COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Richmond Hill High School
December Newsletter
WHAT'S GOING ON AT THE HILL?
- Missed the November Newsletter?
- Mental Health Workshop-11/18
Upcoming Events:
- Schedule change request: 7am, 12/2 thru 4 pm,12/5
- End of Course(EOCs) Exams: 12/2 thru 12/13
- End of Semester Exams: 12/17 (blocks 1 and 3) and 12/18 (blocks 2 and 4)
7 MINDSETS
100% Accountable
The second half of November the mindset is 100% Accountable. November 14th students viewed lesson 4.1 – Own Your Life. This lesson talks about believing in yourself. That belief in oneself creates more positive actions. Self-doubt creates negative actions or non-action. It’s about looking in the mirror and discovering who you really are. If you like what you see, great! Own it! Don’t let the opinions of others dissuade you from that truth! If you don’t really like what you see in that metaphorical mirror, now is the time to make some adjustments. Decide what you really want your personal character to be and do what it takes to strengthen it. It’s never to late to make a change for the better!
Lesson 4.2 – Overcome Limiting Beliefs teaches how to reprogram thinking. Limiting beliefs are things like fear or excuses that we tell ourselves. Once the fear and excuses are gone, we can go on to do great things! We can become who we are meant to become!
Please use this link to open the Parent Newsletter https://www.7mindsetsportal.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/01/Parent_Zone/NewsLetters/English/Parent-Newsletter-100A-Accountable.pdf
Please use this link to see the video from lesson 4.1 https://youtu.be/AjZ0KbJcav0
Please use this link to see the video from lesson 4.2 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ysJfKrgeA4Y
WHAT'S GOING ON IN 9TH GRADE...
Test Preparation
As we get ready for final exams, here are several test prep strategies to help you prepare for final exams:
- Make flashcards
- Rewrite/re-read your notes; reorganize into categories
- Get help if you need it: use PASS and other learning resources
- Don’t cram!
- Know the test format
- Get all of your questions answered
- Verbalize what you know – tell/teach the material to someone else
- Be caught up on all work for the test
- Identify your problem areas
- Take advantage of extra credit
WHAT'S GOING ON IN 10TH GRADE...
Making an academic plan
It’s time to get serious about the courses that you take here at RHHS. Freshman year was a time to explore different electives, and determine your interests. Now you will want to start planning out the last half of your high school career. Whether you’re thinking of joining the military, workforce, or attending college, your course selection needs to be intentional. Here are a few things to keep in mind when creating your academic plan:
· Become familiar with the HOPE Rigor Courses and make sure that you are keeping these in mind when registering. You need four to be eligible for the HOPE scholarship, in addition to a 3.0 GPA
· Take two sequential courses of a world language. Four-year universities are looking for completion of two credits of one world language. You want to make sure you keep your options open to whatever you decide senior year.
· Pay attention to pre-requisites for any honors or AP classes you may want to take. Start planning this out now, while there is still time to take courses that you may need. The Academic Guide will help guide you through this process.
Final Exams/ EOCS
Make sure you are consistently studying for your exams/EOCs as we near the end of the semester. Cramming the night before will not be beneficial, and if you’re taking an EOC, remember that it is 20% of your grade! Ask your teachers about their tutorial schedules and take the time to get 1:1 help before or after school. This shows that you care about your grade and can be very helpful as we approach testing season.
Self- Care in High School:
Check out this video highlighting the importance of self-care in teens. Everyone needs a break, and the pressures of high school and everything that comes along with it can be overbearing on our students. Practicing regular self-care in teens and adults is crucial. Share this with your teens!
WHAT'S GOING ON IN 11TH GRADE...
Have you taken the SAT, ACT, ACCUPLACER, or ASVAB yet? It’s not too late! Junior year is a great time to prepare and take advantage of these multiple choice exams.
These important exams can be overwhelming to think about since there is a lot riding on your scores, like college admission, scholarships, or your military occupational specialty (MOS). Solid exam scores open up opportunities for you whether you are planning on attending a 4-year college, 2-year college, trade school, or joining the military. If you’re planning on attending a 4-year college, RHHS school counselors suggest that you take the SAT and ACT to see if you score higher on one than the other. We also suggest that you take the SAT or ACT at least twice to boost your score.
Here are some links to prepare for the material on the SAT, ACT, ACCUPLACER, and ASVAB:
SAT: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat
ACT: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/test-preparation.html
ACCUPLACER: https://accuplacer.collegeboard.org/students/prepare-for-accuplacer/practice
ASVAB: https://www.asvabpracticetests.com/
Mastering the art of multiple choice test-taking is half the battle when it comes to these tests. While it is crucial to prepare for the test material through study sites and apps, you should also prepare for how to tackle a multiple choice test.
