CCR Update

The CCR Update is a weekly newsletter from the St. Charles North Office of College and Career Readiness. Our weekly update contains information to help navigate students through high school and into post-secondary options. A variety of links will be provided to assist students and families in making choices along this journey. For additional information students should reach out to their individual counselor.

If you missed your PreACT or ACT on April 9th, you will receive an email regarding make-up day testing. The PreACT and ACT make-up exams will be given on Tuesday, April 15th at 7:15 a.m. Please check your email for details and/or stop by the CCR Office with questions.

• The creation of a MyACT account in Illinois is optional. Students will have the option to utilize an alternate form or create a MyACT account to submit scores to up to four colleges for free. ISBE has suppressed all MyACT questions, such as those pertaining to religious affiliation and household income, and therefore, some screens may differ from what is provided in these resources.
• Students will receive the Taking the ACT flyer and the MyACT Non-Test Information: Instructions for Students through their English 11 classes. Each student has a unique code to allow them to access their free score sends. (Students wishing to use the alternate form for free score sends will need their unique code from the Non-Test Information flyer to do so.)
• Remember, all of the non-test information questions are optional. Students can click all the way through this information and still create their account. Students can come back later to complete questions if they choose. Students have up to two days after the test date to access their free score sends.
• How to video: MyACT Account Setup-State and District
• Note: Always use a personal email to create an account.

Student scores will be posted to their MyACT accounts 5-8 weeks after the testing window closes. Freshman & Sophomores can also create accounts in MyACT. Note: The codes for free score sends referenced above do not apply to Freshman & Sophomores.

The 2025 AP® Exam Terms and Conditions are available to review at cb.org/apexamterms. This agreement details the rules and policies students must follow related to taking the 2025 AP Exams.

• Students will need to accept these terms and conditions prior to taking each exam.

• Any updates to the terms and conditions will be clearly summarized on the terms and conditions page.

• We’ll send AP students email reminders to review these terms and conditions at cb.org/apexamterms before the exam administration.

Note: For AP courses with a portfolio submission (AP Art and Design, AP Computer Science Principles, AP Research, and AP Seminar), students will need to agree to the Digital Portfolio AP Exam Terms and Conditions before submitting their work as final within the AP Digital Portfolio. A PDF version of the Digital Portfolio AP Exam Terms and Conditions (.pdf/285 KB) is available for students to review prior to submitting their work as final.

Looking for a Job? Your future starts here!

D303 is proud to partner with the Alignment Collaborative for Education and the Northern Kane County Regional Vocational System to bring you a Regional Job Fair designed just for high school juniors and seniors seeking full-time or part-time employment!

Don’t miss this chance to connect with employers and explore your career options!

Buses will leave each high school’s main entrance approximately 30 minutes before and will return approximately 30 minutes after the event ends. Additional information will be shared with registered students on Tuesday, April 22, 2025.

Nearly 100 Employers on-site!

Career fields represented include: Automotive, Business & Finance, Culinary, Education, Engineering, Healthcare, Manufacturing & Welding.

Date: Thursday, April 24, 2025

Location: Elgin Community College

Time: 12:15 to 1:15 p.m.

What to bring:

• Copies of an updated Resume
• Dress in Business Casual Attire

Registration deadline is Monday, April 21, 2025

Register here!

Summer School registration opens March 5th!

Register Here!

In-Person courses

• Sessions will be held at Compass Academy
• Session I: June 9- June 26
• Session II: July 7 - July 24
• Monday - Thursday, 8:00 AM-1:00 PM
• *No class the week of July 4th*
• Registration for Session I and Session II is due by May 30, 2025
• $250 per course

Online Courses/Internship

• Session: June 9- July 24
• Registration for Online Courses is due by May 16, 2025
• $250 per course

Registration & Questions

• Students should see their counselor to register
• See the Summer School Brochure for more information and registration forms.
• Escuela de Verano para la Preparatoria
• Have any questions? Contact Alé Chavira, Administrative Assistant for Summer School, at 331-228-6638

Interested in taking Drivers Ed through D303 over the summer?! Please click the flyer below for more information!

Seniors, it’s time to order the Official Personalized Graduation Announcements! The announcement will feature the custom foil school crest, the official commencement text, and the School Etching where available. Orders will ship directly to your home. Order online now at HighSchool.HerffJones.com.

P. A. 101-180 requires all Illinois public high school students to complete either the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the Alternative Application for Illinois Financial Aid (Alternative Application) as a prerequisite to receiving a high school diploma. Additionally, high schools are expected to provide students and their families with any support or guidance necessary to comply with the requirement.

For students who choose not to file an application, a waiver may be completed by their parent. The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) makes available through their website a FAFSA Nonparticipation Form (English and Spanish) for this purpose. Check out our FAFSA Update for more information.

• FAFSA - Scheduled to open December 1, 2024 for all

• Pre-ACT and ACT Make-Up Testing for 9, 10, 11th graders (during school day) - Tuesday, April 15, 2025

• Fox Valley College Fair at Geneva H.S. on April 17, 2025 from 6-8 p.m.
• Senior Honors Night on May 7, 2025 at 6:30 p.m. in the North Auditorium
• Cap & Gown Distribution on Monday May 12, 2025 and Tuesday, May 13, 2025 (during school day) in the North Main Foyer
• MANDATORY Group Graduation Meetings on Tuesday, May 13, 2025 at 2:30 p.m. - location TBD
• MANDATORY Graduation Practice on Wednesday, May 21, 2025 at 7:30 a.m. in the Main Gym
• Graduation! Thursday, May 22, 2025 at 4 p.m. at the NIU Convocation Center in DeKalb, IL

More details will be shared as we get closer to each event date.

