Shawsheen Tech Guidance Newsletter

Mr. Matt Smith (masmith@shawtech.org) 9th grade counselor: Last Name M-Z

Mr. Greg Harrison (gharrison@shawtech.org) 10th-12th grade counselor

• Advanced Manufacturing
• Auto Collision Repair & Finishing
• Automotive Technology
• Dental Assisting
• Medical Assisting
• Metal Fabrication & Joining Technologies

Ms. Terry Henry (thenry@shawtech.org) 10th-12th grade counselor

• Business Technology/Marketing
• Drafting
• Graphic Communications
• Health Assisting
• Masonry

Ms. Kelly McFadden (kmcfadden@shawtech.org) 10th-12th grade counselor

• Carpentry
• Electrical
• HVAC
  
• Plumbing

Ms. Amanda Samaha (asamaha@shawtech.org) 10th-12th grade counselor

• Cosmetology
• Culinary Arts/Hospitality Management
• DVC
• Electronics/Engineering
• Information Support Services & Networking/Programming & Web Development

On Monday December 16th, 85 seniors were presented with the John and Abigail Adams Scholarship. These students scored an advanced level on at least one MCAS test and proficient or advanced on the remaining tests. Their combined scores also placed them in the top 25% of the MCAS scores of seniors at Shawsheen. This scholarship provides a tuition waver for up to eight semesters of undergraduate education at any of the UMass Universities, MA state universitites, and community colleges. Congratulations to all!

The financial aid application (FAFSA) opened on 12/1 for any seniors considering attending a school next year after graduating. For any student considering attending a community college in Massachusetts for free, completing the FAFSA is one of the requirements for free tuition eligibility.

To start a FAFSA, start here: https://studentaid.gov/fsa-id/create-account/launch

The 67th annual Massachusetts AFL-CIO Scholarship Award Program application period is now open, this program will award over a half million dollars in scholarship’s this year. All graduating seniors in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts who are seeking a college degree or job training are eligible to compete. Students must register for the program before December 20, 2024, and take an online exam consisting of 30 multiple choice questions and one written essay. The test will be administered at Shawsheen Valley Technical High School during the week of February 3, 2025. Students can register for the scholarship exam by visiting the AFL-CIO website at www.massaflcio.org/scholarships and submitting the form. For more information, please see your guidance counselor.

On Monday, December 9th at 7:45 in the auditorium, the guidance department will be presenting PSAT results to all students who took the PSAT back in October.

For additional information please follow the link: https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt/scores/understanding-scores.

The Shawsheen Tech Guidance Office created the following College Admissions Checklist as a tool to help you complete the steps required to apply to college. If you plan to apply to a 4-year college, please review the document and reach out to your counselor if you have any questions or need clarification. Counselors will be visiting students in Related to give a general overview of the college application process but a 1-1 appointment with your counselor is recommended, especially if you plan to apply to college with an “Early Action” deadline (typically on or around November 1st).

There will be an informational table with the Army outside the cafeteria during lunches on Wednesday, January 8th.

Junior parents/guardians are invited to a presentation on Wednesday, January 22nd from 5:30-7:00pm in the Shawsheen auditorium on post-secondary options for your student. The presentation will include post-secondary options such as licensure programs, military, 2-year & 4-year colleges/universities and employment. We will also discuss the junior year college timeline, main types of admission applications, the common app., SAT test dates, Naviance, Financial Aid overview, and upcoming events.

Registration is not required; however, if you could please complete the form below it will help us plan accordingly:

RSVP for College & Career Information Night

The Shawsheen Tech Guidance Department will be hosting college admissions representatives beginning at the end of January through early spring. College representatives will be available for small group question & answer sessions. Please check Naviance regularly as colleges will be scheduling visits on an ongoing basis.

To register for an upcoming college visit, please login to Naviance and follow the steps below:

**you must receive permission from your instructor before attending these sessions**

Our recruitment team hit the road this Thursday, December 19th and visited 8th students at the John W. Wynn Middle School in Tewksbury.

Shawsheen Valley Technical School is thrilled to invite community members to its annual Open House on Wednesday, January 22, 2025, from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM (snow date Jan. 23). This in-person event is open to prospective students, alumni, business partners, families, and friends, offering everyone a chance to explore the opportunities available at Shawsheen Valley Regional Vocational Technical School District.

The Open House will be a comprehensive showcase of Shawsheen’s extensive academic and vocational-technical programs, highlighting both our outstanding athletic teams and diverse extracurricular clubs and organizations. Visitors can experience interactive demonstrations from various academic and technical programs, giving them a chance to explore the campus on self-guided or student-led tours.

Attention all 7th grade students who reside in our sending districts (Bedford, Billerica, Burlington, Tewksbury and Wilmington), registration is now open for Project Explore. Information about the program and how to register can be found here.

• Application information can be found here.
• Admissions policy can be found here.
• Admissions website: Student Admissions (go2cte.com)

If you have any questions about admissions, please email the admissions office directly at admissions@shawtech.org.

Are you looking to get involved? Check out our list of clubs & activities we have to offer. Be sure to listen to the morning announcements for meeting dates & times.

If you are looking for additional counseling services or resources for your child, please take a look at the following links for information and contact info:

Outside Counselor Referrals

Community Resources

Students and families can visit the School Nurses' Office website for up-to-date information from that department, by clicking on the following link: Nurses' Office / Nurses' Office (shawsheentech.org).

Event Address: Billerica Access Television - 390 Boston Road, Billerica, MA 01821

Contact 617-992-4409 or email meredith@collegeassistanceplus.com for more information

RMV/Union paperwork: Parents/Guardians must email your request to guidanceoffice@shawtech.org

*Please give 48 hrs. notice for this request*

Work Permits: Please complete the following form and submit to the Guidance office: Work Permit Application

Email: guidanceoffice@shawtech.org
Website: shawsheentech.org
Location: 100 Cook Street, Billerica, MA, USA
Phone: 978-667-2111
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/shawsheentech/
Twitter: @shawtech_hs