School Counseling Newsletter
#RamPride #Ramfam #Persistence- winter edition- 2023
HAPPY NEW YEAR- 2023!
Here are some tips and ideas to help get through the second half of the school year. Plans are underway to help students prepare for the next school year and beyond. In this School Counseling Newsletter edition, you will find:
Habits of Mind
Resources for Parents and Students
Important Dates to Remember
Mental Health Resources
Senior Square
Junior Junction
Sophomore Square
Freshmen Corner
Final Thoughts
National School Counseling Week: National School Counseling Week for 2022 is February 6th-10th. The 2023 theme is "Helping Students Dream Big", and it highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. On behalf of the WHUFSD counselors, THANK YOU to our school community for your support, and collaboration in working towards the success of our students!
P.S. I Love You Day- Friday February 10th: Wear Purple on this day!
This year's theme is: "Love All Your Chapters". Love All Your Chapters reminds us that each moment in life creates our story. Cherish each moment because these moments are what make you stronger. Always remember: the next chapter is blank. You have the power to make it YOURS. The mission of P.S. I Love You Day is to remind all of us the importance of being kind to one another. On P.S. I Love You Day wear purple in order to foster kindness and a welcoming environment. Mental health is just as important as physical health. The amazing support staff at each of our school buildings have put together special events, and activities for the students to participate in. Please click on the links below to learn more about P.S. I Love You Day:
Habits of Mind: All of our schools have been continuing to incorporate the Habits of Mind program to everyday learning in grades k-12. The Habits of Mind nourishes students’ social-emotional learning and aims to improve the performance of students under challenging conditions. The faculty has been integrating this program both in and out of the classroom. The district continues to grow the Habits of Mind program with students and staff, building a solid foundation in social-emotional learning at all ages. Please see the attached link that explains the Habits of Mind- https://core-docs.s3.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/1658111/Habits_of_Mind_Full_Chart.pdf
Resources for Parents and Students:
- 5 SMART Goals Every Child Should Aim to Accomplish in the New Year:
It is time to start anew with the new year. New Year's resolutions are a terrific opportunity for you and your child to reflect on the past year and communicate about areas where there might room for improvement. Making New Year's goals allow children to understand the notion of self-discipline and reflect on the importance of setting goals.
When setting goals, it is important to help your child understand the notion of attainable goals. An uncomplicated way to help them understand this idea is to use the concept of SMART goals. This means goals should be:
S-specific, significant
M-measurable, meaningful
A-achievable, action-oriented
R-realistic, rewarding
T-timely, and tractable
Having SMART goals increases the likelihood that children will be able to create attainable goals, have a "game plan," and be successful. It is easy for children to lose focus, or be easily discouraged if their goals are too long-term or not age appropriate, so make sure to have a discussion regarding the goal-setting process to help your children.
Make resolutions together. This is a wonderful way to ensure your child will stay motivated. Knowing your child has someone on their side will provide support and positive reinforcement. When parents can model positive behaviors, children feel comforted and are likely to continue repeating them.
Keeping Kids Safe On-Line: Parents should stay involved in their children's digital world, know the apps they use, use parental controls where possible, and block and report people who make them feel uncomfortable. Kids should talk with a trusted adult so they understand online risks, only chat with people they know, ensure their online accounts are private, block people they do not know or trust, and trust their instinct—if something makes them feel uncomfortable, tell a trusted adult about it. Kids and parents should stay alert—people are not always who they seem in online environments where identity is easy to fake. Please click on this link from the Department of Justice:
West Hempstead School District Resources:
West Hempstead Secondary School resource link:
https://www.whufsd.com/o/whhs/page/resources
GW Elementary School resource link:
https://www.whufsd.com/o/george-washington/page/parent-and-student-links
Cornwell Avenue Elementary School resource link:
https://www.whufsd.com/o/cornwell-avenue/page/parent-and-student-links
Chestnut Street School resource link:
https://www.whufsd.com/o/chestnut-street/page/parent-and-student-links
Universal Pre-K- at Chestnut Street School:
https://www.whufsd.com/o/chestnut-street/page/universal-pre-kindergarten
Important Dates to Remember:
High School Students:
AP Exams: The 2023 AP Exams will be administered over two weeks in May- (May 1st-5th and 8th-12th). Please contact you school counselor if you have any questions. The Collegeboard link below has the information to register for the AP exams, dates, and fees.
https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/exam-administration-ordering-scores/exam-dates
Long Island Spring College Expo:
Representatives from over 200 two-year and four-year colleges, nursing schools, business schools and trade schools will participate in the Long Island Spring College Expo which will be held on Tuesday, April 25th at Hofstra University. Officers and enlisted personnel from the various branches of the military services will also be on hand to discuss the military’s enlistment and education programs such as R.O.T.C., the military academies, and the GI Bill.
