Guidance Department Newsletter

Winter Break is upon us! What a terrific time of year to take a break from the hustle of the school year to slow down and spend time with family and friends. Be sure to enjoy your time off from school, focus on what is important to you, and take time to do something for yourself.

We want to thank everyone who donated time or money to our Angel Tree Project! This year we are able to serve over 60 families with your generous donations!

Wishing everyone a Happy Holiday Season and a Joyous and Prosperous New Year!

Director of Guidance responsible for 504 Plans and PACE Program

Mr. Robb Urbaniak - (843) 293-9043

rurbaniak@horrycountyschools.net

Grades 9th through 12th your guidance counselor assignments are:

Last Name A-Co

Mrs. Margaret Adams - (843) 293-9034

madams001@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name Cr-G

Ms. Brittanny Belcher - (843) 293-9053

bbelcher@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name H-Mc

Mrs. Liz Intrieri - (843) 293-9045

eintrieri@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name Me-R

Ms. Corinne Partelow - (843) 293-9046

cpartelow@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name S-Z

Mr. Greg Scott - (843) 293-9036

gscott@horrycountyschools.net

Guidance Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Mary Kirkham - (843) 293-9031

mkirkham@horrycountyschools.net

Data Quality Clerk

Ms. Kathy Ivey - (843) 293-9035

kivey@horrycountyschools.net

Registrar

Ms. Dawn Meehan - (843) 293-9028

dmeehan@horrycountyschools.net

CAP AND GOWN ORDER DUE (ALL SENIORS) - December 1

FAFSA NIGHT - December 5

SAT/ACT SCHOOL BASED DECISION - December 7

WINTER BREAK - December 20 through January 1

JUNIOR RING CEREMONY - January 10

END OF FIRST SEMESTER - Friday, January 12

SCHOOL CLOSED - Monday, January 15

STAFF DEVELOPMENT (NO STUDENTS) - Tuesday, January 16

JANUARY GRADUATION CEREMONY - Thursday, January 18

SCHOOL CLOSED - Monday, February 19

STAFF DEVELOPMENT (NO STUDENTS) - Tuesday, February 20

SPRING BREAK - March 29 through April 5

SENIORS - Are you interested in learning about how to pay for college next year? Come to our Financial Aid Night on Tuesday, December 5 at 6:00 PM in the Media Center hosted by SC Student Loans! A representative will be on campus to assist parents with completing the FAFSA and answering any questions about the financial aid process. This is a presentational meeting and you will actually complete the FAFSA that night, but you'll get some guidance on the process. This meeting is great for both parents and students!

Reminder that the FAFSA application is not open just yet, but an anticipated date is December. All students who wish to take loans or grants to pay for college should plan to attend this meeting.

The question we get most often from juniors and parents is, “When should I start taking the SAT or ACT?” The most likely answer for students is Spring of your junior year. South Carolina gives every junior the opportunity to take a school based administration of either the SAT or the ACT in the Spring. The date for the ACT is Tuesday, February 27, 2024 and the date for the SAT is Tuesday, March 5, 2024. Juniors will only select ONE school based test to take this spring, and then students are responsible for signing up for an additional administration as a Saturday administration if they choose to take it. The school based administration is college reportable, and we strongly recommend that EVERY JUNIOR take advantage of this opportunity, even if they’re not sure if a 4 year college is in their future. Students interested in a technical college can still use their scores for admission to HGTC.

Linked here is the form that MUST BE COMPLETED BY EVERY STUDENT IN THEIR JUNIOR (Third Year Student). Likewise, students who receive testing accommodations by an IEP or 504 plan may also be eligible to receive those testing accommodations on the SAT and ACT. Students with accommodations should indicate that on the form, and a counselor will reach out to you to collect more information so they can receive their appropriate accommodations. The form must be completed by the student with the input from the parent and it should be completed no later than Thursday, December 7. We must have all students complete the online form, even if you intend to decline testing.

**THIS FORM CAN ONLY BE COMPLETED BY THE STUDENT USING THEIR SCHOOL ACCOUNT. PARENTS SHOULD DISCUSS THE STUDENT OPTION AND COMPLETE THE FORM TOGETHER**

This form can only be completed one time. Multiple responses will not be honored and only the first response can be accepted.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe3GN1VIMR6hSoru_K8G2ZG8fk90gLLLufFpJ57gOUL6OYXTQ/viewform

In order to assist with your decision, attached are some resources for you to review with your student and decide if ACT or SAT is right for you. The truth is, most college bound students will end up taking both exams. As always, your counselor is available to answer any questions you may have.

https://blog.prepscholar.com/should-you-take-the-act-or-the-new-2016-a-guide

SAT—https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/about/benefits

ACT—https://www.act.org/content/dam/act/unsecured/documents/TheACT-WhyTake-Student.pdf

The Class of 2025 Junior Ring Ceremony will be held January 10 at 6pm in the Auditorium. All juniors who purchased a ring and plan to participate in the ceremony will have to sign up for the event using this Google Form.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/12pkn0DSW_JUUNXK6dTLBXqhwzNBSLg_0Lh832XtH2MQ/viewform?edit_requested=true

Deadline to sign up for participation is December 15.

