RVH School Counseling
October 2019
About Our Department:
The Riverside School Counseling department is a team of 16 dedicated individuals working collaboratively to meet the needs of 1,920 students, including teachers and parents. We have an open-door policy, but at times we are needed at meetings or have scheduled appointments with other students and parents. To serve you more efficiently, we ask that you please call or email us to schedule an appointment.
We support Riverside High School by:
working with staff to address obstacles that interfere with students’ learning and success.
focusing on skill development through a variety of ways, such as small group or individual counseling sessions, classroom guidance, and consultation and coordination with parents, administrators, and teachers.
helping when students experience challenges. We focus on conflict resolution, transitions, study skills, test-taking skills, crisis intervention, bullying prevention, suicide prevention, and special needs of students.
preparing students with post-grad planning. College visits, career days, internships, scholarships, and job matching are just a few resources available to help our students succeed in life after high school.
RVHS School Counseling Office Hours
Hours: 8:00 am to 4:15 pm
Website: http://www.loudoun.k12.va.us/domain/17735
Follow us on twitter @RVHCounseling
Luke Mason, Director of School Counseling
Susan Westgate, Registrar
Marsha Gobrecht, School Counseling Assistant
Donna Smith, School Counseling Assistant
Robin Robinson, Career Center Assistant
Evan Rodgers, School Counselor (A-Burc)
Kevin Burke, School Counselor (Burd - E)
Cassandra Asekhauno, School Counselor (F-Jer)
Kimberley Harris, School Counselor (Jes-Marn)
Susan Pangman, School Counselor (Maro-Pf)
Anna Rizzo, School Counselor (Pg-Sm)
Tracy Wood, School Counselor (Sn-Z)
Noelia Garcia-Gettmann, School Psychologist
Mrs. Frances Jester, Social Worker
Kim Hager, Student Assistance Specialist
Susan Sabloff, Parent Liaison
Congratulations to our National Merit Semi-Finalists & Commended Students!
This year Riverside High School is proud to announce that we have 2 students receiving National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalist designation and 16 students receiving letters of commendation. Our semi-finalist candidates will be applying to become National Merit Finalists over the next month. Good luck to them!
National Merit Scholarship Semi-Finalists 2019
Anaum Ahmad
Matthew Wilson
National Merit Scholarship Commended Students 2019
Hamza Ahmed, Wonkyung Bae, Jackson Boran, Bentley Chen, Colin Fox, Brian Kapusta, Ethan Kim, Allison Kopac, Katherine Lutz, Meena Niamati, Joseph O'Such, Sean Pettit, Ji Song, Benjamin Steinberg, Johnathan Tran and Hunter Vaught.
Senior Event on October 16th--The Reality Store
Volunteers are still needed to assist. You'll receive training and a light breakfast will be served. Please sign up via the signup genius. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/70a094daea62caa8-reality
Advanced Placement Exams 2019-2020
Dear AP Parents and Guardians:
We are pleased that your student has chosen to take an Advanced Placement (AP) class for the 2019-2020 school year. In the spring, students are encouraged to take the nationally standardized AP examinations issued by the College Board. AP classes are weighted by 1.0 in the grade point average calculation process. Colleges may award academic credit and/or special class placement if a student earns a qualifying score on the exam. Students are not required to take the exam to earn the 1.0 weighting, however, the student would not be eligible for college credit by not taking the exam.
Students, parents, or guardians are responsible for the costs of the AP exams. Each exam is $85.00, with the exception of AP Seminar and AP Research, which is $133.00. Exams must be paid for by November 1, 2019 to appropriately plan for test administration. Students who register for an AP exam after this deadline, will be charged a $40.00 late fee, per late test registration, in addition to the $85 or $133 exam fee. Refunds provided to students who cancel their AP exam between November 15-March 6 will exclude a $40 non-refundable fee. Exam adds or drops are not permitted after March 6, 2020. Requests for refunds should be directed to Mrs. Susan Westgate in the School Counseling.
