School Counseling Bulletin
May/June 2021
Class of 2021
From the entire Counseling Office staff...
Here's wishing each of you the very BEST
for every new adventure that life has in store for you!
CONGRATULATIONS!
A Letter to All Students
Dear Students:
Schools Counselors and Teachers are here for YOU. Yes, we may be stressed too but we also find great joy in helping our students.
So, if you need help with:
Knowing who to ask for Letters of Recommendations for a summer program or college admission
Finding out the name of the new Math Lab teacher
Applying for a parking pass this late in the year
Finding community service hours
Deciding what to add to your resume
Deciding when and if to take the SAT/ACT
Anything
Please reach out to your School Counselor, we will walk you through and support you through the unknowns.
The High School Counseling Department.
AP Exam Updates
Students taking AP Exams in May/June were sent a confirmation email in April regarding their exam format (paper & pencil in the building or digital at home). Additional emails are being sent regarding exam location, arrival time, etc. Please refer to the AP Exam website for additional information or contact Mr. Bowles, AP Coordinator, at cbowles@mtlsd.net
THE CONNECTIONS CLUB
The Connections Club is a student-led group at the high school. The purpose of the club is to reach out to students that are new to the district. Several small gatherings/activities will be held throughout the year to welcome new students to the high school community.
Please consider joining our student mentor team to help make a difference in a new student's experience.
Email Mrs. Schneider, School Counselor, eschneider@mtlsd.net if you are interested in becoming a mentor.
VIRTUAL COLLEGE VISITS
Research/Visit Colleges (4 year and/or 2 year programs), military and workforce options, gap year programs. This is easy to do through your Naviance account and other websites like these: College Board’s BigFuture, College Confidential, Niche and Peterson's College Confidential.
Many colleges/universities are currently closed and have developed robust virtual visits. Students and families should take advantage of the virtual tours available at these institutions. Check a couple of them here: University of Pittsburgh and Pennsylvania State University.
You can also consider following schools on social media sites such as Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube.
SOPHOMORES!
JUNIORS!
You can find it in the Google Classroom: Student Personal Analysis (if you need the classroom code, please contact your school counselor)
COMMON APP ESSAY PROMPTS AND ACCOUNT CREATION - 11th GRADE ONLY
Essay:
This is a great time to start working on your essay! The essay provides students with the opportunity to make their application stand out. Brainstorm with a parent or friend. Consider what is really meaningful to you. Think about what you want colleges to know about you that will not be found in other parts of your application. The 2021-22 Common Application prompts can be found here. Mrs. Shine also has wonderful resources in the Writing Lab to help students with their essay. Check them out here.
Common Application:
If applicable, start the Common Application. Now is a great time to start exploring the Common Application. You can create a Common App account at any time, and your account can rollover from year to year, using the same username and password. Please be sure to keep track of your password; sharing it with a parent or guardian is a good idea. Any work you complete will be saved during the Account Rollover in late July. Please note that college specific questions and recommender invitations will not rollover. Rumor has it: Your English teachers may be asking you to complete this task in the near future.
CREATE A PLAN FOR TAKING THE SAT/ACT AND PREPARE
With many colleges announcing that they will be moving to test optional, the future is unknown, but we would still suggest that our students prepare to take the SAT/ACT in the late summer or early fall. In the past few weeks, a number of colleges and universities announced plans to become “test optional” for the next year or two. Double check college websites for updated information on testing requirements as changes are happening quickly!
NEXT SAT DATES:
March 8, 2021 Not offered at MTLHS
June 5, 2021 @ MTLHS
MTLHS's Test Center Number: 39-442
NEXT ACT DATES:
June 12, 2021
July 17, 2021
Mt. Lebanon High School Code 393730 (SAT & ACT)
REGISTER FOR SAT TESTS HERE
REGISTER FOR ACT TESTS HERE
For parking and other test-day information, please see High School News on the Mt. Lebanon High School website.
Contact Mr. Rolf Briegel (SAT Center Supervisor) via email with questions or concerns.
For information on College Testing Accommodations process, please see instructions on the School Counseling/ Forms page here.
SENIORS!
Complete the 12th Grade-2021 Post-Graduation Survey in Naviance by May 5, 2021. The details were emailed to your school email account the week of April 25th.
The information we collect is required by the PA Department of Education and shared with the Activities Office to complete the college map and shared with the Devil's Advocate for their final issue so together we can celebrate the accomplishments and plans for The Class of 2021!
This survey must be completed by every SENIOR by May 5th.
MAY IS MENTAL HEALTH AWARENESS MONTH
Getting the Right Start is a student's guide to mental health.
Resolve Crisis Services
If you or someone you love is overwhelmed, anxious or can't stay mentally well, please know that there are caring professionals who would be happy to speak with you directly. In Allegheny County, this is free & confidential help 24/7.
Contact Resolve Crisis Services online : Resolve Crisis Services
or by phone: 1-888-796-8226 (1-888-7-YOU CAN)
Telephone crisis services and mobile crisis services are available to all Allegheny County residents.
High School Counseling Office
Email: acarini@mtlsd.net
Website: https://hs.mtlsd.org/student-services/school-counseling
Location: 155 Cochran Road, Mount Lebanon, PA, USA
Phone: 412.344.2053