Counselor Connections
Newsletter from Mount St. Mary Counseling Department
September 6, 2022
Counselor Connections provides the Mount St. Mary community with a weekly communication tool from our Wellness department. Jessica Gertz is our School Social Worker, Jordan Osborne serves as our College and Career Coordinator, Kelli Shepard is our School Counselor for grades 9 & 10 and Joanne Uhl is our School Counselor for grades 11 & 12.
The newsletter will be published and sent to your inbox every Tuesday morning. Links will also appear on the school website and social media. Our goal is to be as thoughtful as possible in how we present information to you. We hope that you find your weekly Counselor Connections a helpful resource.
Calendar
- Sept 6 - Freshmen Orientation - 7:45 - 12:00
- Sept 6 - Coffee with Freshmen Parents/Guardians - 11:15 - 12:00 in cafeteria
- Sept 6 - Senior Retreat
- Sept 7 - Juniors and Sophomores Orientation - 7:45 - 12:00
- Sept 8 - First full day of school
- Sept 16 - Registration deadline for Oct 22 ACT
- Oct 1 - SAT
- Oct 7 - Registration deadline for Nov 5 SAT
- Oct 22 - ACT
- Nov 3 - Registration deadline for Dec 3 SAT
- Nov 4 - Registration deadline for Dec 10 ACT
- Nov 5 - SAT
- Dec 3 - SAT
A Note from Kelli Shepard, School Counselor for grades 9 & 10
It is my pleasure to welcome your student to the Mount for the 2022-23 school year. What an exciting transition for your family! Here at the Mount, we strive to build community both in and out of the classroom. One of our biggest suggestions is to encourage your student to get involved in something at the Mount. We have so many wonderful opportunities - from Anime Club to the fall musical, there is something for everyone to love. Students are able to view the club & activity schedule under the School Life Google Classroom page. It is also posted daily to our Instagram page at @mountcounseling. Feel free to give us a follow!
A piece of feedback I often receive from parents of incoming freshmen is that ‘my student doesn’t have any friends’. While I can imagine the sadness you must feel as a parent after hearing those words, I would like to take a moment to share how normal this is - it takes some time for students to find their friend group. Sometimes, friendships fall apart and circle back together over time. Many freshmen are coming into this school year not knowing a single person. My hope is that every student eventually finds their place at MSM. Sometimes that takes a little bit of time, and that’s okay!
My final word is about social media - I’m sure your previous school has shared many things about this topic! One of the initiatives we are taking this upcoming year is having students keep their phones in their backpack. Having a little bit of unplugged time at school can be the greatest blessing.
We can’t wait to welcome your family to the Mount community! Please don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions or comments at 716-877-1358 ext. 208 or at kshepard@msmacademy.org
College & Career Corner
Volunteer Opportunities:
SABAH Evening & Weekend Program
SABAH’s Evening & Weekend program provides adaptive ice skating for individuals, of any age, challenged by a disability. The program is offered weekly, from October through March, at four locations throughout WNY. Each session lasts approximately one hour and includes basic skating skills, games, some free time, and a lot of fun!
For more information or to register as a volunteer, please visit www.sabahinc.org/volunteer
Danceability
Danceability is looking for volunteers to assist dancers, challenged by a disability, one on one under the direction of their instructors, who are physical therapists, social workers, special ed teachers and counselors.
Volunteers must be 16 years of age or more and be able to commit 1 hr a week from September through May with breaks for the holidays. There is a Volunteer Open House on Tuesday, September 13th from 5:00 PM - 8:00 PM.
Questions? Call (716)651-0094 or email info@danceabilityinc.org
For more information please visit www.danceabilityinc.org/volunteers/
From the desk of Mrs. Uhl
As the school year begins, whether it's your first or last year of high school, how you start will greatly impact your success.
One way to approach school work is to implement the SMART strategy. Specific, Measurable, Attainable, Relevant and Time-based. Making study plans using this acronym, students will be able to do their homework, projects and studying in smaller chunks of time, rather than waiting until the night before to start and finish their work.
Even though it may seem unlikely, studies show that parents are the #1 influence in the lives of their adolescent children. It's true! Spending time with your high school student while they implement their SMART plan will pay off.
You will find some videos, articles and flyers in the Study Skills Resources section of the newsletter below.
Study Skills Resources
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation
QuestBridge
QuestBridge is looking for high school seniors who have shown outstanding academic ability despite financial challenges. Theytake a holistic approach to reviewing applications, and we do not have absolute criteria or cut-offs for GPA, standardized test scores, income, or other factors.
Application deadline is September 27, 2022.
University of Rochester Pre-College Online Program for High School Students
Counseling & Wellness Staff
Kelli Shepard - 9th & 10th grade Counselor - kshepard@msmacademy.org
Joanne Uhl - 11th & 12th grade Counselor - juhl@msmacademy.org
Jessica Gertz - School Social Worker - jbliss@msmacademy.org
Jordan Osborne - College & Career Center Coordinator - josborne@msmacademy.org
Mount St. Mary Academy
Mount St. Mary Academy, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, is a Catholic, private, college preparatory school for young women. Within a nurturing and academically challenging and inclusive environment, the Academy strives to develop the whole person’s gifts and potential. Guided by our Catholic tradition, and rooted in Gospel values, we empower scholars to be leaders dedicated to lifelong learning, moral integrity, social justice, and service to and inclusion of others.
We Believe in You!
Email: juhl@msmacademy.org
Website: msmacademy.org
Location: 3756 Delaware Ave, Kenmore NY 14217
Phone: (716) 877-1358
Facebook: facebook.com/msmacademy
Twitter: @msmacademy
Conversations about College Admissions
- Claire Nold-Glaser, Independent Counselor of College Planning Help
- Christina Caucci-Anderson, Admissions Counselor, Office of Undergraduate Admissions SUNY University at Buffalo
- Kristin Schultz, Regional Recruitment Director, Undergraduate Admissions Xavier University
Previous Newsletters
June 7 Counselor Connections Newsletter