VHS Counseling February Newsletter

IN THIS NEWSLETTER YOU WILL FIND INFO ABOUT.....

National School Counseling Week

Recognizing the VHS Counseling Team

Course Selection Information

Upcoming Course Verification Activities & Timeline
Dual Credit through Austin Community College

College & Career Exploration

College Visits for VHS Students
ASVAB Career Exploration // March 25
Applied Research Laboratories Summer Apprenticeship Program // due March 10
HBCU College Fair // February 28
Austin National College Fair // March 5

GPA & Rank Information

Junior & Senior Info
Freshman & Sophomore Info

Junior Jam

Junior Conferences
School Day SAT for Juniors // March 4

Senior Zone

Mid-Year Reports for College Applications
Want to Win a Car? (Yes, for real!)
FAFSA is OPEN!! (And it's a Graduation Requirement!)
Accepted? We Want to Know!
Frequently Asked Senior Questions

Mental Health Highlight

Why Sleep is Critical to Students' Mental Health (from UT Austin's Dell Medical School)

Mental Health Minutes

National School Counseling Week, sponsored by the American School Counselor Association, highlights the tremendous impact school counselors can have in helping students achieve school success and plan for a career. Counselors collaborate with all stakeholders (i.e. parents, teachers, administrators) and seek to build an equitable and inclusive learning environment. Let's celebrate our amazing Vandegrift Counseling team!

Upcoming Course Verification Activities & Timeline

Course selection information is so dense that we've decided it will be getting it's own newsletter this month! Be on the look out for an "All Things Course Selection" newsletter that will come out within the next week. It will contain all the information students need to finalize their requests prior to the district deadline including info on: how to submit a change request, off periods, student aide periods, OCPE, correspondence courses, and highlighted courses. There will also be information on dedicated opportunties to speak with counselors regarding course selection questions.

REMINDER:

THE FINAL COURSE REQUEST CHANGE DEADLINE FOR

NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS MARCH 12, 2026, 4PM.

Dual Credit through Austin Community College

Summer 2026 / School Year 2026–27 planning for current 9th, 10th, 11th graders

Students who would like to take ACC Dual Credit courses in Summer 2026 and/or the 2026–27 school year should start the enrollment process now. The priority deadline for completing steps 1-5 for Summer 2026 and/or School Year 2026-27 is February 16, with the final deadline on March 12.

New to ACC Dual Credit: Students who are new to ACC Dual Credit must complete enrollment steps 1–4, including TSI testing (step 4), before attending an advising meeting (Step 5).
Returning to ACC Dual Credit : Students returning to ACC Dual Credit do not need to repeat steps 1-4 (unless needing TSI math qualifying scores for Economics) and can schedule their summer/school year 2026-27 advising meeting through this link.

Students taking the TSI for dual credit college readiness can take the assessment once at VHS, offered February 16 (Monday/PD Day) or can take it Mondays-Saturdays at ACC. Details can be found here.

College Visits for VHS Students

Don't forget that college admissions representatives are still scheduling visits to connect with prospective applicants! This is a great way to find out more about colleges, develop an understanding about the admissions process, and connect with the representatives who will be reviewing your application. Click here to access the College Visit Calendar and instructions for registration.

ASVAB Career Exploration Program // March 25

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program is a FREE test available to interested 10th-12th grade students. The ASVAB program facilitates career planning and exploration, combining a multiple-aptitude test with an interest self-assessment and a wide range of career exploration tools. The test is open to any student who simply is wanting more career guidance, but is a requirement for students interested in pursuing military options. NOTE: LISD does not release scores to the military; students pursuing the military are responsible for sharing their scores.

The test will take place on Wednesday, March 25. Testing will take place in the College & Career Center (Room 1306) from 9:00 AM - 11:45 AM. REGISTER HERE.

Applied Research Laboratories Summer Apprenticeship Program // Due March 10

Each summer Applied Research Laboratories, a department at The University of Texas at Austin, sponsors a Science and Engineering Apprenticeship Program for high school graduates who will be attending a 4-year college or university in the fall semester, and who have been accepted, but not necessarily attending UT Austin in the fall. Preference for this opportunity is given to students attending UT Austin and those whose intended majors are aerospace, electrical, and mechanical engineering, computer science, geophysics, mathematics, and physics, but all STEM students are eligible to apply.

