Guidance Department Newsletter

Three quarters complete and only one more to go for the school year! Spring Break has arrived and everyone deserves this break. Rest and relax, spend some time over the next week recharging your battery and doing the things that spark great excitement in your lives. When we get back in April it will be a fast and furious sprint to the finish line and Summer Vacation! Let's not neglect things like attendance or behavior in class because they are so important to maintaining your academic standards. The rest of the year will go by pretty quick so do your best to keep up with your work, and we are here to support you with whatever you need.

Director of Guidance responsible for 504 Plans and PACE Program

Mr. Robb Urbaniak - (843) 293-9043

rurbaniak@horrycountyschools.net

Grades 9th through 12th your guidance counselor assignments are:

Last Name A-Co

Mrs. Margaret Adams - (843) 293-9034

madams001@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name Cr-G

Ms. Brittanny Belcher - (843) 293-9053

bbelcher@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name H-Mc

Mrs. Kimberly Moore - (843) 293-9046

kmoore@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name Me-R

Ms. Corinne Partelow - (843) 293-9045

cpartelow@horrycountyschools.net

Last Name S-Z

Mr. Greg Scott - (843) 293-9036

gscott@horrycountyschools.net

Guidance Administrative Assistant

Mrs. Mary Kirkham - (843) 293-9031

mkirkham@horrycountyschools.net

Data Quality Clerk

Ms. Kathy Ivey - (843) 293-9035

kivey@horrycountyschools.net

Registrar

Ms. Dawn Meehan - (843) 293-9028

dmeehan@horrycountyschools.net

REPORT CARDS ISSUED - Thursday, April 2

PROM - Thursday, April 2

SPRING BREAK (NO SCHOOL) - April 3 through April 10

WIN TESTING FOR JUNIORS - April 15 and April 16

PACE APPLICATIONS DUE - Friday, May 1

SAT NATIONAL ADMINISTRATION - Saturday, May 2

ENGLISH 2 CP WRITING EOC - Monday, May 18

ENGLISH 2 HONORS WRITING EOC - Tuesday, May 19

SENIOR EXAMS - Thursday, May 21 and Friday, May 22

SENIOR PICNIC - Friday, May 22

MEMORIAL DAY (NO SCHOOL) - Monday, May 25

SENIOR WALK - Tuesday, May 26

ALGEBRA 1/INTERMEDIATE EOC - Tuesday, May 26

BIOLOGY EOC - Wednesday, May 27

ENGLISH 2 READING EOC - Thursday, May 28

US HISTORY EOC - Friday, May 29

UNDERCLASSMEN AWARD CEREMONY - Tuesday, June 2

SENIOR AWARDS NIGHT (BY INVITATION ONLY) - Tuesday, June 2

GRADUATION PRACTICE (MANDATORY) - Wednesday, June 3 at 1:00 PM

GRADUATION - Thursday, June 4 at 3:00 PM

EARLY DISMISSAL - Wednesday, June 3

LAST DAY OF SCHOOL - Thursday, June 4

The Senior Scholarship Newsletter has arrived. Please click the attached link to take you to the Google Doc for our Senior Scholarship Newsletter. In it you can find some good information on applying for FAFSA, college visits, and requesting your transcripts. And don't forget about those scholarships! There are links to useful websites to search for scholarships on your own, and also pages of local scholarships, as well as college specific scholarships and lottery tuition assistance.

Senior Scholarship Newsletter - March 2026

Every month you'll receive a copy of the scholarship newsletter updated with relevant opportunities for our students. This is also shared in our monthly Guidance Newsletter and shared on the Google Classroom page for the Class of 2026.

There are a lot of great resources online to find opportunities for money for college. Just remember, you should never pay anyone any amount of money to search scholarships for you. These services should always be 100% free with no strings attached.

The Senior Walk has been scheduled for Tuesday, May 26. Graduating seniors will have an opportunity to wear their cap and gown to walk the halls of our elementary and middle schools. All seniors are eligible to participate, even if you didn't attend any of our feeder schools. Check your emails after Spring Break for more information and to sign up for Senior Walk.

