Health Care Career Fair Great Falls High sophomore students will once again be participating in the Health Care Career day. On Wednesday, February 1, our students will travel to Mon-tana State University- Col-lege of Technology to visit with 30 different health care providers. Approximately 110 students will have the opportunity to partake in sev-eral “hands on” activities en-abling them to discover if a career in health care is for them. Students will be able to engage in a variety of health care activities such as: intubating an airway, set-ting up an IV, administering prescription drugs, perform-ing an ECG, removing a cast, and viewing x-rays. Contact Rachel Waterfield if you have questions (268-6333).

A Reminder to Seniors This is a busy time of year for completing college appli-cations and scholarship forms. The GFHS Scholar-ship News, which is distrib-uted in senior English clas-

Junior Individual Planning Conference Starting the middle of March 2012, counselors will begin individual confer-ences with juniors. The goal is to assist students with academic, career, and post-secondary planning along with evaluation of credits. Discussing career and educational goals will help in course selection for the important senior year. Each junior will be given a folder containing valuable information to help stu-dents plan for their life after Great Falls High School. Parents, watch for the post card from your son’s or daughter’s counselor let-ting you know the confer-ence has been completed, and the folder given out. Please help your child with his or her post-secondary plan by reviewing the folder’s contents.

Scheduling for year 2012-2013 - Counselors will begin preparing stu-dents for the process of scheduling classes for next year. The week of Febru-ary 6th, counselors will be in the classrooms providing

information to all students on course selections and building a schedule which meets graduation require-ments and, more im-portantly, prepares them for the future. The week of February 13, all students will select classes for the 2012-13 school year. To begin the scheduling pro-cess for next year’s fresh-man year, counselors will be at East Middle School the second week in February.

MCIS (Montana Career Information System) On April 2 and 3, all sophomores will receive training from the counsel-ing staff in the career pro-gram MCIS, which ex-plores careers and educa-tional opportunities via the internet. Students will ex-plore careers of interest to them, and also discover post-secondary training related to their spe-cific career choices. MCIS can also be accessed on the Internet at home. A postcard will be mailed to parents with log-in infor-mation.

Counselors’ Corner This column in the Visions Newsletter is designed to help parents stay current with the classroom and other activities that the counselors in the high school have scheduled for all students to help them in their planning for high school and beyond. If parents are ever in need of more information about any of the Counseling Department activities call 268-6159 for more information.

Highlights!

Graduation Parties 2

GFPS Foundation 4

Advanced Placement 7

Semester Calendar 10

Plan for the Future 11

Check List 13

Visions F E B R U A R Y 2 0 1 2

This newsletter is a cooperative effort of the high school counseling departments of the Great Falls Public Schools and the community volunteer group Advocates for College Awareness. It is published twice a year and highlights college and career information, which we hope will make preparation for the future easier and more enjoyable.

Great Falls High Counselors’ Corner

A Newsletter For Students and Parents

P A G E 2

ses monthly, lists availa-ble scholarships and their deadlines and qualifica-tions. Seniors can pick up the specific applica-tions for each scholarship in the Counseling Center. Students and parents can also access a copy of Scholarship News by visiting the GFHS Coun-seling website. Academic Achievement Dinner Great Falls High School

students who earned a 3.20 CUMULATIVE GPA will be honored at the Annual Academic Dinner, a long-standing tradition at Great Falls High school. The program will be April 12, 2012, from 5-7 p.m. in the Old Gym. Entertainment includes a film starring GFHS facul-ty. Over 400 GFH stu-dents will be invited to attend and to celebrate their academic achieve-ment.

Counselor Student

Assignment

Job Shadow Program Juniors at C.M. Russell and Great Falls High Schools will have the opportunity again this year to take part in a Job Shadow program. Pat Loucks is the coordinator for the Great Falls Public School Job Shadow program. Brenda Lowry and Molly Cox are the counselor contacts in the respective high schools. Juniors will list different

pleted their job shadow.

GFPS believes this will be a great opportunity for students to experience a career they might be in-terested in pursuing. This is not a requirement, but rather an opportunity for all Juniors.

V I S I O N S

C. M. Russell Counselors’ Corner

A-De Maxine Farrell

Df-Je Carie Magers

Jf-Ma Kathy Van Tighem

(Scholarship-

Financial Aid)

Mb-Sa Rachel Waterfield

Sb-Z Molly Cox

careers they would like to shadow during their school year. Pat Loucks will attempt to match their requests with professionals in the community who will volunteer to be a mentor for a day. The students must volun-teer for this opportuni-ty. Students will com-plete an evaluation after they have com-

Project Graduation Plans are underway for the 2012 gradua-tion parties. These are all night parties following graduation, put on by the parents of the graduating sen-iors.

GFHS’s graduation party is Sunday, May 30, 2011. Call Heather Brimhall at 868-4645 to assist with GFHS’s graduation party.

CMR’s graduation party is Friday June 1, 2012. Call Devan Smith at 788-2014 to assist with CMR’s gradua-tion party.

