in the Teaching and Learning Center (Room 209) as they have a wealth of knowledge and helpful tips for study strategies that can help you in their particular subject areas as well as studying overall.  And, last, but not least, you can also stop in and see me and I can help brainstorm proven ideas that you could try.

Happy Studying!

The Week Ahead

Tonight kicks off Hanukkah and so I'd like to wish all of our families celebrating the holiday of lights a very Happy Hanukkah.

Additionally, this week is also the start of End of Course testing for many of our students.  If you will be taking one or more tests this week - good luck!  Take your time and do your best - that is all you can ask of yourself.  Be confident in your knowledge and show all that you know.

I will be helping with testing at various times throughout the week so there may be chunks of time when I am not available due to supervising testing, but if you leave a pass for me, I will do my best to find you as soon as possible.

College Admissions Decisions

College admissions decisions are already starting to come in for some students. Every senior looks forward to receiving college acceptance letters. It is an exciting time and reassures you that there is more ahead. Depending upon the schools where you are applying, it is possible that you will hear back quickly or you may be waiting to hear about your status on if you have been accepted or not until sometime in March. I do ask that as you begin receiving your acceptance or, sadly, even rejection letters, to please keep me informed about the decisions. For the vast majority of the colleges, the only way I know about your admissions decision is if you share the information with me.

Remember, the only way to receive an acceptance letter is to actually APPLY to the college! (Just a friendly little reminder for those of you who are struggling to get your applications finished.)

Counselor Website

I mention the Kilbourne Counselor website often, but I still feel like it deserves to have a post all of it's own.  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.

Volunteering

Have you been donating your time toward community service?  Some students love finding opportunities to serve others and some have great intentions of wanting to help others, but struggle to find options for how they can get involved in meaningful ways.

As you begin applying to college and searching for scholarships there are many times that questions come up about what community service experiences you have had. And, even if not asked directly, if you had memorable experiences they can often be used to support your essay responses.

Your volunteer work doesn’t have to be a huge project or consist of thousands of hours of time – what is important is to get involved!  No matter what year you are, now is a great time to start working on volunteering – the experiences will help you in the long run.

Community service opportunities are as different as each individual who decides they want to help make a difference in the world around them. The sky is the limit and I encourage you to find something that inspires you.

Some volunteer ideas that could help get you started could include – community beautification projects (cleaning up parks or areas of the city), helping elderly neighbors, visiting nursing homes to perform music or talk with residents, homeless outreach, helping at the library, packing groceries for a food bank, assisting at the humane society or other animal shelters, wrapping and handing out gifts to those less fortunate, organizing and attending holiday parties for kids or the poor that would usually have nothing to celebrate, serving in a project for those who are disabled or ill (such as Make a Wish, A Kid Again, Adventures for Wish Kids, or the Special Olympics), fundraising or recruitment events, becoming the champion for a cause and helping with awareness (Diabetes, Cancer, Organ Donation), and the list literally goes on and on. Also, don’t forget that there are several co-curricular groups at WKHS that focus on community service such as Interact Club, REACH club, Project MORE and Wolves for Cubs and you are encouraged to look into those opportunities as well.  Also, if you are trying to volunteer during the school day at WKHS, don't forget that every semester we are looking for office workers to help out in the Counseling Center.

I am anxious to hear your community service stories and the ways you are working to make a difference!

Photos on Campus Visits

Over Thanksgiving break I spent time talking with my niece about making college visits.  I know that many of you are combining your holiday trips with visits to campuses.  If you are planning on making visits to a college campus, I encourage you to try to arrange with the admissions office the opportunity to participate in their information session and taking a formal tour.  Sometimes, especially during breaks, colleges will have limited availability for these sessions and tours.  As a result I encourage you to work on your visit plans early and try to register with the colleges so that you can make the most out of your experience on campus.  While you are at the college, I also want to ask you to please, take a picture of YOU somewhere on campus!  It doesn't have to be near a campus sign (although that is definitely a popular option).  I would like to have a copy of your campus visit photo - you can email it to me and I will print it out and post it on the "Oh the Places You'll Go" board during your senior year.

Countdown to Exams

The countdown is on... you have just 16 days of school left before semester exams begin. That means that you have 16 school days left in the 2nd quarter.  16 days to make sure your quarter grades are where they need to be prior to exams.  And yes, while I *know* some (or maybe all) of you don't want to hear this, with only 16 days left, it is also REALLY important that you start studying now for exams. 

