School Counseling Newsletter

If you're anything like me, time seems to go by faster and faster with each passing year. This school year has been no different! Let's take a look back at all the events and activities by grade that took place during the fall at CCT.

Freshmen- Students began the school year during a maroon cycle so that they could get acclimated to the building and focus on academic classes only. Once they got the lay of the land, it was time to switch over to the gold cycle and enter Exploratory! Students have been busy trying out all the shops CCT offers so that they can make an informed decision when making their final shop choices. In 21st century learning classes, students have completed "matchmaker" in Career Cruising, CCT's college and career exploration tool, to further explore their interests. By the time they are seniors, students will have a completed career plan mapping out their post-secondary plan.

Sophomores- 10th grade is a big testing year. Students will complete the MCAS in ELA in March, and take the math section in May. It is imperative that students attend school every day, except for in the case of illness, to ensure they are receiving crucial instruction. Our teachers do a GREAT job preparing our students for the test!

Students will complete more sections in Career Cruising in Trimester 2 including a research project about a career of their choice, starting a resume, practicing filling out a job application, and more!

Juniors- This year is all about starting to think about post-secondary planning. All students have the opportunity to participate in co-op beginning in January if their grades meet the eligibility requirements. Students have been busy polishing their technical skills so that they can shine on the job site!

On the academic side, about 80 students elected to take the PSAT in October. Results will be coming in this month, so please remind your student to be checking their email for their score report! Counselors will hold a score report interpretation seminar for students to help them decipher what their scores mean, and how to improve their scores for the SAT. A letter will be mailed home to parents as well, highlighting how you can help support your student with the SAT.

Seniors- College application season is in full swing! Students who are interested in college attended a college application seminar informing them of the college application process in October. Students have also been meeting with their counselor one-on-one to get individualized help with navigating this process. Students are part of a School Counseling Department Google Classroom allowing them to access useful documents pertaining to the college application process, including information about filling out the FAFSA form for financial aid. Unfortunately, parents do not have access to the classroom, but you can have your student give you their login information if you would like to view the information yourself.

Counselors also hosted a Financial Aid Night with the Director of Financial Aid at Cape Cod Community College to help parents understand the financial aid process. What a great turn out! If you were unable to attend, and would like that information, please contact your student's school counselor, and we can get that information to you.

The ASVAB test, a test used by the United Stated Military to determine qualification for enlistment into the armed forces, was administered to interested students in grades 10-12 in November. The test will be offered again in January, so please contact School Counselor Averill Davis at adavis@capetech.us if you are interested in having your student take the exam. It is not only used for the military! It has a career exploration component to it as well that uses test results to highlight personal strengths and possible career paths.

This Do Good December kindness calendar has daily suggested actions to do throughout December to help you spread a bit more kindness in the world. The holiday season should be a time for human connection and simple joys, not consumerism. Visit http://actionforhappiness.org to learn more!

The holiday season is my absolute favorite time of the year! From all the extra baked treats, to spending time with family and friends, nothing warms my heart and nourishes my soul more than this time of year. However, it is undoubtly a very hectic time as well! There is always so much to do with no extra time to do it, which can easily distract from this special time. Read this article for some tips on how to stay mindful this holiday season.

http://theglitterguide.com/2017/11/02/mindful-holiday-season/