VHS Counseling October Newsletter

Information for all grade levels:

• Course Selection Timeline - ALL GRADE LEVELS
• PSAT for 10th & 11th Grades // Oct 24
• Freshman & Senior Summits // Oct 24
• ASVAB Career Exploration // Registration Open!
• AP Course and Exam Registration
• Austin Community College Dual Credit // Spring 2023
• College Fair Information

12th Grade

• Want to Win a Car? (Yes, for real!)

11th Grade

• Counselor Connection Sessions // October 18 & 19

10th Grade

• Counselor Connection Sessions // October 10 & 11

9th Grade:

• Freshman Course Selections and Counselor Conference
• 9th Grade PARENT/GUARDIAN Informational Webinar // October 25

Mental Health Minutes

• Mental Health & Wellness Video Series

IMPORTANT DATES IN ORDER:

Oct 10 & 11 // Sophomore Counselor Connection Visits - What's Your Endgame?

Oct 18 & 19 // Junior Counselor Connection Visits - Healthy Relationships/Dating Violence Prevention

Oct 23 // Leander ISD College Fair

Oct 24 // PSAT, Freshman & Senior Summits

Oct 25 // 9th Grade Parent/Guardian Informational Webinar // Course Selection

Oct 31 - Nov 3 // Freshmen/Counselor Conferences & Course Selection Meetings

Save the Dates:

Nov 9 // Sophomore Parent/Guardian Information Webinar // Course Selection & ACC Dual Credit Program

Nov 13 // International Baccalaureate (IB) Informational Webinar

Nov 29 - Dec 4 // Sophomore/Counselor Conferences & Course Selection Meetings

Planning for next school year has already begun! Please see below for the course selection timeline and associated activities for each grade level.

All 10th and 11th Grade students will take the PSAT exam in person on October 24th. There is no registration necessary for this exam. The PSAT will begin at 8:15 AM and end at approximately 11:30 AM. There is no make-up date, so please be sure to avoid scheduling conflicts!

All 10th and 11th grade students are strongly encouraged to take the PSAT as it prepares them for the SAT. The PSAT can also be used as a qualifier for ACC Dual Credit courses and allows juniors to compete for the National Merit Scholarship program. Read more about the advantages and importance of taking the PSAT here.

More Than a Teacher offers practice tests and test prep classes, while Khan Academy offers free online SAT prep. Click below for more information.

One-day PSAT Boot Camp in North Austin

More Than A Teacher North - 12034 Research Blvd. Ste. 5

Monday, 10/9

9:00a-3:30p

Register online at https://www.morethanateacher.com/boot-camp/north-austin-digital-psat/

$169/student

One-day PSAT Boot Camp at CPHS

Cedar Park HS - Lecture Hall

Saturday, 10/21

9:00a-3:30p

Register online at https://www.morethanateacher.com/boot-camp/cedar-park-high-school-digital-psat/

$169/student

Benefits to attending a PSAT Boot Camp:

• Practice with real PSAT questions
• Learn proven strategies for every section of the test
• Learn to manage their time during the test
• Boost confidence and maximize potential for better college admission opportunities and scholarships

Students should come well rested and bring a sack lunch to eat on site!

Also, here are the links for the remaining practice tests for the year.

• 11/11/23 Mock ACT
• 1/28/24 Mock SAT
• 3/23/24 Mock ACT

More Than a Teacher Practice Tests

Khan Academy SAT Test Prep

Freshmen will be taking part in Freshman Summit from 8:15 AM - 11:30 AM. Activities will include:

• Adolescent Depression Awareness Program (ADAP) with Counselors

• What's in a Transcript?

• Four Year Course Planning & Course Selections (choosing next year's schedule!)

Specific rotation assignments and resources will be posted in the Class of 2027 Google Classroom as the date nears.

It’s important that students come prepared with their laptops fully charged on this day.

Seniors will participate in Senior Summit. Seniors will have late-arrival with activities beginning promptly at 9:55 AM. This day will focus on completing state-mandated graduation requirements including:

• CPR training
• Interactions with Peace Officer training

It’s important that students come prepared with their laptops fully charged on this day.

The ASVAB Career Exploration Program is a FREE test available to interested 10th-12th grade students. The ASVAB program facilitates career planning and exploration, combining a multiple-aptitude test with an interest self-assessment and a wide range of career exploration tools. The test is open to any student who simply is wanting more career guidance, but is a requirement for students interested in pursuing military options. NOTE: LISD does not release scores to the military; students pursuing the military are responsible for sharing their scores.

