WHAT'S GOING ON IN THE COUNSELING OFFICE?
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The Counselors are busy this fall!
We are working with all students as they fine tune their schedules making sure that all their classes are meeting their graduation requirements. Soon, we will begin to meet with each senior individually to continue the conversation about their post-secondary exploration and assist in their applications to college. In October, we will be connecting with sophomores to plan for their Career Day trip in November. Don't worry! We didn't forget about the freshmen as they acclimate to their first year of high school! We will be checking in with all freshmen next week in writing lab classes as well as after 1st quarter progress reports are released in October.
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Upcoming Dates To Note
(SEPT-DEC)
Moving Pieces of Senior Year Night Program
9/16* 7-9 PM
Senior Town Hall
9/18, Periods 1 & 2
Senior Meetings
9/19-10/11
9th Grade Parent Meet & Greet
9/26, 6:30
9th Grade Letter to Self in Writing Lab
9/25-26
YouScience Workshop with 10th grade
10/7-8
PSAT administered for 11th graders (and interested 10th graders)
10/16
College Clinic for Seniors
10/16
9th Grade Check-Ins
10/18-23
Upperclass Individual Progress Report meetings in English Classes
11/6
Case Studies Night
11/21, 7-9 PM
Career Day @ BOCES
11/22
SAT vs ACT Drop In Support
12/17
Underclass Individual Progress Report meetings in English Classes
12/18
*new date!
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Grade Updates & Report Card Schedule 2018-2019
1st Quarter Grade Update: 10/03/19
1st Quarter Report Card: 11/15/19
2nd Quarter Grade Update: 12/11/19
2nd Quarter Report Card: 2/3/20
3rd Quarter Grade Update: 3/03/20
3rd Quarter Report Card: 4/20/20
4th Quarter
Grade Update
: 5/13/20
4th Quarter Report Card: 7/3/20
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PRACTICE S.T.O.P
S
tand up and breathe. Feel your connection to the earth.
T
une in to your body. Lower your gaze. Scan your body and notice physical sensations or emotions. Discharge any unpleasant sensations, emotions or feelings on the out breath. Notice any pleasant ones and let them fill you up on the in breath.
O
bserve. Lift your eyes and take in your surroundings. Observe something in your environment that is pleasant and be grateful for it and its beauty.
P
ossibility. Ask yourself what is possible or what is new or what is a forward step.
If you find yourself being reactive, try the following steps:
Pause and take one to three big breaths.
Say “step back.” ( You don’t have to physically step back, you can just do it in your mind.)
Say “clear head.”
Say “calm body.”
Breathe again. Say “relax,” “melt” or “ease.”
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Welcome to high school, Class of 2023! You are entering an exciting new stage of your life, and we're thrilled to have you as part of the Irvington High School community! We hope that you're having a smooth transition. If you have any questions, need help with something, or just want to say hi, we'd love to see you drop by our office. Don't worry- we'll be connecting with you in October to check in and see how things are going.
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Congratulations, you're not freshmen! Welcome back to your second year of high school. By now, we hope that you're feeling comfortable. This semester, we will be taking a trip to BOCES for the annual career day. In order to prepare for that event, we'll be reviewing the results from your
Youscience assessment that we started last spring in Writing Lab and asked you to finish over the summer. If you haven't finished-now's the time! In addition to
Youscience, there are some great tools out there to access- especially
Naviance. Don't remember your password? Check in with your counselor who can show you how to utilize
Naviance in preparation for Career Day!
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It's a big year, Class of 2021! You're officially an upperclass student! And as you know, with more freedom comes more responsibility. This year is a great time to really focus on your school work. If something isn't working, come see us so we can brainstorm solutions. Outside of school, you should be challenging yourself to become leaders in whatever extracurricular activities you're really enjoying. But most importantly, remember to still leave time for friends and family. As you'll soon find out, the next two years are going to speed by!
