CVHS GUIDANCE NEWS: November 1, 2007
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
Archive of Past Guidance News Listserves Now Available:
An archive of past CVHS Guidance News Listserve messages is now available on-line by visiting www.cvhs.com, then clicking on “Guidance” and looking near the bottom under “Guidance News and Announcements Archive.”
12 Week Progress Reports:
The 12-week progress reporting period will end on Friday, November 30th, 2007. Parents should then receive the progress report via US mail on or before December 10th, 2007. (Recommendation: Parents should utilize School Loop to regularly monitor student progress between the official progress reporting periods. Parents who have not yet signed up for School Loop should do so by visiting www.cvhs.com and then clicking on the School Loop icon near the top right.
REMINDER - UC/CSU Application Deadlines Approaching!
The application deadline for both the University of California and the California State University systems is November 30th. The application submission period for California State Universities (CSU) opened on October 1st. The application submission period for the University of California (UC) campuses just opened on November 1st. Seniors should be planning and preparing their information in order to apply early during the admissions process in order to avoid the last-minute rush and website delays that nearly always occur as the November 30th deadlines move closer. Recommendation: Many students will try to complete their applications over the Thanksgiving break. Therefore, we highly recommend that students complete the application process before this time, as the UC/CSU servers can be busy and make it difficult for the application to be processed during peak application periods.
Deadline and Stipulations for Dropping a Class**
Friday, December 14th, 2007, is the final deadline for students to drop a class. In order to drop a class, all of the following criteria must be met:
CAHSEE (California High School Exit Exam) Preparation Classes for Juniors and Seniors Preparing for November 6th & 7th Test Dates:
Due to the closure of schools on last week, the October 27th CAHSEE preparation classes were unfortunately cancelled. However, a Saturday CAHSEE preparation/review class will be offered for those 11th and 12th grade students who have not yet passed one or both sections of the CAHSEE this coming Saturday, November 3, 2007, from 8:00 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. (Math: 8:00 – 10:00 a.m.; English/Language Arts: 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m.) These classes will help students prepare for the upcoming CAHSEE, which will be given only to juniors and seniors on November 6th and 7th during normal school hours. Parents of 11th and 12th grade students who have not yet passed one or both portions of the exam should call CVHS Academic Intervention Counselors Dana Galasso (Ext. 2246) or Jenna Jordheim (Ext. 2258) in order to reserve a spot. Recommendation: It has been shown that students who attend these Saturday preparation/review classes have a much higher chance of passing the exam, and since passing the exam is required in order to earn a high school diploma, we highly recommend that all juniors and seniors still needing to pass attend these important sessions.
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Preparation Books Available!
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) preparation books for Math and English Language Arts are now available in the Guidance Office for all sophomores and any juniors or seniors who have not yet passed one or both portions of the exam. (NOTE: These are the same booklets that will be handed out in all sophomore English II classes during Back to School Night, so students whose parents attended will not need to pick up booklets.)
Cancelled ACT Tests Now Rescheduled:
The Saturday, October 27th ACT tests that were cancelled due to the fires have now been rescheduled to Saturday, November 10th.
IMPORTANT: Students who were originally scheduled to take the test at San Clemente High School on October 27th MUST report to San Clemente on November 10th. Students who were originally scheduled to take the test at Capistrano Valley High School on October 27th MUST report to Capo Valley on November 10th. Students may NOT switch testing sites and MUST report to their originally scheduled testing site on November 10th. Students should report to the testing site at 7:30 a.m. and testing will begin promptly at 8:00 a.m. Students should bring a photo ID, pencils, and a graphing calculator (recommended – not required). If students were scheduled to test at any other schools other than San Clemente or Capistrano Valley, they should call the individual school for reschedule dates.
Work Permits – Student MUST get them early BEFORE holiday breaks!
Students needing work permits MUST apply and obtain them from Ms. Deckert in the CVHS on-campus Career Center prior to holiday breaks. Since the Capistrano Unified School District offices and school sites will be closed for Thanksgiving Break (Nov. 19-23) and Winter Break (Dec. 24 – Jan. 4), no work permits will be issued during these times. Therefore, students MUST see Ms. Deckert prior to holiday breaks in order to obtain a work permit in time to work for the holidays.
**HOT NEW RESOURCE!! – On-line Guidance “Annual Checklists” for All Grade Levels:
In an effort to provide parents and students with clear and concise guidance information for all grade levels, the CVHS Guidance Team has developed specific guidance “Annual Checklists” for each grade level. These lists show key guidance timelines, college testing and application details, and other information in an easy to follow, month-by-month format for each year of high school. To access and print the lists, simply go to www.cvhs.com , then click on “Guidance,” and then look under the heading entitled “Annual Checklists.” (Recommendation: Print out and review all four lists in order to get a full picture of the progression of guidance-related issues throughout the four years of high school.)
Division I and Division II NCAA College-Bound Athletes:
Students who may want to participate in college Division I or Division II college athletics after high school should be aware of athletic eligibility and entrance requirements for college freshman athletes. In general, student athletes must complete either 16 (Division I) or 14 (Division II) core college-prep academic courses while in high school in order to be eligible to participate in collegiate athletics (generally very similar to the CSU/UC Subject A-G requirements). Recommendation: For more information, students and parents should visit www.ncaa.org and then download the document entitled “NCAA 2007-08 Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete” at the following link: http://www.ncaa.org/library/general/cbsa/2007-08/2007-08_cbsa.pdf
College Financial Aid Presentations – Save the Dates!
An overview presentation on “College Financial Aid” will be held on Tuesday, November 13th beginning at 6:30 p.m. in the CVHS main gym. Parents and students are both invited to attend in order to hear a general overview of college financial aid featuring a guest speaker from UC Irvine. The presentation will cover the basics of college financial aid applicable to all of the various college/university systems, and not just the UC system. In addition, there will be two opportunities for parents and students to learn how to complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) process. The two dates/times and locations are: January 9th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Aliso Niguel High School, or January 16th from 6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at San Clemente High School. Please save these dates and plan to be there!!
ASVAB Test:
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) will be given at CVHS on Wednesday, December 5, 2007, in the library from 8:15 a.m. -12:00 noon. The ASVAB is a group of ten tests designed to measure a student’s aptitude in five separate career field areas. The test is administered as a courtesy of the Armed Forces at no cost or obligation to the student. Each student will receive a copy of his/her test scores with an interpretation. Students wishing to take the test should pick up a class release slip in the CVHS Career Center. Seating is limited to the first 75 students. For questions or more information, please contact Linda Deckert, Career Guidance Specialist, in the CVHS College and Career Center, or call (949) 364-3161.
PAST “OLD” ANNOUNCEMENTS & DATES:
Important Guidance Calendar Dates:
Please read the announcements above and/or below for details regarding each date/event listed.
|
Date |
Event |
Notes |
|
|
|
|
|
10/1/07 and ongoing until 11/30/07 deadline |
Cal State University application submission period opens |
See announcement above for specifics |
|
11/3/07 |
Saturday CAHSEE Preparation Classes for juniors and seniors |
See announcement above for details |
|
11/10/07 |
Rescheduled date for Oct. 27th cancelled ACT tests |
See announcement above |
|
11/1/07 and ongoing until 11/30/07 deadline |
University of California application submission period opens |
See announcement above for specifics |
|
11/6 and 11/7/07 |
California High School Exit Exam |
For those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections; see various announcements above and below |
|
11/13/07 |
“College Financial Aid” Overview Presentation |
6:30 p.m. in the CVHS gym; see announcement above |
|
11/30/07 |
End of 12-week progress reporting period |
See announcement above |
|
11/30/07 |
Deadline for applications to CSU and UC campuses |
See announcement above |
|
12/5/07 |
ASVAB Test |
See announcement above |
|
12/15/07 |
Last Day to drop a class |
See announcement above for details and stipulations |
|
1/9/08 |
FAFSA financial aid application presentation |
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at Aliso Niguel High School; see announcement above |
|
1/15/08 |
College “Scores Back Night” |
7:00 p.m. in the CVHS mall; see announcement below |
|
1/16/08 |
FAFSA financial aid application presentation |
6:30 – 8:30 p.m. at San Clemente High School; see announcement above |
|
|
|
|
**WEBSITE REMINDER:
CVHS Guidance Website Resources:
Perhaps the best source of guidance information for parents and students can be found on the Capistrano Valley High School website at: www.cvhs.com For guidance information relating to college, scholarships, testing, careers, and general information, simply click on the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm or visit the CVHS website at www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance.”
