WHS Guidance News

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This newsletter contains information about:

• FAFSA Guidance for 12th Graders
• SAT School Day for 11th Graders
• Slides from Junior Future Planning Night
• MCAS Reminders for 9th and 10th Graders
• Special Opportunities & Scholarships
• Previous Newsletters

The following information has been provided to us by the MA Department of Education:

The U.S. Education Department (USED) recently announced that data from college-bound students’ Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) will not be delivered to colleges until March. While news of this delay is disconcerting, here is some guidance and information for students and families:

• Students should still complete the FAFSA. If they are experiencing technical errors, they should be patient and keep trying, especially when it comes to reaching Federal Student Aid (FSA) by phone. Students can also contact their prospective colleges and let them know that they are having problems with their submission. Federal Student Aid continues to correct errors.
• Anyone who has submitted their FAFSA but needs to make corrections will be able to do so once the FAFSA data is processed in March.
• National college access organizations are urging colleges and universities to extend financial aid and admissions deadlines in light of the delayed data. Colleges that depend on the FAFSA to make aid offers will most likely be delayed in sending offers to students. However, there is widespread understanding that students need these aid offers to make a college decision.

To help counselors and families with the new FAFSA, which went live on December 30, the Massachusetts Education Financing Authority (MEFA) is holding several online events, including one on “Navigating the Challenges and Delays of the New FAFSA” for students and families from 4:00 to 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday, February 21.

Watertown High School will be hosting the SAT School Day for juniors in late March. Any junior who would like to take the SATs at WHS (a familiar testing environment) should register for the test through the WHS Guidance department, NOT the CollegeBoard website.

To register, students (juniors only!) must complete this form by Monday, February 12. This form must be completed using the student's Watertown email address. You should not register on the CollegeBoard website. Payment (checks made out to City of Watertown for $60) should be submitted to Mrs. Tracy in the Guidance office by Friday, February 16. If you believe you are eligible for a fee waiver due to your financial circumstances, please speak with your school counselor about a fee reduction. Please contact your school counselor with questions.

If you were unable to attend Junior Future Planning Night, the presentation slides and handouts are available on the Guidance website in the Evening Programs section, linked here.

Students and families are reminded that all 9th and 10th graders will participate in MCAS testing this year.

All 10th graders will take the ELA MCAS in March (March 26 and 27) and the Math MCAS in May (May 21 and 22). All 9th graders will take the Science MCAS in June (June 4 and 5). Students must use their Chromebooks for these tests, so we encourage all students to report any issues with their Chromebooks early (missing keys, missing updates, poor connection to the wifi, etc.). More details about each administration will be shared as the date gets closer.

The Guidance Department receives information about scholarships and special opportunities throughout the year. Information about previous and current scholarships and programs can be found on our Special Opportunities and Scholarships Hub. Please see a member of the Guidance department for additional details. Additionally, all seniors will receive the annual Watertown Scholarship Booklet in mid-March.

Charles River Regional Chamber Scholarship

The Charles River Regional Chamber is pleased to offer scholarship opportunities for up to four deserving students who either live in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and/or who attend school in Needham, Newton, Watertown, or Wellesley and who plan to attend an accredited program, community college, college, or university in the next academic year. The student(s) selected will have a check (approximately $2000) sent to their financial institution to be applied toward tuition upon successfully completing their first semester. The deadline is March 29, 2024. For more information or to apply, visit this link: https://www.charlesriverchamber.com/scholarship/

2024 James E. McGarry, Jr. Scholarship

This scholarship honors Mr. McGarry, a former Woburn resident, for his 50 years of service to Northern Bank. It also pays tribute to his lifelong affinity for the fire and police departments in his community. Over the decades, Mr. McGarry served with the Woburn Auxiliary Fire Department, founded the Independent Fire Association of Woburn, and was active with the Massachusetts Antique Fire Apparatus Association. He was one of the founders of the Annual Lynnfield Fire Muster.

The $5,000.00 scholarship will be awarded to a graduating high school senior with a parent or legal guardian who is an active firefighter or police officer employed in Middlesex County, which includes the following cities and towns: Acton, Arlington, Ashby, Ashland, Ayer, Bedford, Belmont, Billerica, Boxborough, Burlington, Cambridge, Carlisle, Chelmsford, Concord, Dracut, Dunstable, Everett, Framingham, Groton, Holliston, Hopkinton, Hudson, Lexington, Lincoln, Littleton, Lowell, Malden, Marlborough, Maynard, Medford, Melrose, Natick, Newton, North Reading, Pepperell, Reading, Sherborn, Shirley, Somerville, Stoneham, Stow, Sudbury, Tewksbury, Townsend, Tyngsboro, Wakefield, Waltham, Watertown, Wayland, Westford, Weston, Wilmington, Winchester, and Woburn.

For more information or to apply visit this link: https://nbtc.com/community-giving/

Discovery Museum Scholarship

All high school juniors and seniors residing in MA are eligible to apply. For one of the four awards, preference will be given to Discovery Museum past or current employees or volunteers. Award money can be used for any educational or developmental experience, such as college or trade school tuition, travel expenses to support an exciting volunteer opportunity, or costs to provide a learning experience for young children. Video or written applications are being accepted now at https://bit.ly/DMScholarship2024 (applicants must log in to Google to apply) and must be received by March 31, 2024. Recipients will be notified in mid-May.

Lifeguard Positions

The DCR Bureau of Pool and Waterfront Safety is actively recruiting lifeguards, head lifeguards, pool and waterfront supervisors, and water safety instructors to staff agency-managed waterfronts and swimming pools throughout the Commonwealth for the 2024 summer season.

Lifeguards are essential for managing pool and beach areas and ensuring the safety of our public. Each of the 2024 positions comes with a highly competitive salary. As a DCR Lifeguard, students will be on a fun team that makes a difference. Lifeguards learn many transferable skills such as leadership, communication, quick decision making, and staying calm under pressure. Obtaining a highly responsible job as a lifeguard is also a great resume builder for future endeavors or college applications.

Applicants must be at least 16 years old by their hire date and certified through Labor Day of 2024 (September 2, 2024). Not certified? No problem! DCR offers a limited number of free lifeguard certification courses for qualified lifeguard candidates, provided you work for us in the summer of 2024. Certification classes will be running this winter and spring. We will work with any candidate who is interested and determined. However, we do require a swim test that will be administered before the lifeguard training course to advise the applicant if their swimming skills, endurance, and fitness levels are on par with the physical demands of a lifeguarding job.

For more information, visit this link: MASS.GOV/LIFEGUARDS

January 2024

November 2023

September 2023