We need the support of the parents and the community to make these parties a suc-cess. Thank you for your willingness to help.

Interest Inventory Completed – In late Jan-uary the counselors met with freshman students to work on career explora-tion. We worked in the MCIS program and com-pleted an interest inven-tory, introduced them to their MCIS portfolios, and had them identify a ca-reer cluster, a broad oc-cupational interest area. By picking a tentative Career pathway, students began the process of de-veloping an academic plan that fits with their career and educational goals. Junior Individual Planning Conference

Counselors will begin seeing all juniors during 4th quarter for their indi-vidual planning confer-ence. The student and his/her counselor will evaluate the student’s credits, discuss career and educational goals, research career and edu-cational information, and make plans for the senior year schedule. Juniors who do not want to wait for their counselor to call them down, are more than welcome to stop by the Counseling Office and make an appoint-ment to see their counse-lor for their Individual Planning Conference!!

Career Guidance Com-puter Training -- The Montana Career Infor-mation System (MCIS) is a computer-based infor-mation and reference source that can help stu-dents explore career and educational opportunities. In mid-April the counse-lors will be training all sophomores on the use of MCIS. This will be-come a valuable tool as students begin to look more closely at career and educational opportunities.

Scheduling for Next Year -- All students and parents can look for the

P A G E 3

Paris Gibson Education Center Dual Enrollment at Paris Gibson Education Center The spring semester at MSU-GF-COT began on January 11, 2012. Paris had a lot of interest in the Dual Credit College credit and/or High School-College credit. We have 4 students who were able to take ad-vantage of this opportunity. Two seniors are taking 11 credits at the COT, one senior is taking 7 credits and one senior is taking 3 credits. The word is travel-ing because there are a number of juniors seeking information on dual enroll-ment for next year. Paris is an excellent setting for al-lowing for the scheduling of classes outside of the high school building during school hours. If any parent or student would like more information on this oppor-tunity, please contact Jodi Christian at Paris Gibson Education Center, 268-6660.

C.N.A. Third quarter is the time of the year designated to Paris students for the CNA course taught through Benefis. Paris was able to fill every slot that was avail-able for the course. We have 10 young ladies who have completed the Health Occupations pre-requisite, fulfilled the TB test and Flu shot requirement and in 9

Here at Paris Gibson we continue to Work Other Ways to help our students succeed. We are all dedi-cated to ensuring our stu-dents’ success. With Winter Graduation fresh on our minds, it is so reassuring to see the pride and confidence our graduates display. We will work towards our spring graduation. Here are a few things that are happening at Paris Gibson.

Winter Graduation January 24

th, 2012, Paris

Gibson Education Center held its winter graduation. 33 students completed their diploma requirements, 26 students walked across the stage in the evening’s cere-mony. 14 of the students graduating completed high school in 3.5 years, 13 completed high school in 4.5 years and 5 took 5.5 -6.5 years to complete high school. The ages of the graduates varied also. There is one 16 year old, seven 17 year olds, eleven 18 year olds, eight 19 year olds and four 20 or older graduates. The average GPA of the graduating class is over a 3.2. The speaker for the graduation was Republican Senator out of Whitefish, Montana, Ryan Zinke.

weeks will be new Certified Nursing Assistants. The CNA program is a wonder-ful opportunity provided to Great Falls Public School students who meet the criteria. Interested students at Paris need to contact Ms. Jodi Christian at 268.6660 or in the counsel-ing office to get started pre-paring before 3

rd quarter

next school year.

We have just completed the first semester and held our Winter Graduation. Thirty Four Paris Gibson students earned their high school diplomas and are ready to go on to the next chapter of their life. The ceremony was attended by approximately 200 people. It is wonderful to see the proud graduates and the equally proud parents.

Work Keys Paris Gibson Education Center students are pre-paring for the WorkKeys assessment. Students can earn a National Career Readiness Certificate rec-ognized in 38 states. Stu-dents will test in three are-as—Locating Information, Applied Math, and Reading for Information. The Work-Keys test will be given in March with certificates be-ing awarded to students before leaving for summer

vacation. Students prepare for the WorkKeys test by accessing KeyTrain curriculum, an online train-ing program that prepares students for the ACT ad-ministered WorkKeys assessment. In addition to testing in the areas of math and reading, students can increase their career readiness by completing KeyTrain’s Career Ready 101 curriculum. Employers are able to use the certifi-cate to truly assess em-ployee knowledge in the areas of reading and math. This certificate lev-els the playing field by of-fering a standardized as-sessment resulting in a resume building certificate for students.

MCIS Montana Career Infor-mation System is the computerized state career information delivery system, listing career and educational opportunities in Montana and nationally. MCIS is the most comprehensive and current source of information on Montana occupations. Here at Paris Gibson we are encouraging all of the students to familiarize themselves the program.

