COUNSELING NEWSLETTER

Happy holidays! The November Newsletter is now archived for reference on the Counseling Page and below are December and January highlights. We will be adding information throughout the next two months so check back often for updates.

Below are the names of our counselors along with their alpha breakdown. Caseloads are divided alphabetically by student’s last name.

Mrs. Susie Kihneman (A-Ch)

Mr. Tim Roty (Ci-Hd)

Mrs. Lauren Kennedy (He-Lh)

Mr. Jesse Luna (Li-Par)

Mrs. Brenda Stone (Pas-St)

Mrs. Kathleen Marron (Su-Z)

Counseling Support:

Ms. Carinna Ambriz, Mending Matters Therapist

Ms. Morgan Moody, Student Support Services (Room G118)

Mrs. Sue Reich, Academic & Career Guidance Technician

Mrs. Bethany Watson, Counseling Assistant

Please refer to our Counseling Website for additional information and updates.

JANUARY & FEBRUARY- PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

UPCOMING 9TH, 10TH, & 11TH GRADE PARENT INFORMATION NIGHTS

Please plan to attend our upcoming parent information nights. We will present information on how to navigate high school and plan for college. Questions regarding course selection, how to read your student’s high school transcript, college requirements, and more will be addressed. Time and location will be announced closer to the event date.

The dates are as follows:

January 20th – Current 9th & 10th families and Students (Event flyer posted above)

February 3rd – Current 11th grade families and Students (On Zoom link below)

Topic: 11th Grade Parent/Guardian Information Night

Time: Feb 3, 2026 05:30 PM Pacific Time (US and Canada)

Join Zoom Meeting

https://powayusd.zoom.us/j/92606501138?pwd=3RawBsO5LAIQOHLVIwxoAWnm65PIuE.1

Meeting ID: 926 0650 1138

Passcode: 291637

We will present next steps for Juniors, including planning for senior year, rollout of senior year course selection, transcript review, postsecondary options, graduation and college requirements. Additionally, we will also share information on the Class of 2027 college application process, SAT/ACT information and an overview of application supports offered to seniors by the DNHS Counselors in the fall.

We look forward to seeing you!

Each winter and spring, the counseling department offers career presentations to our student body. This is an opportunity for students to learn first-hand about professions that interest them.

We are hoping to continue this tradition and are looking for parents in our Nighthawk community that would be willing to share information regarding their career journey. These are informal 20-30 minute lunch meetings that will be held in the Nighthawk Center during student lunch.

We try to align the presentations with our Career Technical Education (CTE) pathways. PUSD Career Technical Education focuses on the changing workplace that demands high levels of academic and applied knowledge and skill. Throughout the district, career pathway programs are offered in twelve of the fifteen high-growth industry sectors identified by the State of California. To learn more about the CTE Program click HERE.

If you would like to volunteer your time and offer a lunch career presentation, please email Sue Reich at sreich@powayusd.com Please include a brief description of your career.

Students must:

1. Be a junior or senior.

2. Be engaged in academic work in a productive way;

3. Demonstrate a competent understanding of U.S. and California constitutions; functions and governance of local governments; tribal government structures and organizations; the role of the citizen in a constitutional democracy; and democratic principles, concepts, and processes;

4. Participate in one or more informed civic engagement project(s) that address real-world problems and require students to identify and inquire into civic needs or problems, consider varied responses, take action, and reflect on efforts;

5. Demonstrate civic knowledge, skills, and dispositions through self-reflection; and

6. Exhibit character traits that reflect civic-mindedness and a commitment to positively impact the classroom, school, community and/or society.

https://www.civicseal.org/

Click HERE for more information on 2026 application windows.