Be sure to mark this date on your calendar, and share it with your friends and family!

Sophomore students who are interested in learning more about the Academy programs in Horry County, either Academy of Arts, Science, and Technology (AAST) or the Academy for Technology and Academics (ATA) will have an opportunity to learn more about those programs in January. Open House dates are planned for sophomores to pursue these programs and decide if they would be an appropriate fit for their educational goals.

On Wednesday, January 3 students will view an informational video on the Program Schools ahead of their visit. Then, on Thursday, January 4 at 9 AM, all sophomores will be invited to a meeting in the auditorium to learn more about what these programs have to offer.

Students in ALL grades, please take a few moments to check your second semester schedule in PowerSchool. Please make sure that you have a complete schedule, blocks 1 through 4. Seniors must have a minimum of two classes, but you must have something scheduled for all blocks, so that would include Late Arrival or Early Dismissal. Freshmen, Sophomores, and Juniors must have all four blocks scheduled with a course.

Remember, students cannot select which block they want to take a class and they cannot select their teacher. If you have any questions about your schedule, or if you are missing a block on your schedule, please make an appointment to meet with your counselor to correct it.

The deadline to apply for Spring PACE courses has passed. Students can no longer apply for Spring, but interested Sophomores and Juniors will be able to submit an application for Fall 2024. More information will follow in your course selection process.

Please do not submit an application now for 2024! We will work with you in March and April on that process.

Socastee High School teachers provide tutoring on a weekly basis is all subject areas. If you need additional help in a class please consult our tutoring schedule.

VIEW THE TUTORING SCHEDULE HERE

You can tutor with any teacher in the department, it does not have to be with your specific teacher. However, you are always welcome to reach out to your teacher to inquire about their tutoring hours.

State issued End of Course Exams are different than a typical final exam from a class and they account for 20% of a students final grade. EOC's are given in Algebra 1, Intermediate Algebra, English 2, Biology, and US History. They are offered at all levels, from CP to Honors to AP courses and they are required by the state. If you are enrolled in an EOC course this Fall, your EOC exam schedule is tentatively scheduled for the following dates:

December 13 - English 2 Writing

January 4 - USHC

January 5 - English 2 Reading

January 8 - Biology 1

January 9 - Algebra 1

These dates are subject to change as we get closer to test time. Students in yearlong courses or Spring subjects will test in May. Students will receive more information on testing location as we get closer to the test dates.

Make Up school dates are available for students who are over in attendance in any of their classes. Reminder that students may only miss a total of 5 classes for a semester long class. Please check your attendance and plan to attend make up school. The dates are linked below.

English: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1T68LI_xNfKVgNLF4kC2hBuuzcCGSMevMXiVJccGxCqU/edit?usp=sharing

Spanish: https://docs.google.com/document/d/13jmzM4dHN-6InIj3vZcUjujTU-yYsZmmqvIkAGs-Cwc/edit?usp=sharing

Portuguese:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pQwIk788BLSh392Okpnzkc7UZeYuQLKu5Eem35fQ5lk/edit?usp=sharing

Parents, it’s time to schedule your student’s Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) Meeting. IGP Meetings are completed for every grade level, 9th through 12th. The IGP Meeting is an opportunity for us to look at graduation requirements and make sure your student is on track to graduate. We also discuss college plans and make sure you are completing the requirements necessary for your post-high school plans.

If you’re still undecided on what you want to do after high school it’s okay. The IGP meeting gives us a chance to discuss some options and explore your college and career possibilities.

IGP meetings can now be held in-person if you are comfortable coming into the building, or can be conducted virtually if you would prefer. We are meeting with parents anytime from now until we leave on Spring Break. Meetings are arranged anytime from 8 AM until 3 PM, Monday through Friday. Please contact the appropriate counselor via e-mail and arrange your appointment. We can be flexible with schedules so let us know what works best with you. This is an important meeting and we want everyone to have their chance to complete the IGP meeting this year. We look forward to meeting with you and your student.

SENIORS - Remember that ALL seniors must order at least a cap, gown, tassel, and diploma cover, but there are other senior items available.

Orders can be placed in person or online at scherffjones.com/

CAP AND GOWN ORDERS MUST BE SUBMITTED NO LATER THAN DECEMBER 1.

JANUARY GRADUATES, ORDERS MUST BE SUBMITTED BY OCTOBER 10.

