November/ December Musings

A Busy Fall

This fall has been a whirlwind of excitement...see the list below to see what counselors have been up to the past few months:

We presented the following information to different classes:

• Freshmen created academic and personal goals for the year, they received information and strategies for coping with stress, and they took a career interest survey in Naviance that linked them with 16 federally designated career clusters (i.e. healthcare, education, business, etc.).  To read more about career clusters, check out this link.  
• Sophomores revised academic and personal goals,  and they took a more specific career survey based on Holland codes.  This survey matched them with various specific careers (i.e. environmental engineer, pediatrician, teacher, etc.).  
• Juniors worked on their resumes, something they can use for both teacher letters of recommendation, as well as jobs/college applications.  They also took a more in-depth dive into Naviance Student, the resource we use to send transcripts and letters of recommendation electronically, and also a source of TONS of information regarding colleges and careers.  They used Super Match to put in criteria they want in a college and spent time researching various "good fit" schools.
• Seniors met as a whole class to review requirements regarding the application process.  We continue to support students one-on-one as they apply to various colleges.  As a reminder, seniors should be following up with various universities and ensuring that all application materials are received by the university.  

FYI: All class meetings for semester courses will be repeated in the spring.  

We also presented to all junior lifetime classes regarding signs of suicide, a research based program that helps students develop the skills needed to assist friends who may be suicidal.  

We will hold lunch information sessions to all junior students who opted out of Lifetime later in January.  During this time, we will discuss course registration, as well as the college related information students missed by not being in Lifetime.  

Many students also attended a number of events sponsored by the school or other organizations, such as:

The NACAC college fair, a fair that occurs every fall at the Wisconsin Center.  Hundreds of universities set up informational booths and met with prospective juniors and seniors:

https://www.nacacfairs.org/

Nelson Brown took a number of students to a Historically Black College and University (HBCU) fair as well.  A number of students were admitted on the spot to various HBCUs throughout the country.

SHS hosted their second annual University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee on-site admissions in early November.  Students were able to interview with UWM and receive on the spot admissions offers.  A large number of students were admitted on that date!

SHS hosted a Financial Aid Night with Susan Teerink from Marquette.  Parents were able to hear about the ins-and-outs of financial aid, including how to fill out the FAFSA, how to evaluate different types of aid (loans, grants, merit aid), and how to deal with unique financial situations.  

Here is the link to Susan's presentation:

https://sites.google.com/shorewood.k12.wi.us/shsgreyhounds-sss/everything-college/financial-aid

SHS also hosted a parent forum in November, where parents discussed the college application process regarding their students who graduated the previous year.  

SHS hosted Milwaukee Area Technical College (MATC) in early December; representatives from MATC helped students with applications, discussed the Promise program, and reminded students to fill out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid).  

Here is some information regarding the Promise Program, an offer of free tuition if eligible:

In Other News

Junior Conferences

All junior students, as well as their parents/guardians, have been meeting with their respective counselors to discuss post-secondary planning.  These junior conferences are typically one hour long and focus on two purposes: a back and forth regarding the students' plans for the future and a discussion of the nuts and bolts of the college application process.  We also discuss:

• Financial Aid and Scholarships
• Admission Criteria
• Letters of Recommendation
• Use of Naviance Student and other important websites (Big Future, College Scorecard, etc.)
• Timelines
• Standardized Testing
• College Visits

Each student receives a folder filled with useful information that students can reference as they begin the college search process.

Application Process

Just a reminder that the "typical" college application consists of the following (seniors should try to do all of this AT LEAST one week in advance of a deadline):

1. Completing the online application (see the admissions page to access this).  In the application, students will list activities, grades, current courses, demographic data, and write the personal essay.
2. Stopping in our office and completing a blue transcript request form.  Once we receive this, along with five dollars per transcript, we will electronically send your transcripts and your letters of recommendation (as well as anything your counselor might need to do).  
3. If required, sending in your ACT scores directly from act.org.

