VHS Counseling December Newsletter

All Grades

• Course Selection for the 2026-27 School Year - ACCELERATED TIMELINE

• VHS Course Selection Timeline & Naviance

• Semester 2 Level Drop Requests

• Currently Have an Off Period? DON'T LOSE IT!

• Semester 2 Off Period Application (new applicants) - DEADLINE DECEMBER 12, 12p (noon)

• Updated Process for Correspondence Coursework

• Interested in Joining the PALS Program Next Year?

• Austin Community College Dual Credit

All Things Senior

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

• Accepted? We Want to Know!

• Frequently Asked Senior Questions

Junior Zone

• Junior Conferences
• Upcoming Test Preparation Opportunities
• Leadership Opportunities

Sophomores

• Now is a Great Time to Continue Updating Your Portfolio!

Freshmen

• Freshman Counselor Conferences & Four Year Planning

Leander ISD Mental Health Minutes

• Anxiety
• Self-Advocacy
• Self-Compassion

Dates to Remember:

• December 3 & 4: 9th Grade Four Year Planning Classroom Presentations
• December 4, 8:30a: Test Preparation Coffee Talk (PSAT, SAT, ACT)
• December 1-5, & 10: Photo Texas on Campus for Senior Portrait Appointments
• December 9-11: PALS Information Meetings
• December 11 & 12: Freshman/Counselor Conferences
• December 12, 12p: Deadline to Have Hours Cleared to Maintain Off Period Privileges
• December 12, 4p: Deadline to Request a Semester 2 Level Drop
• January 13, 14, or 15: PALS Information Meetings
• January 20 & 21: Counselor Connection Meetings for Juniors
• January 22: Viper Night - FOR ALL STUDENTS & GRADE LEVELS!!
• February 2 - February 27: Junior Conferences

Leander ISD has accelerated the district-wide timeline for next year’s course selections. Planning for next year begins soon. Grade-specific information will be shared later, but all course selection decisions will be FINAL by March 12 at 4:00 PM. This is significantly earlier than in previous years, so we want families to have this information now to begin planning.

Leander ISD has accelerated the district-wide timeline for next year’s course selections. Students and families can begin planning now in Naviance. Parent Naviance Account information was reshared in November via an email from VHS.Counseling. Through the Parent Naviance Account all parents/guardians are asked to review student 4-year plans and confirm student course selections for the upcoming school year. Grade-specific information regarding the course selection process can be found in the Course Selection Timeline, and all course selection decisions are FINAL on March 12 at 4:00 PM.

The tools in Naviance help students learn about various post-secondary pathways so they can define their post-secondary goals. Use this Naviance Overview for Students & Parents to help you navigate through the many resources available in this tool. With their goals in mind we encourage students and families to learn more about their course options using the course catalog in Naviance then by attending Viper Night to learn about specific courses from the teachers in those subject areas. Save the date: Viper Night 2026 - Thursday, January 22, 2026.

The window to request a level drop from an advanced course to an on-level course is now open. The deadline to submit change requests will be 4 p.m. on Friday, December 12, 2025. Click here for instructions on how to view your 2nd semester schedule in Home Access Center.

**STUDENTS MUST BE LOGGED INTO THEIR LEANDER ISD ACCOUNTS TO ACCESS THE LEVEL DROP REQUEST FORM**

Please note the following:

• Connect with your teacher if you are uncertain if a level change is needed. Counselors are unable to meet with students regarding level changes.

• SENIORS considering a level change should contact the universities to which they have/are applying to; level changes can impact an admission decision.

• Any student taking AP Government or AP Economics semester two should note that there is no level drop window during the 2nd semester.

**No changes to elective courses (other than due to program or athletic changes) will be made at semester.**

Please note that all semester one off period students will be reviewed to ensure qualifying criteria are still being met. Students who do not have attendance hours cleared by December 12, 12p (noon) will have their off period rescinded and will be placed into an elective course. Students at risk of losing their off period are encouraged to connect with their Assistant Principal to discuss a plan for making up hours.

Criteria and conditions for the off period privilege:

• Have met the passing standards on all sections of the required EOC exams that you have taken

• Do not owe attendance hours/have credits withheld due to attendance

• Maintain on track graduation status with the appropriate core content, LOTE, and elective requirements

• Is not also enrolled in a credit recovery period

• Off periods will be rescinded should attendance hours accumulate during the first semester

• In the event that off periods are rescinded, students will be placed into an available elective

• Elective placement will be an administrative decision and students will not have input into the choice of elective

• Students who are placed in elective courses will remain enrolled and be required to attend the elective courses for the entirety of the semester

Please click here to review the full VHS Off Period Guidelines document.

Juniors and Seniors who do not currently have an off period and would like to apply can do so by submitting the SEMESTER 2 OFF PERIOD APPLICATION.

As a reminder, seniors may apply for off period privileges, up to one period each day (TWO total). Juniors may apply for ONE total off period privilege.

REVIEW THE VHS OFF PERIOD GUIDELINES PRIOR TO SUBMITTING AN APPLICATION

You must meet all the qualifying requirements outlined in the document above in order to earn your off periods. Most notably, you will not qualify for an off period if you owe hours for attendance.

THIS APPLICATION WILL CLOSE ON DECEMBER 12 AT NOON TO ALLOW COUNSELORS AND ADMINISTRATORS TIME TO REVIEW SUBMISSIONS AND ENSURE ALL REQUIREMENTS ARE MET.

The constraints of the master schedule do not allow for rearranging schedules to accommodate a specific time of day request. Your off period will be placed in the same period as the elective you are replacing. Second period and sixth period courses are not eligible to be dropped for an off period.

Students considering pursuing earning credit through an outside provider, please note that major updates have been made to the Correspondence Course Options. It is essential that you understand the new guidelines before enrolling.

Correspondence, Distance, and Virtual Courses (See page 23 of the LISD Course Catalog)
Students may take correspondence, distance, or virtual courses outside of the school day at their own expense. However, credit toward state graduation requirements will only be granted if all of the following conditions are met:

• The course is offered through UT High School, Texas Tech University High School, or the Texas Virtual School Network (TxVSN).
• The course must be approved before enrollment using the Coursework Approval Form.

⚠️ Important: Courses taken without prior approval will not receive credit. Be sure to complete the approval process before registering for any summer class. Critical deadlines:

• Submit the Coursework Approval Form by the last Friday in February

• Complete the course by July 25

Any student interested in joining PALS must attend an information session in December or January. Several time and date options are available!

Spring 2026 Registration is Now Open

Spring ACC registration opened October 17 and all students taking ACC this spring should now be registered. If students have issues or questions, please reach out to Ms. Kendall in the CCC-room 1306.

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

Information about the ACC Dual Credit program has been posted in the Class of 202X Google Classrooms and presentations were made in 10th grade classrooms in November. Students who would like to take ACC Dual Credit courses in Summer 2026 and/or the 2026–27 school year may 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 December 4 (Thursday) and December 6 (Saturday), or can take it Mondays-Saturdays at ACC. Details can be found here.

For seniors who want to get started on their next academic journey, ACC has seats available in many spring classes outside of the VHS school day- for transfer credits and workforce programs! Come see Ms. Kendall in the CCC-Room 1306 to get started!

Make sure to stay up-to-date on senior specific information by visiting the Senior Information Page regularly!

Important Upcoming Dates...

• December 1-5, December 10 // Photo Texas on campus for Senior Portraits
• January 31 // Order Cap & Gown by this date to avoid late fee (link directly to only cap, gown & tassel, not fancy packages)

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.

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"

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.

Counselors will begin meeting 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.

**Be on the lookout for the Viper Vitals for Juniors newsletter with more specifics coming soon!**

Important Junior Dates

January 20 - 21 - Counselor Connection meetings during students' English class periods - Students taking English 3 through ACC will be sent for individually to meet with your counselor.

January 22 - Viper Night

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

SAVE THE DATE - School Day SAT

• SAT (no writing) for all juniors on March 4, 2026 // FREE, no registration required

Test Preparation Opportunities

Prepare for the March SAT on campus at Vandegrift! Classes meet on campus at Vandegrift High School.

Register Here: https://www.morethanateacher.com/sat/vandegrift-march-sat-prep/

Other Spring To-Do Suggestions:

• Check out the College Planning & Application Resources link for the 11th Grade College Planning Checklist and Additional Planning Resources on the VHS College and Career Center website.
• College Visits at Vandegrift – Meet with college reps (register in Naviance)

This is the time of year when leadership opportunities often become available specifically for junior students. These opportunities are sponsored by community organizations and we encourage students to check their Google Class of 2026 classroom regularly - information is posted as it becomes available.

Sophomores recently utilized Naviance tools to complete a Skills Assessment, notate careers of interest, begin adding entries to their portfolios, and update four year plans.

Class of 2028 Counselor Connection Presentation

Keep the use of Naviance going! Naviance has a wonderful tool (PORTFOLIO) for keeping your accomplishments up to date. This will help you build your resume in future years. To get started, access Naviance through your LISD Launchpad portal. Then click on "About Me --> Portfolio" and keep the work going!

December 3 - 4 // Counselor Connection 4 Year Planning Classroom Visits (for students, through English classes)

December 11 - 12 // 9th Grade Individual Student/Counselor Conferences (for students, during English classes)

Interested in helping your student(s) find their just-right college? We are hosting a book study for the new book Dream School, from college admissions expert Jeffery Selingo, which explores how students can find the best-fit college experience. Mark your calendar for the first meeting: January 26 6:30-7:30pm and go ahead and pick up a copy now to dive into the discussion this winter. (Link to chapter sample)

We invite you to learn more about interpreting your student's PSAT scores at our info session:

Thursday, December 4th at 8:30 AM VHS PAC (by the gym) // Please RSVP.

Important Reminder:
All juniors will take the SAT on March 6 during the school day.

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.

December Mental Health Minutes:

Anxiety

Self-Advocacy

Self-Compassion

Counselors and Asst. Principals are assigned alphabetically by STUDENT last name:

VHS Counselors

Kandice Detlefsen, Lead Counselor - A - B

Kylie Russell - C - Ga

Charity Escott - Ge - Kn

Tracy Noble - Ko - Ne

Shawna Powell - Ng - Si

Melissa Wells - Sk - Z

VHS Assistant Principals

Amanda Toon, Associate Principal - A - B

Becky Azard-Jackson - C - G

Parrish McEwen - H - Mao

Collin Fletcher - Map - Sam

David Barnes - San - Z

Additional Staff Contact Information

Katie Kendall - College and Career Transition Coordinator

Heidi Kalla - Dean of Instruction

Emily Rullan - Special Education Team Lead

Jennifer Taylor - 504 Coordinator

Alexandra Magness- IB Coordinator