For more information please watch this video!

https://www.ssgsales.com/renderer/_HerffJones/2023_GTM_video_series/video.php?vid=1008

SENIORS - We partner with a company called Need My Transcript to process and send your transcripts to colleges. All transcript requests must go through the Need My Transcript website. A link to the website is provided here.

https://needmytranscript.com/SC/Myrtle-Beach/transcriptrequest/Socastee-High

If your college is requesting a copy of your transcript please use this website so that we may process it for you in a timely manner. Please note that your counselor will not be able to send your transcript directly to the college any longer. It must be processed on this website.

If you are applying through Common App, SendEDU, or another college application service you do not need to submit a request with NMT.

We want you to be familiar with this website because all final transcript requests must be completed on this website.

Once a month we publish the scholarship newsletter, a resource for Seniors to find scholarship opportunities to pay for college. The first edition of the scholarship newsletter has arrived and it was sent to ALL seniors and parents. The scholarships newsletter is typically shared in the middle of the month, and you can anticipate the next one before Thanksgiving. The link to the current scholarship newsletter can be found here:

SCHOLARSHIP NEWSLETTER

Service Academies provide an opportunity for a strong education at no cost to the student. Graduates typically enter the service as commissioned officers who are part of an elite alumni base with careers in high levels of military, business and government. Students interested in attending one of the Service Academies must secure a nomination from a US Senator or US Congressman. If this is something you are interesting in you are encouraged to visit www.scott.senate.gov to learn more and see a list of frequently asked questions. Senator Scott's office can assist with the process. Typically students will begin this journey during their JUNIOR year of high school. The process is a lengthy one so please don't delay. speak with your counselor today if you are interested in learning more about how you can secure your nomination.

Safety at our school is a priority. All students and staff have a right to come to school everyday and learn in a safe, protected environment. Every year we review Standard Response Protocol with staff and students so that if an emergency should ever arise everyone in the building will be prepared.

We have already conducted one lockdown drill for this year, and throughout the year we will practice fire, tornado, and earthquake drills as well.

To best prepare your students in case of emergency, we are sharing the Standard Response Protocol. Students must be aware of the five responses, and how to react if any of the responses are called at any given time. Please review the Standard Response Protocol and be ready in case of emergency.

STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL

THIS IS IMPORTANT INFORMATION IF YOU ARE SEEKING EVALUATIONS FROM TEACHERS FOR YOUR PEDIATRICIAN OR MENTAL HEALTH SPECIALIST - Often times, students who are seeking outside therapy may be asked by their licensed professional to complete an assessment to determine best course of action for their therapeutic goals. Many times the professional will want input from the teachers who know your student best to address their day to day activities and behaviors in class. They may give you any number of various assessments to give to your teacher to complete.

Your guidance counselor is here to help you streamline that process. If you counselor or therapist asks for any sort of teacher assessment to be delivered, please bring that documentation directly to your counselor. Your school counselor can distribute to your teacher, collect those materials, and send it directly to your counseling office. Please allow at least 2 weeks from the time you bring us those materials for your teacher to make a thorough observation of your student and submit that paperwork on your behalf. Allow us to assist you in this process so that materials can be distributed and collected confidentially and without you continuing to track down the necessary documentation.

Horry County Schools and Socastee High School have partnered with an organization called Care Solace to put families in contact with licensed therapists to help support students and staff with mental health. Students who may be in need of mental health counseling can be referred to Care Solace to be put in contact with a licensed therapist who is willing to work with you on your terms. Take the guess work out of trying to find a counselor who meets your needs, and let Care Solace do the heavy lifting for you. Care Solace is a free, confidential service for all students in Horry County Schools to be matched with the best possible therapist in our area to start addressing any sort of mental health needs. Please contact your guidance counselor today to make the referral.

You can now order your yearbook online. Be sure to order early to take advantage of the great opportunities. Visit yearbookordercenter.com and use Socastee High School Code 21370. Those who order by December 31 get the best price!

Please note, students’ names will appear as they are in Powerschool unless the yearbook staff receives written permission from a parent to have the name changed. Anyone wanting a name change can do so by having a parent email sobrien001@horrycountyschools.net from their email account stating: I give permission for [ORIGINAL NAME]’s to be changed to [ ]. Name changes must be received by Nov. 20.

Students - Be sure to use the links below to join the Google Classroom for your graduating class! We post a lot of informative information on Google Classroom so make sure you are not missing out!

Class of 2024 – e42gxrb

Class of 2025 - fc7agbx

Class of 2026 - n7oiukj

Class of 2027 - tvoxlsy

Instagram - socastee_high_counselors

Email: rurbaniak@horrycountyschools.net
Website: https://www.horrycountyschools.net/Socastee_High_School
Location: 4900 Socastee Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Phone: (843) 293-9031
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocasteeGuidance/