College Admissions Tests

Juniors, now that you have received your scores back from the school administration of the ACT it is time to come up with a plan for what comes next.  

Some of you may be perfectly content with your scores and not need to do anything else, but for many of you, I know that you are focused on improving your scores.  Statistically, many students are able to improve their scores when they repeat the tests because you are now familiar with the pace required to complete each section and what to expect from the tests.   As a result, I encourage you to consider signing up to take another college admission test this spring or summer.  You can take either the ACT or the SAT (or both).  Don't forget, while there are some test dates in the fall, it can be tough to get the tests completed before the earliest application deadlines.

Here are the upcoming test dates and the regular registration deadlines:

- June 1 SAT: Register by May 3rd

- June 8 ACT: Register by May 3rd

- July 13 ACT: Register by June 14th

- August 24 SAT: Register by July 26th

To register for the tests, please visit their websites.

ACT: www.act.org

SAT: www.collegeboard.com

And, yes, sorry, there are fees for the rest of the times you take the college admissions tests.  However, if you are a student that is on free or reduced lunch, please stop to see me as I am able to help give you a fee waiver that can cover the cost of a test.

The other point that we need to talk about is what you are going to DO between now and when you retake the test to help improve your scores...  There are a wide range of options that students can do to help improve their scores, but generally speaking if you don't do something different you will typically not see a significant change in scores.  This list is in no way fully inclusive of all of your options, but it can help get you started on ideas...

- Look at your test and reflect back on what you remember from the test and review the areas that are weakest for you.

- Take free practice tests online.

- Use question of the day practice opportunities to regularly get adjusted to the types of questions you will see on the ACT/ SAT.

- Work with an individual tutor or sign up for a course.  These options will have a range of costs associated with them and so it is important to know that ACT and SAT will say that the best preparation is a rigorous curriculum.  However, many students have found that having someone that they are meeting with and having an appointment to work on preparing for the tests helps to hold them accountable so that they can master the strategies and truly show what they know when they take the tests.  We have many tutor resources available on the Counselor Website if you are interested and I also have business cards in my office from some of the tutors/ companies.

- Make use of websites such as Khan Academy that have free test prep sections.  The ACT and SAT websites also have resources and materials available for students to help prepare for their tests.

- Get one of the books with practice tests (you might even be able to find them at the library, but many students prefer to buy them so that they can write in the books).  I believe that there is one book that a family donated back to the building because their son/ daughter hadn't actually used it and you can find it in the front of the counseling center if you are interested. 

And that actually brings me to a key point that I hit on a little earlier - I can mention lots of different ideas and strategies, but these tests are so easy to procrastinate on and think "I'll work on that later..." but so often "later" becomes "never."  I know because I have been there.  So try to figure out what you are realistically going to be able to set up for yourself as a plan and then stick with it.  Have someone help hold you accountable and don't stop until you have reached your goals.

Good luck on your test preparation.  Most of all, don't stress about it - that will never help your scores, but do the best you can and it will pay off in the long run!

National College Decision Day

Seniors, by now you are hopefully well aware of the fact that Wednesday, May 1st is national college decision day.  The colleges have all united in the fact that they will not require you to make decisions about where you will attend prior to May 1st, but this is one of the deadlines that is firm.  As you are aware, through the college application process each college has their own timeline and often have different application deadlines, financial aid deadlines, and announce their admission decisions at different times, but May 1st is a universal deadline among all colleges requiring students to declare their decision.  Please remember that this not only means that you have informed the college of your choice that you intend to attend their college, but it also typically includes submitting a deposit.  As you reach the final hours of your decision making window, if you need to talk out your choice with someone, please feel free to stop in and talk to me.  You can, of course, also use my books and the resources that I have in my office to help guide your decision making.

Helping a Grieving Friend

The Worthington community is, once again, reeling from a tragic loss.  One of the TWHS seniors, Ambryn Welch, died yesterday and I spent the day over at their school to help support their students and staff during this heart-breaking time.

I have had a lot of time to think and reflect today after watching as the Thomas students and staff grieved together, shared memories with one another, and found the strength to help each other during this crisis.  And I keep circling back to the reality that everything can change so quickly.  In one moment, the biggest problem facing you might be an upcoming test and the next it is how are you supposed to say good-bye to someone you love and care about.  The reality is that life does change fast.  We never fully know what the next moment will bring for ourselves or those around us and that is why it is essential that we make the most of every day, that we remind those we love how much they mean to us, and that we never take for granted the people in our lives.  So I would like to remind each of you how thankful I am that YOU are a part of my life.  I care about you, I wish you never had to grieve the loss of a friend or family member, but I know that is unrealistic so I hope you will always know that there are people (like me) who are here to help support you along the way.

