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Advisory Program PERSONAL ADVISORS
SCHOOL COUNSELOR
The Personal Advisor is the student’s primary advocate, monitoring student progress, discussing academic and/or social issues and concerns, and assisting with the academic planning process. The Personal Advisor also serves as the principal liaison between the student and his/her Teachers, and between the School and the student’s parents. Advisors also work closely with Teachers and Grade Deans if a student needs extra help and/or other types of support.
The School Counselor is available as a supportive resource to all students in Grades 9-12. The Counselor offers the opportunity for brief solution-focused sessions regarding issues that affect students’ academic or social health. If longer-term care is deemed necesary, the Counselor will provide an initial assessment and provide a referral to an outside community resource. The Counselor also takes the opportunity to meet with students new to the Upper School to discuss any issues which may arise during their transition to a new school environment.
Each student in the Upper School selects a Personal Advisor in May for the following year. Students new to the School and students entering Grade 9 are assigned an Advisor for their first year. Teachers are typically limited to 10 advisees each and meet with advisees to begin each day, and once per rotation for one full period. These meeting times allow the Advisor to go over the schedule for the day, apprise advisees of upcoming events, or simply to spend time talking to advisees about their school experience. Students often create a relationship with an Advisor in their first year in the Upper School and maintain that relationship for their four years here. GRADE DEANS
Grade Deans are assigned to each grade level to provide an administrative presence devoted entirely to the needs of those classes and their individual members. Together with the personal advisors, Grade Deans are responsible for monitoring a student’s overall progress from an academic, social, and emotional perspective. Typically, Grade Deans meet with students who are having academic or disciplinary difficulty, meeting with the student to discuss these areas of difficulty, and working with the student, Faculty, parents and Administration to determine the appropriate means of intervention to help the student through his/ her difficulty. Grade Deans also function as the Class Advisors for Grades 9 and 10, helping students with the planning of class activities and events. In Grades 11 and 12, a separate Class Advisor helps coordinate class activities and events.
2011-2012 Upper School Program Guide
Although most students come to the Counselor by their own referral, Administrators, Personal Advisors and/or parents can also refer students when they feel that some level of intervention is necessary. Director of assessment and instruction
The Director of Instruction and Assessment is the division’s primary resource for learning and teaching. As a certified learning specialist, the Director assists and guides students with certain aspects of their studies; coordinates action plans with students, parents, and Faculty, designed to capitalize on student strengths to aid in their academic improvent; and monitors student progress. The Director also teaches Strategy courses. Additionally, the Director functions as a resource for Faculty as they develop teaching approaches and create assessments that meet the individual needs of their students, demanding more of those students who are ready for a challenge, and assisting those in need of guidance. Finally, the Director compiles the Cognitive Profile Summaries and helps Faculty by pointing out areas of strength in each student’s profile which lead to individual programmatic changes aimed at developing student strengths.
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COLLEGE COUNSELING
The objective of the College Counseling Program is to build genuine and honest relationships with students and their families. The program endeavors to help our students develop self-awareness and direct their own lives. We collaborate closely with our families and make every effort to provide a safe, comfortable, environment in which to talk. We listen with care and empathy, and we clarify with understanding. Our goal is to help students find the right match at a college where they will be successful and productive. College counseling is a developmental process and we work to educate the community. In support of this philosophy, the College Counseling staff engages our students and families in grade-specific information meetings. The following provides a brief summary of the material covered: Grade 9 Presentations during freshman class meetings emphasize the message that students do their best academically and also experience new and established interests. January’s evening informational introduces freshman parents to the college process with a handbook, “An Introduction to College Planning,” which provides an overview of the next four years. Transcripts are sent home at the end of the first semester to introduce the document to the family. Grade 10 Presentations during class meetings continue to place importance on academics and the pursuit of personal interests. Sophomores take both the PSAT/NMSQT and the PLAN in October. An evening informational meeting, “Getting From Where You Are to Where You What to Be,” is hosted in the fall. During January’s evening informational, sophomores and their parents are provided a handbook, “College Planning: The First Stages,” detailing steps relevant in the sophomore year for the college process, as well as additional insights regarding PSAT results and appropriate timing for upcoming SAT IIs. An updated transcript is sent home.
2011-2012 Upper School Program Guide
Grade 11 During the first week of school, the Junior Class visits a number of college campuses during its class trip. The purpose of the trip is to provide the class with exposure to the variety of college options that awaits them: urban, suburban, small liberal arts colleges, large universities, schools that are non-secular in philosophy, ivy league, and even specialized schools. One-on-one meetings occur with each junior and the Associate Director of College Counseling. Individual meetings with parents are also encouraged. Juniors take the PSAT/NMSQT in October. Juniors who have study hall are encouraged to meet with college representatives when they visit campus. An evening informational meeting, “Winning the College Admission Game,” is hosted in November. A Financial Aid Breakfast, hosted by a financial professional, occurs for junior parents in December. During January’s evening informational meeting, juniors and their parents are given an in-depth review of the college process and the corresponding “College Process and Planning Handbook” is distributed. Juniors are encouraged to take the ACT plus Writing in December (an on campus ACT Prep course is available in the fall) and again later at their option, plus the SAT I in March/April and June (an on campus SAT Prep course is available), and SAT Subject Tests in May and/ or June. If considered appropriate, the SAT I can be taken for a third time in the fall of senior year. In the spring semester, all juniors attend 10 mandatory, small group college counseling classes, where they learn to develop their personal criteria for their college experience, use appropriate web sites, and start to find colleges that have the right “fit.” Also in the spring, juniors meet one-on-one with the Director of College Counseling. The product of these meetings is the suggested personalized college list for each junior.
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Grade 12 During the first week of school, an evening informational for seniors and their parents presents the final component of the college counseling program: “The Application Process, Start to Finish.” During the class trip time frame, seniors have three days available for personal college visits. Ongoing meetings are scheduled with each student to support this process to its completion. Throughout the fall, college representatives visit campus to meet with interested students. A Financial Aid Breakfast, hosted by a financial professional, occurs for senior parents in December. Several times during the year, the Director of College Counseling and the School Counselor meet with the seniors in small groups to provide an open forum for discussing the emotional aspect of the college process and the senior year itself. The Director of College Counseling writes a letter of recommendation for each senior incorporating information gathered by observations of the student as well as information from Faculty, Coaches, and information provided by parents. According to the deadlines specified, the Office of College Counseling submits the student’s transcript, school profile, Counselor recommendation, and the college’s and US reports to each college on the student’s list. Students are accountable for the timely securing of faculty recommendations, approval of their official transcript with the Registrar, and the mailing of their college applications. Every year, the College Counseling Office regularly updates and revises its programming and materials by incorporating the wisdom garnered from its students’ parents’ experiences, and through its membership and participation in professional associations. Students and their parents insights and wisdom are gathered annually through student questionnaires, and student and parent interviews. College Counseling is an ongoing process and the office is available as a resource throughout the year to students and parents alike.
2011-2012 Upper School Program Guide
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