AP EXAMS

AP EXAMS AP® Exams are optional exams at Del Norte High School that correspond to AP® courses. Students choosing to sit for the AP® Exams must adhere to specific deadlines for 2025-2026 that are based on the courses start date. The fall deadline has past. Late registration will open on January 13th, 2026 and there will be a $40. penalty fee for each exam. The cost of each AP Exam is $110 each, aside from AP English Seminar which is $150 each. CLICK HERE for more registration information. Late fall deadline and spring course deadline is February 27, 2026.

Fall college visits have slowed but will pick back up in the spring. Career/trade events will be offered in late winter and spring. Dates will be posted closer to the events.

Students can continue researching colleges by going to Naviance. Click on the College Tab on the top menu bar then scroll down to College Compare and College Resources. Additionally, many colleges and universities offer virtual tours as well as fall in person open house events.

If you need assistance with your Naviance log-in please email, Mrs. Reich, sreich@powayusd.com or Mrs. Watson, bwatson@powayusd.com

Palomar College 2026-27 application is now available. Click HERE

Palomar will also be offering two Senior Application Assistance Workshops; Friday, February 6th and Thursday, April 16th during student lunch in the Nighthawk Center.

Please create and bring your CCC number before attending. Link to create a CCC number:

Click Here

If a senior needs application assistance prior to our scheduled meetings, please see Mrs. Reich in Counseling. Palomar representatives have offered to come over to Del Norte once a month for 1 on 1 assistance that can be scheduled.

General Information Session Presentation

There will also be a Community College Night hosted at Del Norte High School on February 10th at 6pm in the Performing Arts Center (PAC), event flyer attached to this newsletter.

The US Marines will be on back on campus Thursday January 22nd during student lunch Stop their table in the Quad to learn about career opportunities in the military.

If you have an interest in connecting with one of the military branches please stop by the Nighthawk Center to discuss with Mrs. Reich.

Juniors and Seniors! On Thursday January 8 during Break and Office Hours the United States Air Force will be presenting information on the Air Force R.O.T.C. scholarship. If you have interest in learning about a career in the Air Force and paying for college please join us in the Nighthawk Center.

Volunteer hours are not a requirement to graduate from Poway Unified. Many clubs like National Honor Society may require volunteer service hours but it is not mandatory for graduation. There are still many great reasons to volunteer. Giving your time to different organizations builds community pride. The tasks you complete while volunteering can build skills and expand your resume. Colleges also like to see applicants with diversified experiences that reflect their passions as well. The last reason you may want to consider volunteering your time is that it just feels good!

• College Entrance Exam page on our Counseling website.
• For the latest updates on SAT exam registration and information, please visit the College Board website.
• For the latest updates on ACT exam registration and information, please visit the ACT website.

Counselors continue to support seniors with the college application process. If you missed any of the college information presentations, College Information Sessions, Common App Presentation, College Information Night , UC Application Presentation, CSU Application Presentation you can find the links to view the power point slides and videos by clicking HERE

FAFSA 2026-2027 Application is now open.

Did you know that in order to be considered and eligible for merit aid, many universities require that you have a FAFSA on file? Even if you do not believe that your family income qualifies for need-based aid, it can qualify you for tuition reduction, grants, and merit-based aid. File your FAFSA no later than March 2nd, the earlier the better! The official government site, fafsa.gov.

Many schools also require the CSS Profile. Please check to see if this is required at the school where you are applying.

GPA's for CAL Grant verifications have been electronically submitted for all seniors unless you have opted out.

There are multiple places to search for scholarships. Counseling will try to post local scholarships here and on our counseling page. You can also find a monthly scholarship spread sheet and resources on our Counseling Scholarship Page as well as by logging onto Naviance (scholarship tab).

PUSD INFORMATION AND TECHNOLOGY SUPPORT

We are often asked technology questions in the Counseling Department and thought it would be helpful to share the below district website as a resource. The PUSD IT Department has done a great job explaining the different platforms and technology used at school. Parents and students can watch instructional videos, reset passwords and view frequently asked questions.

https://www.powayusd.com/apps/pages/access-and-support