FMHS Counseling Department News

November is here, and so is the cooler weather!

The counseling department is busy meeting with students for their IGP meetings! Junior IGP meetings are wrapping up, Sophomore IGP meetings will begin on 11/9, and freshman IGP meetings are in full swing! You can find more details on the counseling department website. We love supporting our students as they explore their next steps and look at the potential for the future!

M2 ends on 11/9 and M3 begins on 11/10. You will receive report cards for M2 at 4:00 p.m. on 11/16.

Dual Enrollment Placement Exams - Students Enrolled for Spring 2022

If you are scheduled to take a dual enrollment foreign language class next semester and you have not yet taken the placement exam, this post is for you. Testing will take place on November 1st, Nov 15th, and Nov 29th during FLEX in the main library. Feel free to select the date that works best for you but keep one thing in mind. If you wait until the last session on Nov 29th and do not pass the exam, you will not be able to take the class second semester.

If you are planning to take a dual enrollment foreign language class during the 2023-24 academic year, you will have opportunities to test next semester.

PSAT Scores

• PSAT scores will be available through College Board's website around December 6. You will find instructions on how to access test scores here.

ACT WORKSHOP

• FMHS is partnering with All In Test Prep to offer a workshop for the ACT/SAT on Saturday, November 12 from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m.
• You will learn over 200 test-taking tips and strategies to help improve your scores!
• The workshop cost is $40 and we are only taking the first 250 people to register. Registration ends November 10th.
• Students can register for the workshop here.

GRADE-LEVEL GOOGLE CLASSROOMS

The counseling department has created Google Classrooms for each grade level. Please make sure that students have joined their appropriate Google Classroom and that they can invite parents so you can request email summaries of announcements in Google Classroom. Parents are not able to join Google Classroom directly, however, you can receive email notifications as you do for teachers' Google Classrooms. The codes are listed below. Please note these are new Google Classrooms with new codes for this school year.

• 9th Grade ouuapoi
• 10th Grade rgu5j4h
• 11th Grade txchjql
• 12th Grade zc6sjpl

Don't forget to check our website for additional information and updates!

• Use PowerSchool to check your grades regularly.
• Use a planner or agenda to keep track of your assignments, tests, quizzes, and extracurricular activities.
• Take good notes in class.
• Make use of before and after school live help time with your teachers. You can also go for help during FLEX.
• Use the SC Discus free tutoring! Login through your ClassLink account on the main HS website. Tutoring is available 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
• Make sure you use your study time wisely.
• Reach out for help if there is something you are struggling with!

• IGP meetings are happening now! Click here for more information. Please make sure to complete your IGP elective survey prior to your meeting.
• Don't forget to check out the Counseling department website for helpful hints as you begin your freshman year!
• The 9th Grade Google Classroom code is ouuapoi. Please make sure students join to be notified of updates and important information from the counseling department!

• 10th Grade IGPs will begin on November 9th. An email will be coming soon with registration information.
• Don't forget to check out the Counseling department website for helpful hints as you begin your sophomore year.
• The 10th Grade Google Classroom code is rgu5j4hi. Please make sure students join to be notified of updates and important information from the counseling department!

• 11th Grade IGP meetings are wrapping up! You can find the details and sign-up information here. Please make sure to complete your IGP elective survey prior to your meeting.
• Don't forget to check out the Counseling department website for helpful hints as you begin your junior year!
• The 11th Grade Google Classroom code is txchjql. Please make sure students join to be notified of updates and important information from the counseling department!

• Senior IGP meetings have concluded for the 2022-2023 school year. If you have additional questions, you can contact your counselor via email or stop by the main counseling office.

Transcripts

• Seniors can request transcripts and letters of recommendation through Naviance. You can find instructions and video walkthroughs on the FMHS website.
• Students using the Common App need to make sure they have linked the Common App to Naviance, as well as completed the FERPA portion of the application. FMHS staff cannot submit documents until that has been completed.
• Students must complete the Request for a Letter of Recommendation before their teacher or counselor will write a letter for them.

Test Scores

• ACT, SAT, and AP test scores must be sent to colleges directly from ACT or College Board. FMHS does not send test scores to colleges.
• Click here for the ACT website.
• Click here for the SAT website
• When signing up to take a test you can request four of your scores to be sent to 4 colleges for free.
• Any additional score reports you wish to have can be requested through your account with the test website. There is a fee to send additional score reports to colleges.

Scholarships & Financial Aid

• College Board Opportunity Scholarships are available for juniors and seniors! Click here for more details!
• After colleges receive test scores and final transcripts in June, they will award the Life or Hope scholarship for qualifying students.
• The counseling office will notify students that qualify for the Palmetto Fellows scholarship.
• The counseling website and Naviance are also updated regularly with new scholarship opportunities we receive.

