Dear Common Ground students & families, 

We’re headed into an important & busy week ahead, Common Ground – here’s what to expect:

• There’s no school this Mon, in celebration of Three Kings Day. Then, we are back for the final 12 days of the first semester. Let’s finish strong, CG students – make every class & every assignment count!
• After-school Academic Supports and Saturday Academy are available to all students who are looking to improve their grades and complete important assignments.
• On Tue & Wed, the two finalists for the position of Common Ground’s Executive Director will be on campus. Students & families, you can meet these candidates at a community meet and greet on the second floor of Springside from 2:15-3:30. Join us if you can - more details below! 
• On Thu, Outdoor Leadership students will walk to the West Rock Nature Center for a day-long first aid/CPR course.
• This Sat 10-12, CG will host an open house for future students & families. Please help us spread the word!
• Also this Sat 9:45-2, GJC members and all student leaders are encouraged to attend the first annual Green Jobs Corps Youth Leadership Summit. Join us for workshops, presentations by youth leaders, remarks from Mayor Justin Elicker and EPA Environmental Justice Specialist Keyana White. Details & RSVP link below!
• There’s still time to sign up to lead a session at Presentations of Learning and Leadership on Wed, Jan 22nd. You can earn community service hours or extra credit in classes for presenting -- sign up to share your talents and leadership!

There are lots more important updates and opportunities shared below – including a great health careers program with a deadline TOMORROW, a resume writing workshop on Tuesday, and a family FAFSA & Financial Aid workshop on Jan 14th. Keep reading to make sure you don’t miss out!

Sincerely, 

Monique Frasier

School Director

What's In This Newsletter

1. Applications Due Mon @ 9am: Yale Medical Specialty Exposure Pipeline (MSEP)
2. Executive Director Finalist Interviews THIS TUES & WED, Jan 7&8: Meet The Candidates!
3. The CGHS Lottery is Open. Next Open House is This Sat, Jan 11. Spread the Word!
4. THIS SATURDAY, Jan 11: Green Jobs Corps Youth Leadership Summit!
5. January GJC Pathfinder Workshops. This Tues: Resume Workshop!
6. Seniors & Families: Financial Aid & FAFSA Night, Jan 14, 5-6:30!
7. SENIORS & FAMILIES: Upcoming Scholarship Opportunities & Deadlines!
8. ASP Updates: Complete End of Program Survey, Academic Labs & Saturday Academy Continue Through The End of the Semester
9. FAMILIES: Seeking Self-Nominations for our Parent Board Representative
10. Important Early College Updates
11. Community Service Reminders

1. Applications Due Mon @ 9am: Yale Medical Specialty Exposure Pipeline (MSEP)

Open to all local students in grades 9-12. Saturdays, 10 AM - 12 PM, 1/25, 2/22, 3/29, 4/26, and 5/10 at Jane Ellen Hope Memorial Building (315 Cedar St) 

Join Yale physicians of various specialties– pediatrics, obstetrics/gynecology, internal medicine, psychiatry, emergency medicine, surgery, and more–for fun, interactive case seminars! Each seminar will begin with symptoms of a real medical case that we will work together to diagnose, and you will have the opportunity to participate in a hands-on activity that highlights that particular field! Additionally, you will learn directly from Yale physicians as they describe their unique journeys to medicine!

Although all are welcome, the MSEP Program aims to empower high school students from groups historically minoritized in STEM to pursue medical careers. Through career insight, networking opportunities, and clinical exposure, we hope to foster pathways toward our next generation of medical specialists!

Apply by Mon, Jan 6 @ 9am!

2. Executive Director Finalist Interviews THIS TUES & WED, Jan 7&8: Meet The Candidates!

Our search committee has chosen two finalists for the position of Common Ground's Executive Director, and they will be coming to campus very soon -- one on Tuesday, January 7th and the other on Wednesday, January 8th. 

Students & families, if you want to meet the candidates, please join a meet & greet on the second floor of Springside on Tuesdday & Wednesday, 2:15 to 3:30! Email jtolman@nhep.com to RSVP or ask questions, or just show up!

3. The CGHS Lottery is Open. Next Open House is This Sat, Jan 11. Spread the Word!

Do you know a young person who's blazing a path to college success and ready to help build a just and sustainable world? Common Ground's Lottery for 2025-26 is now open!

FAMILIES, please support Common Ground by inviting your networks to join us at our next Open House for Future Students & Families is THIS SATURDAY, January 11th from 10-12, and sharing this link on social media:

https://www.commongroundct.org/high-school/become-a-student/

4. THIS SATURDAY, Jan 11: Green Jobs Corps Youth Leadership Summit!

Green Jobs Corps Members & Student leaders, YOU ARE INVITED to our first annual GJC Youth Leadership Summit! See details below, and RSVP here. This is a paid opportunity for current GJC members, and is open to all interested students (and it will give you an advantage for future GJC applications!

