HVCHS Counseling Newsletter
February 2026
February is Teen Dating Violence Prevention & Awareness Month
Dating violence is characterized by a single incident or a pattern of incidents of abuse or threat of abuse which can be verbal, emotional, physical, sexual or electronic. Dating violence can have short- and long-term effects on young people. Please see these helpful resources for more information and contact your school counselor or another trusted adult if you or a peer need help.
This Tuesday! College Application Webinar for 11th Grade Students & Their Families
On February 3rd, Juniors and their parents/guardians are invited to join us for an informative webinar full of helpful tips about applying to colleges. Hear directly from a college admission counselor about making the most of your college applications and the Common App Essay. The presentation will begin at 7:00pm via WebEx (our new "Zoom"-like platform). Preregistration is required. This webinar will be recorded and published to our website for those who are not able to participate.
Want a Change a 2nd Semester Elective?
If you wish to change a second-semester elective class, contact your school counselor no later than Friday, February 6 to request the course change request form. Late requests will not be accepted.
ASVAB is February 23rd
The Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) is a comprehensive, timed, multi-aptitude test that can be administered to students (grades 10-12) to determine enlistment eligibility for the U.S. Military branches. Results can also help students hone-in on career interests and aptitude.
Scoir is Coming Soon!
Informed by student feedback and resulting from our efforts toward continual improvement, the counseling services department is pleased to announce that beginning with the class of 2027, Scoir will replace Naviance as our college and career planning platform.
THIS CHANGE WILL NOT IMPACT THE CLASS OF 2026.
Students, click here for a brief, video introduction about the comprehensive, interactive, and user-friendly features Scoir has to offer. In the months ahead, counselors will introduce Scoir to all 11th grade students who will be able to begin using it prior to the end of the school year. Look for more detailed information about the rollout process soon. In the meantime, feel free to continue using Naviance for your college and career research and click here to share your questions with us.
Opportunity to learn from a Resume Expert
Are you interested in Career Development? Then join us for a Career, Coffee & Learn! Coffee, tea and a light breakfast will be served!
When: February 11, 2026 during Recitation
Where: CHS Cafeteria
Speaker: Johanna Baum, M.A., Ed.M.
Sign-up: Please sign-up by Feb.9th
Note: Please notify the teacher of your 3rd session class in advance, just in case you are a few minutes late. Contact Ms. Getman with questions at nicolegetman@hvrsd.org
*This event is run in collaboration with the Hopewell Valley Municipal Alliance*
Career Counseling & Research
School counselors are in the process of meeting with all 10th grade students to engage them in career exploration through classroom lessons that include a career interest inventory and helpful tips for research. Please reach out to your counselor if you would like more assistance in this area. We are here to help!
Planning for the 2026-2027 School Year
Believe it or not, it is time to start thinking about course planning for next school year! The 2026-2027 HVCHS Program of Studies can be accessed here or under the Counseling Services heading on the HVCHS website.
On February 17th, all students and their families will receive an email from the Counseling Office containing important information about the course request process, including specific instructions for making selections in OnCourse.
From February 17th to March 2nd, the OnCourse course request window will be open and students will have access to choose their electives. Making course selections is mandatory, and must be completed prior to your individual meeting with your counselor!
We know you may have questions about classes and what to choose. Rather than email or request to meet with your counselor now, we ask that you keep a running list of questions to bring with you to your individual meeting with your counselor next month. Rest assured, we will answer all of your questions then and ensure that you feel comfortable with your course selections!
Counselors will meet with each student individually, based on the following timeline:
March 2 - 4: Counselors meet with 8th grade students
March 9 - March 13: Counselors meet with 10th grade students
March 16 - March 20: Counselors meet with 9th grade students
March 23 - March 27: Counselors meet with 11th grade students
This webpage provides additional information and links that you may find helpful as you embark on the scheduling process.
Helpful Tools for Your Academic Planning
Planning ahead is crucial for goal attainment because it transforms vague wishes into actionable steps, providing direction and motivation by breaking large goals into manageable tasks. This can help you prioritize, anticipate obstacles, and track progress. Planning ahead also helps reduce feelings of overwhelm and can increase the likelihood of success.
We encourage you to use the tools in the program of studies to help you plan your academic journey at HVCHS while preparing for your upcoming counselor meetings.
Page 12: Scheduling timeline
Page 6: Electives that meet graduation requirements
Page 76: High school graduation requirements worksheet
Page 77: Course request worksheet
A Note From College Board About Accommodations
Did you know that an organization called "College Board" is responsible for the SAT, PSAT, and Advanced Placement courses/exams among other things? Only College Board can approve requests for accommodations on any of these exams. If you have an IEP or a 504 plan and you want to request accommodations for any of these exams, see your case manager or counselor well ahead of time. Deadlines to apply for accommodations happen months before the exams.
The following advice for students with approved accommodations comes directly from College Board: Students and families often assume they’re “set for test day” once they receive a decision letter approving specific accommodations. However, this isn’t always the case.
