CCR Update

• D303 Financial Aid Night-St. Charles North Auditorium-September 16, 2026-6:30-8:00 p.m.
• 2027-2028 FAFSA Application-Scheduled to open October 1, 2026
• Pathways Night (2 Year, Tech, Trades & Military Post-Secondary Options)-Compass Academy-October 28, 2026-6-8 p.m.
• FAFSA Completion Workshop-B200C/LRC-October 29, 2026-6-8pm.
• Early College Credit Information Night-St. Charles East Little Theatre-November 17, 2026 -6:30-8:30.p.m.
• Spring Into College-Little Theatre-March 9, 2027-6-8 p.m.
• Fox Valley College Fair@ St. Charles East Main Gym-March 24, 2027-6-8 p.m.

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

The College & Career Readiness Office would like to share the following reminders about student schedules:

Students wishing to make a preferential course request should use this request form to submit it to the CCR Office. We will do our best to honor your requests with respect to the following factors:

1) Availability of seats in the class 2) The class meets during the same class period as the dropped class and 3) The added class maintains progress toward graduation.

Class schedules will not be changed to accommodate a teacher or lunch/study preference. (See the Academic Program Guide for scheduling guidelines.)

Adding a course deadline is the tenth day of the semester—August 25, 2026.

Dropping a course deadline is the fifteenth day of the semester—September 1, 2026.

A request for a course change is NOT a guarantee that the change is possible. Students made course requests in the winter of the previous school year and our master schedule was built to honor those requests. Any changes will be made based on availability.

The CCR team plans to meet with all seniors on 8/26/26 and 8/27/26 through your English 12 classes to walk through the college application process or the next steps for your post-secondary plans. Students will check in with their English teachers and then proceed with their class to the LRC.

Commencement is a special day in the life of every Saint! The traditional graduation cap, gown, and tassel are important iconic symbols of your success and pride in your school. We want you to look your best at graduation while wearing your school’s official colors--the Orange & Black! Seniors who attended the Class Meetings on Tuesday filled out the order form for their cap and gown. No further action is necessary to order. If you missed the class meeting, please stop by the CCR Office or check your email to place your order. Details for the graduation ceremony can be found on the East High School & CCR Websites and has been linked here for your convenience. Herff Jones also provided a packet to seniors interested in ordering optional announcements and accessories to celebrate your accomplishments! Extra packets can be picked up in the CCR Office or Student Life Office.

Are you a Junior or Senior with a full period study hall during periods 2, 3, & 6/7? The AVID Team-Mrs. Stewart, Mr. Currie, Mr. Gagliardi, and Mrs. Myers-are looking for TAs to serve as AVID Tutors. AVID Tutors facilitate small groups to help master core area content in Math, Science, English, Social Studies, and World Languages. You will receive .25 credit each semester that you serve as an AVID Tutor. This is a great way to get involved, boost your resume, and build your leadership and facilitation skills. We can take up to three students each class period. Interested students should complete the blue TA form available in the CCR office in order to apply.

Important information for students who are interested in taking an AP exam but are not enrolled in the corresponding AP course:

Students wishing to take any AP exams for classes in which they are not enrolled must register and pay for the exam no later than Friday, November 6. The fee is $100 per exam and is non-refundable. Registration forms are available here or in the College & Career Office. Once payment is received, you will receive a join code from Mr. Gill to complete your order.

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/

Upcoming Events:

Launch Strong: Thriving in College

Date: Tuesday, September 15, 2026 Time: 6:00 pm to 7:15 pm Location: Virtual

Success in college begins with a plan. Whether you're a first-time college student, adult learner, transfer student, or returning to complete your degree, this webinar will help you build a strong foundation for the semester ahead. Participants will learn how to read and understand a course syllabus, manage important academic deadlines, set realistic goals, navigate college expectations, and connect with campus resources designed to support student success. By understanding how college works and learning practical ways to stay organized, manage responsibilities, and access support, students can approach the semester with greater confidence. Join us as we kick off the College & Career Success Series, a year-long webinar series designed to help students plan, prepare, and succeed in college, career, and beyond. Theme: PLAN

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. Please return your completed registration form to Mr. Matt Gill in the College & Career Office.

The Discovery Program exposes students to a broad range of activities designed to encourage their interest in healthcare careers. Program activities include tours, guest speakers, group discussion, and hands-on projects. Meetings are most often on the third Saturday of each month from 9:00am-12:00pm. The NM Discovery West Chapter and the Greater DeKalb Chapter collaborate a lot, so meetings will be held at Central DuPage Hospital, Delnor Hospital, Kishwaukee Hospital, and various off-site NM locations. Please note, meeting dates, times, and topics are subject to change. Participants are responsible for their own transportation.

For information about the Discovery Program and how to apply.

The application deadline is 9/28/26.

For questions about the Discovery Program please email NMDiscoveryProgramWest@nm.org

The 2026-2027 NCAA guide is not yet available, as the NCAA releases guides annually.

1. Log in to your SchooLinks account (https://app.schoolinks.com/).
   

2. On the Student Dashboard, click on the School Events section to see all upcoming college visits.
   

3. Click on the name of the visit you want to attend, and then click on the Register for this Event button.
   

Before attending the visit, make sure you pick up a College Visit Pass from the College & Career Readiness Office or Student Services. You will need to fill out the form and have your teacher sign it before attending the visit. You will also be responsible for making up any missed work when attending a college visit.

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

For Scheduled Virtual Visits: Click the link to enter the live virtual conference with a college rep. For the full listing go to the College Visit page on the CCR Website.

8/31/26 Northern Illinois University 3

9/1/26 University of Iowa 6/7

9/1/26 Loyola University Chicago 8/9

9/3/26 Indiana University-Bloomington 3

9/3/26 Iowa State University 8/9

9/8/26 Lewis University 8/9

9/8/26 Eastern Illinois University 12

9/11/26 University of Nevada-Las Vegas 8/9

9/14/26 Academy of Art University 3

9/15/26 DePaul University 2

9/16/26 Saint Norbert College 2

9/16/26 University of Wisconsin-Madison 4/5

9/16/26 Michigan State University 10/11

9/17/26 Purdue University-Main Campus 2

9/17/26 University of Nebraska-Lincoln 4/5

9/18/26 Virginia Tech 3

9/18/26 Baylor University 4/5

9/18/26 Ball State University 6/7

9/18/26 Syracuse University 12

Information for local scholarships and select national scholarships is available in the College and Career Office and through the scholarship listing on the CCR website. This list will continue to be updated throughout the school year.

Website: https://sites.google.com/d303.org/stcharleseast--collegecareer/home
Location: 1020 Dunham Road, St. Charles, IL, USA
Phone: 331-228-5770
Twitter: @STCECCR