If a family needs to arrange for a payment plan or anticipates difficulty in paying for the exam, the family should speak confidentially with the Director of School Counseling, Mr. Luke Mason - Luke.Mason@lcps.org. If your child receives free or reduced lunch, AP exam fees are covered by LCPS, but your student must still complete the online AP Registration Form in order to have a test ordered for them.
Students must complete ALL of the following steps in order to register for their AP exam(s):
· JOIN each AP Class in which you are enrolled by using the Join Codes given to you by your AP classroom teacher(s). See your AP teacher(s) with questions.
· Complete the linked AP Exam Registration Form.
· Submit payment.
An on-line payment portal is available for electronic payments on the Riverside Website and is available to accept payments from October 1-November 1. Changes have been made to the system so that there are no transaction fees and students no longer have to select the name of the AP test, just the number of tests. Checks or cash payments are also accepted by Mrs. Westgate in the Counseling Office and will also be accepted October 1-November 1. Checks should be made payable to ‘RVHS.’
The AP exam administration schedule is attached. Parents/guardians/students must provide their own transportation to the school on the day of testing. Please make every effort to schedule vacations, appointments, or other activities on dates that do not conflict with the testing dates. Make-up testing is permitted for verified emergencies only. Morning exams begin at 7:45 AM and afternoon exams begin at 12:15 PM, with exams lasting approximately 4 hours (testing time may be longer if student has approved CollegeBoard testing accommodations). Students may not be dismissed from an exam until the end of the test administration.
Advanced Placement Exam Schedule
CLASS OF 2020 Information
We hope all is well and welcome to the 12th grade! The RVHS School Counseling staff is eager to work with you during your senior year and prepare you for life after high school. We want to inform you about some dates, tasks, and resources that will help you get the ball rolling on your post high school planning process. To view the presentations from the September 26 Senior Parent Planning/Financial Aid Night click here.
Important Dates:
Senior 1 on 1s – throughout September, October, & November
- School Counselors will be meeting with all the seniors in their caseload individually to go over their own specific plans for life after high school (Please feel free to reach out to your counselor and let them know a good time to meet)
FAFSA Workshop – Saturday October 12th, Tuscarora HS
Gap Year Fair - February 6, 2020
LCPS Apprenticeship & Workforce Night - April 1, 2020 The Academies of Loudoun
Tasks to complete now:
Student & Parent Surveys:
- If you need a counselor recommendation for your college applications, please reach out to your counselor for information on how to access and complete. Once you have completed, please return to your counselor 2 to 3 weeks prior to your first application deadline date.
College Visits to RVH
Upcoming College Visits
LCPS Job for a Day
Students make connections in the community that could possibly lead to internships or jobs in the future. On October 10th during lunches, a representative from the program will visit our Career Center to meet with potential participants. Students will need to speak to their teachers about this year's schedule (November 13 and 18 (for Inova Hospital Placements only)) and discuss class schedule/work to be completed. Students will be able to preview jobs on the 11th at 5pm and then actual registration will begin online on October 14th at 8am. These jobs go quickly so students are advised to research and preview available jobs in advance and be ready to register as soon as the portal becomes available. Please contact Mrs. Robinson in the career center if you have any questions or to receive the student/parent agreement form.
FAFSA Completion Workshop
October 12th between 10 am and 12 noon at Tuscarora HS. Professionals will be on hand to answer your questions and provide assistance. These are the items you will need to complete the FAFSA:
- Your Social Security number. It is important that you enter your Social Security Number correctly!
- Your driver's license (if any)
- Your 2017 W-2 forms and other records of money earned
- Your (and if married, your spouse's) 2018 Federal Income Tax Return.