Some highly selective schools may have more requirements!  Remember to always review the university's admissions page to see what you need to submit. 

It is YOUR RESPONSIBILITY to ensure that the university receives all supplementary materials.  Technology can fail, so it is important that you monitor what has and has not been received.

Scholarships

Now that many students have applied to various colleges, it is time to begin the search for scholarships.  This article by Forbes presents good information regarding the various types of scholarships.

Here is the link to the article: Finding, Earning And Debunking Myths of the Coveted College Scholarship.

Generally speaking, scholarships are awarded in one of three ways:

1. Through the university (find out if you need to apply or if they are awarded automatically to incoming freshmen--look every year for new ones!)
2. Through national search engines (the College Board, Fastweb, etc.).  These scholarship searches will match students with scholarships from companies, foundations, etc.  We also list some of these scholarships on Naviance Student.  
3. Through SHS--we offer a number of competitive scholarships.  This information is given out in homeroom during the winter months.  

For example, students that attend the University of Minnesota or the University of Wisconsin-Madison can apply for a full tuition award through the HAMP scholarship foundation.  See this link for more information.  

In addition, if families have not completed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid), they should do so ASAP, regardless of parental income; here is the federal website: FAFSA.   Read this article about some of the biggest myths surrounding FAFSA:

Biggest Myths About the FAFSA That Can Cost You

Some private schools may require that parents fill out a more in-depth financial document called the CSS profile.  Check out this link to learn more about it: CSS Profile.

In addition, check out this graphic to determine how student aid is determined:

This graphic describes the different types of financial aid:

Testing:

1. ACT testing will occur for all juniors on February 20th.  Students will be in small classes, and the entire school will be empty except for juniors.
2. ACT WORKKEYS, a state mandated test meant to evaluate students' workplace skills, will occur February 21st and be in the Arena.  All students will be attending school that day.  This test in NO WAY is reported to colleges or universities and does not impact admission decisions.  
3. AP test registration will occur from February 4-13.  Students in Advanced Placement classes can sign up to take the tests in May of this year.  Next year, the College Board is requiring that students sign up for tests much earlier, perhaps as early as October.  More information will come out regarding this over the summer.  For detailed information about registration this year, see below:

• Online registration window (through Total Registration): Monday, February 4 (at 6:00 am) through Wednesday, February 13 (at 11:59 pm) (after this date, you must register in the student support office, and you will be assessed a late fee).
• Late Registration begins: Thursday, February 14 ($55 late registration fee applies)
• Registration Website: www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/502112
• This year’s AP Exam fee is: $98 per exam (there is a late registration fee of $55 for anyone who registers after February 14)
• MOST AP Exams will be taken in Room 209/210 of the PE Building* (please note the location of testing listed by the exam--other possible spots include the upper gym and the Arena (also in the PE building)). Students will not leave campus for testing. Exam times are not flexible, so students may miss class to take an exam. Students are responsible for coordinating any missed work with appropriate teachers. (*except Studio Art, which will take place in the art room.)
• Talk to your teachers regarding exam selection: They can help you choose what exams are best for you.
• Visit https://student.collegeboard.org/: helpful information for exam content and format. Please note that afternoon exams may run beyond the normal 3:19 p.m. dismissal time, and other arrangements for after school athletics may need to be made.
• Students with afternoon exams will be excused from their 4th hour class to have more time for lunch.  If students are taking two exams in one day, they should bring a bag lunch to eat during the brief break.

Scheduling and Course Registration:

Scheduling meetings will begin occurring in January, where counselors will meet with students to discuss course options for next year.  Just like last year, students will register online during a specified window of time.  Students should discuss course selections with their parents/guardians.

Wellness

Spearheaded by the student REDgen group at SHS, Shorewood High School had its second RECESS!  Research shows that adolescents need time to unwind and alleviate stress.  This "free period" gave students the time to do just that.  It was a resounding success!  See the flyer below for more information regarding what occurred on Thursday, December 13:

To learn more about REDgen and its work fostering teen resiliency and balance, check out their website.

