Riverside -- School Counseling
May 2020
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 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 & instagram @RVHCounseling
Luke Mason, Director of School Counseling
Susan Westgate, Registrar
Kathleen Jackson, 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
Frances Jester, Social Worker
Kim Hager, Student Assistance Specialist
Susan Sabloff, Parent Liaison
Support During COVID-19 School Closure
You can view our recent WE MISS YOU video here.
For emergency mental health resources for your child(ren) or yourself, please go to the following link https://www.lcps.org/Page/220727
For Mental Health and Wellness Resources for LCPS Students and Families, please see the following page.
Getting the Most out of Virtual Learning
If you require assistance with distance learning, please refer to the LCPS Continuity of Education website https://sites.google.com/lcps.org/lcps-continuityofeducation/home
A Good Study Environment is a critical component of academic success!
- Get some peace and quiet. You will need a quiet place to work without distractions from things like television, family, or roommates.
- Avoid games. Consider uninstalling any computer games to avoid temptation. Or keep the games on a different computer in the house.
- Turn off your cell phone. Let friends and family members know the hours that you will be "at" school.
- Beware surfing the black hole of the Internet. It is easy to lose track of the time as you wander from site to site.
- Consider ergonomics. Adjust the height of your chair, keyboard, and screen so that you are comfortable. Forearms and thighs should be level and parallel to the floor. Wrists should not be bent while typing.
- Set up good lighting and comfortable seating. Lighting in the room should be at least as bright as the computer screen to avoid eye strain.
https://sciences.ncsu.edu/news/tips-for-students-to-prepare-for-online-learning/
SENIORS --Class of 2020
- Are you off to college in the fall? Joining the workforce? Enlisting in our military? Attending a trade or apprenticeship program? We want to recognize ALL of you! Send your decision day photos to Mrs. Robinson so that we can feature you on our new RVHCounseling instagram.
- Log in to your Naviance account under My Stuff, My Surveys, Surveys not Completed and fill out your Senior Graduation Survey (FINAL TRANSCRIPT) Please include your future plans/college you will be attending, all of your admissions decisions you received, and any scholarships w/amounts that you accepted or declined. Please complete this by Friday, MAY 22nd!
- Join the RAM Alumni Database here so that we can keep in touch with you!
AP Testing Information
The College Board developed secure, online free-response exams for each course. The exams will only include topics and skills most AP teachers and students have already covered in class by early March. This year’s AP Exams will be open book/open note.
Students will be able to take exams on any device (e.g., computer, tablet, or smartphone). They will be able to either type and upload their responses or write responses by hand and submit a photo via their cell phone. If students need mobile tools or connectivity, parents can contact the College Board directly. Parents and students can access the latest updates to AP Testing using the link on the LCPS AP Testing webpage.
The AP exam dates will be Monday, May 11 through Friday, May 22 (see below). Makeup exam dates will be Monday, June 1 through Friday, June 5. Click here for the makeup schedule.
Two Step Registration --Dual Enrollment Classes for Fall 2020
Forms for 2020-2021 School Year
Apply to be a PEER Helper
Current sophomores or juniors interested in participating in PEER (Positive Experiences in Educational Relationships) should visit the PEER page on our RVHS website. You can click the "APPLICATION" tab and then can download the required forms/instructions. Applications and teacher recommendations are due by Friday, May 8th. Interviews will be conducted virtually during the week of May 18th and selections will be made by May 22nd.
Class of 2021 College Planning Resources
Juniors, your counselors have sent you an invite to join the google classroom for the Class of 2021 and will post useful information and lessons there for you. Please join!
Two helpful site to utilize include the college essay guy and collegexpress.com.
Shout out to Mary Barnes at Rock Ridge HS! She met with Christopher Newport's Kelly Scallion to talk about tips for writing those application essays. You can view her discussion/guidance here
College Visits in a Virtual World
JMU
https://www.jmu.edu/choices/virtual/index.shtml
Virginia Tech
https://vt.edu/admissions/frequently-asked-questions/covid-19.html
https://vtnews.vt.edu/articles/2020/04/admissions-testing-2025.html
Auburn
Student Panel Sign Up:
https://apply.auburn.edu/portal/campustours
Information Session Sign-Up:
https://apply.auburn.edu/portal/campustours
Virtual Campus Tour:
http://auburn.edu/admissions/visit/index.php#
Penn State
https://admissions.psu.edu/experience/
UVA
Naviance Resources for Students and 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.
