THE COUNSELORS' CORNER
NEWS FROM THE GHS COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Test optional? Test flexible? Test blind?
What does all of this mean?
The majority of universities and colleges are waving testing requirements for admission due to the Covid-19 pandemic. But there are still benefits to taking the ACT or SAT and providing your score to those schools. Check out this brief article with some helpful insight and information on whether or not test scores will benefit you.
ATTN: JUNIOR AND SENIOR MUSTANGS! Future Planning Resources
SENIORS:
https://padlet.com/maryparsley/l7qpagqn29k5gw8f
JUNIORS:
DUAL CREDIT - SPRING REGISTRATION
DUAL CREDIT - SPRING REGISTRATION
Students and parents were emailed instructions on how to complete self-registration for Spring Dual credit classes. Please follow these step-by-step instructions carefully in order to successfully register for classes. Self-registration is mandatory in order to move forward with Dual credit classes and should be completed by Friday, November 20th. If you have questions or need assistance with registration, please email marnie.pape@gcisd.net or katherine.partridge@gcisd.net.
Payment information can be found on the GHS Counseling Website and the Tarrant County College Website. Payment for Spring classes is due by January 6th, 2020. Please contact TCC's Business Services Office if you have questions or need to set up a payment plan: 817-515-4PAY (4729).
COVID-19
Please refer to https://ghs.gcisd.net/ for updated Grapevine High School information and www.gcisd.net for updated district information.
TACRAO Virtual College Fair Nov. 20th
TACRAO and the High School Relations Committee are excited to be able to offer all high school and transfer students one last time to meet with college and university reps LIVE on the virtual site this Fall!
Join us for the last day of the TACRAO Virtual College Fair Series:
Friday, November 20, 2020
10:00am - 1:00pm
Students already registered? Fantastic! All they need to do is log onto the site during the fair time.
Students need to register? No problem! Visit https://falltacrao.swoogo.com/2020Virtual and click on Step 1 - Register Here For College Fair and create a profile.
LEVEL DOWNS
SEMESTER LEVELING DOWN INFORMATION:
The semester level down window will be December 2-4. Students may request to level down from AP to Pre-AP or Pre-AP to on-level only. This is the final opportunity to level down during the 2020-21 school year.
Students will be able to access the Semester Level Down Request form in their grade level Canvas Classroom or on the GHS Counseling Website during the window. The online level down request form must be submitted no later than 4 p.m. on Friday, December 4th. Students will follow their adjusted schedule on Skyward beginning Wednesday, January 6th.
Students are expected to discuss their desire to level down with their parents and are encouraged to visit with their current teacher of the course they are thinking of leveling down in PRIOR to submitting the level down request form. Current grades should also be considered when making the request to level down.
By requesting a level down change, the order of classes in a student’s schedule will likely change. Please be aware that class order requests cannot be accommodated. Requests are subject to space and availability and changes are considered final.
Click here for Schedule Change Timelines.
Click here for information on the GCISD GPA scale.
SENIORS - DIPLOMAS
SENIORS - CAP AND GOWN
Orders can be placed online at https://www.balfour.com/
LATE FEES will apply after January.
SENIOR College Prep
Watch the attached video for everything you need to know about COLLEGE APPLICATIONS:
https://drive.google.com/file/d/1-LzV_fKxdUXvkOgbRPBXPXIfSfkmPbhM/view?usp=drive_web
LETTERS OF RECOMMENDATION
If class of 2021 seniors are in need of a counselor recommendation for their college application (ex. through Common App, SendEDU, or Coalition app), these counselor recommendations will be started around mid-September once the 2020-21 School Profile is complete. The School Profile gives universities a snapshot of the current senior class. The data needed for the Profile is not available until this time. Letters of recommendation will be submitted prior to the student's application deadline.
Seniors are encouraged to submit their college application(s) as soon as they are finished. Counselor recommendations will follow in a timely manner. Please send your counselor a copy of your activities resume and a completed Brag Sheet when requesting a letter. Reminder-letters of recommendation should only be requested if the college application requires it. Colleges will not read letters submitted if they are not listed as part of the application process.
If you are in need of a letter of recommendation for a scholarship application, feel free to send your completed Brag Sheet and activities resume to the teacher, coach, counselor, or employer you are asking to write a letter.