- IRS 1040, 1040A, 1040 EZ
- Foreign Tax Return, or
- Tax Return for Puerto Rico, Guam, American Samoa, the U.S. Virgin Islands, the Marshall Islands, the Federal States of Micronesia, or Palau
- Your Parents' 2017 Federal Income Tax Return and W-2s (if you are a dependent student)
- Your 2017 untaxed income records (child support received, interest income, veterans benefits, etc)
- Your current bank statements (savings, checking, CDs, etc)
- Your current business and investment mortgage information, business and farm records, stock, bond and other investment records
- Your alien registration or permanent resident card (if you are not a U.S. citizen)
- Date parents were married, widowed, divorced or separated
- Parents date of birth, including day, month and year
Keep these records! You will need them again. Do not mail these records to Federal Student Aid.
2020 Application Planning for Governor's School
Are you currently a high school sophomore or junior? If so, you should consider applying to the 2020 Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools.
The Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s Schools are approximately four weeks long and are held each summer on various college and university campuses throughout Virginia. The Governor’s Schools offer students a unique opportunity to work and study not only with other students with similar talents and interests but also with mentors, professors, scientists, and other professionals in their field of interest.
The following Summer Residential Governor’s Schools will be offered in 2020:
· Agriculture (held at Virginia Tech)
· Humanities (held at Radford University)
· Math, Science, and Technology (held at Lynchburg College)
· Visual and Performing Arts (held at Radford University)
And Mentorships in:
· Marine Science (held at Christopher Newport University)
· Medicine and Health Sciences (held at VCU)
· Engineering (held at Christopher Newport University)
LCPS students must apply through their home high schools. Students may apply to only one Governor’s School. School divisions select the students they nominate for the state level application process.
In addition, LCPS students applying for the Visual and Performing Arts Governor’s School must attend a local preliminary audition for selection to attend the state level audition. The preliminary audition is Monday, November 4, 2019, at Stone Bridge High School, 43100 Hay Road, Ashburn, VA 20147. Auditions are by appointment.
If you wish to apply, application instructions will be posted soon.
The Virginia Summer Residential Governor’s School website should update on or before October 4, 2019. Please do not begin the application process until the 2020 applications appear on the website. Click here to visit the website (not updated for 2020 yet).
Visual and Performing Arts Applicants:
· The deadline to register for the Preliminary Audition is October 18, 2019. Please click here to complete the Registration Form.
TESTING INFORMATION
Testing Dates 2019-2020
Enrichment Opportunities
NASA Educational Programs 2019-2020
Virginia Space Grant Consortium (VSGC) provides the following FREE STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math) opportunities for Virginia high school students in grades 10 through 12.
10TH GRADE
Virginia Space Coast Scholars (VSCS) – Online course for 10th grade students focusing on missions flown or managed by NASA Wallops Flight Facility on Virginia’s Eastern Shore, with a week-long summer academy program at NASA Wallops Flight Facility. http://vsgc.odu.edu/spacecoast/
11TH AND 12TH GRADE
Virginia Aerospace Science and Technology Scholars (VASTS) – Online course for 11th and 12th grade students focusing on NASA’s human spaceflight missions and the Journey to the Moon and on to Mars with a week-long summer academy at NASA Langley Research Center. Students can earn up to four free dual enrollment college credits. http://vsgc.odu.edu/VASTS/
11TH AND 12TH GRADE
Virginia Earth System Science Scholars (VESSS) – This interactive online earth system science course for 11th and 12th grade students features NASA scientific research and data. Students can earn up to five dual enrollment college credits and can also be selected to attend a summer academy program at NASA Langley Research Center. http://vsgc.odu.edu/VESSS
Our online course applications are OPEN UNTIL NOVEMBER 10th for 10th – 12th grade students to apply. Each program also hires a cohort of Master Teachers to grade student work. Please refer to each program’s website for details on becoming a paid Master Teacher!