This program, which began in 1982, involves summer employment at Applied Research Laboratories in northwest Austin and provides a "hands-on" introduction to research and development. This is a competitive, 10-week summer program for graduating seniors, offering a salary of $20+ an hour. This prestigious group of students also write reports that will be published and widely distributed at the end of their summer term.

Application deadline is March 10, 2026 // details & application

HBCU College Fair // February 28

You’re invited to attend the HBCU College Fair on Saturday, February 28th. This event is your chance to meet representatives from Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs), learn about their programs, scholarships, and campus life, engaging sessions, and discover the amazing opportunities that await you. Students who attend will be eligible for a scholarship that will be given out at the end of the event and every student who attends will receive a free ticket to the National Battle of the Bands that happens every year in Houston, Texas. Everyone is welcome! Even if you’re just exploring your options, this is designed to get you college ready with information about admissions, scholarships, and more! For questions, please email: sonia.baker@roundrockisd.org.
February 28, 9a - 3p; Cedar Ridge High School (RRISD)

Click here to register

Austin National College Fair // March 5

The fair will be held on Thursday, March 5, 2026 from 6:00 - 8:30 PM at the Palmer Events Center. Over 300 exhibitors are expected to participate. A list of participating institutions is constantly updated as Colleges/Universities sign up for this opportunity, but you can see that list here. Click here to register for the fair.

Juniors & Seniors

In accordance with the LISD Rank & GPA policy, the lowest weighted GPA of students in the top ten percent, the first quartile, the second quartile, and the third quartile shall be communicated to all students in the class after each calculation period. Please view QUARTILE STATEMENT FOR VHS, JANUARY 2026 for the GPA breakdown.

**Students in the top 10% will have their rank listed in accordance with district policies. Students outside the top 10% do not have a rank and this box will be empty in HAC/Naviance.**

Your most current GPA & class rank (updated January 2026) can be viewed in two places.

HOME ACCESS CENTER - Navigate to "Grades" then "Transcript" - GPA information will be visible in the lower left hand corner

NAVIANCE - Navigate to the "My Account" section

See the GPA & Class Rank Update from January 22 for detailed screenshots.

NEW TO VHS STUDENTS - If you did not complete semester 1 at VHS, you will not have a GPA in Naviance. You will receive your GPA calculation once you complete a full semester at VHS.

Freshmen & Sophomores

GPA calculation for freshman and sophomores in accordance with the LISD Rank & GPA policy.

Cumulative GPA will be calculated at the end of the 9th grade year (June) and again at the end of the 10th grade year (June).

Class rank will only be reported for the top ten percent of each class. After each calculation period, students in the top ten percent will be told their exact class rank in accordance with administrative procedures.

The lowest weighted GPA of students in the top ten percent, the first quartile, the second quartile, and the third quartile shall be communicated to all students in the class after each calculation period in order for students to determine their GPA quartile.

Freshmen:

Your GPA will be calculated at the conclusion of the school year and posted over the summer.

Sophomores:

The weighted GPA you see listed in Naviance was calculated at the end of the 2024-25 school year. This will not change until GPA is recalculated at the conclusion of this school year.

Junior Conferences

Counselors met with 11th grade students in January to begin the course selection process for the 2026-27 school year. Junior/Counselor Conferences will take place February 2 - February 27 to discuss post-secondary planning and finalize course selections for senior year.

**Please review the Viper Vitals for Juniors newsletter for more junior specific info!!!**

Important Junior Dates

February 2 - February 27 // 11th Grade Individual Student/Counselor Conferences (parents/guardians invited to join via Zoom)

Students - make sure you have scheduled your JUNIOR CONFERENCE with your alpha counselor!

Parents/guardians - please view the pre-conference presentation (15 minutes) if you were unable to attend earlier this week. Watching in advance will help ensure a productive meeting and allow you to prepare thoughtful questions. Once viewed, you are welcome to submit your questions ahead of time using this form while the information is fresh. You can also view the slideshow presentation (with active links) here.

THE FINAL COURSE REQUEST CHANGE DEADLINE FOR

NEXT SCHOOL YEAR IS MARCH 12, 2026, 4PM.

