Mid Year 2023-24

HIGH SCHOOL COUNSELING NEWSLETTER (QUARTER 3)

Feeling stressed is extremely common

A certain amount of teen stress is normal. It’s a natural emotional, psychological, and physical reaction to the big and small challenges of daily life. Teenagers often feel stress due to the myriad of changes, both internal and external, that comes with life. But the last few years have vastly multiplied the number of teenage stressors and, as a result, increased how many teens are affected by stress.

6 Tools for Coping with Teenage Stressors

Teenage stress management includes learning how to deal with stress at school, at home, and in social situations. Tools for stress relief for teens can provide easy ways to activate the relaxation response. Here are six evidence-based approaches to stress management for teens.

1.) Breathe deeply- Research shows that slowing down the breath may be one of the most effective coping skills for teens, because it activates the rest-and-digest system. Square/Box breathing

2.) Practice Mindfulness- Meditation and mindfulness activities encourages teens to witness their emotions from a slight distance rather than getting caught up in them.

3.) Move your body -Physical activity increases the body’s production of endorphins, the brain’s “feel good” chemicals. Choose something you like to do so that exercise won’t feel like a chore. Need some ideas?

4.) Get the right amount of sleep- Whether or not you get enough Zs can have a big impact on stress. When you're sleep-deprived, you may find stressful situations much more threatening/stressful. Develop good sleep habits

5.) Create a support network- Social relationships improve mental and physical health. The more support we have, the more resilient we are against stress. Your network should be made up of people you trust (family, peers, school counselors, mentors, and mental health professionals) who will listen closely to you and empathize with what you’re going through. Crisis Text Line- Text HELLO to 741741.

6.) Take control of what can be controlled- Getting the facts and making plans can help counteract stress. If you have a big project looming, you can create a schedule that will keep you on track (FREE checklist, schedule, and planner templates). If you are facing an unknown situation, you can do some research so you'll know what to expect. Being prepared with information and planning ahead can help prepare you to face challenges head on, with more confidence.

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SENIORS

Granite Edvance (formerly NHHEAF) Presents: Paying for College 101

When: March 20th from 5:30-7:00

Virtual presentation (link to follow; registration required). Students and families are encouraged to attend.

This session is intended to help families understand and evaluate financial aid packages.
We discuss outside scholarships, financing options, avoiding scholarship scams, writing special circumstance letters and understanding Award Letters.
Attendees will receive assorted reference materials.
Need Help Understanding Your Award Letter?
You can also schedule a FREE in-person or virtual 60 minute appointment with Granite Edvance to discuss funding options upon receiving the award letter.

Have you already hit SUBMIT for your college applications? Check this and this out!

Need to send your SAT scores to colleges? Click here.

Scholarships

Granite Edvance (formerly NHHEAF)
Newmarket Scholarship Classroom (code: 3prwycd)
Fast Web
Going Merry
College Board
NH Charitable Foundation: will be awarding over $7 million in scholarship aid to over 1,500 New Hampshire students this year. Students only need to apply once to be considered for all of our scholarship funds. Our online application, ScholarshipSource, automatically matches applicants to the funds for which they qualify.

Local Scholarships- be on the lookout ; the Counseling Dept. will send out an online application to students in the spring.

2yr degree, 4yr degree, Licensure, Trades, and Credentials Scholarships: https://www.nhcf.org

Paying for College- Terms You Should Know

Have you filled out your FAFSA? It opened Jan 1, 2024. Students need to create a Student Aid account. Accounts will need to be verified, which will take 3-5 business days, before they can complete the FAFSA. Here is a video that will walk families through this process. Don't forget, you (and a parent/guardian) need a FAFSA ID before you can fill out the FAFSA. Also, Granite Edvantage is having a FAFSA Open House. See information below.

NH Scholars

Minimum Course Requirements and Pathways.
Did you complete the requirements for NH Scholars and/or additional pathways? Please register here.

