The Owl

Seniors and families, it's FAFSA season, and it started early this year. The U.S. Department of Education has opened the 2027-28 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) at StudentAid.gov, the earliest launch in the program's history, for students beginning classes on or after July 1, 2027. This is financial aid for next fall, so current seniors should file now.

Why the FAFSA matters

The FAFSA opens the door to most college financial aid. It determines eligibility for federal aid, including Pell Grants for eligible low-income students, and many state, college, and scholarship programs use it too. Pell Grants can help pay for tuition, fees, housing, meals, and other education costs, and unlike a loan, they don't have to be repaid.

The FAFSA isn't only for families who expect to qualify for need-based aid. According to the FAFSA website, any student who wants to be considered for federal, state, and school aid should complete it, regardless of income. Many colleges require it before they will award their own scholarships.

Filing early pays off. Saving for College reports that students who file during the first three months of the application window receive, on average, twice as many grants as students who file later. Some colleges and trade schools set their own FAFSA deadlines, and most give out aid first-come, first-served. Filing also makes a difference in whether students go to college at all. Research from the National College Attainment Network shows that seniors who complete the FAFSA are much more likely to enroll in college right after high school, and the effect is even larger for students from the lowest-income families.

The form is also easier than it used to be. The Department says some families can finish the updated application in about 15 minutes. New this year, students can see their estimated Pell Grant and other federal aid eligibility right after they complete the form. Parents with more than one child applying can also reuse their information across applications instead of entering it again for each child.

Steps to complete the FAFSA

1. Create StudentAid.gov accounts. The student needs a StudentAid.gov account, and so does each person who must provide information on the form, such as a parent. A parent without a Social Security number can still create an account by checking a box to show they don't have one. Create accounts a few days ahead, since verification can take time.

2. Gather your documents. You can complete the form without documents, but many families find these helpful: parents' Social Security numbers (for dependent students), tax returns, records of child support received, current checking and savings balances, and the value of any investments, businesses, or farms. The 2027–28 FAFSA uses 2025 tax information. Retirement accounts (401K, Roth IRA, traditional IRA, pension) are not reported to FAFSA.

3. Start the form. Go to studentaid.gov, click "Start New Form," choose 2027-28, log in, and select "Student." A parent starting the form for a dependent child should select "Parent" instead.

4. Invite contributors. Parents or other required contributors will get an invitation to fill out and sign their own section. The FAFSA isn't submitted until every section is done and signed. Students will need to invite their parents as contributors.

5. List your colleges. Add every school you're applying to or considering, even ones you're unsure about, so each one receives your information.

6. Submit and check for updates. If your family's finances have changed a lot since the tax year the form uses, submit the FAFSA anyway, then contact the financial aid office at your school to explain the change. Watch your email for your FAFSA Submission Summary, and follow up quickly if a college asks for more documents.

Once your application is processed, you will receive a FAFSA Submission Summary that includes your Student Aid Index (SAI).

• Review the summary: Make sure all the information is accurate. If you find any errors, log in to make corrections.
• Check your email: You can expect email updates on your application status.
• Wait for award letters: The schools you listed on your FAFSA will use this information to create your financial aid package. You will receive award letters directly from the schools you are accepted to.

Here are a few resources to help you through the process:

https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/understanding-fafsa-form

https://studentaid.gov/articles/things-you-need-for-fafsa/

https://studentaid.gov/apply-for-aid/fafsa/filling-out/help

It is time to take the PSAT/NMSQT! This test serves as the qualifier for the National Merit Scholarship, so give your best effort! We will begin the test at 8:00 AM on Friday, October 2nd in BT101.

All juniors should bring their charged laptop, with Bluebook installed and working!

Picture retakes will be on Wednesday, September 30th from 8:00 AM until 12:00 PM in R109! You can sign up for retakes in your Jostens account!

Walsworth is now taking orders for the the OECHS yearbook! This initial cost is $55 and will increase in November. Click on (or scan) the QR code below to order!

Make-up senior pictures and yearbook photos for 9th-11th grade will be on September 30th.

We would love to have you join our committee! Our next meeting will be September 28th at 5:00 in Ragsdale 105 (The Big Room).

Girls Tennis

Congratulations to our girls for wrapping up the regular season with a 4-3 record, our first winning season for any sports team at OECHS! Our school will be hosting the 1A Eastern Regional Tournament at Jacksonville Commons Recreation Center on October 16th and 17th.

Cross Country

Our teams did well at the Onslow County Championship and are preparing for upcoming regionals in four weeks!

Due to picture retakes, meetings, and the PSAT for juniors this week, we will not have an in-person EPF this week! Students have homework in Clever/EPF, along with an online test. Details for our Honors Project #1 will be posted in Teams.

FAFSA is now open! See the information at the top of the newsletter! Students also have resources to help in Teams.

We still have several seniors that need to turn in their Federal Cards on Monday!

We looked at PSAT Math prep and career planning tools this past week on NCCareers.org. We also did our PSAT readiness check on our computers for the upcoming test on Friday at 8:00 AM in BT101.

This week, we will only have Junior Seminar on Monday and Tuesday and will work more on our career and college planning.

English I Honors (Ms. Hendrix)-Unit 2: Rhetoric & Research!

All class due dates and upcoming events can be viewed at the following link:

Honors I English:

Parents can click on any events/due dates within the Calendar to view any additional information and details.

