Student Services Weekly Update
10/13/21
Welcome to Student Services!
Important Reminders
Reminder to all caregivers: Quarter 1 Progress Reports are available to view in Aspen under published reports.
12th Grade
12th grade is a very busy year filled with great learning opportunities and future planning.
What have 12th grade students already worked on this year?:
Every Senior has met with Ms. Neuenschwander at least once to review their next step after high school and how to start on that path
Sessions to start the Common Application for college admissions have been offered during the after lunch activity block and will continue through December. Individual appointments with Ms. Neuenschwander to complete the College applications are encouraged and always available to students.
College essay support will be given to students through their senior capstone classes October 18th - 21st and is available during office hours with Ms. Neuenschwander or Mr. Sussbauer
Financial Aid information will be provided to students the Week of October 25 - 29th through Senior Capstone and is available for caregivers on October 14th or through MEFA Events
Over 20 colleges and universities have visited MTRS already this Fall with 22 more coming throughout the Fall. Fall of 2021 College Visit Schedule
Career of the Month
Nursing - Careers in health care are one of the fastest growing employment areas, with nursing expected to grow 28% over the next 10 years. How does a student pursue a degree in nursing? Please click on this link to see the different career entry points based upon education level.
2021 PSAT/NMSQT
WHAT IS IT? Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
WHAT DOES IT TEST?
The Reading Test – 60 minutes, 47 questions.
The Writing and Language Test – 35 minutes, 44 questions. (Find mistakes and weaknesses and fix them)
Math Test, No Calculator Portion – 25 minutes, 17 questions. (Algebra, problem solving and data analysis, some advanced math)
Math Test, Calculator Portion – 45 minutes, 31 questions.
WHY? It measures your academic skills for college, it is used for college applications and scholarships
WHEN? Tuesday, October 26th at 7:45 am lasting 2 hours 45 minutes
HOW DO I SIGN UP? Fill this out- PSAT FORM
HOW MUCH? $16 cash or check (MTRS) or FREE to 10th/11th grade students on who qualify
CAN I PRACTICE? Yes- KHAN ACADEMY FREE
Tuesday, Oct 26, 2021, 07:45 AM
Mohawk Trail Regional School, Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls, MA, USA
7th and 8th Grade Updates
Quarter 1 Progress Reports are available to view in Aspen
To view a progress report, login into Aspen, then click the icon under “Published Reports”
Progress Reports are published at the mid-point of each of the four academic quarters and are a snapshot of a student’s academic progress.
The last day of Quarter 1 is Friday, November 5th. Report cards will be available during the week of November 8th.
This week, middle school students met with Ms. Ruggeri who facilitated an advisory lesson focused on progress reports and grading.
Aspen Student & Parent Portal
Aspen is our student information system which allows students and caregivers to view information such as grades, attendance, and report cards. It is important to remember that teachers typically update grades weekly or bi-weekly. If you have a question about a particular grade or assignment, it is best to contact the teacher.
All middle school students have Aspen accounts and have participated in tutorials guiding them through the login process. Your student should now be able to view their grades in each class.
7th grade caregivers received an email from Aspen in late August with login information and instructions. This email would have gone to the email address listed for the first caregiver contact. Parents of 8th grade students can use account information from last year.
Thinking Ahead to College...
While we know that Middle School is years away from high school graduation, you may be interested in getting a head start to plan for the cost of college. Check out the Paying for College Resource for more ways to help students and families pay for college, including helpful guides, free tools, and a video series.
Here is a series of eight videos from Sallie Mae full of tips to help you pay for college. Start at the beginning or skip around and hit the ones you’re interested in.
COLLEGE FINANCIAL AID - FAFSA
Have questions about how and when to apply for financial aid for college?
Please attend one of the multiple virtual meetings that the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) will be hosting. During these meetings a college financial aid representative will review the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) , the form that needs to be completed to apply for financial aid at all 2 and 4 year colleges.
Please go to MEFA.ORG/events/category/college-financing to register for one that fits your schedule.
COLLEGE FINANCING
Wednesday, October 20th 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Thursday, October 21st 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Monday, October 25th 3:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Thursday, October 28th 6:30 - 7:30 p.m.
Wednesday, November 3rd 12:00 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
CONTACT US
College and Career Counselor
https://neuenschwander.youcanbook.me
School Counselor Grades 7 & 8th
https://truggeri.youcanbook.me
School Counselor 9-12th
https://mrcipoletta.youcanbook.me
Registrar and Administrative Assistant
Email: sgarcia@mtrsd.org
Website: https://mtrs.mohawktrailschools.org/Mohawk-Student-Services
Location: 26 Ashfield Road, Shelburne Falls, MA, USA
Phone: 413-625-9811