School Day SAT for Juniors // March 4

SCHOOL DAY SAT ADMINISTRATION

On Thursday March 4, VHS will administer the SAT test to all 11th grade students. This testing session will be FREE and registration is not required. Students should be sure to be at school on this day as there is no make-up opportunity for this free administration. Information about School Day SAT, including the structure of the test and what to bring on test day can be found here. Direct questions regarding School Day SAT to jennifer.taylor@leanderisd.org.

WEEKEND ACT & SAT TEST ADMINISTRATIONS

Various national testing dates with strict registration deadlines
Registration fees apply; see your counselor if you have financial need as fee waivers are available
Scores typically within 14 days

ACT - register at www.actstudent.org

SAT - register at www.collegeboard.org

Seniors - Mid-Year Reports for College Applications

Some colleges/universities require a Mid-Year Report as part of the college application process. Mid-year reports can be sent now that semester grades are finalized and GPA's have been recalculated and reviewed.

The method for submitting a mid-year report will differ based on your method of application for each school.

Common App - if any of your Common Application schools require a mid-year report, no further action is needed on your part for these schools. Your counselor will submit the report on your behalf once mid-year transcripts become available.
School Specific Application - if you applied through a school specific portal and need a mid-year report, you will order a transcript via Parchment. Please be sure to select the "Hold for Grades" option. This will ensure the registrar sends the mid-year transcript to include 1st semester grades.

Want to Win a Car??

How does a free car sound? Honda Leander is giving away a brand new car to one lucky Leander ISD graduating senior. Make sure to submit your entry form (Google form) by April 1, 2026. If you are randomly chosen as one of Vandegrift's nominees, you will be notified in April so that you can attend the drawing. Click here for more information and to see videos of past LISD winners. A Vandegrift student hasn't won yet, so we are hoping this is the year!!

Cool Car Giveaway Entry Form

FAFSA is OPEN!! (And it's a Graduation Requirement!)

In accordance with Texas Education Code (TEC), §28.0256, each student must do one of the following in order to graduate:

Complete and submit a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)
Complete and submit a Texas Application for State Financial Aid (TASFA) (for Texas residents who are not eligible to apply for federal financial aid - usually includes students who are non-citizens or non-permanent residents of the United States)
Submit a signed opt-out form ENGLISH, SPANISH

*Reminder: this is only one graduation requirement component. Counselors and Administrators will continue working with Seniors on ensuring graduation requirements are met.

ACTION REQUIRED

Seniors: To complete this graduation requirement, submit your documentation to this linked form.

Accepted? We Want to Know!

Once you make a decision of where you'll be attending, follow the steps below to be added to our "Going Places" wall at the front of the school.

Log into your Naviance account (access through Leander LaunchPad)
Navigate to "Colleges I'm Applying To"
Add your school or military branch and click on the edit icon and update your "Result" to "Accepted"
Once you know where you're committing, choose it from the drop-down of "College I'm Attending"

Frequently Asked Senior Questions

Do I need tickets for graduation?

No! Seating at the HEB Center is first come, first served. There is ample seating for all seniors and their guests.

Speaking of stuff to wear - when do I get all my fancy accessories? (medals/stoles/cords/cap & gown)

Graduates will receive packets containing applicable regalia during the walk-through at graduation rehearsal. Graduates will pick up their cap & gown immediately following graduation rehearsal.

Austin Community College After Graduation

All seniors interested in taking Austin Community College courses after graduation, whether or not they previously took dual credit, will need to complete a separate application process. If you’re interested in taking advantage of ACC's offerings and the free tuition offer after graduation, please complete this one-question form. Ms. Kendall will follow up with next steps and information about supported enrollment and registration opportunities.

Sleep is an essential component of a student’s health and well-being. Without enough of it, students can experience a variety of negative effects, including increased anxiety, depression and stress. All of those things make it harder for them to manage emotions, concentrate and perform well in school.

You can encourage students to prioritize their sleep and improve sleep habits with six practical strategies:

Other sleep resources for children:

“How to Help Teenagers Get More Sleep” | Child Mind Institute
“Encouraging Good Sleep Habits” | Child Mind Institute
“Healthy Sleep Habits: How Many Hours Does Your Child Need?” | American Academy of Pediatrics
Sleep Health Topics | National Sleep Foundation

In an effort to promote mental health awareness and reduce the stigma of seeking help for mental health concerns, the Leander ISD Counseling Services team is excited to continue the Mental Health Minute video series.

February Mental Health Minutes: