Shorewood Counseling Newsletter

For a translated version of this newsletter, please click here.

Can you believe we're over halfway through Term 1 [Semester 1] already? Now that the school year is in full swing, we wanted to remind you that we are here every day to support you. The best way to get ahold of us is through email. You can also call and leave us a voicemail with a good time to call you back. And we can set up a zoom meeting if that works best. Let us know what works for you!

Here are some other important updates:

• Some counselor caseloads have shifted! This change happens each October based on enrollment and reflects a 350 students to 1 full-time counselor ratio. You can find our updated alpha caseloads on our website and at the bottom of this newsletter.

• This month, we are focusing on seniors. We are making sure that all seniors have plans for completing their remaining graduation requirements, and are also sending those out in writing to students and parent/guardians. If you haven’t received your graduation plan by the end of the month, please let your counselor know. Depending on your student’s plan, this will be sent through email or USPS mail.

• We are also working with Ms. Stephens to support seniors with their post-high school planning, including SAS help sessions, individual college application assistance, and help with researching options for after Shorewood.
  

This year, Shorewood has four terms/semesters. First semester ends November 6th. Report cards will be mailed home mid-November. Students will be earning .5 credit for every class passed, and those grades and credits will go on their official high school transcripts. This means that your student should have 1.5 high school credits by the end of November! By passing all classes, every semester, students will end up with 6.0 high school credits, the same as previous years.

Progress reports are being mailed home this week and reflect current grades in Canvas as of October 2nd. With the term ending on November 6th, please take time to review your progress report so you know if you are on track to earn credit in your classes at the end of the term. If you have any concerns, reach out to your teacher to make a plan to get back on track.

You can find teacher contact information here.

Four year planning is an integral part of being a high school student. Your counselor will track your plan and credits along the way, AND it is important that you also know what is needed to graduate and have a plan for how you are going to meet those requirements.

You can find your class graduation requirements both on the counseling website and in the registration guide on page 10. Check out what you need to do to earn your diploma! Page 11 of the registration guide offers a tracking sheet you can use to map out your plan to meet requirements. You can also use this form found on our website to map out your plan. Let your counselor know if you have questions!

Many students go on to apprenticeship programs after high school, where they receive on the job, paid training in a trade or profession. Apprenticeship programs are available, and sometimes required, for a variety of fields such as aerospace, medical, software & technology, construction, and other trades. It is an excellent way to start your career directly after high school while receiving training, schooling, and a paycheck!

Check out Washington State's Apprenticeship page for more details on programs in our area. On this page, you will also find resources specifically geared toward supporting women, people of color, and other underrepresented groups in the trades connect with apprenticeship programs.

Have questions about the financial aid process for programs and colleges after high school? You can get 24/7 help from Otterbot! Otterbot is a virtual support service students can text anytime to get their questions answered. Just send "Hi Otter" to 360-928-7281 to get started.

You can also find information, learning modules, and helpful videos on the Washington Student Achievement Council's website. This is a great website for students and parents to explore together during the financial aid application process as it covers preparing for school, understanding loans, loan repayment, and how to support your child's education.

Seniors - it is critical to complete the FAFSA/WASFA if 1) there is any chance you will be attending a community, technical or 4 year college next year and 2) hope to get financial aid assistance with tuition costs. The FAFSA/WASFA opened on October 1st and you can find more information on the Ready, Set, Grad website. Our upcoming virtual FAFSA/WAFSA support night for seniors will be on October 20th at 6:00pm.

When requesting a letter of recommendation from teachers and counselors, please check with your college to see if they require one for your application. Many schools do not require a letter.

If you do need a letter of recommendation, you will need to fill out the teacher and/or counselor brag sheets on the college and career website. Send them to your teacher and/or counselor at least 3 to 4 weeks prior to your college deadline. Don't forget to write your recommenders a thank you note!

As we embark on a most unusual school year, the Shoreline counselors would like to offer you a place to go to find tools and strategies to manage stress, process emotions and take a moment to experience some calm. The Virtual Calming Room includes a number of resources for students of all ages and the adults in their lives. You can find apps, websites, and activities for visual relaxation, mindfulness, virtual tours, exercise, games, and more!

If you are feeling a bit anxious or overwhelmed, try some of the survival guide ideas below to help yourself feel better! Our mind often tricks us that when we're down, telling us the best thing we can do is nothing since we just don't feel up to it. Sometimes the best thing we can actually do for ourselves is to try something, even when we don't feel like it. Choosing what we do based on how we want to feel (not how we currently feel) is a challenging but important first step in feeling better.