Google Classroom

• The 12th Grade Google Classroom code is zc6sjpl. Please make sure students join to be notified of updates and important information from the counseling department!

FMHS has multiple clubs available for our students! We hope you will get involved!

• You can find club information in the weekly newsletter link on the main FMHS website.
• Club information is also available in the main commons area.

Meet Mr. Young

• Mr. Young is our Career Development Facilitator. He is here to help you explore careers! Set up an appointment with him today! You can email him here.
• Check out the FMHS Calendar for information on upcoming virtual college visits.
• If you're looking for videos on Career and College Readiness, check out Mr. Young's YouTube Channel. This is the hub for previous sessions on college admissions, resume writing, athletic recruitment, and much more!

Upcoming College Visits

Come to the Commons Conference Room during FLEX to hear from these colleges!

• November 2 University of Toledo
• November 4 Presbyterian College
• November 7 The University of Alabama
• November 9 University of Mississippi
• November 10 Florida Memorial University
• November 14 Missouri Southern State University

Ms. Susan Brackett, the Work-Based Learning Coordinator, helps students in the Fort Mill School District high schools meet professionals doing the work they hope to do someday.

This should help them better plan their next move after high school ~ on-the-job training, 2-year or 4-year college, apprenticeship, or military.

She works with area businesses and community organizations to understand their workforce needs, training, and hiring practices.

Please click here to see Ms. Brackett's comprehensive website.

NAMI has provided a mental health resource guide for the community. You can find it here.

Naviance is your go-to resource to help you in high school! When you log into Naviance, you can:

• Complete career interest assessments
• Search for colleges based on your career interests
• Compare colleges and find your best fit
• Check your GPA
• Request transcripts be sent to your colleges
• Request letters of recommendation from FMHS teachers to be sent to your colleges
• Search for scholarships

You will find videos to walk you through how to log in to Naviance on YouTube! To log in click on Sign in with Clever and use your school email address and password.

• We have scholarships listed in Naviance and on this spreadsheet. Students need to log in to their FMSD account to access the spreadsheet.
• In the spring, the Fort Mill Foundation scholarships will also open up. Seniors should check their email for more information!
• College Board has an Opportunity Scholarship that students can enter by completing tasks that are part of the college/career search process. Find more information here!
• The Commission on Higher Education oversees the state Hope, Life, and Palmetto Fellows scholarships. Find more information here.

• Students can sign up for the ACT on a national test date here.
• Students can sign up for the SAT on a national test date here.
• Please make sure to check that your testing site is still open prior to arriving at the test site. Some sites have had to cancel due to COVID. You may have to travel farther than normal for an available test site.
• Students qualifying for Free/Reduced lunch can request a Fee Waiver in the main counseling office.
• If students have an IEP or 504 their accommodations must be requested and approved by College Board and/or ACT. Please make sure that you are registering early to ensure there is adequate time for staff to send in the information. ACT and College Board will still have to review and approve or deny the requests.

FREE TUTORING

For the 2022-2023 school year, SC Discus has partnered with Tutor.com for all K-12 students! Tutoring is available 7 days a week from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m. Students can access tutoring for

• Math
• English
• Science
• Social Studies
• World Languages
• AP/SAT/ACT test prep

To access the tutoring, go to ClassLink, and enter your school email address and password. Next, click on SC Discus, then click on Tutor.com.

TUTOR MATCHING SERVICE

Tutor Matching Service provides a tutoring search engine with college students or recent graduates providing tutoring in multiple subject areas. The link is here.

*Please note that these resources are for your reference and are not a recommendation by FMHS staff.

• November 8 Election Day - No School
• November 9 End of the 2nd 6 Weeks
• November 12 Virtual ACT Workshop. See the registration information above.
• November 16 4:00 Report Cards will be available in PowerSchool
• November 24-26 Thanksgiving Break

*Don't miss the virtual college visits above in Mr. Young's Career and College section!

Mrs. Courtney Kountz 9th, A-K

kountzc@fortmillschools.org

Ms. Adrienne Long 9th, L-Z

longa@fortmillschools.org

Ms. Carly Patterson 10th-12th A-D

pattersoncd@fortmillschools.org

Mr. Steve Kanoon 10th-12th, E-K

kanoons@fortmillschools.org

Ms. Tychonna Urquhart 10th-12th Grades L-Ri

urquhartt@fortmillschools.org

Ms. Jodi Costanzo 10th-12th, Ro-Z

costanzoj@fortmillschools.org

Mr. Edward Young Career Counselor

younge@fortmillschools.org

Follow us on Twitter and Instagram: @fmhscounseling

Email: kountzc@fortmillschools.org
Website: https://sites.google.com/fmsdmail.org/fmhs-counseling/home
Location: Fort Mill High School, Fort Mill, SC, USA
Phone: 803-548-8235
Twitter: @fmhscounseling