SENIORS - We partner with a company called Parchment.com to process and send your transcripts to colleges. All transcript requests must go through the Parchment website. A link to the website is provided here.

https://www.parchment.com/

If your college is requesting a copy of your transcript please use this website so that we may process it for you in a timely manner. Please note that your counselor will not be able to send your transcript directly to the college any longer. It must be processed on this website.

If you are applying through Common App, SendEDU, or another college application service you do not need to submit a request with Parchment.

We want you to be familiar with this website because all final transcript requests must be completed on this website.

SENIORS - It's time to place your order for your Cap and Gown. Orders can be placed in person or online at https://highschool.herffjones.com/secom/home Please take the time to review the Herff Jones website for your cap and gown orders and senior supplies.

Remember that ALL seniors must order at least a cap, gown, tassel, and diploma cover, but there are other senior items available.

PARENTS - If the cost of the required Senior items proves to be a financial hardship, please speak with your counselor as soon as possible to make arrangements. We want all students to experience graduation with their class and finances should not stand in your way. Please let a counselor know before the order deadline of November 30. Information shared is confidential, but if you do not let us know by that date we may not be able to assist.

For more information please watch this video!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vxYEhlXRssA

SENIORS, remember to bring us copies of your acceptance letters and scholarship offers! Many of you have submitted your college applications and now you're receiving acceptance letters to those colleges along with scholarship offers from your schools as well as other agencies.

We want to celebrate your accomplishments! Any time you receive an acceptance letter, share it with your counselor! Any time you receive a scholarship offer, share it with your counselor!

We have a celebration board outside of the guidance office where we post all of that information, and the scholarship offers will help your total at the senior awards night at the end of the year. We can only recognize what we know about so be sure to share those letters as soon as you receive them.

PACE courses at Horry Georgetown Technical College offer Junior and Senior students the opportunity to take college level classes while enrolled in high school. PACE classes are rigorous, but they do offer students the chance to earn college credits while giving an added boost to your GPA. Many of the PACE courses are offered at no cost to the student. PACE is only available during your Junior and Senior year, and only students with a GPA of 3.0 or higher are invited to apply.
The PACE application has a deadline of May 1, 2026. This is a strict deadline and late applications will not be accepted for Fall. Students may still apply for Spring 2027.
Students interested in PACE should check their email and Google Classroom for more information from Mr. Urbaniak on the PACE program. Specific steps were shared with all eligible students and should be followed by the deadline of May 1. If you have any additional questions please reach out to Mr. Urbaniak directly.

NOW is the time to meet with your counselor to discuss course selection for next year. Every 9th, 10th, and 11th grade student should complete their course request with their counselor this month to select classes for next year. Counselors are actively meeting with students and parents now in their IGP meetings to review course selection. Students already made their selections on March 25. Students are encouraged to log into their PowerSchool Accounts and click the link for ClassChoice to share their selections with their parents or to make their selections if they missed the day.

It's very important to take your course selections seriously because the courses you pick now will be the classes you take next year. If you do not take the time to correctly select your courses then courses will be selected for you and you may not be able to change those at a later date.

The window to select and verify your courses in ClassChoice will remain open until Monday, April 20. At that time counselors will begin filling out course selections for students who have not completed the process. You can meet with your counselor to discuss your selections until April 30.

Starting on May 1, no more course selections or changes will be considered for next year's classes and the process will be closed. Please take care of your course selection now and meet with your counselor if you have questions.

All students must show Career Readiness and proficiency before graduating. One way that we do this is through the WIN Test. The WIN Test assess a students Career Readiness through reading and math skills, as well as interpersonal development. Students take the WIN test for the first time during the Spring of their Junior Year, and then may be tested again during their Senior year if they have not yet achieved proficiency by earning a Silver or higher on the exam.

Juniors and students in their 3rd year of high school will be contacted by Mr. Scott.

Testing for WIN will take place on April 15 and April 16. A schedule was shared with juniors on the Google Classroom page. Please check there for your assigned testing room. Please be in school on those two days so that you can complete your WIN Testing.

