Guidance News

Greetings to all our IHS students and their families! It is a busy time of year, and we want to make sure we are communicating all the goings-on in guidance as efficiently as possible! Students have recently completed their course requests in Aspen. These requests will be used to inform the creation of the school schedule, including which classes will run and how many sections are needed. Staff members work hard to create a schedule that allows all students to complete their graduation requirements, and optimizes opportunities for requested electives. Aspen will generate initial schedules for students later this year. If there are holes in schedules or important courses are missing, students can meet with counselors to explore options and make adjustments.

Please note that students who requested consideration for an AP class should have received notification of the department's decision on Friday, March 13th, along with instructions for the appeal process.

Wednesday, March 25, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. Woburn SEPAC College & Transition Fair

Thursday, March 26, 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. College Fair for Students Who Learn Differently, Landmark School

Wednesday, April 1, 3:00 p.m. Scholarship Application Deadline for Seniors

Thursday, April 2, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Greater Essex County College & Career Fair, Newburyport High School

Friday, April 17: Credit for Life Field Trip Forms Due for Juniors

Friday, April 17: Deadline to sign up for May 2nd SAT at Ipswich High School on collegeboard.org

Monday, April 27, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. Phillips Andover Academy College Fair

Monday, April 27, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. NACAC College Fair, Hynes Convention Center, Boston

Saturday, May 2: SAT at Ipswich High School

Monday, May 4 - Friday, May 15: AP Exams

Tuesday, May 19 & Wednesday, May 20: 10th Grade Math MCAS

Wednesday, May 27: Credit for Life Field Trip, Salem State

Tuesday, June 2 & Wednesday, June 3: 9th Grade Biology MCAS

Last year, Ipswich High managed 51 scholarships, worth more than $130,000 total. This year's application is live, and it is a great chance for students to access funds to pay for books or part of tuition! We encourage all students to apply. We have met with seniors to review the Ipswich scholarship application process. Students have been provided with a hard copy of the list, and can access the application via the Class of 2026 School Counseling Google Classroom. Ms. Dziadose and Ms. Gregory have worked hard over the past several years to streamline the applications, making it easier than every to apply! Be sure to follow directions closely. Applications will close at 3:00 p.m. on Wednesday, April 1st. Please contact Ms. Dziadose with any questions, at ndziadose@ipsk12.net.

Below, please find a padlet with information about other scholarship opportunities!

The Credit for Life Fair is an interactive event held at high schools and colleges across Massachusetts and beyond and hosted by financial institutions and other organizations. The goal of Credit for Life is to prepare students to survive financially in the everyday world before they leave high school. Students choose professions, assume the roles of 25-year old 'professionals with paychecks' and use their monthly ‘salaries’, ‘credit cards’ and ‘savings accounts’ to purchase everything they will need to live as adults. The goal of the day: to balance their budget and not overspend.

We encourage all juniors to attend this year's Credit for Life Fair, hosted by the Institution for Savings, on Wednesday, May 27th on the Salem State campus. Juniors attended a presentation about the Credit for Life Fair on March 11th, and received a permission slip to take home and have signed. Another copy of this permission slip is BELOW if needed, and these are due to guidance by Friday, April 17th.

This event will take place at Newburyport High School on Tuesday, April 2nd, 6:00 - 7:30 p.m. Click here to register to attend. Also, click here to see the schools and organizations that will be represented at this fair!

The NACAC college fair will take place at the Hynes Convention Center on Monday, April 27th, 5:30 - 8:30 p.m. Click here to find out what schools will be there, and to register to attend!

The list of colleges attending is not published yet. Please save the date of April 27th, 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. and watch this space or contact your IHS counselor mid-April for a list of colleges that plan to attend.

Check out the button above to explore pre-college programs, classes and activities that may be of interest for this summer!

All students are required to complete 30 hours of Community Service by the end of junior year. Opportunities for Community Service are regularly posted in the morning announcements. Also, students can click here for information about ongoing community service opportunities, along with the form for supervisors to sign off on completed hours. For questions or more information, please contact Lisa Kennedy, lkennedy@ipsk12.net

Camp Stepping Stones is for children age 4 to 18 and their families who have experienced the death of someone important, a space for parents/caregivers and kids to connect with other grieving families, to honor and remember those who have died, and have some fun.

Grieving children and their families are invited to participate in Care Dimensions’ 25th Camp Stepping Stones on Saturday, July 18. Join us at the pastoral and historic campus of the Glen Urquhart School in Beverly Farms, Mass., for a unique opportunity for children, teens and their families who have experienced the death of someone important in their lives. Registration for Camp Stepping Stones 2026 will open March 30. Click here to learn more.

The iCARE program, from the creators of iDECIDE, is a comprehensive curriculum for parents and

caregivers focused on understanding substance use and building resilience in children. It covers topics such as the effects of various substances, the role of industry influences, and identifying risk and protective factors. A key component is fostering effective communication strategies to discuss sensitive topics and encourage positive behavior changes. The program aims to equip parents with factual knowledge and practical skills to guide their children. Click here to learn more.

The Artful Life Counseling Center in Beverly is offering insurance-based programs this summer. Click here to learn more.

The Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority is an excellent resource for families who want to learn more about paying for college. Check out the Student Loan Payment Calculator to find out what monthly payments might look like on the amount of student debt your child is considering taking on. The College Cost Calculator allows you to plug in information from various offer letters to compare them clearly and efficiently.

For families of underclassmen wondering what kind of financial aid they may qualify for, check out the Federal Student Aid Estimator on StudentAid.org.

Lynn Lyons is a psychotherapist, author and speaker who has been in private practice for 30 years in New England. She specializes in the treatment of anxiety disorders in adults and children. Click here for her website, which will connect you to resources including books, videos, trainings and podcasts. One of her recent episodes was "Highschoolers, Homework, and Meltdowns: Guiding Our Kids Through Junior & Senior Year." Check it out here.

We bring more ease, joy, and purpose to the college admission process through free resources, online courses and one-on-one coaching. Click here to explore the website!