Weekly Guidance News ListServ:
In an effort to help limit the large number of e-mails most parents receive, the CVHS Guidance Department plans to send only one ListServ e-mail per week (usually on Thursday or Friday) unless absolutely necessary. We want you to remain well informed about important guidance-related issues, and yet, we are sensitive to the fact that a single weekly e-mail is more efficient for most parents.
On-Line Test Prep Resources Available to Mission Viejo Library Members:
The City of Mission Viejo’s library offers FREE on-line test prep to their patrons! Library members can prepare for the SAT, ACT, PSAT, PLAN, many AP courses, writing, math, etc. Students need a Mission Viejo Library card in order to participate. Go to the following link to preview the resources available: http://www.cmvl.org/databases.html and then visit a Mission Viejo library to apply for a library card if you don’t already have one. This is a great FREE resource!
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Test Dates and Info. for 2007-08:
November 6th and 7th – held at CVHS during the school day for only those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections.
December 1st and 8th – held these two Saturdays at Adult Education Center for primarily those seniors new to California who might need additional testing dates.
February 5th and 6th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections, plus those juniors who may have missed the November test dates.
March 11th and 12th – held at CVHS during extended school days for all sophomore students only.
May 6th and 7th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections.
College Scholarship Information Now Posted:
Current scholarship opportunities are now posted at the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/Scholarship.htm , or go to www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance” and “Scholarship Info.” Recommendation: Scholarship information will be updated approximately every 7-10 working days, so students and parents should check the posting periodically throughout the year. In addition, a “Scholarship Notebook” of information will be available in the Guidance Office.
College “Scores Back Night” – Save the Date!
Each year, CVHS hosts a college “Scores Back Night” – an evening event where those students who took the PSAT and/or PLAN tests in October can receive their scores and hear a short presentation regarding score interpretation, college admissions implications, etc. This year, the event will be held on Tuesday, January 15th, 2008 at 7:00 p.m. in the CVHS Mall. Students and parents are both invited and should plan to park and enter through the upper parking lot since there is also a basketball game scheduled the same night and parking will probably be full in the lower staff lot. Please save the date and plan to attend!
Letters of Recommendation for College Applications:
Most private colleges and universities require Letters of Recommendation from counselors and/or teachers. In order to facilitate the numerous requests, please download the forms on the CVHS website, under Guidance, or click on the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Secondary%20School%20report%20guidelines.doc . Please follow the instructions and adhere to all deadlines as listed on the form. Requests turned in after deadlines may not be completed on time. Remember, the UC and Cal State systems do NOT require Letters of Recommendations.
On-Campus College Visits:
For a listing of the dates and times when various colleges and universities will be on the CVHS campus providing information and answering questions for potential student applicants, please visit the following link on our Guidance website: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Collegerepsfall07.pdf Recommendation: Please check the list frequently as it will be updated throughout the year.
After-School Tutorial and Homework Center:
Does your student need some extra academic help or a quiet place to study after school? The CVHS After-School Tutorial and Homework Center began on Tuesday, October 9th, 2007. The program will be staffed by CVHS math teacher, Ms. Pat Schubert, and held every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:55 – 3:55 p.m. in room E-7. An Academic Intervention Counselor (Ms. Galasso or Ms. Jordheim) will also be present at every session, and volunteer student tutors will be available whenever possible. Recommendation: This is a great opportunity for students to get extra help and/or improve study habits, and we highly recommend regular attendance for those students who are earning below a “C” in any class.
Important Advisement Information for Parents and Students On-Line:
Parents and students should visit the following on-line link for important guidance and advisement information. http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Advisement%20for%20Fall%202007.doc Specifically, the link provides information for each grade level regarding timelines for college admissions, entrance tests, etc. Academic advisors/counselors also review this information with students during advisement meetings.
CVHS Curriculum Guide NOW Available On-line!!
The CVHS 2007-08 Curriculum Guide is NOW available for download on-line in order to help parents and students answer important questions about course offerings, high school graduation, and college entrance requirements. The Guide is an excellent parent resource and is also distributed every year to incoming freshmen as a part of the registration process. To download the Guide, please visit the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm and then click on “Curriculum Guide” under the “General Info” heading. In addition, if you have questions regarding graduation or college admissions requirements, please contact your student’s Academic Advisor.
CVHS Guidance Team