Please note that successful completion and passing of the WIN exam is required for senior privileges such as early release and late arrival.

Students who are not classified as College, Career, and Military Ready with their WIN scores or CTE Program completion will not be eligible to have early release or late arrival on their schedules for next year.

State issued End of Course Exams are different than a typical final exam from a class and they account for 20% of a students final grade. EOC's are given in Algebra 1, Intermediate Algebra, English 2, Biology, and US History. They are offered at all levels, from CP to Honors to AP courses and they are required by the state. If you are enrolled in an EOC course this Spring, your EOC exam schedule is tentatively scheduled for the following dates:

May 18 - English 2 CP Writing

May 19 - English 2 Honors Writing

May 26 - Algebra 1/Intermediate

May 27 - Biology 1

May 28 - English 2 Reading

May 29 - US History

These dates are subject to change as we get closer to test time. Students in yearlong courses or Spring subjects will test at this time. Students will receive more information on testing location as we get closer to the test dates.

Aidan Keahi Mendoza was a member of the Class of 2017 and captain of the Cross Country and Track & Field teams at Socastee High School. He had burning spirit and a passion for athletics. On December 26, 2016 he lost his life in a surfing accident. The Running Hawaiian 5K is a memorial race and a celebration of his life. Proceeds from this event will fund a scholarship opportunity in his name.

Saturday, May 16, 2026

Race Time: 8:30 AM

Entry Fee: $30 (Price will increase on April 18 to $35)

https://runsignup.com/Race/SC/NorthMyrtleBeach/TheRunningHawaiian

Please contact Robb Urbaniak with any questions about this event.

This year our district is challenging all of our students to engage more through reading. Students are encouraged to visit our Media Center or get their library card to one of our local community library. Students can also log their pages read in their Beanstack accounts. Students will be recognized for leading the way on the reading initiative. Together, as a district, we can all #RiseWithReading

Every Wednesday we start our day by reporting to advisory and reading. Students are provided with uninterrupted time to read a book or content of their choosing. Students should come prepared each week with something to read. The advisory schedule for Wednesday DEAR can be found here.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1pLWxbI_mcscxlNu82OIKCZxfvJHGWDNQ/edit?usp=sharing&ouid=102152763371700891873&rtpof=true&sd=true

Horry County Schools’ Summer Scholars Program is a special experience that provides academic enrichment opportunities to gifted and talented students in grades 3-11. Summer Scholars recognizes the importance of allowing gifted and talented students the opportunity for critical thinking and learning through creative exploration.

On-Line Registration begins on March 30 and ends on May 15, 2026.

PROGRAM DATES are June 15 -18 and second session is June 22 - 25.

For more information and to register online visit us at www.horrycountyschools.net/summerscholars

Parents, it’s time to schedule your student’s Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) Meeting. IGP Meetings are completed for every grade level, 9th through 12th. The IGP Meeting is an opportunity for us to look at graduation requirements and make sure your student is on track to graduate. We also discuss college plans and make sure you are completing the requirements necessary for your post-high school plans.

If you’re still undecided on what you want to do after high school it’s okay. The IGP meeting gives us a chance to discuss some options and explore your college and career possibilities.

IGP meetings can now be held in-person if you are comfortable coming into the building, or can be conducted virtually if you would prefer. We are meeting with parents anytime from now until we leave on Spring Break. Meetings are arranged anytime from 8 AM until 3 PM, Monday through Friday. Please contact the appropriate counselor via e-mail and arrange your appointment. We can be flexible with schedules so let us know what works best with you. This is an important meeting and we want everyone to have their chance to complete the IGP meeting this year. We look forward to meeting with you and your student.

Socastee High School teachers provide tutoring on a weekly basis is all subject areas. If you need additional help in a class please consult with your teacher to find out the best time to attend tutoring.

You can tutor with any teacher in the department, it does not have to be with your specific teacher. However, you are always welcome to reach out to your teacher to inquire about their tutoring hours.

Looking for a new club to join? or two? Check out the International Club and Encourage One Another Club. More information on the flyers below.