In addition, if students feel they need additional support, they should check out free teen wellness circles beginning in January.  See the flyer below:

In addition, Pam Miller continues to run "Monday Night Mindfulness for Teens and Young Adults."  Please check out the flyer below for more details:

Counselors also have been spending the fall attending trainings on trauma informed care and brief interventions.  These trainings help counselors stay up-to-date, learning valuable techniques to effectively attend to students' needs.

If you are interested in learning more about one of the more serious concerns that counselors contend with, feel free to check out this article from the Washington Post concerning the rising rates of anxiety.  The article stresses the need to encourage teens to reduce screen time and utilize social media in moderation.

Here is the article.

Communication:

Finally, it is important that parents and guardians understand how we, the counselors, communicate information to students.  Below are just some of our methods:

• We utilize a bulletin board outside of our office for announcements, job postings, college visits, and scholarship information.
• We use loudspeaker announcements to convey important meetings, announce college visits, and discuss upcoming opportunities.
• We mass email parents/guardians when needed, particularly concerning testing.
• We send information to the parent bulletin.
• We utilize an application titled "Remind" to text students about upcoming opportunities (those who have opted in).
• We use Instagram to update students with important events and inspiration.
• College visits are also posted within Naviance Student.

Here is our wonderful bulletin board, as an example of some of our communication methods:

To conclude, if you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out directly to your child's counselor.  We are more than happy to help in whatever fashion we can.  

Molly Norris-A-G (anorris@shorewood.k12.wi.us) 414-961-3177

Scott Brown-H-O (sbrown@shorewood.k12.wi.us) 414-961-3176

Jennifer Hoffman-P-Z (jhoffman@shorewood.k12.wi.us) 414-961-3179

We wish all families a happy and restful break!  Enjoy a little wisdom from our daily quote board outside of our office:

September/October Musings

Welcome Back!

The student support staff wants to welcome all students back to the school year, and we wish everyone a successful and healthy 2018-19 school year!  We are a little tardy on updating the blog, and we can hardly believe that October is already here and the leaves are changing.  We know that this is a stressful time of year, particularly for our senior students as they work diligently to complete college essays and apply to various universities throughout the country.  Know that we are here to support you, and remember to take time for yourself.  Below are some small suggestions for ALL students, though specifically targeted to seniors:

1.  Keep a calendar and slowly chip away at the application process (plan small weekly college-related tasks):

• Focus on the application process, including essays, first, as these are the most time consuming.
• Prioritize!  Be sure to start and finish those early application deadlines before looking at other colleges.  Consider applying early as this can reduce stress and (potentially) increase your odds of admission.
• Ask questions of your counselor; we are here to help guide you through this process.
• Get a second (or third) pair of eyes on that college essay.  Remember to show (don't tell!) your personality in your writing.  Universities also look at your writing abilities, so double and triple check your grammar and organizational structure.  Ask a teacher, ask a counselor, or come in on Fridays (usually 11-1:30) to meet with Ms. Schill, who can help evaluate essays.
• Finally, fill out our blue transcript request form, so that we can send out your letters of recommendation (remind teachers!) and your transcripts.
• Don't forget to send in official ACT scores should they be needed (act.org).
• Try to complete everything, including sending in test scores and transcripts one week before the college's official deadline.
• Complete the FAFSA with your family to determine how much aid you will receive (https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa).  Do this soon after October 1, when the site opens (there is now a phone app as well).  

2.  Relieve stress!

• Be sure to take time for yourself.  Walk outside, do deep breathing exercises, talk with family and friends, make a to-do list, follow a sleep routine, and eat healthy foods.  
• Talk to your school counselor if you are feeling overwhelmed.  
• Focus on times you have been successful in the past, despite strong pressures.  
• Reframe the situation.  Remember that this stress will pass and is but a stepping stone towards your goals.  As Friedrich Nietzsche wrote, "that which does not kill us, makes us stronger."  

