Counseling Corner
Brighton High School Counseling Office
Updates for BHS Students
Welcome to our weekly update! May 22, 2020
Dear Families,
Let's talk motivation. Last week, Dr. McGowan shared that the last day of instruction for students will be June 17. That means we have a little over 3 weeks of school left for the 2019-2020 school year.
As of May 22nd, all teachers will have all course grades updated in Schooltool. PLEASE BE SURE TO CHECK ON YOUR STATUS! Reach out to your teachers directly if you have any questions about what you need to do in the next few weeks.
If you need a motivation boost, we are here for you! Try out a few of our 18 Ways to Stay Motivated suggestions below. If those don't work, send your counselor an email and we can set up a Zoom meeting.
New in this weeks Counseling Corner:
- Parents of 10th graders- join us for a counseling connection!
- We are hosting a virtual college visit with UR next week
- 12th & 11th Grade- SUNY, University of Rochester & Sallie Mae are all hosting virtual Information Sessions.
- New America East virtual college tour next week.
- More information on all these sessions can be found below in our newsletter
Wishing you all peace and wellness.
Sincerely,
The BHS Counseling Department
Virtual College Visit with The University of Rochester!
We invite juniors and sophomores to a 30-minute virtual high school visit. Think of this video meeting as the same as if this were an in-person visit: a brief overview of UR, academic and student-life experiences, and a breakdown of our admissions & financial aid process. There will be plenty of time for questions throughout. We hope that students will find it helpful to learn more about UR!
Those who are interested in participating in this virtual visit may register here: https://admissions.enrollment.rochester.edu/register/BrightonMay2020
Once registered, you will receive a ZOOM link from UR. We hope you can join Mrs. Stern & Mr. O'Neill to learn more about UR!!
Patrick O’Neill, Ed.D.
University of Rochester | Associate Director for Faculty Engagement and Admissions Training
Office of Admissions | 585-275-3221
patrick.oneill@rochester.edu | https://enrollment.rochester.edu
Wednesday, May 27, 2020, 03:00 PM
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10th Grade Parent Counseling Connection
Attention 10th Grade Parents:
Come join the BHS Counseling Department on Thursday May 28th at 7p.m. for a casual conversation. We are hoping to connect with you and hear how you are doing.
Come if ………….
- You are hoping to connect with other community members and the counselors
- You want support dealing with in home instruction
- You want strategies to deal with stress
- You need help managing expectations
Or
You are just bored :)
We look forward to seeing you!
-BHS Counseling Department
A Zoom link will be sent at 6:45
Thursday, May 28, 2020, 07:00 PM
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COLLEGE OPENINGS UPDATE: OPTIONS FOR QUALIFIED STUDENTS
The update provides information on colleges and universities that are still accepting applications from qualified freshmen and/or transfer students for the fall 2020 semester.
NACAC's update is a helpful resource for counselors, parents, and teachers assisting students who have not yet found a college to attend. The update also includes information about financial aid and housing.
The number of colleges reporting openings for fall 2020 is substantially larger than previous years, which likely reflects the unprecedented level of disruption in the admission process caused by the COVID-19 outbreak. Because many colleges that typically observe the May 1 national response date have extended their reply deadlines, NACAC will provide additional outreach and promotion of the update after June 1.
NACAC's College Openings Update is available until July 30 and will continue to be refreshed as colleges provide additional information.
Junior Class of 2021
PINK SHEETS
One piece of your application is the Counselor Letter of Rec. To write these, we need a few things from you:
- Complete your JUNIOR SURVEY & RESUME in Naviance.
- PINK SHEETS- Please ask 2-3 teachers, advisors, coaches, employers etc. to fill this out for you. Since we don’t get to see you in class or know who you are as a teammate or employee, we want to hear from those that you know in that way! We can then add this information to our letters of rec and include a holistic view of who you are.
- Please email this link to 2-3 teachers: https://tinyurl.com/BHSPinkSheet
- Use the email subject heading: Pink Sheet Request- YOUR NAME HERE (ex: Pink Sheet Request- Courtney Stern)
A PINK SHEET REQUEST IS NOT A REQUEST FOR A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION! These are two separate things. For now, we are focused only on Pink Sheets.
If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to reach out to your counselor. We would be so happy to talk to you!
PARENT BRAG SHEETS
Parents- WE NEED YOUR HELP! YOU are the ones who know your kids the best, so please take a few minutes to brag about them to their counselor. We love hearing your stories and often use your comments in our letters of rec:
Please complete this by July 15th.
SAVE THE DATES FOR COLLEGE & CAREER MONDAYS!
Monday afternoons this coming fall will be dedicated to YOU! Please see the flyer below for details and a few Summer Mondays with Mrs. Stern. Instant Decision days will also be added so stay tuned!
Senior Class of 2020
COMPLETE YOUR SENIOR EXIT SURVEY
As those admission decisions are coming in and you are making your final decisions, we also need to know WHAT you plan to do and WHERE you are heading this fall. This will determine where we send your final transcript.
