OPHS School Counseling
First Edition
OPHS School Counseling
Email: bachml@pwcs.edu
Website: https://osbournparkhs.pwcs.edu/our_school/school_counseling
Location: 8909 Euclid Avenue, Manassas, VA, USA
Phone: (703) 365-6500
Twitter: @OPHSCounseling
Calendar
Senior Visits September 17th- September 25th
Senior Pictures - Make Up Session
Senior Pictures - Make Up Session
No School for Students - Professional Learning Day
Senior Pictures - Final Make Up Session
No School for Students - Teacher Workday
No School for Students - Parent Conference Day (ES) - Teacher Workday/Conference Day (MS/HS)
No School - Veterans Day Holiday
No School for Students & Teachers - Thanksgiving Day Holiday
Thanksgiving Break - All Employees
No School for Students & Teachers - Thanksgiving Day Holiday
Western PWC College Fair Stonewall Jackson High School
Monday, Sep 24, 2018, 06:00 PM
Stonewall Jackson High School, Rixlew Lane, Manassas, VA, USA
Eastern PWC College Fair Potomac High School
Thursday, Oct 11, 2018, 06:00 PM
Potomac Senior High School, Panther Pride Drive, Dumfries, VA, USA
School Counseling Staff and Student Services
Ms. Pamela Gardner
Director
Mrs. Maureen Andrada
(A-Ca)
Ms. Suzanne Salvo
(Cb-Ga)
Mrs. Shronda Peake
(Gb-K)
Mrs. Keisha Mercer
(L-Or)
Mrs. Courtney Jaeger
(Os-Sa)
Ms. Erin Fondren
(Sb-Z)
Mrs. Melissa Bach
(Pre-Gov & Gov School)
Ms. Jennifer Nelson, Counseling Secretary NelsonJS@pwcs.edu
Mrs. Alicia Halter, Counseling Secretary HalterA@pwcs.edu
Mrs. Toni Gibson, Registrar GibsonTL@pwcs.edu
Ms. Marie Emery, Testing Coordinator EmeryMS@pwcs.edu
Ms. Christine Cortez, School Social Worker CortezCG@pwcs.edu
Mr. Stanley Urbaniak, School Psychologist UrbanIS@pwcs.edu
Ms. Crystal Mensah, New Horizons Therapist Mensahca@pwcs.edu
Ms. Heather Lantos, Transition Specialist LontosHA@pwcs.edu
Ms. Laura Inesta, Attendance Officer InestaLI@pwcs.edu
Contact Information:
Phone: (703) 365-6500
Fax: (703) 330-2170
College Application Process Class of 2019:
Counselor Recommendation Form class of 2019 click here
Transcript Release Form click here
Senior College Planning Checklist
August-September
- Register for the SAT and/or ACT if you didn’t take a college entrance exam as a junior or want to take one again. Remember: Your counselor can help with fee waivers.
- Take a look at some college applications. Make note of all the pieces of information you will need to compile.
- Check with your school counselor to make sure you are on track to graduate and fulfill college admission requirements.
- Take every opportunity to get to know colleges. Meet with college representatives who visit your school, attend local college fairs, and visit campuses.
- Narrow down your list of colleges. Collect information about the application and financial aid process at each school.
- Create a checklist and calendar to keep track of standardized test dates, college application due dates, and financial aid deadlines. Make note of the other materials, such as recommendations or essays, you’ll need to complete your applications.
Parts of a College Application
October
- File your Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) as soon after Oct. 1 as possible. In addition to determining your eligibility for federal funds, many colleges and states use the form when distributing grants, so don’t delay. Watch the mail for your Student Aid Report (SAR)—it should arrive four weeks after the FAFSA is filed.
- Some colleges will have deadlines (rolling, priority, early decision, and early action) as early as this month.
- If you cannot afford the application fees that many colleges charge, ask your counselor to help you request a fee waiver.
