There are so many ways to bring the message of Thanksgiving home to our students.  Eagle’s Landing, our school based youth services program, is providing a traditional Thanksgiving meal for all those students who have signed up each period today.  Also, yesterday, Monika Weston and Carrie Norlin (SAC) took a group of students to a Soup Kitchen in Atlantic County to prepare and serve meals for those who are less fortunate.  Kudos to Darchelle Waller, Karen Grote, Monika Weston, and Jaime Klein and all WTHS staff for all that they are doing to help students make that important connection. 

More News and Dates:

Report cards will be mailed by the end of today, so keep an eye on your mailboxes for delivery during this long holiday weekend.  Inside you will find a bright pink form that outlines the ways that you can sign up for Parent-Teacher Conferences that will be held on November 29^th from 6:30 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.  Starting on Monday, November 27^th, you may e-mail me with your conference requests or you may call ext. 8010 between the hours of 8:00 a.m. and 6:00 p.m.  Ms. Antinette Johnson will be staying after hours to receive your evening phone calls, if that time is more convenient for you.  We cannot accept any requests after 12 noon on November 29^th so that we can get the schedules to the teachers in time for them to prepare for their meetings.

November 29, 2006:  Mrs. Dancy, school counselor, is coordinating the ASVAB test for any interested students in grades 10-12.  This test is provided for free through the military, but it does not have any obligation connected with it.  The 3-hour test is a career interest inventory and provides students and families with vital information that will assist with postsecondary planning.  Students may sign up in the Guidance Office through November 28^th.  The results will be interpreted by an education specialist, and there is absolutely no obligation connected with it.  Many districts throughout New Jersey take advantage of this no-cost opportunity to gain this critical feedback for postsecondary planning.  The test will be given during the school day.

December 6, 2006:  CCC Tech Prep Seminar for Interested Students in Grades 11 and 12

Starting Monday, November 27^th, Guidance will be accepting sign-up’s for all students who are in grades 11 and 12 who may be interested in beginning preparation for a career in public safety and criminal justice now so that they are ready upon high school graduation (or shortly afterward) to be employed in these fields, two of the fastest growing areas of employment today.

Camden County College will be offering a two-hour interactive seminar on public safety, criminal justice, and related services for all students with a serious interest in these fields on December 6^th in the WTHS Media Center.  The seminar will be held from 9 – 11, and all participants will receive a certificate of participation. 

The seminar leaders will be professors and practitioners in the fields of public safety/criminal justice.

Interested students should see their school counselor right away to sign-up!

December 8, 2006:  Trip to Atlantic Cape Community College/Culinary Arts Program

Mr. Beirne, school counselor, is coordinating a trip to Atlantic Cape Community College/Culinary Arts Program (one of the finest on the East coast) for those 12th graders who have a serious interest in pursuing a career in that field.  The number is limited to 20.  If there is space, 11th graders will also be invited to participate.  An interactive presentation will begin their visit, and then participating students will also be served lunch by their fine program chefs.  Interested students should see their school counselor right away to sign up. 

December 9, 2006: ACT Testing at WTHS

Students who have pre-registered will be taking the American College Test (ACT) here on Saturday morning, December 9th.  This is an excellent test option for students.  The difference between ACT and SAT is that the ACT is achievement based so that it reflects the knowledge a student has gained through his/her high school experience.  There is a trend in some of the more competitive colleges actually beginning to prefer this test.  Additionally, all colleges in the United States (except 2. . one 2-year college and one 4-year college in California) accept these results in place of SAT’s.    The other advantage to ACT is that students can take it and do not have to report the results to the colleges.  If they take it several times, they can choose to report only those scores they wish to release.  SAT keeps a permanent record of all tests and releases all of those scores, for better or worse, whenever the colleges request them.

In the works is on-line ACT test preparation for all WTHS students.  Once this is set up, I will get the details out.  All of our students will be able to log on to the ACT test prep site from any computer.  At this site, services there will score their tests for them, offer on-line assistance, and provide 100 writing prompts for WTHS students to practice (and more).   Whatever college admissions test WTHS students choose to take, this test prep site will prove to be very helpful.

December 11, 2006:  In-school presentations by Reggie Dabbs, a motivational speaker.  Mr. Dabbs was brought back to WTHS for the second year in a row due to the enormously successful and powerful program he provided for all students last year.  This year, courtesy of the school-based grant, he will spend the day with our students, in a variety of venues, including a special presentation to freshmen only.  Be sure to ask your children about the time they spend with Mr. Dabbs on December 11th.

December 22, 2006:  Interim Reports Mailed Home

And that’s it (more or less!) for the highlights for the rest of 2006! 

The New Year:  Be sure to put the evening of January 25th in your new 2007 calendars.  All parents in grades 8-12 are invited to a special evening on financial planning.  Following a brief general program, parents in grades 8-11 will be able to attend a program “Making College Financial Planning Count” with a return engagement (by popular request) of last year’s speaker.  Also,  parents of graduating seniors will be able to attend a presentation by Rowan University staff in which completing the FAFSA will be reviewed in detail.  All families should complete the FAFSA, regardless of need, because most schools require it for any scholarship.  More details to follow with your Interim Reports.

How quickly this year has passed!!  Please accept our wishes for a Thanksgiving holiday that brings with it all things you can wish for, from time spent with loved ones to the sounds of thankful hearts. 

Janet Carlson Giardina, Director

P - 12 Guidance and Counseling Department

Winslow Township High School

10 Coopers Folly Road

Atco, New Jersey 08004-2620

Telephone:  856-767-1850, ext. 8101

Fax:  856-719-8016