DHS Counseling Department

Spring is an exciting and busy time at DHS! Our students are engaging in meaningful experiences- from course selection and MCAS preparation to college planning, career exploration, and leadership opportunities. This season is filled with important milestones that help students grow, reflect, and take confident steps toward their futures. We are proud of the effort and focus they continue to show, and we truly appreciate your partnership in supporting them along the way. Below you’ll find important updates and key dates to keep on your radar.

Course requests for the 2025–2026 school year were due today-Friday, March 6th! Thank you to our students and families for the time, care, and thoughtful conversations that went into choosing courses. As always, we encourage students to think not only about next year, but about how their choices connect to their interests, strengths, and future goals.

We will will now begin reviewing all requests and will be meeting individually with students over the next few weeks to answer questions, provide guidance, and make any necessary adjustments as we move into the scheduling phase.

Looking ahead, we are excited to begin the process with our incoming freshmen. We will be visiting the middle school next Wednesday, 3/11, to present course selection information to all 8th graders, and we will return on Thursday, 3/19, to spend the entire day meeting individually with each student to help them select their courses and plan for a strong start at DHS.

Communication Skills

In December and January, we worked with all 9th grade students on building strong communication skills.

Through an interactive lesson and activities, students learned about active listening, tone, body language, and strategies for expressing themselves respectfully and clearly. We also discussed how communication impacts friendships, conflict resolution, and everyday interactions at school.

Communication is one of the most important life skills students develop during high school. Strong communication skills help students collaborate with others, advocate for themselves, and build healthy relationships both inside and outside the classroom.

By giving students opportunities to practice these skills early in high school, we hope to help them feel more confident navigating conversations, challenges, and relationships throughout their time at DHS.

Upcoming: Healthy Relationships

During an advisory block next week, our 11th grade students will participate in a Healthy Relationships lesson as part of our ongoing social-emotional learning curriculum. The goal of this presentation is to help students build the knowledge and skills necessary to recognize healthy relationship dynamics, identify unsafe or unhealthy behaviors, and know how to access help for themselves or others.

The presentation is educational, not graphic, and emphasizes safety, respect, boundaries, and communication. Students are encouraged to ask questions, think critically, and engage respectfully. As always, school counselors and trusted adults are available if a student needs additional support.

Parent Choice / Opt-Out

If you prefer that your student not participate in this lesson, please contact the main office and let them know you would like to opt your student out. We will arrange an alternative activity during that class period.

If you have any questions about the content or would like to view the presentation, please feel free to reach out. We are happy to provide more detail or discuss this further.

Thank you for your support as we work to ensure our students continue to develop healthy, safe, and positive relationship skills.

All sophomores will take the Grade 10 ELA MCAS on Tuesday, March 24 and Wednesday, March 25. Attendance on both days is very important. Please encourage students to get a good night’s sleep, eat breakfast, and arrive at school on time ready to do their best.

Looking ahead, additional MCAS testing dates this spring include:

• Math MCAS: Tuesday, May 19 & Wednesday, May 20

• Biology MCAS: Tuesday, June 2 & Wednesday, June 3

Thank you for your continued support in helping students feel prepared and confident for each testing session.

Our Grade 11 students will participate in Job Shadow Day on Friday, March 27. Many students secured their own placements, and we helped connect others by reaching out to local businesses and organizations to create meaningful opportunities.

Job Shadow Day is more than just a day away from school- it is a chance for juniors to step into a professional setting, ask questions, observe workplace expectations, and begin picturing themselves in future careers. Whether students are exploring a long-term passion or simply trying something new, this real-world experience helps them make connections between school and life after graduation. We look forward to hearing about the experiences, insights, and inspiration they bring back to DHS!

Our final MyCAP session of the year will take place on Tuesday, April 7 from 8:00–9:00 a.m.

Students in grades 10 and 11 will participate in a Career Exploration event featuring guest speakers from a variety of professional fields. They will have the opportunity to attend two small-group sessions and learn about different career pathways, required education and training, and advice for high school students.

Students in grades 9 and 12 will continue with their previously planned MyCAP activities during this time.

We look forward to closing out the year with a meaningful and engaging MyCAP experience for all students.

Our final Nichols Leadership Academy Summit for the year will take place on Tuesday, April 14. We are incredibly proud of the students who have participated in this program and look forward to closing out the year with reflection, growth, and continued leadership development.

At our most recent session on February 11, students visited the Worcester Railers and toured the DCU Center. During the visit, they learned about the wide range of careers within the sports management industry. It was an engaging, real-world learning experience that highlighted the many pathways available within the sports and entertainment field.

DHS will host an SAT School Day here at DHS on Wednesday, April 15, 2026. This is a valuable opportunity for our juniors to take the SAT in a familiar setting during the school day as they continue planning for college and post-secondary pathways.

Important Information:

• Test Date: Wednesday, April 15, 2026

• Registration Deadline: Friday, March 20, 2026

• Cost: $60-due to Counseling office

Students who believe they may qualify for a fee waiver should please see Mrs. Carpenter.

Please note: Students do not register for the SAT School Day through College Board. Instead, they must sign up in the Counseling Office when submitting their payment.

We encourage juniors to plan ahead and take advantage of this convenient opportunity to test right here at DHS.

We invite all juniors and their families to join us for an informative College Planning Night presented in partnership with MEFA.

Topics will include:

• College Planning Timelines

• Paying for College

• Financial Aid & FAFSA Basics

This is a valuable opportunity to learn about the college planning process, understand important next steps, and gain clarity on financial aid. We hope you will join us for this helpful and informative evening!

Each month, we’ve had the opportunity to welcome our 8th graders to DHS for shadow days-and it has been a great experience for everyone involved. Students spend the day attending classes, meeting teachers, connecting with peers, and getting a firsthand look at all that DHS has to offer.

These visits help make the transition to high school feel exciting and comfortable, while also giving our DHS students the chance to step into leadership roles as mentors and ambassadors. It has been wonderful to see students supporting one another and strengthening the sense of community between our middle and high school.

We look forward to continuing this tradition and officially welcoming this next class to DHS!

We are excited to share the BVExcel course offerings for the 2026–2027 school year through the BVHub for Workforce Development. These 16-week courses meet once a week in the evenings from 5:30–7:30 p.m. and provide students with valuable hands-on learning experiences in high-demand career fields.

Fall 2026

• Intro to Modern Manufacturing & Welding – Tuesdays
  BVHub for Workforce Development, Whitinsville

• Careers in Construction – Wednesdays
  Hopedale High School

Spring 2027

• Foundations of Health Careers – Thursdays
  Hopedale High School

• Programming for Collaborative Robots – Tuesdays
  BVHub for Workforce Development, Whitinsville

The program calendar, course descriptions, and registration links are available on the website below.

Priority Registration runs March 15–March 31, during which each district is guaranteed two seats per course. After March 31, registration will move to a first-come, first-served basis and remain open until courses are filled.

These courses offer students an excellent opportunity to explore career pathways, gain industry exposure, and build practical skills outside of the traditional school day.

Students can find a find a variety of scholarship opportunities posted in the Counseling Google Classroom. Also, a local scholarship packet will be available to seniors in late March. These resources give students the chance to explore and apply for scholarships from community organizations and local businesses.

Please click below for the Scholarship Book for Seniors:

We have also included the NCAA guide for student-athletes to help those planning to pursue college athletics navigate eligibility and scholarship opportunities. Please click below!

The Philip J. Saviano Memorial Scholarship opened in December. This scholarship is awarded to five seniors from DHS in the amount of $20,000 each!! To be eligible, students must meet the following criteria:

-Have attended DHS for grades 10-12
-Are planning to attend a four year college or university to major in a STEM related field (please see below list for STEM eligible majors)
-Have taken a minimum of eight STEM eligible courses in grades 10-12 (see attached list)
-Have a weighted GPA of 90 or higher

The scholarship is available through a website called bold.org.

QCC visited DHS on January 30 for an informational session and returned on February 10 for Decision Day. During Decision Day, students met individually with a QCC admissions representative and were able to receive conditional acceptance on the spot!

It was an exciting opportunity for seniors to take an important next step in their post-secondary planning and leave the meeting with a clear plan for the future.

All students enrolled in an AP course are expected to take the corresponding AP exam in the spring.

Exam Fee: $99 per exam

• Partial fee waivers available ($22)

• Students on free or reduced lunch should contact Mrs. Carpenter for additional fee assistance

• Please make checks payable to Town of Douglas

Payment Due: Friday, October 31, 2025

• Submit to Mrs. Searl in the Counseling Office

AP Exam Schedule – May 2026

Monday, May 4

• 8:00 AM – Biology

Tuesday, May 5

• 8:00 AM – Chemistry

• 12:00 PM – US Government & Politics

Wednesday, May 6

• 8:00 AM – English Literature & Composition

• 12:00 PM – Physics I

Thursday, May 7

• 12:00 PM – Statistics

Friday, May 8

• 8:00 AM – US History

Monday, May 11

• 8:00 AM – Calculus AB

• 12:00 PM – Seminar

Wednesday, May 13

• 8:00 AM – English Language & Composition

Friday, May 15

• 12:00 PM – Computer Science A (VHS)

Feel free to reach out to us at any time if you have any questions!

• Jill Carpenter, Director of School Counseling, Last names L-Z -jcarpenter@douglasps.net
• Kristen O'Brien, School Counselor, Last names A-K-kobrien@douglasps.net
• Lindsey Ryan, School Adjustment Counselor/504 Coordinator-lryan@douglasps.net
• Kathy Searl, Administrative Assistant-ksearl@douglasps.net