English III Honors (Ms. Meyer)- This week we concluded our study of Unit 2: Puritanism and Arthur Miller’s The Crucible. Students completed a test on the text and also presented their Salem Witch Trials Projects. Next week, we begin our study of Unit 3: The Enlightenment. This will be a short unit of study and students should be prepared to take the Quest on this unit at the end of next week. 🍂

Upcoming Due Dates:

- Unit 3 Quest – Fri. Oct 2 (A Day), Thurs. Oct. 1 (B Day)

- Notebook Check 3 – Fri. Oct 2 (A Day), Thurs. Oct. 1 (B Day)

Math II Honors (Ms. Seaman)-We will continue working in the Quadratic Unit this week concentrating on factoring and solving by factoring. Students should continue to work on their Skills Assignment in DeltaMath. Major grade this week: Quiz Thursday, October 1st.

Precalculus Honors (Mrs. Walsh)-Last week students reviewed the unit circle and special right triangles. This coming week students will use trigonometry to solve real world problems and graph the six trig functions. There will be a quiz on Wednesday covering lessons 4.1 - 4.4 and a weekly assignment will be due on Friday.

Biology Honors (Mr. Springfield)-This week in Honors Biology we concluded the unit on Genetics with the genetic technology chapter. We also began the Evolution unit on Friday with a "Survival of the Fittest" lab. We will continue with the unit on Evolution throughout the week next week. We are already getting close to being halfway through the semester. Buckle up we have a lot to cover. Have a great weekend!

Chemistry Honors (Mr. Stallard)-We are finishing up Unit 5 Speaking Like a Chemist and then will begin Unit 6 Bonding.

Tuesday Sept 29 Unit 5 Worksheet due

Tuesday Sept 29 Unit 5 Test

AP Environmental Science (Mr. Stallard)-We are finishing Unit 2 on Monday and will begin Unit 3 Populations on Tuesday.

Monday Sept 28 Unit 2 Test

Civics Honors (Mr. Marsh)- We have been studying the events leading to the creation of the US Constitution. Next, we will examine the different articles of the Constitution and the need for a Bill of Rights. There will be several projects next week as students will research members of the Constitutional Convention and the challenges of multiple personalities working together to achieve a common goal.

AP World History (Ms. York)-This past week, we tied up and tested our Unit Global Tapestry, and began The Development of Europe with the Discussion of “ How Dark were the Dark Ages. This upcoming week , we will work on the Byzantine Empire, Life in the Middle Ages from 1200-1450, and our next unit on Networks and Exchanges. They will begin working on Guided Reading 2.1, and the Silk Road

American History Honors (Ms. York)-This week, we studied Puritan Society. We held our first-class discussion on chapters 1-4 & 4-6 of The Scarlet Letter. This upcoming week, they will learn about the Salem Witch trials, the Visible and Invisible World of Salem, and then the creation of the Middle Colonies. This coming week, they will complete the reading guide for Chapters 7-12 of The Scarlet Letter

Looking for some OECHS merch? If so, you have come to the right place as our online school store is now open! Click on the following link or use the QR code in the flyer below to shop today!

https://teamlocker.squadlocker.com/stores/onslow-early-college-high-school

Along with Blackboard, emails, the OECHS website, and social media, our school uses Remind to inform parents of weather bulletins, weekly newsletters, and more. If you are the parent or guardian of an OECHS Owl, please join the appropriate Remind group!

Class of 2027: https://www.remind.com/join/7ag9b99

Class of 2028: https://www.remind.com/join/3944fh

Class of 2029: https://www.remind.com/join/oechscl

Class of 2030: https://www.remind.com/join/fd373c

"North Carolina House Bill 769 became effective December 1, 1997 and reflects a coordinated statewide effort to motivate and encourage students to complete high school. This legislation requires that a student's driving permit or license be revoked if a student is unable to maintain adequate progress or drops out of school. Adequate progress is defined as passing 70% of all courses and is determined by first semester grades and second semester grades for schools on block scheduling. For schools on a traditional six-period day schedule, grades are determined by first semester grades and end-of-year grades."

Students need to maintain "adequate progress" to remain eligible for permits and licenses while in high school. Each semester, we are to notify students (and the district) when any students are not making adequate progress at the end of a semester/year. Students will then have to earn back the ability to have a permit or license after the next semester's grades are complete (and pay $50 to the DMV to have their permit or license reinstated). Bottom line: Keep your grades up in your high school and college classes or you will lose your driver's permit or license!

September 28th- OECHS Prom Committee (5:00 in R105 "The Big Room")

September 30th- Picture Retakes

October 2nd- PSAT (Juniors)

October 9th- OECHS Workday (No high school classes)

October 12th-13th- OECHS/CCCC Fall Break (No HW Weekend for high school classes)

October 16th-17th- Girl's Tennis Regionals

October 19th-25th- Free College Application Week

October 20th- PreACT (Sophomores)

October 21st- CCCC Fall Fest

October 30th-31st- Cross Country Regionals

November 11th- Veterans Day (No OECHS/CCCC classes)

November 25th-29th- Thanksgiving Break

December 15th-17th- OECHS Final Exams and Biology EOC

December 18th-January 6th- Winter Break

January 18th- Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday

February 19th- OECHS Workday (No high school classes and No HW Weekend for high school classes)

March 22nd-29th- Spring Break/Easter Holiday

April 23rd- OECHS Workday (No high school classes)

May 6th- AP World History Exam (8:00AM)

May 11th- CCCC classes end

May 13th- AP Environmental Science Exam (12:00PM)

May 14th- OECHS Graduation (7:00PM @ WOHS Earl Taylor Performing Arts Center)

May 15th- CCCC Graduation (10:00AM @ CCCC)

May 18th-21st- OECHS Final Exams and EOCs

Email: james.strope@onslow.k12.nc.us
Website: https://oec.onslow.k12.nc.us/
Location: R109A, 444 Western Blvd., Jacksonville, NC 28546
Phone: 910-938-6702
Twitter: @OnslowECHS