Final Four Tonight

The Kilbourne Boys Lacrosse team won the regional championship last Friday night in an awesome win over Upper Arlington and that has earned them a spot in tonight's Final Four.

Their game is over in Dayton at 7pm tonight and hopefully they will have a good crowd of supporters to cheer them on to victory.

10 of the athletes on the varsity team are "my" students.  A special good luck to (Front left to right): Alec Bickell, Aidan Cameron, and Jacob Fisher (Back left to right): Eric Campbell, Adam Clay, Nick Clay, Sam Biglin, Jack Ellis, Max Anderson, and Will Alban.  I am so proud of how hard you have worked all season!

Best wishes and lots of luck to the entire Kilbourne Boys Lacrosse team tonight!

Diploma Presenter

Have I told you lately about the fact that I believe I have the best job in the world?  How many people are lucky enough to have a job where they get to go to work every day and be surrounded by some of the most incredible people?  And yes, of course, my colleagues are great, but I am referring to my students.

My students are each unique and different.  They have successes and struggles, talents and challenges, and courage beyond measure.  I am so thankful that they allow me to be a part of their lives.  Every day I get to learn from them - how I want to treat others, how I want to be treated, how to push on through difficulties, the power of positivity, the strength that develops from facing heartbreaking experiences, and forever the reminder that there is beauty in brokenness.  I can even admit that some of my students are the people I look up to and admire the most.

It is because of how much respect and appreciation that I have for "my kids" that I can share that one of the most heart-warming experiences I had the honor of participating in this year was to present diplomas to 10 of my seniors.  In case you're not aware, at Kilbourne, we have the tradition where every senior is allowed the option of picking any adult who has been a part of their Worthington educational career (teacher, coach, counselor, etc.) to present them with their diploma.  And of all of the people they could have chosen TEN of them selected me!  And here is the thing - this was incredibly meaningful and rewarding to me, but not because I was the one they selected, but rather because it meant that I got to be a part of their graduation day!  Here is the day that marks their transition away from Kilbourne and on to bigger and better things ahead and I was able to be a part of that moment with 10 of my students!  How incredible!  There is nothing better than being able to lock eyes and share in the pride with a graduate just as their name is about to be called and then to give them a big hug of congratulations before handing them their diploma.

Now, I will admit - one of the downsides is that I selfishly and desperately wanted to have a picture of all 10 of my diploma kids together to frame on my wall in my office.  Unfortunately, every plan to get a group picture ended up falling short.  And believe me... I tried!  (Part of me is still stunned that I wasn't able to pull off the group photo with how much effort the students and I all put in to try to make it a reality.)

And this is a little bit of a funny picture which is still meaningful because the 10 kids knew how badly I wanted the group picture and how miserably I was failing at that goal... so Sam and Jason suggested I take a picture of the 2 of them just in case I couldn't get the rest and they were actually really sweet and made me feel loved in their efforts.  So, in appreciation, I wanted to share that picture.  Thanks guys for being so kind.

After graduation I did end up being able to get a picture of 6 out of the 10 students which truly felt miraculous as it is chaos following the commencement ceremony.  Pictured Left to Right: Tre', Camryn, Jason, Ava, Sam, and Quentin.

And then I tried to get the other 4 kids to come back to school for a group photo on Friday and they all agreed, but then something came up and Mackenzie wasn't able to make it at the last second, but pictured left to right are: Alec, Deane, and David.

To my diploma kids (in alphabetical order) - Quentin Bartram, Mackenzie Bell, Alec Bickell, Sam Biglin, David Boord, Jason Bowen, Ava Burson, Tre' Caesar, Camryn Eagle, and Deane Elliott: Thank you so much for being such a special part of my life.  You have touched my heart in ways that you cannot even begin to imagine.  It has been my joy and my pleasure to be able to watch as you achieved so many goals over the last 4 years.  From achieving success in the classroom or athletic fields/ pool/ ice to applying to college and planning out your futures, I got to be a witness to some of your biggest fears and brightest moments.  Please know that I didn't take any of your experiences which you shared with me for granted.  I appreciate your positivity, kindness, compassion and love for those around you.  I respect your courage, strength, and ability to overcome struggles and disappointments.  I am thankful for the ways you have impacted my life and I cannot wait to see all of the amazing things that are ahead for each of you!  Always know that I believe in you, you are important to me, and I will continue to be here if you ever need me.  Congratulations and thank you, once again, for allowing me to share in your graduation day!

I'm still not completely sure how I got lucky enough to be able to work with kids who touched my life in such a big way that it makes me both sad for me and excited for them to watch them all leave.  It makes me think of the Winnie the Pooh quote, "How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye so hard."  I am incredibly lucky and will forever be thankful that these 10 seniors as well as the rest of their senior class were a part of my life.  I know that bright days are ahead for you and in Worthington they talk often about helping students grow so that they can change the world... please let me assure you - you have already changed my world.  Congratulations and Best Wishes as you continue to spread your impact in the future!

Summer is Here

Wow, it doesn't seem possible, but we have reached the end of another successful school year. I am sure that you are all breathing a sigh of relief that exams are over and summer has finally started.  Congratulations on making it through the year!  I hope you have a wonderful, safe and relaxing summer... without feeling bored.  :-)

Lexi and Exams

1 more day of exams!!  Are you excited that you just have 2 exams remaining in your year?  Most students have seemed to say that exams haven't been as bad as they had expected which is always encouraging news to me.

Do you know who is NOT excited that there is just 1 day of school remaining?  Lexi.  She is NOT ready for summer and NOT ready for everyone to leave her.  In fact, this week has been quiet in the counseling center except for the breaks and lunch period and she has been acting so sad.  It is kind of comical to watch and lots of the staff who have been around have noticed.  When the door of the counseling center opens she goes running thinking it might be a student there to see her.

So tomorrow, with very little break time between your exams and then everyone leaving for the summer, I anticipate Lexi will be very sad to see you all go, but we will be at the doors so that she can see as many people as possible to say goodbye and get one last "belly rub" before you all leave.  But if you do have a few extra moments or are stressing with your exams, please stop by and see Lexi... and me too of course.

2 days remaining

It is hard to believe that you have just 2 days remaining in the school year! Granted, you still have several exams to wrap up, but the end is definitely within reach. :-)  Don't get me wrong, I am as ready for summer break as anyone else, but it really feels as if we were just starting the school year and all of you were coming into my office to request changes to your schedule. (Perhaps that has something to do with the fact that my office seems to be a revolving door with people coming in to request changes to next year's schedule.) 

Getting schedules to work is a more daunting task than most would suspect and we do our best to meet all of your needs, but please be reasonable and realistic. It isn't always possible to get the "perfect" schedule and yet we are doing the best we can to get you into the classes that you selected in February.  If you have realized that you no longer want to take a class that you had previously registered for or if you and your parents have determined that you should be taking a different level of a course (honors instead of regular or vice versa), please stop to see me during lunch or a non-exam block in your day or at the very least send me an email with your requests and I will do the best I can to make your requested adjustments.

I hope your 1st day of exams went well - good luck tomorrow on your 1st, 6th, and 7th period exams!

Congratulations Graduates

I love graduation day! It is a celebration of all that you have accomplished - not only in high school, but really from your very first day of Kindergarten. There is such joy and excitement seeing all of you in your caps and gowns. I love to watch as you march in and try to search for your families in the stands and then, of course, watching when you receive your diplomas and are officially high school graduates. There are just so many reasons to smile!

