New Year, New Opportunities!

Hello Noble Knights!

We hope your break was filled with moments of joy and relaxation. As we settle into the new semester, it's a perfect time to reflect on the fresh opportunities ahead. January marks a fresh chapter, brimming with opportunities to dream boldly, plan with purpose, and achieve greatness. This is your moment to set meaningful goals and take decisive steps toward success.

Remember: "The future depends on what we do in the present." Every choice you make today brings you closer to your aspirations.

Let’s work together to make this semester your most successful yet. Envision your future, craft your plan, and celebrate your progress every step of the way.

Are you ready to explore exciting career paths? The James Reese Career & Technical Center offers a variety of programs like Culinary Arts, Veterinary Medicine, Audio Video Production, and more for students to dive into their passions. The Interest Form Window is open from January 15 to February 10—don’t miss your chance to apply! Plus, mark your calendar for the Reese Experience Night on January 28, 2025, from 5:30 PM to 7:30 PM. Join us to learn about the programs, meet the staff, and enjoy interactive activities. Prepare for an incredible opportunity to shape your future!

For those of you are planning to take Dual Credit courses for the 2025-2026 school year, we will be starting earlier with the Dual Credit paperwork because of the new testing requirement. Please know that we have 2 different Dual Credit options: our traditional courses with HCC and those with UT On Ramps. ONLY HCC courses require documents to be turned in and have college readiness test score requirements.

Attached is a power point about Dual Credit, a step by step of how to apply to HCC via Apply Texas, HCC and UT On Ramps offering and 2 forms that need to be completed – the waiver form and the DC course request form. These forms are for HCC courses only.

**Please know that if you have taken a class at a high school (For example: Sociology, Psychology or Speech), you cannot repeat it as Dual Credit.

1. Review the attached Power Point

2. Only first time Dual Credit students need to submit an HCC application via Apply Texas

a. If you are a student that already has an HCC ID#, you will use this HCC ID# which is known as the W#. Do NOT do a new application.

b. The term you will apply for is either summer 2025 or Fall 2025. HCC’s deadline to apply for the HCC ID# is April 12, 2025.

3. Your HCC ID# will come in the form of an acceptance letter in the email that you used in your application within 24-48 hours.

4. Once you have received your W#, complete the 2 forms attached – the waiver form and the DC course request form and email them in a PDF as soon as possible to Ms Powis at dina.powis@fortbendisd.gov. Please only use this email address, as I will not be looking at Schoolinks messages.

5. In order to take the TSIA, students need to make an account and complete the Pre-Assessment (PAA) at this link: https://tsia2.accuplacer.org/ Once students have received their certificate of completion, they can register for the TSIA by completing This Form.

6. Use this link to complete the registration form.

7. Once you take the TSIA test, download, or print your scores immediately and send them in a PDF to Ms Powis so she can determine if you meet requirements.

As soon as the forms (and TSIA scores, if needed) have been submitted, Ms Powis will reply to each student via email to let them know if they are complete and have a seat in the class. Please be patient and do not submit multiple forms or emails. There are hundreds of emails, and it takes time to go through each one properly. However, if you do not hear back via email within a week of submitting your forms, see Ms. Powis in room 402.

Students are given seats in classes on a first come, first serve basis, as they fill up quickly.

This is all that needs to be done at this time for courses to be taken in the Fall. HCC enrolls all of our students in their courses taken on campus. Students choosing to take an online HCC course will self-enroll. Ms Powis will assist with that when school begins.

Dual Credit Summer Courses

For students that want to take a Dual Credit course in the summer, the deadline for forms to be turned and testing completed is February 12, 2025. Students will need to self-enroll in summer courses on their own – instructions to follow. Ms. Powis will assist students enrolling for summer courses if they need help. For now, we only need to focus on the submitting your paperwork.

Important to understand:

For those students who do not have an SAT or ACT score, or their scores do not meet the minimum college readiness benchmarks, they MUST take the TSIA. If students do not test or do not meet the TSIA minimum score, they will not be able to take a dual credit course though HCC.

TSIA Dates at Elkins HS

Saturday January 18th 8am-1pm

Saturday January 25th 8am-1pm

Saturday February 15th 8am-1pm

Saturday March 1st 8am-1pm

Test Prep: Resources are attached to this e-mail, but are also posted in the Counselor and CCRA Schoology course in the DC folder. Please look at this as there is a LOT of information not only about DC, but many other important items.