C. M. Russell… Cont.

A-C, Earlene Ostberg 268-6112

C-H, Julie Graham 268-6161

I-Mc, Jacie Schoenen 268-6110

Md-Sc, Brenda Lowry 268-6162

Sd-Z, Patti Ashmore 268-6111

ing for high school. A par-ent night for middle school parents is set for January 31 at CMR. All student re-quests for courses for 2012-2013 will be completed by March 14.

advisors to meet with their students in mid-February to begin the process of sched-uling for next year. Stu-dents will be scheduling for the entire year, not just first semester. Counselors will be visiting the middle schools the first two weeks in February to begin the conversation about schedul-

Counselor Student Assignment

P A G E 4

V I S I O N S

All sophomores will be taking the Montana Criterion Reference Test (CRT) to determine whether or not schools are making adequate yearly progress (AYP) under the provision of the No Child Left Behind Act of 2001. This test will be given in March and will test the areas of math, science and English. CMR will be testing March 1

st, 2

nd, and 6

th,

and GFHS will be testing March 13

th-15

th.

Great Falls Public Schools Foundation The Great Falls Public Schools Foundation seated an independent Board of Directors in March of 2011. The Directors developed a mission statement aimed at enhancing high quality teaching and learning in Great Falls schools and began to fundraise. The first program established was Discovery Grants so teachers, administrators, and staff could submit ap-plications for funding of innovative projects. The Foundation made $50,000 available for grants ranging from $500 - $3000. The Board quickly discovered the strong de-sire of school staff to im-prove teaching and learn-ing when they received 71 applications requesting over $163,000. The Discovery Grant Re-view Committee consisting of parents, teachers, com-munity members and Foundation board mem-

bers were impressed with all of the applica-tions. Applicants dedicat-ed significant time and ef-fort into developing pro-posals aimed at enhancing learning in our schools. It was exciting to see a wide variety of proposals aimed at impacting students from preschool through senior high. Generous donors allowed the Foundation to award over $58,000 to pro-jects throughout Great Falls schools. Some projects funded by the Discovery Grant pro-gram include Hoop House, a computer program for advanced biology students, and a pipe notching ma-chine, to name just a few of the 22 endeavors. Hoop house is a collabora-tive gardening project at Roosevelt Elementary School. Teachers and stu-dents working with Pea-Pods Neighborhood Com-munity Garden program

will work on growing, har-vesting, and preparing veg-etable based foods. This will be a year round project where students will learn biology, climate and nutri-tion science. Honors biology students at Great Falls High School will have enhanced labora-tory activities with comput-er interfaces. Students will be able to visualize physi-ology through data collect-ed. Sensors include blood pressure and pulse moni-tors; hand dynameters; spirometers; electrocardio-gram monitors; oxygen, gas, and surface tempera-ture sensors. The equip-ment will be used well into the future impacting hun-dreds of students. CM Russell welding and metals students will benefit from a pipe notching ma-chine used for complex metal fabrication. They will integrate basic trigonome-try and geometry to calcu-

late the angles and cuts made by the pipe notcher. This machine will help stu-dents understand the link between what they are us-ing and learning in the classroom and working in this trade. The Great Falls Public Schools Foundation has not yet completed a year of raising money and distrib-uting funds. Yet they clear-ly see that teachers, ad-ministrators and staff have many ideas to improve teaching and learning; they also see that help is need-ed. For more information about the Great Falls Public School Foundation, please call Dave Crum at 268-7340.

National School Counseling Week Great Falls Public Schools celebrate Nation-al School Counseling Week February 6-11, sponsored by the Ameri-can School Counselor Association (ASCA).

School counselors active-ly engage students to

help them examine their abilities, strengths, inter-ests, and talents; work in partnership with parents as they encounter the challenges of raising chil-dren in today’s world; fo-cus on positive ways to enhance students’ social/personal, educational,

and career development, and work with teachers and other educators to provide an educational system where students realize their potential and set healthy, realistic, and optimistic aspirations for themselves.

Montana Striving Readers Grant Great Falls High School was awarded the competi-tive grant, “Montana Striv-ing Readers” (MSR) this year. The grant will assist the school-wide Title I

assistance program de-signed to help meet the reading and writing literacy goals of students. Great Falls High will re-ceive almost $750,000

over the next three years, as long as Congress agrees to fund this project.

Academic Letter Applications

P A G E 5

At GFHS, these applica-tions must be filed by the end of February. A cere-mony to recognize the recipients is scheduled on March 22

nd in the Old Gym.

Parents will receive a writ-ten invitation in the mail and are encouraged to attend this short but rewarding program honoring students for their academic prowess.

observations of improve-ment in citizenship, schol-arship, and effort for this year. Students are nomi-nated by their teachers or administrators.

The Heisey Award Assembly at CMR is scheduled for May 8, 2012, at 8:00 a.m. in the CMR auditorium.

The Heisey Award Assembly at GFHS is scheduled for April 16, 2012, at 7:00 p.m. in the auditorium.

The Trustees of the Heisey Foundation have estab-lished a series of awards which will be given at area high schools this spring. The Heisey is a cash award of $150. The desire of the Foundation was to put the money back into the com-munities where it was origi-nally earned.