The College Fair, sponsored by the Nassau Counselors' Association, is a timesaving opportunity for students and parents to gather a lot of information in one day. College admissions representatives will be on hand to answer key questions ranging from acceptance policies to student–faculty ratio. In addition to asking questions, students and parents can set up college interviews, pick up literature and learn about the various financial aid programs available. Review the list of participating colleges and make a list of the booths you would like to visit. See the attached link for details:
https://www.collegefairguide.com/long-island-spring-college-expo
SUNY EOP (Educational Opportunity Program) and CUNY HEOP (Higher Education Opportunity Program):
This is for seniors and to prepare juniors through the college application process. EOP assists students academically and financially while they attend SUNY colleges. Students who attend CUNY colleges, students can receive this assistance through HEOP. To learn more about EOP and HEOP please see the links below.
https://www.suny.edu/attend/academics/eop/
ACT and SAT Exams:
Students who wish to take SAT and ACT: Juniors, please go to the school counseling office to see deadlines and exam dates for the upcoming spring exams. Below are the links to register for these exams.
http://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/sat/register
Mental Health
The West Hempstead School District understands the importance of overall wellness. Our students’ physical, mental, and emotional well-being impacts their academic performance and quality of life overall. The amazing mental health staff in our buildings that comprise of school phycologists, and social workers continue to do continuous push in class lessons to teach our students strategies for their overall mental health wellness. It is also important that we work with our community to ensure wellness for all, students, and families. Our district has a partnership with Northwell Health for counseling services. Below is a list of suggestions for staying well during tough times.
Tips for Wellness at Home:
Apps:
Insight Timer
Calm
Smiling Mind
Headspace for Kids
Stop, Breathe, and Think
Websites:
Mindful: https://www.mindful.org/
Hear-Mind On-line: https://heartmindonline.org/resources/mindful-activities-for-families
Class Dojo: https://www.classdojo.com/
Do Yoga with Me:https://www.doyogawithme.com/
Positive Psychology.com: https://positivepsychology.com/mindfulness-for-children-kids-activities/
Coping Skills: https://copingskillsforkids.com/calming-anxiety
https://copingskillsforkids.com/deep-breathing-exercises-for-kids
Senior Square:
FAFSA INFORMATION: The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applications are available online. College financial aid deadlines are quickly approaching. For help visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa
Do you have symptoms of SENIORITIS?:
Do not let this serious illness catch you off-guard! All college acceptances are contingent upon your final GPA. Colleges have the right to revoke admission if the final GPA differs from the GPA at acceptance time. Many students, who have caught senioritis, have been placed on probation prior to enrolling in courses! Start your college years with pride, which means finishing your high school courses with a vengeance!!
Scholarships For Seniors $$$- Free Money!!
The college process is not over!!
The next step is for students to apply for scholarships. The school counselors have been working diligently with students to inform them of the multiple scholarship opportunities available to seniors. The school counselors work with seniors individually and assist them with scholarships. A monthly scholarship bulletin can be found on the secondary school's school counseling website, as well in the school counseling office. There are also additional sites that have multiple scholarships listed Please see the links below for additional sites: Students should seek assistance from their school counselors if they have any questions about scholarships. It is important for students to be mindful of the deadlines for scholarships, especially if the scholarship requires documentation from the school. Students should inform their school counselor a head of time if additional documentation is needed from them.
January Scholarship Bulletin: january 2023 scholarship.pdf
Naviance: https://succeed.naviance.com/scholarship-staff-ui/list-scholarships
Fastweb. com: https://www.fastweb.com/college-scholarships
Collegebaord: https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/bigfuture-scholarships
Fastweb is a national data base of ongoing scholarships: How it Works: Join for free, create your student profile and a list of scholarships will be generated for the student. Featured college scholarships are listed regularly. Fastweb members are matched to relevant scholarship opportunity complete free of charge. With roughly 1.5 million scholarships worth more than $3.4 billion, there are scholarships for every student's education goals, activities and interests.
Junior Junction:
Junior Conferences:
The school counselors will begin Junior Meetings in the beginning of March. These meetings are designed to discuss pertinent information related to college and career planning with students and parents.