5. January GJC Pathfinder Workshops. This Tues: Resume Workshop!

Every Tues in January, join the Green Jobs Corps Job Club workshops on how to get a job & manage your paycheck! Open to all students. Contact Crystal Fernandez, GJC Director, with questions!

This Tuesday: Crafting a Resume that gets Noticed! Don't miss it!

6. Seniors & Families: Financial Aid & FAFSA Night, Jan 14, 5-6:30!

Seniors and parents, please come join us to learn about College Funding! Financial Aid and the FAFSA will be discussed at this event.

Support will also be available if you need help filling out the FAFSA

Please come with your FSA ID already created before the event. It takes a few days to process. You can create you FSA ID athttps://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

Also come with your child’s Chromebook or laptop and W2 forms as well as social security numbers

The event will take place January 14th in Hilltop 103 from 5-6:30

Please Sign Up Here!

7. SENIORS & FAMILIES: Scholarship Deadlines Approaching!

Looking for scholarship opportunities to help put college within reach? Check out this great database of scholarships created by our partners at Higher Heights -- including many with deadlines in January!

8. ASP Updates: Take Our End of Program Survey & Show Up for Academic Support!

If you joined fall programs, we want your feedback!!! Please fill out this end of program survey for each program you attended. You can use your survey confirmation page to log 15 minutes of service fo each suvey completed!

After-School Academic Support & Saturday Academy will resume after winter vacation. If your midterm grades show that you need additional support, we strongly encourage you to take advantage of after-school academic labs (M/T/Th/Fr 3:15-4:15) and Saturday Academy (Sat 9-12). It is CRITICAL that students show up for these supports when assigned by a teacher. Drop-ins are also welcomed. Academic support run through the end of the semester in January.

9. Seeking Self-Nominations: Parent Rep for CG's Board!

We are seeking the parent of a current Common Ground student to join our Board of Directors! Board members are expected to attend monthly public board meetings, contribute to meetings of one of our standing committees (Audit, Development, Finance, Governance, School), and support fundraising efforts (including by contributing to the organization at a level that is personally significant). Board members find that they spend an average of 10 hours a month on board-related tasks and can attend most meetings virtually. If you’re motivated and excited to help Common Ground serve our community and contribute to a just and sustainable world, please email Board Chair Alexis.Smith@nhep.com with a resume or bio to express your interest.

10. Early College Updates

The window is closing soon for students who want to take Early College courses this Spring! Common Ground students who meet the eligibility requirements can choose to take college courses, free of charge, at local universities. Now is the time to consider whether you qualify and are interested! If you are, your next steps are to:

1. Complete this interest form
2. Review these Key Early College Resources.
3. Follow up with Mr. Tolman with questions -- in person, or at jtolman@commongroundct.org!

Here are the Latest Early College Updates:

1. The SCSU Spring early college application is open, and classes are filling up fast. ALL students who plan to take an SCSU course, whether they have taken courses in the past or not, MUST complete this application to register for classes and avoid receiving a bill. New Early College students will need to wait to receive their SCSU ID before they can register. 
2. SCSU has just tightened its early college eligibility criteria. Only juniors and seniors with a 3.0 GPA or higher will automatically be approved to take courses at SCSU. If a student is a 9th or 10th grader, or has a GPA below 3.0, we must now provide written justification as to why they should be allowed to participate in Early College. To provide this justification, we will need students who do not have a 3.0 to provide evidence (e.g., their current grades in schoology) that they are succeeding in their current Common Ground courses. Any 9th graders interested in participating in Early College must submit a teacher recommendation AND have college-ready scores on the PSAT or MAP; any 10th grader interested in taking Early College must have a teacher recommendation OR college-ready scores.
3. Gateway Early College applications closed January 2nd. Yale applications are now open for qualifying students (juniors and seniors only, 3.5 GPA for Yale). Students interested in Yale courses should talk with Mr. Tolman directly. Details here.

11. Community Service Reminders!

All Common Ground students are required to complete 15 hours of service each year in order to earn credit on their transcript in guidance.

Students must complete this online form every time they complete community service, and must attach proof of service signed by the supervisor of that service. Paper community service sign-off forms are available in the main office. Any student can check the service they've logged here at any time.

Have questions? Talk to your guidance teacher or Mr. Tolman for support!

Connect with us

Common Ground High School | (203) 389-4333 | https://commongroundct.org/