It's funny - leading up to graduation I talked to lots of parents and kids about graduation day and many talk about anticipating that the day will be so sad and emotional with lots of tears, but that isn't how I have ever found the day to be - and today was no exception.  Of course, there is sadness underneath it all of thinking I will rarely to never see you all again and today there were even justifable tears as a student and I hugged and I was able to tell her how proud her mom is of her as she watched today from heaven.  But most of all - it was pride, joy, excitement and anticipation.  You worked so hard for today and it was worth it!  I hope you enjoyed the celebration and I hope you will always be proud to say that you are an alumni of Worthington Kilbourne High School!

I tried to get pictures of some of my kids, but it was a very chaotic day for me so as much as I wish I would have been able to I wasn't able to get everyone.

And, of course, I can't do a blog post about today's graduation festivities without also recognizing one of the newest inductees into the WKHS Hall of Fame - David Boord!!!  Congratulations David!  You are so deserving of this recognition and I am incredibly proud to know you and thankful that you have been a part of my life over the last 4 years.  You are already making such a difference in our world and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for you.




Underclassmen - 3 more days!  2nd, 5th, and 8th period exams are up tomorrow.  Hopefully you studied and are feeling prepared!

Graduation Reminders

Tomorrow we will be at the Battelle Grand in the Greater Columbus Convention Center for commencement.  If you didn't give your parents the information sheet that was distributed at yesterday's practice, please make sure you find it and hand it to them.

One of the most important details that seniors need to remember to pass along to their parents after the rehearsal is which side of the stage you will be on at the commencement ceremony. As a general rule, assuming you are one of my students, you will be on "Stage Right" which means that if you are standing on the stage you are on the right side or, put another way, looking at the stage you will be on the left side. This is the side where you will march into the Battelle Grand and around until you reach your seat on that half of the center aisle as well as the side where you will go up the stairs to receive your diplomas. Trust me, your parents will not be happy if they end up being on the "wrong" side and don't have a good view of your special day.

Don't forget that you need to dress up beneath your cap and gown and that you should be sure that you bring your cap and gown with you to the ceremony.  You need to be there around 11:00 to check in.  Check in and staging will take place the Ballroom.

For what it is worth, don't forget to iron your gown - especially if you are just taking it out of the package today.

Perhaps the best recommendation that I can give to you and your families is to pick a place where you will meet up.  I realize that most of you haven't been to the site of the ceremony, but after the ceremony you will want to meet with your family and friends for photos and to celebrate. I can assure you that in years past the most chaotic (worst) place to be as soon as the ceremony is over is anywhere near the bottom of the escalator because everyone who attended the graduation ceremony will be trying to leave and coming off the escalator to try to find and meet up with their families and friends.  

It is going to be a great day and I cannot wait to see all of you enjoying and celebrating your accomplishments of the last 4 years at WKHS.  Congratulations, I am proud of you!

Baccalaureate Service

Graduation weekend kicks off each year with the Baccalaureate service. Held annually at a local church, this activity is sponsored by the Activity Club and celebrates the accomplishments of the WKHS seniors, honors the impact they have left on the school and community, and wishes the seniors luck as they move on in life toward the exciting activities and adventures ahead. 

Tonight’s program featured many of my talented students.  Sam Biglin, Maggie Crozier and Kennedy Dauphin were on the planning committee along with Ellen Baxter (mom to Sarah) and Amy Ellis (mom to Jack). Maggie Crozier performed the guitar prelude as the ceremony got started. Kennedy Dauphin was one of the individuals who helped with introductions throughout the event and she along with Jacquie Barney were recipients of the Activity Club Scholarships.  And several other of my students shared their beautiful voices including senior Dylan Buford.  Mackenzie Bennett, Sami Biglin, David Boord, Chase Brown, Brayden Carter, Ranyah Chahine, Maggie Crozier, and Olivia Durbin were recognized for their service this year as Wolves for Cubs mentors.  And, Pete Crozier (dad to Maggie) provided the closing to the ceremony.  I particularly loved seeing all of your baby pictures alongside your senior pictures!  You have grown into incredible young men and ladies... and you sure were cute babies/ little kids!  :-)

Final Day for Seniors

Dear Seniors,

Today was your LAST day of high school!  Wow, it truly does not seem possible.  Recently I have been reflectng back with students and it is funny how easy it is for many of you to remember starting high school on the first day, but also the way in which the memories of starting school in Worthington many years ago is still vivid for you.  I am so thankful that I had the opportunity to walk through the last 4 years of your high school career by your side.