Please take a few minutes to complete your BHS Senior Exit Survey- 2020 in Naviance. This needs to be completed in order to pick up your cap & gown!
Log into CLEVER and choose link to Naviance
Click on the About Me tab
Choose My Surveys
Choose Surveys Not Started
The link to the BHS Senior Exit Survey should then show up. This will ask you to fill out your plans for next year and update your admissions information if you applied to colleges. Please be honest (admit, deny, waitlist) as the data is anonymous and creates our scattergrams for future Barons to utilize in their college searches.
IF YOU NEED SUPPORT WE CAN HELP! Reach out to our amazing Registrars- Mrs. Schultz & Mrs. Leyens- or your counselor. maryellen_schultz@bcsd.org
Application Updates
We are still able to electronically process all supporting documents needed for college and scholarship applications if needed. Please contact your School Counselor directly.
Making Post-Secondary Decisions in a COVID-19 World
Trying to make decisions about your post-secondary plans can be a stressful time, and now more so than ever. WE ARE STILL HERE FOR YOU! Please reach out to us for any support and guidance.
We will try to keep you updated with any information we get from colleges and other programs. In the mean time, this is a great article on ways to continue to explore your options and make an informed decision: https://www.forbes.com/sites/brennanbarnard/2020/03/17/the-covid-college-choice-how-to-pick-a-college-during-a-global-pandemic/
College & Career
Overview of the College Search Process
College Information Workshops
University of Rochester College Admissions Workshop Series
Navigating the college search and decision process can be difficult. Our College Admissions Workshop Series is designed to give you an opportunity to learn directly from our admissions staff on important focused topics related to the college admissions process. Our staff will guide you through each topic and be available to answer any questions you may have as you prepare to apply to the University of Rochester or other institutions.
The workshop series will be offered Wednesdays in April and May from 9:00–10:00 am EDT and 12:00–1:00 pm EDT. Topics will include:
The University of Rochester Application Workshop
May 27
For more information check out their website: https://enrollment.rochester.edu/virtual-events/
Sallie Mae Financial Aid Webinars
During these unprecedented times, we realize that helping your Juniors and Seniors who are navigating the college search and college admissions process has become more challenging. In an effort to support your students and families, we have put together a series of free webinars over the next two weeks:
“College Planning” is geared toward juniors who will begin the process of looking at colleges over the summer months (approx. 1 hour)
Saving for college
- Calculating financial need with the FAFSA
- Decoding a financial aid offer
- Finding and applying for scholarships and grants
The webinars are offered on multiple dates and various times and a handful of sessions will be conducted in both English and Spanish.
Dates and registration information can be found here: https://www.uft.org/sites/default/files/attachments/May_2020_Sallie_Mae_Webinar_Series%5B2%5D_0.pdf
Virtual College Experiences
America East Virtual College Tour!
Join us for this virtual event to learn more about what our nine universities have to offer your students! Meet admissions and enrollment professionals to hear what makes each school in the America East Conference unique! Members include:
- University at Albany
- Binghamton University
- University of Hartford
- University of Maine
- University of Maryland Baltimore County
- University of Massachusetts Lowell
- University of New Hampshire
- Stony Brook University
- University of Vermont
TO REGISTER: Click on the date you would like to attend!
After submitting your registration, you will receive a confirmation email that will contain a calendar invite with a Zoom webinar link & password.
Thursday May 28th, 4pm:
https://us02web.zoom.us/webinar/register/WN_KH287trHQfuITtYT4-moJQ
More ways to get "on campus"
- Individual college websites
- Naviance (many of the colleges have videos and interactive information posted there)
- www.campusreel.org - over 15,000 real videos, tours and experiences from 300+ college campuses, created by current students
- Thanks to an incredible colleague in a College Admissions Counselor group who put together this working excel file. Including demographic data from College Board, she lists colleges in the US and Canada who offer virtual tours, youtube channels, etc. UK coming soon! https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1sO7pVos0EvK0BvXoMbnyg00K6r7hXbOQE0HNXF4N4eM/htmlview
Scholarships
Summer Experiences
Check out our BHS Counseling Website "Summer Program" page for some ideas: https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2089
Explorer Posts are gearing up for summer!
Exploring is a career-education program that allows you and your friends to learn more about a particular career through hands-on activities led by people out in the real world.
First Responders are the at the forefront of keeping us safe during COVID. Exploring First Responder Camp is for Explorers and Posts seeking a focused program in EMS, Police and Fire knowledge, skills and attitude. You will be immersed in the first responder’s lifestyle, living with career and volunteer first responder instructors and likeminded Explorers, learning, practicing, building new skills and responding to emergencies in this six-day, five-night immersive camp experience. First Responder Camp is designed to refine your skills, challenge your limits, and help Explorers develop a deeper understanding of the Emergency Services field. Camp life and all activities are conducted with an emphasis on individuals and emergency services teams working together for the benefit of our friends, neighbors and loved ones in the community while enjoying a full summer camp experience. Registration is open to all Explorers age 14 - 21 years of age.