Counselor Alpha Update
Students are assigned to a counselor by last name. Please see the adjusted alphas for the counselors below.
Mrs. Pape (A-Cr)
Mrs. Ray (Cu-He)
Mr. Marks (Hi-Me)
Ms. Farris (Mi-Sch)
Mrs. Partridge (Sci-Z)
Counseling Office Hours
Counselors will be hosting daily office hours beginning the week of September 8th. Please see below for times students and parents can sign in for assistance or support from their assigned alpha counselor.
Mrs. Pape
A-Cr
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/marnie.pape
10:30-11:30 am
2:30-3:30 pm
Mrs. Ray
Cu-He
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/shelly.ray
10:30-11:30 am
3:00 - 4:00 pm
Mr. Marks
Hi-Me
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/albert.marks
10:30-11:30 am
1:30-2:30 pm
Ms. Farris
Mi-Sch
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/leeann.farris
10:30-1130am
2:00-3:00pm
Mrs. Partridge
Sci-Z
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/claudia.mcwhorter
10:30-11:30 AM
2:30-3:30 PM
Mrs. Newlun
Student Advocate
https://gcisd.webex.com/meet/mary.newlun
M-W-F
3:00-4:00 PM
MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES
Hope Squad November Newsletter
With Stress in Schools Increasing, Simple Strategies to Stay Calm
Tips for Communicating With Your Teen
Resources for Learning Challenges
ALATEEN
Find a healthier way to respond to the challenges of dealing with a loved one's drinking. Get Hope & Help From A Family Recovery Program. Attend An Alanon/Alateen Meeting Near You. No Appointments Needed. Meeting Locator
ALATEEN
Grapevine Unity meeting
Monday 6:00PM
419 East Northwest Hwy, Suite 419
Grapevine
SAT and ACT TESTING INFORMATION
CHARACTER STRONG
Using Character Strong curriculum, All GCISD secondary campuses will be focusing on the character trait/skill of HUMILITY for the month of NOVEMBER. All students will be shown a video through Science to introduce this.
Additionally, students will be presented with Character Dares for November (through Canvas or on the announcements for in-person learners). These are practical ways that they can demonstrate the trait/skill of Humility. We want to encourage you to ask your child about these dares.
CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
For the class of 2021 only, the deadline to complete any pre-approved correspondence course with final grade is extended to the end of fall semester (Friday, December 18, 2020). If the course is a graduation requirement, the course will be placed in your 2nd semester schedule and will be removed upon completion of the correspondence course by the fall semester deadline. For details see the Correspondence Courses webpage.
Requesting Transcripts
GHS has streamlined the process for requesting official transcripts by partnering with Parchment. This partnership allows students and alumni to send high school transcripts electronically, securely and confidentially to colleges and universities.
Current students are able to request transcripts for free until August 1 of the year in which they graduate from high school.
Signing up is easy - simply click the Grapevine High School link below to begin!
Request Your Transcript
As a reminder, all seniors should take a moment to ensure their e-mail address listed in their Parchment account is their personal e-mail address NOT their school e-mail address. Seniors will no longer have access to their school e-mail address once they become alumni the August following graduation.
Selective Service System
Males, please remember that you are required by law to register for selective service via sss.gov within 30 days of turning 18. Or you can preregister beginning at 17 years and 3 months of age. Failing to register will result in being unable to receive federally funded college loans and grants, being unable to get into federally funded training and certification programs, being barred from all federal employment, and being ineligible for many state and local government jobs. Immigrants, documented and undocumented, will have a five year delay in processing their citizenship application. Please visit sss.gov to register or for more information.
We are back and can’t wait to meet with the students to discuss their college, career and post high school plans! If you are new to GCISD and have yet to meet us, click here to learn about the Go Center. We look forward to partnering with you and your student this year.
We encourage you to reach out to us virtually at the Go Center for any questions you may have regarding your post high school plans.
Virtual College Visits
Curious to how you can visit schools virtually and take advantage of their online opportunities? Check out the Virtual Visit Directory which links you to each college's virtual experience page!
You can also visit DARN’s YouTube Channel to catch up on the virtual college fair that they hosted.
In addition, we have the following schools that will be hosting open meetings specifically for our GCISD students:
GCISD Virtual College Visits:
This year we will be promoting Virtual College Visits in the evenings instead of during lunches. Visits will be open to students at BOTH high schools, so please check both calendars to see who is “visiting”. The calendars can be found on the Go Center link on the GHS website. Each university will provide their own link for accessing the visit which can be found on the calendar.
