VHS Counseling May Newsletter

Snapshot of Important Dates

• Next Year Course Requests
• Off Period Applications
• Student Aide Applications
• Dual Credit Through Austin Community College
• OCPE Application Deadline // May 30

Senior Zone

• Senior Slides // Deadline May 4

• Senior Wrap-Up Meetings // May 7 & 8

• Senior Awards // May 19

• State Graduation Requirement: Financial Aid Application

• Scholarship Information

• Don't Be Caught Without a Cap & Gown!

• Do I need tickets for graduation?

• Accepted? We Want to Know!

• Senior Video Submissions (different than Senior Slides)
• Class of 2025 Senior Walk Schedule

• Register Now for College Jumpstart

College & Career Exploration

• Enrichment Opportunities in Naviance
• College Visits for VHS Students

May 1 // Deadline for ALL THINGS Related to Course Selection (final course change window, off periods, aide applications (Course Verification Guide - contains link to update requests)

May 7 & 8 // MANDATORY Senior Wrap-Up End of Year Meetings (schedule)

May 16 // Fall ACC registration opens, 12a (MIDNIGHT!)

May 16 - 23 // Final Exams (final exam schedule for all grade levels)

May 19 // Senior Awards, 5p

May 21 & 22 // Elementary Senior Walks (schedules & details)

May 22 // Senior Breakfast/Graduation Rehearsal/Cap & Gown Distribution

May 23 // Last Day of School
May 23 // VHS Graduation, 6p

May 30 // OCPE Applications due by 4p

Next year's course requests are viewable in Home Access Center (HAC). Click here for instructions on how to view your requests in HAC.

Instructions for requesting updates to next year's course requests are found in the Course Verification Guide. Please review it carefully prior to requesting any changes.

The final change window closes tomorrow at 11:59p.

ACTION ITEM FOR ALL 9th - 11th GRADE STUDENTS - it is critical all students check Home Access Center to verify their courses next year. Changes will not be accepted after 11:59p.

Counselors will reach out to students (via LISD email) if there are any issues with processing their change requests. Students - be sure to check your school email daily!

Please note:

• Counselors are unable to process any change requests submitted via email.
• There will be no additional changes past the May 1st deadline. This includes level drops (moving from an advanced/AP course to an on-level equivalent). Students enrolled in an advanced/AP course as of May 1st will remain enrolled through at least the first progress report period. Level drops can be submitted between weeks 4 - 7 of next school year.
• Course selections are a year-long commitment. (NO CHANGES TO ELECTIVE COURSES AT SEMESTER)

Students who will be SENIORS next year have the privilege of applying for "off periods," up to one period each day (TWO total).

JUNIORS have the privilege of applying for up to ONE total off period.

REVIEW THE VHS OFF PERIOD GUIDELINES PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

Juniors/seniors can access the off period application within the Course Verification Guide. Please submit off period requests (including those impacting semester 2) prior to May 1st. You DO NOT need to submit an additional change request form if you are only requesting off periods.

Students may not apply for an off period if they are enrolled in any ACC or OCPE Category 1 classes during the school year due to Texas PEIMS attendance code referenced above.

Though you may see off periods listed in your course requests prior to the start of school, please know they are not guaranteed. You must meet all the qualifying requirements in order to earn your off periods.

Junior and Senior students may apply for a position as a Student Aide (application found in the Course Verification Guide).

While the priority enrollment deadlines have passed, 9th, 10th, and 11th grade students interested in dual credit classes should complete the ACC dual credit enrollment process as soon as possible. Students who complete the enrollment steps now may experience a delay in registration but can still enroll if space is available.

To note: 12th grade students interested in taking ACC courses after graduation can find more information here and can stop in to the College & Career Center on May 9 between 9:45-1:30 to get help from our ACC representative.

Off-Campus PE Applications are due by May 30, 2025 at 4pm. Please visit the district website for information and application information. Leander ISD OCPE Information

Create a single GOOGLE Slide. We have pulled a few EXAMPLES from previous albums to provide you with some inspiration, or feel free to start from scratch and put your own creative stamp on it. Include absolutely anything you feel great about!

Information to be included on the slide:

• First and Last Name

• Celebrations & Accomplishments - Examples include acts of service, contributions to your community, leadership positions, holding a part-time job, etc.

• Awards/scholarships received - Examples include National Merit Scholar, National Reserve Officer Training Corps Scholarship, Zeta Phi Beta Sorority Scholarship

• What’s Next For Me? - A short statement about what’s on the horizon for you. Examples include joining the workforce in the field of…; attending X university to major in…; enlisting in X branch of the military

• Photo (optional)

• Make sure your slide is formatted in 16:9 widescreen ratio (this should be the default setting for Google Slides)

Save your GOOGLE Slide using the following format: Last Name_First Name_Senior Slide

Submit your saved GOOGLE Slide to the form below by Sunday, May 4th at 11:59 PM.

PARENTS/GUARDIANS - HOW CAN YOU HELP?

History has told us that parents love to be a part of the slide creation. If you are helping with your senior's slide, please make sure that you are working in Google Slides and not another format - your senior can help you with this, as they are very accustomed to using Google Slides. Also, please make sure you are collaborating with your senior and submitting a single slide - duplicate submissions result in unhappy seniors when their preferred slide is inadvertantly left out : (

WHERE CAN I VIEW THE SLIDESHOW?

