MHS School Counseling Newsletter

We are halfway into the third quarter and it feels like we are nearing the home stretch of the school year! This last chunk of the year is a busy one while our department focuses on the post-secondary planning process for juniors, scheduling for grades 9-11, supporting seniors in making their final college decisions, and AP testing. We know that the final stretch of the school year can be a stressful one, so please let us know if your student needs any additional support during this time. We are happy to help!

Some of you may already know, but one of our school counselors, Amy Petroskey, will be on maternity leave starting at the end of March. She will be returning at the beginning of the 2025-2026 school year. We will have a long term sub, Julia Cho, starting on March 24th who will be filling in for Mrs. Petroskey during this time. We are excited to welcome Ms. Cho to our department!

Last week, we went into the junior history classrooms to give students an overview of what to expect throughout the college application process and what to work on between now and the beginning of the next school year. During this lesson, students also completed a college search through http://www.mefapathway.org/ The slides to the presentation we did in classrooms with students are attached.

Most of the information from that presentation is geared towards the four-year college application process as the majority of our students pursue that path. However, there are many other paths to choose, such as..

- 2-year/community college

- Certificate/training programs

- Gap year

- Employment

- Military

- Apprenticeship

Some of these can also be done in combination with one another. We will discuss your individual plans with all students and families in your post-secondary planning meeting.

Post-Secondary Planning Night for Families

Thank you to those who were able to attend our post-secondary planning night last Tuesday 3/4. For those who were unable to attend, attached are the slides we discussed with active links. We did record the presentation for those who were unable to join, please view the recording here.

Next Steps

We know that this process can be stressful and is very involved. We want to meet with all juniors individually about their post-secondary plan and we want to encourage families to join us in these meetings.

- To schedule with Amy Petroskey, please email her at apetroskey@maynard.k12.ma.us (after March 24th, Mrs. Petroskey's long term sub will be doing these meetings)

- To schedule with Nicole Fernald, please self-schedule using her calendar

- To schedule with Dana MacPhee, please email her at dmacphee@maynard.k12.ma.us

The National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) of Central Middlesex is holding its annual "College and Your Mental Health" Panel as a webinar on March 31st from 7-8:30pm. This program prepares students and parents for the transition to college for young people living with mental health conditions. The panel will include a student as well as administrators from Middlesex Community College, UMass Lowell, and Boston University. Please see the attached flyer for additional details and registration information.

NACAC (National Association for College Admission Counselors) College Fair

Boston Convention & Exhibition Center

March 27th from 9am-12pm and 6pm-8:30pm

March 28th from 9am-12pm

Pre-register here to take part in the College Matchmaking feature

NEACAC (New England Association for College Admission Counseling) College Fairs

Merrimack College (North Andover) - Sunday, May 4th from 6-8pm

Assumption University (Worcester) - Wednesday, May 14th from 5:30-7:30pm

Bridgewater State University (Bridgewater) - Thursday, May 29th from 9am-12pm

SERF College Fair

Lincoln Sudbury High School - Sunday, March 16th

View additional details and college attendees here

Class of 2026 Brag Sheet - This is for students so that we can have more detail about you when writing your letter of recommendation **this is required for students who need a letter of recommendation**

Caregiver Brag Sheet - This is for any parent or guardian who wants to share with us a little extra information about their student that can help us write the counselor letter of recommendation

MEFA Website - MEFA is the Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority. It provides tons of resources about the financial aid process and the college application process. In the fall, they offer lots of webinars on the overview of financial aid

Financial Aid 101 Webinar - The Financial Aid 101 webinar is the general overview of the financial aid process. Typically in the fall, this is offered multiple times a week so there will definitely be more dates/times closer to Oct. 1. This spring, it is offered on March 18th from 6:30-7:30pm and May 8th from 6:30-7:30pm

4-year College Checklist - This comprehensive checklist includes all of the 4-year college application process tasks as well as many helpful links

Scholarship Resource List - Some useful information about where to start researching scholarships

Many colleges will remain test optional for the admissions cycle for the Class of 2026, but this is still subject to change at individual colleges. We encourage all juniors to check directly with colleges they are considering for the most up to date admissions requirements. 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

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

August 23rd, Sept. 13th., and Oct. 4th are all SAT dates available next school year, but registration has not opened yet

ACT Test Dates - students must register through act.org

April 5th, late registration available until March 16

June 14th, registration deadline May 9

July 12th, registration deadline June 6

September 6th, registration deadline August 1

October 18th, registration deadline September 12

Now that we are in the second semester, this is the time of year in which students can expect to see lots of scholarships becoming available. Seniors should continue checking the Class of 2025 Google classroom for information about new scholarships.

We will be visiting senior classrooms next week to teach a lesson on financial aid. During that lesson, we will also be introducing the local Maynard Scholarship Application to students which we want to encourage everyone to complete. We are lucky to have such a generous Scholarship Committee here in town!

In the meantime, students can continue using this Scholarship Resource List as a starting point when searching for scholarships.

MEFA Financial Aid Offer Hotline

Do you need assistance understanding and comparing your financial aid offers from colleges? Join MEFA for a virtual Financial Aid Offer Hotline. Financial aid experts will be on hand to meet with you individually and help you understand the financial aid that you have been offered, calculate the estimated net balance due at every college, and navigate your next steps, including how to pay for the remaining costs that will appear on your college bill. Log in anytime between 5-7pm on March 19th and April 16th for support. Please visit this website to RSVP.

College Guidance Network Webinars

Financial Aid Award Letters - March 20th at 7:30pm

Financial aid award letters are arriving, do you know how to make sense of yours? In this interactive Q&A, we’ll break down key terms, compare real award letters live, and answer all your questions. Register for the webinar here.

Student Debt and Loans: A Crash Course - March 25th at 7:30pm

Student debt is a major concern for many families, but informed decision-making can make all the difference. In this interactive Q&A, we’ll break down your options, and discuss borrowing strategies and repayment plans to help students and parents navigate college costs with confidence. Register for the webinar here.

A couple of weeks ago, school counselors went into the 10th grade health classrooms to teach a suicide prevention lesson using the Signs of Suicide (SOS) curriculum. SOS is an evidence-based program that has demonstrated an improvement in students' knowledge and adaptive attitudes about suicide risk and depression, as well as a reduction in actual suicide attempts.

Our goals for this program include teaching students:

that depression is treatable so they are encouraged to seek help

how to identify serious depression and potential suicide risk in themselves or a friend

to ACT (Acknowledge, Care and Tell a trusted adult) if concerned about themselves or a friend

who they can turn to at school for help, if they need it

We encourage you to:

● visit www.sossignsofsuicide.org/parent for information on warning signs for youth suicide, to access useful resources,

and to learn more about the key message all students will learn in class.

● access a list of local resources on the MHS School Guidance Counseling Website

Metrowest Princess Boutique

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.

Framingham High School Career Fair

Looking for career options beyond a four-year college? Don't miss the Framingham High School Career Fair on March 18 at 6:30 PM!

This free event is open to all MetroWest families and focuses on non-traditional career pathways, including trades, apprenticeships, certifications, and other great opportunities. Community members will have the chance to connect with local businesses, explore job and internship options, and learn about career paths that don’t require a four-year degree. Please see the attached flyer for additional details.

Newport Healthcare Guide for Parents of LGBTQ+ Youth

Newport Healthcare has created a guide that provides tools for parents on the journey of understanding, encouraging, and supporting LGBTQ+ youth as they explore their identity and orientation. View the guide here.

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!