Class of 2026 Senior Newsletter #2
Chief Points - Class of 2026
Issue #2, September 18, 2025
Senior Year and Beyond
Today is the 16th day of school. We are rolling ahead in classes. Sports and activities have begun and hopefully you are making the most of your last year in these halls.
I spent time in your English classes going over all of the things you need to know for the college application process. Right now, if you haven't done anything to start down the "what's after high school" path, you aren't too behind, but you're getting there. It really is a complicated process and one that can cause stress but if you stay on top of things and consult the resources I've shared, it should be easier.
In the next week or so, I will begin calling you all down to my office for some one on one meetings. We can talk about where you're at and what you're thinking, and I can give you some pointers in the right direction if you need them. More importantly though, you shouldn't wait for me to call you down. When you have questions, they are important to you then...not a couple of weeks or months from now when I get you to my office. Please come and see me when you have questions.
Lunch & Learn begins tomorrow and that is an ideal time for you to stop by to chat and ask questions. You can also make an appointment with me during other times of the day using this link. https://calendar.app.google/tkP3yPghq4ovjFs9A
This newsletter contains a lot of the information that I shared at the beginning of August. For the college-bound student, most questions you have can be answered somewhere in here. For the non college-bound student, you'll also find some resources related to your search for what's next.
In this newsletter, you will find:
- Information about graduation requirements
- Diploma Form
- A Copy of the presentation slides I went over in classrooms
- A complete overview of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website that includes:
- Career Exploration Resources
- Testing Information
- College Application Guide
- Information about transcripts and letters of recommendation
- Financial Aid Overview
- Scholarships
- And more!
- Some resources & events that have come to my attention in recent weeks, and might be of interest to you.
If you have any questions, please don't be afraid to reach out. Remember, I'm here for every one of you no matter what. Please know that I am here for anything you need - and that goes well beyond applying to college!
Mrs. deQuevedo
Graduation Requirements
Please take a good look at your schedules and transcripts to make sure that you have all you need to graduate. Keep in mind, you need the following to graduate:
4 English Credits
3 Math Credits
3 Science Credits
3 Social Studies Credits
2 Art/Humanities Credits
1 full Physical Education Credit
0.5 Health Credits
7.5 Elective Credits
EQUALS 24 TOTAL CREDITS
Additionally, you will need to complete a minimum of 10 service hours by May 1st to graduate. You can find the tracking sheet for service hours below. This year, the district has added a job shadow component to your graduation requirements. You will also find the forms for that using the button below.
***If you notice that there is something missing from your schedule that should be there, especially if it is a graduation requirement, please let me know as soon as possible. You have access to your transcript on Infinite Campus to check for yourself. There is definitely a chance that I missed something - don't let that go unnoticed. It could be the difference between you graduating or not!***
Diploma Form
The goal of high school is to get a diploma at the end of it. We want that diploma to display your name as you wish it to. You should have received, or will be receiving a letter in the mail with a QR code to the Diploma Form that will be used to indicate how you would like your name to appear on your Diploma. That link is also included below.
You must complete the Google Form and fill in your name as you wish it to appear on your diploma no later than September 30th. Diplomas for any student who has not completed the form by that date will have names as they appear on Infinite Campus.
**As of typing this newsletter, we have only received 24 responses to this form. With over 100 students in the Class of 2026, please be sure that you take some time to fill this out.**
Classroom Presentation (9/2025)
The button below will take you to the classroom presentation that was given in September of 2024. It goes over some important steps for students who are planning to apply to college. Please review it thoroughly! It's also linked later on in this newsletter with some additional pieces that are related to it.
Event Information
Lakeland will be sponsoring a field trip to the PACAC Northeast Regional College Fair on October 9th. There will be over 100 colleges, both local and not, participating in the event. It is a great opportunity for seniors who are looking to learn more about colleges they want to apply to, and juniors who are starting to think about life after high school.
Space on the field trip is limited, and priority will be given to 12th grade students. Permission forms can be picked up in the counseling office or downloaded from link below, and are due by Monday, October 6th. The bus will leave Lakeland at approximately 8:30 AM, and will return by approximately 1:30 PM. Students will be responsible for all missed work.
We will leave the college fair at approximately 11AM and will stop at the Shoppes at Montage on the way home for lunch. Students are responsible to pay for or bring their own lunch.
The LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website
The rest of this newsletter will give an overview of the different pages that can be found on the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. This site was created to be a one stop shop for anything related to life after high school. There may be some things that come up that aren't answered in there, but most topics should be covered. The sections below will explain each of the pages on the site. If any questions come up, please ask!
Career Exploration Information
If you don't really know what you want to do after graduation, that's okay! You've still got some time to figure it out. Part of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website will help you explore some of your options. Click on the link below to learn more about:
Activities you can do to help you explore
College/workplace visits
Job Shadowing
Choosing a major or career path
Remember that I'm still available as a resource for you as well if you want to talk things through!
Wilkes University Passan School of Nursing
The Wilkes University Passan School of Nursing is excited to present an Experience in Nursing to be held on campus on Friday, November 14, 2025.
The program is intended for 11th and 12th grade high school students who are interested in nursing as a career.
Testing
The next section of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website will go over is the Testing Information section. This is all about the SAT, ACT, and what you might need to consider if you think you are going to take them. Click the link below to go to the website and learn all about the test. Topics include:
Key terms and considerations
If you should take the test
When to take the test
How to prepare for the test
The difference between the SAT & ACT
How to sign up for the tests
How to send test scores to schools
Please note that the next SAT will take place on October 4th. We will be offering the November 8th SAT at Lakeland. After that, the next SAT will be December 6th, and this will be the final opportunity until March. If you have not yet taken the SAT and are planning to go to college, you should be planning to take the test on one of those dates.
