Quarter 2 ends on Friday, January 17, and Semester 2 will begin on Tuesday, January 21. While all students enrolled in 5.0 credit classes will have their schedule remain the same, anyone enrolled in a 2.5 credit class will begin their new elective on this date. As with first semester, we will have an add/drop period to change these electives, which will occur January 27th-31st. In order to add/drop a class the following criteria must be met:

• Students complete the Google Form found in the advisory slides
• The courses being exchanged meet in the same scheduled block as each other
• The courses being exchanged do not over-enroll a particular section

Students - make sure you are meeting with your counselors to complete these changes in a timely fashion and as a reminder we will not consider any requests to change a 5.0 credit course

In addition to progress reports and report cards that are sent home throughout the year we encourage you to check your student's progress intermittently on Aspen. Instructions are available here.

Students voluntarily sign up, or an AP and/or teachers encourage students to attend for extra support with assignments

• All referrals must be in by 2pm the Thursday before
• The link for students to refer themselves can be found below

• English Form
• Spanish Form
• Students should come prepared: fully charged Chromebook, necessary materials and understanding of work to be done based on a conversation with their teacher(s)
• Teachers can submit material ahead of time, but only the referring teacher can determine if the work completed is sufficient to make up missing class time and/or recover credit
• Content-area teachers present: Ms. Drane, Mr. Papastavrou, Ms. Flanagan, Mr. Skowronski & Chef Bird
• Students are required to complete at least one hour's worth of study time (class assignments) during the session
• Students can earn back one missed class for each hour worth fo work completed. This means, if students stay and complete 3 hours worth of work, they can earn back 3 missed classes. Students an work on multiple subjects during the time but cannot double-dip the time.
• Excessive class cuts during a term and the calendar will impact student eligibility to attend Saturday Enrichment. This will be determined by the AP, teachers and Enrichment Coordinators

Early College at WHS

What is it?

A Structured Program College Courses- FREE Credit for both High School and College

In partnership with MetroWest College Planning Collaborative (CPC), WHS has developed access to college courses offered through MassBay Community College and Framingham State University Students select college courses they would take during their school day taught by visiting Professors and supported by Waltham HIgh School teachers.

Be on the lookout for Information Session and virtual events!

Fill this form out if you are interested in learning more: Early College Interest

During first semester we were able to host a number of college planning workshops on various topics including "Understanding Financial Aid," "Community College and Mass Transfer" and "College Application Support". As we move into the new year, we plan to continue to host these workshops as well as begin to offer more, specifically targeting juniors who are beginning the college search process. Please keep an eye to your email/advisory slides for more information on these upcoming workshops.

ELA MCAS (Retest) - March 6th & 7th

Math MCAS (Retest) - March 11th & 12th

Don't forget to write a thank you note to the teachers who wrote your college letters of recommendation

Update Scoir with admissions decisions

Counselors will be going into English classes the week of January 21st to discuss the local scholarship booklet and how to complete it. All applications must be submitted by Friday February 14th at 7:30am. We will not accept any late submissions so we encourage you to not wait until the last minute to complete this application.

• FREE Community College

• Regardless of age or income status, community college in Massachusetts is now FREE for all students, so long as they:

• Live(d) in Massachusetts for at least one year

• Graduated from a Massachusetts high school

• Completed the FAFSA

• Are enrolled in at least six credits in community college (two classes, considered at least half-time student)

• MassEducate covers the full cost of tuition and fees for all eligible students. Students may qualify for an allowance of up to $1,200 for books and supplies based on income level. Some students may also be eligible for an additional allowance (up to $1,200) to help with other costs of attending college

• Additionally, ​​free tuition and fees is available for low-income students (not including housing) at state schools, with up to half off tuition and fees for middle-income students

• Please reach out to your school counselor with any questions

• The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now open

• Used by the state and federal governments to determine eligibility for government aid

• All students will be required to submit a FAFSA form, as it is required by all colleges and universities

• Parent(s) will use tax information from 2023

• The student and any “contributor” must apply for an FSA ID before filling out the FAFSA

• The CSS Profile is now available for students to submit. Select schools (mostly private, some public universities) will require students to provide additional financial documentation to the FAFSA

• Cost of the first submission is $25, with subsequent school submissions costing $16

• If a student qualifies for a fee waiver, fees can be waived for CSS Profile as well

• Please reach out to your school counselor with any questions regarding the CSS Profile

