Counseling Connection
December Edition
Waiver & attendance recovery process
Waiver Process: For students who have 8 or more absences (excused and unexcused) in any or all classes during the semester
- The Waiver Process will begin on Monday, Dec. 5 and will be completed by Monday, Dec. 19. Late waiver forms will not be accepted after Monday, Dec. 12.
- An exception will be made only if the student’s eighth absence occurs on or after this date or if additional absences occur after the original waiver is submitted.
Process to get Absences Waived:
- Have each teacher fill out the Request for Waiver of Absences form to get the total number of days that he/she has you listed as absent from his/her class. Parent and student must sign waiver form.
- Student will then be responsible for taking these completed forms to Mrs. Broome by the Dec 12 deadline in order for her to match dates with submitted notes.
Attendance Recovery Process: For students whose absences have not been brought into compliance after the waiver process has been completed (up to 8 total class periods)
**Note: Students must have the mathematical possibility to pass the class or classes academically in order to qualify for Recovery.
- Follow the Waiver Process listed above.
- If dates approved to waive do not bring attendance into compliance, then Mrs. Broome will determine how many hours are necessary for each student to recover (8 recovery days equals 12 hours)
- If student does not meet the criteria for recovery eligibility, Mrs. Broome will give waiver to Mrs. Alley for administrative review/denial.
- Mrs. Broome will notify attendance recovery candidates of their hours owed and the dates and times of the recovery sessions. Students will be given a copy of their Recovery Hour sheet and sign and date a second copy for Mrs. Broome’s records.
- Students will be responsible for attending the correct number of recovery sessions.
- Students must bring sufficient academic work assignments and stay for the complete time to receive recovery time credit.
The Attendance Recovery Period will take place from Tuesday, Jan. 3 through Tuesday, Jan. 17. Recovery is after school from 3:30-5:00 on Jan. 3-6, 9-13 and 17. We will also have a six-hour recovery session on Saturday, Jan. 7 from 8:00-2:00. Students may bring a bag lunch on Saturday.
**Note: If a student is absent from a class once that student has completed the waiver process, the student must complete a new waiver. The possibility does exist that a student may have been brought into compliance through the waiver, but placed in jeopardy of losing that credit if he/she misses additional school days. Once the attendance recovery sessions end, a student will not have the opportunity to do the waiver and attendance recovery process again.
Sophomores & juniors: Sign up for the ASVAB!
Junior jot
Seven Parenting Tips to Empower Your High School Junior
In mid-December, high school juniors will receive their PSAT results from their counselors. For many, these scores officially kick off the college search process. Given that junior year is an academically challenging year, this added intensity increases the stress and anxiety of students and their parents. Hopefully, this advice about how to parent a high school junior will help maintain sanity in your house.
- In general, it’s best to let your student drive the discussion about his or her stress, grades, scores, and colleges. If parents harp on these things, they will only increase the student’s pressure.
- Support your child on a macro scale. Rather than asking your student if he or she has studied for the SAT/ACT, written the paper due in two days, or started studying for a Spanish exam, address the bigger picture. Does the student create a study strategy of when to study for what? Does the student study more effectively out of the house – at a library or even a local Starbucks? Help them to organize themselves but do not get involved in the actual tasks. Staying with the big picture will foster independence, while focusing on the details will produce more anxiety for you as a parent and for your child as well.
- Take an SAT or an ACT yourself so that you understand how difficult they are, and so you can empathize with your child. Students are terribly afraid to let their parents down. Taking a test allows you to see the world from the same position as your child and sets you up as allies. If this request makes you anxious, think about how your child feels.
- Let your student know that it’s ok to trip up on an exam or an assignment – even junior year. Students are not robots! They are human. The key is to learn from the experience and to develop resiliency.
- Throw away passwords! Do not spend too much time on PowerSchool or other online grading assessments. Rather, encourage your student to be aware of his or her own grades. Similarly, Naviance can be a great tool, but spending too much time analyzing the statistics will increase anxiety!
- Encourage students to enjoy the process of learning! They are learning some very exciting things in high school. Reading inspiring novels for class, learning about the Great Depression in history, acquiring a foreign language, and fostering analytical skills in science and math will all serve students well in their lives. Intellectual curiosity is what colleges are genuinely seeking, so encourage learning over grades!
- Visit colleges so that students will see how their hard work will lead to an exciting future! At the same time, it’s important to focus on the value of your student’s entire college list, not just the most selective colleges. If your student is in a position to apply to more selective schools that is fine, but the goal is to feel good about all choices. Sometimes a student will thrive as a bigger fish in a smaller pond or at the top of a class in a college that is not quite as selective…students have to find their comfort zone.
Important dates & announcements
Important Dates:
- Wednesday, December 7th is an Early Release Day
- Report Cards will be sent out on Thursday, December 8th
- The ASVAB will be given to all 10th - 12th grade students on Thursday, December 8
- The registration deadline for the January 21st SAT is December 21st. The late registration deadline is January 10th.
- Holiday Break is Wednesday, December 21 - Monday, January 2
- Attendance Recovery will be the weeks of January 3 - 6, 9-13, and 17 from 3:30 to 5 pm and January 7 from 8 - 2.
- Monday, January 16th is MLK Day, no school
- The registration deadline for the February 11th ACT is January 13th. The late registration deadline is January 14th - 20th.
- EOC & NCFE testing will be January 18-20th and 23rd, make-up day is January 24th
- Wednesday, January 25th is a Teacher Workday
- The first day of the spring semester is Thursday, January 26th
- The ACT will be given to all Juniors on Tuesday, February 28. This is the only time Juniors will take the ACT for free. Students may register for other test dates and pay for the ACT HERE.
Announcements:
- The SAT is not given at the school level. Students may register for the SAT for their desired test date and test location HERE.
- Fee waivers for the SAT and ACT are granted to students who meet eligibility such as: enrolled in the free and reduced lunch program. Waivers are available in the Counseling Office.
- Students interested in academy courses around the county or at Parkwood should come see Ms. Bartell in the Counseling Office. Also see Ms. Bartell if you have questions about interviewing, jobs, planning for a career, resume’ writing etc.
About us
Counseling Staff:
Anne Sutton- 9th Grade Counselor, Drop Out Prevention Coordinator
Jim Williams - 10th Grade Counselor, 504 Plan Coordinator
Breanne Villas- 11th Grade Counselor, Middle School Transition Coordinator
Chrissy Rape- 12th Grade Counselor, Department Chair, Testing Coordinator
Elizabeth Bartell- Career Development Coordinator
Brenda Bigham- Counseling Center Administrative Assistant
Website: http://unioncounty.schoolwires.net/Page/3851
Phone: (704) 764-2900
Twitter: @PWHScounselors