School Counselor's Corner
A peek into 8th grade 2017-18 year
Thoughts to think about during the summer.....
8th grade is an important year and can be overwhelming and a little scary, for the students and the parents. No frets, the counseling staff, 8th grade teams and administrators are here to help everyone through it. Keep in mind it is also a year for learning, celebrating, memory making and growing up.
I hope you find this newsletter helpful, my goal is to reduce any anxiety and to remind everyone about the fun stuff.
Oh, and I would be remiss if I did not encourage READING this summer! Read, read read- practice, practice, practice!!
Student Success Plan 2017-2018
Every year our students write student success plans. This can be a helpful tool and it is already in place. 8th grade performance can determine class placement for high school, so writing a meaningful, serious plan may help achieve class placement goals. Goals can help generate motivation and keep our eyes on the prize. As a parent you can sit with your child and ask them to sign you into their Naviance account and you can see their goals, learning style preferences and career interests.
Join a Club
If your middle school student has not joined a school club yet, 8th grade is a great year to have such an experience. Experiencing being in a club now, may encourage your student to continue with club joining in the high school. Encourage your student to listen to the daily morning announcements for club offerings, check the website and check the front office regularly as clubs start at all different times of the year. It is a great opportunity to become well rounded and to get exposure to new activities that could create a new interest for your child.
This is the year to shine!
Your child's 8 grade performance may impact teacher's recommendations for high school placement. Encourage your student to work at their best level. Support them by checking their homework and helping them study (it is not the year to pull back all together). Stay in contact with the team by regularly checking team's website, the school's website and Infinite Campus. Check in with teachers with a quick email. Role modeling an interest in what they are learning gives education value and meaning. NFMS appreciates all the support our parents provide for their children!
JANUARY is when we start the preparation for high school.
The beginning of next year will feel similar to all the other middle school years. The teams get to know their new students and many routine activities take place. PBIS lessons, Star testing, Student Success Plans, etc will be the same as any other year. The 8th grade will have a visit from Henry Abbott Technical High School and Ellis Clark Agriscience Technical High school but that is just a teaser before the year turns. When students return from winter break the transition to high school begins. It will look a little like this:
January 2018:
- New Fairfield High School counselors will come in to do mini presentations about what to expect at the high school.
- There will be a tour of the elective courses available to the freshman at the high school.
- Parent's Night will be held at the high school.
March/April:
- Middle school teachers learn from the high school about the requirements to recommend students for Honors or Accelerated classes. These requirements tend to change from year to year.
April:
- Teachers start to make honors/Accelerated recommendations (these recommendations can change as late as June, if need be).
May:
- If all recommendations are made, and you and your family disagree with a recommendation, this is the time to get an appeals form from Mrs. Jacques. Once the form is filled out and signed, Mrs. Jacques will send it to the high school's guidance department along with a report on test scores, grades and attendance. The high school core subject department head will review the information and make the final decision about placement. You will be given names, phone numbers and emails of the department heads at this point and forward your inquiries, concerns with them directly.
June:
- Holiday Hill field trip
- 8th grade dance
- 9th grade orientation and tours (for students, during the day)
- GRADUATION!
What if my child is not going to NFHS?
Henry Abbott Technical High School
- Henry Abbott Technical High School is slated to present to our 8th grade students on October 3rd. They will get an application on this day (if they are interested)- please use this application as it will be the newest edition.
- The application must be filled out, signed and handed into Mrs. Jacques by December 1st. PLEASE HAVE YOUR CHILD FILL OUT THEIR OWN APPLICATION, sit with them and coach them into neat writing (do a rough draft practice) . HAT does not want parents filling out the application.
- No letters of recommendation are needed or accepted.
- The entrance exam will be given here at our school (weather permitting) on December 19th.
- Please know that your child's 7th and 8th grade transcripts, attendance record, discipline record and Student Success Plan are all sent in with the application.
- Open House is in November (TBD) and the counseling department highly recommends that you attend, especially if your child is on the fence about applying.
Website:
Ellis Clark Agriscience & Technical High School
- Ellis Clark comes to present to our students in October (TBD). Students that are interested will get an official application on that day. Please use that application because it will be the most updated form.
- Ellis Clark has an extensive application process that includes specific letters of recommendations, an essay, an interview and possibly an entrance exam. The interviews are conducted at our middle school. Please understand the interview can make all the difference, it is important to dress for success and for your child to be passionate about why they want to attend this school. This is a highly competitive process because there are only so many spots open for students in the school.
- Ellis Clark wants the student to fill out the application (not the parent) and it needs to be handwritten.
- Open House is in November (TBD) and the counseling department highly recommends that you attend, especially if your child is on the fence about applying.
Website:
Private School Application Request
- Private school applications can be cumbersome. These applications may need teacher, counselor and administrator input, so please allow time for that to happen. We can not release school record information without your signature to release it (this is usually on the application). We mail the application from here, it does not go home for you to mail so it is important that it is filled out thoroughly. Thank you so much!
Keep in mind.....
Even if your student plans to go to another high school, your student will still have to choose classes for this high school. The concern is, if your student chooses not to go to the other high school then they may not be able to get into the classes they want because they are all full. Signing up reserves a spot. Your child is considered a New Fairfield student until you officially withdraw them from our district so they can attend their new school.
HAVE A GREAT SUMMER! Become an adventurer, be outdoors, and find time to relax!
Amy Jacques, 8th Grade School Counselor, as of 11:41am June 20, 2017
Email: jacques.amy@newfairfieldschools.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/a/newfairfieldschools.org/mrs-jacques-7th-grade-school-counseling-corner/
Location: New Fairfield, CT, United States
Phone: (203) 312-5902
Twitter: @ARCJ1989