Throughout the year, many college, career, and military representatives will come to St. Charles North to provide you with more information about your post-secondary options.

All college visits will be in the LRC (Think Tanks A & B), unless otherwise noted. Students must obtain a pass from the Office of College and Career Readiness at least one day prior to attending, if attending during a class period. This pass should be signed by the teacher of the class for that period you are missing. While we encourage students to attend these meetings, please note that what is happening in the classroom is more important. Teachers may deny the request to miss class if they feel it is in the student’s best interest to be in attendance. Students are encouraged to visit with College reps during their lunch period when/if possible.

If you have a conflict with a college visit, please email Kathy.McCoy@d303.org for the college rep's contact information.

For the full listing go to the College Visit page on the CCR Website.

April 17, 2025

Indiana State University

Winona State University

April 22, 2025

Universal Technical Institute of Illinois

April 23, 2025

Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design

April 24, 2025

University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire

Colorado State University

May 6, 2025

National Louis University

Elgin Community College is offering a series of College & Career events for the fall and spring semesters. Session topics include The Start of College Decisions, Financial Aid 101, Early College Credit options, Professional Etiquette, Discovering Careers, Career Clusters & Opportunities, Successful Interviewing and more. All events are free and open to the public. Events will be held virtually over Zoom on Tuesday evenings from 6 to 7 P.M. unless otherwise noted. For more information and meeting links, please visit https://elgin.edu/community/college-transitions/ccr/

Upcoming Events:

How to Write a Resume: Crafting Your Resume for Success

Date: Tuesday, April 22, 2025

Time: 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Registration Required - CLICK HERE

Mastering the Art of Interviews/Winning an Interview

Date: Tuesday, May 6, 2025

Time: 6:00 p.m.-7:00 p.m.

Location: Virtual

Registration Required - CLICK HERE

Boys and Girls State is a simulation patterned after the State of Illinois; it follows Illinois governmental procedure as closely as possible. It is a practical application of Americanism and good citizenship which attempts to teach and instill in our youth a love of America and a sense of individual obligation to community, state, and nation. It is a powerful, intense learning experience.

Hundreds of boys and girls from various communities throughout the State of Illinois will attend in June. They will learn the way a two-party system works. We have two fictitious political parties, the Nationalists and the Federalists. They will caucus, have Primary and General elections, and participate in a party Convention.

They will elect city, county, and state officials. They will learn the duties of various public offices their functions, limitations, and powers. They will have their own legislature where they introduce, debate, and pass their own bills. They regulate their own cities, enforce their laws, and prepare county projects.

Each boy and girl has a chance to learn for himself or herself that the government is just what he or she makes of it. They learn the duties, privileges, rights and responsibilities that will help them participate as American citizens.

• FREE to interested Juniors
• Boys State: June 7-13, Girls State: June 15-21
• Located at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, IL
  
• Participating students compete for nearly $20,000 in scholarships
• Email mtfoulkes@yahoo.com for more information or to register
• Application Deadlines: May 1st

Have you ever thought about a career as an electric lineman, firefighter, police officer, lab technician, or in tree maintenance, or IT/Networking? These are all individuals, and many more, who are employed by the City of St. Charles.

The City of St. Charles is offering a career pathway job shadow program to St. Charles high school students interested in exploring a career in municipal government. You may schedule up to three different job shadow experiences per school year, during which you can explore work sites, ask questions, see demonstrations, and learn about education and certifications. Students will be responsible for transportation to and from the City. The date, time, and length of the job shadow will be scheduled outside of school hours directly with the City’s job shadow program coordinator.

This is a great opportunity for Senior students on April 9th, since this is a non-attendance day for Seniors due to the ACT Test being given to 9, 10, & 11th graders. Please return your completed registration form to Ms. Gomez in the College & Career Office.

Senior Students & Parents! Naviance currently has numerous scholarships available for Senior students to access and apply for.

To do so, students should log on to their Naviance account, select "Colleges" from the top banner and click on "Scholarship Search". Please reach out to your counselor if you have any questions!

Additionally, numerous local and national scholarships can be found on our CCR Scholarship page by clicking here!

Tyler Brett Caruso Memorial Scholarship

This scholarship was established in memory of Tyler Brett Caruso, a student of St. Charles East High School who died unexpectedly in 2002. Tyler was a student leader, athlete, musician, and community activist. The criteria for the $1,000 scholarship is evidence of exemplary achievements in many of the following areas: academics, athletics, student leadership and school service, music, along with community leadership and service. Students must complete an application and provide a copy of their high school transcript with two letters of recommendation and a completed essay. Please visit the website for more information. Applications are due by April 15, 2025.

Pottawatomie Garden Club Scholarship

Pottawatomie Garden Club of St. Charles will award a $3,500 scholarship to a full-time student majoring in Agriculture, Botany, Conservation, Ecology, Environmental Concerns, Forestry, Horticulture, Land Management, and/or related studies. An applicant must be a graduating senior or a high school graduate and reside within St. Charles Community Unit School District 303. Applicants should submit this form, along with their essay, postmarked on or before April 15, 2025 and send to: Pottawatomie Garden Club Scholarship, 84 Dunham Place, St. Charles, IL 60174. A copy of the application should also be given to Ms. Kathy McCoy in the CCR Office.

College & Career Readiness Team

255 Red Gate Road, St. Charles, IL, 60175

331-228-6290