Counselor Connection
January 2024
All Grade Update!
Attention all students & parents/guardians:
- Term two closed on January 19th, if any student has an issue with their term 2 schedule, they should see their guidance counselor as soon as possible.
- Grades will be available in Aspen on Friday, 1/26.
Parent/teacher conferences are being held on Thursday, 2/1 from 6:00-8:30 pm.
Spring sports & extracurricular eligibility requirements: at least five C- grades or better in year-long classes and passing PE.
- Looking ahead, course selection will start in March. More information to come regarding this process! If a student is considering moving up a level next year in a subject, please be sure to have that conversation with this year’s teacher.
- With Ms. Ford's retirement in December, she leaves behind a remarkable tenure of more than two decades as a dedicated guidance counselor at Marshfield High School. Ms. Ford's impact on the students and the school community is immeasurable, and her presence will be missed. With Ms. Ford's departure, the Guidance Department is pleased to welcome Mrs. Kerran Goff, who brings her own expertise and passion to guide and support the students on their educational journey. As we bid farewell to one outstanding counselor, we eagerly anticipate the positive contributions Mrs. Goff will make in her new role. Mrs. Goff will serve as the Guidance Coordinator and counselor to students with last names: Hap-Ken in grades 9-12. Students are welcome to stop by the guidance department to meet Mrs. Goff and introduce themselves!
Community Service & Volunteering Requirements
Community Service is a graduation requirement for all MHS students, students should complete the (new) Google Form that is linked below to report their hours to their Guidance Counselor. All of the hours that students have already submitted have been logged. As a reminder the community service requirements are:
Class of 2024 (Current Seniors) - A minimum of 5 hours of community service must be completed before graduation.
Class of 2025 (Current Juniors) - A minimum of 10 hours of community service must be completed before graduation.
Class of 2026 (Current Sophomores) - A minimum of 15 hours of community service must be completed before graduation.
Class of 2027 (Current Freshmen) - A minimum of 20 hours of community service must be completed before graduation.
Please view the Community Resource document if you are searching for ideas on how to complete your community service hours.
Extra Help Reminders
Students who would like extra help in math should take advantage of the Math Lab in room 253. The Math Lab is open from 7:30 am - 1:30 pm and is staffed by a math teacher all day.
Students who would like extra help with a writing assignment should take advantage of the Writing Conference in room 338. The Writing Conference is available to all students every block of the day and is staffed by two English teachers.
Both of these supports are available for students to utilize during studies or during lunch.
MAST (Marshfield After-School Tutoring) - Free Tutoring by MHS Faculty! This program is offered to all students who are looking for extra help. MAST takes place in the MHS Library on Mondays-Thursdays from 2-4 pm. Late bus is available at 3:15 pm.
9th GRADE NEWS!
Congratulations Freshmen! You have made it halfway through your first year of high school! You will soon be picking classes for next year! Counselors meet with all students about this, so if questions come up, we will be happy to help you. Also, your guidance counselor will be checking in with you if it appears that you are struggling in a certain subject area based on your term 2 Report Card. Don’t wait for us to call you down! Come see us anytime for anything!! We love getting to know our freshmen so come on down!
***Please see above for extra help resources.***
10th GRADE NEWS!
The guidance counselors will continue to work with sophomores on career exploration in the classroom using Naviance and during advisory over the month of February. Sophomores can access Naviance at anytime and work on career exploration & explore colleges and careers! Also, your counselor will be checking in with you if it appears that you’re struggling in a certain subject. Please don't wait for us to call you down, you are welcome to come and see us anytime for anything!
***Please see above for extra help resources.***
11th GRADE NEWS!
Post-High School Planning Presentations took place earlier this month in the junior English classes. Guidance counselors launched the discussion about post-high school plans by providing an overview of the college application process and post-secondary options. If the plan is to attend college, learn a trade, work, travel, take a gap year, or join the military after high school, we will review any path during individual counselor meetings over the course of the next 18 months.
Please make sure that you have logged into Naviance and reset your password at www.student.naviance.com/marshfield. If you need a registration code, just email your counselor and we’ll send you one. You should also continue to check Naviance and the Class of 2025 Guidance Canvas page for important information and resources!
College & Career Planning Night is scheduled for Wednesday, January 24th at 6:30 PM in the MHS Auditorium. We will explore key topics such as post-secondary options, discovering the ideal fit, effective research strategies, the latest trends in college admissions, the junior planning timeline, and host a Q&A session. We strongly encourage both students and parents to join us for this informative event. All juniors will also be scheduled for a personalized 1-1 meeting with their guidance counselor within the next month.
Students & parents should review the Junior College Planning Timeline/Checklist for a list of action items to prepare for the college application process. This includes information about college fairs, SAT/ACT registration dates/deadlines, college essay, Common Application and more! The link is available below.
12th GRADE NEWS!
Also, please let your counselor know when you have received a decision from a college that you’ve applied to, we want to keep track of this information. Thank you!
MHS Scholarship Program instructions will be available to all seniors on Canvas beginning on February 7th! Seniors, please be sure to check Canvas announcements for other scholarships that you should be aware of! Students will also receive instructions on how to apply to scholarships during advisory this February!
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) became available on December 31, 2023. If you need support completing the FAFSA or have questions, the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority is a great resource. Please consider viewing the Understand the FAFSA webinar or listen to the Checking in on the New FAFSA podcast. If you would like to be partnered up with a financial aid professional to receive 1-1 assistant and walk you and your family through the application process, visit: https://masfaa.org/fafsaday/ to sign up to attend a free session.
Important Dates
- 1/19 - Term 2 Grades Closed
- 1/24 - College & Career Planning Night at 6:30 PM
- 1/26 - Term 2 Grades Available in Aspen
- 2/1 - Parent/Teacher Conferences 6-8:30 PM
- 2/7 - Senior Scholarships available in Canvas
Contact Information
Kerran Goff - Guidance Coordinator
Student Assignments: Hap-Ken
Dan Carlon
Student Assignments: A - Cam, W - Z
Amanda Benard
abenard@mpsd.org
Student Assignments: F - Han, Shay - V
Katelyn Raymond
Student Assignments: Can - E
Mike Ruuska
Student Assignments: Keo - M
Susan Smith
Student Assignments: N - Shaw
Marjory Graney
Administrative Assistant
Laurie Duane
Registrar
Marshfield High School
167 Forest Street
Marshfield, MA 02050
Phone: (781) 834-5055
CEEB Code: 221350