OPHS School Counseling Newsletter
Second Edition
School Counseling Staff
Maureen Andrada, Counselor (A-Bow)
Christopher Baxter, Counselor (Box-End)
Georgina Sandoval, Counselor (Ene-Hin)
Keisha Mercer, Counselor (Hio-May)
Juan Canas Ramirez, Counselor (Maz-Pie)
Courtney Jaeger, Counselor (Pif-Shin)
Jayna Cobbs, Counselor (Shio-Z)
Melissa Bach, Counselor (A-Z: Pre-Governor's and Governor's School)
Suzanne Salvo, Career Counselor
Marie Emery, Testing Coordinator
Christine Cortez, School Social Worker
Stanley Urbaniak, School Psychologist
Heather Lontos, Transition Specialist
Laura Inesta, Attendance Officer
Phone 703-365-6500
Fax 703-330-2170
Upcoming Events
Spanish Speaking Parent Workshop: Wednesday 11/20 @ 6:00 pm in the Career Center. Topics will include graduation requirements, attendance, parent view (grades) will be addressed.
ASVAB Interpretation November 26th @ 12:30 room 3060
Spring ASVAB March 5th @ 7:30
We invite 10th through 12th grade Career and Technical Education (CTE) students and their parents to learn more about Youth Registered Apprenticeship and Registered Apprenticeship. CTE Career Connections provides students information about career related opportunities and potential employers. Thursday Nov 21st 6-8 pm at the Kelly Leadership Center.(Flyer attached if you can include)
Senior and parents/guardians: There will be a drop in FAFSA hands on help session on Monday Nov 25th from 2:00-7:00 pm in the College & Career Center. Please bring your 2017 and 2018 tax returns and your FAFSA ID.
Seniors: Virginia Tech Pamplin Leadership Award is due 1/10/20. See your counselor or Ms. Salvo for more information.
Self Care
Although self-care means different things to different people, there’s a basic checklist that can be followed by all of us:
- Create a “no” list, with things you know you don’t like or you no longer want to do. Examples might include: Not checking emails at night, not attending gatherings you don’t like, not answering your phone during lunch/dinner.
- Promote a nutritious, healthy diet.
- Get enough sleep. Adults usually need 7-8 hours of sleep each night.
- Exercise. In contrast to what many people think, exercise is as good for our emotional health as it is for our physical health. It increases serotonin levels, leading to improved mood and energy. In line with the self-care conditions, what’s important is that you choose a form of exercise that you like!
- Follow-up with medical care. It is not unusual to put off checkups or visits to the doctor.
- Use relaxation exercises and/or practice meditation. You can do these exercises at any time of the day.
- Spend enough time with your loved ones.
- Do at least one relaxing activity every day, whether it’s taking a walk or spending 30 minutes unwinding.
- Do at least one pleasurable activity every day; from going to the cinema, to cooking or meeting with friends.
- Look for opportunities to laugh!
Khan Academy Official SAT Practice
11th grade College Planning Calendar
Senior College Planning Calendar
Scholarship Information
Scholarship Databases
Federal Financial Aid Information
- Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) - parents/students must complete after October 1st but prior to the school's deadline to be in the best position to receive Federal Aid.
- Financial Aid Toolkit - many great resources for parents and students
- FAFSA Assistance - online assistance for students and parents
- FAFSA 4Caster - estimate how much aid you can get for your student
- Federal Student Aid Program Summary
- Federal Aid Glossary
- Financial Aid Application Checklist - This is a sample that can be tailored to meet your needs
- Cost of Attendance Comparison - This is a sample that can be tailored to meet your needs
- Award Package Comparison - This is a sample that can be tailored to meet your needs
Opportunities Workbook
The Opportunities guide helps high school students choose the right college, understand admission requirements, identify types of financial aid and more.
BLAST Program (STEM Program for 9th graders)
The BLAST program is a partnership between Virginia Space Grant Consortium, Old Dominion University, the University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, and the Commonwealth of Virginia. Students will have an opportunity to apply to one of three sessions. Session dates and times will be available on November 15, 2019, when the application opens. Program information and application at http://vsgc.odu.edu/blast/. The application opens November 15, 2019 and closes February 10, 2020.