Heisey awards are special in that they are the only award presented to stu-dents based primarily on improvement. All students nominated have been judged on their teachers’

Heisey Awards

National Honor Society Requirements

Hugh O’Brien first organized HOBY semi-nars in 1958 after he re-turned from a trip to Afri-ca. His inspiration came from Dr. Albert Schweit-zer and the work he was doing in Africa. At the state seminar, students will learn to think critically, enhance their leadership skills, and discover that they are not alone in their desire to lead and to make their schools and communities better.

Hugh O’Brien The Hugh O’Brien Youth Leadership (HOBY) award winner for CMR this year is Sage Ellefsen.

The winner for Great Falls High School this year is Kylar Clifton. These stu-dents will attend the state seminar in Missoula this spring, representing Great Falls Public Schools. Alexandra Dea is the alter-nate candidate. Two state winners will be chosen to attend the international leadership seminar in Washington, D.C. in the summer.

GFHS students who wish to apply for an Academic Letter may pick up the ap-plications from Karen At-well in the AP office or Cin-dy Kenczka in the Coun-seling Center. Students are awarded academic letters based on a system that awards points for GPA earned, Honors and AP classes taken, and high

involvement in extra and co-curricular activities. Although students can usually only accumulate enough points for the aca-demic letter in their junior and senior years, all un-derclassmen are encour-aged to pick up an applica-tion and begin keeping track of their points.

At both Great Falls High School and CM Russell High School, juniors who have a minimum cumula-tive grade point average of 3.33 after five semesters are eligible to become can-

didates for National Honor Society. Seniors are again eligible after the seventh semester with a cumulative GPA of 3.33.

CMR will hold its Honor Society Induction on the evening of May 17, 2012.

CMR students will be given their academic letters on an individual basis. For more information, CMR students should see their counselor or refer to the student handbook.

Great Falls Regional MCTM Math Contest 2010-2011

www.montanamath.org

Each year the Montana Council of Teachers of Mathematics sponsors a math contest. Approximately 500 area stu-dents participate in the Great Falls Regional Contest which will be held March 26th, 2011

at Great Falls HS-Main Cam-pus 9:00 a.m. to 12 noon. The contest is open to all students in grades 7-12. Students take three 30 mi-nute individual tests. Senior students can compete for a

$200 regional scholarship and a $500 state scholarship if they take the following three tests: Senior Test, Fi-nite Test, and Scholarship Test. Two regional scholar-ships are awarded to the top

male and top female. Each of these winners will have a chance to win an additional $500 in state scholarship money. To enter the con-test, speak with your math teacher.

Academic Bowl

Dual Credit Offerings at GFH and CMR

Students will continue to have an opportunity to earn dual credit (both high school and college credit) in a number of academic areas from several different colleges and universities. Dual credit courses from MSU-GF that are taught at both high schools include Honors Human Biology 5-6, Honors Statistics and AP Government. Addi-tional courses that are offered only at the MSU-GF campus are EMT Basic (1

st semester) and

Welding Qualifications Prep II (1

st semester) &

III (2nd

semester). The dual credit agreement between the GFPS and MSU-GF provides a fi-nancial break for stu-dents as the cost for the tuition is divided between the student and the col-lege with the district often picking up the cost for additional expenses, such as extra materials needed for Welding Qualifications.

Students at GFHS also have the option to take three dual credit courses from MT Tech in Butte (Advanced Chemistry, AP English and Math Physics), with a financial arrangement that is simi-lar in nature to the dis-trict’s agreement with MSU-GF. In all cases, students have the option of enrolling in the class for high school credit only (no cost) or for dual credit.

MSU-GF also offers dual credit in AP US History at Great Falls High only.

From MSU-Northern, students at both high schools can earn dual credit in Auto Tech and in Auto ASE.

Finally, the University of Great Falls offers dual credit to both high schools in AP US Histo-ry, AP Government and, at GFH only, Honors Chem and Accounting. At CMR only, students

may elect to take Foren-sic Science and Criminal Justice for dual credit from UGF.

The fact that some of the dual credit courses are also offered as AP clas-ses gives students one more option: forego the dual credit and instead take the AP test in the spring. In all cases, stu-dents and parents are encouraged to be in-formed consumers: con-tact prospective colleges and universities to deter-mine what courses that school will accept for what credit (elective or first year of college Eng-lish, for example). Ques-tions about dual credit should be directed to Max Farrell at GFH and to Patti Ashmore at CMR.

All participating colleges and universities visited the high school classes this January with infor-mation specific to their programs.

High School Class of 1932, purchased the bronze “Kid Russell and Monty”, a miniature of the statue that stands in Da-vidson Plaza on Central Avenue. Mr. Becklin do-nated the bronze to the Great Falls Public Schools with the stipula-tion that the bronze be-come a perpetual travel-ing trophy for an academic bowl event.

The Annual Electric City Academic Bowl will be held in March at CMR. The Consolation Round will begin at 5:00 p.m. with the Championship Round beginning at 7 p.m.