SIGN UP FOR MORE INFORMATION OR REGISTER senecawaterways.org/expeditioncamps
Check out all of their opportunities at http://www.swcexploring.org/ or contact Mr. Bradley Rickman at Bradley.Rickman@scouting.org
JUNIORS- Sign Up For The Summer College Essay Writing Course through Brighton Continuing Ed!
Multiple one-week sessions offered, beginning the week of July 13th, Monday – Friday!
AM Session: 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.
PM Session: 12:30 – 3:30 p.m.
Location: Brighton High School, 1150 Winton Road S.
Fee: $89 (financial assistance is available! Just let your counselor know!)
This summer enrichment class is designed to help students write the college essay, generate ideas for short answer questions and provide an overview of how to address the entire college application. Students will read and critique model essays, be provided with written feedback on work, have one to one conference time with the instructor and complete at least one full essay in five days.
Sign up at https://brightonschools.revtrak.net
Questions may be directed to Brighton Community Education at ce@bcsd.org or 585-242-5200 ext.5595.
Work Permits Are Still Available!
SAT & ACT Updates
WEEKLY ONLINE PARENT SAT AND ACT Q&A
Join Mike Bergin of Chariot Learning every Wednesday from 6-7pm EST for a full review of the state of the SAT and ACT, their importance in the admissions process, and how the situation is evolving right now. No matter where you live, you are invited to attend one of these free parent seminars.
Attendance is free, but advance registration is required. Register here: https://forms.gle/xfg9qVDL7Fv2v6Mk6 and specify the Online SAT/ACT Q&A for Parents. He will reply to registrants by email with the invitation to this Zoom seminar.
FREE Online Proctored SAT & ACT Exams
Our friends at Chariot Learning will be running free online practice tests every Saturday until we can go back to in-person testing. All the details will be on their calendar: https://chariotlearning.com/events/
**BHS plans to be a testing site for the July ACT & August SAT. To keep everyone at a safe distance while testing, spots will be limited. If you plan to take the SAT or ACT this summer and would like to test at BHS, we recommend signing up for those exams sooner than later.
ACT has rescheduled it's April 4 national test date to June 13. Please check out www.act.org for more information. PLEASE NOTE- Since BHS is closed through the end of June we will NOT be hosting this exam date.
College Board has canceled the MAY AND JUNE, 2020 SAT and SAT Subject Test administration. Please check out www.collegeboard.org for more information.
Seminars
Please check out the BHS Counseling Website (https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2068) for all of the seminar packets for grades 9-12. Log into Naviance (use CLEVER), take some of the assessments, explore careers and update your resume!
Junior Seminars 5-7 "LIVE" with Mrs. Crowley & Mr. Donohue
In order to help keep you guys on track for planning your life after high school, we've condensed Junior Seminars 5-7 into one presentation. Please take the time to watch this seminar and reach out to your counselor with ANY questions.
https://web.microsoftstream.com/video/eea26cd3-30ae-4fdf-b37e-504d7f217823
Health and Wellness
Take Care of Yourself!
We have updated our BHS Counseling Department Mental Health page with resources specific to managing stress and anxiety related to this pandemic. Please check them out here: https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2076
Virtual Calming Room
We love our families, but we also need a break once in a while. Thanks to our friends at Wayzata Public Schools for creating this amazing Virtual Calming Room. You'll find links to lots of different ways to unwind and calm the body and mind:
https://sites.google.com/wayzataschools.org/virtualcalmingroom/home
Community Supports
If you or someone you know is in need of additional support, here are some counselors in the community who are accepting new clients:
Genesee Behavioral Health Center
https://www.rochesterregional.org/locations/rochester/genesee-mental-health-center-gmhc-child-clinic
Now taking intakes for new clients over the phone: 585-922-7770.
Tree of Hope Counseling
www.treeofhopecounselingrochester.com
Now offering telehealth counseling sessions.
Please fill out their screening form so they can make an appropriate match for support: https://goo.gl/forms/6jkBGucGdLIvy6T83
Quiet Minds Therapy Services
https://quietmindtherapyservices.com/
Currently has 4 therapists taking new clients for Teletherapy only.
Erin Sweeney and Stephen Haramis, teens and adults (private pay or Aetna). Natalie Neil, adults (BCBS and Aetna) and Lori Teller McDonald, Adults (Aetna and private pay).
To make an appointment call: (585) 207-0432 or email newclient@quietmindtherapyservices.com
NYS Mental Health Hotline: 1-844-863-9314
Offering free support, consultation and referrals to those dealing with coronavirus-related stress or anxiety.
Here is a great article with tips to provide peace of mind in these overwhelming times:
Brighton High School Counseling Department
Email: courtney_stern@bcsd.org
Website: https://www.bcsd.org/Page/2063
Location: 1150 South Winton Road, Rochester, NY, USA
Phone: (585) 242-5000