Student Athlete Information:
Want to play college sports? For students interested in playing Division I & II sports, it is important to select high school courses that will meet all of the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) core requirements. Division III sports are available and require different eligibility standards. See your school counselor with any questions. To register for the NCAA Clearinghouse please use this link: https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/
Preparing for College: Spring:
● Attend the Spring College Fairs:
http://www.nassaucounselors.org/cal_events/spring-college-expo/
https://www.collegefairguide.com/long-island-spring-college-expo/
● Visit colleges during spring vacations and weekends – be sure to make an appointment with the admissions office for an Information Session and Campus Tour
● Take the SAT/ACT/SAT Subject Exam(s)
● Plan to participate in enriching summer activities, such as volunteer work, acquiring a meaningful job or internship, enrolling in summer courses at a college, etc.
● Speak with teachers and ask them if they would be willing to write you a college letter of recommendation.
● Student athletes should register with the NCAA Eligibility Center at www.eligibilitycenter.org
● Finish the academic year strong! Study, Study, Study!
Preparing for College- Summer:
Re-read all literature received at the Junior Conference
● Continue to research and visit college campuses
● Register with the Common Application at https://www.commonapp.org/ (August)
● Review college essay topics and begin to brainstorm and draft
● Link Naviance Family Connection account to student’s Common Application by signing the FERPA Agreement
Sophomore Square:
PSAT? When to take it?
Some sophomores do attempt taking the PSAT in their sophomore yea, but many students wait until their Junior year. this is because they have completed the necessary Math and English to be successful. If you think you may want to try the PSAT, you need to discuss this with your counselor before signing up. It is important you have a good testing experience when taking the PSAT. Not having all the preparation in place before attempting these tests could result in a negative attitude toward this type of test. It is not necessary to take this test as a sophomore to have success in your SAT testing as a junior. Take a look at this preliminary SAT at the www.collegeboard.com website.
https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/k12-educators/psat-10-dates
Freshmen Corner:
When should I start planning for my child's higher education? NOW!!! It is never too early to start considering your child's plans and goals for after high school. Here are some key areas you can start considering now.
The Career & College Search: During the Freshmen meetings, the students learned a more in depth view of how to utilize the career and college component of Naviance. This interactive and informative service provides our students with many opportunities for academic, college, and career exploration. This is a great starting point for students as they plan their future endeavors beyond high school. There are multiple personal assessments the students can take to help them set goals for themselves.
College Fairs: Students should begin to attend college fairs to begin to revive information and such as learning about programs and admissions requirements. As well as becoming more comfortable speaking face to face with college admissions representatives.
Stay Focused and Involved in Extra- Curricular Activities: Students need to stay focused, and remember that Freshman year counts. Each year is a building block to the next. It's never too late to join a club or a sport. Being part of the school community outside of the classroom is a great way for students to enhance their social skills.
Grades 7 and 8:
Scheduling: The school counselors will be meeting with students after the winter break to review their course selections for their upcoming school year. We are happy that many of our 8th graders will begin their high school education with high school credits already completed, in Foreign Language, Living Environment, Algebra, and Studio In Art. This gives our students the opportunity to take more courses that are available in our high school. The incoming Freshman will receive their schedule in the mail in the month August.
In the 8th grade is when our students will have the opportunity to Challenge Up in Science. Keep an eye out for The Challenge Up letter arriving in the mail for Living Environment. If you have questions about your child taking Living Environment in 8th grade, please speak to your current 7th grade Science teacher first. As you are aware the 8th grade students take Algebra (Algebra for all). This is another high school credit they can complete prior to starting 9th grade, and will go on their transcript and added into their GPA for grades 9-12.
Incoming 7th Graders: It's time to pick a foreign language, either Italian or Spanish. The forms for this were already mailed home. Please return the form to the Mr. Matthew Caruthers at GW as indicated on the form.
Final Thoughts...
With the new year of 2023 upon us, and half of a school year behind us, here are some words of encouragement. "Never underestimate the power you have to take your life in a new direction. Every moment is a fresh beginning. Life's not about expecting, hoping, and wishing, it's about doing, being and becoming. The dreams of the future are better than the history of the past".
Please contact Mrs. Sigmon- (School Counselor- newsletter editor), if there are topics, or resources you would like to see in the upcoming newsletter.
Angela Sigmon-School Counselor Grades 7-9
(516) 390-3230