Please take a critical look at where you stand in each of your classes and what you need to do to finish out the quarter and begin fully preparing 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.

Pre-ACT Scores Released

Your Pre-ACT scores are already back!  I know that many of you picked up your scores before Thanksgiving, but if you haven't had a chance to do so, please be sure to stop by the Counseling Center to pick them up.  You can pick up your score sheets during your lunch periods or before or after school from any of the secretaries at the front of the counseling center. 

One nice feature of the PreACT is that you will get your test booklet and the score summary written report.  You can use this information to help you determine what you did well on and what you want to improve on in the future.

Don't forget, these are just practice tests so they are giving you an indication of where you might expect to score on the actual ACT and you can use your results to help guide you in preparing to achieve college readiness.

I hope your scores were what you were expecting (or perhaps even better).  If you have any questions don't hesitate to stop by and see me.

Happy Thanksgiving

Happy Thanksgiving!  I have so much to be thankful for today and every day.  I hope you know that you are part of what I am grateful for and that I am thankful that you are in my life!  As I pause to give thanks I wanted to share a few of my Thanksgiving thankful thoughts with all of you.

I am thankful for:

- Lexi.  If you know me at all you know how thankful I am for the unconditional love, sweet morning snuggles, and crazy fun and laughter of playing keep away with her toys that she brings to my life each day.  She has filled a place in my heart that I didn't even realize was empty and she is pure, genuine love in action form with a wet nose and a wagging tail.
- My Family.  We are so lucky to be gathered together this holiday weekend.  Like my students who have divorced parents, my family will be splitting time between both of my parents homes for Thanksgiving.  (Which means lots of eating!)  I am particularly grateful for my niece Carly and my nephews Colton and Brady.  They always make me smile and I love being able to spend time with them.
- My mom's cooking.  Technically, I suppose this should still be under my family, but I was thinking about all the ways that my mom shows her love for us and her cooking is one example.  We are so spoiled - she takes care of the entire holiday meal each year and I love that we have the same Thanksgiving meal each year.  (Honestly, most years I don't even ask if she wants me to bring anything and this year I at least put out the offer - she just laughed and said no.  Thank God!)  :-)
-  My job.  I am so lucky to have a job that is rewarding, fulfilling, and that never gets boring.  No two days are alike and it is always exciting to see what will happen with each new day.
-  My students.  Let's be honest, the reason I love my job is because I have the best students!  I am so fortunate to be a part of your lives.  The fact that you choose to talk to me during difficult days and include me in your celebration on happy days means far more than you can imagine.  I consider it an honor to work with you and I learn so much from you.
-  The families of my students.  Not only do students welcome me into their lives, but many families do so as well.  The words of encouragement and appreciation you share mean a great deal to me.
- My friends.  I have many friends, but even more importantly are the small group that make up my "true friends" - those people who I can count on no matter what.  They bring such joy and love to my life.
-  My coworkers.  I am lucky to work with people who I consider friends.  They listen, support, encourage and believe in me.  I trust them without question and I am a better person and a better counselor because of them.  (Not to mention that they also love on, spoil, and help with Lexi at school every day too.)
-  My health.  I am aware of just how fortunate I am to be blessed with good health.  There are so many of my friends, students and their families that have been dealing with their own medical difficulties which helps me realize just how lucky I am to be healthy and reminds me that I shouldn’t take it for granted.
-  My former students.  There is no way that I can express how much it means to me when former students keep in touch.  E-mails, calls, text messages, or visits when they are home - each are priceless gifts to my heart.  I am so thankful that these students choose to stay in touch even though there is nothing that I can do for them anymore.
-  Generosity and compassion in action.  It is so inspiring to see acts of kindness, generosity and compassion being demonstrated in big or small ways.  I love seeing it directed toward those most in need and also appreciate the times when it has been shown to me as well.
-  Stability.  I am so fortunate to live a stable life.  I have a solid foundation of faith, food on my table, a roof over my head, the ability to take hot showers, and a warm bed to sleep in each night.  There are so many people in our world who pray for the things I tend to take for granted.
-  Freedom.  I am so blessed to live in this country and am thankful for all the men and women who have sacrificed so much to maintain our freedom.

It is a long list, but quite honestly, if I gave you more specifics this list would continue on and on because I am so blessed.  I hope that today you will find time to reflect on what you are grateful for this Thanksgiving.  And, if your life is feeling pretty rough and you don't have much to be thankful for, please know that you are in my prayers and that I hope things will improve.

Have a great day and a wonderful Thanksgiving!