• link will be emailed to all seniors & parents/guardians the last week of school
• slideshow will be featured on both the VHS Counseling Website & the VHS Main Page for a time
• slideshow will run on the big screen at the HEB Center prior to graduation beginning

We know you're looking ahead to a bright future, but we have some things that require wrapping up here at the high school before graduation! So save the date: on May 7 & 8 we'll be meeting with seniors during their English 4 class periods, or PIT/ACC Off Campus periods for those of you who took ACC English. Again, this is a REQUIRED meeting and should only take 45 minutes of your (class)time. Full details will be posted on the Senior Information page and in the Class of 2025 Google Classroom as the dates approach.

In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0256, each student must do one of the following in order to graduate:

• Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
  
• Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) (for Texas residents who are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid - usually includes students who are non-citizens or non-permanent residents of the United States)
  
• Submit a signed opt-out form ENGLISH, SPANISH

*Reminder: this is only one graduation requirement component. Counselors and Administrators will continue working with Seniors on ensuring graduation requirements are met.

ACTION REQUIRED
Seniors: To complete this graduation requirement, submit your documentation to this linked form.

The Senior Awards Ceremony will recognize seniors who have received outstanding academic, service, and military honors and/or awards. The ceremony will take place Monday, May 19 at 5p in the Vandegrift High School Performing Arts Center. Seniors receiving awards and recognition will receive invitations the week of April 28th to attend the Senior Awards ceremony, however, all are welcome to join the celebration.

This is a formal celebration - we encourage students to dress up (i.e. slacks, button-ups, dresses).

Leander ISD communicates information regarding scholarship opportunities through the Naviance platform. See this infographic for how to navigate Naviance scholarship information. We also post local scholarship opportunities in the Class of 2025 Google classroom (Classwork --> Scholarships). Though these applications can be time consuming, the payoff can be huge - FREE $$!

It is imperative you order your cap & gown for graduation. All seniors are required to have a cap & gown to participate in graduation ceremonies.

Graduation regalia identifying various honors are distributed in different ways as we near graduation. A document will be posted in the spring regarding honors and contacts.

Bundled packages and additional class of 2025 products can be found at the Josten's VHS store.

No! Seating at the HEB Center is first come, first served. There is ample seating for all seniors and their guests.

Once you make a decision of where you'll be attending, follow the steps below to be added to our "Going Places" wall at the front of the school.

• Log into your Naviance account (access through Leander LaunchPad)

• Navigate to "Colleges I'm Applying To"

• Add your school or military branch and click on the edit icon and update your "Result" to "Accepted"

• Once you know where you're committing, choose it from the drop-down of "College I'm Attending"

The VHS A/V Program needs your help to build an archive of images and footage to celebrate and show off our grads in the graduation video.

Please submit up to five images/videos featuring a 2025 VHS Senior student(s). Group shots are great if they are ALL VHS seniors this year!

Submissions should feature student activities centered around school life. We want to feature all the times they've had together here at VHS through athletics, academics and student life.

We'd also love some shots you may have of current seniors together when they were younger!
Please keep videos to 15 seconds or less.

Senior walks for the Leander ISD Class of 2025 will be held across elementary campuses from May 19-22. These walks allow graduating seniors to reconnect with the elementary campus where they began their education, and inspire current elementary students who get to see a glimpse of their own futures.

Seniors who participate in the walk on May 19 and 21 should dress in school spirit wear (elementary, high school, collegiate, military, etc.) since they will not yet have their caps and gowns. Seniors walking on May 22 should wear their graduation caps and gowns.

Click here for the full schedule.

Final GPAs for the Class of 2025 have been calculated. Fuill information is found in this newsletter. Students in the Top 10% and the Top Ten students should keep an eye on your email for information from Mrs. Sanders about ordering your honors cords.

Eager to start tackling your college applications this summer? Sign up to attend College Jump Start, a free college application workshop hosted at Vandegrift High School.

Access the link below for full details and registration links for sessions in May, June, & July.

More Than a Teacher is hosting several test prep opportunties at VHS targeting upcoming SAT/PSAT testing dates:

• SAT Class On Campus targeting the June SAT: https://bit.ly/VN2506-01
• Summer PSAT/SAT Classes On Campus (July): https://bit.ly/VN2508-31
• Summer PSAT/SAT Classes On Campus (August): https://bit.ly/VN2508-21

Students can now find ongoing enrichment programs, summer camps, study abroad opportunities, internships, and volunteer opportunities in Naviance. To browse these opportunities, students should log into their Naviance account (accessed through Leander ISD Launchpad), select "Colleges" & "Enrichment Programs".

VHS Counselors

Kandice Detlefsen, Lead Counselor - A - Bo

DeAngelo Freeman - Br - Ep

Becca Ramirez - Er - H

Charity Escott - I - Mar

Tracy Noble - Mas - Pi

Shawna Powell - Pl - St

Melissa Wells - Su - Z

VHS Assistant Principals

Amanda Toon, Associate Principal - A - B

Becky Azard-Jackson - C - G

Parrish McEwen - H - Ma

Collin Fletcher - Mc - Sa

Delis Golden - Sc - Z

Additional Staff Contact Information

Katie Kendall - College and Career Transition Coordinator

Heidi Kalla - Dean of Instruction

Emily Rullan - Special Education Team Lead

Lori Tanner - 504 Coordinator

Alexandra Magness- IB Coordinator