You are incredible!  Your class holds a very special place in my heart and I can say, without a doubt, that YOU INSPIRE ME!  I am proud of you for the people you are and the way you live your lives.

I have so many cherished memories with students in your class.  I loved watching you compete in sports, performing in plays and musical concerts, excelling in the classroom, or leading in service outreach efforts.  But, of course, it is often the 1:1 time in my office where you opened your hearts and your lives to me that stands out to me the most!  Together we have shared in both laughter and tears.  I have stood in awe of your strength and marveled at your ability to bend without breaking.  But no matter how tough a day might be, I think I have had more sweet gifts of kindness in words and actions from your class than most any other - and it's the simple things like the hugs, the high-fives, the I love you's or the thank you's, or watching as you'd pet and cuddle with Lexi which reverberate most in my mind.

Your ability to remain strong when faced with challenges, to approach each day with kindness and love even when you might be hurting inside and the way you strive to embrace each moment sets you apart in my eyes.  Your class is filled with intelligent, hard working, compassionate, courageous, dedicated, engaging, and talented individuals.  You have made a difference in big and small ways and built friendships and memories throughout the journey, but let there be no doubt - the BEST IS YET TO COME!  You are young men and women who are changing the world!  I can assure you that you have certainly changed my life!

As you leave Kilbourne behind I hope you will know that you take with you a piece of my heart.  I am so grateful for you.  And even though after this weekend you will no longer be my student, please know that I will always be behind you - believing in you, caring about you, and cheering you on with each new accomplishment you achieve in your lives!

Congratulations!

With Love and Gratitude, Miss Abbott


Also, don't forget that tomorrow morning is graduation rehearsal which is at WKHS starting at 10am.  You will be done around noon.  Don't forget, this is a mandatory requirement for all seniors who plan on attending the commencement ceremony.  I'll be honest, it is a long and rather boring time - not at all like the excitement you will have during the actual ceremony on Sunday! The rehearsal is very important though and it will be worth it when everything goes well during the actual commencement ceremony.

Senior Project

Senior Project is a unique opportunity for Kilbourne students.  Seniors who elect to participate in senior project spend the 4 weeks of their high school career out shadowing and assisting at various career sites.  15 of the 46 students who took advantage of the chance to learn about careers for the last few weeks were "my" students.  They selected a wide range of range of career fields such as in education, healthcare, law enforcement, real estate, religious organizations, communications, engineering and working with planes. 

Senior project allows students the chance to learn more about what a career involves.  This up-close, in depth look at what a job really entails enabled the students to decide if this specific career is what they'd like to pursue in the future.  In talking with the students today some felt that this experience solidified their future plans and others felt it was valuable because it helped them realize that this was not the job they wanted to pursue for the rest of their lives - valuable information either way. It sounded as if they all had meaningful and informative experiences during the month as they spent time in a career field of interest.

My students who participated in senior project included: Mackenzie Bell, David Boord, Jason Bowen, Dylan Buford, Ava Burson, Tre' Caesar, Ranyah Chahine, Leah Coen, Tania Craig, Maggie Crozier, Kennedy Dauphin, Audrey Douglass, Olivia Durbin, Deane Elliott, and Michael Fischer.

 Congratulations and Great Job on your Senior Projects!

Awesome Volunteer Opportunity

I wanted to share with you a great volunteer opportunity for this summer.  The Down Syndrome Association of Central Ohio sponsors a week long camp called iCanBike that provides differently abled campers a safe, supportive and fun opportunity to learn to ride a two wheeled bicycle.  The camp will be held at Worthington Kilbourne High School from June 4th through June 8th.  

Volunteers must be at least 15 years old and physically able to walk or run alongside the participant as they master the skill of riding a bike.  Volunteers will be partnered with a single camper and you will work together for the week for 75 minutes each day.  There are sessions spread throughout the day to match everyone's schedule availability.  There will be a mandatory training session on Sunday, June 3rd at 5:00pm.  

Students who have volunteered for this camp in the past have shared how fun and rewarding this experience had been for them as well as for the campers who were learning to ride their bikes.  Anyone interested in learning more or registering to be a volunteer should go to http://dsaco.net/event/icanbike/

Senior Recognition Night

Senior Recognition Night was last Thursday and provided a special evening to celebrate your accomplishments.  It is a time when graduating seniors are honored for the contributions and awards they have received over the last four years of high school.  In addition, tonight also celebrated the incredible scholarships that the seniors have been awarded - nearly 8 million dollars worth!

There were 191 students recognized as a part of Senior Recognition Night.  About two-thirds of my students were honored during the evening and I loved being able to watch all of you walk across the stage to receive the recognition you deserve for your accomplishments.  It was incredible to sit back and reflect on how impressive each of you already are and to consider the bright futures which are ahead of you.  

As you can imagine, with so many students being honored, it was impossible for me to get the entire group of "my students" together for a picture, but I absolutely LOVED that you all are used to me enough to know that I want pictures for this blog and that so many of you helped to gather everyone available to join together for this picture.  In all sincerity, thank you!  I know that I pulled many of you from other conversations and time with family and friends to grab the picture, but it means so much to me! 

(Front to back/ left to right): Dylan Buford, Tania Craig, Ranyah Chahine, Kennedy Dauphin, Charles Costello, Maggie Crozier, David Boord, Jason Bowen, Ava Burson, Mackenzie Bennett, Chase Brown, Sam Biglin and Quentin Bartram.  

Deane Elliott (Left) and Alec Bickell (Right) missed out on the group picture, but were kind enough to pause for a quick photo.

I am impressed by all that you have achieved over the last four years and I was grateful to be able to participate in your evening of well-deserved recognition!  Congratulations to everyone honored during Senior Recognition Night! 

Exams Approaching Quickly

This week (Wednesday and Thursday) the seniors will complete their final exams. Seniors will be on a regular bell schedule along with the rest of the school, so your teachers will likely be splitting lengthy exams over two days.

For underclassmen, you have just 5 days of class remaining before your final exams. As with semester exams, these exams will be done in blocks. The final exam schedule is below for your reference.

I know that the stress of having 20% of your grade in one test combined with the anticipation with finally being done with another school year can seem overwhelming. Remember, the time you spend studying now will determine how well you do on your exam, so please take the time to study!

Monday:

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

Tuesday:

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

Wednesday:

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 Exam Make Up Period

I would also like to wish a very Happy Mother's Day to all of the WKHS moms!  I hope your sons/ daughters expressed their appreciation for all the big and little things that you do to help them, but never doubt that you ARE making a difference in their lives each and every day!  Thank you for allowing me to share in your children's lives as well!

Socratic Society & Arts in Action

I love all of the ways we celebrate students at WKHS.  A week ago we were able to induct more students into the Socratic Society and to honor the artistic contributions of our students.

Socratic Society:

Staff members are given the opportunity to recognize students for excellence in one or more of the core Socratic values of Scholarship, Integrity, Personal Effort, Compassion, or Lifelong Learning. Students are only eligible to be selected for this honor one time during their high school career.

A special congratulations to "my" students who were among those recognized this month! Zach Bailey, Jakob Binns, Joclyn Blake, Tori Blake, Josh Blankenship, Josh Bowen, Connor Burke, Emily Cline, Jack Corcoran, Ryan Cox, Cole Dyer, Margaret Dyer, Ben Eisel and Sandro Mikelashvilli.  I am proud of you all!