NH Scholars Scholarships

Other options:

Don't forget to review your high school transcript!

Have you taken a VLACS/VHS course that's not on your NHS transcript? Did you get an INC in a class that you still need to take care of? Is something listed incorrectly?

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JUNIORS

SATs- March 27, 2024

Where: at NJSHS (during the school day; no registration required)

Granite Edvance Presents: Applying to College 101

When: April 10th from 5:30-7:00

Virtual presentation (link to follow; registration required). Students and families are encourage to attend.

This session is intended to educate students and families about the college admission process.
It is never too early to start thinking about college. Selecting colleges and applying for admission can be overwhelming. There are applications to be completed, deadlines to meet, essays to write and policies to understand.
Topics include: narrowing your list, questions to ask on a college tour, college essay pointers, the application timeline and the basics of financial aid. Attendees will receive The College Insider.

**Scholarships for Juniors**

The College Board has launched a new scholarship program with $5million of scholarships each year. Don't wait to get started! College Board- Opportunity Scholarships

Horatio Alger Scholarships

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JgsVwfyUi8h5Euib-3Qb5QI7Yu28ZyoPUg7h7Pz5wS8/edit DUE: 3/15/24

Big Future Events (free)- College Board is hosting virtual events for high school students to connect directly with college admissions representatives and take action on the most important steps for college in 2024-25. Stay tuned for a date and time- informative

You can also access recordings of the most popular sessions here- https://pages.collegeboard.org/big-future-days/after-big-future-days?excmpid=mtg680-st-1-gen

Your college planning checklist
Paying for College 101 (Granite Edvantage will also present a more in depth look at this topic at the beginning of senior year).
How to pick a career path that actually fits you
College panels

Thinking about studying abroad?

Meet with top universities, graduate schools and
professional schools from Canada and around the world- click here.

Returning to SST next year?

You need to apply. Due date: Feb. 2, 2024

Instructions for Returning Student Applications

Jane Foss (Admission Rep) will be here on Jan. 30th from 9:00-10:00 in the Counseling Dept. to help students with applications and answer any SST questions. 😄

In Case You Missed it:

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SOPHOMORES

Seacoast School of Technology (SST)

SST's programs are designed to prepare students for their lives after graduation. All of the programs emphasize real-world application skills. Each program has both classroom and laboratory space that stimulates actual workplace environments (https://sst.sau16.org/en-US).

Have you submitted your application yet? The due date is Feb. 2nd 👍
Need help with your application? SST will be here on Thursday, Jan. 31st from 9:00-10:00 in the Counseling Dept. Come on down.
SST Program Career Options, Pre-Reqs, Contact Info, and Promotional Videos

Student PSAT Score Reports

Log into your College Board account here- https://studentscores.collegeboard.org/home

Understanding your PSAT Score

https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/scores/understanding-scores

Sample PSAT score https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/pdf/sample-psat-10-score-report.pdf

Why Your PSAT score matters

https://www.usnews.com/education/blogs/college-admissions-playbook/2013/09/23/3-reasons-your-psat-score-matters

Granite Edvantage: Early College for Me (5/15/24)

It is never too early to start to plan for a college education.

More information about the virtual presentation to follow.

In Case You Missed it:

Career Exploration presentation

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FRESHWO/MEN

NH Scholars: NJSHS encourages all students to complete a rigorous course of study that prepares them for successful transition to college coursework or technical training necessary to enter today's competitive job market.

Why NH Scholars?

More than 88% of middle school students say they want to go to college. However, once they get to high school, students frequently don’t take the necessary courses preparing them for college-level work. This leads to remedial classes, frustration, and wasted time. https://nebhe.org/newslink/new-hampshire-scholars-ready-to-succeed/
NH Scholar Minimum Requirements and Pathways

NH Scholar Scholarships & Free Applications
Four Year Course Planner

NOTE: You do not need to 'sign up' for NH Scholars or the pathways. You are responsible for enrolling in the classes that are required. If you have any questions, please reach out to me to set up an appt. Also, in the spring of your senior year, I'll share a link that you'll need to fill out to get the NH Scholar denotation and/or pathway(s) on your diploma.

