NHS GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
NHS GUIDANCE DEPARTMENT
NEWS & EVENTS - December 6, 2024
NEWS & EVENTS - December 6, 2024
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IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND EVENTS
IMPORTANT INFORMATION AND EVENTS
For individual student enrollment click button above. Price $85
CLASS OF 2026 VIRTUAL COLLEGE PLANNING PROGRAM
The Natick High School guidance counselors are excited to present our parents of the Class of 2026 a virtual College Planning Program. Students and families are invited to watch the full program video or they can watch by topic, listed below. All topics will be reviewed in depth with students in Guidance Seminar in term 3, starting in late January.
The presentation and materials can be viewed HERE.
Hello all Juniors and Seniors!
Through Natick High School's partnership with MassBay Community College's Dual Enrollment Program (CDEP) students are eligible to enroll in a FREE MBCC college course and earn both college and high school credit! A dual enrollment course would take place of one elective at NHS for Semester 2; so you would need to work with your NHS counselor to adjust your schedule accordingly.
CDEP Dual Classes will run after the NHS School Day or fully online from January 21, 2025 - May 18, 2025. There won’t be any classes during the February and April vacations or during the MassBay spring break in March.
The attached flyer includes a link to the course application. It also has the link to register for the optional information sessions. Students can apply before the session or wait until after they’ve had their questions answered at a session. They do not have to attend an information session to apply. The information sessions are open to students, parents and any school staff who’d like to attend.
This year, the courses being offered are (also please find the general information & course description flyers attached):
Drugs and Society | Fully Online - No scheduled class meetings
Criminal Justice | MassBay Framingham Campus – Tuesdays 6:00-8:45 PM
Critical Thinking | MassBay Wellesley Campus | Mondays & Wednesdays 4:00-5:30 PM
Health Careers Exploration | MassBay Framingham Campus, This course will meet in-person on select Thursdays: 1/23, 2/6, 2/27, 3/13, 3/27, 4/10 and 5/8 | 6:00-9:00 PM | The rest of the course is online.
Marketing | MassBay Framingham Campus, Mondays & Wednesdays 3:30-5:00 PM
Nutrition | Fully Online, No scheduled class meetings
PLEASE NOTE: Only two courses - "Drugs and Society" and "Nutrition" are being offered fully online (and cannot be taken again, if it was taken last school year as a junior). If a student registers for any of the other courses, it is the student's responsibility to organize transportation, as NHS and MBCC will not provide transportation to or from the college.
Representatives of MBCC will be offering three information sessions in the upcoming weeks in order for you to learn more about the dual enrollment program and the classes MBCC is offering. Those dates are:
Tuesday, December 10, 2024 | 4:00 PM
Wednesday, December 11, 2024 | 6:30 PM
Thursday, December 12, 2024 | 6:30 PM
Please plan to attend one of those meetings if you are interested in taking a course through MBCC during Semester 2. Once you sign up for the information session, a link for the virtual meeting will be emailed to you. You can sign up for the information sessions here: Information Session Registration.
The deadline to register for one of the five dual enrollment courses is DECEMBER 27, 2024. Please find the flyer attached to this email with the link to register for both the information sessions and for the course itself. The application for the dual enrollment classes can also be found here: Dual Enrollment Application.
If you have any questions or need help filling out the registration forms, please see Mr. Nardi in the guidance department.
SENIORS
SENIORS
While we understand this is an exciting time for many of our seniors, as they consider their futures and all the related college and career planning details, this should not be the focus of every conversation. Some seniors are experiencing a great deal of stress about the pressures of this year and have expressed these feelings to all of us. We ask you to help allay this stress, especially as families gather together for the Holidays. Please do not talk about “college/future” with your child every day! Please let us know if you have any questions or concerns.
Any seniors with January 1st college application deadlines must schedule a meeting with your Guidance Counselor to review and hand in the Transcript Request Form, as soon as possible, and finalize your college lists!
Seniors with initial deadlines after January 1 should be making an appointment to see their guidance counselor for reviewing their college plans if they have not already done so.
Seniors who have applied to schools, please note that the Guidance Office has automatically sent your first term grades.
A reminder for seniors to let their counselors know their college admissions decisions as they hear from their colleges.
Seniors who have not completed their Community Service graduation requirement should speak with their guidance counselor or Mr. Nardi to obtain ideas/suggestions.
Seniors, Please be cognizant of your online ‘social media’ presence because college admissions offices are checking.
Financial Aid
The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) https://studentaid.gov/h/apply-for-aid/fafsa for the 2024 - 2025 school year is available! Please check college financial aid deadlines for the earliest deadline and file the FAFSA prior to that date.
Help With FAFSA - FAFSA DAY Massachusetts
FAFSA Day will take place virtually on various dates. This program assists families with the completion of the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). Please note there is a pre-registration for this event. A link with more information is below:
Seniors should also check out the MEFA Financial Aid timeline here. The diagram provides a summary of expectations, action items and next steps associated with filing the FAFSA.
Register now for FAFSA assistance
If your family needs some assistance completing the FAFSA, join us for an upcoming FAFSA Festival. The free, virtual events provide families one-on-one assistance with the financial aid application, and you can log in anytime during the two-hour block. We have two coming up on Dec 10th and Dec 16th. Register now so we know to expect you.
The Massachusetts AFL - CIO Scholarship Program
This year is the 67th Annual Massachusetts AFL - CIO Scholarship Awards Program. All graduating seniors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts seeking a college degree or job training are eligible to compete.
Each year the high school administers the Labor History Exam for qualified and interested students. The Labor History Exam is a two part exam consisting of 30 multiple-choice questions and an essay. The exam will be administered between February 3rd through February 7th. Exams must be proctored in school and are administered through Classmarker. Interested applicants should register by December 20, 2024. Students can access/download the application, the brochure, and the study guide through the AFL - CIO website, http://www.massaflcio.org/scholarship-program. A study guide is provided at the following link www.learnlaborhistory.com.
SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION
The Guidance Department maintains an updated database of independent scholarships. To download a list of independent scholarships please CLICK HERE.
LOCAL SCHOLARSHIPS 2024-2025
The scholarship application portal will open on February 6, 2025
Information will be emailed to all Natick High School seniors about the application process.
Recipients of Local Scholarships are announced during the Senior Class Night Award Program.
If you have any questions, please see your Guidance Counselor or Mrs. Slattery in the Guidance Department.
HELPFUL SCHOLARSHIP WEBSITES
https://studentscholarships.org/
https://studentscholarships.org/#sthash.PFkluTAF.dpbs
http://www.tuitionfundingsources.com/
http://www.universitytutor.com/scholarship-contest
http://www.studentawardsearch.com/index.html
https://www.purdueglobal.edu/blog/student-life/scholarships-minority-students/
https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/pay-for-college/scholarship-search
https://www.careeronestop.org/Toolkit/Training/find-scholarships.aspx
JUNIORS
JUNIORS
PSAT: For students who took the PSAT in October, congratulations on your hard work! Scores for the PSAT were released in early November. If students did not receive their scores, please reach out to Ms. Erving.
Standardized Testing: Juniors should plan to take an SAT and/or ACT exam in the spring of their junior year. Additional exams may also be offered in the summer and in the fall of their senior year. If students are planning to take AP exams as well, we strongly recommend that they create a testing schedule. Counselors are available to assist if students have questions.
For additional test prep/tutoring ideas: Test Prep
Guidance Seminar: Junior Guidance Seminar will begin at the start of Term 3. Juniors will meet with their Guidance Counselors once every four days during the CDS period on either Red 1 or Blue 2 days. Click the link below for more information about Guidance Seminar.
SOPHOMORES
SOPHOMORES
PSAT: For students who took the PSAT in October, congratulations on your hard work! Scores for the PSAT were released in early November. If students did not receive their scores, please reach out to Ms. Erving.
PACT: Registration information for the PACT is coming in the January Newsletter.
This is a good time of the year for students to work on completing their community service hours (Link to Community Service Page). Sophomores can try to start visiting some college campuses so they can get a feel for the fit of schools.
FRESHMEN
FRESHMEN
We’re enjoying seeing our ninth graders every week this term in Guidance Seminars! Counselors are helping our freshmen understand the details and importance of semester grades and academic eligibility for athletics, and engaging them in activities and conversations about time management and academic goal-setting as they continue to adjust to life as high schoolers. We’re also helping our ninth graders explore ways to get involved in extracurricular clubs, and having them write letters to their future senior selves (we find that our students love opening these when they become seniors!).
GRADE 8
GRADE 8
There will be a Virtual Grade 8 Parent Curriculum available for Parents of the Class of 2029 on Thursday, January 9th. NHS Department Heads will be reviewing 9th grade course offerings for 2025-2026. All materials will be posted on the Guidance website under the Parents tab.
NHS guidance counselors will be meeting with 8th graders on January 16th at Kennedy and Wilson Middle Schools to discuss the course selection process and share descriptions of elective courses. NHS Guidance Counselors are really looking forward to meeting our future students.
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS CENTER
COLLEGE AND CAREER READINESS CENTER
The College & Career Readiness Center
Direct links to the community service and job opportunity web pages are located on Career and College Readiness Website. Please check out the CCR bulletin board located between the gymnasium and cafeteria as it is updated throughout the year. Feel free to drop by Mr. Nardi’s office in the Guidance suite or schedule a time to meet with him if you have any questions. (jnardi@natickps.org)
The Career and College Readiness Center offers:
Work-Study Program
Community Service Opportunities
Dual Enrollment (at local colleges)
Job Placement & Application Assistance
Resume Writing
Interview Skills
Career Exploration
Community Service:
All NHS students are required to complete 30 hours of Community Service in order to graduate. Please visit the Community Service Website for more information and to print the Community Service Form. There are plenty of opportunities for students to participate in community service!
Student Employment:
To learn about local employment opportunities for students, please visit the Employment Opportunities Website.
STANDARDIZED TESTING & TEST PREP OPPORTUNITIES
STANDARDIZED TESTING & TEST PREP OPPORTUNITIES
STANDARDIZED TESTING: Juniors should plan to take an SAT and/or ACT exam in the spring of their junior year. Additional exams may also be offered in the summer and in the fall of their senior year. If students are planning to take AP exams as well, we strongly recommend that they create a testing schedule. Counselors are available to assist if students have questions.
ACT DATES & REGISTRATION SAT DATES & REGISTRATION
Students must register at www.collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org. Students are responsible for sending their standardized test scores directly to the colleges through their College Board and/or ACT account.
FOR TEST PREP OPPORTUNITIES PLEASE CLICK HERE.
FOR ADDITIONAL TEST PREP/TUTORING IDEAS: TEST PREP
Standardized Testing Resources:
Students interested in taking the SAT and/or ACT should register at either College Board or ACT respectively. While high schools continue to offer test administrations throughout the pandemic, space may be limited and fewer test sites offered. Administration updates can shift quickly so it is important to check your email for updates. Keep in mind that many colleges have adopted a test optional policy. We encourage you to read the fine print on the policy. For a list of schools that either no longer require or have made standardized testing optional in the college search process, please visit fairtest.org.
THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA)
THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA)
SECTION 8025 OF THE EVERY STUDENT SUCCEEDS ACT (ESSA), a federal law, permits parents to submit a written request to the school and/or school district prohibiting the disclosure of their child's information, including their child's name, address, and telephone number, to any United States military recruiter without prior written consent. A child's name can be removed from these lists by filling out the Military Exempt Form and returning it to the Guidance Department.
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