Hi everyone!

I hope you had a wonderful festive season in October! With theater programs, classroom projects, and plenty of celebrations happening at school, time has flown by, and somehow we are just 6 weeks away from the end of the semester. I have loved seeing students express themselves through theater and choir performances and Halloween costumes, celebrate their culture during Hispanic Heritage Month, pursue opportunities by applying to college and participating in our first campus visit, and work on important academic skills in our classroom spaces. As we move into the final two months of the year, I encourage students and families to maintain their momentum with schoolwork and activities, and to think about how these efforts can support their future goals. I’m excited to announce more great projects in the weeks and months to come, and I look forward to finishing the semester strong!

In October, we visited our first college campus: the University of Alabama in Huntsville! We had a wonderful trip exploring the campus, meeting student representatives, learning about academic programs, and--of course--enjoying lunch in the food hall! On November 12th, we will visit the University of Montevallo so that students have the opportunity to continue to learn about the college options in our state. These trips are available to high school students, with priority given to Juniors and Seniors. Students must be passing all of their classes in order to attend. Students may register here if they are interested, and I will be handing out permission slips Tuesday and Wednesday. Permission slips are due Friday, Nov 8th.

We will launch our first job shadowing opportunity in December. I am working on our first partnership for this event, but students should have filled out their interest form in Advisory class. I do have the option to opt out on the form, so I am asking for all students to complete the form. If your student has not submitted this, please encourage them to do so by Nov 8th. Job shadowing is a great opportunity for students to meet professionals and experience a "day in the life" of a career that they are interested in. In previous years, we have explored college programs, cosmetology schools, local radio stations, conservation organizations, and more! If your student would like to shadow a family member, friend, or other contact independently, I can provide a form that will allow them to have up to two excused absences for this purpose.

This month, our career focus is on jobs in business, marketing, and finances. This career cluster has a wide array of pathways available, many of which are growing and offer great compensation. Careers in business and marketing are ideal for those who have a strong entrepreneurial drive, creativity, and ability to work with people. Financial careers require a strong attention to detail, dedication to accuracy, and offer benefits to those who can effectively assess and take risks. Below are a few examples of careers in these fields along with their average annual salary in the state of Alabama according to O*Net.

Marketing Manager: $113,000

Financial Manager: $134,000

Accountant / Auditor: $66,00

Sales Representative: $64,000

Tax Preparer: $29,000

This is a very wide field, and these are only a few of the many jobs and careers that can be found in this industry. The banking industry alone accounts for roughly $256.9 billion in revenue each year. In this month's Career Café on November 8th, we will invite five professionals across this field to chat with students and share information about their career journey. Racquese Evans and Amie Stout Boothe will offer their experiences in banking and tax preparation, Kayla Gladney and Rashida Reese will discuss their careers founding and managing their own marketing firms, and Nano Fuerte will offer his expertise as a small business owner and community organizer with Latinos Con Onda. These conversations will take place during high school lunch, and students can register here!

We all know college is expensive. However, there are many options to consider that can help make continued education more affordable while still achieving your goals. On November 20th at 5pm, we will host a Financial Aid Night, designed to help families understand the basics of some of these options. The session will provide an overview of scholarship, grant, loan, and work-study options for parents of college bound students, along with FAFSA information for Seniors and their families specifically. Check out some of the resources below to learn about some of the topics that will be covered in this session. If you are interested in joining, please register here.

• The FAFSA is approaching! In addition to being a graduation requirement in the state of Alabama, the FAFSA is also the single greatest source for financial aid for low income families in the country. You can learn more about reasons to complete the FAFSA in this article, and importantly you do not have to do it alone! I will be helping students during Senior Session, and we will be hosting a Financial Aid Family Night on November 20th to walk through the FAFSA and discuss other financial aid pathways (register here). The Department of Education has said that the FAFSA will open on December 1st. Therefore, in November it is important to prepare by ensuring that each student AND ALL contributors has created their FSA ID at least one week in advance of the release date.
• College acceptance letters! After the Free Application Week in October, I have been very excited to hear from students as they share their acceptance decisions with me! I am tracking acceptance rates for our graduating class, so please ensure that students share their decision via email with me when they receive them. If they share a screenshot or picture of their letter, I will also add it to our "What's Next for the Class of 2024" board in the library hallway to recognize them! It is recommended that students submit all of their college applications by December 1st, so if students are still working on applications, please encourage them to complete all application components by the end of November.
• FREE ACT Test Registration! I have received grant funding to cover up to 40 students to register for the ACT for free this year! I have 13 Seniors who are interested in signing up to take the December 14th test, and I will call them to the library to help them complete their registration on Tuesday and Wednesday, Nov 5th & 6th. The December test is the final score that UAB will accept. If your student is interested in taking this test, please email me as soon as possible. The deadline to register is November 8th.