Guidance Newsletter

Please click on this link to view guidance counselor assignments for the 2024-2025 school year. Contact information for each counselor is also listed on the above linked document.

To help with future family planning, click on the link below to view a PDF of the 2024-2025 school calendar with important dates. Please note, our current projected last day of school for students is Wednesday, June 18th. CALENDAR LINKED HERE

• NHS Club & Organization Fair | All 3 lunches in the cafeteria, Sept 17th-19th
• Back to School Night | September 19th
  
• Parent-Teacher Conferences | October 30th and November 6th
• Greater Essex County College and Career Fair | April 3rd 6:00-7:30pm

NHS offers over 50 clubs, athletics, and organizations for students to participate in. There is absolutely a club for everyone! Join us for a Club Fair during all three lunches in the cafeteria on September 17th through 19th. A list of all of our offered clubs is linked below. If you are looking to join a club or obtain more information about when the club meets and what it entails, please reach out to the faculty advisor listed. If there is a club you're interested in creating, chat with your guidance counselor for next steps.

Seeking a tutor? We have compiled a list of NHS teachers who offer private tutoring outside of school along with non-NHS staff that have reached out to offer their tutoring services. Please note, Newburyport Public Schools does not complete background checks or review academic credentials of non-employees who wish to be listed as tutors. Take a peek at the list linked here.

Community Service of Newburyport is need of donations for fellow community members in need. They are seeking diapers, hand soap, body soap, toothpaste and toothbrushes, dryer sheets, and clothing washer tablet pods. Anything you can do to support CSN would be greatly appreciated. There is a donation bin located in the College and Career Center.

The Spring class, "Social Media Theory and Practice," will commence during the week of January 20th. This course offers a comprehensive overview of social media's role in society, employing a research-based approach to analyze the internet and digital communication technologies and their intersection with various facets of communication. Students will explore the historical, cultural, and theoretical dimensions of social media, while also evaluating effective strategies for its use. Additionally, participants will engage with social media platforms and take part in online communities. Further sign up details will be provided by Mrs. Phelps in November, so be sure to stay tuned!

Are you interested in a paid virtual internship or a paid virtual industry project experience this year? If so, please explore the available opportunities here: Internship Link & Industry Project Experience Link. If you interested in signing up, please complete this form: Interest Form. If you have any questions, please reach out to Ms. Gee.

Newburyport High School is pleased to announce the adoption of an Environmental Innovation Career Pathway program. Innovation Career Pathways are designations awarded by the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education. Career Pathways are designed to immerse students in coursework and experiences in a specific high-demand industry, such as information technology, engineering, healthcare, life sciences and advanced manufacturing. Through the Innovation Career Pathways program NHS will continue to provide students with greater opportunities to develop targeted workforce career skills, career advising, workplace experience in the field of Environmental science. Please be on the lookout for more information from Dr. Hobbs and the School Counseling Department! More information can be found at: https://www.doe.mass.edu/ccte/pathways/innovation-pathways/default.html

It is extremely important to keep a log of the hours completed as this can be added to your high school transcript. For the first 75 hours completed, students will receive 2.5 credits on their transcript. An additional 2.5 credits can be earned for 75 more hours of service. Any additional hours after the 150 hours will be noted on their transcript. The Service Learning Log is where students should record their hours; This should be turned into Mrs. Vicki Dyer in the main office at the start of each semester.

Are you on the hunt for a part-time job, volunteer hours, or community service opportunities? Take a peek at our NHS Job board linked HERE. As businesses reach out with opportunities for our students we will post those here. If your business is hiring or has community service/volunteer opportunities that would be good for our students, please reach out to Mr. Smith in our College and Career Center.

DON’T MISS OUT!!!! Our Central Europe trip for this year’s April break is an amazing opportunity for students to gain in-person exposure to some of the most significant events in modern history during World War II. These reminders from the not so distant past are powerful sources of inspiration for peace worldwide. Dr. Matloff personally found himself in awe of having visited these sites on his own, not to mention the culture, beauty, and unique ambiance of these four amazing European cities: Berlin, Warsaw, Krakow, and Prague! Feel free to contact Dr. Matloff directly with any questions. The SIGN UP DEADLINE is 9/30/24. Check out the trip’s details here.

As you continue to navigate this next step in your college application process, the counseling team has a few updates, reminders, and resources that we want you to share with you:

• If you missed Ms. Gee's summer email on next steps around the college and career application process, you can take a look at what was sent out, linked here: Class of 2025 Update
  
  
• Counselors will meet with seniors during the September 17th and September 25th advisory/CB sessions as a whole group. Please bring your charged laptop/iPad to these sessions as we will go over the next steps for the college application process. This includes ensuring Naviance and Common App are linked, discussing senior meetings and deadlines, adding teachers correctly to Naviance for letters of recommendation, firming up college lists in Naviance, and a few other very important pieces.
  
  
• Seniors are encouraged to schedule a one on one post-secondary planning meeting with their counselor to review the next steps and to-do's in this process. Please be sure to have this meeting scheduled for at least three weeks prior to your earliest college application deadline.

It is never too early to start ordering your cap and gown!! The ordering window closes on January 12. Please review the attached flyer for ordering information. All ordering is done through Balfour - if you have "any" questions, refer to the contact information on the flyer.

Don't forget that juniors and seniors are allowed 3 excused absences per semester for any college or career related visit they might have during a school day. They must provide documentation as proof that they were at the college to Mrs. Dyer in the main office to have the visit be excused.