College Application Guide
Many college applications, including the CommonApp officially open on August 1st. E
Please know - college applications take a lot of time. There is so much that goes into it, so please don't wait too long to get started.
It can all be so intimidating. Please reach out to me if you're feeling stressed, don't know how to do something, or just need to vent!
If you click the link below, you'll go to the College Application Guide section of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. This has:
Tips to get you started with your applications
Things to consider when applying
Information about what you need to complete for applications
FERPA & College Applications
And more (keep reading to find out)
Types of Applications
- The Common Application
- The Coalition Application
- Group Applications
- Individual Applications
Decision Types
There are several different ways that you can apply to college that all may have various benefits to your application. The button below will take you to the Decision Types section of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. This will walk you through all the different terms and types of applications that you may be prompted to complete.
SCOIR
SCOIR has many different features, but at Lakeland it is primarily used to connect students and colleges directly. You will use it to explore different schools and career paths, request letters of recommendation, and get your transcripts sent to schools. You will not be able to apply to college at Lakeland if you don't use Scoir.
You can click on the button below to go to the SCOIR section of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. You'll find all sorts of information about SCOIR there.
Scoir, The Common App, & The Coalition App
It is important to remember that Scoir is NOT the same as the Common App or the Coalition App. If you fill out college applications with the Common App or the Coalition App, you will be prompted to request both letters of recommendation and transcripts within those applications, but you can ignore those requests. All letters of recommendation and transcripts MUST be sent through Scoir. No letters or transcripts will be sent through the Common App or Coalition App.
FERPA & College Applications
When you first log in to Scoir, you will be asked to "waive" and "release" your FERPA rights in order for Lakeland to communicate with colleges. Please do this at the start to save a few headaches down the road! You can learn more about the purpose of this on the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website section linked below.
I cannot send any documents to schools until you complete the FERPA Releases and Waivers! Please make sure this is done before you do anything listed below.
Letters of Recommendation & The Senior Brag Sheet
You'll also want to review the information here about the Senior Brag Sheet. This is something you'll have to fill out so that your teachers can write their letters. It is mandatory, and must be completed before your letters of recommendation can be sent. It's housed on SCOIR, and is a place where you can talk about the important things you've done and want highlighted!
Sending Transcripts
College Essays
Financial Aid Information
The FAFSA Application will (hopefully) open on October 1st. More information will be shared once this happens, but you can be educating yourself about all it entails until then. The Financial Aid Information section of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website will help you do just that. I'd recommend that you check it out now, and ask any questions that might come up. Here you'll find information such as:
Why financial aid is important
What financial aid is
Tips to get you started
The different financial aid applications
When you apply for financial aid
Who fills out the applications
What the different types of applications look like
SAVE THE DATE
Nancy Harvey from PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency ) will be holding a Regional Financial Aid Night webinar on October 20, 2025 at 6:00pm for student sand families. Additional information will be shared out when it is received.
Free FAFSA Helpline
At this point, we have heard that the FAFSA will not be available until December 1st at the earliest. We do still want to share the free FAFSA Helpline. You can text the help desk at 313-723-2372 with questions at any time!
PHEAA Webinars
Each month, PHEAA (Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency) hosts webinars aimed to help families looking for financial assistance to help pay for college. We will share the upcoming topics here each time they are updated. You can access a flyer below with links to register!
A tip - even if you can't attend the webinar at the time its scheduled, registering for the event should give you access to a recording of the event so you can watch it at your leisure.
Upcoming topics include:
- Searching for Scholarships
- The Financial Aid Timeline
- Borrowing For Education - Which Loan Is Right For Me?
- The Two-Step Approach To Finding An Affordable Higher Education
- Understanding The Offer Letter and Balances
- Covering the Gap - Pieces of the Puzzle To Help Pay Your Education Bill
Scholarships
There is generally no more asked question than "how can I get a scholarship." If I had the answer to that, I promise I would share it, but unfortunately it isn't that simple. At this point, there are no specific scholarships that you can apply for. Most are national applications that are highly competitive. The local scholarships will become available sometime in the winter of your senior year, and will all be announced via newsletter. For now, you can check out the Scholarships page of the LHS Postsecondary Counseling Website. It has some scholarship sites that may provide you with some opportunities!
Blair E. Caboot Memorial Scholarship
Math Student of the Year
Northeastern PA Council of Teachers of mathematics $1000 Blair E. Caboot Memorial Scholarship
Application, transcript and recommendation from one of the student's mathematics teachers are also required.
The application window is open from September 1, 2025 through March 1, 2026.
Any questions regarding the scholarship should be directed to Vincent Pricci, Student Awards Chairman, at vpricci@gmail.com.
Now Breathe!
I know there is A LOT of information here. I promise it is all important in its own way. Let's keep one thing in mind - your senior year is a marathon, not a sprint - but that marathon has already started. You still have the luxury of time, but that doesn't mean you can procrastinate! It means that you can take your time and really produce quality results.
Remember, if you don't know, ask! Reach out. I can only help you if I know what you're struggling with. I'm here for you, so come by and see me!
Best,
Mrs. deQuevedo
Past Newsletters
Lakeland School Counseling Office
Classes of 2026, 2028, & 2030
Click Here to Make an Appointment
Mrs. Wengert - ewengert@lakelandsd.org
Classes of 2027, 2029 & 2031
Click Here to Make an Appointment
Location: 1355 Lakeland Drive, Jermyn, PA, United States
Email: lhscounseling@lakelandsd.org | Phone: 570-254-9485