GROUP GUIDANCE/COLLEGE PLANNING MEETINGS:

Junior Group Guidance sessions are ending this week after 11 sessions! In our last session, we will be sharing a  Junior Spring Checklist  with items for juniors to focus on over the next few months. At this time juniors should have completed their individual college meeting with their counselor. If they have not, or if a student would like an additional meeting(s), they should reach out to their counselor at any time to schedule an appointment. Families can also contact their counselor for a family college meeting.  

TEST OPTIONAL POLICIES:

We have already begun receiving word from many colleges that standardized testing will be optional again next year. With that said, you shouldn't assume that standardized testing will be optional at all schools next year as some have reintroduced testing requirements.   Bottomline: check individual college websites for the most up to date information! Please make sure you register for the SAT or ACT if you haven't done so already.

PARENT BRAG SHEET:

In early March, parents of Juniors received an email titled, “Parent Brag Sheet.” We ask that you please respond to these Brag Sheet questions by May 1st, as your child’s counselor will use the information you provide to inform their comprehensive letter of recommendation for your child. If you have any questions, please reach out to your child’s counselor.

STUDENT QUESTIONNAIRE:

All juniors received a student questionnaire to complete in early March. If your child has not already completed the Student Questionnaire, they must do so by May 1st. 

COLLEGE N’ COFFEE:

Please join us for an informal  virtual conversation from 8:00am-9:00am on May 3rd where counselors will answer any questions junior parents/guardians might have about the college process.  Here is the meeting link for the event (which was also emailed to parents on 3/20/24):  meet.google.com/irm-tgvn-dzc

Please note that all grade levels are now entitled to 4 “reassignments” (non-tallied absences) per class for college visits. When a student will miss school for a college visit their parents/guardians should contact the attendance office as they would for any other excused absence.  Those dates will not be tallied if a student’s absences exceed our attendance limits.  

FINANCIAL AID:

Families interested in learning more about financial aid should register for a free Financial Aid event through SUNY or HESC. The virtual events are currently being offered throughout April and May: SUNY  Financial Aid events  and HESC Financial Aid events . We highly recommend  that any parent interested in applying for financial aid in the fall attend one of these virtual events.  Additionally, here are some financial aid  basics that were discussed with juniors during Group Guidance.  

Sophomore Group Guidance will run during the months of April and May. Students will meet with their counselor in small group sessions.  The focus of these meetings will be career exploration and we will use a variety of inventories to help students explore their interests and abilities as they research career options. We will also discuss extracurricular activities and create a draft resume for students that they will continue to build throughout their junior and senior years.  

PSATS:

Believe it or not your children will be taking the PSATs in just under 6 months.  As of October 2023, this exam and subsequent SATs are now computer-based tests.  Additional details will be provided in the fall. Students who would like to get a headstart on some informal SAT preparation this summer can access  Khan Academy  for some good free prep. 

It is difficult to imagine we are nearing the end of your child’s 9th grade year!  We hope that the transition for our newest Foxes went as smooth as possible and that your students found any necessary support from your school counselor. The School Counseling team has enjoyed getting to know the class of 2027 through our Freshman Guidance sessions and individual meetings.

Through our group sessions, as well as during individual meetings, we covered our Freshman Guidance curriculum including Social/Emotional Learning and the Role of the School Counselor, School Procedures, Graduation Requirements, Extracurricular Activities, and Course Selection for 10th grade.  Freshmen should reach out to their counselor at any time if they have questions and/or would like to schedule an appointment. They should have also joined our Class of 2027 Group Guidance Google Classroom. They can email their counselor if they are missing the “join code.”

• Jo-Ann Mullooly and  Stephanie Sun will be visiting 10 colleges in the Buffalo area in April 2024. Colleges include Buffalo State, University of Buffalo, SUNY Fredonia, St. Bonaventure, Alfred State, and more.

• Jo-Ann Mullooly recently attended a webinar by the New York State School Counselors Association about Higher Education Opportunity Programs (HEOP).   Jo-Ann Mullooly also attended a counselor breakfast for SUNY Geneseo in January 2024.

• Stephanie Sun recently attended the West Point Admissions Local Educator Visit. During this event, Stephanie was able to meet and hear from the Directorate of Admissions, our local recruiters, learn about academics from the Dean's staff, and meet with West Point Cadets. The visit allowed an opportunity to learn about West Point’s opportunities for high achieving students and gain a deeper understanding of their admission requirements.

• Kristin Brown is currently in Texas completing a college tour in the Dallas and Houston area.  

• Jen Hickey will soon be visiting colleges in Georgia and Tennessee.  

• Jen Hickey and  Karen Deitch will be visiting Princeton and Rider University on May 2nd.  

• Rori Mackie recently attend a webinar by the NCAA Eligibility Center on  Best Practices for High School Counselors.

• In March, Jen Hickey  brought back 17 recent FLHS alumni to speak to seniors in their SS classes about the transition from high school to life after high school.  

