Counselor Connections

Oct. 14 - Picture Retake Day

Oct. 15 - Progress Reports released

Oct. 16 - Junior Retreat

Oct. 26 - WNY College Consortium, 10:45-11:15am

Nov. 3 - No School for Students, Election Day

Nov. 10 - End of First Quarter

Nov. 11 - No School, Veterans Day

Progress reports are released midway through every quarter as a way for teachers to update you. If your student is failing a course, or if a teacher has a concern about your student in class, you will receive a progress report from MSM. First quarter progress reports are available as of today.

Progress Reports are located in Blackbaud. Under the Progress tab of your child's account, look for the Performance box on the left-hand side. In the box, click on the Progress Report link. A report will be generated with a narrative from teachers. Remember, progress reports are typically for students who are failing a course or for whom the teacher has a concern.

Per the MSM Handbook, a student who receives a grade average below a 65 in two or more classes at either progress report or quarter close will be ineligible to participate in extracurricular activities and athletics until the next grade checkpoint (about every five weeks). A student may regain their eligibility after two weeks if they chose to participate in eligibility reinstatement. It is the student’s sole responsibility to complete all requirements of eligibility reinstatement. Failure to complete any of the requirements will result in a student remaining ineligible until the next checkpoint.

If you receive a progress report, we encourage you to talk to your student about it. We have many support services available at school - including after school help with teachers every day from 2:30-3:00 p.m. We also have academic centers open on a daily basis for additional teacher support.

For students that are struggling with organization, encourage and model a daily routine as best as you can. Students should check Google Classroom daily for assignments and study materials. For additional support, please reach out to your student’s school counselor, or support your student in reaching out to us themselves.

If you have any further questions, we invite you to contact us in the School Counseling office.

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) is now live! If your child is applying to one of the schools that requires the CSS Profile, that application is live as of Oct 1.

If you are unsure whether or not a school is a CSS Profile one, please check the link to the College Board page below for the most current listing of schools that require it for the 2027-2028 school year. Information regarding deadlines can be found on the financial aid web pages of the individual colleges/universities.

Note: Most CSS Profile schools will also require a completed FAFSA. Please pay close attention to all deadlines.

Mount St. Mary Academy is excited to host the Western New York Consortium of Higher Education!

All juniors and seniors will attend this event in our gym on Monday, October 26th from 10:45-11:15am.

Beginning Monday, October 19th, and ending Monday, November 2nd, students can apply to up to five SUNY campuses with no application fee! This includes all campuses, no matter which application vehicle the student uses. Details are available here: www.suny.edu/apply

Please remember that students can submit their application during this time, but supplemental materials such as transcripts and letters of recommendation can be submitted after Free Application Weeks.

Oct. 14 - Hobart & William Smith Colleges

Oct. 14 - Seton Hall University

Oct. 14 - St. John Fisher University

Oct. 15 - SUNY Purchase

Oct. 15 - Duquesne University

Oct. 16 - Nazareth University

Oct. 22 - SUNY University at Buffalo

Oct. 27 - SUNY College at Brockport

Nov. 5 - Marietta College

Nov. 10 - SUNY Buffalo State

Nov. 16 - Hilbert College

Oct. 16 - Canisius University

Oct. 17 - Niagara University

Oct. 24 - Daemen University

Oct. 24 - Mercyhurst University

Oct. 24 - Rochester Institute of Technology

Oct. 24 - St. Bonaventure University

Oct. 24 - St. John Fisher University

Oct. 24 - SUNY Alfred State University

Oct. 24 - SUNY Brockport

Oct. 24 - SUNY Buffalo State

Oct. 24 - SUNY Fredonia

Oct. 24 - SUNY University at Buffalo

Oct. 24 - University of Rochester

Oct. 31 - Nazareth University

Nov. 5 - SUNY Niagara

Nov. 7 - Hilbert College

Nov. 7 - Houghton University

Nov. 8 - SUNY Alfred State University

Nov. 11 - Nazareth University

Nov. 11 - SUNY Geneseo

Nov. 11 - University of Rochester

Nov. 14 - Rochester Institute of Technology

Nov. 14 - SUNY Brockport

Nov. 14 - SUNY Buffalo State

Nov. 17 - SUNY Erie Community College (City Campus)

Nov. 18 - SUNY Erie Community College (South Campus)

Nov. 19 - SUNY Erie Community College (North Campus)

Nov. 21 - St. John Fisher University

Attention high school seniors! When you visit Canisius and apply by December 1, 2026, you will be eligible for an annual $1,000 grant toward your education. That's a total of $4,000 over 4 years! Click the image above for more information.

• Ms. Lily Bayley - School Counselor, Grades 9-11 - lbayley@msmacademy.org
• Mrs. Kelli Shepard - School Counselor, Grade 12 - kshepard@msmacademy.org

Mount St. Mary Academy, founded by the Sisters of St. Mary of Namur, is a Catholic, private, college preparatory school for young women. Within a nurturing and academically challenging and inclusive environment, the Academy strives to develop the whole person’s gifts and potential. Guided by our Catholic tradition, and rooted in Gospel values, we empower scholars to be leaders dedicated to lifelong learning, moral integrity, social justice, and service to and inclusion of others.

We Believe in You!

Location: 3756 Delaware Ave, Kenmore NY 14217
Phone: (716) 877-1358

Website: msmacademy.org

News: https://msmacademy.org/news/

Facebook: facebook.com/msmacademy
Twitter: @msmacademy