Arts in Action:

Arts in Action is always a fun day for WKHS students.  I hear you all talk about it in much the same way as elementary school kids talk about their end of the year field day fun.  And while it is meant to be fun, it is also a special way to showcase the many talents of the WKHS artists.  Kilbourne is certainly blessed with some amazing artists!  And I appreciate the fact that on Arts in Action day all the various art forms are celebrated and honored.  Throughout the day I was able to capture a few pictures of my students and our staff.

I am so impressed by all of your talents and I hope all of you - those who participated in or were recognized with artwork on display during Arts in Action and those who were inducted into the Socratic Society - know that YOU MAKE A DIFFERENCE at WKHS!  Thank you for your positive contributions that make our school and community a better place!

Senior Details

For seniors, everything is winding down.  You have just 6 days of high school remaining!

* Finish strong: If you are not doing well in your classes, please make sure you do everything that you need to do to pass your classes with the highest grades possible. Above all, please make sure that you pass all of your classes that are requirements for graduation!  If you are struggling I need for you to talk to your teachers and to me asap.

* Final Transcript: When you graduate from WKHS and move on to college the college will want a copy of your final transcript showing your 2nd semester grades and the fact that you did graduate. As is always the case we cannot release your records without your express written permission. We are covering the fee for this for you, but you need to make sure that the information you turned in on the mandatory graduation/ final transcript form is accurate.  If you are one of my students who has changed their mind (and I know this has happened for a few), please make sure that you update our form regarding the college who should be receiving a copy of your transcript.

* Fees/ Fines: Some students still have outstanding fees and fines that you owe to the school. It may be a very small fee for an overdue library book or it could be a much larger fee for a lost textbook, but either way, please make sure that all of your debt is paid in the next week so that you will be able to participate in the commencement ceremony.

* Textbook/ Library Book Returns: You will need to turn in all of your textbooks as well as any library books that you still have. The book room will be open for you to return your textbooks after you have finished with your exams and are done with your books.

* Submit your Commencement Agreement: If you have not turned in your commencement agreement form, you need to make sure that you get that turned in.  It requires both your signature and the signature of your parent.  Completed forms should be turned in to the co-curricular office.

* Make sure you turned in everything else: In addition to paying your fees and submitting your commencement agreement, please double check to make sure you have submitted the other items that will help make your senior year memories special.  There are a few of you who haven't submitted your diploma presenter request forms yet and many who haven't turned in their senior pictures for the yearbook or your baby pictures for the baccalaureate celebration.  Do these things right away so that you are not left out!

* Scholarship Thank You's: If you received a scholarship, don't forget the importance of writing a thank you note to the individual, group or organization who is providing you with the scholarship.

* Stop by and see me: Selfishly, I would like to also add this to your list as I would love to have a few more minutes with you while you are still in high school. And, I haven't received many senior pictures this year, so please know that I would still love to have one! :-)

AP/ IB Classes Summer Assignments

A few days ago I mentioned the fact that students are currently taking AP and IB tests.  Even more students are planning AP and IB classes for next year and so I wanted to remind you that many of those classes will have summer assignments.  AP/ IB teachers have been working hard to prepare meaningful learning opportunities to help you get a jump start during the summer months.  Please pay close attention to the announcements each day because there will be meetings before/ after school for students to meet with the teachers for next year, to learn about the summer requirements and expectations, and to understand what you will need to do if you have questions or need support. 

It is also important that all students are aware that there is a drop deadline of June 15th for all AP and IB courses.  Prior to June 15th students can drop the classes without penalty.  After June 15th the summer assignments are still required and the grades for the summer work will be transferred into the new class that you will transferring into for next year instead of your intended class.  So, it is important not only that you know what you will need to do, but also to start working on the assignments - at least enough to make sure you feel confident that you are going to enjoy the course - so that you will know by June 15th if you feel you are going to need to change out of that class.

