• NEW CVHS CUSTOM GOWN!
  
• Brand new this year - for the graduating class of 2025 - CVHS is introducing a new custom cap and gown! (Sibling cap and gowns from previous years cannot be worn. Please reach out to Jostens for questions.)
• Why Should I Order NOW?
  
• Order online by October 9th, to take advantage of your school’s GROUP DISCOUNT PRICING.
• What's the best way to place my order?
  
• Order online by October 9th, accessing the following link: CVHS Online Orders.
• $40 OFF Class Rings!
  
• Place your class jewelry order online by your school's deadline, to get $40 off Class Jewelry Order! (Use promo code: RING40 at checkout. Certain exclusions apply).
• Who do I Contact for Questions?
  
• Please contact our Jostens representative directly with any questions at nils.erickson.office@jostens.com or by calling 303.985.0095.

• Please check in with your advisement teacher to make sure we have the correct information for your diploma. We order them soon!
• On Thursday, September 12, the State Board of Education voted to revise the math cut-score for the Digital SAT from 500 to 480 on the graduation guidelines menu of options for students graduating in 2024-2025 and 2025-26. This change will positively impact approximately 5 - 7% of our current juniors and seniors.
  

The art scene in Castle Rock, Colorado, has been quiet for a few years now, but all that’s changed. The Castle Rock Artist Alliance — or CRAA for short — was formed in July of 2019 and has become our town’s largest nonprofit serving local artists and the local art community.

CRAA supports local artists and the art community by providing innovative, creative, and educational opportunities in all disciplines of the Arts, and works with local businesses and organizations to hold artist exhibitions in venues around town — including Ecclesia Market, Union American Bistro, COFF33 and Castle Rocks & Jewelry — and helps create inspiring public art projects. In short, the organization helps connect artists, supporters of the arts, and art consumers, whether they be businesses or individual consumers. After all, artists do need to sell their art to continue to do what they love.

• If you need a reminder on how to request transcripts, it's on the Post Grad website: How to Request Transcripts and Letters of Recommendation. To pay for transcripts, go through this direct link or login to MySchoolBucks and search "transcripts" to find and add CVHS TRANSCRIPTS. Students, don't forget to see me to let me know where and what you want sent!
• Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing application materials. Colleges may continue to send emails that materials are missing during that 2-week window, but don't panic.
• Does your college of choice have an upcoming deadline of November 15th, November 30th or December 1st? Please plan ahead and check in with Ms. Gentry ASAP! Some colleges require information from your counselor, and counselors require time to be able to complete it. You can check the college websites for specific requirements. Please also make sure that the deadline is correct in Naviance.
• If you need to send your transcripts from Arapahoe Community College, you send them through the ACC website.
• Test scores are not on the transcript. You'll need to send them directly from ACT or SAT.
• South Dakota Mines is waiving the application fee for students from October 1 - November 30th. Apply here.
• The College of Education and Behavioral Sciences at University of Northern Colorado invites you to the 10th annual UNC Future Teacher Conference on Friday, February 7, 2025. This free conference is designed to help aspiring teachers learn more about the field, connect with peers and gather insights from Colorado’s leader in teacher education. The conference will feature presentations and workshops facilitated by preservice teachers (current UNC students), early career teachers, veteran educators and UNC faculty/administrators.

Contact us right now at info@corecoursegpa.com or call 317 663-3495 to learn more.

When it comes to academic preparedness, every day counts.

• 2025-26 Updates:

• Could open December 1st (not set in stone yet)

• Eligibility: Colorado application for state financial aid for Colorado ASSET students (non-US citizens); students who have lived in the US for 12 months before starting at college, attended a CO high school for 1 year before graduation. If student has a financial need, regardless of their ASSET status should complete CAFSA (even if not meeting the above criteria).

• ASSET (Advancing Students for a Stronger Tomorrow)- will pay instate tuition at CO colleges/universities; can be awarded the Colorado Student Grant depending on financial need through completion of the CASFA.

Step One - Create an FSA ID

• Students and parents login to Federal Student Aid to complete the FAFSA. Set this up early to avoid delays. Parents without a social security number can set this up as well. Colorado School of Mines has information on their website to answer common questions and troubleshoot issues: 2025-2026 FAFSA Information - Financial Aid.

• Like any website, it is overwhelming at first, but even 5 minutes clicking around can really help you get familiar with what resources are available.

What you need to complete your FAFSA:

1. Your parents' SSNs if they have SSNs and you're a dependent student
2. Tax returns from last year
3. Records of child support received (if applicable)
4. Current balances of cash, savings, and checking accounts (you need this on the exact day you submit)
5. Net worth of investments, businesses, and farms

Step Three - FAFSA completion

• Double check that you have fully completed the FASFA. Ensuring all required fields are filled out can help give you a piece of mind that you are on the track for higher education.

The FAFSA will be fully available in December. We recommend starting the application by late December and completing it as soon as possible. Many schools have a priority deadline to award aid so students should not delay. Even if you do not think they will qualify for any aid, we encourage all incoming students to complete the FAFSA for their first year.

Need Help?

3 Tools to Help You:

1. FAFSA Help website
2. Aidan: FAFSA virtual assistant. Click the owl in the bottom corner of any Federal Student Aid website page to access Aidan, the virtual assistant.
3. Contact the college Financial Aid Office. Go to a college website, find the A-Z Index, and then look for Financial Aid to contact the Financial Aid Office.
4. FAFSA Interpreters:

• The FAFSA is available in English and Spanish.
• "Getting Started with FAFSA" info is available on this FSA website in the following languages: Mandarin, Cantonese, Tagalog, Vietnamese, French, Korean, German, Arabic, Russian, and Haitian Creole.
• Phone Assistance is offered in 60 other languages:
• Call 833-610-2590
• Press 7
• Say, "Interpreter for (the name of the language you would like).

Check Your Email!!! Federal Student Aid can only contact you via email.

• The required tasks for all seniors are:

• Create/Update a Resume. If you need to create one, use this website. Otherwise, update your resume, download as a PDF and upload to Naviance.
• Complete AchieveWorks® Learning & Productivity assessment from 9th grade
• Complete Career Interest Profiler from 10th grade
• Identify 3 favorite careers
• Add colleges to my list
• Complete AchieveWorks® Skills from 11th grade
• Senior Credit Check With Counselor
• Create a 12th Grade Post-Secondary Workforce Goal. What do you want to do after high school?

• Use the Naviance tool "SuperMatch college search" under the colleges tab. This tool allows students to search for specific interests and narrow down their college options. Students can then make a list of their appropriate choices.

• Have you received a scholarship? Please send Ms. Gentry the letter or a picture of the scholarship information for our records.

• The new 2025-26 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) form is expected to be available before December 1, 2024! Submitting the FAFSA form is the first step to getting federal student grants, scholarships, work-study opportunities, and student loans. What you can do now to prepare:

• Prior-Prior Year (PPY) Tax Information: The 2025-2026 FAFSA will use 2023 tax information for students and their families to determine eligibility for federal student aid. They should ensure that this information is completed and accessible.
• All students and parents contributing to the FAFSA will need a FSA ID. If they don't already have one, they can go here to create an account.

• Home Depot Foundation's Path to Pro Scholarship is now open to seniors who plan to enroll in an approved trade-related program at an accredited two-year school in the United States. The scholarship is worth $2,500 and the deadline is December 31, 2024.

• To be eligible for the Power of Resilience Scholarship, applicants should be seniors and must show good academic standing with a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The scholarship recipient will have made clear their interest in the power of personal resilience when in crisis. Apply by December 31, 2024.

• The $2,000 "No Essay" Scholarship is an easy scholarship with no essay required! The scholarship can be used to cover tuition, housing, books, or any education-related expenses. Students can apply once each month, with a new winner selected every month. Apply Now!

• Did you know that high school seniors can get accepted to 110+ colleges based on the information in their Niche Profile? We want to give you $5,000 for college and get you one step closer to receiving immediate college acceptances — right on Niche. Apply for our Niche $5,000 Get Accepted to College Scholarship today and you’ll also be eligible to receive immediate acceptances through Niche Direct Admissions®️ during your senior year. Deadline is December 31st.

• The AIAA Lockheed Martin Marillyn Hewson Scholarship was created in 2022 to encourage young women to study aerospace engineering and pursue a career in the aerospace defense industry. The scholarship awards one $10,000 scholarship to a female high school senior who is intending on pursuing an engineering major at a college or university in the United States or one of its territories. Must have a minimum GPA of 2.5, demonstrate financial need, and demonstrate an interest in a career in the aerospace defense sector. Deadline to apply is December 31st.

• The Jackie Robinson Foundation offers promising minority students not only a generous four-year grant to assist with the costs of attending college, but also a full support network of fellow scholars, alumni, and professional mentors to help them excel in school and beyond. The deadline for applications is January 9, 2025. Learn more by visiting the website.

• The ESA Foundation is offering 140+ scholarships to talented students and applications are now open! You do not have to be an ESA or Foundation member to apply, so go ahead, search to see which scholarships apply to you and start your application today. All applications are due January 31, 2025 at 11PM MST.

• The University Hills Rotary Foundation Scholarship is now available online. This four-year renewable scholarship is worth $4,500-$6,000 each year. Applicants must meet the following requirements:

• Applicant must intend to major in Science or Math

• Applicant must plan to attend a Colorado college or university

• Applicant must have a GPA of 3.00 or greater

• Applicant must be able to provide evidence of need.

• Applications are due by February 28th!

• Our friends at Revolution Prep are excited to help Castle View students reach their 2025 academic goals by offering a $400 gift card toward a private tutoring package (12+ hours) and $100 off small group test prep courses for the SAT® & ACT®. (Quick note: the private tutoring gift card value will change to $250 on 12/1, so take advantage of the full savings before then!). If you’re considering tutoring to support your student’s success, Revolution Prep offers a range of options.
• Your gift card can be applied toward programs that help with:

• Bridging learning gaps and accelerating progress
• Preparing for midterms, finals, quizzes, essays, and high-stakes exams (i.e. PSAT/NMSQT®, ACT®, SAT®, AP®)
• Developing strong study habits and interpersonal skills
• Improving organization, time management, and task prioritization
• To learn more about Revolution Prep’s tutoring options, click here: 2024 Holiday Gift Card & Tutoring Program Support
• If you’d like to get your gift card, visit the page: Revolution Prep Holiday Gift Card

• Students who need to complete/turn in graduation required community service hours: 296 or 64%

• Students who need to complete ICAP requirements: 227 or 49% - Check your Naviance > tasks

• Students who have completed their application to college: 45.4%