Welcome to the Class of 2026 Newsletter where you will find all of the important information for senior year, including scholarships, events and graduation information. As always, you can direct any questions to your counselor if you have them.
OEHS College Fair: September 11, 2025
OEHS will host a College/Career Fair for senior students on September 11th in the Commons from 8:20-9:20 am. Seniors can meet and converse with college/career representatives.
Senior Meetings and Mailings
Counselors will then begin to meet individually with seniors on or after September 5th for credit checks and college/career discussions. After this meeting, parents will receive a letter in the mail or email with a senior timeline as well as a copy of their senior's credit check and the classes they need to pass their senior year.
The following colleges will be visiting OEHS in-person over the next few months. Students can sign up through SchooLinks to meet with representatives. Contact Mrs. Gatz with visit questions. jgatz@sd308.org
Beginning July 1, 2025, SchooLinks replaced Naviance as the College and Career Readiness platform for SD308. If you have not completed the SchooLinks onboarding process, there is no need to worry. Seniors will be onboarded during the upcoming weeks and were offered a few workshops early in September.
Students can:
Use the College Search tool
Create a list of favorite colleges in SchooLinks
Build your Final List
Next school year, we will be using SchooLinks to complete your college application requirements. Starting August 4, 2025, you will be able to complete the items listed below, starting with creating your Common App account and setting up your SchooLinks College Application Manager.
The SchooLinks College Application Manager allows you to:
Track the progress and requirements for your college applications.
Organize all the application materials for the colleges to which you're applying.
Request your application materials, including transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc., to be sent to the desired institution.
SchooLink’s College Application Manager serves as an easy way to keep track of all the application steps and materials you need to submit to colleges, but it is not an application portal. You will need to submit applications using the methods offered by the colleges to which you're applying, including the Common App.
Emails were sent to students and guardians with additional information and resources in July, August, and September.
Here is the presentation on the FAFSA and FAFSA ID. This was presented on November 7, 2024 at OEHS.
The Free Application for Federal Student Aid is a mandatory item for graduation. Students and parents/guardians must fill it out or fill out a waiver to check this requirement off. The FAFSA is available at FAFSA.gov. It is available starting in October 2026 (anticipated)!
If a family plans NOT to file a FAFSA, a waiver must be completed. You can find the waiver here:
We have a representative from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission at our building every Wednesday. They provide free help with the FAFSA and will have presentations throughout the school year for our students and families.
Contact Information:
Leo Flood (they/them/theirs)
ISACorps Member, Waubonsee Community College District
Illinois Student Assistance Commission
(630)-723-7948
Leo.Flood@illinois.gov
Receiving admissions decisions? Not sure what to do next?
Many students are receiving decisions from their colleges. Some might even have several options to choose from and feel pressure to decide quickly. Unless you have selected Early Decision (which is binding - meaning students who are accepted must attend that college), students typically have until May 1 to make their final choice. This allows students and families to explore different costs based on FAFSA results. Please use this information as a quick reference guide during this part of the college decision process.
Mandatory Graduation Items
Available in October at www.fafsa.gov. Must have FSA ID to fill out. If you do not complete the FAFSA, you must complete a non-participation waiver.
Available on Google Classroom for 2026 in December.
Will be available next year. Students will receive instructions from their counselor later in the year.
COLLEGE PLANNING FOR STUDENTS WITH IEPS AND 504 PLANS.
Choices is a resource any student or family can utilize. The organization updates a large database of college and university programs that support students with disabilities. Click here for more Information on Choices.
As always, we are here to help your student reach their post-secondary goals. After your senior meets with their counselor, if you have any further questions, feel free to reach out to us for follow-up. We have attached the Student Services contact list for reference.