The Electric City Aca-demic Bowl had its ori-gins in 1991 when Mr. Donald Becklin, a mem-ber of the Great Falls

Students who have a head for trivia, love to work math problems un-der pressure, and have a strong background in history, science, current events and the arts can contact Dawn Dengel at GFHS or Josy McLean at CMR for information about practice times and exact date.

P A G E 6

V I S I O N S

Everyone likes

to save money

and time.

Have you

considered Dual

Credit? It’s a deal

that couldn’t be

sweeter~ We offer

courses that can

be taken at a

discount and help

you earn college

credit and high

school credit

before you

graduate. Many

courses are

offered online so

visit with your high

school guidance

counselor today to

secure your spot

in a dual credit

course.

P A G E 7

V I S I O N S

C.M.Russell High School students

who earned a 3.2 GPA or higher for second semester last year or first

semester this year will be honored at the annual Honor Roll Assembly at 8:00 a.m., Thurs-

day morning, March 1, 2012.

Parents and stu-dents should look for invitations in the mail in early

February.

The registration dead-line is Friday, March 2, 2012. Registration forms are available from Mrs. Ostberg or

Mrs. Cox.

Each test is administered one time only on the dates listed. The fee for each exam is $87.00. An additional charge of $13.00 will be assessed for AP exams

Test Preparation sharpened #2 pencils, a black or dark-blue ball-point pen, your second-ary school code number, your social security num-ber, a watch for pacing yourself and, for Calculus test-takers, a calculator; check with the instructor first as only certain ones

MSU-GF College of Technology

can be used.

Various items are not allowed in the testing area such as cell phones, Ipods, and other personal electronic devic-es. A complete list of restricted items will be

provided prior to testing.

…You can go online at www.collegeboard.org/ap to check out exam for-mats, sample questions and student responses plus other up-to-date AP information.

On test day, you will need to bring several

High School visit day

February 7th, 2012–

Healthcare Career Fair-Parents Night, 5:00-7:00pm

February 8th, 2012–

Trades Rodeo and Ca-reer Fair

February 12th, 2012–

College Goal Montana

What is College Goal Montana? Free help filing your FAFSA (Free appli-cation for Federal Student Aid)

or pursue a two year de-gree that will prepare you to go straight into the work force.

Visit the College on-line at www.msugf.edu, or stop in anytime to see the campus and talk to the staff in Student Cen-tral. Call (406)771.3700 or email the recruiter at erica.rominger @msugf.edu.

Upcoming Events at MSU-Great Falls February 1

st, 2012 –

Healthcare Career Fair-

Did you know you can start college here and go anywhere? MSU-GF of-fers affordable and easily accessible classes to high school students. If you have a year or two left in high school talk to your school counselor about dual enrollment opportunities.

MSU-GF offers a wide variety of programs and degrees, whether it is to start general education courses and transfer on to a four year University,

Tests begin promptly at 8:00 a.m., 12:00 p.m., and 2:00 p.m. Most of the exams are three hours long.

All students must register and pay the testing fees before the registration deadline of March 2, 2012.

Fee reductions are avail-able to qualified students. Students should check

that have been ordered by a student, but not taken.

You can take an AP ex-am even if you are not taking an AP class. If you wish to take an exam our district does not offer an AP course for, you will need to contact Mrs. Cox or Mrs. Ostberg for avail-ability.

Advanced Placement Noteworthy Facts

When: Sunday, February 12

th from 1:00-4:00pm

Where: MSU-Great Falls Campus Why: Expert help navi-gating the FAFSA appli-cation online, plus a chance to win $500 to be used at the college of your choice! For more information on these events please con-tact your school counse-lor or call Erica Rominger at (406) 771.5132.

with Mrs. Ostberg at CMR or Mrs. Cox at GFH for further details.

Various testing accom-modations are available to students with disabili-ties. Contact Mrs. Ostberg or Mrs. Cox if you need this service.

A WORD FOR THE WISE:

When it comes to taking AP Exams, the question shouldn’t be “Should I

take an AP Exam?” but rather “How many AP Exams should I take?” It’s an investment that can earn you both time

and money!

May is Advanced Placement Month! Time to plan ahead!

P A G E 8

* This exam is not a GFPS offered AP course, but is available to students.

** This exam must begin between 2 p.m. and 3 p.m.

Students wishing to take exams that are scheduled for the same time slot should

ask their Coordinator to contact AP Services.

Week 1 4 Morning—8:00 a.m. 4 Afternoon—12:00 p.m. 4

Monday, May 7 Chemistry*

Environmental Science*

Psychology*

Tuesday, May 8 Computer Science A*

Spanish Language*

Art History*

Wednesday, May 9 Calculus AB

Calculus BC

Chinese Lang & Culture*

Thursday, May 10 English Literature Japanese Lang & Culture*

Latin: Vergil*

Friday, May 11 United States History

German Language*

European History

Studio Art

(portfolios due)

Week 2 4 Morning—8:00 a.m. 4 Afternoon—12:00 p.m. 4 Afternoon—2:00 p.m

Monday, May 9 Biology

Music Theory*

Physics B*

Physics C: Mechanics*

Physics C: Electricity

& Magnetism**

Tuesday, May 15 United States Gov’t &

Politics

Comparative Gov’t &

Politics

French Language*

Wednesday, May 16 English Language Statistics*

Thursday, May 17 Macroeconomics

World History*

Microeconomics

Friday, May 18 Human Geography*

Spanish Literature*

Believe it or not, now is the time for AP students to begin thinking about Advancement Placement Ex-ams. You’ll need to decide how many tests you want to take, clear time on your schedules and com-plete the AP registration forms. Mrs. Ostberg, CMR Counselor, and Mrs. Cox, GFH Counselor, will be meeting with you sometime in late February or early March to help you with this process. In the mean-time, here is some information about AP tests that you’ll need to know.

AP EXAM REGISTRATION FORM – 2012 Please check the exams you intend to take in the

Advanced Placement program, May 7-11, 14-18

P A G E 9

V I S I O N S

Certificate of Applied Science (C.A.S) The Certificate of Applied Science recognizes a short program of study designed to pre-pare the student for entry-level employment in specific technical fields. A few examples of our certificate programs are Dental Assisting, Accounting Assistant and Welding Technology.

Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) The Associate of Applied Science degree is awarded in specific technical career fields.

This degree is designed to prepare students for immediate entry into employment but

may be fully or partially transferable to programs at selected four-year institutions. A few

examples of this type of degree are Business Management and Entrepreneurship, Surgi-

cal Technology and Interior Design.

Associate of or Associate of

Study Now, Succeed Later Are you considering a career in health care? Now is the time for you to focus on math

and science. Our health care students need to have strong math and science skills to

prepare them for their desired programs. For example, if you are thinking about pursing

employment in Dental Hygiene, you’ll need to take anatomy and physiology courses, al-

gebra courses, chemistry courses and much more. Math and writing skills are critical re-

gardless of what field you pursue. A degree in Business Management or Interior Design

is not without a strong need for good writing and mathematics skills.

Schedule your Campus– Visit Today Attending college is a big decision that

shouldn’t be made without experiencing

the campus first. We invite students and

their families to schedule a campus tour

right away. We can make your visit val-

uable by scheduling time to tour the

buildings, visit with financial aid and dis-

cuss the application process.

District Writing

Assessment

Will take place February

14th—17th. All

students participate in

the assessment.

Degrees Offered

You may be asking yourself, “What types of academic degrees does MSU-Great Falls offer?” We offer several types of degrees which I will take a moment to help you understand.

Arts (A.A.) Science (A.S.) An Associate of Arts or Associate of Science degree is a general transfer degree indicat-

ing the student has completed a course of study equivalent to the first two years of a

bachelor’s degree. This degree does not officially include a major or minor course of

study.

Here’s how to schedule a visit. You can

call 406-771-5132 or 406-771-4414 or

visit the following link www.msugf.edu/

admissions_records/VisitMSUGF.html

We can’t wait to meet you..

P A G E 1 0

V I S I O N S

The University of Great Falls is dedicated to incor-porating critical thinking into every discipline offered. Our average class size is 14.Our professors know our students names, ambitions and dreams. We are all about discovering that mo-ment when a student wants to explore more deeply or sees connections between completely different ideas. We learn by getting outside our comfort zones and test-ing ourselves. Our students

learn through undergraduate research projects, our study abroad program, internships, integrated learning communi-ties, and service projects. They learn about the world around them and they learn about themselves. As you consider the value of the various college opportuni-ties, you are no doubt thinking about where your child will be in 10 years from now as well as what their first job might be. Come and see where critical thinking taught at the

University of Great Falls will take your future leader. Plan to visit the University of Great Falls campus by simp-ly going to www.ugf.edu or by calling the Office of Admission 406.791.5202. We welcome you to make a personal visit any weekday, or choose an Argo Visit Day. The upcoming schedule includes Financial Aid Night February 21, Argo Overnight March 11, Argo Visit Day March 12, April 10 and June 18.

Second Semester Calendar

University of Great Falls

January April June

23 First day of new semester—CMR, GFH 2-3 MCIS for all Sophmores—GFH 1 Graduation—CMR

28 SAT Testing 5-10 Spring Break (No School) 2 SAT Testing—CMR, GFH

31 Middle School Parent Night– CMR 12 Arena Conferences—CMR 2 GFHS Commencement

February 14 ACT Testing—CMR, GFH 4-6 Semester Tests– CMR,

GFH

1-3 Student Care Workshop—CMR 16 Heisey Awards Ceremony—GFH 7 Last Day of School

6 Middle School Parent Night—GFH 19 Parent/ Teacher Conferences—CMR 9 Last ACT test for the year

11 ACT Testing—CMR, GFH May June

20 Presidents’ Day (No School) - CMR,GFH 1 Fine Arts Assembly—CMR

24 Mid-Term—CMR 4 Mid-Term—CMR

March 5 SAT Testing—CMR, GFH

1 Honor Roll Assembly—CMR 7 Senior Awards Assembly—CMR, GFH

2 AP Registration Deadline—CMR 7-18 Advanced Placement (AP) Testing—CMR,

1,2,6 CRT Testing, Grades 10—CMR 8 Heisey Awards Assembly—CMR

5 AP Registration Deadline—GFH 17 National Honor Society Induction—CMR

10 SAT Testing—CMR, GFH 28 Memorial Day– No School

12 Academic Dinner—GFH 29 Senior Final Tests—CMR

13-15 CRT Testing—GFH 30 Last Day for Seniors—CMR

14 Scheduling 12-13 Academic Year– CMR 30 Baccalaureate—CMR

22 Academic Letter—GFH 31 Graduation Practice—CMR

30 End of 3rd Quarter—CMR, GFH TBD Last Day for Seniors and Senior Luncheon

30 Prom—CMR TBD Baccalaureate—GFH

31 MCTM Math Contest

P A G E 1 1

Plan For The Future File Your FAFSA (Free

Application for Federal

Student Aid) and Open the

Possibility for Free $ for

College!

So you’ve probably heard

about the FAFSA but may not

have a true understanding of

what it is, how it can help you

pay for college, how to file one,

and/or have doubts about

whether or not you will qualify

for any money. Well, the good

news is you are one of many in

the same position which is why

a team of knowledgeable indi-

viduals will be hosting events

this spring at Great Falls High

School and C.M. Russell High

School to help you navigate

and file your FAFSA!

Need Help? - FAFSA Filing

Spring Fling Events!

The FAFSA Filing Spring

Fling Events, hosted by

Job Service, Student As-

sistance Foundation, and

MSU Great Falls College

of Technology, will be of-

fered one day each month

at Great Falls and CMR

high schools beginning in

the month of March and

continuing through the

month of June. Two ses-

sions will be offered each

event day – one during the

day anytime from 9 a.m. to

1 p.m. and one in the

evening from 6:00 p.m. to

7:30 p.m. – to accommo-

date for busy schedules!

Financial Aid advisors will

provide an overview of the

FAFSA and its purpose, as

Please look

forward to more

information in

your mailbox

come February!

well as help you fill out and

submit your FAFSA! Par-

ents and students are wel-

come to sign up for either

event – the more the mer-

rier! Choose the date that

works best for you, but

remember – the sooner,

the better:

CMR High School:

March 22

April 24

May17

Great Falls High School:

March 19

April 17

May 21

To sign up, please

contact your school’s

Pathway Advisor:

CMR High School

Christine Perkins

268-6160

Great Falls High School

Bridgette Pence

268-6338

It’s The Scholarship Season

Critical Thinking One of the many benefits of a four-year private liberal arts education at the University of Great Falls. When asked which skills new college graduates needed to improve most, more than half of the respondents to the ques-

tion on The Wall Street Jour-nal's survey of 479 college re-cruiters for businesses named some combination of critical thinking, problem solving skills and the ability to think inde-

pendently. Susan Traiman, the Roundtable's director of

public policy, says the skills companies felt were most lacking were work ethic, com-munication skills and analytic skills. "We heard this over and over again," she said.

Seniors are reminded that this

is the time of year when the

vast majority of scholarships

become available and dead-

lines are approaching rapidly.

Seniors should remember

these things:

1. Be sure to write to the col-

lege you plan to attend and

obtain their application for

freshman scholarships and

other scholarship forms appli-

cable to that college.

2. Continue to check the

Scholarship Scoop posted in

your senior English class, on

the Scholarship Bulletin Board,

and on the CMR or GFH

Website for scholarships

that fit your talents.

3.Stay on top of

deadlines.

(continued…)

P A G E 1 2

V I S I O N S

4.Give your teachers and

counselors plenty of time (a

week is a good rule of thumb)

to write that great recommen-

dation!

5.See Mrs. Ashmore (CMR)

and Mrs. Van Tighem (GFH)

for applications and other infor-

mation.

To access the Scholarship Scoop on the CMR and GFHS website (Paris Gibson stu-dents are welcome to do this), complete the following steps: 1.Go to the Great Falls Public Schools Website at www.gfps.k12.mt.us

Scholarship Scams Knows that financial aid infor-

mation is free and readily available in financial aid offic-es, libraries and on the inter-net.

A scholarship scammer:

Will offer an award for which you did not apply.

Does not release the compa-ny’s contact information.

Guarantees you will win an award.

Requires personal financial information (such as credit card numbers or checking account numbers) to “verify” or “hold” a scholarship.

It’s The Scholarship Season

Not all scholarship matching services and scholarship pro-viders are out to help students. How can you tell a legitimate program from a scam?

What’s Legit and What’s Not? – Ask yourself these questions when trying to decide.

A legitimate scholarship sponsor or service:

Sends information about awards when you request it.

Makes contact information available upon request.

Does not guarantee you will win an award.