UPCOMING VIRTUAL VISITS
Monday, Dec 7
5-6pm University of Central Arkansas
Announcements:
Seniors, as we approach the Thanksgiving Break, I want to share these helpful tasks to ensure your progress with your college applications:
- Complete and submit your applications as soon as possible being especially mindful of those with a December 1st deadline
- Request all transcripts through parchment.com
- Visit the GCISD Scholarship page 1-2 times a week as we continue to receive and post the current applications and update the website
- If taking Dual classes, transcripts must be requested from and sent by TCC
- Allow 2-3 weeks after requesting letters of recommendation if needed for your application or scholarships
- If interested in attending TCC in the Fall of 2021 please complete this form: College Access
- Schedule an appointment at the Go Center for assistance
Juniors, now is a great time to begin your research regarding your schools of interest and recognize important deadlines associated with your near future college applications. In addition, the link below will provide virtual college visit opportunities.
If you have any questions, please e-mail me or make an appointment.
Thank you,
Yvette Grau
OSU
Majors at OSU - Exploration ZOOM Sessions
- Tuesday, Nov. 17: Hospitality & Tourism Management
- Tuesday, Dec. 1: Marketing
- Thursday, Dec. 10: Management
Meeting ID: 934 7116 3206
Join us on the dates listed above to learn more about these Spears Business majors from faculty and current students.
GO POKES!
College Applications
Seniors! College applications are open and the Go Center is available for appointments to assist you with your college process or answer any questions you might have. Due to the changes we are experiencing, you can set up a virtual or phone appointment until we are back in person. Click here to sign-up for an appointment! Please check your school email for follow-up communication.
Scholarships
Although many local scholarships are not open yet, we encourage you to begin checking the GCISD Scholarship website as this will be actively updated with new deadlines as soon as we receive them. If you have not obtained letters of recommendation, please request them now as most scholarships generally require a minimum of two letters.
Seniors also need to research scholarships that come directly from the colleges/universities to which they are applying.
Please reach out to the Go Center if you have any questions about scholarships!
Mrs. Grau
TCC College Access Program
If you have a possible interest in attending TCC after high school in the Fall of ’21, please know that TCC College Access facilitates the entire TCC registration process and is done during the school day. In order to participate and be included in this process you must complete this interest form questionnaire: http://tinyurl.com/tcc21. You can email yvette.grau@gcisd.net with questions or if you are interested in the program.
We encourage you to come see us (reach out virtually to us) at the Go Center for any questions you may have regarding your post high school plans.
COLLEGE AND CAREER PLANNING
COLLEGE PLANNING CALENDARS:
Check out our planning calendars on the GHS Counseling Website:
https://ghs.gcisd.net/resources/counseling/college___career_planning
Check out our Counseling Website!
- Top 10% Rankings and Quartile Cutoffs
- Google Classroom Counseling Codes
- Scholarships
- Transcript Request Information
- Before and After School Tutorials Schedule
- Course Selection Guides
- And much more....Click the link below:
GCISD College Visit Videos
We are thrilled to announce a NEW COLLEGE PLANNING RESOURCE created by GCISD counselors for our student and parent community.
GCISD counselors have had the privilege of traveling to colleges around the state and nation to visit GCISD alumni and admissions officers in order to get an insider's perspective on the college admissions process.
Click here to view the videos from each of our visits. We will continue to add videos as we make more visits. We hope you enjoy this resource!
COLLEGE BOARD
Website: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/creditandplacement/search-credit-policies
Attention NCAA ATHLETES
NCAA GUIDE FOR ATHLETES AND FAMILIES:
A-Cr - Marnie Pape
817-251-5233
Cu-He - Shelly Ray
817-251-5214
Hi-Me - Al Marks
817-251-5236
Mi-Sch - LeeAnn Farris
817-251-5234
Sci-Z - Katherine Partridge
817-251-5284
Student Advocate - Mary Newlun
817-251-5243
Lead Counselor - Mary Parsley
Salina Friend - Data Secretary
817-251-5285
Geri Clayton - Registrar
817-251-5286
Lynn Stilwill - Counseling Secretary
817-251-5232