In Case You Missed It:

Career Exploration presy

NHHEAF: Early College for Me (5/15/24)

It is never too early to start to plan for a college education.

More information about the virtual presentation to follow.

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AP EXAMS & RESOURCES

AP Exam 2024 schedule
AP Exam structure

AP Classroom (http://myap.collegeboard.org) hosts AP Daily videos, which can help students as they move into the spring semester with coverage of every topic and/or skill in your course. AP Daily videos provide students with the features they requested most:

A search box helps you find the most relevant videos by any word spoken, in the captions, or by course content and skills for Units 1–7.
A video carousel enables you to preview videos and resume videos where you left off.
Short, on-demand videos can be watched on any device.
Teachers assign videos to students, which creates a "To-Do" card on each student's homepage.
Students can view assigned videos from their teacher, or view videos on their own, all on their AP Classroom homepage.
Unique, shareable AP Daily video links can be posted anywhere and take students directly to watch each video in AP Classroom.
Students can view topic questions alongside AP Daily videos to get feedback on confusing/difficult material before class.
Students can confirm understanding on assigned topic questions, and can see suggested videos to review to address any confusing/difficult material.

AP Review Sessions

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MISCELLANEOUS

End of Quarter 3- April 5, 2024

NJSHS CLUBS

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1_79z7vmbIAXgUZ7veuV_IZw2fwTHSgBfvDGatiwe5Ws/edit#gid=0

Homework Club

Mrs. Alland (room 218)- Tues. and Wed.
Mrs. DeSantis (room 239)- Mon, Tues.,and Thurs.

Request your VLACS transcript

Please be aware that you cannot request your VLACS transcript until all of your assignments have been turned in, graded and your grade has been posted by your teacher.

Course Requests for the 2024-2025 school year will be happening at the beginning of mid-Feb. Please look at your transcript ahead of time to know what you need to graduate as well as the Program of Studies for course descriptions.

Graduation Requirements:

English 4.0 credits

Math 4.0.credits

Science 3.0 credits

Social Studies 3.0 credits

Tech Lit 0.5 credits

Fine Arts 0.5 credits

Health 0.5 credits

PE 1.0 credits

Electives (class of 2025) 9 credits

Electives (class of 2026) 8 credits

Electives (class of 2027) 7 credits

Electives (class of 2028) 7 credits

Refer to the 2023-24 Program of Studies for course descriptions; (2024-25) will be published soon.

Electives Offered by Grade

QuestBridge (Seniors & Juniors)

The College Prep Scholars Program for high school juniors opens each February.
The National College Match for high school seniors opens each August.

Event Information

FAFSA Open House

What: In-person support with the FAFSA, open to everyone! The event begins at 2:00 and is open until 8:00. You'll need to register for this event. To register, call (603) 225-6612 or send an email to findyourdirection@graniteedvance.org. A flier will also be shared with families via email and the Newmarket Counseling Dept. FB page (see below).

When?

Wednesday, Jan 31, 2024, 02:00 PM

Where?

Great Bay Community College, Corporate Drive, Portsmouth, NH, USA

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COLLEGE CAMPUS TOURS 2024

This year, juniors and seniors have the opportunity to visit several college campuses. **Please remember, if we don't have enough student interest for a college trip, we CANNOT go.**

1/31: Great Bay Community College
2/6: SNHU
2/15: UNH
2/21: UNE
3/6: Empire Beauty School
3/14: Granite State Trade Schools

I can take any last minute permission slips by Wednesday, Jan 24th. We have permission slips in the Counseling Dept. as well. Parents can also take a picture of the permission slips and email them to me.