September Newsletter
West High School Counseling Department
Welcome To The 2018-2019 School Year
The Counseling Department welcomes all new and returning students and families to West High School for the 2018-2019 school year. We take pride in serving you and look forward to a positive and productive year. Trust that we will do all we can to ensure that your experience at West is one that you will cherish and reflect on positively for the rest of your life. For freshmen coming from middle school, we look forward to meeting you and helping you make a successful transition to West.
We feel that in a large metropolitan high school, it is important to communicate information in a timely and effective manner. This newsletter is intended to give you a summary of important grade level, counseling information which should be useful in making plans and navigating high school and life after graduation.
If you have questions, please contact your assigned counselor, who is listed at the bottom of your schedule. Check your information on the Infinite Campus website or phone app.. In addition, please make sure you read the “School Counseling News” section of the Regent Reporter, which is sent out at the beginning of each month and can be found on West’s website: west.mmsd.org. To find other specific information relating to the Counseling office, go to the same website and click on For Families and then Counseling, or click here.
We want to encourage all students to set up phone notifications for their school email on their devices and read all school emails carefully for important announcements, opportunities and updates. Please also text a code to get Remind texts from the Counseling Office to plan for your future both near and far. If students need assistance accessing their school email, they can stop in to their SLC (Small Learning Community) office and ask for help, or see their school counselor in 2003.
Stay Connected This School Year
Staff Spotlight
Welcome to the newest members of the West High School Counseling Department!
Ms. Felissia Jackson
Ms. Cynthia Nordmeyer
Class Schedule Change Reminders
Students wanting to change a course that they have selected must fill out an Appeal Form by 4 pm on Friday of the first week of the semester. (Friday, September 7, 2018). These forms are reviewed and decided by the Assistant Principal. Completed Appeal Forms should be turned into the Highland Office (Rm. 2011).
No student may start a new course after Friday of the first week of each semester. (Friday, September 7, 2018)
Students can drop a class for a study hall without penalty up until the end of the 7th week of the semester. (Friday, October 19, 2018)
Upcoming Grade Level Meetings
Grade 9 - Wednesday, September 12th at 5:30 p.m.
Dinner (5:30) and Informational Meeting (6:30)
- Administrative Expectations and Overview of Grade 9
- Introduction of Support Services
- Counseling supports for 9th grade students
9th grade students and guardians are invited to attend.
Grade 11 - Monday, October 15th at 6:30 p.m. FuturePaths Program
West High will host the FuturePaths Program for 11th grade students and their families. Presenters will speak on a range of post-secondary opportunities including Madison College (MATC), Apprenticeships, the UW System schools, UW-Madison, private colleges, an art and design school, “IEP Goes to College”, and military choices. This is a great time for you and your student to begin exploring post high school options and start discussions about their interests, feelings and emerging goals. Seniors and their parents who are interested in attending the presentations to obtain more information on post high school options are also welcome to attend.
Grade 12 - Monday, September 17th at 6:30 p.m.
Important post-high school information for seniors applying to college. Financial aid options also discussed. Students and families encouraged to attend.
‘Go to School Night’ – Wednesday, September 26th at 7:00 p.m. in West High Auditorium
ESL Parent Meeting: Before Go-To-School Night begins, families in our English as a Second Language program are invited to come to an informational meeting about our ESL program at 5:30pm in the LMC. Pizza and childcare provided.
Graduation Requirements
Grade Reports
Below are the dates for the end of each quarter during the 2018/2019 school year.
First Quarter: November 2, 2018
Second Quarter: January 25, 2019
Third Quarter: April 5, 2019
Fourth Quarter: June 11, 2019
Getting Involved At West - Clubs & Activities
West High School offers many extracurricular opportunities ranging from Amnesty International to Comic Book Club to Taiko Drumming. Information regarding these clubs can be found in the daily announcement bulletin found in your student email through the student’s MMSD gmail account. A comprehensive table including contact people and other information is available HERE. Additional clubs are often formed by interested groups of students.
Early College Credit Program
The Early College Credit Program (ECCP) allows high school students the opportunity to take college courses at Wisconsin public (University of Wisconsin) and private universities. The process is very similar to Youth Options. Statute 118.55 outlines the aspects of the program.
Students looking to take courses in the fall semester or over summer, must turn in the application to their high school representative by March 1 of each year.
For spring semester, the deadline for submission to their high school representative is October 1 of each year.
Link to UW Application / UW Website
Program Specifics:
- Courses requested CANNOT be similar or equivalent to courses offered by the district
- Student may take up to 18 credits; no limits number of courses at a given time; however, UW will limit to 1 course at a time in most cases, 2 in rare cases with previous successful completion
- Grades 9-12; however, most universities will have restrictions for Grade 10 or lower (unless there are extenuating circumstances)
- Fall, spring, and summer courses are available under the program
- Student MUST meet pre-requisites outlined for each course
- Processed within MMSD by the Office of Personalized Pathways
- Questions? Contact Jen Wegner, 663-5229
College Entrance Exams
Colleges typically will require the ACT or the SAT as one basis for admission. The specific college website is a good guide for admissions’ requirements, as is our web based education and career planning program, Career Cruising. Traditionally, the ideal time for college bound students to take the SAT or ACT tests is in the spring of their junior year. Registration information for college entrance exams is available on the web at www.actstudent.org , or www.collegeboard.com, or in the Counseling Office. You will need our high school code to register, which is: 501-165
The TOEFL test is an admissions test sometimes required for students who are non-native speakers of English. Registration for the TOEFL can be completed online at: www.ets.org/ell.
