RVH School Counseling
December 2019
About Our Department:
The Riverside School Counseling department is a team of 16 dedicated individuals working collaboratively to meet the needs of 1,880 students, including teachers and parents. We have an open-door policy, but at times we are needed at meetings or have scheduled appointments with other students and parents. To serve you more efficiently, we ask that you please call or email us to schedule an appointment.
We support Riverside High School by:
working with staff to address obstacles that interfere with students’ learning and success.
focusing on skill development through a variety of ways, such as small group or individual counseling sessions, classroom guidance, and consultation and coordination with parents, administrators, and teachers.
helping when students experience challenges. We focus on conflict resolution, transitions, study skills, test-taking skills, crisis intervention, bullying prevention, suicide prevention, and special needs of students.
preparing students with post-grad planning. College visits, career days, internships, scholarships, and job matching are just a few resources available to help our students succeed in life after high school.
RVHS School Counseling Office Hours
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:15 pm
Website: http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/domain/17735
Follow us on twitter @RVHCounseling
Luke Mason, Director of School Counseling
Susan Westgate, Registrar
Marsha Gobrecht, School Counseling Assistant
Donna Smith, School Counseling Assistant
Robin Robinson, Career Center Assistant
Evan Rodgers, School Counselor (A-Burc)
Kevin Burke, School Counselor (Burd - E)
Cassandra Asekhauno, School Counselor (F-Jer)
Kimberley Harris, School Counselor (Jes-Marn)
Susan Pangman, School Counselor (Maro-Pf)
Anna Rizzo, School Counselor (Pg-Sm)
Tracy Wood, School Counselor (Sn-Z)
Noelia Garcia-Gettmann, School Psychologist
Mrs. Frances Jester, Social Worker
Kim Hager, Student Assistance Specialist
Susan Sabloff, Parent Liaison
PSAT/NMSQT Score Report Information
Attention 9th, 10th, and 11th Grade Parents & Students,
The Preliminary SAT®/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test is a co-sponsored program by the College Board and National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC). Students in grades 9-11 took the PSAT on Wednesday, October 16, 2019.
Students will be able to view their PSAT score report online on December 9, 2019. To access PSAT scores students can sign in using their College Board account if they are already registered. If they do not have an account, they can simply create one.
To assist students further, we will be handing out students paper score reports and their test booklets through their english class after the holiday break.
For 10th & 11th graders that took the PSAT/NMSQT, please visit this College Board site for more information: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/scores?ep_mid=11199955&ep_rid=248802157
For students in 9th grade that took the PSAT 9, please click on this link for more information: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-8-9/scores
If you have additional questions, please feel free to call the School Counseling Office at (703) 554-8907.
Visiting the Academies of Loudoun
Is your student interested in programs at the Academies of Loudoun? The Academies of Loudoun are beginning to prepare for their winter admissions cycle, which includes admissions for the Advanced Academy of Engineering & Technology (AET) (11th grade entry) and the Monroe Advanced Technical Academy (MATA)programs (10th, 11th, and 12th grade entry). Academies of Loudoun staff will provide guided tours of the facility, detailed information on the Advanced AET and MATA programs, and instructions on how to apply. Our Riverside students will tour ACL on December 12, 2019! They will need to bring either a packed lunch or can use their current lunch account number to purchase lunch. More information on each application process can be found here. Permission forms for the field trip on December 12th will be available in the career center at the beginning of November or can also be found here. The deadline to turn in your permission form is DECEMBER 5th.
Winter Admission Cycle Timeline for the Academies of Loudoun
December 10, 2019 – admissions window opens for Academies of Loudoun Winter 2020 admissions cycle (for Advanced AET and MATA programs).
February 19, 2020 - Winter admissions window closes at 12pm "noon". $35 application fee must be paid before application is processed (fee is automatically reduced or waived for free/reduced lunch status).
February 22, 2020* - Advanced AET Admissions Assessment (writing prompt and interest statement)
February 22, 2020* - MATA Practical Nursing Admissions Assessment (Test of Essential Academic Skills - TEAS)
March 3, 2020 - Nursing Interviews for nursing applicants who were administered the TEAS assessment
March 2020 – Admission offers will be posted in admissions portal
March/May 2020 - Students must accept or decline all admissions offers
*In the event of an emergency on a testing date, please contact the Admissions Office (AcademiesAdmissions@lcps.org)
Sources of Strength
Mental Health & Wellness Event
Naviance Presentation for Parents
The “Introduction to Naviance Student – How Parents Can Assist Their Students with College and Career Readiness” presentation took place on October 21st. The session was recorded and will be posted at www.lcps.org/parentresourceservices. Once you are on the webpage, click on workshops and events, and then archived videos.
CLASS OF 2020
We hope all is well and welcome to the 12th grade! The RVHS School Counseling staff is eager to work with you during your senior year and prepare you for life after high school. We want to inform you about some dates, tasks, and resources that will help you get the ball rolling on your post high school planning process. To view the presentations from the September 26 Senior Parent Planning/Financial Aid Night click here.
Important Dates
Gap Year Fair - February 6, 2020 Riverside HS
LCPS Apprenticeship & Workforce Night - April 1, 2020 The Academies of Loudoun
Tasks to complete now:
Student & Parent Surveys:
If you need a counselor recommendation for your college applications, please reach out to your counselor for information on how to access and complete. Once you have completed, please return to your counselor 2 to 3 weeks prior to your first application deadline date.
Transcript Request Forms:
If you need a transcript sent for your college applications, please submit the form at least two weeks in advance of your deadline! Remember counselors need time to complete your recommendation and process your materials! Please refer to the timelines below!
Applying to Historically Black Colleges & Universities
UPCOMING EVENTS
Summer Programs at Rose-Hulman Institute of Technology
Rose-Hulman IT is a small private school in Terre Haute, Indiana with about 2,000 students. It has been number one in the nation for best undergraduate engineering college for the past two decades. The school strives to develop well-rounded engineers and have two excellent two-week summer programs for current sophomores and juniors with a passion for STEM! Opportunities include a reach into robotics, or explore cool things like brew biodiesel or make a machine from scratch. Click here for rose-hulman.edu/LearnCatapult (rising seniors) or LearnSelect (rising juniors) for videos and more information!
The Janelia-LCPS Summer Internship Program will offer high school students attending Loudoun County Public Schools the opportunity to spend eight weeks at Howard Hughes Medical Institute’s Janelia Research Campus, performing research using state-of-the-art technology and methods to answer questions in biology and computational science under the guidance of group leaders, scientists and engineers. Selected students will have the opportunity to attend seminars by Janelia researchers, as well as to participate in journal clubs and other events.
We will be receiving the dates for the Summer 2020 program soon. Please note that this is a full-time paid internship to which you will be dedicating 40 hours per week, and therefore it is expected that you will not undertake other organized activities that conflict with the program and will plan vacations around the internship dates. Students selected will be responsible for their own housing, food, and travel to and from Janelia.
We accept applications for students attending an LCPS high school who are in good academic standing and will be 16 years old by June 13, 2019.
We are looking for students with strong biology and computational background who have demonstrated a high level of academic standard and have experience in scientific research. Projects cover a wide variety of topics including machine learning algorithms, data annotation, reconstruction of neural networks, animal behavior analysis and optogenetics. High school students interested in computer programming, engineering, mathematics, physics, and neuroscience are encouraged to apply. Programming experience in Python, MATLAB, and/or C++ is strongly encouraged.
Please stay tuned for more information on this year's application process! You can also go to this site to see what application materials are typically required.
Summer Study Abroad Programs
Gap Year Solutions
A “Gap Year” has traditionally referred to a year off between high school and the start of college. During a Gap Year, students typically organize a series of experiences consisting of work, internships, service, travel and language/cultural immersion. While budget is always a consideration for Gap Years, no student should decide against a Gap Year due to lack of financial resources. Often students work during their Gap Year and use their earnings to help fund other experiences such as travel programs.
One of the major trends driving the growth of Gap Years is the increase in anxiety and stress experienced by today's teens. This has led to a change in the focus of Gap Years from being less about travel, and more about development of maturity and life skills. Nearly any student can benefit from the experiential learning that Gap Years provide. Students improve their time management skills, become better networkers, increase their ability to deal with adversity, collaborate better with different personalities, and practice leadership among many other skills.
In addition to the need for many graduating high school students to “de-stress” after years of rigorous schooling and pressure to build the “perfect resume” and college application, Gap Years are growing because colleges are becoming very accepting of them. Research by Gap Year Solutions reported that 91% of respondents from “top 600 colleges” (based on Wall Street Journal rankings) permit admitted students to defer admission, including for gap years. 100% of the “top 100 colleges” responding to the survey actively support gap years. According to North Carolina State, “We see them as beneficial to a student’s intellectual growth and maturity.” This comment is typical of other perspectives shared by colleges.
There are many sources of information available to students and their families interested in learning more about Gap Years. Articles, newsletters, blogs, videos, and first person accounts are easy to find by searching the Internet. For more information, plan to attend our 2020 Gap Year Fair on February 6th, 2020 at Riverside HS.
Military Representatives
Testing Dates 2019-2020
SAT Preparation Offered
Part-time Job Opportunities
Cold Stone Creamery @ Leesburg team members gain life experience that goes far beyond just serving a great product in a friendly environment. Cold Stone is a great opportunity for people of all ages and backgrounds, and no experience is necessary. You probably have commitments to your family, friends, school or sports teams. We will try to arrange your work schedule around them.
Cold Stone Creamery at Leesburg is now hiring daytime/evening team members and team leaders. Apply now at coldstonecreamery.com or send an email to Mr. Prabhu at Leesburg.Coldstone@gmail.com
Sheetz has been a family owned business since 1952 and is based out of Altoona, PA. They are rapidly expanding in the Northern Virginia market and looking for new employees. Contact Jackie Foderaro at jfoderar@sheetz.com for more information/to inquire.
Wicket Door Pub will be opening soon at 44921 George Washington Blvd in Ashburn and Ms. Hanlon is currently hiring for all positions including Hosts and Food Runners. You can visit their website at wicketdoorpub.com and email them if interested at employment@wicketdoorpub.com.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
Comcast Leaders and Achievers Scholarships
This year, the scholarship has changed so that applicants may apply directly. Applicants must reside in a community served by Comcast and/or participating NBCUniversal or Telemundo markets. Applicants enter their zip code at the application link to confirm eligibility. Applicants must be enrolled as a high school senior and have a demonstrated commitment to community service, outstanding qualities in character, integrity and leadership. The applicant must plan to enroll in full-time undergraduate study at an accredited two- or four-year college or university or vocational-technical college in the United States for the entire 2020 – 2021 academic year. A minimum GPA of 3.0 on a 4.0 scale (or its equivalent) is required. A transcript is required. The applicant must demonstrate financial need.
For information and application go here. Deadline for this scholarship is December 6, 2019.
Loudoun County Alumnae Chapter Delta Sigma Theta Sorority
The Coolidge Scholarship for High School Juniors
The Coolidge Scholarship is an annually awarded, full-ride, presidential scholarship that covers a student’s tuition, room, board, and expenses for four year of undergraduate study at any accredited American college or university. Anyone of any background, pursuing any academic discipline of study, may apply to this non-partisan, need-blind, program. There are typically 2 to 3 winners each year. The scholarship is open to only high school juniors. Applications require a completed Profile form, Honesty Statement, Letters of Recommendation and Academic Information along with essay questions.
Up to ten finalists and one guardian are flown in for a finalist weekend at the Coolidge Historic Site in Plymouth Notch, Vermont where they interview with the Coolidge Scholars Finalist Jury. Recipients of the Scholarship are notified of their award late in their junior year, before college application time. Finalists who are not named Coolidge Scholars are eligible to receive a smaller, one-time, college scholarship.
See the website for frequently asked questions and the application for the scholarship. It is strongly recommended that students review the frequently asked questions. Deadline for this scholarship is Thursday, January 16, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. Eastern Standard Time.
Apple Federal Credit Union
The GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship
This scholarship offers numerous college-bound students with $10,000 renewable scholarships (up to $40,000 per recipient). GE-Reagan Foundation scholarship candidates must:
- demonstrate at school, at the workplace, and within the community the attributes of leadership, drive, integrity, and citizenship;
- demonstrate strong academic performance (3.0 or greater GPA/4.0 scale or equivalent);
- be a citizen of the United States of America;
- be a high school senior attending high in the United States -students living on U.S. Armed Forces base and homeschooled students are also eligible; and
- plan to enroll in a full-time undergraduate course of study while pursuing a bachelor’s degree at an accredited four-year college or university in the United States for the entire upcoming academic year.
Semifinalists will be required to provide a recommendation from a community leader, such as a high school principal, elected official and executive director of a nonprofit organization, and must provide documentation to certify academic performance and financial need. Finalists will be interviewed via Skype or telephone by a member of the selection committee.
Applicants with questions about the application process my contact the programs administrator, Scholarship America at 1-844-402-0354 and ask for the GE-Reagan Foundation Scholarship Program or email ge-reagan@scholarship.org.
The link for complete information and to apply for the scholarship may be found at: https://www.reaganfoundation.org/education/scholarship-programs/ge-reagan-foundation-scholarship-program/.
Deadline for this scholarship is January 3, 2020.
For additional information about anything listed in our newsletter, please visit our website or contact our office at (703) 554 -8907.
Thank you,
RVH Counseling