Watch the video below to learn some critical multiple choice test-taking tips so you can achieve your goals after high school:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q1y8c_MZYvE
Ready to register?
SAT: sat.org/register - register by 2/14/2020 for the 3/14/2020 test date
ACT: act.org/register - register by 1/10/2020 for the 2/8/2020 test date
ACCUPLACER: Google Form will be released soon - date TBD
ASVAB: Google Form will be released soon for the 3/11/2020 test date
WHAT'S GOING ON IN 12TH GRADE...
As the first semester of Senior year draws to an end and graduation inches closer, the light begins to shine at the end of the tunnel. So what is next? You walk across the stage at graduation, attend the party, smile for the pictures, but what about the day after or months later? A new job or a new school? A new routine and new friends? New can be scary for some and exciting for others, but either way it is mind over matter. Regardless of the feelings that you have attached to what comes next, it is coming and how you approach the inevitable will determine the success of your transition. Prepare your mindset now, and learn to embrace change. Approach the unknown as opportunities instead of obstacles. Begin to view challenges as growth in maturity and character, not setbacks. Look to become a problem solver or troubleshooter, bringing to future employers/instructors possible solutions when concerns are raised. Outside of the box is not just a place to think, but it is also a place to stretch beyond your comfort zone. The future is upon us, and your mindset sets the pace on the route to success.
COLLEGE & CAREER CENTER
Dual Enrollment
TERM/ DEADLINE
Summer 2020 (OFF High School CAMPUS)/ May 1, 2020
Fall 2020 (OFF High School CAMPUS)/ May 1, 2020
Fall 2020 (ON RHHS Campus) TBA
- Yes! You read this correctly… RHHS is planning on offering dual enrollment courses ON our high school campus- during the school day! No, this is NOT Advanced Placement (AP). It is dual enrollment/college courses being taught by a college professor on the high school campus! Students who pass the course will be issued college credit from the institution offering the course.
- More information will be forthcoming Second Semester (Beginning January) through advisement as well as available through your high school counselor!
What should you do in the mean time if you are interested?
- Keep your high school grades up. GPA is an important factor for consideration. More information can be found about the eligibility criteria on the RHHS Dual Enrollment website, depending on the institution offering the course credit.
- Take the required exam to meet eligibility. The SAT and ACT are great options for 11th and 12th graders as they include upper level Math. The ACCUPLACER is another option, but only accepted at some institutions.
- Prepare for the required test by practicing through Khan Academy OR by taking a sample exam available online. Test and Retest and give yourself about 4 weeks for scores to process before deadlines. It is recommended that you have qualifying test scores by April- which means register for these exams in the early spring!
Check Out: https://rhhs-counselors.wixsite.com/rhhs-counselors/de
MILITARY FAMILY LIFE COUNSELOR
Due to the unique challenges faced by military families, the Department of Defense offers private and confidential counseling services to military service members and their families. The mission of the MFLC program is to provide short-term, solution focused counseling, support and education. Military counselors may assist military connected students with a variety of issues including: communication, self-esteem/self-confidence, school issues, life stressors, resolving conflicts, behavioral management techniques, building resiliency, sibling/parental relationships, and deployment and reintegration. Within a safe, therapeutic relationship, MFLCs help military children and their parents to cope with normal reactions to the varied stresses of military life, to enhance their lives and to boost military readiness and resiliency.
Ms. Imler is the military counselor for Richmond Hill High School. You can find her in the counseling suite, room 515 on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. For more information about MFLC services call (912)271-9725.
NOTE: Parents must sign a consent form before the MFLC counselor can talk with their child.
MILITARY RESOURCES
Tutor.com for U.S. Military Families is a DoD-funded program that allows eligible students in U.S. military families to connect to a live tutor online at any time for one on one help with homework, studying, test prep, proofreading and more. The service is available at no charge to all grades K-12 students.
RESOURCES
PERSONAL WELLNESS
RHHS COUNSELOR CASELOAD:
Rhashida Bunyan- (A thru De Cesari)
Emily Neff- (De La Cruz thru Hicks)
Tam Daniels- (Hickson thru Medrano)
Debbie Kilpatrick- (Medsker-Sams)
Saraswati Hendrix- (Sanchez-Z)
Deanna Appleton (College and Career Counselor)
Dawn Imler- (Military Family Life Counselor)
COUNSELING DEPARTMENT
Email: rbunyan@bryan.k12.ga.us
Website: https://rhhs-counselors.wixsite.com/rhhs-counselors
Location: 1 Wildcat Drive, Richmond Hill, GA, USA
Phone: 912-459-6403