I know that a lot of you didn't know Ambryn, but you may have friends who are students at Thomas that are grieving or separate from this crisis, you may be facing losses in your life that aren't well known throughout the whole school, but have touched your heart deeply.  When faced with the news that someone you know has died there are a range of emotions and experiences. If it is a person very close to you, it can be a struggle just putting one foot in front of the next. If you are a friend of the person grieving it can be a time when you feel helpless because the reality is that you cannot take away the hurt and sadness for your friend, but you can help!

Below are a few ideas and reminders about what you can do to help support anyone who is grieving.  Please remember that the most important point is that you can't "fix" this.  You cannot take away the sadness, but your care and support does matter and it does make a difference!

- Listen! I know it may not feel like much, but that is often what your friend will need the most.

- Say the name of the person who died – don’t be afraid to use their name. Some people worry that if they bring up their name that it would bring up their pain. The reality is that the pain and sadness are always there, but by using the name of the person who died you give your friend permission to talk about him/ her. If you knew the person who died, share some stories or memories you had of him/ her.

- Remember that everyone grieves differently. There is no right or wrong way and no timeline for when they will be “over” their loved ones death. Actually, I don’t think you ever get “over” a death, but you do develop a new sense of “normal” which is far different than the old “normal” (that they would really like to have back.) Remember that it is OK to cry and show emotion.

- Try to remain focused on your friend and their needs. Avoid statements like “I know how you feel” or making comparisons between your past experiences and their present grief. This can be a slippery slope as you may soon be talking all about your past experiences rather than focusing on your friend and how he/ she is doing.

- Be normal. Your friend is still your friend. While in some ways everything in their live feels like it has turned upside down, he/ she is still the same person they were before and will still look for opportunities to be and enjoy their normal activities of the past. Your friend might want to try to return as many things to normal as quickly as possible and that is certainly OK. You do not have to sit around and just be sad. Look to your friend for cues.

- Be realistic with yourself. You know what you can and cannot handle. If it simply too challenging/ emotional for you, particularly because of your past experiences, accept that and do not blame yourself.

- Be there for your friend over time. It is easy to forget that life has changed for your friend forever. Continue to provide him/ her with support over time. This can be by listening and talking, writing a card or note, or other helpful positive outreach days, weeks, or even months from now.

These ideas are in no way a complete list of ways that you can try to help your grieving friend. It is also important that you allow yourself to grieve if this is someone that was important to you. Remember, if you or your friend are struggling with your grief it is important to make sure to communicate with a trusted adult. I hope that you also know that I am here to help now and in the future.

In particular, if you did know Ambryn and are struggling, I want to remind you that the entire Kilbourne staff and in particular all of the Counseling Center team are here for you.  I hope you will stop by and talk to me, I would love to hear the stories of how you knew Ambryn and what you will miss about him... everything I had the chance to hear about him during my time with the TWHS students and staff assures me that I missed out on knowing a really fun and interesting guy.

The End is Approaching

Seniors have just 14 days of class remaining (graduation is about 3 weeks away) and underclassmen have 18 days (including the 3 exam days) before summer break.

Obviously that means every moment counts if you are not doing well in your classes and you are trying to pull off a passing grade for the semester.  It is essential that you spend the remaining weeks taking care of your classes so that you do not jeopardize your future.

The truth is that this last month of the school year is essential for many WKHS students.

For seniors, I realize that there is a rampant case of senioritis running through the school, but I must remind you that next year most of you will be heading to college. You have already received your acceptance letters and decided where you will be attending school next year so it seems like your grades this last semester don't really matter... except they do! You must submit a final transcript to your college. If you go back and read the acceptance letters that the colleges sent to you, you will notice the fine print points out that they can turn you down if you don't maintain the level of grades that they expect from you and your past performance. Historically, schools have turned away hundreds of students and I can't even imagine how hard it was for a student to believe they knew where they would be attending to suddenly find out that they couldn't go there any more because they blew off school during their final semester.  The other comment I hear from seniors often is that school doesn't matter now, but that next year, in college, when it matters they will turn it around and try. Well, while I would love to believe you (and I hope you are right), the reality is that it isn't always that easy. Bad habits are hard to break. Next year there won't be anyone bugging you about turning in homework or reminding you that a paper or project is due next week. They won't accept late papers. Most teachers won't check attendance and they don't care if you want to throw your money away by not attending class. It is your introduction to the real world. At WKHS if you show up late to class and get a tardy or two you end up with a detention. In the real world, if you show up late for work you get fired. At WKHS if you can't manage to turn in a paper or project on time teachers take points off and it might hurt your grade, but in the real world the devastation of not following through and meeting the expectations of your boss are much more serious. I know, you think I am just nagging and I promise that I am not trying to lecture you, but I am worried. The last few weeks of high school need to be a time to practice developing some good habits. For many of you, you have taken a long enough break at the beginning of this quarter. Spend time studying. Work on your organization skills. Practice taking better notes. All of those things will help you in college and in the future.

