Bulldog Counseling News
February 2021
Welcome! We're glad you're here.
This newsletter's purpose is to share events and information from the Counseling Department. Please contact your counselor should you need further or specific information.
Here is a link to our Bowie Counselors.
End of 4th Six Weeks
Class of 2022 Blend Page
Class of 2021: Cap and Gown Info
Starting the Conversation: Course Advising Presentations
Attached here is a copy of the working calendar.
Student & Parent Advising Day - February 15th
Junior SAT Testing Day - March 3, 2021
ATTENTION! Juniors must sign up to take the SAT at Bowie on March 3rd. This is an official SAT administration, and it is an opportunity for juniors to take the SAT for free at school. Students will not automatically be signed up for this SAT. Information about sign ups was sent out on February 1st. The deadline to sign up for the school day SAT is Friday, February 12th. Because we must order a test for each student, students who do not fill out the form will not be able to test. To prepare for the SAT, please use Khan Academy. Khan Academy provides personalized test prep based on the student’s PSAT results. To access it, visit the College Board website.
Please note the SAT School Day on March 3rd is different from the College Board national administration on March 13th. Students have to sign up through the College Board website if they wish to take the March 13th exam.
As a reminder, students can take the SAT or ACT more than once. They will sign up at collegeboard.org and act.org. If you have questions about the differences between the exams, talk with our college and career advisor, Ms. Valverde: carli.valverde@austinisd.org or check out this article from the Princeton Review.
ACC Dual Credit Enrollment Process
Students are eligible to take ACC courses for dual credit. Course options are outlined below.
Juniors
- U.S History 1301 & 1302: Some students take this the summer before junior year.
- English 1301 & 1302: Students who took UT OnRamps English 3 are not eligible for this course. This course cannot be taken during the summer.
- Government 2305: This course can be taken over the summer before their senior year.
- Economics 2301: This can only be taken over the summer, it is not offered at Bowie during the school year.
Enrolling in an ACC course is a multi-step process and can be a little confusing, so we have created this checklist to walk you through each step of the enrollment process.
Important ACC Enrollment Dates:
Feb. 22-26th: Mandatory FIT Sessions. Students are only required to attend 1. Sign up here. Students must be signed into their AISD account to access the sign up sheet.
March 31: Steps 1-5 of the checklist must be completed for students enrolling in a SUMMER course.
April 5: Registration for SUMMER RETURNING students opens.
April 14th: Steps 1-5 must be completed by this date for students enrolling in a FALL course.
April 19th: Registration for SUMMER NEW students opens.
May 31st: All SUMMER and FALL students must be registered for their course by this date.
TSI Testing for ACC Courses - 9th -11th grade
PSAT or TSI scores are used to determine a student's readiness to take an ACC Dual Credit Course. Scores for the 9th and 11th grade PSAT will not be available until mid-late March, which may be too late in order to meet the required deadline for all materials to be submitted to ACC. If you want to enroll in an ACC course and don't have other PSAT scores, we encourage you to sign up to take the TSI.
Senior Shout Outs:
TSI - Information about TSI for seniors was sent out via Naviance on January 12th and 22nd in the College and Career Updates. Please click here the information regarding TSI testing for seniors, including requirements and a link to sign up.
Teens and Valentines Day
Parents can still have a major effect on their child’s self worth in their teen years and bolster their sense of self. Valentine’s Day just may be that perfect time! Here are some ideas for relationship building and memory making for you and your teen:
Write a loving note on a card. Go beyond the normal card that has all the words you want to say. Make sure you add an uplifting message on how much you care about them and how much you believe in the person they are becoming. Feeling disconnected from your teen and don’t know how to be positive? Be honest that you and your teen have been in a slump, but that you know you two will work through it and that you aren’t going to give up on them. Share happy memories in the card and how you know you guys will get back to those type of moments.
- Get them a small but thoughtful gift. A book, a favorite snack, flowers or a plant are good ways to show love on Valentine’s Day!! Choosing something they love will send the message that you took time for them and that you care. Why not be the person to show them what they deserve now and in the future?
- Spend time with them individually after school. Sometimes the best gift we can provide is our time. This sends a message to them that they are important and valued. It doesn’t have to be tons of time or something that leads you to spend a lot of money. You can do something simple. Bake together, go on a hike, watch a movie, play board games, or simply tell them some of your favorite memories.
- Shower them with positivity. Love is a beautiful thing, but teens often are looking for love from anyone who will show them attention. Help them to know what they deserve when it comes to love and how to show it appropriately. Be kind in words to your teen, shower them with positivity, spend quality time with them, and you will see a difference in your teenager.