October Counseling Newsletter
Seven Weeks In!
It's hard to believe that we're already seven weeks into the school year at Lakeland High School. Hopefully you and your students are back in the swing of the school year. As we continue toward the end of the first nine-week marking period, here are some important things to keep in mind...
End of Term 1
With the first marking period ending in about two weeks, it is important to continue monitoring grades through Family Access regularly. Here are some suggestions:
- Check grades regularly together as a family and discuss progress.
- Address missing work. If an assignment or test is marked as missing, or is listed as a "zero", that should prompt the student to follow up directly with the teacher. Do not just assume the teacher hasn't put the grade in the grade book. Students should proactively make sure all work is completed and graded appropriately.
- Contact your student's teacher. Email is usually the quickest way to get a response, but a phone call works too. You can find teacher contact information on the Admin/Staff list.
- Don't wait until the last few days of the marking period to catch up. The first term is worth 40% of the semester one grade. If your grade isn't where you want it to be, make a plan now while there's time to bring it up and get extra help.
Grade Level Reminders
Seniors - What most 12th graders are doing around now...
- Completing college applications and sending transcripts through Parchment
- Applying for scholarships (Fastweb and Cappex are great free search sites)
- Completing the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)
- Need help completing the FAFSA? Oakland University holds free FAFSA Completion Workshops to help parents and students
Juniors - What most 11th graders are doing around now...
- Since junior year is the last year of grades that will appear on transcripts when students initially apply to colleges and programs at the beginning of senior year... Showing strong performance in all classes, especially challenging academic courses
- Took the PSAT/NMSQT on October 19th (optional) or signing up for a practice SAT assessment on November 5th (see Mrs. Carrell in the Counseling Office for more info)
- Practicing on Khan Academy in preparation for the SAT in April
Sophomores - What most 10th graders are doing around now...
- Improving and maintaining grades from 9th grade and further solidifying good study habits
- Accessing last year's PSAT scores on CollegeBoard and practicing for SAT on Khan Academy
- Attending the Oakland Schools Technical Campus (OSTC) informational presentation on November 2nd during seminar (all sophomores)
Freshmen - What most 9th graders are doing around now...
- Getting used to high school classes and expectations
- Connecting with activities around the school and getting to know new people
- Establishing good study and homework habits
Lakeland Counselors
Students A-F - Mrs. Warner
Students G-L - Mrs. Alfano
Students M-Ra - Mr. Dougherty
Students Re-Z - Ms. Rushton