Counseling Office Weekly Update
April 27th-May 1st
Parkway North Counseling Office
Email: mzitza@parkwayschools.net
Website: https://www.parkwayschools.net/domain/926
Location: 12860 Fee Fee Road, St. Louis, MO, USA
Paul Arthur
Jamesell Kee
Chandra Brown
Lindsay Kerlin
Stephanie Bluestein
Caitlin Tritch
All school counselors, the social worker, and the care coordinator will be checking their emails throughout the day and will be available for virtual or phone counseling appointments between 9:00-10:00 am and 1:00-2:00 pm. Students who would like to make an appointment can do so by sending an email to their counselor.
Update from Dr. Cain
I hope this message finds you and your family healthy and safe. Normally, this time of year is full of memorable events in celebration of our seniors. North High is missing you and looking forward to the time when we can celebrate together.
As you can imagine, it has been challenging to plan ahead as we look at events and activities. We will continue to use the guidance and orders of our local health officials to make decisions in the best interest of our community. As we look ahead, the district has canceled all events and activities through June 30. If we are able to open sooner and resume activities, we will certainly let you know.
Below are several important updates regarding the end of the school year and celebrating our seniors, including graduation...
Graduation
North High’s graduation ceremony for the Class of 2020 is rescheduled for Monday, July 27, 2020 at 4pm at The Family Arena in St. Charles, MO.
While this change is not ideal, our hope is that a late July date gives us the best opportunity to celebrate and honor our seniors with a traditional, in person graduation ceremony.
Contingency plans for an alternative ceremony, possibly online, are also being developed in the event that circumstances in late July warrant such a change.
Personalized Senior Celebration
North High is partnering with Fogarty Services to provide each member of the senior class the opportunity to share and celebrate this special milestone with family and friends through a personalized Senior Celebration.
In the coming days, the parents of each senior will receive an email with a sharable link specific to their senior.
Parents can then share the link with family and friends who will be able to submit videos and photos to congratulate and celebrate their senior.
In addition, each student’s senior celebration will include video messages to the Class of 2020 from the district and the school.
On May 13, 2020, the day of our originally scheduled graduation, each senior will receive via the student’s Parkway email a custom QR code to view their personalized Senior Celebration. This can be downloaded for personal use and shared on social media.
While not a replacement for in person celebrations, our hope is that these personalized messages help each family celebrate their senior!
After Graduation Lock-In
Alternative plans are still being discussed with the parent planning committee regarding the after graduation lock-in. More information to follow.
Caps & Gowns / Graduation Fees
We are still in the process of developing plans to collect graduation fees and distribute graduation caps and gowns. More information to come.
Honors Evening
Honors evening was originally scheduled for April 30, 2020. Since we are unable to come together to celebrate and honor our students, North High is currently working on a virtual Honors program. More information to come soon as to when the program will be available online.
Prom/Senior Walk/Senior Farewell
Unfortunately, due to COVID-19, social distancing, and stay at home orders, prom is cancelled. With that said, we will continue to monitor developments moving forward, and, if feasible, schedule a senior gathering.
We realize the information shared is not ideal but please know that we are doing everything within the parameters provided to celebrate and honor our seniors. We appreciate your ongoing patience and understanding as we continue to make decisions. Most importantly, we share your hope and desire to be back together soon.
12th Grade Updates
CONGRATULATIONS TO THE CLASS OF 2020! We salute your hard work, persistence and adaptability! Administration is looking into ways to celebrate your class. Watch for updates and communication from the district.
11th Grade Updates
Make sure to check out Dr. Rizzo vs Mr. Prosser in a battle of Dad jokes!
Also, make an effort to stay connected in some way. It's important that we are still socializing in the virtual space even if we can't in the physical space.
Dr. Rizzo, Ms. Dixon and I continue to have our weekly Google Meet sessions. We would love to see you all there, even if you are just stopping by to say hello.
Tuesdays: 2pm - 2:30pm
Thursdays: 10 am - 10:30 am
10th Grade Update
Week 6 of E-learning Sophomores:
4/27/2020
It is the 6th week of E-Learning Sophomores!!!
In this 6th week of E-Learning, with routines created, if you notice that a teacher is not responding as quickly or you are overwhelmed please do not hesitate to reach out to me. My office hours are Monday-Friday: 10:30-12:30pm and 1:30-3pm.
Summer school will now be offered Virtually and registrations have reopened. You can use the link listed earlier in this Newsletter. If you have questions, or need support with completing the Google Document, please reach out to me.
Remember, this is a process, you should be doing no more than 3 to 3.5 hours of E-Learning a day! Get outside and get some Social Distancing Vitamin D (it helps build your immunity)!
Continue to be Great,
Ms. Brown
I miss seeing you all daily!!!
Resource Reminders:
Please see another example of an organizer to help with your time management and task completion created by Dr. Page.
Google Spreadsheet - Digital Planner
Parkway Website: https://www.parkwayschools.net/Page/10020
Meal Request: https://www.parkwayschools.net/domain/2421
Technology request or assistance: https://www.parkwayschools.net/domain/2420
9th Grade Updates
Week 6 of E-Learning
Happy Tuesday! I miss you all! I hope everyone is getting into the swing of things with your e-learning routines. We have about 3 weeks left of E-learning, so make sure you are finishing out strong! If you are concerned about your grades or need help organizing your remaining assignments for your classes, be sure to communicate with me or your teachers and we will help you to develop a plan to meet your E-learning goals.
Summer School will be offered virtually this summer. You can register using the link that is listed earlier in the newsletter. Let me know if you have any questions or concerns regarding summer school registration.
Please remember that you should not be spending more than 3-4 hours on virtual learning each day. Make sure you are making time to get outside, exercise, spend time with loved ones, and explore your other interests! If you are feeling overwhelmed by the E-learning process, please reach out to me so that I can support you during this time.
I know that these circumstances are unusual and unpredictable. Please remember that all of us here at North High are here for you and we will figure out how to navigate these uncertain times together. Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. Keep up the good work and have a great week! :)
Student Check-In Form:
Parent Check-In Form:
College Counseling Updates
District Senior Survey
THIS IS A REQUIREMENT FOR GRADUATION
Seniors- How to request a final transcript & other final steps
How to request a final transcript:
Step 1: Complete this brief form
Step 2: Log into your Naviance account (if you are having difficulties please email me, I will help you!).
Step 3: Click Colleges I am applying to (on the right side of the home page)
Step 4: Find the college on your list that you are planning on attending, click on the box to the left of the college, then find “request transcript” near the top of the page, follow the prompts, and request a “final” transcript.
Step 5: Return to the Colleges I am applying to page: at the bottom of the page update the section that says “College that I’m attending”.
Here are some other items that may need to be addressed:
STUDENT LOANS
If you are taking out loans you must complete your master promissory note (MPN) and loan entrance counseling. If you do not complete these two steps, the college will not disperse your loans to pay your bill in the fall! This is a necessary step prior to enrolling in classes.
You can complete both under the Complete & Process tab at: https://studentloans.gov/myDirectLoan/index.action
DUAL CREDIT COURSES
If you are currently taking or have taken any dual credit course(s) and would like to request college credit at the college you plan to attend, you need to request a transcript from the college you took the dual credit course through.. **Your high school transcript does not award dual credit at the colleges you are attending. I am unable to send your dual credit transcript to your college as I do not have access to this. You need to get this from the college you received the dual credit from** This step will allow the dual credit college to send your transcript to the college you plan to attend so you can receive college credit for that course.
Missouri State University Transcript Request
*The transcript requests can be completed now, but if you are currently taking a dual credit course, mark on the form that you want your transcript sent after Spring grades are submitted. Your college will want an official transcript and it should be mailed to the records office of the college that you will be attending.
FINALLY!
