JMHS Counseling

James Monroe Guidance Newsletter September/October 2009

Welcome

Let’s give a “Jacket Welcome” to Mrs. Annette Richards, our new school counselor.  A graduate of Kutztown University, Mrs. Richards has been a school counselor for five years.

Word of the Month

The word of the month for October is Responsibility.  Responsibility is making good decisions about what you do and say, while taking care of yourself and fulfilling your obligations.  A responsible person is dependable and well organized.  Responsibility also involves understanding  cause and effect and accepting that you are accountable for your actions and your decisions.  You are also responsible for your academic success.

Kudos!

AP Awards

The 2008-2009 AP Scholar Awards for JM have just arrived.  The following students are to be congratulated for their achievement and participation in the AP program.

One student from James Monroe High School qualified for the National AP Scholar Award by earning an average grade of 4 or higher on a five-point scale on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 4 or higher on eight or more of these exams.  This student is Chuhern Hwang. 

 Ten students from James Monroe High School qualified for the AP Scholar with Distinction Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.5 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on five or more of these exams.  These students are;  Matthew Cameron, Wo Chan, Rebecca Clemo, Joseph Featherston, Sarah Fisher, William Helfrich, Chuhern Hwang, Edward Olivares, James Paulose and Waring Trible. 

 Six students from James Monroe High School qualified for the AP Scholar with Honor Award by earning an average grade of at least 3.25 on all AP Exams taken, and grades of 3 or higher on four or more of these exams.  These students are; Carl Bailey, Peter Brig, Linda Nguyen, Jaeger Spratt, Luca Terziotti and Dylan Vasey. 

 Seven students from James Monroe High School qualified for the AP Scholar Award by completing three or more AP Exams with grades of 3 or higher.  The AP Scholars are Leah Cooper, Caitlin Duffy, Alanna John, Brandon Marine, Paul Neubert, Laura Schwartz and Phoebe Willis. 

 James Monroe High School Resource Guide

Are you interested in sharing your career/job with a JM student?

Are you interested in providing a shadowing or internship experience for a JM student?

Are you interested in speaking to a class/classes about what you do?

Are you interested in hiring a JM student?

If so, contact your student’s school counselor at 372-1100 or by email.  Please provide your name, occupation, contact number, email address, and a brief description of what you do. Don’t miss out on this opportunity to help our future productive citizens!

Testing Dates

PSAT Reminder

Anyone who has registered for the PSAT which will be administered on October 17^th should be at JMHS with a calculator and a photo ID at 7:30AM.

 There are a limited supply of fee waivers for the  College Board SAT and the ACT.  College Board will also provide fee waivers for college applications once a student sits for an SAT administration.  Please see Mrs. Hawthorne for more information.

SAT Dates for 2009 – 2010:

 Test date                      Registration Deadline             Late Registration

October 10                  September 9                            September 23

November 7                October 1                                October 15

December 5                 October 30                              November 12

January 23                   December 15                           December 30

March 13                     February 4                               February 18

May 1                          March 25                                 April 8

June 5                          April 29                                   May 13

 Please remember JM only hosts four SAT’s:  November, December, March and May. 

 ASVAB

The ASVAB will be given at JM on November 12 and March 11.  The November 12 registration deadline is October 22.  Juniors and Seniors who wish to take the test should register in the counseling center. 

 ACT

ACT Dates for 2009-2010:

 Test Date                    Registration Deadline

October 24                  September 18

December 12               November 6

February 6                   January 5

April 10                       March 5

June 12                        May 7

 The ACT is not given at James Monroe High School at this time. 

 SOL

 The SOL writing test will be given to all juniors and any seniors or transfer students who need it the week of October 19.

 The SOL retake and transfer tests will be given to any student who has not passed an SOL and any student who needs a transfer SOL the week of November 16.

 The SOL final exams will be given for any student currently enrolled in an SOL the week of January 25. 

 For questions regarding SOL tests, please contact Mrs. Miller in the Counseling Center. 

 Visits by College Representatives – Secure a pass from Mrs. Ripley in guidance on the day of the event.

October 1- Christopher Newport University- 8:00 AM

October 6- Virginia Tech- 1:00 PM

October 13- Hampden Sydney College- 9:00 AM

October 19- Radford University- 8:00 AM

October 20- Virginia Wesleyan College- 8:00 AM

October 21- University of Virginia at Wise- 9:00 AM

October 22- Lynchburg College- 8:00 AM

October 24- Mary Baldwin College- 8:00 AM

 *College flyers/posters about their Open Houses are posted outside of the Guidance Office in the fine arts wing and in their reception area.

 College Application Processing

Colleges require an official copy of the student’s high school record, commonly referred to as a transcript.  College Board SAT/AP scores are attached.  Some colleges require an official testing record from ETS, so be prepared to contact ETS.  Seniors must sign a transcript request form for their official records to be sent and pay $2.00 for each.  There is a fee waiver for qualified students for the official transcript.   (There is no charge for a transcript requested for scholarship applications or for an unofficial copy of a transcript.)

 Early College Scholars

The Early College Scholars program allows eligible high school seniors to complete their high school diploma while earning at least 15 hours of transferable credits toward a college degree, resulting in a more productive senior year and reducing the expense of college tuition for families.  Students earn these credits by taking Advanced Placement courses at James Monroe or through the Virginia Virtual Advanced Placement School and passing the AP Exams with a minimum score of 3 or higher.  James Monroe cannot guarantee the transferable credits, so request information from the colleges about their AP Policy. You may visit the Virginia Department of Education at www.pen.k12.va.us for more information. You may also see your school counselor for more details.

 Appointments

Individual appointments by students/parents may be made at any time by contacting the respective counselor. (Students are assigned by alphabet.  A-G  Mrs. Richards; H-M  Mrs. Hawthorne;  N-Z  Mrs. Waterman. Mrs. Heidi Miller is our Testing Coordinator and will be able to address any SOL, PSAT, or SAT questions.

 College Night at The Spotsylvania Towne Center

October 21, 2009- 6:30 P.M. – 8:30 P.M.