Counseling Offices/Schedule Information

COUNSELING OFFICE

The high school counseling office helps you with education planning, career and college information, social/personal concerns and any questions you want to discuss.  To see your counselor please fill out a request and drop it in the mailbox located in the cafeteria or the main lobby. Your counselor will schedule an appointment with you as soon as he/she can.  You must have a pass to see your counselor unless it is an emergency. 

Confidentially - A student’s right to privacy and confidentiality is the basis for an effective counseling relationship. Confidentiality ensures that school counselors won’t share students’ disclosures with others except when the student authorizes it or when there is a clear and present danger to the student and/or to other persons.

As per Board policy, student directory information (name, address, and phone number) may be shared with the following agencies: educational, occupational and military recruitment personnel.  If you do not wish your information shared, have your parent/guardian contact the Superintendent’s office in writing.

Schedules

The scheduling process for the next school year begins in late winter.  You must fill out a course request form from your counselor for consideration and complete the registration process on-line. It is important to choose wisely during the schedule registration process.  If you fail to request appropriate elective alternate choices, the school will select appropriate classes based on what courses fit best in your schedule. Once the scheduling process is finalized a list of course enrolments will be distributed to each student in late June.  The enrolment form will only list classes which a student is currently enrolled in based on their schedule requests. 

All 9-11 grade students are required to carry 40 credits per year unless a waiver is granted permission from administration.  12th grade students will be required to carry a minimum of 30 credits. 

No student will be permitted to request a study hall or will be permitted to change a course to a study hall without appropriate rationale 

and administrative approval.  Approval of all course changes must come directly from the principal.

COURSE CHANGE PROCEDURE

Schedules are completed over the summer and distributed prior to the opening of school.  Approval of all course changes must come directly from the principal. Course change request forms will be available in the counseling office. 

• Schedule Change/Dropping a Course - Students who wish to drop or withdraw from a course must adhere to the following procedures. 

  • Prior to the First Day Of School:  Any request for a schedule change must be submitted to the counselor via email prior to the first day of school.  Schedule change requests will only be considered if they are academic or programmatic in nature.  For example, a student who wishes to be in the honors level of a course or a student was mistakenly placed in a course that was already taken and passed.

  • Within the First 10 Days of School: - students with parental written permission may request to drop a course for an academic reason.  A suitable alternative course must be available within the schedule for the final approval of the course drop request.  No Drop Request will be considered following the 10 day period. 

  • COURSE WITHDRAW - To withdraw from a course a PMHS, students must complete the course withdraw form. Students who request to drop a course after the 10 day drop period will be required to complete the first full semester of the course and the student's Official Transcript will note the Withdraw status and pass/fail grade earned in the course.  (i.e.: Course Name -  Withdraw/Pass or Course Name - Withdraw/Fail).   Following the withdrawal from the course at the end of the first semester, the student will then be enrolled in an available semester course. 

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Each student will create a plan including: lessons they’re working on, personal inventories, assessment results, career matches, educational options and scholarship applications. This portfolio grows and evolves into an individual learning plan that helps transform career exploration into concrete plans for the future.

COLLEGE TIMETABLE AND IMPORTANT TESTS

Freshman year-take rigorous course work, keep grades up and get involved

Sophomore year- take PSAT, keep grades up, stay involved, start college searches, attend college fairs

Junior year- take PSAT, SAT, ACT, attend college fairs, visit colleges, compile a college list

Senior year- narrow college choices, fill out applications, search for scholarships, and attend college nights.

PSAT-all sophomores, juniors need to sign up in the guidance office

SAT-www.collegeboard.org

ACT-www.actstudent.org

ASVAB- www.asvabprogram.com

AP- https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home

NJSLA Assessments https://www.nj.gov/education/assessment/district/  (ELA, Math, and Science) 

TUTORIAL ASSISTANCE

Students seeking tutorial assistance should begin with their guidance counselor.  Through the National Honor Society we are able to lend effective peer assistance. Math tutoring will also be available after school with math department staff according to posted days.