Make sure that you have contacted the college that you are attending and that you aren't missing any important steps (financial aid, pay a deposit, register for orientation, MPN, Entrance Counseling, etc.). It is a courtesy to contact the colleges that you were accepted to that you will not be attending to let them know. This can be as easy as an email to the admissions office or even a phone call. This way they will not continue to contact you to inquire about your decision.
As always, I am here to help! Please reach out to me via email or request a google meet with any questions or concerns.
Senior A+ Deadline
All A+ forms are due by May 1st, no exceptions (May 1st is Friday)! As a reminder, here are the changes for A+ Eligibility from the state. Please check IC to make sure that you have met all of the requirements. If you have any questions please contact me ASAP.
If you have log forms at home- you can take a picture of them and email it to me. Please make sure I can read the document in the photo.
SFNDA Jill Bernie Scholarship
This scholarship is for any senior high student who will undertake undergraduate study at a vocational/technical institution, community college, college or university. The student must pursue an education in culinary arts, dietetics, food service management or hospitality.
Click here for the application.
This scholarship must be postmarked by Friday, May 1st.
Care Coordinator Updates
Setting Boundaries with COVID-19
Hey friends! Last week I posted about using social media accounts as a source of inspiration in this incredibly tough time. This week I want to talk about setting boundaries with how much information we take in everyday that is related to the coronavirus. I encourage all people to be informed about the precautions necessary to keep themselves safe, however it is also very easy to let ourselves overload on information given that news sources are running almost 24 hour coverage of COVID-19 related stories. I encourage you to also set limits with the amount of time you spend on your phones, the internet, or watching news on the television. In addition, sometimes the people around us, who are well meaning, want to share a lot of information about the virus as well. Here are some easy ways to let others know that you need some space from hearing about the virus. Many of these will be helpful as more businesses begin to open back up and we slowly transition.
- "I don't want to talk about coronavirus right now."
- "I understand you are trying to be helpful, but I just need space to process."
- "If you are not feeling well, please do not come over.
- "I appreciate how informed you are, but I don't want to receive links to articles and media coverage."
- "I'm not currently shaking hands, but we can air five!"
- "I'm choosing to stay home and limit my contact with people."
- "I respect your opinion on this situation, but I am allowing myself to come to my own conclusion."
Sara Kubric, CCC, @millenial.therapist
Mental Health Tips
Students- Need help communicating with teachers? Here are 6 tips for sending emails
Stress relief Tips
Spend time outside and take in the fresh air
Take deep breaths - try one minute a day to start, work your way up to 5 minutes!
Get adequate sleep - Aim for at least 8 hours per night.
Exercise - Aim for at least 20 minutes per day of walking, running, biking, yoga, virtual workout classes, etc. There are a lot of great free virtual classes online right now!
Listen to music - Listen to songs that you find calming when you need to quiet your mind, listen to songs that give you energy when you need to wake up!
Eat healthy - Whole foods like fruits and veggies can give you more mental and physical energy
Notice how you talk to yourself - are you saying negative things to yourself? Make an effort to extend kindness to yourself.
Take a break
Resources that are available to you via the Parkway School District or outside agencies.
If you have an emergency (including a mental health emergency) outside of those hours please call one of the following resources for help:
National Suicide Prevention Hotline: 1-800-273-8255
Behavioral Health Response Crisis Line: 1-800-811-4760
Behavioral Health Response Crisis Line: 1-800-811-4760
Youth Connection Helpline: (314) 819-8802
Saint Louis Crisis Nursery: 314-768-3201
Salvation Army: 211 (mortgage, utility bills, clothing, medication bills, etc.)
Parkway Website: https://www.parkwayschools.net/Page/10020
Food information
Food information for Parkway Families: https://www.parkwayschools.net/domain/2421
If you are in need of food, there are options and forms on our parkway website, accessible by the link above.
Technology Information: https://www.parkwayschools.net/domain/2420
Grief Resources: