The last day for students to drop a class without penalty for the 2010-2011 school year (first semester and full year courses) is Friday, October 1, 2010.

The Newtown High School Counseling staff will now be sending transcripts and college materials electronically with the help of a Naviance Webinar.

Instead of writing out and stamping envelopes as in the past, students will now have their transcripts, report cards and school profile sent electronically for a nominal $2. fee per application.

The new and exciting process will be further explained to all seniors on Tuesday September 7th at 7pm at the Senior College Workshop in the Auditorium.

“We’re all really excited to move to electronic filing and transcripts.  It’s going to be so beneficial for our students,” School Counselor Jeffrey Tolson said.

The Guidance Department is hosting an Alumni Panel for our LAST Workshop Wednesday. We have lined up a great group of last year’s graduates to come in on Wednesday, June 2, 2010 in the Lecture Hall during the lunch period to talk about their first year college experience.

The Panel includes:
John Grimaldi @ SUNY Cortland
Michelle Haitz @ Bucknell
Marley Koschel @ Eastern Conn
Sarah Grose @ George Washington U
Genna Rossi @ Univ. Tennessee Knoxville
Megan Sajovic @ Syracuse
Vanessa Richards @ Delaware State Univ
Hiram Orama @ Nyack Univ
Gretchen Hoffman @ Princeton
Biota Hung @ UCONN
Alyssa Carey @ Boston University

Students from a variety of Newtown High School Business Education courses recently shared a special opportunity with Mr. Duane Giannini, a VP of Newtown Savings Bank. Mr. Giannini spoke about the importance of making a good first impression, and used a combination of media, lecture and interesting stories to help students enhance their abilities to interview well. Attire, grooming, eye contact, facial expression and a firm handshake were just a few of the elements discussed. Mr. Giannini stayed for a question and answer session with students afterwards. Vivian Sheen’s Business Ed. students agreed their time was well spent.

This presentation was organized by Mrs. Ragaini and Mrs. Latowicki in the NHS Career Center. Special thanks to them, to Mr. Giannini, and to Newtown Savings Bank for their ongoing commitment to our students.

This Wednesday, May 26, 2010, Officer Dave Kullgren, from the Newtown Police Department, will present a Personal Safety Workshop. Due to time constraints, Workshop Wednesday will only run during 2 waves, once during 3rd lunch wave and once during 4th . Officer Kullgren will be in B152 and, of course, our famous Culinary brownies will be served!

Next Wednesday (June 2, 2010) we will have a panel of Newtown High School Alumni to talk about their first year at college and answer any question you may have. The Alumni will answer general questions about the first year at college and specific questions about their schools: SUNY Cortland, Bucknell, Eastern Conn, George Washington University, University Tennessee- Knoxville, Syracuse, Delaware State University, Nyack University and Princeton University. This workshop will be in the lecture hall and during each lunch wave…with brownies served!

We are giving 345 students 602 exams in 18 subject areas over 9 school days.

Seniors!  The Workshop Wednesday schedule for the reminder of the here is here:

Workshop Wednesdays Schedule

The Guidance Honor Association (GHA) is now accepting applications for the 2010-2011 school year. GHA is an organization in which members volunteer at a variety of school and community functions throughout the year. 10th, 11th, and 12th grade students may apply. For more information and/or the application, please see Dr. Hoag in room A100.

The Newtown High School Guidance Department will be hosting a Tenth Grade Informational Program on Tuesday, April 6, 2010  from 7 – 8:30 p.m.

This program provides us with an opportunity to disseminate very important information on building a transcript, a resume, and a student’s “standout factor”.

The evening will begin in the Newtown High School auditorium at 7:00p.m. After a brief overview, we will split into small groups, by school counselor, for a question and answer period. At 8:00p.m., any parent and or student who would like to attend a Naviance Workshop is invited to room B150/B152. Naviance is a computer program we use in Guidance to hold student portfolios, including academic information and college/career surveys. It is also the main mode of communication between the Guidance office and students and parents. A working knowledge of Navaince is a must!

