Winter 2020/2021 Musings

 Student Support Winter Updates

As 2020 fades into history, the school counselors wanted to reflect on the past year and update parents, students, and staff about upcoming events within our department.  

We also want to wish everyone a Happy New Year.  We, like many of you, are incredibly hopeful for a better 2021, one filled with peace, health, and a return to normalcy.  

We will continue to support students, families, and staff moving forward, regardless of the environment we find ourselves in, with compassion and commitment.  The role of the school counselor is to support students in three areas: academics, social/emotional wellness, and college and career planning.  We will continue to prioritize student well-being as we navigate the uncertainties ahead of us.  

Logistically, if the counselors are on campus, our office will be moving due to construction sometime in the spring.  Look for updates via future correspondence.  

Sincerely,

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

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

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

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Introducing our School Counseling Intern:

Lucas Mader

Hey all, my name is Mr. Mader.  I get the opportunity to learn from the team of school counselors at SHS as an intern this semester.  I am originally from Appleton, Wisconsin and a proud Badger alumnus. After teaching for 3 years, I decided to pursue my masters degree in school counseling.  I love staying active by kayaking, biking, and running when the weather is nice and staying in and watching a good TV show when it's cold.  I am looking forward to being able to travel all over the world again.  During college, I had the opportunity to study abroad twice, so let me know if you ever want to connect or talk about anything that involves traveling.  I am excited to be part of SHS this semester and getting to know you.  

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Academic Support

Counselors have been meeting virtually and in person with students who are struggling academically.  We recognize the difficulty some students experience and have been reaching out via email, phone, and Zoom/Meet to tackle challenges.  Reach out if you need support.

Below are some tips for students who are struggling academically:

This video includes some basic ways in which to improve virtual learning habits:

How To Stay Organized for Distance Learning

In addition, it can be useful for parents and guardians to develop a time management plan with students.

To access the full time management worksheet, click on this link: Time Management Worksheet

In addition, we all recognize how motivation can ebb and flow throughout the year, particularly when instruction is virtual.  Here are some tips for parents regarding helping students stay motivated:

For the full article: Engagement and Motivation

Finally, in mid to late January, the counselors will be delivering lessons via Integrated Wellness classes regarding course registration for the 2021-2022 school year.  It is never too early to start planning for next year.  

For a full overview of all of the course offerings available, please review our website, paying special attention to the curriculum handbook:

Course Selection Guides 

Other important deadlines:

March 1: The deadline to return Early College Credit Program (ECCP) applications.  See this link for the application and more details about this program, which lets eligible students take courses for college credit at nearby universities.  

March 26: The deadline to turn in an application to opt out of junior year integrated health classes.  You must meet certain eligibility requirements to do this, including two years participation in a WIAA sponsored sport, while doubling up on a core academic course.

May 1: the deadline to turn in eAchieve applications in order to take online courses through our partnership with the Waukesha School District.

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College and Career Support

The counselors continue to support students as they pursue their postsecondary goals.  The following activities have occurred this fall to support students as they explore and research potential careers and educational options after high school:

1. In August, the counselors facilitated a virtual college workshop, including tips and tricks regarding college essays; you can find that information through this link: College Workshop.  
2. We have continued to present college and career lessons in Team Concepts (students took a Career Survey) and Lifetime Wellness (students completed a college search and began to create their resume).  All lessons can be found virtually on our website, at this link: Grade Level Lessons.
3. In the fall, the counselors held weekly college workshops for seniors working on applications. 

Junior Conferences

Junior conferences continue into January.  The counselors have conducted many virtual conferences already.  During these conferences, student and families receive individualized information regarding their post-secondary plans.  The conferences typically last one hour or more.  If you have not signed up yet, please do so via the following links:

Molly Norris (Last names A-G): Link to Ms. Norris’s calendar 
Scott Brown (Last names H-O):  Link to Mr. Brown’s calendar 

Jennifer Hoffman (Last names P-Z): Link to Ms. Hoffman's calendar

Reminders:

Freshmen: you will be taking a career cluster survey this spring, but feel free to check in on the academic and personal goals you created in Naviance.  Are you meeting those goals?

Sophomores (first semester Team Concepts students): evaluate your goals as well and review the results of your career interest profiler.  Be sure to save three careers you are interested in.

Juniors (first semester Lifetime Wellness students): Be sure to work through the Super Match in Naviance.  Save three schools that sound of interest to you.  Complete your resume by May in order to ask for letters of recommendation at that time.  Check out our video concerning letters at this link: Letters of Recommendation.  

Seniors: After you apply to a school, be sure to send in your ACT scores from act.org (if required), and be sure to request that your transcripts/ letters get sent.  Use this form to do so: Transcript Requests.  

Parents: Check out our website where you will find lots of information about college planning, financial aid, and the career process.  Check out Naviance Student with your child!  

Shorewood High School Student Support

Naviance Student

All: Be sure to check out college virtual tours.  You can find a lot online simply by doing a quick search.

Naviance Updates:

Some exciting updates have occurred within Naviance, including an entirely updated career section.  You can now filter by career, as well as take shortened career surveys that you can reset on your own.  In addition, work based learning opportunities will now by embedded within the career section.  As the counselors hear of opportunities, including internships and career fairs, they will be uploaded into the system.  Students can now see a "Work Based Learning" Section when they click on the "Careers" tab.  There is already one opportunity from the Boys and Girls Club!

Perhaps most exciting, the school district now offers a self-paced, free ACT prep course through Naviance.  If students log in and scroll to the bottom of the home page, they will see the link to test prep.  A video demo explaining how best to utilize this service was already sent via email and is also on our website.

We encourage all students to take a diagnostic test and begin preparing for the March 9, 2021 ACT test!

Naviance has also updated its scholarship page to include college specific scholarships (in addition to local and regional scholarships not attached to a particular university).  

Scholarships

The Shorewood High School scholarship application is now available on our website.  Seniors are encouraged to apply!  Apply at our website: SHS Scholarships.  DUE JANUARY 22!

Testing Updates

As of now, all major standardized tests will occur on campus.  Information, including specific details about safety measures, etc. will come through email.

PSAT (grade 11): January 26--registration due by January 8th (coordinator: Jennifer Hoffman).  For more details, see this letter.  

ACT (grade 11): March 9 (coordinator: Molly Norris)

ASPIRE  (grades 9-10): April 13-14 (coordinator: Jennifer Hoffman)

AP Testing: May 3-14 (coordinator: Scott Brown).  AP registration has concluded, but details about the tests can be found here: AP testing 2021

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Social and Emotional Support

The counselors continue to prioritize wellness.  We recognize the many additional stressors brought on by the pandemic and continue to reach out to students who are struggling with their mental health.  

This semester, we have conducted a number of strategies meant to help students, including:

• Providing open virtual office hours for interested students
• Sending out a mental health survey every quarter to all students and following up with those who are struggling
• Providing in-person opportunities for students who need additional help
• Providing refresher training to all first semester Team Concepts and Lifetime Wellness students on the signs of suicide
• Delivering a lesson on wellness strategies to all freshmen
• Conducting a fun weekly trivia group at 11:15 every Wednesday, called "Counselor Connections."  Here is the link: Counselor Connections.  
• Conducting voluntary campus tours to interested freshmen (more to come)
• Holding individual meetings with students who need additional support
• Sending care packages to all students in the school

Most of these activities will continue into 2021.  In addition, we will present our signs of suicide lesson and short screener to all freshmen in the spring semester, and we will be starting a research supported group for struggling freshmen.  Stay tuned.  

For our full presentation to the school board regarding how we are supporting student, staff, and family wellness during this time, please check out these slides: SHS WELLNESS.

And feel free to check out our wellness lesson delivered to all freshmen:

For the full presentation, please check out this video: Freshmen Wellness Lesson.

Parent and Family Wellness

We have also conducted parent wellness nights in collaboration with our partners at Children's Wisconsin.  Look for more of these in the spring.

Recent video presentations can be found on our home page, including our parent and family wellness video.  Scroll to the bottom to view.  SHS Student Support Homepage.  

Children's WI at SHS

Finally, we continue our collaboration with Children's Wisconsin.  If you feel your child would benefit from ongoing therapy with a trained therapist, please reach out to your school counselor.

Additional Mental Health Tips

1. Roger's Hospital has a fantastic blog that captures a number of best practices and mental health tips.  Consider checking it out at this link: Rogers Behavioral Health.  
2. Finally, this anxiety workbook, specifically focused on the pandemic, can be a big help to struggling students.  Here is the link: Coronavirus Anxiety Workbook.  

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To conclude, we are heartened by this quote, which highlights what we hope all of us remember as we move forward through this difficult time.  

Please reach out to your child's counselor should you ever need anything.