SHRHS Guidance Newsletter
June 2020
Over the past months we have encountered many challenges and we continually adapt. There are many questions about the future with no absolute answers however we have heard many consistent messages. If there ever was a more important year to survey the landscape of post-graduation planning this would be the time. With everything in life you should conduct your investigation from many sources. Don’t buy the first cell phone you see, don’t buy the first car. Shop around, talk to many people. The next several months are the time to research. Within this newsletter we will provide resources to aid in your investigation.
High school counselors have participated in numerous webinars delivered by a diverse selection of institutions ranging from local schools to more remote. Our email inboxes are full of daily correspondence from colleges of how you can access them whether it be a zoom chat with an admission counselor or virtual tour of the college.
Most importantly every college has been very forthcoming in how they are handling it. In many instances they readily admit they don’t know everything as they can’t predict the future. The themes we hear are pass/fail(credit.no credit)…. Test-optional… viewing the student as “holistic”. They emphasize and encourage each high school to explain how they handled the crisis and provide that information on the school profile or each letter of recommendation. They emphasized letters of recommendation will play an important part. Remember quality over quantity. This doesn’t mean go get 5 letters of recommendation. Two really good ones in addition to a counselor(if the school requires a counselor) letter should be sufficient.(Senior Interview Sheet link for letter of rec)
There have been concerns regarding grade point average. GPA was locked after term 2 due to the concerns about equity and access for students outside of school in addition to family and personal circumstances that each and every student is adjusting to. Many schools, if not the majority have shifted to Pass/Fail for term 4 with colleges acknowledging this factor. Keep in mind colleges will many times recalculate grade point average. As they view the student transcript they will continue to analyze the rigor and scope of courses as well as trends of student growth.
It is extremely important to keep this in perspective as every high school and college are navigating these unprecedented times. Unlike a localized natural disaster this is affecting the entire world. Your past work, your ability to adjust and adapt now and going forward will be assessed which is important how we as a school and you as a student convey this to colleges.
by James Laliberte, Guidance Coordinator
Senior Final Transcripts
This is a common question. When will our transcripts be sent out? We anticipate sending them out electronically through Naviance or email by the end of the second week of June. Nothing will be mailed.
NCAA Clearinghouse- if you anticipate participating in sports at the NCAA level please investigate their website. NCAA Link NCAA will explain the steps you must take. Once you have created an account we will get a notification and upload your transcript.
Innovation Pathways
Open enrollment!
Simply fill out the application and enroll in a course and you are in.
It’s not too late to get involved. If you want to be part of the next cohort for either Biomedical or Engineering all you simply need to do is fill out the application. The only commitment is taking the prescribed set of courses which only require two technical and two advanced courses. Choose from our Project Lead the Way course offerings, Advanced Placement and QCC Cad course for Engineering. Lastly seniors will complete a CapStone Project which in itself is a great growing experience but also a great resume builder. At any time a student can opt out of the Pathway.
Why do this?
The course sequences will expose students to cutting edge technology while building their knowledge base and exposure. Students in the pathways will have access to community agencies in these respective fields ranging from speakers, job shadowing and eventually internships.
Return to jlaliberte@dcrsd.org
Counselor Assignments and Contact Information
Mr. Laliberte
Class of 2021 A - Bilis
Class of 2022 N/A
Class of 2023 A - C
Class of 2024 A - B
Mrs. Hernandez
Class of 2021 Bitar - Goyette
Class of 2022 A - Garb
Class of 2023 D - J
Class of 2024 C - H
Ms. Walker
Class of 2021 Gravel - Morin
Class of 2022 Gav - Mont
Class of 2023 K - Q
Class of 2024 I - P
Mr. Gendron
Class of 2021 Morrill - Z
Class of 2022 Moran - Z
Class of 2023 R - Z
Class of 2024 Q - Z
Voicemail is not being utilized right now. The best way to reach a counselor is via email and we can set up a phone conference or video conference.
jlaliberte@dcrsd.org and x172 - Guidance Coordinator
dhernandez@dcrsd.org and x170 - Guidance Counselor
jwalker@dcrsd.org and x171 - Guidance Counselor
cgendron@dcrsd.org and x173 - Guidance Counselor
dstarkus@dcrsd.org and x175 - Mrs. Starkus, Guidance Secretary
dhaig@dcrsd.org and x166 - Mr. Haig, School Adjustment Counselor (Class of 2022, 2023)
jmcgrail@dcrsd.org and x122 - Mrs. McGrail, School Adjustment Counselor (Class of 2021, 2024)
Online Learning- Virtual High School
Shepherd Hill students can explore online learning enrichment opportunities. Numerous outlets offer such experiences on hundreds of topics. Such courses are subject to costs. With advance approval, students may be eligible to receive credit for some courses on their transcripts. Speak to your guidance counselor if you have questions about taking a supplemental class or two online. Please note, these classes are for enrichment purposes. Online classes are not substitutions for Shepherd Hill graduation requirements, or for any courses delivered at Shepherd Hill.
Shepherd Hill is proud to partner with VHS Learning to be able to provide students with access to over 200 varied learning opportunities. Each semester, a select number of VHS Learning enrichment opportunities are reserved for students based on seniority. Courses are offered during the fall and spring semesters for students who qualify. From Cybersecurity, Psychology of Crime, Shakespeare in Film and more, Shepherd Hill students have enriched their learning in many areas. Let’s hear from a few of our recent VHS “graduates”:
Zack Johnson
Class of 2020
What class did you take?
I took Intro to Java Programming.
What did you like about it?
What I liked about the course is I could have all of the programs on my computer at home, not just at school. This was definitely more convenient because the class didn’t fit into my schedule, so I was able to do all of the programming from home and not stay after school.
What did you learn?
I learned the basics of programming using Java. A few topics would be for and each loops, picture manipulation, and how to organize a program.
How do you feel it helped you?
It helped me in the long run for college where I might be able to recognize some basic programming in my engineering courses.
Would you recommend VHS to your peers? If so, why?
I would recommend VHS to others because it is a great way to take courses that are not offered at school. If you don’t mind not having a face-to-face classroom environment, then this is a great alternative for students.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
For myself, even though I did well in the class, it was not the type of learning that is the best for me. I do like having human interaction so I can ask questions on the spot and I can have immediate help with a demonstration on whatever project is going on.
Adam Taylor
Class of 2021
What class did you take?
I took a Russian Language and Culture class.
What did you like about it?
It was a really good opportunity for me to learn about Russia, as I had a Russian exchange student in the past.
What did you learn?
It was based more on the culture and past Russian history, but it did include some language, such as speaking, reading, and writing.
How do you feel it helped you?
VHS helped me because it offered the possibility of taking more classes, after my schedule was already completely filled up for Shepherd Hill.
Would you recommend VHS to your peers? If so, why?
It may be a lot of work, but I definitely recommend it to anybody who wants to take a class if their schedule is already full, or if the class isn’t offered by Shepherd Hill.
Is there anything else you would like to add?
VHS is an amazing community of people and it offered me the opportunity to take more classes. Because of this, I will be ending my junior year with 7.5 credits opposed to the maximum 7 that you can take at Shepherd Hill.
If you are interested in exploring the VHS Learning course catalog, it can be found here: https://vhslearning.org/catalog. Interested students are encouraged to notify their guidance counselor.
Please note, there is currently a waiting list for the 2020-2021 school year.
MCAS Update
Please see the following communication from Board of Elementary and Secondary Education regarding MCAS and the John and Abigail Scholarship
Update on Competency Determination Requirements for Classes of 2021-23
Year in Reflection
This year the guidance team held a series of breakfast’s to bring parents in. In the fall we held a freshman to support student transition to high school. A week later we held a senior post graduation planning for parents. These two breakfast events followed classroom presentations by counselors to students. In the month of February we held a Course Selection Breakfast open to all parents.
The remaining of the year we intended to hold a sophomore/junior parent breakfast for post-graduation planning. We also intended on scheduling an 8th grade parent breakfast for transition. These two events will be shifted to video webinar format. Look for the June 11th College Panel Presentation on June 11th at 1pm later mentioned in this newsletter.
SAT
By James Laliberte
This Fall Shepherd Hill will continue to hold the October SAT. We opted to not add any additional dates due to many factors. A large number of colleges are moving to test-optional. The added September date is only a week prior to the October date making it very unattractive testing back to back weekends. August has always been tough with weather and being the week prior to school. Students can continue to take the SAT at any neighboring school.
Seal of Biliteracy
This past year Shepherd Hill implemented the Seal of Biliteracy. We had 8 seniors and 5 juniors earn the Seal. Many of these students earned the Seal in Spanish but we also had several earn the Seal in their native language of Arabic. This is a prestigious distinction that sets you apart from other individuals in college admission and subsequently with employers. We will be offering the Seal this coming year. Look for details in the upcoming Shepherd Hill newsletters.
Any questions please contact Lisa Wondolowski
AP
The 2019-2020 testing window is coming to a close with makeup exams scheduled for the first week of June. Over 400 exams were taken by Shepherd Hill students in the online exam format due to school closures during May 11-22. Although technical issues were present nationwide, only a dozen or so Shepherd Hill students needed to request makeup exams. Students who opted out of these exams will receive a refund in the coming months. A reminder to all seniors that June 20th is the last day to send AP scores to your college for free. AP scores will be available to all students in mid to late July.