The Office of Congressman Russell Fry is now accepting submissions for the 2026 Congressional Art Competition. We welcome the participation of all high school students (Grades 9 through 12) in South Carolina’s 7th Congressional District.

As the nation approaches its 250th Anniversary, the Congressional Institute has chosen a suggested theme of “Celebrating 250 Years of America.” We are excited to see the creativity and artistic talents of students in the district surrounding this theme.

The overall winner will have their artwork displayed at the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. for one year and will receive an invitation to the national winners’ reception in Washington on June 25, 2026. A major airline is offering round-trip tickets, so first-place winners and one guest can attend the National Reception.

Students interested in pursuing a career in Health Sciences may be interested in the McLeod Health Summer Junior Volunteer Program. This eight-week program is open to middle and high school students, age 13-17 and offers teens a chance to gain hands-on experience in a healthcare setting while serving the community. Junior Volunteers will work alongside healthcare professionals and assist with meaningful tasks that support patient care and hospital operations.

More information and applications to the program can be found online at:

https://www.mcleodhealth.org/services/community-involvement/volunteers/

Application deadline for this program is April 10 and spots are limited so apply today!

Elevate your skills and build confidence in your abilities during the overnight programs at Governor's School. Connect with other passionate students and engage with artists and mentors in a fun and supportive environment. Apply in 6th through 11th grade depending on your area of interests. Programs include Creative Writing, Dance, Drama, Film, Music, and Visual Arts. Programs can range from 1 to 5 weeks based on area and grade level.

Learn more online by visiting http://scgsah.org/govie-experience

Safety at our school is a priority. All students and staff have a right to come to school everyday and learn in a safe, protected environment. Every year we review Standard Response Protocol with staff and students so that if an emergency should ever arise everyone in the building will be prepared.

We have already conducted one lockdown drill for this year, and throughout the year we will practice fire, tornado, and earthquake drills as well.

To best prepare your students in case of emergency, we are sharing the Standard Response Protocol. Students must be aware of the five responses, and how to react if any of the responses are called at any given time. Please review the Standard Response Protocol and be ready in case of emergency.

STANDARD RESPONSE PROTOCOL

Often times, students who are seeking outside therapy may be asked by their licensed professional to complete an assessment to determine best course of action for their therapeutic goals. Many times the professional will want input from the teachers who know your student best to address their day to day activities and behaviors in class. They may give you any number of various assessments to give to your teacher to complete.

Your guidance counselor is here to help you streamline that process. If you counselor or therapist asks for any sort of teacher assessment to be delivered, please bring that documentation directly to your counselor. Your school counselor can distribute to your teacher, collect those materials, and send it directly to your counseling office. Please allow at least 2 weeks from the time you bring us those materials for your teacher to make a thorough observation of your student and submit that paperwork on your behalf. Allow us to assist you in this process so that materials can be distributed and collected confidentially and without you continuing to track down the necessary documentation.

Horry County Schools and Socastee High School have partnered with an organization called Care Solace to put families in contact with licensed therapists to help support students and staff with mental health. Students who may be in need of mental health counseling can be referred to Care Solace to be put in contact with a licensed therapist who is willing to work with you on your terms. Take the guess work out of trying to find a counselor who meets your needs, and let Care Solace do the heavy lifting for you. Care Solace is a free, confidential service for all students in Horry County Schools to be matched with the best possible therapist in our area to start addressing any sort of mental health needs. Please contact your guidance counselor today to make the referral.

Students - Be sure to use the links below to join the Google Classroom for your graduating class! We post a lot of informative information on Google Classroom so make sure you are not missing out!

Class of 2026 - 4btb0vnr

Class of 2027 - oc6kls7h

Class of 2028 - 6guk3huf

Class of 2029 - in5ngtcl

Instagram - socastee_high_counselors

Email: rurbaniak@horrycountyschools.net
Website: https://www.horrycountyschools.net/Socastee_High_School
Location: 4900 Socastee Boulevard, Myrtle Beach, SC, USA
Phone: (843) 293-9031
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/SocasteeGuidance/