It’s essential that each tester log in to their College Board account to confirm that their approved accommodations are correctly linked to their exam registration(s). If the accommodations aren’t attached, they should contact Customer Service as soon as possible.
Attention 10th graders and 11th graders: MCTS applications are open
Please be aware that applications for Mercer County Technical Schools' programs are open now and spaces in these programs WILL FILL QUICKLY. Apply early if you have interest! See your counselor with questions.
Shared Time Programs
Open to rising 11th-grade students only. (Apply in 10th grade only.) These are two-year programs, and students attend for half the day during their Junior and Senior years. Transportation is provided by your home district. The shared time programs are the only programs open to 10th-grade applicants. These include: Allied Health Services, Carpentry, Computer Game Programming, Diesel Technology, Electrician, Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning & Refrigeration Technology (HVAC-R), Welding Technology, Autobody Collision Technology, Automotive Mechanics Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts, Environmental Sustainability, Graphic Design, Horticulture and Turf Care Management
Career Prep at Mercer County Community College
Students must be in the 11th grade to be eligible to apply. Applicants for this program shall have no less than a 3.2 GPA and an attendance rate of 95% or better. Students in this program will follow the Mercer County Community College calendar and are expected to attend classes per stated requirements.
Important Information for Seniors About College Applications
Many regular decision college application deadlines are happening now and in the very near future. While some students are preparing for these, others are receiving admissions decisions. Here's some helpful information...
For those who are actively applying to colleges:
(a) Submit your transcript release authorization form to Ms. Hastings in the counseling office. We cannot send out your transcript without first having this on-hand.
(b) Match your Common App with Naviance.
(c) Request teacher recommendation letters every time you add a new college to your list.
For those who are receiving/awaiting decisions:
(a) Keep active in school. Whether you are waitlisted or already accepted, the college will want to know what you’ve accomplished between the time you applied and the time you learned of its decision.
(b) Visit your final college before accepting. Colleges can’t require your deposit or your commitment to attend before May 1. Talk to your counselor if you have questions.
Deferrals
Being "deferred" still gives you a chance for acceptance. Deferral essentially means that the school is not quite ready to make a final decision yet and that your application will be reviewed again with the regular decision pool of applicants. Here's a resource you may find helpful. Most importantly, try to stay positive!
Midyear Grades
You may also hear from colleges in the coming weeks as they request your mid-year grade reports for senior year. Please know that we will automatically send your mid-year report to any colleges for which you have submitted transcript request forms. If you have applied to a school and we already sent them your transcript, then you do not need to do anything in order for your mid-year report to be sent (upon the conclusion of the second marking period).
Keep your counselor updated
As you begin to receive admissions decisions from your colleges, please notify your counselors. We care about you and want to hear about the results of your hard work! It is also helpful to have this information so we can update your Naviance accounts with admission decisions. We rely on this information to keep the data in Naviance (ie. scattergrams for each college) as accurate as possible for seniors in future years.
Each year our department maintains a file of local scholarships for which seniors may apply. This year's application file will be available in late February, and the deadline for submission will be in mid-March. Click here for more information!
As always, contact your counselor with any questions. We are here to support you!
College Jumpstart Presentation
Financial Aid Night Presentation
FAFSA Help
Completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) can be a time consuming and confusing process. Here are some ways you can get ready:
- Create a StudentAid.gov account
- Compile the documents you may need to complete the FAFSA
- Use the Who's My FAFSA Parent? wizard to identify which parent(s)/guardian(s) will be a required contributor on your form
- Need more help? This library of videos may be helpful.
FREE SAT Practice Exam from Revolution Prep
Saturday, February 7, 2026 | 9:00 AM -12:00 PM | Proctored online via Zoom
*Please note that these live exams are proctored in standard time only. If you have been approved for an extended time accommodation, go ahead and register for the exam, then use this self-proctoring guide to walk you through the process of self-proctoring with extended time.
Step 1: Register here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/partners/2362
Step 2: Schedule a free 30-minute score report review with a Revolution Prep testing expert to help you interpret the results and develop a customized plan to prepare. Please schedule this appointment for the few days after the exam. You can pre-schedule this Score Report Review here: https://www.revolutionprep.com/rich-saperstein
Step 3: Attend the mock exam and instantly receive our best-in-class score report, illustrating three high-impact areas to focus on for each section of the test.
Questions? If you have questions or want to learn more about Revolution Prep, you can reach out to Rich Saperstein at (201) 241-2031 or by email at rich.saperstein@revolutionprep.com
Graduation Requirement for the Class of 2026
The state of New Jersey has mandated a new graduation requirement for all students in the class of 2026. According to this mandate, all 12th grade students and/or their parents/guardians are required to complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) or the New Jersey Alternative Financial Aid application, or request an exemption from this requirement.
In order to comply with this mandate, we ask that all parents/guardians or students who are 18 years or older, complete this form.
Resources