3.  Keep everything in perspective.

• Where you go to college will not define you for the rest of your life.  If you are hard working and ambitious, you can be successful regardless of what college you attend.  Last year, the student support staff read the book, Where You Go Is Not Who You'll Be, by Frank Bruni.  Bruni details many fantastically successful individuals who did not attend prestigious schools, and nonetheless, achieved great success.  Check out a review of the book here.
• According to an article in the New York Times, "Colleges themselves have widely diverging views on what makes an ideal applicant...Instead, what counts in admissions depends on the mission of the institution — and that can vary a great deal from school to school."  See the link to the article here.  In other words, even if you are a fantastic student with great grades and test scores, you may not get into your dream school.  This reality has NOTHING to do with your personal worth.  Recognize that getting into prestigious schools often has little to do with how great you are as an individual; DON'T beat yourself up as admissions' decisions begin arriving.

New research out of Stanford suggests that college rankings, as well as where students ultimately attend, doesn't really matter in terms of life outcomes.  This is really important to keep in mind! 

Check out this article to read more:  The first step to choosing the 'right' college? Ignore the rankings, says Stanford researcher

In addition, here are some articles concerning the advantages and disadvantages of early action and early decision:

4 Things To Know About College Early Action Programs

How Applying Early for College Affects Financial Aid

How To Know If Early Decision Works For You

We hope this time is one of excitement and anticipation.  Don't hesitate to reach out for help!

Who We Are and What We Do

School counselors are educational professionals with training in education, as well as mental health.  School counselors provide support in three areas, following a model of counseling promoted by the American School Counselor Association; this model is research based:

1. Academic support
2. Career and college support and development
3. Personal, social, and mental health support

In other words, we try to help individuals and parents solve problems, not by providing the answers, but rather by helping individuals recognize their own strengths, passions, and problem solving abilities.  A key hallmark of the counseling profession is to actively listen, and while we certainly do provide guidance and advice at times, the term "guidance" counselor is outdated and describes only a very small snapshot of what we do.  Counseling is about helping others arrive at their own decisions, so that individuals can become independent, confident, and able to effectively manage their lives.

There is no average day for counselors.  We can be working with students individually on emotional problems, discussing grades, examining data, writing recommendations, coordinating testing, screening students for mental health, working in classrooms on career development, and coordinating with teachers, parents, and administrators, to name only a few of the activities we do.  Ultimately, our job is to be an advocate for the student first.  While we are all responsible for a specific part of the alphabet, and as such, have discrete caseloads, we all work as a team, and students can meet with any of us if their specific counselor is busy.  

Molly Norris works with students with last names A-G.  This is Molly's fifth year at SHS after spending time in the West Allis School District.  She enjoys time with her family, listening to live music (especially music created by her husband, James Norris), and the Green Bay Packers.

Scott Brown works with students with last names H-O.  This is Scott's third year at SHS after spending time working at Nicolet High School.  He enjoys soccer, running, and time with his little ones.

Jennifer Hoffman works with students with last names P-Z.  This is Jennifer's first year at SHS after spending time at Oconomowoc High School.  She enjoys interior design, tennis, and Wisconsin sports.

Upcoming and Past Activities:

Freshmen:

Counselors are implementing a program titled 9 for 9 with all freshmen; our hope is to have nine points of contact throughout the year, including orientations, class meetings, small group meetings, and individual meetings.  

We will meet with freshmen next week to discuss methods of stress relief, as well as navigating the high school experience.  Students will also take a career cluster survey on Naviance Student (https://student.naviance.com/shorewood).  This survey helps students determine what career area students might be interested in.  Feel free to login with your child to view the results.  They can login using their email (without the @shorewood.k12.wi.us part) and their Infinite Campus login to get into the program.  