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is national Teacher Appreciation Week!  WKHS is blessed to have a staff of incredible teachers who are committed to their student's success - not only in the classroom, but also in life.  I can think of so many examples of teachers going the extra mile to help students.  They are often found: spending time before or after school reviewing material with students, cheering on kids at concerts and games, responding to e-mails and text messages on evenings and weekends to clarify questions, developing exciting and engaging learning experiences, writing beautiful recommendation letters, listening to a student who needs to talk after a bad day, and countless other examples that make an impact in ways big and small.

Looking back at my own life I remain grateful for the teachers I had - for what they taught me, the care that they showed, and the impact they had on my life.  I remember those who gave us challenging assignments that pushed me and still impact how I look at life today.  I remember the teachers who believed in me and helped me to develop the confidence to chase after my dreams.  I'll be honest - I don't remember all of my teachers.  But I suspect that there are other students who fondly remember those teachers who I can barely recall.  I think that is the beauty of education - hopefully every student has at least 1 teacher who they feel believes in and cares about them and a teacher who holds them accountable and pushes them to learn and grow.

As someone who now works in education I can tell you that, at least for me, there are days when I wonder if anything I do or say is making a difference.  And then I am given the gift of encouragement and gratitude - often in the most unexpected of ways - by a student (current or past) or a parent.  Just in the last few weeks I have had so many of these amazing moments of kindness.  Several former students have reached out to ask me to meet for lunch or dinner.  I talked to a former student who is now a coach and I was complimenting him on how much I loved watching him coach even though I can still vividly remember him being the one out on the field like his athletes are today.  And then during our conversation he expressed appreciation for what I did for him back in high school - which, to be honest, was not much - but he knew that he was cared about and that he still knew that today made me so happy.  I received an invitation to go to the wedding of a student who graduated 10 years ago.  I have been given the opportunity to present diplomas to an incredible group of graduating seniors.  A current student thanked me for helping to make a difference in his life, another expressed gratitude for writing a rec letter for him, and still others have given me pictures so that I can proudly hang them in my office.  Parents have sent encouraging messages, delivered sweet treats and the PTO is even doing something for the staff all week.  I share all of this because that encouragement means the world to me and is something I will never forget!  

I suspect that you all have some teacher that has made a difference in your life.  I don't know which Kilbourne (or even elementary or middle school) teachers stand out to you most as being the ones who challenge you to be YOUR best every day, but I hope you will consider taking time this week to say thanks to at least one of the teachers at Kilbourne who has made a positive impact on your life.  You never know - maybe your kind words to them will be exactly the encouragement they needed today and will also stay with them for years to come. 

AP and IB Exams

Over the next two weeks many WKHS students will be taking Advanced Placement and IB Exams. The AP and IB exams are held on designated days and will be in designated locations throughout WKHS.  I know that many of you have been spending an extraordinary amount of time studying to prepare for the exams. Good Luck!  You will do great!  Remember, you have spent the whole year learning all of the content that you need to know in order to take the tests to hopefully earn the college credit. Stop by sometime and let me know how you felt after the tests.

Prom

Tonight is prom night for WKHS juniors and seniors. This is an exciting and memorable night for students and I hope you have a great evening. Let's be honest, I also hope that it is a safe evening! You want prom to be memorable because it was a positive experience... 

Hopefully you have finalized all of your plans and are looking forward to a great night both at prom and at After-Hours. I am looking forward to being a chaperone at prom again this year because I love seeing "my" students dressed up and enjoying themselves. It should be fun!  Please be sure to stop by and say hi to me so that I get to see you in your tuxes and dresses.

One last reminder about safety - please remember that just because it is prom night that does NOT give you the excuse to make choices that you know are not wise.  Take the time to talk with your parents before you leave tonight about what you will do if you end up in an unexpected situation and need help. If, for any reason, you need help tonight while at prom - you know that you can find me. Have a good time - and please, be smart and stay safe!