Beyond

Scholarships

Other Aid Sources

Federal Pell Grant Generally awarded earned a bachelor’s or professional de-gree. You can find the amount you are eligible to receive by submitting your Stu-dent Aid Report (SAR) to your school’s financial aid office. You receive the SAR after sub-mitting the FAFSA.

Federal State Grants The FAFSA is used to apply for most state loan, grant and scholarship pro-grams. The U.S. De-partment of Educa-tion forwards your FAFSA information to the state student assistance agency.

Federal Work Study Jobs reserved for Federal Work Study can include working for your school in a project related to your major or com-munity service work.

Perkins Loan The Perkins Loan is awarded to college students with excep-tional financial need. This is a campus-based loan program. The amount you receive is deter-mined by your school’s financial aid office. Your school also acts as the lender.

Stafford Loan The federal loan for students is called the Stafford Loan and has two variations. Federal Family Edu-cation Loan Program (FFELP) loans are provided by private lenders (such as banks and credit unions). Federal Di-rect Student Loan Program (FDSLP) loans are provided by the US. Govern-ment directly to stu-dents and their par-ents. Both loans are guaranteed against default by the federal government.

In addition to scholarships, there are other ways to help you finance your college ed-ucation.

Making Sense of Govern-ment Aid – To apply for any of the aid options below, you must complete and submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).

Extra Curricular Activities: Valuable Experience: Maintain a personal record

of tasks, responsibilities

and achievements.

Be a leader/active partici-

pant in a few organizations

rather than simply showing

up to many. Use those

organizations as an

opportunity to develop

leadership skills.

What can you do now to en-

hance the activities you’re al-

ready involved in?

Take on different roles with-

in the organization; identify

your strengths and prefer-

ences.

Keep hard copies of materi-

als from events or projects

you help to organize.

How are your activities related to college and financial aid?

Scholarships: Sponsors often ask for a list of volunteer and extracurricular activities.

Gained skills and accomplish-ments can set you apart from other scholarship applicants.

Colleges: Set yourself apart from other applicants by show-ing an admissions office more than a high GPA or test score.

2. Click on “District Schools”

3.Click the School you attend and enter their website.

At the school website, you will

find a scholarship link. You will

be able to find information on

provide material to get you

started.

P A G E 1 3

V I S I O N S

Junior Year Checklist

Fall of Junior Year

___1. Take PSAT, if applicable.

___ 2. Begin making "Schools List" -- use MCIS!!!!

___ 3. Don't forget grades!!!

___ 4. Attend the Arena Conference Night Counselor/ College information fair Nov. 4

___ 5. Take the ASVAB to explore career choices.

___ 6. Schedule your Job Shadow with Mrs. Lowry or Ms. Van Tighem.

Winter of Junior Year

___ 1. Continue to look at schools and write for information.

___2. Attend your Individual Planning Conference with your counselor.

___3. Learn as much as you can about your career fields that interest you.

___4. Attend appropriate representative visits.

Spring of Junior Year ___1. Take a college entrance test for practice.

___ 2. As you receive information from schools, start to narrow down your list.

___ 3. Begin application process if you are interested in Academies or ROTC.

___ 4. Keep working on grades!

___ 5. Attend the College Bound Workshop at your high schools. Date to be announced.

Summer before Senior Year ___ 1. Visit colleges if you can.

___ 2. Continue to narrow your "schools list."

The following checklist is designed to help you organize your ap-

proach to selecting and applying for post-secondary education and

training after high school. The deadlines mentioned are general in

nature, so you should be aware of the specific deadlines required

by the schools you plan to attend or apply.

Fall of Senior Year ___ 1. Take first scheduled college entrance test.

___ 2. Attend and actively participate in College Fair, if interested,

Sept. 22

___ 3. Attend college, Trade school, and military representative

visitations.

___ 4. Take ASVAB if you didn't during junior year and are still

undecided about possible career directions. Contact any of

the local recruiters or take with CMR Juniors in October.

___ 5. Make your "schools list." (Dream, Probable, Sure Thing)

___ 6. Write for applications, financial aid, and scholarship

information to those schools to which you wish to apply.

___ 7. Meet with your counselor for your Individual Planning

Conference.

___ 8. Check Scholarship Scoop each time it comes out and apply as

appropriate.

___ 9. GRADES!!!

___ 10. Finalize academies, ROTC, or early decision applications, if

applicable.

During Christmas vacation ___ 1. Apply to out-of-state schools.

January of Senior Year ___ 1. Pick up financial aid form (FAFSA) in the Advisement Center.

___ 2. Attend Financial Aid Workshop with your parents.

___ 3. Fill out FAFSA as soon as parents' income taxes are

complete.

___ 4. Finals!!!

March 1 ___ 1. Apply in state.

___ 2. Application for Financial Aid should be in. Deadlines may be

earlier for out-of-state.

___ 3. Continue to apply for scholarships as appropriate.

Senior Year Checklist

GREAT FALLS PUBLIC SCHOOLS

Department of: VISIONS

P.O. Box 2429

Great Falls, MT 59403