Access code: 7NPB-W4H5-RVN29

Reminders:

Forms and test scores must be in PDF attachments. Ms Powis has to be able to download them and submit them to HCC.

Dual Credit Informational Meeting: Link for Parent and Student DC information meeting January 9, 2025 @ 6pm via TEAMS: Click here to join the meeting.

Which courses require specific testing:

US History, Government, Sociology, Speech, Psychology – SAT 480 verbal, ACT combined ELA and Reading score of 40 or TSIA ELAR

College Algebra – online only – SAT 530 math, TSIA Math

Economics – both ELA and Math scores required.

We know that this is a lot of information. Please do not hesitate to ask questions – Ms Powis is always willing to help!

Sincerely,

Dina Powis, Lead Counselor

dina.powis@fortbendisd.gov

Attachments:
HCC_Dual_Credit.pptx (43.5 KB)
DC_Course_request_form.pdf (139.2 KB)
Lifetime_waiver_HCC.pdf (297.9 KB)
RESOURCES_FOR_TSI_STUDY_AND_PRACTICE_TESTS.pdf (205.0 KB)
Step_by_Step_Application_Instructions_for_HCC_2024_11_22.pdf (241.4 KB)

Level changes are available starting TBD. Students can pick up a Level Down Form in Room 401 or 402 (EHS Counseling Suites) or access the form through the EHS Counselor Schoology course in the Forms folder. A link to the Schoology course can be found near the bottom of this newsletter.

Please refer to the FBISD Policy for Level Changes:

Guidelines for Exiting an AAC/AP Course
The exit process is designed to help students make thoughtful course selection decisions. It’s important to note:

• The exact grade from the AAC/AP class will transfer to the on-level course without adjustments.
• For failing grades, teachers may assign alternative assignments to adjust the grade to a maximum of 70.
• These grades will count toward calculating the on-level course grade and may impact UIL eligibility.

Key Points to Keep in Mind:

1. Seek Support First:
   Students are expected to utilize available resources such as tutorials and teacher conferences to improve their performance in AAC/AP courses.

2. Timing & Process for Level Changes:

   • Requests to level down will be considered after the first three (3) weeks of school and only if space is available in the new class.
   • Before requesting a change, the student and parent must meet with the teacher to create and implement a plan for success.
   • If the plan has been followed and all assignments are completed, the teacher and student may request a conference to discuss the level change.

3. Eligibility for Level Changes:

   • Success in an AAC/AP course is defined as maintaining a grade of 75 or above.
   • Requests to level down cannot be made to improve GPA.
   • The exact grade from the weighted class transfers to the on-level course without adjustments. For failing grades, teachers may assign alternative assignments to adjust the grade to a maximum of 70.

4. Failing Grades:

   • Students earning an F in an AAC/AP course at the end of a grading period may be removed unless the teacher and administrator recommend otherwise.
   • Students assigned to DAEP may lose their AAC/AP class placement.

5. AP Courses Without Equivalents:

• Students enrolled in an AP course with no on-level equivalent must remain in the course until the end of the semester.
• Options for fulfilling graduation requirements with such AP courses may be limited, potentially affecting the student negatively.

For more details or assistance, please contact your counselor.

Join us for an exciting opportunity to explore your future! We are thrilled to announce our upcoming College Fair, hosted by our College and Career Readiness Advisor, Mrs. Harris. With over 30 organizations in attendance, this event is a fantastic opportunity for students to connect with representatives from various colleges and universities, discover academic programs, and gather insights to shape their educational journey. Don’t miss this valuable step toward achieving your goals!

The Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2 (TSIA2) is available for students needing to assess college readiness in reading, writing, and math. Seniors who need to take both sections will be receiving an invite to register soon. For questions or additional information, please contact our College and Career Readiness Advisor, Mrs. Harris, at veronica.fontenot@fortbendisd.gov.

If you need to take TSIA2, please follow the steps below.

1. Take the TSIA2 Pre-Assessment Activity (PAA): https://tsia2.accuplacer.org/.

a. Create an account if you have not done so before.

b. Use your personal email address

c. Use your FBISD Student ID # in the box that asks for your Student ID.

d. Save your login information.

e. Take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 Pre-Assessment Activity (about 30 minutes)

Note - Students taking TSIA2 at EHS will be required to bring a laptop to the campus with them on test day. They must also be able to log into the FBISD network or access the district’s wi-fi in order to gain access to the internet for testing. You can check system requirements on your personal laptop here.

2. Take the Texas Success Initiative Assessment 2.0 Pre-Assessment Activity (about 30 minutes). Please complete your PAA before you complete the registration form below. Save your certificate of completion as you will need it to complete the TSIA2 registration form.