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Seniors! You're almost there! We know that there are a lot of moving pieces this year, and we are here to support you through the process. Make sure to attend the Town Hall meeting on September 18th (periods 1 &2) where we will go through the logistics of applying to college, step by step. Need someone to read your essay? Stop by! Want to fine tune your list? We can help! Remember, you're in the driver's seat through this process, so you have control. Let us join you on this ride.
Keep reading below for more information on your road to graduation!
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Every volume of The Counselor Connection, we will share a new study tip for you to try:
Stick to a Set Schedule
Your brain builds pathways and habits over time, and studying is about building those mental muscles and endurance. Getting into a fixed habit of studying will help you improve your concentration and mental stamina over time. And, just like any other training, your ability to study only improves with time and dedicated effort.
There are many activities that are good for us, but that we often—for whatever reason—dread doing. Whether this is exercising, doing chores, or studying, it’s a good idea to set yourself a schedule and stick to it no matter how you’re feeling at the moment. It’s easy to put off these activities for a thousand reasons: you’re busy doing something else, you’re tired, you have a headache, you’re not in the mood.…But the more you hold yourself to a set schedule, the more likely you’ll do what you need to do without having to make an endless litany of excuses.
Aside from doing homework, set aside a dedicated 50 to 75 minutes to study each day and then stick to your schedule. You'll find the study rhythm that works best for you, but do know that you don't necessarily have to sit down and eek out those minutes all at once. You can decide to split the time into smaller segments throughout the day, or, if you work better at completing tasks and moving on, you can choose to get your studying done all at once.
One way to divide your after school study time into segments could be:
4:30 - 5:00 - arrive home, eat a snack, relax
5:00 - 5:30 - first study chunk
5:30 - 6:30 - break/homework/other task
6:30 - 6:45 - second study chunk
6:45 - 7:30 - dinner/assignments/other task
7:30 - 8:00 - final study chunk
Or, if you'd rather spend your 50-75 study minutes all at once, then your schedule may look more like:
4:30 - 5:00 - arrive home, eat a snack, relax
5:00 - 6:15 - study time
6:15 - rest of evening - dinner, break, homework, other tasks
How you create your study schedule is up to you, just so long as you stick to it once you've made it and don't deviate.
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Seniors: Road to Graduation
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Also, All Seniors should sign up for their Post-Secondary Planning Check-In Meetings here:
Meetings begin on September 19th
and go through October 11th
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College Rep Visits
Check
Naviance and the counseling bulletin board in the main office for upcoming visits.
Seniors are encouraged to meet with College Representatives to learn more about schools. Interested Juniors may attend if the meeting is during a free period.
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COLLEGE APP CLINIC
FOR STUDENTS!
When applying to college, an effective application can help candidates stand out from the crowd. With this is mind, the counseling department is excited to offer seniors the opportunity to attend a college app clinic on the morning of October 16th. This will be our first time offering this and we are interested to learn more about how we can help you. Please complete the survey below to help us plan the program.
Want help with your essay?
What someone to read over your application?
Still need help fine tuning your college list?
Want to practice your interview skills?
Is there something else that you'd like us to discuss?
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COLLEGE APPLICATION DEADLINES:
10/1: Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for October 15th deadline
10/11:
Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for November 1st deadline
10/15-11/15:
Early Decision/REA Applications Due
(please see specific college for exact dates)
10/15-12/15:
Early Action Applications Due
(please see specific college for exact dates)
11/1:
Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for November 15th deadline
11/14:
Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for December 1st deadline
12/2:
Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for December 15th deadline
12/10:
Last day to request recommendations/transcripts for January 1st and beyond
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Did you know, in Fall of 2018, the School Counseling Office processed over
1,400
applications to ove
r 350
colleges and universities?
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FALL COLLEGE FAIRS
College fairs are a great first place to learn about colleges that may be a good fit for you. In a short amount of time, you can meet with multiple admissions representatives, get brochures, and begin to make connections. Sometimes, these fairs are crowded, so don't expect to be able to have an extensive conversation with an admissions representative- especially from "hot" schools. But college fairs are great for covering a lot of ground in a short amount of time!
