October 2025 Newsletter
WA Counseling Department
AP TEST REGISTRATION 2026
GOOGLE CLASSROOM JOIN CODE: cw2bript
TR Registration Deadlines:
Late Registration ($10 late fee) begins October 1, 2025
Registration ENDS October 15, 2025 at 11:59PM. NO EXCEPTIONS.
CollegeBoard/My AP Classroom Deadlines:
Students must be connected to their AP Classroom(s) no later than 10/30/25.
Students are expected to take the AP Exam for ALL AP courses for which they are enrolled. If there are extenuating circumstances, please reach out to the AP Coordinators, Mrs. Leah Birnkrant and Mr. Brian Doherty.
**We recognize that some students choose to self-study for exams. Please note that self-studying should not be prioritized over courses offered at WA and is not recorded on your WA transcript/school records. Additionally, each college determines what scores are required to earn credit at their school, while others do not take any APs as credit.
STEP 1
REGISTER/PAY ON TOTAL REGISTRATION:
All AP Exam registrations and payments will be completed online via Total Registration. To access the site, go to: www.TotalRegistration.net/AP/222335
**If you registered for an exam last year, you will not need to create a new account. Log in with last year’s information.
STEP 2
REGISTER ON MYAP AT COLLEGE BOARD:
After registering for the exam on TR, students will receive a confirmation that includes a code for each exam for which they have registered. THESE CODES ARE SPECIFIC TO YOUR TEACHER AND THE PARTICULAR BLOCK YOU ARE IN. If you are self-studying for an exam, you should choose “Ind. Study”. Students will need to use this code to sign up for the College Board’s AP online classrooms. Please see the attached instruction sheet for more information.
COST:
The 2026 exam fees are $110 per exam. No exams will be ordered without payment - students can pay online using a credit/debit card or can mail a check to Total Registration. Partial refunds are available from November 15 - March 31 ($70). Starting April 1, all payments are non-refundable. Students who qualify for Free/Reduced Lunch can receive a fee reduction for the exam - please check the appropriate box during registration.
PSAT registration has closed.
For those students who have registered, please make sure to check your emails. As a reminder, the PSAT will be held on Saturday, October 18, 2025 from 8:00am-11am.
After you take the PSAT/NMSQT, you can get a free, tailored practice program for the SAT—based on your personal test results—through Khan Academy. You also get free access to the Roadmap to Careers online tool from Roadtrip Nation to explore majors and careers that reflect your interests.
Please see the PSAT Student Guide for information on how to prepare, what to bring, score reports and more.
Westford Academy’s Back to School Event will have two options for parents/caregivers. The first option will be a virtual meet the teachers for all classes and recorded administration presentations. The second option will be a traditional open house format with classroom visits for all grades (9-12) and a meet the administration for grade 9 and a grade 10/11 presentation. Grade 9 will start in the PAC. Grade 10/11 will meet in the main gym.
We hope both options will allow parents more accessibility to participate in the event. The classroom visits, virtual or in person, will be the same. There is no need to attend both. If you do plan to attend the in-person event, please note that parking could be challenging. Carpooling and allowing for extra time is encouraged. The grade 12 parent presentation occurred on the evening of August 26th and is posted on Westford Academy’s website. The grade 9 and 10/11 presentations will be recorded and posted to the website the following school day.
Instructions for Virtual Open House Teacher Meetings
You can access your student’s schedule via the Powerschool portal or have your student provide you with a copy of their schedule.
Here is the listing of all the virtual links
Session 1: Virtual
A Block: 2:40-2:50
B Block: 2:55-3:05
C Block: 3:10-3:20
D Block: 3:25-3:35
E Block: 3:40-3:50
F Block: 3:55-4:05
G Block: 4:10-4:20
Session 2: In Person @ WA
Grade 9 Parents/Caregivers: 4:45-5:15 PAC: Administration/Counseling Presentation
Grades 10/11 Parents/Caregivers: 4:45-5:15 Main Gymnasium: Administration Presentation
A Block: 5:20-5:30
B Block: 5:35-5:45
C Block: 5:50-6:00
D Block: 6:05-6:15
E Block: 6:20-6:30
F Block: 6:35-6:45
G Block: 6:50-7:00
College Affordable Financial Aid Night October 1
The WA Counseling Department will be offering a College Affordable financial aid presentation on October 1st at 6:30pm in the PAC.