About the ACT
Students need to register for the ACT online. Go to www.actstudent.org. All of the information needed to register is available online. The 30-minute Writing Test is an optional component to the ACT Assessment which complements the English Test. We recommend that students take the ACT Plus Writing. Note: The UW-Madison and University of Minnesota-Twin Cities require the ACT Plus Writing. FREE ACT Test preparation through Method Test Preparation in Career Cruising.
www.careercruising.com/login/MMSD
Username: Student’s ID number
Password: Student’s six digit birthday and first and last inital with no spaces.
Mark Your Calendars! **West Juniors will take the ACT on Wed, Feb. 20, 2019** Stay tuned for more information.
About the SAT
Students must register online for the SAT at www.collegeboard.com. The SAT Reasoning and Subject Tests are often required by highly selective schools (generally private schools or schools on the East and West coasts). The SAT Reasoning Test is a general admissions test which now has an optional writing test. SAT Subject Tests test one content area in depth. Students planning to apply to the most competitive colleges are sometimes required to take three SAT subject tests. These tests should be taken as close to the completion of their high school course as possible; for example, if a student takes Math Physics 2 during the fall of his/her junior year, it would be advantageous for the student to take the Physics SAT Subject Test in the spring of the junior year.
Taking the Test
Students should read the information given to them when they register for the tests, especially regarding their ID and the prohibited use of electronic devices. Photo ID is required to enter a test room, so remember to bring your school ID or driver’s license with you on test day. Also, the use of cell phones on test days has become a big problem. Many students are dismissed and their tests voided each year because their cell phone rings or they use their phone before testing is completed. We urge students to leave their cell phones at home on test days.
PSAT/NMSQT Information
What is the PSAT/NMSQT?
This is a practice test for the SAT which measures reading, math, and writing/language skills. It is also a qualifying test for National Merit scholarships
When should you take it?
Test Date: Saturday, October 13, 2018 (8:00 a.m.) at West High School
The PSAT/NMSQT is only offered in October each year. The PSAT is normally taken in 11th grade and is a qualifying test for the National Merit scholarships for juniors. Occasionally, sophomores elect to take this if they wish to practice for the PSAT/NMSQT, which they would then take again as a junior.
How long is the test?
2 hours and 45 minutes of testing, plus instruction time (8:00 – 12:00). Students are encouraged to arrive at West High School by 7:45 a.m. with photo ID.
Who should you see if you have questions?
Ms. Lehman in the Counseling Office
What if I cannot test on this date?
Students who cannot test on Saturday, October 13 can contact the following schools that test on Wednesday, October 10: LaFollette, East, and Middleton High Schools. All have limited numbers of seats available on a first come, first serve basis. More information about how to contact these test sites and their procedures for registration will be posted on the West Counseling website shortly after the start of the school year. Please contact the individual schools for information about availability and registration.College Rep Visits @ West
Throughout the year, students have the opportunity to meet with ADMISSIONS COUNSELORS representing colleges and universities from around the country.
The schedule of college visits is posted outside the Counseling Office, listed on the counseling website, and announced in the Daily Bulletin announcements sent to student email accounts. We encourage students to attend these sessions, which are held in the Counseling Office. Students who have a class during the visitation time can obtain a pass from the teacher of the class that will be missed.
College Fairs
Thursday, September 20th from 9-11 a.m. and 6:00-8:00 p.m.
Sun Prairie High School.
888 Grove St, Sun Prairie, WI 53590
Milwaukee National College Fair
Sunday, September 30th from 3:00-6:00 p.m.
Wisconsin Center
400 W. Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53203
Sending Test Scores
ACT & SAT Test Scores
It is the student's responsibility to have the appropriate test scores (i.e., ACT or SAT ) sent directly from the testing service to colleges. West High will not send test scores. Most colleges (including UW System Schools) require that your score be sent to the admissions office directly from the ACT or SAT testing company. You can request that your scores be sent when you register for an ACT or SAT by filling in the appropriate college codes. If you took the ACT or SAT as a junior but did not send your scores to colleges at that time, you now need to go online or call the testing company to have your scores sent for an additional fee. (ACT – 319-337-1270; SAT 866-756-7346). Scores are usually available 4-6 weeks after the test date, and are automatically emailed to you and sent to the Counseling Office.
Transcripts
WEST High School Transcripts are ordered and delivered electronically (on-line). The Madison Metropolitan School District has joined the Wisconsin e-transcript initiative to bring you a quick, confidential, and paperless way to send your transcripts directly to colleges, the NCAA, the Common Application and other destinations of your choice. Transcripts may be ordered at www.Parchment.com by MMSD graduates, parents and guardians of students, and by current students who are over the age of 18.