• Free financial aid webinars are offered through the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA)

• Webinars are available live and on-demand covering a host of financial aid topics, including FSA ID, Financial Aid 101, and Athletics in College Admissions

• Please see the MEFA website for more information and the schedule of upcoming webinars

• FAFSA Festival
• "Do you need assistance completing the FAFSA, the form required to apply for college financial aid? Join MEFA for a virtual FAFSA Festival. You can log in anytime and you will be paired with an expert who can answer your FAFSA questions and help you complete the online application. Before you join us, we encourage you to start filling out the FAFSA at fafsa.gov"
• January 15th, 4:00-6:00pm
• February 11th, 4:00-6:00pm

• Financial Aid Estimator

• The Federal Education Department offers a Federal Student Aid Estimator, which provides an estimate of how much federal student aid a student may be eligible to receive

• This is simply an estimate for a student and their family to have an idea of what aid they may qualify for

All necessary documentation must be submitted 3 weeks prior to a student's first application deadline. This includes:

• Transcript Request Form
• Moving schools into "Applying" column of Scoir account
• Counselor Recommendation Form (Scoir)
• Request Teacher Recommendation(s) (Scoir)
• Add extracurricular activities to Scoir profile

Helpful Resources:

• Senior Checklist (with how-to instructions for completing necessary documentation)
• Step-by-Step Common App Guide
• College Application Overview

• Keep an eye out for upcoming announcements regarding post-secondary planning workshops
• Junior Year Timeline
• Attached in the link above, please find a timeline for college bound students to follow throughout the course of junior year

• Financial Aid Estimator

• The Federal Education Department offers a Federal Student Aid Estimator, which provides an estimate of how much federal student aid a student may be eligible to receive

• This is simply an estimate for a student and their family to have an idea of what aid they may qualify for

• Course Selection will take place between March 10th-24th
• ELA MCAS (Retest) - March 6th & 7th
• Math MCAS (Retest) - March 11th & 12th
• SAT Information
• Students interested in taking the SAT's should register through collegeboard as soon as they decide on a date. We typically encourage students to take the May or June and then again the fall of their senior year (August, September, October)

• Course Selection will take place between March 10th-24th
• Counselors will also use this time to conduct lessons on career exploration as well as review different post-secondary options
• ELA MCAS - March 25th & 26th

• Course Selection will take place between March 10th-24th

• Youth Connections
• Youth Connections is a dynamic program designed to empower young individuals as they navigate their future paths. Representatives from Youth Connections will be in our College & Career Center on Thursdays from 11:00 am-2:45 pm to work with students on resume building, career exploration, internship opportunities, and career skills. Scan the QR code in the flyer below for more information
• MEFA Webinars
• Massachusetts Educational Finance Authority (MEFA) provides information and clarity on the entire college financial aid application process through webinars. You'll learn about financial aid applications and types of financial aid, the factors that determine your aid eligibility, how colleges determine the amount of aid to offer, and the details of financial aid offers
  
• Upcoming dates:
• Tuesday January 14th, 6:30-7:30pm
• FAFSA Festival
• "Do you need assistance completing the FAFSA, the form required to apply for college financial aid? Join MEFA for a virtual FAFSA Festival. You can log in anytime and you will be paired with an expert who can answer your FAFSA questions and help you complete the online application. Before you join us, we encourage you to start filling out the FAFSA at fafsa.gov"
• January 15th, 4:00-6:00pm
• February 11th, 4:00-6:00pm
• NACAC National College Fair
• The National Association for College Admission Counseling is hosting a College Fair in Boston on March 27th (9am-12pm & 6pm-8:30pm) and March 28th (9am-12pm) at the Boston Convention and Exhibition Center
• See the list of participating schools here
• Register to attend the fair here
• Gap Year Fair
• Tuesday, January 14th, 6pm-8:30pm

• Ready Set Job Career Readiness Conference
• Register Here

• This event offers a unique opportunity for young people to learn essential life skills, such as financial literacy, and tools to help them navigate future careers. Students gain valuable insights and skills that can help them secure internships and thrive in the professional world. Additionally, participants will create or update their resume with a Waltham professional.

  
  

  Event Details:

  When: Saturday, January 25, 2025 10:00-3:30 pm

  Where: Brookhaven at Lexington 1010 Waltham Street, Lexington, MA

  Who: All high school students in Waltham (we have 50 spots available)

  Note: Students should bring their Chromebooks for the resume session.