Central Lee Community School District

High School Guidance Update

Another year has flown by in the high school counseling department! After the initial chaos of the first two weeks of the fall semester, we settled into our routine. We emailed ACT information to all juniors, seniors, and their parents. Representatives from SCC visited to discuss online college courses with new students, while college representatives met with juniors and seniors to provide information on curriculums, tuition, room and board, food service, and financial aid, helping them make informed college choices. 

A Career & College Fair was held in Des Moines, and another was hosted by SCC. Both events were open to juniors, seniors, and their parents, providing them the opportunity to meet with over 40 representatives from colleges, universities, technical schools, and military institutions across Iowa, Illinois, Missouri, Minnesota, and Nebraska.

In October, juniors had the option to take the PSAT/NMSQT exam, which not only helps with practice for standardized college entrance tests, but also supports college and career planning, identifies students who may benefit from Advanced Placement courses, and enters them into the competitive National Merit Scholarship contest.

During the fall parent-teacher conferences, we held a help night for seniors and their parents to create their FAFSA accounts. Another session in late January assisted families in filing the FAFSA, with financial aid representatives from SCC and IHCC available to help. These representatives also offer appointments throughout the year to assist with the FAFSA, regardless of the students' intended college.

In December, juniors took the ASVAB exam at our high school. Originally used primarily for military recruiting, it now includes a comprehensive career exploration program that we reviewed with the students in a follow-up session in February. This program helps students identify careers suited to their interests and abilities, the necessary education, potential salaries, and the job outlook for each field. This resource complements the online Kuder Navigator site, which provides similar information.

Throughout the year, many students took online college courses through SCC. We recommend these courses for juniors and seniors or for underclassmen in the Extended Learning Program. The Senior Year Plus program requires proficiency in reading, math, and science on ISASP exams to be eligible. We also offered dual-credit courses in early childhood education with Mrs. Scheetz, agriculture with Mr. Boeck, and math with Mr. Reihman. Next year, we plan to offer Composition I and II with Ms. Heister, all through our partnership with SCC.

I have been collaborating with eighth graders in Ms. McCoy’s eighth-hour Careers class, planning their transition to high school. We discussed graduation requirements and potential classes over the next four years. Each eighth grader is required to make a tentative plan for their courses, which we will revisit as they progress through high school. Schedules will be finalized over the summer and posted online in August. Parents and students can email me with questions or to request changes. Additional information and the opportunity for schedule adjustments will be available at Freshman Orientation.

Spring is always a bustling time with scholarship season, spring break, prom, and graduation. We distribute all scholarship opportunities via email to seniors and their parents, and many teachers are available to proofread applications and write recommendation letters. Last year, our seniors earned over $790,000 in scholarships, to be distributed over the next four years!