Additionally, we have a central Naviance classroom page with activities for grades 6-12 that parents and students can utilize.
Summer Enrichment
NOVA's Jump Start
Northern Virginia Community College (NOVA) is using institutional dollars from the Federal stimulus to launch a new summer schedule of tuition-free online classes for approximately 70,000 qualified Northern Virginia high school students. This is an opportunity for rising seniors through graduating seniors to JumpStart their summers and earn college credit by attending up to two online courses that will run from June 1 to July 15.
“At a time when many members of our community are struggling with the COVID-19 fallout, NOVA has an obligation to ensure our future workforce is prepared for success,” said Dr. Anne Kress, NOVA’s president. “The current downturn in our economy does not solve our region’s critical skills gap in information technology, healthcare and skilled trades. When our economy bounces back, our students must be ready” said Kress.
The online courses have been selected because they fulfill not only NOVA degree requirements but also transfer to most colleges and universities. Also, in partnership with Amazon Web Services, the JumpStart offerings will include an online course in Cloud Computing, providing students with their first step onto an in-demand local tech pathway.
NOVA JumpStart Online Course Options
ITN 257 Cloud Computing: Infrastructure and Services
MTH 154 Quantitative Reasoning
ART 101 History and Appreciation of Art
CST 110 Introduction to Communication
ENG 111 College Composition I (for HS graduates ONLY)
HIS 112 World Civilization II
Upon completion of the JumpStart application process, which includes applying to NOVA, completing their JumpStart application and uploading eligibility requirements, local high school students can start earning college credits. For students under 18, a parent or legal guardian’s permission will be needed to register.
For more information about the program, please contact JumpStart@nvcc.edu. For media inquiries, please contact Hoang Nguyen, Public Information Officer at hdnguyen@nvcc.edu.
Council on International Educational Exchange Language Immersion
This Summer, CIEE is literally bringing the world to your home: for the first time ever, we will be offering Online Language & Culture Programs for French and Spanish. Delivered live and in real-time by our best teachers in France and Spain, these programs will earn you 3 college credits.
Every weekday for five weeks, connect with your teacher and U.S. classmates for two hours of engaging language instruction. Like any of our study abroad programs, each lesson is designed to get you talking and interacting, while immersing you in the local culture. Get ready for online chats with French or Spaniard teens, lively games and authentic multimedia content — from exciting videos and movie clips, to virtual tours or current music hits and news articles.
Hurry if you’re interested! Any high school student can apply – these courses aren’t limited to students who were previously confirmed to study abroad with CIEE! We’re limiting class sizes to keep lessons fun and personalized, build relationships and provide you with plenty of opportunities to interact with your teacher, classmates, and native guest speakers and locals in the host culture.
Our online programs will run from July 6 to August 7 and are priced at $2,100. Apply by May 20! The application process is quick and non-competitive since there are no scholarships available for online programs. You just need to get there first and confirm you have at least one year of high school instruction in either French or Spanish. If you were previously confirmed to study abroad with CIEE this summer, you can use your $500 voucher towards your tuition for the online course as well!
You can start you application here: www.ciee.org/myaccount. If you have any questions, please reach out to our advisor Nicole Sprague at nsprague@ciee.org.
Standardized Testing Update
SAT: The College Board has cancelled the June 6, 2020 SAT date. If it’s safe from a public health standpoint, they’ll provide weekend SAT administrations every month through the end of the calendar year, beginning in August. This includes a new administration in September and the previously scheduled tests on August 29, October 3, November 7, and December 5. Students can register for these administrations starting in May. The College Board will contact students directly when they have the exact date. Eligible students can register with a fee waiver.
Students can get early access to register for August, September, and October if they’re:
- Already registered for June
- In the high school class of 2021 and don’t have SAT scores
ACT: ACT has rescheduled its April 4 national test date to June 13 across the U.S. All students registered for the April 4 test date should have received an email from ACT informing them of the postponement and instructions for free rescheduling to June 13 or a future national test date. There are many free test prep resources that can be found on their website as well as further information on future testing dates.
Wondering which colleges are "test optional?" Check out fairtest.org
JOB OPPORTUNITIES
Nancy Evanko from the Loudoun Economic Development Council sent us the following resource for job seekers. It has some helpful information on employment and searching for jobs for both parents and students.