MHS School Counseling Newsletter

It's hard to believe that we are almost halfway through the school year! We know that prepping for midterms and closing out the semester can be an incredibly stressful time for students. Please don't hesitate to reach out to your student's school counselor if they need some extra support.

We will have an add/drop period for any semester-long electives that have just begun during semester two at the beginning of next semester. The add/drop period will last a full 7-day rotation cycle. Students will have until the end of the day on Tuesday, Feb. 4th to make changes to second semester electives.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FASFA) is open! We encourage all seniors who are attending college next year, either 2-year or 4-year, to fill out the FAFSA. In order to complete the FAFSA, students and parents will need an FSA ID (login information required to fill out the FAFSA and other financial aid applications). The FSA ID can be created at this link. Check out this graphic to see who needs to create an FSA ID.

Although the FAFSA application does not have a hard deadline, we want to encourage all students to make sure that they are submitting their FAFSA by the priority deadlines for their colleges. Each college sets their own priority deadline. Submitting by the priority deadline guarantees that a student receives the most possible aid that they are eligible for. Students can find the financial aid priority deadlines on their colleges' financial aid websites.

Some students may also be required to complete the CSS profile for their colleges. The CSS profile is an additional financial application required by about 200 colleges in the country. The colleges that use the CSS profile are typically more selective private schools that have a large endowment. Students should check their colleges' financial aid websites to see if the CSS profile is required.

Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority (MEFA) Resources

The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority offers a variety of free webinars for students and families regarding financial aid. See the links below for more information and to register.

• Financial Aid 101 - Multiple dates

MEFA is also offering one more date for their FAFSA Festival on Feb. 11th. The FAFSA Festival provides personalized support completing the FAFSA. See below for their flyer and registration info.

• FAFSA Festival

MEFA has created this handy FAFSA checklist detailing the steps to completing the FAFSA and what is needed in order to complete it

Mass State Financial Aid Programs

Other resources available to help students afford a college degree include:

• MassEducate: provides free tuition and fees at the state’s community colleges for all eligible Massachusetts students.
• MASSGrant Plus: can provide significant discounts (up to free tuition and fees) at the state’s four-year universities depending on family income.
• Eligible, non-U.S. citizens can apply for state financial aid through the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA).

2025 FAFSA Days

Financial aid professionals from colleges and organizations across Massachusetts

will be ready and available to answer questions and walk families through the application process on specific dates in early 2025. Click here for more information. Click the specific dates below to register for each event. (Registration for dates in March and April is not available yet)

• Tuesday, January 28, 6-7pm
• Monday, February 24, 6-7pm
• Tuesday, March 11, 6-7pm
• Monday, March 24, 6-7pm
• Monday, April 14, 6-7pm
• Tuesday, April 29, 6-7pm

Similar to college applications, the timing of scholarships becoming available is cyclical. Scholarships typically pick up during the second semester, but there are some larger scholarships that students can apply for in the fall. Whenever we learn of a scholarship available to students, we will post it on the Class of 2025 Google classroom. Every year in February, the local Maynard Scholarship Application will open up and we will come into the senior English classes to talk to students about the importance of applying.

In the meantime, please check out this Scholarship Resource List which has information about scholarship search engines and where to get started on your own.

Manton Scholarship

The Manton Scholars Program is seeking applications from students whose families have been significantly and negatively affected by the death or serious illness/incapacitation of a primary income earner, or the serious illness of an immediate family member (i.e., parent/primary care giver or sibling).

Scholars selected into the program will be eligible for up to four years of scholarship support at a two or four-year accredited college or university, or a trade school with a demonstrated track record of successfully placing graduates in long-term jobs. Schools must be located in the U.S or Canada. Scholarships will be up to $30,000 annually. Award size is based on unmet financial need

Applications must be completed online by Friday, February 14, 2025 by 5PM Eastern Standard Time. More information about the scholarship can be found here.