For the underclassmen... it is far too early for you to be claiming senioritis (although I heard that from quite a few students recently). The classes that you are taking now will impact your grades and grade point average. Having a higher grade point average doesn't guarantee you admission to the school of your dreams, but it does provide you with more options. For most of your classes - you need it to meet graduation requirements. (Even your elective classes as you need five credits of electives to graduate.) It always surprises me when students give up at this point in the year. I don't understand it. If I was faced with the option of working really hard for the last few weeks of school and kicking butt on the exams or taking the class for an entire semester (or year) again over the summer or next year there is no question that I would apply myself now. That is what so many of you need to do. Stop and think about it for a moment. Your 3rd quarter grade was worth 40% of your semester grade. This quarter's grade is worth another 40% of your semester grade and your final exam makes up the remaining 20%. That means that with your exam and this quarter you are dealing with 60% of your total points for the semester. Hopefully you realize that this also means that you can still pass, but you must commit yourself now and not let a single point slip by without trying to earn it.  Every point matters! Talk to your teachers, get input from them on what you need to do differently in order to turn things around in your classes. Please, don't wait until it is too late. If you have already realized that there is no way to pass the class and your teacher agrees that there is no hope, please come and see me so that we can talk about what your plan is to make up the class. Are you going to take it during the summer? Are you going to take it next year? If you are taking it next year does that bump out any of your other classes because you are now missing the requirements? There is a great deal to consider. If you aren't going to be able to pass one class, please work hard to make sure that you pass all of the others. As soon as you realize that one class is a lost cause it doesn't mean that all of the others are gone too. Try to use your time wisely and put more effort into the ones that still have hope. Feel free to stop in and talk to me if you need help developing a plan on how to focus your energy and effort to passing your classes.

Believe me, I do understand that it is hard to focus right now. And yes, I admit that I don't always want to get up and come to school when there are other things that sound more appealing for the day. But we only have one today and the decisions we make today have a much bigger influence than we can imagine. Make the most of today!

Tomorrow's Schedule

I wanted to let you all know that tomorrow we will be on a different bell schedule for a student- staff basketball game.  This event is to help celebrate the school spirit and overall morale in the building and will be held at the end of the day tomorrow.

For those of you who have late start, please be sure that you plan ahead to arrive to your classes on time. 

Here is the schedule for tomorrow:

1st Period: 7:45 - 8:29

2nd Period: 8:34 - 9:18

3rd Period: 9:23 - 10:10

4th Period: 10:15 - 10:59

5th Period: 11:04 - 11:48

6th Period: 11:53 - 12:37

7th Period: 12:42 - 1:26

8th Period: 1:31 - 2:15

Basketball Game: 2:25 - 3:05

ACT Scores

I have GREAT news for all of the junior students!  Your scores arrived at WKHS yesterday afternoon!  We were shocked (and thrilled).  In fact, we had spent a huge chunk of the morning on the phone with ACT trying to find out if there was a way that we could get student ACT ID's or find everyone's scores electronically.  We knew that they had said 8 weeks, but with so many of you desperate to know how you had scored we were trying to help make that process move faster. 

In spite of ACT refusing to help us and telling us on the phone that it would be weeks before the scores arrived, there at the end of the day was a package that contained your score reports.  We made an announcement this morning so that you could come pick up your scores, but I know that many of you don't listen to the morning announcements.  So please, stop by the counseling center tomorrow before school, during your lunch, or during options and get your score report sheet from the counseling center secretaries.

One small disclaimer though - the only scores we have received so far are for those students who took the ACT with standard time.  Those students who receive accommodations in their testing such as extended time or small groups, your score reports have not made it back to us yet.  I am sure they will come soon, but they were not in the batch we received from ACT yesterday.

