WHS Counseling News Hub

Student Wellness STL - West High School

April 16th and April 17th

Your child's success in school and in life depends on their mental and physical health. To support their well-being, we're excited to offer the Student Wellness Program (SWP) to students at Parkway West High School on April 16th and 17th. This marks our fifth year of providing this valuable service in the Parkway School District. This free, confidential program is designed to give you valuable insight into your child's emotional health. As the SWP returns to West High for the final time this April, families who are considering or anticipate needing mental health support over the summer are encouraged to take advantage of this opportunity for early insight and connection to supportive resources.

How It Works:

This voluntary screening uses a nationally recognized tool to help us identify and address any potential emotional challenges your child may be facing.

• The Screening: During a class period, your child will complete a 10–15-minute confidential survey on their school-provided Chromebook. The screening is supervised by our trained mental health professionals and covers topics like anxiety, depression, and a sense of belonging.

• The Follow-Up: If the screening indicates a potential concern, our mental health staff will meet with your child privately to gain a deeper understanding of their needs. This conversation helps determine if additional support is necessary.

• Communication: Regardless of the results, we will contact you. If concerns are identified, we'll arrange a time to discuss the findings and explore next steps for support. If no issues are found, you'll receive a confirmation email with resources on how to reach out if you have questions.

How to Register:

To enroll your child, please complete this registration form. This screening is confidential, and the results will not be shared with the school or your child's teachers and counselors without your permission. For more information, you can contact Brian Kuhn at 314-514-5266 or bkuhn@swstl.com.

Youth Substance Use Disorder Summit - St. Louis County Library-Clark Family Branch

Friday, April 17th | 3:30 pm - 7:30 pm

Hosted by Aspire Advocates and St. Louis County Library, this community event is for any Parkway families who have young people struggling with substance use disorder. It's the chance to learn and feel less alone on the recovery journey. There will be activities for young people led by our own Youth Advisory Board. There is limited seating so please register by April 6th at YouthInRecovery.org.

Click HERE for the flyer

Crossroads Program Support Group

This free aftercare is for youth ages 13-25 who have a substance use disorder where sobriety is socially fulfilling, emotionally rewarding, and fun.

Click HERE for the flyer

All scheduled rep visits can be found on the College Visits Page HERE. Below are the upcoming visits for the next two weeks. All visits will meet in the College & Career Center in Counseling unless otherwise stated. Click HERE for instructions on how to sign-up to meet with visit college representatives. Remember to sign up by 7:00 am the day of the visit in order to receive your pass to leave class.

Missouri State University-Main Campus (MO) | 3/30 @ 9:30 am

Principia College (IL) | 4/6 @ 1:15 pm

Parkway College & Career Info Night - Parkway West High Library

Tuesday, March 31st | 6:00 pm - 8:00 pm

Save the date for a district-wide college and career planning night event that is open for all students and parents but is most relevant for current sophomores and juniors. The night will include college admission representatives and specialists hosting breakout sessions on topics such as Financial Aid 101, Pursuing College Athletics, Applying to Highly Selective Universities, Tips for Essay Writing & Resume Building, Community College & the A+ Scholarship, and more. Additional details/reminders will be shared closer to the event date.

Click HERE to access the flyer and event overview.

M4C Zoom Webinar - Essays, Interviews, Testing and Deadlines: Understanding the App Process

Thursday, April 9th | 7:00 pm - 7:30 pm

The college application and selection process continues to change as a result of technology, court decisions and funding. Many colleges now offer direct admission for in-state students while other colleges use a holistic admission model. Join us for a brief webinar to understand the terminology of the college application process as well as the nuts and bolts of what you need to submit as part of your applications.

Click HERE to register

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 15th @ 3:00 pm

Firehouse Subs Public Safety Foundation (Public Charity) has established a scholarship program to assist students who plan to enroll in a part-time or full-time firefighter, law enforcement, or emergency medical (paramedic or EMT) program at an accredited two-year or four-year college, university or vocational-technical school in the U.S. for the entire upcoming academic year. The award amount is $5,000.

Click HERE for more information and to apply

Metro West Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 17th

Metro West Firefighters Community Outreach is a nonprofit organization funded by the employees of the Metro West Fire Protection District. These funds allow us to support the community we serve beyond the emergency calls for which we respond daily. As such, we have committed funding for an annual scholarship in the amount of $2,000. Qualified students are required to be a high school senior, residents of the Metro West Fire Protection District and accepted to an accredited college, university, or technical trade school. This information can be found on our website under the “scholarship” tab at https://www.metrowest-fire.org/community-outreach/. Students can look up their fire district through the St. Louis County revenue office. This information can be obtained via the “address look-up" feature on our website: https://www.metrowest-fire.org/inspections-and-permits/.

STLCC Scholarship

Application Deadline: April 20th

Parkway School District values its partnership with St. Louis Community College and is pleased to offer 5 scholarships to high school seniors who plan to attend St. Louis Community College after high school. Please see below for Scholarship Eligibility & Criteria:

• you do not anticipate being eligible for the A+ Schools Program upon high school graduation

• you have been endorsed for the scholarship by a Parkway faculty member (check with your building's college/career counselor at PCH, PNH, PSH, PWH or your counselor at FR)

• you have a cumulative grade point average of a 2.0 or higher

NROTC Scholarship for Class of 2027

Application Opens: April 1st

Application Deadline: January 31, 2027

Select candidates will receive full tuition, book stipend and fees up to $200,000 and a monthly allotment up to $400. Please refer to the flyer for eligibility requirements.

Click HERE for the flyer

WashU Arts & Sciences Pre-College Programs

Application Deadline: April 1st

• High School Summer Scholars Program (for rising seniors): enroll in undergraduate courses for college credit and explore academic interests. Online, commuter, and residential options are available.
• High School Summer Institutes (for rising sophomores, juniors and seniors): discover a new passion through a noncredit, interdisciplinary environment. Topics include ancient studies, creative writing, introductory research, advanced inquiry, and environmental studies.
• High School Summer Launch (for rising sophomores, juniors, and seniors): gain a general introduction to college life, academics, and the college application process.
• Exploration Courses (for rising freshmen through seniors): noncredit online experience that builds confidence in college-level course work.

Midwest Pool Management

Now hiring for lifeguards, managers, field supervisors, pool attendants, front desk attendants, swim lesson instructors, and swim lesson coordinators.

Click HERE for the flyer

Click HERE for all previous newsletters

Comprehensive Counselors

Erin Gerber (Last names A - Em)
314-415-7519
egerber1@parkwayschools.net
click HERE to make an appointment

Jennifer Wibbenmeyer (Last names En - La)
314-415-7517
jwibbenmeyer@parkwayschools.net
click HERE to make an appointment

Jennifer Skalski (Last names Le - Ro)
314-415-7512
jskalski@parkwayschools.net
click HERE to make an appointment

Jennifer Spotanski (Last names Ru - Z)
314-415-7523
jspotanski@parkwayschools.net
click HERE to make an appointment

College & Career Counselor

Chris Lorenz
314-415-7521
clorenz1@parkwayschools.net
click HERE to make an appointment

Support Staff

Cindy Devine – Counseling Administrative Assistant
cdevine@parkwayschools.net

Lauren Rowe – College Administrative Assistant
lrowe1@parkwayschools.net