To read more about the career clusters, check out this link.

Later on in the year, we will also be presenting to all freshmen concerning the signs of suicide, a research based intervention that helps students recognize warning signs of suicidal thinking, as well as ways to act if they are concerned about someone.  

Sophomores:
We will be meeting with sophomores in Team Concepts to take a career interest inventory, an inventory that provides students with more specific jobs that match their likes and dislikes.  The students will be using Naviance Student to complete this inventory.  They will have time to examine potential career matches, learning about required skills, education, and wages for various job matches.  The survey is based on John Holland's research, who created "codes" that represented the personalities of people and the types of work that people do.  You can see a visual about the codes below:

Juniors:
We will meet with juniors in their Lifetime class (or over lunch for students who opted out of Lifetime).  We will be discussing the college search process and looking at various tools within Naviance Student that students can use as they begin the process of finding a good fit.  Students will also craft a resume that can be used for both jobs and college applications, as well as requesting letters of recommendation. 

Through the fall, we will also be conducting junior conferences.  This is an opportunity for junior parents/guardians and students to sit down with their counselor and hold a lengthy discussion about post-secondary plans, as well as an opportunity to discuss the nuts and bolts of the college search and application process.  Parents/guardians should keep an eye on their email, as information concerning how to sign up will be conveyed electronically.

This fall and spring, we will also be presenting about the signs of suicide, a research based, preventative intervention meant to help students recognize and act on warning signs related to suicidal thinking.

Seniors:
We met with seniors at the beginning of the year in a whole class assembly to remind them about the application process and letters of recommendation.  We continue to work with them one-on-one to support their process and ensure that they are on track and meeting deadlines.

Upcoming Important Deadlines and Dates:

• October 1st: FAFSA is available; parents/guardians and students should complete this as soon as possible.
• October 24th: FAFSA presentation at SHS at 7:00 pm.  This is a great opportunity to learn the ins-and-outs of financial aid.
• November 1st: many colleges have an early action or early decision (binding) deadline at this time.
• November 6th: UW-Milwaukee will be conducting on-site admissions interviews.  Students should see Mr. Brown ASAP if they are interested in signing up.  

Remember, a typical application to college includes the following:

• the actual online application (listing activities, address, etc.).  This includes an essay (or more than one essay).  The Common Application is the most widely used online application system in the United States.  
• a transcript (some colleges are accepting self-reported grades now, but students should understand that they will eventually need to send in an official transcript should they choose to attend a specific college).
• letters of recommendation (we will send these in for you once you indicate you are ready via the blue forms in our office and $5).  
• official ACT scores (sent directly from act.org; more schools are also allowing self-reported ACT scores.  Again, students will eventually need to send in official score reports once they are admitted).  

Some highly selective schools may require, recommend, or provide the option to send in additional materials, including:

• an interview with an alumni from the school (or a video interview)
• a portfolio of work (particularly for art schools)
• a video presentation
• SAT II subject tests
• the CSS profile (a more in-depth financial reporting tool, similar to FAFSA)

In Other News:

REDgen has a number of events coming up, all of which speak to the ongoing focus on student wellness.  Be sure to check out their website:

http://www.redgen.org/new-events/

October 10th was World Mental Health Day.  Take a look at the link below from the World Health Organization:

http://www.who.int/mental_health/world-mental-health-day/2018/en/

An article from Education Week regarding how we value achievement over mental health (interesting read):

https://www.edweek.org/ew/articles/2018/08/16/why-do-we-value-achievement-over-mental.html

A local resource guide:

https://files.acrobat.com/a/preview/6a065917-e128-401c-badd-02aba919813e

Interested in Research Supported Therapeutic Approaches:

The approaches below are common approaches that school counselors utilize when meeting with students, albeit in a brief format.

Read about Solution Focused Therapy at this link:
What Is Solution Focused Therapy

Cognitive Behavioral Therapy-Mayo Clinic

May/June Tidings

Academics

As the year winds down, and excitement builds towards graduation, a number of important academic events occur, including final exams, AP exams, and culminating projects.