I hope you are thrilled with your scores.  If not, don't forget that you have opportunities to take the test again, but you will have to sign up directly on ACT's website in order to do that (and for future tests there will be a registration fee).  If you have questions about your scores or just want to share the news about how you did on the test, please stop and see me!

Mandatory Graduate Information Form

A quick deadline reminder for seniors - your Mandatory Graduation Questionnaires are due back to the counseling center by Friday, May 1st.  This is a required form and it provides us with the information we need for Senior Recognition Night and your Commencement Ceremony program.  It is also where you will indicate where you want to have your final transcript mailed.  Believe me, it is critical that the information we highlight for these events is accurate and we cannot do this without your help.  This form is submittable as a Google Form document which was emailed to seniors and there is also a link on the WKHS Counselor website.  Please be sure that you complete all of the form.

Government EOC Test

We are on a normal bell schedule tomorrow, but all of the students who are currently taking Government or AP Government will be taking the End of Course test during the school day tomorrow.  As a result, it is important that all juniors who are in these classes make sure that you arrive at school on time for testing and that you have had breakfast and are well-rested so that you can do your best on the test.  I know that for many of you it will be a relief to have your VERY LAST End of Course state test completed.  Good luck! 

ACT Scores

Juniors, it is possible that some of you will now be able to access your scores from the April 2nd ACT online.  Those of you who had previously taken the ACT ahead of the April test date will likely be able to access your scores now.  If you had not previously taken the ACT then you will probably have to wait until your scores arrive in the mail.  ACT indicated to us that the scores will be released anywhere from 3 to 8 weeks after the testing was completed.  So, now that we are hitting that 3 week point I know that some of you will be excited to be able to see your scores.  Hopefully you will find that you did as well as you had wanted to achieve on the test!  I can't wait to hear your scores - so please stop by and update me.

More Awesome Students

Building on yesterday's message about the great successes of some of our students, two of "my" students were recognized today in the Columbus Dispatch.

Will Alban was honored as being a Dispath Athlete of the Week.

Owen Alderman was recognized in the Weekly Wrap.

Both were recognized for their athletic complishments.  Will in lacrosse and Owen in tennis.  Each of these young men are two more great examples of the best of Kilbourne.  Congratulations Will and Owen!  I am proud of you!

Worthington Thoughts

I love working at Worthington Kilbourne High School.  I have a job that allows me to interact with the most incredible people.  In you I see courage, strength, dedication, fight, passion, excitement, and so much more!  Every day you find ways to overcome challenges and celebrate successes.  I love watching when you are being there for one another to support those around you.

There is never a day when I am not inspired by my current and former students!  And lately there have been a few public stories that bring this reality to the forefront.

This past Friday, 10TV recognized and honored Jack Begley as being their Athlete of the Week!  What a well-deserved and exciting honor for Jack who is a cross country, swimming, and track athlete and all-around great student and person.

Check out the story about Jack here!

Unfortunately, last Friday is also when a 2016 WKHS Graduate, Drew George, found out that his cancer had returned.  Drew and his family have lots of connections throughout the Worthington community.  He has always been an inspiration with his positive outlook and non-stop fighting spirit.  If anyone can beat cancer for the 3rd time it is Drew.  Yesterday the WKHS staff and many students joined together to support Drew by wearing orange to remind the community that we are #DrewStrong and that we are united behind him and his family as he fights cancer.

Jack and Drew are just two public faces that demonstrate the best of Kilbourne and represent reminders of why I am so thankful to work here and with all of you!  Please know that even though you might not be publicly celebrated as an Athlete of the Week or have the school wearing orange as a sign of solidarity while you face your personal life battles, it doesn't mean that you are not cared about deeply and completely.  Please remember that I am here to support and celebrate with you during your successes and battles and that whatever it is you are accomplishing or the difficulties you are facing matter!

Summer School

Did you fail a class during 1st semester?  Are you wanting to try to get ahead in one of your course requirements?  If you answered yes to either of these questions then I strongly encourage you to register NOW for summer school.

Worthington offers summer school opportunities each year with a wide range of opportunities to try to meet your academic goals.  If you failed a class and will be taking it for credit recovery your summer school class will even be free of charge.  Once again this year summer school will be housed at the Worthington Academy and transportation will be available for students who need it.  Most classes will run from June 3rd - June 28th.  There are a limited number of get-ahead courses that are also offered through Worthington summer school and information about those classes and the costs associated with those courses are on the website.  For all Worthington Summer School Credit Recovery related information and to register online, please visit the district website at:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1BjSsBG9uHV8xmDEMiBgvCYo4N2kuYG5O-SCGWtfl9qk/edit

We always get questions about taking online courses or classes in other districts and as long as it is an accredited school this is completely fine.  So, for example, if your parents are divorced and you go to spend the summer with a parent who lives in another state you can take your summer school class at the school near your other parent and then transfer the credit back to us.  Or for those students who plan on traveling a great deal over the summer, taking an online course might be more in line with your needs.  Again, in Worthington we try to be very flexible in helping all students to meet their academic goals so as long as the school you are taking classes from is an accredited school, we will transfer those credits to Worthington.

Students and parents often ask me which online schools they can use and again, if it is accredited it is fine.  I would say that the school we have probably had the most students utilize in the past has been TRECA due to the cost effectiveness of their credits.  But again, that can change from year to year and so I encourage you to search for the schools and programs that will best meet your individual needs.  I do know that as of this week TRECA summer school registration has opened so if you were planning to take a TRECA summer school class, please be sure to get signed up for that soon too.  Their website is: https://treca.org/programs/summer-school 

Please, especially if you have failed a class during the 1st semester, get signed up for summer school so that you can stay on track for graduation with your class!

Senioritis

Senioritis - it's a term I hear often around my office and while I understand that it can be a challenge to continue motivating yourself to finish your high school career strong, it is important!

With Seniors only having 4 Mondays of high school left, the appeal of letting everything slide to just enjoy the remaining time seems to be very strong. I even have younger students who are claiming to have “senioritis” early and this is definitely not a good thing.

Third quarter grades were rough (to say the least). This is particularly a concern for seniors as it can jeopardize graduation (a real fear for many) and it can also jeopardize your college future. For example, remember, the colleges reserve the right to revoke your acceptance if the grades you are earning are not on pace with what they expected at the time of your application. They can also place you on academic probation and take back scholarship offers. Obviously, these would not be good scenarios, but it does happen every year. 

So, while the weather is finally improving, senior tag, and "fun" days like Arts in Action in the coming weeks may make it hard to focus on the day to day responsibilities of meeting your classroom expectations, it is very important!  Please keep pushing to work hard in your classes!

Picking a College

Seniors, by now you are hopefully well aware of the fact that May 1st is national college decision day.  The colleges have all united in the fact that they will not require you to make decisions about where you will attend prior to May 1st, but this is one of the deadlines that is firm.  As you are aware, through the college application process each college has their own timeline and often have different application deadlines, financial aid deadlines, and announce their admission decisions at different times, but May 1st is a universal deadline among all colleges requiring students to declare their decision.  Please remember that this not only means that you have informed the college of your choice that you intend to attend their college, but it also typically includes submitting a deposit.  

At the same time as the seniors are trying to finalize their decision, juniors are beginning your search and trying to determine which schools you can imagine in your future.

No matter what year you are in, there are so many resources available to review and consider to aid you in making your decision. Campus visits, reviewing the college websites and meetings with admissions representatives when they visit Kilbourne are all great strategies for learning more about the college and finding the school that is the best match for you. I want to remind you that a wealth of information and resources are also available in my office that you are welcome to come in and read to help you in making your choice. There are books that give perspectives of different colleges based upon the responses current college students have provided in surveys about school, others that rank selectivity of schools based upon majors, and others that provide insight about the schools from expert researchers.

If you want to talk out your choice with someone, please feel free to stop in and talk to me or just stop by to use my books and the resources that I have in my office to help guide your decision making.

Here are a few articles related to making the college decision for seniors:

The stress of making a college decision

What the data says about choosing a college

Choosing a college - tips for parents

The right way to choose a college

LGBTQ+ Night

All students and parents are invited to TWHS for a presentation provided by Ernst & Young and Kaleidoscope Youth Center for a presentation called Words Matter: The Bullying of the LGBTQ+ Youth.  The presentation will take place from 6-8:00pm on Tuesday, April 16th.  You are invited to join us for food and the opportunity to share, learn or simply support the cause to stop bullying.  Counselors and experts in the field will facilitate breakout sessions on:

  - Pronouns: LGBTQ+ 101: What you need to know to avoid offending someone

  - Creating a safe space: Understand signs of depression

  - Live scenarios: Experience first-hand what issues are around us.