TIPS
Tip 1: Write your name, address, phone, and email address on labels and bring them with you. That way, you don't have to fill out inquiry cards all night and you'll have time to ask the important questions.
Tip 2: And on that note- make the questions you ask thoughtful. If you have never heard of a school, or are at the beginning of your search, all questions are on the table. However, as you learn more about colleges, your questions shouldn't be the ones that you can easily learn on their school website.
Tip 3: Pick an email address that you don't mind getting a lot of college related email on. This may mean creating a college specific one, or setting up a filter on your existing one. There will be a lot of email coming your way!
Tip 4: Student- you lead the way! Parents, this can be hard, but the admissions representatives really want to be able to connect directly with students. Moral support is always appreciated!
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All
JUNIORS are preregistered for the PSAT, which will be given at school on
Wed. 10/16.
All
SOPHOMORES will be preregistered for the Pre ACT, which will be given at school in the Spring.
More details will be provided closer to the exam dates.
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Upcoming Test Dates
SAT:
October 5 (Registration Deadline 9/6)
November 2 (Registration Deadline 10/3)
December 7 (Registration Deadline 11/8)
ACT:
September 14 (Registration Deadline 8/16)
October 26 (Registration Deadline 9/20)
December 14 (Registration Deadline 11/8)
Need to apply for standardized testing accommodations?
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THE IHS COUNSELING DEPARTMENT PRESENTS....
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The Counseling Department hosts many events throughout the year.
Join us for any and all that interest you!
The Moving Pieces of Senior Year- 12th Grade Families
Date: September 16th, 2019 (new date!)
Time:7-9 PM
At this event, the first hour will be spent reviewing the senior year including procedures for requesting documentation, best practices to approaching the application, and a comprehensive month by month review. The second hour will be devoted to understanding the costs of college, and how to gain access to scholarships and financial aid.
Meet & Greet: An Informal Pre-Open House Gathering for 9th Grade Parents
Date: September 26th, 2019
Time: 6:30-7:00 PM
It’s your first high school open house event! Come say hello, ask any questions you may have, and meet other 9th grade families who will be attending Open House for the first time.
College Admissions Case Studies Program- All families interested in the college process
Date: November 21st 2019
Time: 7-8:30 PM
College admission representatives will lead students and parents through a mock admission committee using the sample (and real) cases. The exercise will point out the intricacies of the process and the importance of assembling a strong application. You will gain insight and understanding as to what is valued in the application.
Curriculum Night- 8th and 10th grade families
Date: January 9th, 2020
Time: 7-9 PM
Join us as we take a first look the vast opportunities available to students at Irvington High School. By traveling through short presentations, you will gain an understanding of course sequencing, graduation requirements, and elective opportunities. The program will be catered towards curriculum at two integral junctions: Starting high school and becoming an upperclassman.
Irvington University- All families interested in the college process
Date: May 20th, 2020
Time: 7-9 PM
This program will consist of multiple workshops to choose from. Past Topics have included: College Admissions 101, Understanding the Financial Aid Process, An Overview of the SUNY and CUNY systems, The New SAT, SAT vs ACT, The Transition to College, and more!
Workshops will be offered to support families in all stages of the process.
Welcome to High School: A First Look at What’s Ahead- Incoming High School families
Date: June 3rd, 2020 or Date: June 4th, 2020
Time: 9-10 AM Time: 7-8 PM
Meet your child’s counselor, learn what to expect over the next four years at Irvington High School and what steps you can be taking yearly toward post-high school success!
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Emily Colman (last names A-C)
e-mail
Heather Attenello (last names D-J)
e-mail
Andrew Lund (last names K-P)
e-mail
Claudia Rodriguez (last names Q-Z)
e-mail
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