Spring Cleaning

Another school year is winding down (but it is not over so you still need to apply yourself fully) and the spring weather and upcoming exams are two likely reasons that you may decide to do some "spring cleaning" of your school materials. As you go through your bookbags and homework/ study areas there are a few things to keep in mind. Does your system work for you? Are you able to find everything you want and need without having to search? Do you spend more time organizing and looking for the piece of paper that you know has the answer than you do actually completing the project or assignment? Do you know what you want or need to save for the future? And yes, I am talking about more than just digging out of your room just in case your parents decide to convert your room into a guest bedroom after you go to college... :-)

Keeping your notes organized and any study guides, equation summary sheets, as well as old tests and quizzes in a way that will allow you to pull upon that information in the future is very important. I can tell you that from my experience in college, if I had not saved my notes from calculus in high school then there is no way that I would have passed that class in college! Your notes can often be the most useful resource (assuming you take good notes each day) because you are re-writing the main topics in your own words and organizing the information in a manner that makes sense to you. Old study guides, tests and quizzes are all very useful when trying to study for an upcoming exam.

So, take a little time now to prepare for your upcoming final exams and (for the seniors) for college when you might want or need this information by getting organized today. If you need help with talking about some better strategies for organizing your materials, feel free to stop in and we can talk about some different ideas to see if one of them sounds like it could work for you.

College Credit Plus Reminders

Hopefully everyone who will be taking a College Credit Plus (CC+) course next year attended the meeting yesterday, but if you missed it, please be sure that you have applied to your intended college(s), submitted qualifying test scores, and completed your course registration form(s).  There is information on the Counselor Website with links to all of the forms.  Please visit www.wkhscounselors.com to see the reminder of the steps you are supposed to complete for each college and which classes are being offered through which college.

Applications are due to both CSCC and COTC by this Friday, May 4th.  Registration consent forms are due back by next Friday, May 11th.

The one aspect which tends to confuse many students is submitting your qualifying test scores to place you into a class.

If you are taking classes through COTC you will need English and Math scores.  You can use ACT or SAT scores or they will be at WKHS on May 17th for you to test during your lunch period.  If you are unable to test on the 17th you can go to any COTC testing location in order to test.

If you are taking classes through CSCC you must submit qualifying English and Reading scores.  You can either submit ACT or SAT scores or you need to take the placement tests.  Here is the summary of what you will need to know/ scores you will need to achieve for CSCC:

- If you were already taking CSCC classes last year then you have met the qualifying scores and do not need to do anything else.

- If you took the ACT and earned an 18 on the English section and a 22 on the Reading section then you have met the benchmark standards required.  Submit the scores from ACT's website to CSCC.

- If you took the SAT and earned a 490 on the Evidenced-Based Reading and Writing section then you have met the benchmark standards required.  Submit your scores from SAT's website to CSCC.

- If you have not taken the ACT or SAT yet or do not have the qualifying scores, then you will need to take the Placement Tests at Columbus State.

You can take the test at any of the CSCC testing branches. (Delaware, Dublin, Westerville, or Downtown)

You will need to take the reading and writing placement tests.  This usually takes about 2 hours to complete (approximately 1 hour per test).

You will need to achieve the CSCC designated scores in order to reach the level required to take the CC+ classes.  You will need to earn a Reading Test score of 80 and a Writing Test score of 5.

Please note that you will need to have your Cougar ID number in order to test.  I strongly suggest that you visit the CSCC website (search testing on their site and it will take you to the right page) to review the information about what to expect on the placement tests so that you do as well as possible on your first attempt. It is possible to retake the placement test once if needed. 

The deadline to submit scores and/or complete your placement testing is suggested by May 23rd, but students have until July 1st to meet the CSCC requirements and submit scores directly to CSCC.

With so many students taking CC+ classes, I cannot stress enough how critical it is that you take care of these testing requirements so that you are able to take your intended classes next year!  If you have testing questions, please check the college testing pages and if you still aren't sure, feel free to let me know.