• Lisa Dunne recently visited SUNY Delhi, SUNY Cobleskill, Dutchess Community College and also spent a day at Westchester Community College learning about their new programs. 

• All Counselors participated in a HESC run webinar on the changes to the financial aid process.

• Lisa Dunne served as the liaison to LUCA (Latino University College Access) to support some of our brightest first-generation college students.  Congrats to our 14 students who were accepted to take part in this partnership!

The course selection process for the 2024-2025 school year will take place throughout the winter and spring. Here is a general overview of the course selection process:

Winter 2023-24:

• Release of 2024-25 Course Offerings

• Initial Department Recommendations - each student will receive a recommendation from each teacher for courses for next year

• Course Selection Days - students will select in each class which courses they might be interested in taking next year

• Individual Meetings with Counselors - students will finalize their courses for next year with their counselor based on both teacher recommendations and student’s interests taking into consideration the total program for each student

Spring 2024:

• Course Requests posted on student/parent portals - families should review course requests for accuracy and potential changes

• Deadline for students/parents to submit a request to override a department recommendation

August 2024: 

• Schedules are posted on portals

To view current  classes and course descriptions, please view our Guidance / 2023-2024 FLHS Course Catalog .  Students will be sent information for the 2024-2025 school year when it becomes available. 

JUNIOR PARENT NIGHT:

*Save The Date* Please join us on  December 14th at 6pm in the theater  (NEW DATE!) for Junior Parent Night.  The event will cover the college application process. Topics for the event will include: What Colleges Look for in Students, Campus Visits/Demonstrated Interest, Naviance, Financial Aid/Scholarships, Group Guidance, and a general overview/timeline of the college process over the next year.  The guidance counselors will be joined by a college admissions counselor for this event.  

COLLEGE MEETINGS:

Junior college planning meetings will begin in mid-January. We will be sending juniors instructions on how to set up their individual meeting after the holiday break. Families are also encouraged to schedule a meeting (after a student's initial college meeting) with their counselor to walk through the college selection process. This can be in person or virtual, depending on your preference. Please see the Class of 2025  Timeline  for all upcoming dates and events. 

COLLEGE VISITS/VIRTUAL OPPORTUNITIES :

Families are encouraged to explore colleges and set up  college visits /virtual experiences over the course of the next nine months. Please keep in mind:

• Students are typically on college campuses until mid-May and then back again in late August 

• Many families target the February and Spring breaks to begin their college visits - so book early!

Students should refer to college websites for details on campus visits, tours, and other information. Regardless if you make it to a campus in-person, it is still important for students to express interest to their prospective schools. Please refer to our handout on  Demonstrating Interest  for guidance on how to connect with schools.

SENIOR GROUP GUIDANCE:  

Senior group guidance has officially ended.  Seniors should continue to make individual meetings with their counselors as needed.  

FRESHMAN GROUP GUIDANCE:

Throughout November and December counselors are meeting with their 9th graders in group guidance meetings covering topics related to: adjustment and transition, graduation requirements, study skills and extracurricular activities. 

JUNIOR GROUP GUIDANCE:

Junior group guidance will begin in January. Counselors will meet with their juniors in weekly group guidance sessions from January through April. Attendance is mandatory. We will cover all components of the college application process.  Topics to include:

• Standardized Testing/PSAT Review

• What Colleges Look for in Students

• Financial Aid

• The College Visit and Virtual Opportunities

• College Jargon

• Naviance

• What are YOU Looking for in a College

• Researching Colleges

• The Application

• Application Component Part 1: Recommendations

• Application Component Part 2: The Essay

• Application Component Part 3: Activity Sheet/Resume

• Application Component Part 4: Interviews

• Peppercorn University (Mock Admissions Committee)

• Final Steps and Summer Checklist

SOPHOMORE GROUP GUIDANCE:

This spring we will meet with our sophomores in group guidance sessions. Topics for these sessions include: community service, extracurricular activities, creation of a resume, working papers, an introduction to Naviance, post-secondary planning, career exploration, and academic/social/emotional check-ins.

Only Key Dates are listed. For a full list of important dates by grade level, please consult the timelines located on the  Guidance website .

November 17:   Start date for 9th grade Group Guidance  (all 9th graders will meet with their counselor weekly in small groups throughout the second quarter  on E/5 days)

December 14:   11th Grade Parent Night  **NEW DATE**

January 10:   Tentative start date for  11th grade Group Guidance (all 11th graders will meet with their counselor weekly in small groups throughout the 3rd  quarter on E/5 days)

January 19:   End of Quarter 2 / First Semester  (Senior mid-year grades will be automatically sent to all active applications)

January 23-26:   January Regents Exams – only for those students scheduled to take January Regents

February 1:   Add Deadline for second semester courses

February 9:   Drop Deadline for second semester elective courses

February 19-23:  February Break – Take a few days and  visit some colleges  (Encouraged - Juniors)

February 27 or 28: PNW BOCES Tech Center visit (for interested sophomores)

* All dates are subject to change. For final dates, please refer to the online district calendar.