This is a great time of year for students to reflect on how classes have been going and to think about their classes and schedules for the 2025-2026 school year. Here is what to expect for our scheduling timeline this year:

- In the coming weeks, teachers will be talking to students about their course recommendations for next year

- Be on the lookout in Ms. York's next week ahead email for our 2025-2026 Program of Studies. This document lists all of the classes that we have available here at MHS along with their descriptions.

- School counselors will be going into English classrooms on Feb. 5th and 6th to have students select their courses for next year through Aspen.

- The course selection portal will remain open from Feb. 5th - 11th for students to continue reviewing and making changes to their courses.

School counselors will be available to meet with students individually throughout February and March to talk through their classes for next year and make sure they match up with their post-secondary plans.

Last week, we began our 10th grade Work Values and Post-Secondary Planning lesson in the Health 10 classrooms. We did our lesson with one class so far and will finish the rest of the Health 10 classes during the first week of second semester.

This lesson focuses on teaching students what work values are, why they are important, and how they relate to their future employment and overall happiness. Students completed the Work Values assessment in MEFA Pathway which asked them to rank the importance of various aspects of work and provided them with different career options that matched up with their results. We also used this lesson to discuss the different post-secondary options that are available to students after graduation. While the vast majority of our students go to college, either 4-year or 2-year, after graduation, we also explored other options such as the military, apprenticeship programs, trading and certificate programs, and employment.

We will be hosting our annual Post-Secondary Planning Night for junior families on March 4th from 6-7pm. During this event, we will be covering the whole college application process starting with what juniors should be focusing on now to submitting applications during senior year. This event will be virtual and we will share the link closer to.

School counselors will also be going into 11th grade classrooms shortly after this night event to do a lesson on post-secondary planning. In this lesson, we will mostly be focusing on what students should be doing for the college application process between now and next fall. In the meantime, please check out our post-secondary planning timeline and resources page for more information.

Many colleges will remain test optional for the admissions cycle for the Class of 2026, but this is still subject to change. We encourage all juniors to check directly with colleges they are considering for the most up to date admissions requirements. This will be mentioned during our spring lesson, but if students want to take the SAT or ACT, we do recommend that they take the test of their choice for the first time this spring. Please keep in mind that MHS is not a testing center for either the SAT or ACT.

SAT Test Dates - students must register through collegeboard.org

March 8th, registration deadline Feb. 21 - this date may be early for students depending on how they felt about the PSAT and their scores, talk to your school counselor if you are unsure about signing up for the March test

May 3rd, registration deadline April 18 - AP students, be mindful about what your testing schedule will look like this month!

June 7th, registration deadline May 22

ACT Test Dates - students must register through act.org
Feb. 8th, registration deadline Jan. 3

April 5th, registration deadline Feb. 28

June 14th, registration deadline May 9

July 12th, registration deadline June 6

Navigating College Admissions As a Transgender and/or Nonbinary Student Workshop Presented by Sayftee: Monday, March 3, 7-8pm

Finding a college that is a good fit is overwhelming for students generally, but even more so if you are part of the transgender community. At this virtual workshop, they will discuss the application process and how to research colleges that can support and meet the needs of transgender and nonbinary students. They will address how prospective students can make sound decisions around selecting a college. Participants will leave this interactive workshop more confident in navigating the college selection process, and having a better understanding of how to assess if a college will be safe and affirming.

There is a small fee to register for this event, but participants can register using the "Community Rates" discount codes found toward the bottom of the registration page to bring the fee to as low as $10. For more information and to register, please click here.

NACAC College Fair - Boston March 27 and 28

The annual NACAC College Fair is coming to the Boston Convention & Exhibition Center in late March. Students will have the opportunity to talk to admissions representatives from colleges all over the country and gather more information to help narrow their college choices.

This fair has three sessions - March 27th from 9am-12pm and 6pm-8:30pm and March 28th from 9am-12pm. Visit this link to register

Belle of the Ball is a network of Boston-area businesses and individual volunteers who come together to professionally clean and display gently used prom dresses. Each year, they set up an amazing prom boutique in which students who need a dress are able to shop, free of charge, by invitation only. This shop is scheduled for March 22nd in Boston. If you would like to volunteer or to donate a dress, please use this link to get more information. If you or someone you know might qualify financially for a luxury free prom dress experience, please let your child's school counselor know as we can make referrals to the program. We are able to make referrals through March 14th.