3. To sign-up for a TSIA2 administration click the following link: Elkins HS TSIA2 Registration Form.

4. It is highly advisable that you study for the TSIA2 prior to testing. Please utilize the following links for TSIA2 Study Resources.

a. College Board Study App and Practice Questions

b. Pearson Online TSIA2 Learning Resources

Registration for spring semester exams (AP Government, Economics, and Physics C) has started.

For yearlong classes, you can still register with a $40 late fee. All payments must be made through RevTrak.

The final deadline for AP exam registration is February 25, 2025.For any questions, please contact Mr. Brian Williams, at brian.williams@fortbendisd.gov or Mrs. Harris (Fontenot) at veronica.fontenot@fortbendisd.gov

• The online 2025-2026 FAFSA is now open.

• Mrs. Harris will be hosting a FAFSA/TASFA workshop on 01/15 from 5-7PM in the library.

BigFuture: Discover college options, scholarships, and career paths.

CampusReel: Experience virtual campus tours and hear directly from students.

Encourage: Access a variety of resources and support for college planning.

Loper: Find colleges that align with your interests and goals.

and additional information below:

If you qualify for free or reduced lunch, you are eligible to receive a fee waiver for the ACT and SAT. Please email Andrea Adams at andrea.adams@fortbendisd.gov, and she will provide you with the necessary code.

Please note that each test taker is entitled to receive a maximum of two fee waivers for each test.

GENERAL MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Finding Answers

• Find a Therapist (Search Engine)

  
  

• Mental Health Test (Test)
• American Academy of Child & Adolescent Psychiatry (Glossary)
• Free & Low Cost Community Mental Health Resources (Resource List)
• Mental Health America (Official Website)
• Mental Health America of Greater Houston (Official Website)
• Mental Health America of Greater Houston Guide (Guide)

Clinics and Community Services

• Clearhope Counseling and Wellness
• Texana Behavioral Healthcare Services
• Vida Clinic Behavioral Health

Hospitals and Facilities

• Westpark Springs Mental Health Facility
• West Oaks Hospital

SPECIFIC MENTAL HEALTH RESOURCES

Anxiety

• Child Mind Institute

Grief

• Bo's Place - Free Grief Support for Houston-Area Families
• Judi's House for Grieving Children
• National Alliance for Children's Grief

Conflict is a necessary part of life. Although conflict can be uncomfortable for some, it is important for all of us to learn how to face conflict and work through it.

To find a path forward, follow these steps:

1) Talk to your teachers about the struggles you are having. If you aren't comfortable having a face to face conversation, then send your teacher an email or a Schoology message. Be honest and respectful. Let your parent/guardian know what is going on too.

2) If you and your teacher are unable to work out solutions to the struggles you are facing, then let your parent/guardian contact the teacher to discuss the issue and look for solutions. Parents/guardians can email the teacher or set up a TEAMS conference with the teacher. If needed your counselor can help set up a parent-teacher meeting. Your counselor will attend the meeting if needed.

3) If no resolution has been found after working through the steps above, then your parent/guardian should contact your administrator to further explore the problem and brainstorm solutions.

Note: Each step above is an important part of the conflict resolution process. It is a necessity to work through each step.

Please email Ms. Adams if you need a VOE. She needs 3-5 business days to fulfill the request. On demand requests will not be fulfilled.

andrea.adams@fortbendisd.gov

How can I meet with my counselor?

EHS counselors are here for you! We are located in Suites 401 and 402. Stop by before school or between classes. If your counselor is not available, you can leave a note, and your counselor will send for you. Another option is to email your counselor and discuss what you need or let her know you need to talk and would like to schedule an appointment.

Karina Rivera

Last names A-C

Suite 402

Karina.Rivera@fortbendisd.gov

Brian Williams

Last names Ce-Fl

Suite 402

Brian.Williams@fortbendisd.gov

Richerica Wolf

Last names Fo-Ji

Suite 402
Richerica.Wolf@fortbendisd.gov

Ivy James

Last names Jo-Mal

Suite 401

Ivy.BowenJames@fortbendisd.gov

Elisha Carter

Last names Man-Pe

Suite 401
Elisha.Carter@fortbendisd.gov

Braiyon Sands

Last names Pi-St

Suite 401
Braiyon.Sands@fortbendisd.gov

Dina Powis

Last names Su-Z

Suite 402

Dina.Powis@fortbendisd.gov