If possible, please RSVP so that we know how many people to anticipate using the link:  http://evite.me/RRnXsqgj5q

It should be a great evening and we look forward to seeing you Tuesday night at TWHS.

Also, tomorrow, seniors that will be doing Senior Project will start at their placement sites.  Good luck!  I hope it goes well... I know you will represent WKHS will pride.

College Credit Plus Application Reminder

A final reminder to all students planning on taking a CC+ class next year that today is the date you have all been asked to make sure you have applied to your intended colleges.  If you are taking a math class, you need to log in tonight and apply to COTC.  If you are taking the English, Psychology, Sociology, Government, or Philosophy classes, then you need to log in tonight and apply to CSCC.

If you were already taking CC+ classes from that college this year, then you do not need to apply again.  You will still need to make sure that you do the consent forms, but those deadlines are later than today.

If you are completely confused by how you missed this information, please log into your school email account because Mrs. Gratz and Mrs. Mann are sending regular updates of specific steps that every student needs to complete if you have signed up for a CC+ class for next year.

Cut Them Free

Seniors, as you start narrowing down your college choices it is important to cut your other schools free. As you begin identifying which college or the few colleges that are still in the running, it is important for you to notify the other colleges that you do NOT intend to attend their school beginning next year. 

Please wait to tell the schools that you will not be attending until you are completely sure that you are no longer considering them. However, I realize that many of you have narrowed your choice to a smaller group of colleges and you have completely eliminated others from consideration. Those which have been completely eliminated are the colleges I am recommending you notify now. 

This is important because it allows the college to plan for their upcoming student body and to know if they have room to accept other students off of their wait-lists. Think about your classmates who might be on the waiting list for a school and they want to hear back from the schools as quickly as possible and there are other students across the country in the same situation. Colleges can't begin opening up additional slots until they know which students will or will not be attending. 

Additionally, if you received scholarship offers from one of the colleges that you have eliminated from the running, this can also potentially allow the college to offer that money out to other students which, again, can help people such as your fellow classmates. Believe me, the colleges will not be angry with you for deciding that you will not be attending their school - they understand that this is part of the process, so just go ahead and take a few minutes to let them know of your intent to attend a different college.

Waiting Lists

For high school seniors, the question you are asked over and over is "Where are you going to college?" It can be exciting to share the answer when it is the school you had your heart set on for your future. It can be overwhelming when you still haven't decided and are still trying to figure out which school is the best fit for you. For some students though, this question still brings anxiety and uncertainty because the top school on their list didn't fully accept or reject them - the college put them on their Waiting List. I have had several students stop in to talk about their feelings about life in limbo and I understand how difficult it can be as I'm not always the most patient person either.

I need to be brutally honest (even though I know you don't really want to hear this...) and say that you don't have much control about if you'll get off the wait list. You need to make plans and start getting your mind set on attending one of the other schools who accepted you. If, in time, you find out that you have the opportunity to attend the school that had previously put you on their wait list, then you can re-evaluate and decide if you still want to attend. The reality is that very few students actually end up being selected off the wait list for acceptance. 

In the mean time, if you decide that you want to remain on a college's waiting list, be sure to follow their directions (usually mailing back a post-card indicating your desire) and then you can also consider sending them a letter updating them about any new achievements, awards, or other information that you have accomplished since your application to their college so that might be able to take that into consideration when making their waiting list decisions.

April Students of the Month

Last Friday morning the ceremony to honor April's Students of the Month was held. Students are nominated as students of the month by Kilbourne faculty and staff for their academic achievement, good citizenship, and/or contributions to the school or community. Students can only earn this recognition once in their high school career. 

A special congratulations to "my" 6 students who were among those recognized. Pictured (L to R): Kasia Flowers, Sam English, Kyle Bartok and Luke Brown and not pictured: Mitchell Abahazie and Amber Beals.  I am proud of you!

Common App Essays

A reminder to all juniors who are planning to apply to 4 year colleges next year... tomorrow morning from 10-11:30am the counselors will be hosting a Workshop on Brainstorming Your College Essay Topic.  I strongly encourage you to come to get a jump start on your application!  We will be meeting in Room 209.

Additionally, the Common Application has announced that their essay question prompts for next year will remain the same as they were for this year.  In case you don't know, Common Application is an application website that many colleges use allowing students to fill out one application that can then be submitted to various colleges and is one of the primary methods that students will utilize when applying to college. 

