Senior Programming

1. Senior Programming SACAC/PCACAC April 2012

2. Summer 2012 -Rising Seniors create lists of prospective colleges in Family Connection to be reviewed by college counselor -Meetings with Seniors to revise college lists -Common Application Workshops (4 evenings) -students finish with Essay, completed Common App and Resume

3. Summer 2012 – Individual College Meetings Because I work 12 months, I ask the seniors to meet with me one time during the summer to catch up and update their college lists. We also plan summer travel or discuss their college campus tours when they return.

4. August - Getting Ahead: A Senior Workshop This is a condensed workshop that we require all seniors to attend the day before school begins (Tuesday because we start on a Wed). We work on all of the nuts and bolts of the application process with the seniors and then give them time to work on their common app or UF app. We also work on Naviance and make sure they’ve completed their FERPA waiver and have updated their Naviance college list. We do require them to keep their Naviance list current.

5. September- Senior Parent College Night This is our Nuts and Bolts session with parents on the application process. If any students miss the workshop, they are required to attend this evening program.

6. September 2012--How to Apply -Mandatory meeting for all seniors and at least one parent. -Topics: completing applications, requesting transcripts, sending scores, using Family Connection, Financial Aid deadlines, Teacher Recommendations -Like Us on Facebook

7. Mock Interviews Faculty Members volunteer to interview students -both individual interviews and small group interviews are arranged -feedback is offered -college counselors provide questions and advice to faculty

8. October - College Application Program – PSAT day We require the seniors to report to the cafeteria on PSAT day from 8-11 to work on college applications. Because we’re a tablet school, every student brings their computer to the tables, and we bring lots of extension cords, and they get to work. We have the college counselors there the entire time answering questions and reviewing apps and essays. Several English teachers and other faculty members stop in for parts of the morning to assist with essays.

9. October 2012 No Homework Weekends x 2 and College Visit Day

10. October – College Fair at Benjamin School Many prep schools have their own college fairs, but because we're in a more remote area, we send our students to Benjamin’s College Fair, which has great representation from colleges from all over the country. We don’t require this, but most of our students attend.

11. October - Small Group Parent Coffees 7-9 p.m. We just completed our third year with this new programming, and I love it. We divide our class into 4 groups alphabetically and then have 4 different parents host around 15 parents at their home (many don’t come so the numbers were never overwhelming). Ann and I both attend all sessions and come with a small agenda. I make a few general announcements about upcoming deadlines (ED/EA deadlines are approaching) and they ask a few questions, but then we open it up to discussion topics, including how their child is behaving (aloof, clingy) and what fears they have and how they’re managing their stress level as they tackle their applications and the impending departure from home for the first time. It becomes a great discussion and a bonding experience for parents. We are able to give them some advice on how to handle the students who are avoiding the process or we address the parent that is doing everything for their child and why they need to let go now. The parents love this program.

12. November 2012 Financing A College Education -joint AIMS Program -typically led by Director of Financial Aid (Davidson College provides excellent programming)

13. December - Florida Bright Future sign-up We require every senior to meet us in the library with their tablets to sign up for the Florida Bright Future program during an Advocacy (Advising) Period. We talk them through the application and they submit it.

14. January - Financial Aid Night – Carl Buck from Chase We invite Carl Buck (a former Director of Financial Aid at Rice) to our school for an evening program for senior parents on financial aid. He presents a power point which addresses the ins and outs of financial aid, the FAFSA, the CSS Profile, private and public institutions, and loans. He stays to address specific questions and does a great job with this presentation.

15. January – College Deans Admissions Panel for 10-12th graders January – College Deans Admissions Panel for 10-12th graders We invite our sophomores and juniors to attend an evening program with a small panel of college deans or college admissions representatives, but several seniors every year join this evening program if they’ve applied to one of the represented colleges and want an opportunity to meet the dean. We choose 4 colleges/universities each year that represent 4 different types of schools: 1 in-state public, 1 out of state public, 1 extremely selective private and 1 less selective private. This year: UNF, Indiana, Duke, and Dickinson.

16. February – Do What You Are Career/Interest Inventory All 6-12th graders will take the Do What You Are Inventory early in the spring semester, which is a career/interest/personality test. We will do this through our Advocacy program and the homeroom teachers will review the results with their students. Then a copy of the results will go in the college file for review with the college counselors during the individual meetings.

17. May- Letting Go – The Last Dessert 7-8:30 p.m. This is our last formal evening program for the year when we celebrate the class’ acceptances by eating amazing desserts and chatting at round tables in our all purpose room. Our speaker (Margo Bane Woodacre - author of I'll Miss You Too) addresses the “letting go” process for seniors and their parents and gives advice and anecdotes that help them address the very important issue of separation. Margo co-wrote a book with her daughter about this transition and does a great job with relating to parents and to the kids. At the end, my colleague and I read aloud the responses to questions that we give to them in the beginning of the evening and everyone laughs and cries!

18. May 2013 Thank You Luncheon for Teacher Recommendation Writers --students send notes to the teachers who wrote letters of recommendation inviting them to a special lunch event

19. May 2013 Transition to College Program for Parents -a panel of parents speak to the senior parents -Topics include: -money -relationships -social activities -how to prepare

20. May 14-18, 2012 – Senior Internships Our seniors are required to do a one week internship anywhere of their choosing as long as it is a career interest for them. We have students who stay local and intern at doctors’ offices, law firms, financial firms, architectural firms, engineering firms, art galleries etc. We also allow students to leave the state or even the country to fulfill this requirement. They are all required to have a brief evaluation faxed in to us at the completion of the internship.

21. May 22, 2012 - Senior Transition Day This is a half day (8-1) workshop that attempts to give seniors practical advice on various topics before they leave to live on their own. Our schedule is below: 8:00 Seniors report to auditorium 8:05-8:35 Banking 8:40-9:05 Daphne Rast –Rollins College – College life, dorms, academic advising 9:10-9:40 Group 1 – GIRLS – (Binge Drinking, Greek Life, STDs, and Sexual Assault) Group 2 – BOYS – (Sexual Assault, Facebook, Decisions) 9:45-10:15 Groups switch 10:15-10:20 Snack break 10:20-11:45 Karate (Self Defense and demonstration) 11:45-12:30 Lunch with 1st graders in the Senior Patio 12:30-1:00 Young Alumni Panel

22. End of Year Senior Programming May 2012 May 11: Senior Transition Program May 14-30: Senior Projects May 31: Student Panel and Shared Letters