Job Opportunities
Scholarship Information
Jack Kent Cooke Foundation Scholarships
The Jack Kent Cooke Scholarships – Up to $40,000 per year for four-years - recently opened to accept applications. This renewable scholarship is offered to high-achieving graduating high school seniors with financial need who seek to attend and graduate from the nation’s best accredited four-year colleges and universities. Applicants must earn a cumulative unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above and receive standardized test scores of either an SAT total score of 1200 or above OR an ACT Composite Score of 26 or above. Applicants must demonstrate unmet financial need by providing information on the family’s Adjusted Gross Income (AGI) as reported on federal tax returns from the past three years of up to $95,000. (Last year’s cohort of new college scholarship recipients had a median family income of approximately $26,000.) Applicants will complete the Common Application and add the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation as one of their “schools” to access the requirements that are specific to the college scholarship which includes eligibility questions, several short essays, college plans and intended major and financial information for the last three years. Two recommendations are required, one from an 11th grade teacher in a core academic subject, and, one from another teacher who is acquainted with your performance and character, and should be able to discuss your academic progress through the class curriculum, challenges you faced, how you overcame them, and your overall academic engagement. Deadline for the completed application is November 13, 2019.
The notification of award amounts will usually be received to the winners by an award letter within four weeks of the Jack Kent Cooke Foundation receiving your Cost of Attendance from your four-year institution.
This scholarship has a lot of information with it and it is strongly suggested that students and their family review the information on the website at: https://www.jkcf.org/our-scholarships/college-scholarship-program/
Horatio Alger State Scholarships ($10,000)
- Be enrolled full time as a high school senior in the United States; be progressing normally toward graduation in spring/summer of 2020 with plans to enter a college in the United States no later than the fall following graduation
- Exhibit a strong commitment to pursue and complete a bachelors degree at an accredited non-profit public or private institution in the United States (students may start their studies at a two-year institution and then transfer to a four-year institution)
- Demonstrate critical financial need ($55,000 or lower adjusted gross family income is required)
- Be involved in co-curricular and community service activities
- Display integrity and perseverance in overcoming adversity
- Maintain a minimum grade point average (GPA) of 2.0; and
- Be a United States citizen
***If you qualify for one Horatio Alger Scholarship you automatically qualify for other scholarships they offer.
College Board Opportunity Scholarships. Offered by College Board, applying to college is a complicated process, so we’ve created a program that guides you through it. It doesn’t require an essay, application, or minimum GPA. Instead, it rewards your effort and initiative. Complete key steps along your path to college for a chance to earn scholarships. The more effort you put in, the more opportunities you have to earn a scholarship. Complete all six, and you’re eligible to earn $40,000. Scholarships will be awarded through monthly drawings to students who complete each action.
Education and Training Voucher Program. Applicants between 14-25 years of age that are currently in foster care of Fostering Futures; left foster care after turning 18, or left foster care through adoption or the Kinship Guardianship Program after turning 16. Applicants hold a high school diploma are GED Certificate. Applicant must be enrolled or planning to enroll in a post-secondary education or vocational training program. This program provides up to $5,000 per year in grant funds to assist with education and training expenses. Information on this program is obtained from the local Social Services Department of by calling: 804/726-7905.
Freedom Alliance Scholarship Fund. The Scholarship fund honors Americans in our Armed Forces who have been killed or permanently disabled in an operational mission or training accident by offering scholarships for their children. Although earlier the deadline stated July 31 for the 2019-2020 school year, the information remains open on their website for both new and current recipients. Information can be found at their website: https://www.fascholarship.com/apply/
Schoolhouse Connection’s Scholarships. (Applicants have experienced homelessness). Scholarships for students who are entering college for the first time during the 2020-2021 school year and have experienced homelessness within the last six years. Applicant must have been born on or after November 10, 1999. Scholarships are open to those who are high school seniors, or in a GED program; or who have taken a gap year but still meet the other criteria. Undocumented students who meet these criteria are also eligible.
For additional information about anything listed in our newsletter, please visit our website or contact our office at (703) 554 -8907.
Thank you,
RVH Counseling