Looking ahead to the 2020-2021 school year, students have been recommended for AP courses by their teachers in February and have since completed course selections with their guidance counselors. All students intending on taking AP courses next year must sign and return AP contracts to their Guidance Counselor, along with having a parent sign the form. If you have not passed in your AP contract to your guidance counselor, please do so immediately. The AP contract is located on the top middle of the Guidance portion of SHRHS website, and also below.
Naviance
Each student in grades 9-11 has a Naviance account, which provides the opportunity for career exploration through completing numerous inventories, as well as searching pre-loaded career pathways and careers. Additionally, students have access to a college exploration component that includes an advanced college search, college super matching and scattergrams (data from past SHRHS graduates that show college acceptances based on GPA and SAT score ranges for specific colleges). A key feature of Naviance is the ability for students to save information for future research, while also updating career and college choices to remain in real time as interests change. There is also a parent feature that allows parents to look along with students. Contact your student’s guidance counselor if you would like to take advantage of this component.
For more detailed information, students should visit the Guidance Google Classrooms and view the May 22 repost of information, which includes Naviance How To videos, a Guidance Memo suggesting which feature of Naviance they should use by grade level, and other information. For students who have not joined these classrooms, here are the join codes:
Class of 2021 - x6mzuwk Class of 2022 - vbbrqfs Class of 2023 - 34doeig
In order to log into Naviance, students must use their username (school email address) and their password. Students can reset passwords themselves; however, please contact your guidance counselor if you are having any difficulties. The website address to log into Naviance can be found on the Guidance portion of SHRHS website, and also below. Enter the zipcode of 01571 and click on Shepherd Hill to be redirected to the login page.
TERM 4 - All Courses Count For Credits
Grade 9-11 students,
Please continue to complete your weekly assignments for Term 4, as each class is worth .25 credits. Mr. Chaplin has sent several emails specific to Term 4. Topics were daily class Zoom meeting times, teacher office hours, and requirements to earn a passing grade for Term 4, which is called “CREDIT”. Term 4 is being graded as either “Credit” or “No Credit”. Term 4 ends on June 18, which is the last day of school. Please review the outline below of how to earn .25 credits for each class with a Term 4 grade of “CREDIT”.
** To receive a passing grade of CREDIT for each Term 4 course, you must receive "credit" for 70% of all teacher provided opportunities (assignments) in that course.
Financial Aid Reources
Citizens Bank is offering a series of live, remote learning sessions focused on financial education topics including understanding your award letter, financial aid, and credit. The information on when and how to join, as well as the topics being discussed is listed below
Webinars for Students and their Families
Understanding Your Award Letter
Designed especially for College Bound Seniors and their families to help them understand their financial aid package, answer questions that come up after the acceptance, and explore both federal and private options for financing any gap not met by free aid. Helpful tools to compare the cost of colleges are explored and our experts answer your live questions.
· Wednesday, June 10th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
· Tuesday, June 16th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Financial Aid Basics
Designed for rising Seniors and their families to help understand financial aid, preparing for and starting the FAFSA form this fall, and understand financial aid components like scholarships, grants, federal loans and how to finance the gap. This live session includes time to ask questions and have them answered by our experts.
· Tuesday, June 2nd, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
· Thursday, June 11th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
· Tuesday, June 16th, 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
· Thursday, June 25th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Understanding Credit
Designed to help students and their families understand how building and maintaining credit is critical to achieving financial well-being. Your credit score is an important number that influences the ability to finance major life events such as paying for college.
· Thursday, June 4th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
· Thursday, June 18th, 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Anyone interested in participating in any of these sessions may register here.
For additional resources, please visit College Bound Citizens website at citizensbank.com/collegeboundcitizens.
MEFA- upcoming webinars Click here
SHRHS Webinar Opportunity
Please join us for a virtual college panel on June 11 at 1:00. A Google Meeting will be held for anyone interested in learning about the 2020-2021 application process from college admission counselors. A representative from Citizens Bank will also be in attendance to answer any question about financial aid. Please RSVP to dhernandez@dcrsd.org by June 9. In the RSVP please email your questions ahead of time which will guide the virtual meeting. On the day of the event, students will receive the invite to join through their email. This will help prevent hacking. If you are not able to sign in using your students email address, please let us know ahead of time in the RSVP. We hope you can attend!
Additional Resources
Additional Resources
NACAC(Nat’l Assoc for College Admissions Counseling)
A centralized website that tracks colleges actions in response to COVID ranging to fall openings and adjustments in admission standards.
COVID updates and articles relevant to admissions
New England Board of Higher Education
School Adjustment Counselors Corner
May was Mental Health Awareness Month
*Be Kind to Yourself, Especially During these Challenging Times!
*Please know there are people who you can turn to, when you need some added support!
*We have attached some resource links for your viewing. Please feel free to contact us at dhaig@dcrsd.org or jmcgrail@dcrsd.org. We are here to help!
CDC Support for COVID-19 and Mental Health