- Finalize your college essay. Many schools will require that you submit at least one essay with your application.
- Request personal recommendations from teachers, school counselors, or employers.
- Research scholarships. Ask your counselor, your colleges, and local religious and civic groups about scholarship opportunities. You should never pay for scholarship information.
Common Application
Coalition for Access and Affordability
ZeeMee
College Admissions Tests
Junior College Planning Checklist
September-December
- Talk with your counselor about the year ahead. Confirm that your courses will put you on the right track for college admission.
- Ask about test dates for the PSAT, ACT, and SAT. You’ll need to register up to six weeks ahead of time.
- Start developing a résumé—a record of your accomplishments, activities, and work experience. This will be an important part of your college application.
- If you haven’t participated in many activities outside of class, now is the time to sign up. Consider clubs at school, team sports, leadership roles, or involvement in a religious or civic community group.
- Take the PSAT. Taking the test as a junior will qualify you for some scholarship consideration and identify you to colleges as a potential applicant.
- Begin to prepare for the ACT or SAT. Plan to take at least one of these tests in the spring. Ask your counselor if you qualify for a fee waiver.
January-February
- Work with your counselor to set your senior schedule. Enroll in the most challenging courses.
- Register for a spring SAT and/or ACT. Ask your counselor whether you should also take an SAT Subject Test.
- Explore summer opportunities on college campuses—a great way to find out what college life is all about.
Study Tips
1. Manage Your Time Wisely
Get used to keeping track of your time in high school and it will pay off for you in college. You might take as few as three or four classes per semester in college, which is only about 15 hours per week actually spent in class. While you may not sit in class for as many hours as you did in high school, your reading assignments in college will be doubled. Managing your free time is as important as managing your “busy” time.
2. Organize!
Keep a weekly or monthly planner or use a journal. If planners aren’t your thing, try making “to do” lists, or using your phone calendar to keep track of assignments and important dates and events. Relying on “just remembering” can be difficult when your obligations and assignments start to pile on.
3. Identify How You Learn
Find out what works for you. Are you a flash card girl? Maybe you’re a guy who writes down vocabulary words 20 times each to learn them. Experiment with new things, but stick to the tried-and-true study skills that have worked for you in the past.
4. Is There a Better Way to Study?
A lot of people cram for tests by studying into the wee hours the night before. Take an honest look at your study habits. Repeated, short sessions of studying are much more effective than a six-hour cram session the night before a final.
5. Catch Some Zzz’s
Don’t stay up until 4 a.m. studying for a test! It won’t work now and it won’t work in college. Sleep has been scientifically documented to be a significant factor on your GPA as well as how well you perform on other tasks.
6. Attend Class
While high school attendance is a strict business, it’s good practice for college. Most college classes will only meet once or twice per week, so they will count that much more. Many professors only allow two to three absences for the entire semester. Miss more than that and you’re grade sinks – or worse.
7. Ask Questions
Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers for help! They aren’t there to scare you; they’re a valuable resource. Students in your class are another great source of information and support. Be sure to exchange phone numbers and email addresses with them during your first few weeks of class. They will not only help with schoolwork, but some of them may even turn into long-time friends.
8. Make Study Groups
Studying with other students and working on assignments together can be helpful too. You can clarify points you may not understand, and help others by explaining the parts they find hard. Teaching others may even help you grasp a better understanding of the information as well.
9. Hone Those Writing Skills
Learn the fine art of the college essay and also be sure to take notes in class. Writing and note taking are important study skills for high school students transitioning into college. Don’t write everything your teacher says, but be sure to highlight the important points. You can also compare notes in with other students to review parts of the lecture you found difficult or may have missed.
10. Study Outside
Don’t just study in the library. Choosing multiple places to study will keep your boredom level low and may even help you perform better on tests.
STEM Opportunities
Building Leaders for Advancing Science and Technology (BLAST) for 8th and 9th grade students Click here
Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) for 10th grade students Click here