Juniors, you can take a look at these prompts and start brainstorming what your answers might be for each question.  After you list your thoughts for each question, look at which response best allows you to tell the story of who you are and will be the best introduction of you to the admissions committee.  Then it is time to start drafting and editing and drafting some more.  :-)  

Students who utilize the common app will be asked to select and answer one question in 250-650 words.  (Please don't worry about word count on your first draft - it is always MUCH easier to cut words than it is to try to add more in later.)

Below are the common app essay questions to help you get started: 

1. Some students have a background, identity, interest, or talent that is so meaningful they believe their application would be incomplete without it. If this sounds like you, then please share your story.

2. The lessons we take from obstacles we encounter can be fundamental to later success. Recount a time when you faced a challenge, setback or failure.  How did it affect you, and what did you learn from the experience?

3. Reflect on a time when you questioned or challenged a belief or idea.  What prompted your thinking? What was the outcome?

4. Describe a problem you've solved or a problem you'd like to solve. It can be an intellectual challenge, a research query, an ethical dilemma-anything that is of personal importance, no matter the scale. Explain its significance to you and what steps you took or could be taken to identify a solution.

5. Discuss an accomplishment, event, or realization that sparked a period of personal growth and new understanding of yourself or others.

6.  Describe a topic, idea, or concept you find so engaging that it makes you lose all track of time.  Why does it captivate you?  What or who do you turn to when you want to learn more?

7.  Share an essay on any topic of your choice.  It can be one you've already written, one that responds to a different prompt, or one of your own design.

This week's schedule

By now I am confident that everyone is aware that we will be having a VERY different schedule for the next week.  This is in order to allow all of the students who will be completing their End of Course exams to do that in a positive testing environment where they don't have the added stress of also missing classes.

For the most part, Freshmen students will test on Monday (English) and Wednesday (Math).  Sophomore students will test on Tuesday (English), Wednesday (Math), Thursday (US History), and Friday (Biology).  The exact length of each of the tests varies, but in general students will test from 7:45am - 11:30am. 

Lunch will be from 11:30 - 12:20 daily for ALL students.  And then classes will resume in the afternoons from 12:20 - 3:05 for all students.  However, with such a short amount of time there will only be 4 classes held each day.  Students will go to 1st, 2nd, 3rd, and 4th period classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday and they will go to 5th, 6th, 7th, and 8th period classes on Tuesday and Thursday.

I will also point out though that for all students taking a College Credit Plus class, your classes will continue as normal!  So even though there is a late start for the high school classes, you still have your regularly scheduled college class!  Do not miss it!

I have responsibilities to help with testing all week which means I may have limited availability to meet with you, but if you are feeling stressed about the tests or just wanted to talk in general, please don't hesitate to try to stop by and if I am not available, please leave a pass and I will do my best to get to you as soon as possible.

Scholarships

Just a quick reminder that the deadline for most of the local scholarships is coming up this week! Please put forth the time, energy and effort required to work on completing all of the applications for which you may qualify.  The deadline for most of the scholarships is the end of the school day on Friday, April 12th. Be sure to review your applications and verify that you have all of the required pieces ready to be turned in by the deadline. Hopefully if you needed recommendation letters for your applications you have already requested those as it will be difficult (if not impossible) for teachers to write letters in one week for you.

Additionally, there are scholarships available at the community, state, and national levels. There are many scholarship search engines that you can use as a resource to help you identify scholarships that might be a good fit. With so many different scholarships, it can feel a bit daunting, but remember, if you are able to earn one of the scholarships, your time would certainly be worth the effort.

Here are a few of the scholarship search sites that might help you (and the WKHS counselor website has even more):

http://www.fastweb.com/
http://www.collegenet.com/
http://www.scholarships.com/
http://www.scholarshipmonkey.com/

It is also important to remember that you should never pay for a scholarship - scholarships should be giving YOU money, not the other way around.

Understanding Financial Aid Offers

It can often be challenging for students and families to figure out how to read, understand and compare financial aid award letters from various colleges.  This is because so many colleges have different ways of calculating and reporting different financial obligations.  

One of the most frequent components you'll see is tuition/ fees.  If you will be living on campus there are room/ board costs.  And then also, Cost of Attendance, which is what colleges actually use as the starting point of all of the costs associated with attending their college.  For example, this typically includes books, travel, incidentals and other necessities like laundry costs.  Your Estimated Family Contribution (EFC) is another term you might find on your financial aid award letter and this is the amount that the FAFSA indicates that your family can afford to pay.  Sadly, the EFC doesn't typically align with what students and families actually think they can pay... not to mention that many colleges will still leave the families needing to pay even more than their EFC.  See, it's confusing and can be overwhelming, right?