College Affordable is an organization dedicated to helping Westford families navigate the financial aid process with personalized support. For additional information on family registration and free monthly webinars, please visit the links below:
https://collegeaffordable.org/westfordacademy/
Drop-in Hours
Need extra help with your college to-do list? School counselors will be holding drop-in hours for any students who have a DLT during the blocks listed below. Location is TBD (we will post in google classroom with updates). Bring your questions and we’ll help you tackle them!
✨ Things we can help with:
Connecting Common App & SCOIR
Quick read & guidance on your Common App essay
Completing the Common App
Any other college questions you may have
Drop-In Schedule:
Monday, October 6th:
F BlockG Block
A Block
Tuesday, October 7th:
B BlockC Block
D Block
E Block
Tuesday, October 14th:
A BlockB Block
C Block
D Block
E Block
Thursday, October 16
F BlockG Block
Senior Parent/Caregiver College Application Seminar
The Counseling Department presented a senior Parent/Caregiver College Application Seminar which outlined the college process on Wednesday, September 10th.
Here is the link to the presentation
Senior Meetings
Individual Senior Meetings:
Our meeting will last approximately one hour. Students: please book 1-hour time slots. Please select your counselor’s booking link below to schedule your senior meeting:
Mrs. Leah Birnkrant Mrs. Susan Lynch Mr. Brian Doherty Mrs. Samantha DeMagistris Ms. Jenna Grossman Mrs. Heidi Hider Mrs. Lauren Clark
This month is dedicated to raising awareness about depression and highlighting the importance of accessible, affordable mental health support. Depression can look different for everyone and may affect anyone—regardless of age or background—at any time. By increasing understanding and encouraging open conversations, we can help reduce stigma and ensure more people get the support they need, including timely mental health screenings.
That’s why this October, we’re encouraging open conversations, kindness, and connection.
World Mental Health Day on October 10 is an important reminder that mental health matters just as much as physical health. Taking care of our emotional well-being helps us all learn, grow, and thrive—both in and out of the classroom.
Check out a few mental health resources below!
Cartwheel Care
Westford Academy has partnered with Cartwheel Care for the 2025-2026 school year. Cartwheel is a mental health service available via telehealth to students and parents/caregivers. For more information, please see Cartwheel FAQ handout here.
If you think your child could benefit from some extra support during this back-to-school season, visit: https://www.cartwheel.org/families to learn more about how Cartwheel partners with schools to support students and families. Family interest form can be found here.
Check out the first webinar of the 2025-2026 school year: How Parents & Caregivers Can Support Kids' Mental Health
If you have any questions, you can also reach out to your student's school counselor.
Westford Parent Support Group
The parent support group, Westford Supportive Parent Solutions, is meeting the 3rd Tuesday of every month 6:30pm – 8:00pm. The group will be held at the Roudenbush Community Center, 3rd floor Recreation Department. The attached flyer has additional details.
MPY Parent Solutions
The Massachusetts Partnership for Youth (MPY) Parenting Solutions has created a list of proven resources to help students' families thrive. Parents can watch or just listen to experts who get right to the point solving big and small challenges. Each Library includes 10-minute videos and handouts.
Click HERE to access the videos and handouts in each library.
bryt Parent/Caregiver Speaker Series
Parents Supporting Parents: Family Learning Sessions held first Tuesday of the month from 7-8pm
October 7 - Helping My Child Cope
Need additional support? Check out our Family Support Resources
SAT/ACT Upcoming Test Dates and Deadlines
SAT
October 4, 2025 test date
Registration Closed
November 8, 2025 test date
Deadline for registration 10/24/25 & late registration 10/28/25
December 6, 2025 test date
Deadline for registration 11/21/25 & late registration 11/25/25
Register for SAT tests here
ACT
October 18, 2025 test date
Registration Closed
December 13, 2025 test date
Deadline for registration 11/7/25 & late registration 11/24/25
Register for ACT tests here
Free Practice SAT/ACT tests
Summit Educational Group: http://www.mytutor.com/students/practice-tests/ma
WA Counseling Department
Email: laurenclark@westfordk12.us
Website: https://www.westfordk12.us/wa/counseling-department
Location: 30 Patten Road, Westford, MA, USA
Phone: 978-692-5570