COUNSELORS' CORNER INFO & UPDATES

Mrs. Tiana Babin - Guidance/Counseling Secretary

ph. 978-597-8196

guidance@nmrsd.org

Mrs. Julia Mancini - School Counselor & Military Liaison

ph. 978-597-8196 ext.2453

jmancini@nmrsd.org

Last names beginning with A - F

Ms. Beth Romano - School Counselor & Department Chairperson

ph. 978-597-8196 ext.2454

bromano@nmrsd.org

Last names beginning with G - M

Mr. Timothy Robertson - School Counselor & Scholarship Coordinator

ph. 978-597-8196 ext.2452

trobertson@nmrsd.org

Last names beginning with N - Z

Ms. Brooke Chamberland - School Adjustment Counselor

ph. 978-597-8196 ext.2451

bchamberland@nmrsd.org

Seniors

School counselors will be meeting with seniors in classrooms to go over the college application process. School counselors want to make sure that seniors are aware of application deadlines and timelines, have registered for Naviance, and established their college lists.

Juniors

School counselors will be meeting with juniors in classrooms during second semester to prepare for post high school planning. If students have not accessed their Naviance accounts by this time, counselors will assist them with this.

Sophomores

School counselors will be scheduling meetings with sophomores throughout the year. If students need to meet with counselors before their scheduled meeting date, they can always request an appointment by filling out an appointment request slip in the counseling waiting area.

Freshmen

Over the next few weeks, school counselors will be scheduling individual check-ins with freshmen. This provides an opportunity for students to meet their counselors and for counselors to get to know students on their caseloads. School counselors also want to make sure that freshmen are having a successful transition to high school. Students in the Class of 2028, please make sure to check your Google Calendar and/or your E-pass dashboard for your scheduled appointment days and times.

College Application Information & FAFSA

Thursday, October 3, 2024 at 6:00pm

During this evening event, school counselors will go over finalizing the college list and the admissions process for applying to schools, as well as discuss application timelines, requesting teacher recommendations, testing requirements, exploring Naviance, and more. In addition, Heather Ruland, the Executive Director of Student Financial Services at MWCC, will introduce the new FAFSA format and discuss helpful tips in filing the FAFSA.

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) at FAFSA.gov will be open on October 1, 2024 for students and parents to begin filling out the financial aid application for the 2025-26 academic year. Remember to choose the correct year! Do not choose 2024-25, unless that is the year for which you are needing financial aid. You want to choose the form for the year 2025-26, when our current seniors will be college freshmen. MEFA (Massachusetts Educational Financing Authority) has a wealth of information on completing the FAFSA and financial aid in general. You can view their recorded presentations at a time convenient for you, and their live webinars at pre-set times. They also have phone consultations. Check out their website at MEFA.org. From September through May on multiple dates, MEFA is holding Financial Aid 101 live webinars. For a listing of dates/times and to register, click here.

MASFAA (Massachusetts Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators) in partnership with MEFA, holds FAFSA Day, from October through February. Parents and students can get assistance with completing their FAFSA application. Check out their FAFSA Day Toolkit or register for a help session at https://masfaa.org/fafsaday/

SCHOLARSHIPS

Students can check the scholarship list through their Naviance accounts. New scholarships are being added often. Students can also check out scholarships through CollegeBoard.org, Studentscholarships.org, collegecovered.com, fastweb.com, goingmerry.com, and scholarshipowl.com. For scholarships specific to trade schools and career colleges visit the Imagine America Foundation. You should not have to pay for or provide credit card information or give a social security number to apply for scholarships. If one asks for any of those, do your research first before continuing on with the application! Swing by the guidance counseling office for a direction sheet on setting up a Going Merry account.

The NM Scholarship Foundation scholarship application will be available in March 2025. Look for opportunities to earn your 'point' for senior year! Reach out to the Board with any questions: scholarship@nmrsd.org.

Monty Tech College Fair

September 25, 2024 from 5:00pm - 7:00pm, Montachusett Regional Vocational Technical School is hosting a college fair for students and parents/guardians. Free and open to the public at 1050 Westminster Street, Fitchburg, MA.

College Rep Visits at NMRHS

Many college representatives visit NMRHS to meet prospective students and create interest in their school. College representatives typically meet with students in small groups to discuss topics such as academics, campus life, financial aid, and admission procedures. They may also share information about tuition and fees. Students can register for college rep visits by logging into their Naviance accounts and going under the College tab. Below is a list of upcoming college rep visits scheduled for September. In addition, many colleges are holding Open House events throughout the early fall. Check the college board in the counseling waiting area and/or consult college websites for specific details.

University of Massachusetts - Boston 9/23 8:00am

Worcester Polytechnic Institute 9/23 10:00am

Fitchburg State University 9/23 10:30am

Saint Anselm College 9/24 9:30am

Montserrat College of Art 9/24 10:00am

College of the Holy Cross 9/24 12:30pm

Massachusetts College of Art & Design 9/25 12:30pm

Albertus Magnus College 9/25 1:00pm

Roger Williams University 9/26 9:00am

Merrimack College 9/26 11:00am

Salem State University 9/26 11:30am

Worcester State University 9/27 11:30am

University of New England 9/30 8:30am

NEACAC College Fairs

New England Association for College Admission Counseling hosts several college fairs through the region: Tuesday, September 24, 2024, from 9:00am - 11:00am in the Athletic Center on the SNHU Manchester Campus, Wednesday, September 25, 2024, from 9:00am - 11:00am in the Fitness Center on the MWCC Gardner Campus, Sunday. Check their list for other venues and dates, as well as register to attend: NEACAC

Seniors who attend college fairs/campus visits on a school day and have proof of attendance, may have up to two absences excused for the purpose of college visits.

Registration for SAT testing is open for all students for the 2024–25 testing year. North Middlesex will be one of the testing centers on the November 2nd date. The registration deadline is October 18th and the late registration date is October 22nd. Please reach out to your school counselor if you have any questions.

Registration for ACT testing is open for all students for the 2024-25 testing year. North Middlesex is not a host site for ACT testing. However, there are other local schools who are hosts for this test. The next test date is October 26, 2024. Registration deadline is September 20th. Late registration (with a late fee) is October 7th. Please contact your counselor with any questions.

Youth for Community Improvement

Check out the YCI if you are a high school student looking to experience and learn about leadership, as well as make a difference in your community. Greater Worcester Community Foundation is accepting applications until September 27th. This is a 12 week teen-led group that meets October through April at the Greater Worcester Community Foundation in downtown Worcester.

High School Student Volunteers Needed at the Fitzpatrick Collaborative

The Fitzpatrick Collaborative is looking for high school student volunteers for "Half Days & Full Days" programs. There will also be Vacation programs running February 18 - 21, 2025 and April 22 - 25, 2025.

Children will be picked up at Varnum Brook Elementary and Nissitissit Middle Schools, brought to the Fitzpatrick Collaborative for several classes. Student volunteers would help in these classes and when the program is over.

Half days are November 25, 26, and December 11, 2024. The time would be from 12:00pm to 5:00pm. On these half days, children would arrive from their schools, eat lunch, play board games in the library, then attend classes for which they have signed up. After classes end, high school volunteers would play board games or games outside with the children until their parents/caregivers pick them up.

To sign up, please contact Bernadette Keegan at bernadette.keegan@fitzpatrickcollaborative.org

Hugh O'Brian Youth Leadership Seminar - Open to sophomores

Sophomores interested in developing their leadership skills are invited to apply to be nominated for attendance of the June 2025 HOBY Seminar as the NMRHS representative. More information and applications will be forthcoming from the counseling department later this month.

If you are looking for a part-time job, remember to check the "Jobs" board in the Counseling Office entry area. Different jobs are posted throughout the year.

Job permit applications can be obtained from the main office.

Email: guidance@nmrsd.org
Website: nmrsd.org/domain/62
Location: 19 Main Street, Townsend, MA 01469
Phone: 978-597-8196