We have a wide range of school supplies available for Shorewood students! Please email your counselor and we can easily arrange pick-up for you. We have plenty of great supplies, like highlighters, binders, composition books, etc. They are for YOU, so let us know what you could use!

Shoreline Counseling Resources - a comprehensive list of local counseling services and resources.

Crisis Connections - 24-hour Crisis Line provides immediate support for individuals, families, and friends of those in crisis.

Crisis Text Line - 24/7 text line support with trained Crisis Counselors.

Teen Link - volunteers are available to listen and assist you with any concerns about bullying, drugs and alcohol, relationships, stress, depression, and more.

The Trevor Project - support for members of our LGBTQ+ community through times of crisis.

Consejo Counseling (Spanish) - Provides various behavioral health services for the Latinx community.

Asian Counseling and Referral Service (ACRS) - Provides multicultural counseling services and support for members of the Asian community.

Hunger Intervention Program

The Hunger Intervention Program (HIP) is offering to-go meals with drive through/walk-up at Spartan Recreation Center (202 NE 185th St, Shoreline, drive back to the rear door) from 11:30am - 12:30pm on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Meals are for kids AND adults. No sign-ups necessary – just drop by!

Schedule:

• Monday – two lunches and a pack of four breakfast meals
• Wednesday – two meals
• Friday - one meal and weekend food pack (includes 6 meals)

Contact info@hungerintervention.org or 206-538-6567 with any questions.

Little Free Pantries

You can stop by any of these locations and pick up a few food items anytime:

• Ballinger: On the corner of NE 198th St. & 14th Ave. NE (Facebook Page)
• Briarcrest Little Free Pantry (14511 25th Ave. NE, in front of Shoreline United Methodist Church)
• Echo Lake/Northridge: 20008 6th ave NE (park on 200th side)
• Lake Forest Park: 25th Ave NE and NE 184th St
• Meadowdale: 15724 53rd Pl. W., Edmonds (Facebook Page)
• Meridian Park: 18312 Corliss Ave N.
• Mountlake Terrace: On 56th Ave. W. between Calvary Fellowship Church & Espresso Break (Facebook Page)
• North City Cabinet & Cooler: 18910 8th Ave. NE (cold food in a cooler & hot food at 8:30 p.m. Mon.-Fri.)
• North City: 1674 NE 185th (Facebook Page)
• Richmond Beach: 1422 NW 195th St.
• Ridgecrest: 15815 11th Ave NE (Facebook Page)
• Richmond Beach: 1422 NW 195th St.
• St. Barnabas Anglican Church/Parkwood: 2340 N. 155th St. (across from Twin Ponds Park)
• The Triangle Little Free Shed: 14544 Evanston Ave. N.

Community Food Support

Hopelink Food Bank (pre-packaged food items)

• 17837 Aurora Ave. N.

North Helpline Food Bank

• 12726 33rd NE, Lake City

Free Community Brown Bag Dinners

• Ronald United Methodist Church 17839 Aurora Ave. N. Shoreline
• St. Dunstan's Episcopal Church 722 N. 145th St. Shoreline
• POPy's Cafe 14514 20th Ave. NE Shoreline

Counselors

Shannon Greenway // shannon.greenway@shorelineschools.org // Last names A-Ber

Julia Shin // julia.shin@shorelineschools.org // Last names Bes-Dun + 12th AVID

Bradley Nyhof // bradley.nyhof@shorelineschools.org // Last names Duo-Lor + 11th AVID

Sam Wren // samantha.wren@shorelineschools.org // Last names Los-Ram + MLL + 10th AVID

Pam Richards // pam.richards@shorelineschools.org // Last names Ran-Z + 9th AVID

Gina Engle // gina.engle@shorelineschools.org // Running Start

Amber Langon // amber.langon@shorelineschools.org // Drug/Alcohol Prevention Specialist

Family Advocates

Kristin Harrington // kristin.harrington@shorelineschools.org // Family Advocate

Erin Maurer // erin.maurer@shorelineschools.org // Family Advocate

Counseling Staff

Sharon Roma // sharon.roma@shorelineschools.org // Counseling Secretary

Nikka Dieckman// monika.dieckman@shorelineschools.org // Registrar

More info can be found on our website.

Email: sharon.roma@shorelineschools.org
Website: https://www.shorelineschools.org/domain/629
Location: 17300 Fremont Ave. N. Shoreline, WA 98133
Phone: 206-393-6122