Should you have any questions, please contact your counselor at 203-426-7651.

Attention Seniors!

All community service hours should be submitted to Guidance prior to our forthcoming April break. Blue forms can be found in Guidance and all service hours require signatures of all authorized supervisors for whom you performed the work. We need this information in order to  process the order for the blue and gold cords that are  worn on graduation recognizing those seniors who have volunteered a minimum of 100 hours throughout their high school careers. For recognition, please submit your names to Mrs. Korotash in Guidance by Friday, April 16, 2010 and contact her immediately with any questions.

In sophomore guidance classes Jennifer Hoag, PhD School Psychologist, Tom Brant, School Psychologist, Suzanne Tyler LCSW, School Social Worker, and Martha Shilstone, LCSW Student Assistance Counselor  are showing the DVD “Eternal High” by Bryce Mackie. The DVD is described as “Eternal High is a 30-minute educational DVD produced by Bryce Mackie, a student who captured his true life battle with depression unaware he was clinically depressed. The film also includes a speech he later gave to his school after receiving treatment and discussing his experience with depression, suicidal thoughts, anxiety, self-injury, substance abuse and self-medication.” (Eternal High Discussion Guide). After the viewing of the DVD students engage in a discussion with support staff to discuss the information that is presented.

Pupil Services Staff at Newtown High School have a comprehensive website. It is http://sites.google.com/a/newtown.k12.ct.us/nhs-pupil-services/

College Week Live is a free virtual college fair. Register at www.collegeweeklive.com then login on Wednesday, March 24, 2010 and Thursday, March 25, 2010 from 10 am to 10 pm Eastern Standard Time. Meet with hundreds of schools and participants in online presentations that cover the entire rage of college admissions topics. On these days hundreds of colleges and universities will be showcased including live video presentations and virtual booths on topics such as admissions, financial aid, student life, and academics. An excellent opportunity for middle school families to begin discussing post secondary school options and for high school students to begin visiting colleges virtually. For more information or details please contact Dane Kopnisky at dkopnisky@collegeweeklive.com

The list below is a preliminary list of colleges attending the Newtown High School College Fair on Wednesday, April 7, 2010 from 7 – 8:30 PM in the cafeteria. If you have any questions, please contact Mrs. Latowicki at 203.426.1915 or latowickik@newtown.k12.ct.us. Read the rest of this entry »

Students currently enrolled in Advanced Placement courses should download the AP Exam Request Form. The check, along with the form, should be submitted to Mrs. Schiffer in Guidance by March 26, 2010. If there are any questions, please contact the Guidance Office at 203.426.7651.

Nearly all Newtown High School students returning next year have participated in the course selection process with their Guidance Counselor.  If you did not participate in the process, please plan to attend a “make-up session” at 2:00 pm in the Guidance Room (B150/B152) on Wednesday, March 17, 2010.  If you are unable to attend this additional session, you may still register for classes by following the instructions on this Course Selection Lesson.  Please complete your selection by Wednesday, March 24, 2010.

Sophomores and Juniors who took the PLAN on February 6, 2010 will be glad to hear the scores are in! They have been uploaded to Naviance and the test booklets and score reports will be distributed on Wednesday, March 17, 2010 in homeroom.

Below is the schedule we will follow next week when we are registering freshmen for next year’s classes. The schedule is organized by freshmen English classes. We have a short amount of time to schedule a large number of students with a specific number of computers so please be sure to report to the guidance classroom (B1150/B152) at the time you are scheduled. Read the rest of this entry »

The last day to drop a semester two course “without penalty” (a permanent grade of a 50) is Friday, March 5, 2010. Freshmen, sophomores, and juniors may only drop a course if they are taking 6 other classes; seniors may only drop a course if they are taking 5 other classes. Drop slips are available in guidance – a parent signature is required.

Due to the impending storm and the long weekend, we have decided to change the snow date for the Junior /Parent Night. If school is cancelled or dismissed early on Wednesday, February 10th, the snow date will be Wednesday, February 24th at 7pm in the auditorium.

On Wednesday, February 10, 2010 at 7:00 p.m., the Newtown High School Guidance Department will be hosting a post-secondary planning night for juniors and their parents.

The night will begin in the main auditorium and will include multiple workshops to cover the “what, when and how” of post-secondary planning, such as standardized tests, Naviance, financial aid, and the college search/selection process.

If necessary, a snow day of Thursday, February 11, 2010 is scheduled.

Please call the Guidance Department at 203.426.7651 with any questions.

Friday, January 29, 2010 is the LAST DAY that students may add second semester classes.

The University of Connecticut is offering a one week residential summer Engineering program for current sophomores and juniors from June 27, 2010 to July 1, 2010. Students must be recommended by a science, math or technology teacher. The cost of the program is $500 and is highly competitive. Although we can send in as many applications as we like, UConn ultimately has the final decision as to who is selected for the program. Usually only one person per High School is accepted and it is possible that no Newtown HS students will be accepted. If you are interested, please stop by the Career Center for a brochure with details on the program, and an application.

Second semester schedules will be distributed in homeroom on Wednesday, January 13, 2010.  Students should review their schedules and report issues to their Guidance Counselor.

The PLAN (the practice ACT) is being offered to sophomores and juniors at Newtown High School on Saturday, February 6, 2010 at 7:45 AM with a snow date of Saturday, February 20, 2010 at 7:45 AM. The cost of taking this test is $30. Bring a check made out to NHS Guidance to Mrs. Korotash in the Guidance Department by Friday, January 29, 2010. The test will help prepare you for the actual ACT to be taken in the spring of junior year.

There are still openings available for Physical Education Elective (Period 8, Semester 2). The course offers students experiences in a broad range of lifetime activities including several Project Adventure activities. Since a health component is not taught, the course counts as an elective toward graduation (it does NOT count as PE 9, PE 10 or PE 11). Like all PE courses, the PE Elective class is a half credit course. If you are interested, email your counselor or see them before January 12, 2010. It’s a great course for anyone looking for physical exercise and challenge or for anyone considering a career in physical education or exercise science.

Over the course of twelve weeks, eleven students have delved wholeheartedly into the world of photography under the guidance of professional photographer, Laurie Klein. They have learned all of the elements for taking a unique and moving photograph; and put that knowledge to use through evaluations and critiques to explore why something “works.”

Finding why an image works, or does not work, has been a major focus over this mentoring program. Telling an artist that you “like” a piece of their work does not contribute to their learning process, and will usually tell more about the viewer than the work itself. Read the rest of this entry »

The Rotary Club of Newtown is offering our students the opportunity to participate in a “4 Way Speech Contest.” You must prepare and deliver a 5-7 minute speech. The contest will take place on Wednesday, December 16, 2009 at 2 PM in the lecture hall with each entrant presenting their speech. All entrants must sign up with Mrs. Latowicki in the Career Center by Monday, December 14, 2009. One student will be selected by a member of the Rotary Club to represent Newtown . Read the rest of this entry »

On Wednesday, December 16, 2009 (snow date December 18, 2009), the Career Center is hosting Senior De-Stress Day. Seniors, come during your free period and take a load off your mind. We know this is a stressful time of year for you. The Career Center will be closed to everyone but seniors on this day. We will provide you with treats, soothing music, and the opportunity to relax. We look forward to seeing you all, so mark your calendars.

Score reports and test booklets will be distributed in homeroom on Thursday, December 3, 2009. If a student is absent on Thursday they may pick up their scores from Mrs. Hoffman in Guidance. Here is a link to a 20 minute video from the College Board to help parents and students understand the PSAT/NMSQT results and prepare for the SAT.  Two of the most important resources for students who have taken the PSAT are their counselor and the My College QuickStart feature on the College Board website.  We have been told this feature will be available in mid-December for the students who took the October 2009 PSATs.  Students are encouraged to make an appointment with their counselor to review scores and discuss future plans.

