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February 2023 - Counselors' Corner
Welcome to semester two! In our house, a “halfway there” reference would immediately launch into some quality renditions of Jon Bon Jovi’s 1980s masterpiece. However, I am sure there must be a more refined allusion (or at least more modern) that your student can offer. It’s probably a TikTok. In any case, the new start means that we begin again with a fresh start in grades, attendance and classes. Hooray!
Freshman, Sophomore, Junior Parents:
Scheduling: This year, we again feature a paperless course selection process for 2023-24 with our Course Recommendation Day on February 1. Students should share their Course Selection sheet with their parents’ email. Please make sure your students know your email address. The course selections are due February 10 and can simply be submitted online in the student’s schoology class.
We want students to challenge themselves in their studies but not overextend their academic commitments such that their lives are out of balance resulting in added stress and anxiety. Families should dedicate some time together for thoughtful discussion about the commitment the student is making in selecting these courses within the context of their other commitments to family, friends, faith, sports, and activities. Our students are amazing and want to do EVERYTHING! Our role as parents and educators is to support them in building balance, making some hard choices about what is a wise selection and what is better to let pass. Families know their students best and need to play an active role.
On Course Recommendation Day, all teachers spent time in each class discussing their recommendations for future classes individually with students. In the case of electives, teachers will discuss other electives available to students. When we return from Mid-Winter Break, we will be meeting with students in their English classes to review course selections for next year, input them on the computer, and complete the annual Educational Development Plan (EDP) review. The Program of Studies is available on the school system website if you have any lingering questions or concerns about course content and requirements. We will be sending out a reminder towards the end of the school year of the classes that your student has selected. At this time, if there are any changes, you will be welcome to make modifications. Things to consider include the student's overall workload, post-high school plans, extracurricular demands, and possible summer school classes that may replace grades in previous courses. As always, it is all about balance.
We will also be completing the EDP at this time. The EDP uses the Naviance program to help students define their interests and match them to careers that best fit their skills and interests. It also takes the next steps to link students to college matches and even has a scholarship search engine. You can access this program from home by logging in directly from South’s homepage or https://student.naviance.com/gpshs You can use your Parent Portal Password to sign in the first time.
Senior Parents:
While most seniors have applied for college for next fall, some have waited for the first-semester senior year grades to be available before applying. Please encourage your senior to see their counselor immediately to discuss either their college application plans or employment, military service, travel, or technical school plans. In addition, any senior who wishes to have their first semester of senior year grades sent to a college can request midyear grades to send online.
If you haven’t already, now is the time to complete the FAFSA for next year’s college freshmen. Also, look to see if the prospective college or university requires the CSS/Financial Aid Profile
Junior Parents:
Counselors will visit juniors in Power of Lang classes once a month from February through May to discuss college/post-high school preparation information. February’s topic will be about how to search and compare options. Juniors in AP Lang will be busy preparing for the AP Exam, so counseling will offer a Monday morning 8:00 opportunity for this information. This is helpful to understand the college application process at South as well as getting tips on research. Standardized tests are already a murky subject for next fall. Many top colleges have already decided that they will be test-optional for at least an additional year. That said, it is not a bad idea for each junior who intends to apply for college admission to register for and take an additional ACT and/or SAT test beyond what they will take with us in April. Students can register online at www.act.org for the ACT and www.collegeboard.org for the SAT. Please encourage your student to pay attention to deadlines and not to put off registering until the last moment. Test center availability at nearby locations may be at a premium, especially for the April, May, and June tests.
Test Prep: We often get questions about ways to prepare for standardized tests. I want to point out a few of the free and convenient tools that we have available. For the SAT the easiest and most helpful online program is the free Khan Academy. Students can link their PSAT results and get a free customized test prep program. The Michigan Electronic Library (MEL) is a state resource available through our school library web page that offers free test prep. Also, Shmoop, is accessible through Schoology. This is a free service. We can also offer suggestions for private tutors or tutoring programs upon request.
TRADES NIGHT and COLLEGE NIGHT are coming
We are organizing a Skilled Trades Career Night on Tuesday, February 28th, in the Grosse Pointe North Gym from 6-8 pm. We would love to see any interested students and families there attend the event. All are welcome!
We would also encourage any parent who works in a trades field or has connections to participate by setting up a table or forwarding this email to those connections you have. If you are interested or know someone who would like to help us make this a success, please contact Jenny Sherman at shermaj@gpschools.org or 313-432-3223.
College Night will be held at South on Wednesday, April 19. We look forward to many colleges visiting us and offering information and Q & A. Mark your calendars!
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