The Metrowest Princess Boutique is a project sponsored by the GFWC Marlborough Junior Woman’s Club. The goal is to help qualified teens get to the prom by easing the financial burden for them and their family. All items, dresses, shoes and accessories are free. The students will have the help of a personal shopper and seamstresses to make the whole outfit perfect for their prom or senior reception! Hundreds of brand new gowns are also available!

The 2025 Metrowest Princess Boutique will be held on Saturday, March 15, 2025 at Marlborough High School in Marlborough, MA. Appointments are required to shop the event and volunteers must register in advance. Request an appointment here.

Stephanie Randazzo, PMHNP-BC will be hosting a group for high school girls focusing on supporting wellness, self-empowerment, and leadership.

The group will be running for 12 weeks on Tuesday evenings from 7:30-8:45pm in person at 100 Main St. Suite 16 in Maynard. The fee will be $20 per group attendance. Contact Stephanie Randazzo at randazzo.stephanie@gmail.com for more information or to register.

As parents we have all been there, we begin a pleasant conversation with our child and “it goes off the rails.” Please check out this Child Mind Institute article with 3 strategies you can try or adapt when you are communicating with your child.

Of course in a perfect world we would want these to work all the time, however having these tools can help us as parents feel more in control. That can help as we navigate this challenging developmental stage.

Bridge to Resilient Youth in Transition (BRYT) is hosting a Parents Supporting Parents BIPOC Affinity Group on Tues. Jan. 28th from 7-8pm. The group will run every fourth Tuesday of the month after that. To join the group click here. You can also learn more about BRYT Family Engagement at this link.

We’re in the middle of the long, cold, dark winter and getting through can be tough. Many people are affected by the weather, even those who don’t have a Seasonal Affective Disorder diagnosis. To help your mental health this winter, here are some tips:

• Get enough sleep - sleep is a crucial reset for our bodies and minds.
• Spend time with friends - staying connected to others helps keep us motivated and in a good headspace.
• Keep moving - exercise boosts energy and produces endorphins, which lower stress.
• Get outside - taking a walk and getting some fresh air and sun can boost your mood.
• Schedule activities to keep busy - even though it can be hard to motivate ourselves to get out of the house when it’s cold and dark, making plans promotes positive emotions and well-being.
• Ask for help if/when you need it - don’t be afraid to ask an adult, parent, or counselor for extra support if you need it. Text 988 for the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline or 741741 for the Crisis Text Line, both available 24/7.

Monday, 5/5/25 - 7:45am Biology & 11:45am Microeconomics

Tuesday, 5/6/25 - 7:45am Chemistry & 11:45am United States Government and Politics

Wednesday, 5/7/25 - 7:45am English Literature and Composition & 11:45am Computer Science A

Thursday, 5/8/25 - 7:45am Statistics & 11:45am World History: Modern

Friday, 5/9/25 - 7:45am United States History & 11:45am Macroeconomics

Friday, 5/9/25 - AP Drawing Portfolio Due

Monday, 5/12/ 25 - 7:45am Calculus AB & 11:45am Music Theory

Tuesday, 5/13/25 - 7:45am French Language and Culture & 11:45am Environmental Science

Wednesday, 5/14/25 - 7:45am English Language and Composition

Thursday 5/15/25 - 7:45am Spanish Language and Culture & 11:45am Computer Science Principles

Friday 5/16/25 - 7:45am Physics 1: Algebra-Based and Spanish Literature and Culture & 11:45am Psychology

Nicole Fernald nfernald@maynard.k12.ma.us (978) 897-8891 ext. 3209

Dana MacPhee dmacphee@maynard.k12.ma.us (978) 897-8891 ext. 3105

Amy Petroskey apetroskey@maynard.k12.ma.us (978) 897-8891 ext. 3210

Please also visit our MHS School Counseling website!