Keefe Tech School Counseling

Welcome to the first School Counseling Newsletter of the 2026-2027 school year! With the more condensed version of the Bronco Bulletin going our to families, we wanted to provide a space for families and students to review information specific to the School Counseling Office. Our plan is to send this newsletter on an as needed basis this school year, while also continuing to share important information about events and deadlines in the whole school bulletin that is sent bi-weekly.

Reminder - students can see who their School Counselor is in Powerschool. Every student will have the same counselor for all 4 years at Keefe Tech.

Our department updates the calendar below on a regular basis to reflect when counselors are in the classroom, or hosting larger events for students. Each grade level also has a school counseling google classroom that students are encouraged to interact with to stay on top of announcements and opportunities. Parents/Guardians are able to join these classrooms as well using the classroom codes from the Curriculum Night presentation, which is below.

🔷 Below are the next counseling events coming up for each grade level.

Grade 9: Decision Programming in December and selection of Career and Technical Program in January. Reminder that this is a selective process and students will choose their programs in the order of the total number of points they receive based on our Admissions Policy (see pages 9-13 for more specific information if you would like to review)

🔷 Class of 2030 Google Classroom Code: 3swuklcs

Nan Project in February - Outside presenters are Peer Mentors’ from the Nan Project who share their struggles with mental illness and other issues facing young people and discuss the supports they were able to access and the coping strategies they have employed to find a path to recovery. The goal is that by presenting these stories, we create a safe space for students to talk about mental health. In these presentations we also cover the signs and risks of a peer who may be struggling, as well as how to get them help in a crisis.

🔷 Class of 2029 Google Classroom Code: nevxazy2

Save the Date - College Planning Family Information Night will occur before Parent Teacher Conferences on Thursday, January, 28, 2027. This will be followed by presentations by the School Counselors kicking off the college process in English classes.

🔷 Class of 2028 Google Classroom Code: Moe42m3

School Counselors presented the college planning information again in grade 12 English classes (Honors and CP Literature and Rhetoric and AP Literature). Counselors will follow up with a future planning information session the Lit Analysis and Career and Tech Writing that will focus more directly on going in to the workforce and programming at 2-year colleges and certificate programs. Currently grade 12 students are encouraged to make individual appointments with their School Counselor to finalize their plan for after high school. Counselors will prioritize meeting with students who have upcoming college deadlines.

🔷 Class of 2027 Google Classroom Code: p3gtn4p

Seniors who are planning to apply to 4-year colleges and universities should be working on their college applications, completing necessary essays and making sure they have connected with teachers about recommendations. Counselors presented in grade 12 English classes in late September to review the process. The November 1 rush has passed, but future deadlines come up quick and we want to make sure they everyone is on track.

SAT/ACT Dates:

While the SAT and/or ACT is still not required for a lot of colleges/Universities, we want to make sure that seniors are aware of the testing dates and deadlines to register. Please check with individual colleges about their testing policy. Our school code is: 220854

Here is the link to the SAT dates for the 2026-2027 school year

Here is the link to the ACT dates for the 2026-2027 school year

Accommodations for the SAT:

Students who feel that they require accommodations for the SAT must request accommodations through the College Board. This typically is for students who maintain a 504 plan or IEP. Your counselor can help facilitate this process, but is not in charge of it. Decisions are made by College Board. In order for your counselor to help you apply for accommodations, you parent/guardian must sign the attached form, giving Keefe Tech permission to release some of your personal information. Get this form to your counselor ASAP because the College Board processes these requests as they receive them.

We have variety of colleges and universities signed up to host an informational table during lunches this year. See the calendar below for details. This information is also posted on the screen outside the School Counselor Office.

Over the summer grade 12 parents/guardians received an email (check your junk mail if you missed it) with individual login information on how to view their student's Naviance account. This is the online platform that we use with students applying to college

to build their list of schools and submit their transcripts. If you have

questions about this, please reach out to your student's School Counselor.

Federal Student Aid Information:
Link to the FAFAS: Federal Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)

Link to ID needed for the FAFSA: Federal Student Aid ID (FSA ID)

Other resources available to help students afford a college degree include:

• MassEducate provides free tuition and fees at the state’s community colleges for all eligible Massachusetts students.
• MASSGrant Plus can provide significant discounts (up to free tuition and fees) at the state’s four-year universities depending on family income.
• Eligible, non-U.S. citizens can apply for state financial aid through the Massachusetts Application for State Financial Aid (MASFA).
• Information about applying for financial aid, including links to information and one-on-one help, is available online.

CSS Profile:

Link to the CSS profile application: https://cssprofile.collegeboard.org/

The CSS Profile is an online application used by colleges and scholarship programs to award non-federal institutional aid. Check with the specific schools you are applying to in order to determine if you need to complete this.

MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) provides excellent information and free webinars:

Website: keefetech.org
Location: 750 Winter Street, Framingham, MA, USA
Phone: (508) 416-2100
Facebook: facebook.com/keefetech

Instagram: @keefe.tech.hs