School Counseling Office Newsletter
Upcoming Dates
- February 3rd - 2nd Quarter Grades Posted
- February 6th-10th - 10th Grade Scheduling
- February 13th-17th - 9th Grade Scheduling
- February 20th-24th - Mid-Winter Recess - No School
- March 16h - SUNY Adirondack College Fair field trip
SUNY ADIRONDACK COLLEGE FAIR FIELD TRIP
JUNIORS
Thursday, March 16th from 11:05am-1:30pm
School Counselors will be hosting a field trip to a College Fair at SUNY ADK in Queensbury. The College Fair will have over 35 2- and 4-year colleges in attendance.
Juniors must sign up by this Friday, March 3rd in the School Counseling Office and also return a permission slip.
- Students will attend lunch 1 from 10:45-11:05am
- Limited bus spots are available
- Please contact your school counselor with questions
Course Selection Process
View your SchoolTool account or the letter being mailed home to see your teacher course recommendations for the 2023-2024 school year.
Follow the directions included in the PDF below for details on how to see your recommendation and select your courses in SchoolTool before you meet with your counselor.
Meeting Schedule:
10th grade: Week of February 6th; during PE class
9th grade: Week of February 13th; during PE class
11th grade: Last week of February through March during your scheduled Junior Conference (appointment date coming soon).
College Jump Start Parent Night!
Students and families are invited to attend our virtual event on
March 8, 2023 at 6pm.
Representatives from Siena, Skidmore, and University at Albany will be sharing their knowledge and expertise on a variety of topics such as:
- The application process
- College essay writing
- Letters of recommendation
- SAT vs. ACT testing
Junior Conferences Coming Soon!
SENIOR SCHOLARSHIPS
The deadline to complete the survey is TUESDAY, FEBRUARY 28th!
JUNIOR SCHOLARSHIPS
AND submit a copy of their current resume to their school counselor by Friday, March 31.
Brooks House of BBQ Fundraiser
When: Thursday, March 2nd from 3pm-6pm
Where: Ballston Spa VFW - 68 E North Street
What: Takeout Only - Dinner includes 1/2 Chicken, Baked Potato, Cole Slaw, and a Roll - $15
PSAT/NMSQT Scores!
PSAT/NMSQT score reports became available on
December 5, 2022.
To access the score report, you should log in to your College Board account or create a new one at: Student Score Reports (collegeboard.org). A dashboard will show your most recent score. For more information regarding the score structure, score report, National Merit Program and how to understand your PSAT scores, please click on the links below.
Score Structure: Score Structure | SAT Suite of Assessments – The College Board
Student Score Reports: PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 Student Score Reports | The College Board
Understanding PSAT Scores: Understanding PSAT/NMSQT and PSAT 10 Scores | The College Board
National Merit Scholarship Program: Scholarship Partners and Programs | SAT Suite of Assessments – The College Board
If you are having trouble accessing your released scores call 866-433-7728 or go to the Contact Us page.
College Application Resources for Seniors!
- Scholarship Opportunities: Parents, please click here to gain access to our high school schoology page and use this access code: WHSS-DM79-S6FX7
If you are applying to a college or a scholarship that requires a letter of recommendation from your school counselor, please click your counselor's name below and complete the form.
Financial Aid
FAFSA® Application | Federal Student Aid
What will I need to fill out the FAFSA?
To complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA®), you will need:
Your Social Security Number
Your Alien Registration Number (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
Your federal income tax returns, W-2s, and other records of money earned. (Note: You may be able to transfer your federal tax return information into your FAFSA using the IRS Data Retrieval Tool.)
Bank statements and records of investments (if applicable)
Records of untaxed income (if applicable)
A FSA ID to sign electronically
Thank you to Alicia Furlong, Assistant Director of Financial Aid from Siena College, for presenting to our families on October 13th.
- Presentation Link: Siena College Financial Aid Presentation
- How Financial Aid Works | Federal Student Aid
- Questions: afurlong@siena.edu
SAT & ACT
SAT Registration at www.collegeboard.org
Upcoming SAT test dates hosted at Ballston Spa High School:
- March 11th - Registration deadline 2/10
- May 6th - Registration deadline 4/7
- June 3rd - Registration deadline 5/4
ACT Registration at www.act.org
Upcoming ACT test dates hosted at Ballston Spa High School:
- April 15th - Registration deadline 3/10
- June 10th - Registration deadline 5/5
School CEEB Code: 330-305
Please see your school counselor if you qualify for a fee waiver.
College Bound ATHLETES
GET INVOLVED!
There is something for everybody!
The Ballston Spa High School Clubs & Activities program exists to provide a variety of co-curricular experiences for students. See a list of clubs here: https://www.bscsd.org/Page/1243
Working papers
If you are aged 14-17 you will need an employment certificate, also called working papers, in order to hold a job in New York State.
Working Paper Instructions and Application
Working papers are divided into two age groups (14-15 and 16-17):
- 14-15-year-olds - Your working papers are blue. If you are 14 and 15 years old, you are issued these working papers because you are not allowed to work in a factory.
- 16-17-year-olds (in school) - Your working papers are green. The difference between 14-15 year old working papers and 16-17 year old working papers is that you are allowed to work in a factory. You cannot work around certain machines, do construction work, help on a motor vehicle, clean, oil, wipe, or adjust belts on machinery.
Free and Reduced Meals
*Even if your family was eligible for free meals in past years, you must apply again this year. If you need another form, please contact your school’s main office.
THE SCHOOL COUNSELING OFFICE TEAM
Ashley Osborne, Beth Schreiber (Support Staff), Lyndsey Wilcox, Liz Pinkston (Greeter),
Colleen Bengle, Nicole Stehle, Christy Knapp, Patti Parker (Support Staff),
Christina Carlson, and Mara Gallagher
Join our High School Counseling Schoology page
PARENTS- Please join our new and improved School Counseling Schoology Group for important updates/events/information
Access Code: WHSS-DM79-S6FX7
For more information on how to become a Schoology Member please use the following link: