Professional School Counselors

How We Produce Stars in the Classroom

How We Produce Stars in the Classroom

• Prepared by Mrs. Vachenzia McKinney, M.S. Sept. 30, 2008

• Designed to align with the Memphis City Schools K-12 Counseling Services Vision to develop successful and productive students who are prepared to compete constructively in a global society.

If you have taken a strong academic program, move up 3 spaces.

#1 factor in college admissions

• Out of 1540 colleges surveyed, grades in college prep courses was #1.

• To graduate, must have: 4 units of English 3 units of Math 3 units of Science 3 units of Social Studies 2 years of same Foreign Langu 1 unit of Fine Art

Aids in employability• Ability to be critical thinkers

is a valued trait for employers.

• Also looking for technologically advanced students.

• Whether going into college or workplace, need advanced knowledge and skills.

If you have a leadership role in the community, move up 1 space.

• Whether you are going into the military, workforce, or college, it is always good to show that you take pride in your environment and are willing to be a part of

the solutions.

• Not just as a member, but as a leader: overtonhs.net

If you completed an early decision application and commitment, move up 2 spaces.

COLLEGE RESEARCH• Again, it is all about making

use of technology as well as meeting deadlines.

• Use sources such as: KUDER.COM CAPPEX.COM ACT.ORG College Visits INDIVIDUAL COLLEGE WEBSITES Oct. 6-8: College Fair @ Cook

CAREER RESEARCH• Scientifically based to

integrate values, skills, and interests to point to best fit:

• IN CLASS CAREER SURVEYS• TCIDS.TBR.EDU• ASVABPROGRAM.COM• ONLINE.ONETCENTER.ORG• SUMMER INTERNSHIPS• INTERVIEWING CONTACTS

If your intended major is psychology or pre-med, move down 1 space.

• TRANSITION, RESEARCH, GET INVOLVED Ninth through 11th

• BEST FIT FOR YOU, NOT OTHERS Apply 12th

• Schools have a variety of programs and can not accept every student that wants the popular programs.

If your intended major is hospitality and tourism, move up 1 space.

Be an individual. Show some creativity and unique talents• New fields come about daily creating different job

opportunities. Underrepresented fields or in-demand fields can yield unusual scholarship and income opportunities.

• Whether it is in the workplace or a college setting, organizations seek students with unique talents who want to be exposed to new activities and challenges.

If you do not know your teachers well enough to ask for a recommendation, move down 2 spaces.

COLLEGE NEEDS• Out of the top 10 most

important factors in college admissions, counselor and teacher recommendations rank 6th and 7th.

• Student accountability ranks 1-5: Grades in College Classes, Test Scores, Rank, Grades in Other Classes, and Writing Ability.

EMPLOYMENT NEEDS• Relationships are

important. • How do you handle

conflict?• Can you be professional in

dress, demeanor, and knowledge?

• What type of relationship will you bring to their corporation in dealing with clients?

If you scored 21 or higher on your ACT, move up 3 spaces.

COLLEGES• ACT score measures your ability

to pass college classes

• Reading for Info 21• Applied Math 22• Science 24• English 18• Composite for all 4: 21

• Composite of 21= Lottery $$

EMPLOYERS• From ONet.com• Zone 3 jobs (income all

above poverty line $20 - $40 K) do not require college degree, but do require additional post high school training.

• Reading for Info 19-23• Applied Math 18-21

If you forgot to change the name on your essay or cover letter, move down 2 spaces.

• Remember computer literacy and attention to detail are MUST HAVES.

• It is okay to use same information for multiple job or college apps, but please proofread and tailor each submission appropriately.

If you missed the counselor’s deadline, move down 2 spaces

• Remember counselor’s recommendations are #6 as rated by colleges. Counselors will include character information in their assessments:

punctuality, behavior, demeanor, and information gleaned from other faculty, report cards, and records.

First impressions are very important.

If you are a legacy, move up 1 space.

COLLEGES• Legacies do not hold much

weight with colleges unless they are financial contributors.

• Can use information learned from legacy to initiate relationships and navigate the process better.

EMPLOYERS• Be sure that those whose

name you use are good connections.

• Also be careful about using your name for people who are not reliable or dedicated employees.

If you did not write the optional essay, move down 2 spaces.

COLLEGES• Extra effort goes a long way.• Be unique, show what the

records are missing.

EMPLOYERS• Shows initiative and

motivation.• Also helps your cover letter

stand out.

If you wrote the essay that everyone passed around and complimented, move up 2 spaces.

• Writing skills and written expression is important whether you are turning in an assignment, applying for a business loan, drafting a resume, or filling out an application.

If you plagiarized a research or US History paper and got caught, sit down. You are out of the competition.

COLLEGES• Thinking for yourself is

always accepted.

EMPLOYERS• Not being honest is not.

Watching the news, you know that dishonest people rise all the time. But you also know it doesn’t keep you there. When they fall, they fall hard. No one wants that type of publicity.

If you will be the 1st in your family to attend college, move up 1 space

• Scholarships of all types are available for:• Minorities, low-income, corporation

affiliations, unique talents, even those with seemingly “low” GPAs.

• Just because no one else in your family has done it, does not mean it is not good for the student.

If you took no initiative to do career, college, or scholarship searches, move down 3 spaces.

COLLEGE and SCHOLARSHIPS• BROKESCHOLAR.COM• KUDER.COM• ROLLING ANNOUNCEMENTS• CAPPEX.COM• ACT.ORG• FASTWEB.COM• CTHERD.BLOGSPOT.COM• COLLEGE.GOV• INDIVIDUAL COLLEGE WEBSITES

CAREER• VO-TECH CLASSES• WORKING YOUR WAY UP IN

JOBS• IN CLASS CAREER SURVEYS• ASVAB• ONLINE.ONETCENTER.ORG• SUMMER INTERNSHIPS• INTERVIEWING CONTACTS

If you attended an enriching summer program at the end of your junior year, move up 1 space

• When program information arrives, teachers and counselors choose who to target: Memphis Prep, Governor’s School, Math/Science…

• Again, those relationships are very important.• Get to know your counselor and make yourself

stand out from the other 400 students.

• Summer programs show productive use of your time and motivation to achieve.

If you have participated in no extracurricular activities, move down 1 space.

COLLEGES• Participation shows that

you are a well-rounded individual.

• Improves odds that you will participate in their campus activities as well.

EMPLOYERSParticipation in activities: • Shows that you can multi-

task.

• Builds leadership skills and enhances talents.

• Helps with socialization and teamwork abilities.

If you have participated in a significant community service project, move up 1 space.

• Please sign up for volunteering information and schedule ongoing opportunities:

• Contact • adotson@volunteermemphis.org

• Or log onto http://www.volunteermemphis.org/mtv.html

• Sophomores can apply for Bridge Builders also.

If you are involved in a NTA (non-teenager activity), move up 2 spaces.

• There are more than 26,000 high schools in the U.S. That =26,000 football captains, 26,000 prom queens, 26,000 valedictorians and 26,000 yearbook editors.

• There is, however, a very powerful way to differentiate you from other teenagers applying to college: Take up a Non-Teenager Activity, or NTA.

• NTAs are activities that teenagers typically don’t do. These are activities dominated by adults, or tasks that no one else does. Either way, an NTA will help you stand out from other teenagers.

If you presented yourself well in the face-to-face interview, move up 1 space.

Colleges• When researching colleges,

you should be looking for the best fit just as colleges will try to see if you are the best fit for their campus.

• Research should take into consideration: campus atmosphere, social life, academics, and location.

Employers• Mistake 1- Not enough

‘matching and mirroring’.

• Students must know how to switch up various contacts. Can’t act the same with all types of people.

Mock Interviews are valuable. Daily practice of good presentation most valuable: dress, interactions, punctuality, eye contact,

research skills.

If you received a “D” on your transcript, move down 3 spaces.

COMMON ACADEMIC CAUSES• ATTENDANCE• NOT ASKING QUESTIONS IN CLASS• NOTE TAKING SKILLS• NEED TUTORING• NEED RESOURCE ASSISTANCE• NEED PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCE

Community, Home, and School must work together to combat:

low-incomesense of hopelessnessdiscipline strategies lack of student/parent

communicationineffective character traitssafety problems

unhealthy relationships sexuality confusion attendance problems violence lack of access to resourcespoor coping skills to deal with

these risk factors

However, school systems have lots of strengths to help combat many of these issues successfully. Caring professionals in well-structured schools can get interested parents and students in touch with an abundance of resources.

Additional Resources Provided by Counseling Department

To help develop the total child• Individual counseling appt bk• Small groups to target specific students’ needs• Introducing a personal portfolio for each

student: academic record, extracurricular activities, honors, and volunteer work

• College prep events with all grade levels• Credit review and course selection consultation• Securing homework assignments &

homebound services• Encouraging test taking, tutoring, and workshop

participation• Recognize “early warning signs”

in at-risk youth. Work with staff to prevent school violence.

• Crisis Intervention

Reach for the Stars• Parent/Teacher Consultations• Developmental classroom guidance• Helping students explore and evaluate

career plans, colleges, technical programs, summer programs, and scholarship information

• IEP/S-Team Referrals Coordinate 504 services

• Consultation and collaboration with outside resources and other school officials grieving, abuse, suicide

• Encouraging students and parents to become involved in Overton & community activities. To feel as they belong and increase safety.

If you wrote a letter to explain extenuating circumstances surrounding the “D”, move up 1 space.

• Ds show lack of understanding, but everyone is entitled to mistakes.

• One must learn from one’s mistakes and use them to grow. Use progress reports and report cards to rectify errors before they post to transcript.

• Organization, relationships, and initiative are

the keys to success.

If you decided to protect your GPA by not taking AP, Dual Enrollment, nor Honors, move down 2 spaces.

COLLEGES• Higher level thinking skills

will be developed beyond the standard curriculum.

• Extra effort shows that you are ready to take on the extra challenges college will bring.

EMPLOYERS• When competing with

students from all over, it is best to present your best effort.

• Remember, not everyone can do Honors and AP, but if you know that you can…take the opportunity.

If you come from a low-income household and balance work with school well, move up 1 space.

• We discourage working if it can be avoided. However, employment helps pay bills, dues, and activity fees.

• If you must work, do less than 20 hours.

• Schedule your study time, work time, school time, sleep time, and relaxation time accordingly.

If you are a varsity athlete, move up 1 space.

• Great to enhance team player skills and ability to support others while performing well in the classroom and on the field.

• Athletics may lead to a career, but for most students is a stepping stone to higher education. Keep your priorities in line.

If your family donates lots of money to the school, move all the way to the front of line.

• That is not the case for many of us, so we must take responsibility to use the resources available to us while making extra effort.

OVERTON COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

Freshman Counselor & Homerooms 10-9 through 10-12

• Mrs. Seymour, M.S. Dept Chair

416-2139 seymourg@mcsk12.net

Overton Counseling Department

Junior Counselor & Homerooms 10-1 through 10-4

Mrs. McGraw-McKinney, M. S. 416-62024 Mcgraw-mckinneyv@mcsk12.net

OVERTON COUNSELING DEPT.

Senior Counselor & Homerooms 10-5 through 10-8

• Ms. Moss, M.S. 416-2025 mosssherendai@mcsk12.net