The test will take place on Wednesday, November 29. Testing will take place in the VHS Small Lecture Hall starting at 8:15 AM. REGISTER HERE.

AP Course Enrollment & Registration. Avoid a $40 late fee per course by completing AP Enrollment and Exam Registration before October 23, 2023. Students can log into their College Board account to make sure each AP Class on their schedule is listed in MyAP.

It's already time to start planning for Spring semester college courses through ACC. Spring registration opens:

• October 19: students with 15+ credit hours
• October 20: students with 0-14 credit hours

New students must complete the Dual Credit Enrollment Steps, including meeting with Mrs. Spradling to discuss course plans. Full details about the Dual Credit opportunities through Austin Community College can be found on our VHS College & Career Center website.

Selecting a college can be a daunting task and researching the best fit for students is just as important as researching degrees, campus life and cost. To assist with the process, it is recommended that students explore college options by attending a both in-person and virtual college fairs. Listed below are several options available to all students and families of Leander ISD.

Leander ISD In-Person College Fair

October 23 // 6p - 8p

Vista Ridge High School

List of Participating Colleges & Universities

TACRAO Virtual College Fair

Texas Association of Collegiate Registrars and Admissions Officers (TACRAO) is hosting a virtual college fair weekly now through November 29. Registration required.

NACAC Virtual College Fair

National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) will hold several virtual college fairs this fall.

October 15, 2023 // 12:00pm to 5:00pm Registration Required

November 12, 2023 // 12:00pm to 5:00pm Registration Required

How does a free car sound? For the third year, Honda Leander is giving away a brand new car to one lucky Leander ISD graduating senior. Make sure to turn in the entry form in to the front office by April 1, 2024. If you are randomly chosen as one of Vandegrift's nominees, you will be notified in April so that you can attend the drawing. Click here for more information and to see videos of past LISD winners. A Vandegrift student hasn't won yet, so we are hoping this is the year!!

Please only submit the form if you are able to attend the drawing on April 14, 2024, as you must be present to win.

We will be holding Counselor Connection sessions for juniors October 18 & 19 during English 3 classes. These sessions will focus on healthy relationships and dating violence prevention. As you will soon be moving on to your next steps in life, we feel it is crucial to have conversations on this topic. Student feedback from previous years has indicated students find these conversations to have value and importance.

**Students taking English 3 through ACC will be assigned to a mandatory PIT on October 19. Your meeting will be held in the Lecture Hall.***

Understanding that discussing dating violence can be a difficult topic for some students, students are able to exercise an option to not attend this session. Please reach out directly to your counselor if you have concerns.

We will be holding Counselor Connection sessions for sophomores during English 2 classes. These sessions will focus on life after high school, and counselors will guide students through the many resources available to help determine "what's next?" Students/parents wanting a preview of this session can check out the Reality Check website to get a glimpse of how much it might cost to maintain a desired lifestyle - it's often quite an eye-opener for students.

Freshmen will begin the course selection process for next school year during Freshman Summit October 24th.

Freshman/Counselor Conferences will take place between October 31 - November 3 during students' biology class period.

During Freshman/Counselor Conference, students will have a brief individual check-in with their counselor and will submit their initial course selections for next school year. We encourage parents and students to have conversations about course selection prior to the student's scheduled meeting time. More information will be sent specifically to 9th grade students/families as we approach these dates.

** While there will opportunities to update course requests, finalizing your requests as early as possible provides the highest likelihood of being placed in the classes you want.**

Parents/guardians are invited to attend an informational webinar on October 25 at 5:30pm.

We will cover information regarding graduation requirements, four-year planning and the course selection process. The registration link for the webinar is found below.

Parents are encouraged to submit questions ahead of time so counselors can help tailor the presentation to address the most frequently asked questions. Submit questions using the button below.

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.

October Mental Health Minutes:

Self-Compassion // English, Spanish

Self-Advocacy // English

I Statements (Part 1) // English

I Statements (Part 2) // English

Ways to Chill // English

VHS Counselors

Kandice Detlefsen, Lead Counselor - A - Bo

DeAngelo Freeman - Br - Ep

Becca Ramirez - Er - H

Charity Escott - I - Ma

Peggy Morisset - Mc - Po

Shawna Powell - Pr - Sti

Melissa Wells - Sto - Z

VHS Assistant Principals

Jayme Spexarth, Associate Principal - A - Bo

Becky Azard-Jackson - Br - Fo

Jeremy Fry - Fr - Ke

Parrish McEwen - Kh - Ne

Collin Fletcher - Ng - Si

Amanda Toon - Sk - Z