Finding a tutor or tutoring resource for free or for fee has been made much easier with the creation of the Newtown High School Guidance Department’s Tutoring Resource. The resource was put together by Newtown High School junior Brian Reed. The resource provides an in-depth listing of tutors by subject and course in school and out. To look at our print the document, go to www.connection.naviance.com/newtown and look in the document library at any grade level.

On Wednesday, December 2 (snow date – Thursday, December 3) at 7:00 p.m., the Guidance Department at Newtown High School will sponsor a “Financial Aid Night” in the main auditorium. Ms. Jennifer Piqueira, Assistant Director of Financial Aid at Fairfield University, will be presenting the program designed to help parents and students answer any questions they might have about financing a college education, completing the FAFSA form, etc. We look forward to seeing you there.

Seniors, all counselors will be available in B150/B152 during the lunch waves and after school on November 4, 2009 and November 11, 2009 to answer all of your college application questions.

The Newtown High School Annual Alumni Day is scheduled for Tuesday, November 24th, which is a full day of school. Interested Alumni need to contact Mrs. Mendes, the Alumni Day Coordinator, to reserve a spot for them in the lobby where they can disseminate information and speak to current Newtown High School students about their college experience from noon to 2 pm. Visiting Alumni  are expected to remain in the lobby while classes are in session. Please e-mail Mrs. Mendes if you are interested in being an Alumni Representative for your college at mendesa@newtown.k12.ct.us.

On Wednesday, October 28, 2009, the School Counseling Department will host another Workshop Wednesday. This workshop will be a review of the six previous workshops: making lists, campus visits, submitting our forms for recs and transcripts, using standardized test scores, the essay and more! Everyone is invited whether you have been to ‘em all, missed a few, or are just starting now.

You still have a chance to attend! Call 426-7651 to reserve a spot!

For Junior and Senior parents and students

Have you ever wondered how colleges decide which students get accepted, denied or wait-listed? Have you ever been confused as to why some students with identical SAT scores, grades and GPA’s apply to the same college and end up with different results? What can a student do to show the admissions board that he/she truly wants to attend their school? Why are some excellent students denied? What does a student need to do to get accepted? Read the rest of this entry »

Fusion, a mentoring program that focuses on fostering a one to one relationship between juniors and freshman, hosted its Annual Kickoff Friday October 23, 2009 with 112 students at Newtown Youth Academy. Read the rest of this entry »

Newtown High School juniors and freshman participating in Fusion, Newtown High School’s mentoring program, will kick off the year with a leadership workshop at Newtown Youth Academy this Friday October 23, 2009. The 100 total students are paired up junior to freshman and will embark on a year of discovery, growth and leadership. “It is my hope that these young women and men get to know each other, learn from each other and serve as excellent examples of what our town and community have to offer,” Fusion Co-Advisor and School Counselor Jeffrey Tolson said. Read the rest of this entry »

Workshop Wednesday on October 21, 2009 will focus on financial aid and scholarships. Come and learn more about “the tricks of the trade!” or how to help fund your college education. Come during your lunch period or after school to B150/B152.

The Guidance Department is hosting another Workshop Wednesday! This week’s topic is “LET’S APPLY“. We have been preparing all our seniors for the college application process and are now ready to apply! Do you feel like you are way behind? Are you wondering where everyone else is in the process? Would you like help to get started, finish or polish up your paperwork?

Please come to B150/152 during your lunch wave or right after school. We will have a brief interactive presentation and devote the rest of the time to your application.

Friday October 9, 2009 is the last day to sign up for the PSAT without a late fee. Sophomores and Juniors should check their e-mail and Naviance for a registration form and bring in a check for $35 to the Guidance office. Beginning Monday October 12, 2009 the fee will be $40.