The New England Association for College Admission Counseling (NEACAC) is holding multiple college fairs in the New England area this fall. Students can see the fall schedule at their website, linked here. Students can register for NEACAC fairs at www.StriveFair.com. Upon registration, StriveScan sends them a barcode via text message and email, which they show to reps at each fair. Registering for a barcode provides students with more information on each institution and allows them to connect with schools even after the event. All fairs are free and open to anyone who registers.

Fall SAT Prep classes through Newburyport Adult and Continuing Ed are now enrolling! Courses meet at Newburyport High School starting Monday, September 16 and run for six weeks. SAT English meets Mondays, 6 - 8 pm. SAT Math meets Thursdays, 6 - 8 pm. Individual courses cost $280. Both courses are $530. Register for both and save! Students or parents can enroll on the Newburyport Adult and Continuing Education website, newburyportadulted.org.

ACT compiled a webpage of amazing resources to help you prepare for an upcoming ACT exam. Resources include an overview of the ACT test and what to expect on test day, a full-length practice ACT test (including writing prompt), a breakdown of the content covered in each test section, general test-taking strategies and ways to approach each section of the ACT, and so much more. Take a peek at their resources linked here.

MEFA will host their Financial Aid 101 webinar on a weekly basis from September 17th through early December. Webinars will occur during both daytime and evening hours. The presentation will provide an overview of the entire financial aid process, including: financial aid applications and eligibility, types of financial aid, and how colleges determine the details of financial aid offers.

Families can view webinar dates and times and register at mefa.org/events/financial-aid-101.

Newburyport High School is partnering with College Guidance Network (CGN) to provide students and families with even more resources surrounding the college search and application process. Students and parents can create a free account to access the following content:

• Individualized student plan with a virtual librarian search assistant
• Year-round live access to experts: College & Career TV Channel (6-8 events per month during the school year)
• CGN Library: Comprehensive resource library of content
• Customizable content to NHS's specific college planning content and events

To create your account head to this link. Students will log in with their school google information. Parents, watch This video for steps on how to create your free parent account. When it asks for a student or parent pin, please use the following: Student PIN: 486966 || Parent PIN: 352380

Newburyport High School is partnering with College Affordable to offer your family the personalized support necessary to understand the entire financial aid process. College Affordable will be your ally helping you navigate this process throughout the year. Some of the services they offer:

• Create a realistic family budget to measure affordability
• Optimize scholarship and grant opportunities at target colleges
• Assist with completion of aid and grant applications
• Review and interpret financial aid offers to allow for fully informed decisions
• Review potential lenders to select the best opportunity

In addition to the above, they will host a monthly webinar series to provide you timely information throughout the academic year. To register your information with College Affordable and sign up for their webinar series, please complete the form on the page linked below. Please note all responses will be kept confidential.

Newburyport High School is partnering with College Aid Pro so our families can save money, time, and stress during the overwhelming college application and funding process. We have invested in CAP's all-in-one financial aid and scholarship platform so our students and families can get free access to:

• An instant (and accurate) net price calculator for every college, so you know approximately what financial aid package each school will give you
• Every scholarship at every college and which ones your students are likely to receive
• $9.1 billion searchable private scholarship database
• Customized guidance on when and how to appeal your financial aid packages at colleges

Head to the website linked HERE to register your account and get started with these awesome resources. The Coupon Code for our school is NEWBURYPORT100

School transitions can be mentally taxing for children. Each new school year or grade brings significant changes that may cause stress and anxiety. Recognizing these impacts helps parents understand and support their child's mental health through open communication and preparation. Take a peek at the AdventHealth article here: Read More

At Newburyport, we are committed to the mental health and well-being of all of our students. All outside programs and services listed on the NHS website are listed as potential resources only. No programs or services are promoted nor vetted by the school. As always, while we are here to help and support our students, we encourage you to also speak with your pediatrician if you have concerns. Please use this link to access our mental health resources page: https://www.newburyport.k12.ma.us/domain/111

The Pettengill House, Inc. is a nonprofit community social service agency providing comprehensive case management, basic needs support, emergency assistance, crisis intervention, and an array of essential programs and services for individuals, children, and families of all ages. They provide support in many different areas including: financial support, rent assistance, access to the food pantry, weekly meals, assistance in seeking mental health services, Operation Backpack, SNAP and Medicaid assistance, and so much more. If you are interested in connecting with The Pettengill house, please head to their website LINKED HERE.

The Pettengill House, Inc.

Main Office: Amesbury, MA

Food Pantry: Salisbury, MA

Phone: (978) 463-8801

Massachusetts Partnerships for Youth (MPY) is pleased to announce its new MPY Parenting Solutions Library. The MPY Parenting Solutions Library is offered at no charge, in partnership with Peace At Home Parenting Solutions, a non-profit located in Mansfield, Connecticut. Peace At Home Parenting Solutions is a dynamic hub of trusted knowledge and compassionate support that inspires parents to create positive change for their children, their families, and themselves. Through this new partnership, MPY is pleased to offer proven resources to help students’ families thrive.

Peace At Home Parenting Solutions specializes in empowering parents with evidence-based strategies to foster nurturing connections that safeguard their children's mental well-being. The trainings are presented by experts with advanced degrees and the trainings focus on child and adolescent development, including difficulties in school, mental health challenges, neurodiversity, LGBTQ+ identity formation, racism, and grief. These trainings present easy-to-use strategies for long-lasting change.