Because making decisions related to college that you will actually be able to afford in the future is essential, there are lots of resources available online focused on understanding the award letters and making comparsions between the packages offered from various schools.  I am going to link to a few below and I hope you will find them helpful.  If you have any questions, please feel free to stop and see me and we can try to figure it out or you can always call the financial aid office at the college for clarification.


Award Letter Comparison Tool

FastWeb Reference Guide for Comparing Offers

How to Decipher a Financial Aid Letter

How to Compare College Aid Letters

5 Things to Know about College Financial Aid Award Letters

Diploma Presenter

A reminder to all seniors - if you plan on asking someone to present you with your diploma at graduation - the deadline for submitting your presenter request form to the co-curricular office is tomorrow, Thursday, April 4th. I love the fact that you all have this opportunity as a way to make graduation an even more memorable experience. If you do not select someone to give you your diploma, an administrator from central office or a school board member will present your diploma to you.

Tomorrow's Bell Schedule

Congratulations to all of the juniors for an outstanding day of testing today.  I know that it may have felt rough, but I was happy to hear the feedback from teachers in various rooms that everyone seemed focused and like they handled the pressure of the test well.  The good news is that it is done for now... and you can always repeat it again on national test dates if you want/ need.

Tomorrow (Wednesday) we will be on a 3A/ 3B bell schedule in order to allow for a debate among the candidates for Student Body President and Vice President. All students in grades 9 - 11 will spend part of the time during 3rd period class in the auditorium listening to the debates between the candidates. The candidates will debate twice so that everyone in grades 9 - 11 have the opportunity to hear the discussion.

Seniors do not vote in this election (since you will be college students by the time these candidates will take their positions.) As a result, the seniors will be having a presentation about college campus safety.

In case you want/ need the bell schedule for tomorrow it is as follows:
1st: 7:45 - 8:29
2nd: 8:34 - 9:18
3rd: 9:23 - 10:58 (Remember, this will be split by class and you will spend either the first or second half of the time in your regular class and the other half of the time will be in the appropriate assembly)
4th: 11:03 - 11:47
5th: 11:52 - 12:36
6th: 12:41 - 1:25
7th: 1:30 - 2:15
8th: 2:20 - 3:05

A special good luck to Jordan Castelli, "my" student, who will be participating in the debates tomorrow!

On a separate note, I wanted to remind all juniors and seniors that the Worthington Job Fair will be on Friday morning at 9am at the Worthington Education Center.  Please be sure to dress nice, bring a resume and be ready to impress the representatives seeking new employees.

Tomorrow's ACT and Schedule

Tomorrow is "Take 2" on the ACT and so we are on a VERY different bell schedule!

Freshmen, Sophomores and Seniors - you will be functioning on a late-start schedule tomorrow.  This means that you get to sleep in and relax a little bit in the morning.  If you ride a bus, your bus will pick you up 3 hours later than normal.  If you walk or drive to school, you can determine what time you want to arrive just be sure to make it to school in enough time to be able to get to your 5th period class at 12:20pm.  As I mentioned, with late start buses running 3 hours later than normal, this means that if you ride a bus that will likely mean you will arrive to school around 10:15am and you'll have that time until the start of classes to study, eat lunch, or participate in recreation time in the commons or Aux Gym.

Juniors - you will ride the bus at the normal time and arrive to school like every other day.  You will then report to your assigned testing location at 7:40am so that you can begin taking the ACT promptly at 7:45am.  The test will conclude around 11:30 and you will then have a break and a chance to grab lunch before the start of classes.

And then everyone (9th through 12th grade) will proceed to afternoon classes with the following bell schedule:
5th Period - 12:20 - 12:57
6th Period - 1:02 - 1:39
7th Period - 1:44 - 2:21
8th Period - 2:26 - 3:05

I also have a few ACT Testing reminders for the juniors:  This test is an official ACT so you are strictly bound to all of the restrictions and requirements set forth by ACT.  Testing will begin promptly at 7:45am so you will need to report to your assigned rooms by 7:40am.  Please be sure to bring your Student ID card, number 2 pencils (no mechanical pencils are allowed!), and a calculator.  And I would also suggest that you bring a watch.  Cell phones are NOT allowed to be on in the testing room at all. Also, please, be sure to get a good night's sleep tonight and eat a solid breakfast in the morning so that your body is focused and prepared for 3 hours of testing!