This will be the last of our bi-monthly blog posts of the 2017-2018 school year.  Counselors are not in their offices over the summer, but we do periodically check email.  We wish everyone a happy and restful summer.  Please check out our website to learn about exciting summer opportunities, and see the link below regarding pre-college programs.

AP Testing
Advanced Placement (AP) testing will occur from May 7 through May 18.  All tests this year will be held in rooms 209/210 in the Physical Education building.  If students are receiving accommodations, they have already received a letter detailing what room to go to on various testing dates.  The full schedule of testing is located at this link.

If a student does well on the AP test (typically a score of a 3-5), they can potentially get credit at various universities throughout the country (this varies considerably, and students should always check with prospective universities to make sure this is possible).

It is important for students to prepare for these exams, given the possibility of receiving college credit should they receive a high enough score.  Students should meet with their teachers in order to prepare.

Students can also check out this link to view various practice questions:
AP practice questions

Early College Credit Program

Earlier this year, the Wisconsin legislature changed two programs that have been utilized in the past by Shorewood High School students.  The Youth Options Program and the Course Options program will no longer exist after this summer; they will be replaced by the "Early College Credit Program" (ECCP) and the "Part-Time Open Enrollment" program.  Students have used Youth Options in the past to attend classes at UW-Milwaukee.  They can still do so with ECCP; however, some important differences exist between Youth Options and ECCP.  Please take a look at the following PPT presentation that was shared with the school board earlier this spring.  Email counselors with any specific questions.

ECCP-Changes in Legislation


                                                                                                                                          

Final Exams

With final exams a mere month away, we wanted to reiterate a few important points regarding studying.

This site from Fastweb has some good advice:
20 Study Strategies for Finals Week

My favorite tips:
1.  Create a study schedule
2.  Create your own study guides
3.  Take breaks
4.  Quiz yourself
5.  Study with others, though not exclusively

In addition, we really encourage students to be meeting with teachers regularly.  The lunch hour is usually a good time to do this, given that teachers are often available to meet.  If students are struggling in a class, it is important to be proactive and address the situation immediately by setting up a consistent meeting schedule with teachers.  If students need further help, they should talk to their counselor about tutoring (either peer or professional).

                                                                                                                                            

Goals

Sometimes students have difficultly recognizing what the problem is regarding their academic performance.  Analyzing the problem first can help students develop goals that are focused and time sensitive.  The form copied below can help students create actionable goals derived from specific problems.

Action Plan

What is keeping me from getting the grades I want? (check all that apply)

c   I am not doing my homework

c   I finish my homework, but I usually lose it or forget to turn it in

c   I don’t finish class work because I’m busy talking to other students

c   I don’t understand the material

c   I have a lot of absences and/or tardies and can’t keep up

c   I don’t care about school or see the point in trying

c   I don’t know how to study for major tests

c   I have personal/interpersonal issues on my mind (friends, family, etc.)

c   Other: ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Of the reasons you checked above, which is the most difficult? ________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

Have you tried anything in the past that has helped you overcome this difficulty? How did it help (or not help)?

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

If you haven’t tried anything, or if what you tried didn’t help, state something else you can try:

________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________   

On a scale of 1-10, how motivated are you to make academic changes 3^rd trimester?

   1         2         3         4           5           6           7          8          9        10    

Not at all                                                                                  Very much

Think: Why aren’t you a number lower? How can you be a number higher?

Using this information about myself, how will I make changes next trimester?

Goal #1:  _______________________________________    
2 actions I will take to achieve this goal:

Goal #2:  _______________________________________     
2 actions I will take to achieve this goal:

                                                                                                                              

                                                                                                                                          

College and Career

College Decision Day

May 1st is National College Decision Day, the deadline for high school seniors to choose the college they will attend.  While such a decision is a big one and can be fraught with anxiety, the day is also a day to celebrate!  We encourage all students attending post-secondary education to wear a sweatshirt or T-shirt from their future university.   You can read more about College Decision Day in this link.

Juniors: Teacher Letters of Recommendation

The process for requesting letters of recommendation begins in mid-May.  Please check out the directions below:

1. Log into your Family Connection page and click on the “About Me” tab on the top of the page.

2.  Under “Interesting Things About Me” click on “Resume.” Complete the Objective with information you would like your letter writer to focus on. Complete all other sections that pertain to you (Summary, Work Experience, Education, etc). The more info you provide, the better.

3. Print your resume and give it to teachers (1 or 2) when you ask them to write your letter.  Do this between May 15th and the end of the school year.  

4.  After teachers agree, you must electronically request them through your Family Connection account. Click on the “Colleges” tab at the top of the page. Next, select “Letters of Recommendation.” Click “Add Request” and then pick the teachers you have requested and select “All current and future colleges I add to my Colleges I'm Applying To list.”

5.  Be sure to follow up with teacher/(s) senior year with your earliest college application deadline as soon as you know. WITHOUT THIS INFORMATION YOUR LETTER MAY NOT BE SUBMITTED ON TIME!

Pre-College Programs

Interested in attending a summer program that helps students prepare for college? Want to learn something new and interesting? Check out all of the various pre-college summer programs below. Pre-college programs offer a great opportunity for students to experience college, learn new ideas, and experience residential life on a college campus. Some programs are free, while others come with considerable cost. Students should see their counselor with any questions.

Here is the link to a general list of various programs throughout the country: Prep Scholar

College and Career Planning

A recap of what students experienced and explored on Family Connection this year:

Freshmen: career clusters survey (read about the 16 career clusters here).
Sophomore: career interest inventory (take another career interest survey here).
Juniors: the resume and the college search (view the results on Family Connection or try a different search here).

This summer, juniors should begin to solidify what universities they will apply to in late summer and early fall.  Many applications, including the Common Application and the UW application open on August 1st (though completed applications cannot be submitted until September 1).  Summer is a great time to set up college tours as well!

For seniors, after you have made the decision about what college to attend, there are still lots of choices to make, as well as some simple tasks that require your attention.

Check out this useful list created by the College Board regarding specific steps to take this summer:

College Board checklist for graduating seniors

Finally, for sophomores and freshmen, College Board includes a great planning tool that can help you begin planning for post secondary studies (it does require that you create an account).  While it may seem early, it is always helpful to begin the exploration process:
College Board's My Plan


Lastly, some great news out of UW-Madison!  For families who have a household income of $56,000 or less, tuition will be free for all four years for admitted students.  See the press release concerning this exciting development: UW-Madison Press Release.

High School Transcripts

The counselors recognize that some juniors are itching to complete applications and send in transcripts this summer.  While many applications officially open on August 1st, most cannot be submitted until September 1.  Moreover, the vast majority of early action deadlines do not occur until November 1.  Given this timeline, the counselors will not accept transcript request forms until September 12, 2018 (this gives us time to focus on schedule changes and other early year adjustments first). 

                                                                                                                                          

Social and Emotional Well Being

Signs of Suicide

The school counselors spent time in physical education classes this fall and winter teaching students about the warning signs of suicidal behavior.  According to the Wisconsin Department of Instruction, "Classroom educational programs have been shown to reduce suicide rates (SOS Program), tendencies, and attempts, and at the same time increase knowledge about risks, warning signs, and coping skills."  Using part of DPI's research based curriculum, Signs of Suicide, the school counselors were able to provide important knowledge concerning this topic, as well as screen students to see if they needed further help.  We will continue with refreshers every year, with the full lesson occurring in freshmen year.    

To read more about the DPI's involvement with this, check out this link.  
To read about the full curriculum, check out this link.  

                                                                                                                                          

Shorewood High School Recess

With the long stretch between spring break and summer break, along with Aspire and AP testing and the general stress of school, we thought everyone could use a break. The school counselors and the REDgen student group have done the research to find that taking a mental break, literally unplugging from academics, from electronics, and from the stress of the daily grind can have a positive effect. Enter in RECESS...

“The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) recommends that young people participate in about 60 minutes of moderate to vigorous activity per day, and suggested that recess be part of that. Recess is a necessary break in the day for optimizing a student’s social, emotional, physical, and cognitive development.”

Because of this, the SHS student REDgen group is hosting a school-wide Recess to take place on Wednesday, May 2nd. Instead of going to homeroom, we invite all students and staff to participate in a meaningful activity for 40 minutes that will allow a mental break. Students and staff can play basketball in the gym, practice yoga in the dance studio, do art in the art room, work out on the outdoor fitness equipment, have quiet time in the library or play frisbee, other lawn games or lounge on the the front lawn.

This short break can provide an opportunity to decompress and recharge. It also allows an opportunity to connect with one another and teachers in a new way, and as a result, students will feel more productive and more connected to the school community.

                                                                                                                                           

Happiness and Purpose

A couple of relatively recent New York Times articles comment on important topics that certainly impact our students: happiness and purpose.  Research on both continues to get more sophisticated as the knowledge base continues to expand.

The first article, "How To Be Happy," has numerous recommendations.  Some of the suggestions are certainly more focused on adults rather than students.  Nonetheless, the article provides some concrete steps students can take immediately, like:

• Conquering negative thoughts
• Controlled breathing
• Simple exercise
• Volunteering
• and giving yourself a break

Check out the article at this link.  

This article talks a lot about purpose, particularly the purpose attached to helping others, and in doing so, grappling with what it means to live a meaningful life.  Again, a significant amount of research supports engaging in conversations, activities, and planning that focuses on helping people find purpose and meaning.  

Check out the article at this link.

                                                                                                                                          

Progressive Muscle Relaxation

Finally, with finals nearly upon us, it is vital that students find ways to relieve stress.  One method, progressive muscle relaxation, has worked for some students by helping them relieve tension found in their bodies.  

The description below, from WebMD, provides a brief synopsis of how it works:

Have you ever had an aching back or pain in your neck when you were anxious or stressed? When you have anxiety or stress in your life, one of the ways your body responds is with muscle tension. Progressive muscle relaxation is a method that helps relieve that tension.

• In progressive muscle relaxation, you tense a group of muscles as you breathe in, and you relax them as you breathe out. You work on your muscle groups in a certain order.
• When your body is physically relaxed, you cannot feel anxious. Practicing progressive muscle relaxation for a few weeks will help you get better at this skill, and in time you will be able to use this method to relieve stress.
• When you first start, it may help to use an audio recording until you learn all the muscle groups in order. Check your local library or a bookstore for progressive muscle relaxation audio recordings.
• If you have trouble falling asleep, this method may also help with your sleep problems.

To learn more, read the full description at this link.  

                                                                                                                                          

Meet Your Counselor

Mr. Brown is one of three school counselors at Shorewood High School.  He works with students with last names H-O.  Mr. Brown has been a counselor at Shorewood High School for two years.  Prior to that, he taught English at various high schools in the Milwaukee area and Colorado.  He also spent time studying social and cultural foundations of education at the University of Washington in Seattle, though he still isn't quite sure what exactly social and cultural foundations are;).  After that foray into academia, Mr. Brown moved back to the Milwaukee area where he began studying counseling.  He settled down in Wauwatosa with his wife and two children, Harper (5) and Elinor (1).  Mr. Brown loves his job at SHS, and enjoys helping students realize their potential and work through obstacles.  When not counseling, Mr. Brown can be found reminiscing about the '90s grunge music scene, watching soccer, reading, writing, and enjoying the outdoors.  Stop in his office anytime for help, to discuss the future, or simply to chat!