NHS Counseling Newsletter
Winter 2023
Hello Northville Parents and Students!
We hope that you’ve had a successful first semester!
In this Winter 2023 Counseling Newsletter, you’ll find important dates, updates for each graduating class, as well as some general Social and Emotional Resources to help.
Important Dates
Testing Dates:
National (Saturday) ACT Test Dates: Register Here
April 10, 2023
June 15, 2023
July 10, 2023
National (Saturday) SAT Test Dates: Register Here
March 11, 2023
May 6, 2023
June 3, 2023
Spring Testing at NHS: April 11-13
Other valuable events:
February 25, 8-4: Youth Mental Health First Aid
February 28, Xello Creative Summer Planning Webinar
April 5, 6pm: Parent Career Connections Talk
April 13, 6 pm: Parent Career Connections Talk
April 18: NACAC College Fair
2023-24 Registration and Curriculum information and deadlines will be sent out shortly!
Seniors
Money
Financial Aid: FAFSA is now open!
Scholarships: College Based, National Scholarships, Local Scholarships. Local scholarships will be emailed to all seniors on February 1st.
Mi Student Aid:
- Article about College Applications: Applying to Colleges is not what it used to be
- Please see this communication regarding 7th semester transcripts and Mid Year Reports
Class of 2024
Testing: PSAT/NMSQT 11 results are in! Make sure you review where your scores from October, and see if there are any areas that you want to improve before the SAT in April
Khan Academy offers free individualized test prep. Create an account and link it to your College Board account for specific help to get you to your goals!
Make sure to check out other resources from the counseling website to help prepare you for the SAT test in April
At this time, we are still anticipating the SAT to include the Essay portion when we offer the test in April
If you’re wondering about how to stay on top of our graduation plans this year, use this timeline to help guide you. Everyone’s plans are different, but read through to make sure that you’re making moves towards your goals.
Start thinking about classes that you want to take your senior year- How can you stay on track for your goals?
Think about how you want to spend your summer: Do you want to focus on working? Volunteering? Summer Program?
If you haven’t already, attend the College Q & A sessions during seminar, or set up an appointment with your counselor to talk through your specific goals!
Class of 2025
Have you been involved in clubs, volunteering or work? Start keeping track of your experiences in a document or a journal for future resume/ brag sheet.
Are you thinking about doing honors or AP courses for your junior year? Make sure you look at the Course Catalog and start talking to your teachers about your goals and what you need to do to be set up for those classes!
PSAT scores are in- Make sure you log into your College Board accounts to make sure that you review your scores and make plans for next year’s PSAT and SAT. You can start preparing for your tests next year by using Khan Academy’s individualized test prep.
Class of 2026
Start second semester strong! Keep in communication with your teachers and make sure that you’re participating in classes to get the most out of your experiences
Clubs are a great way to get involved, and meet new people. You can check out the NHS list of clubs here to find something that you are interested in. You can reach out the moderators for the clubs to learn more about joining!
From our Social Emotional Counselor, Ms. Shamus
As we move through life, it is inevitable that we will encounter some losses along the way. Grief is a universal human experience. Thankfully, our understanding of grief has evolved into a more supportive model: rather than tucking our grief away for private moments, we’ve learned that it is often more beneficial to create safe and supportive public spaces in which to engage our feelings and remember our loved ones.
This year, Northville High School is proud to partner with the New Hope Center for Grief Support to bring grief support directly to our students. New Hope, located in the heart of downtown Northville, provides expert leadership in helping people move through their grief in a comfortable and engaging way. Because the experience of loss can feel so isolating for teens in particular, and because our students are often busy with after-school activities, we are pleased to be able to bring grief support directly to those who need it during the school day.
This past fall, we piloted a small, 6-week grief support group for students who have experienced a significant loss in their lives. The group was co-led by three facilitators: two from New Hope alongside our SEL Counselor, Dianna Shamus. The group meeting time alternated each week so that no class was missed more than twice. Group time began with some light snacks and small warm-up questions (such as “Would you rather…?” questions) designed to create a safe environment for discussion. Next, the group explored a specific topic each week related to grief using conversation, videos, music, short passages, and/or creative activities. Topics included:
Difficult emotions such as anger, sadness, and guilt as well as coping skills to address these big emotions.
The uniqueness of each individual’s journey through grief.
Changes that have occurred since the loss and preparing for holidays and/or ‘milestone’ dates.
Favorite memories with our loved ones.
Ways to move forward with this loss as part of our lived experience.
Throughout the group, participation was always encouraged but never required. Our group experienced much laughter together – as well as a few tears – but we always ended on a positive note in support of each other and ourselves.
Moving forward this spring, and based on feedback from our past participants, the school-based Grief Support Group will keep the same structure and format but will be expanded to 8 weeks to allow for the exploration of additional topics. If you have experienced a loss, please consider joining us on Fridays from March 3 - May 5. Visit Ms. Shamus in the Counseling Office or send a note to shamusdi@northvilleschools.org to sign up, or click on the link for more information: School-based Grief Support Group.
For All Students:
Keep in touch:
Follow us on
Twitter: @NHSCounseling2
Instagram: @northvillecounseling
Schedule an appointment with your counselor to check in!
Come see your counselor during drop ins
Other Resources:
Northville Youth Network: This organization empowers youth through healthy lifestyle programs and serves as a bridge to services provided by other agencies and businesses. They also host events through the Overbooked Book club, and other events.
Hegira Health Services: Dedicated to achieving wellness first, through our team’s commitment to excellence in service that embraces all people and does so with integrity and resolve.
New Hope: Bringing hope, healing, and new beginnings to those grieving the death of a loved one
Check out some of the groups that are running throughout January to support those who are struggling with loss
Mala Child & Family Institute: Resources for those who are interested supports outside of school
