At the most recent Parent-to-Parent Coffee, parents asked about college services for students with disabilities. We would like to follow up on this topic with everyone so that it helps you with any questions you may have, or gets you thinking about this topic as your child progresses through high school.

All colleges are required to provide services for students with disabilities, as part of the Americans with Disabilities Act. An excellent resource for comprehensive information on this is collegeacademicsupport.com. This site has resources and frequently asked questions for navigating the college application process, as well as a list to over forty colleges with specialized structured programs for students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and other disabilities.

A new program that was specifically asked about at the Coffee is the ICE Program, which stands for Inclusive Concurrent Enrollment. The ICE Initiative was set up by the State of Massachusetts to “support eligible public high school students with intellectual disabilities, ages 18-22, to increase their academic and career success by being included in a college or university community of learners.” There are currently 13 two and four year public colleges in Massachusetts that are partnering in this initiative. Students with intellectual disabilities who are eligible for the program must be between the ages of:

• 18 to 22, have not passed MCAS, and are eligible for special education services as documented through an Individualized Education Plan (IEP); or
• 20 to 21, have passed MCAS, but still eligible for special education with an Individualized Education Plan (IEP) because of significant functional disabilities, transition needs, etc.

Here is additional information for any student with a disability on the differences between high school and college.


If you have additional questions or would like to learn more about this or any other topic, please feel free to reach out to your child’s school counselor. We are always happy to help! Our contact information can be found here.

At the most recent Parent-to-Parent Coffee, parents asked about SAT Subject Tests. We would like to follow up on this topic with everyone so that it helps you with any questions you may have, or gets you thinking about this topic as your child progresses through high school.  

Subject Tests are hour-long achievement tests in specific academic subjects that are sometimes used in the college admissions process. There are fewer than 30 colleges in the United States that require SAT Subject Tests for admission and additional 60+ colleges that either recommend, consider or use these tests in place of other requirements. Many schools will also accept the ACT in place of SAT Subject Tests. A full list of colleges that use SAT Subject Tests can be found here. Most of these schools have highly selective admissions policies.

Subject Tests may also play a role in students’ consideration for the Stanley Z. Koplik Certificate of Mastery if your student qualifies for this opportunity.

Students who will take Subject Tests are encouraged to select subjects where they have the most strength or which meet the program needs of their intended major. They should be taken after completing particular subjects (i.e. the biology test after completing bio), or after extended study in continual subjects such as mathematics or foreign language.  Students in any grade can take Subject Tests. We strongly recommend that students speak to their teachers and counselor about which tests may be most beneficial to take and when to take them.

Students register for SAT Subject Tests the same way they register for the regular SAT. They are available six times throughout the year (with some exceptions) on the same days as the regular SAT, but students may not take the SAT and an SAT Subject Test on the same day. Students can take up to three Subject Tests on the same day.



If you have additional questions or would like to learn more about this or any other topic, please feel free to reach out to your child’s school counselor. We are always happy to help! Our contact information can be found here.

As you are aware, our Junior Post-Secondary Planning Night Program was cancelled twice due to snow. Since quickly scheduling a new evening for the program before school vacation is proving complicated, we are excited to announce two new opportunities to provide you with the most comprehensive and timely information possible:

By Friday, February 13th, we will be launching an "On-Demand" Junior Night website, including all of the information planned for the original Junior Night, plus many more features and resources. This site will be available online throughout this school year and next, for you to visit as often as you would like.

On Wednesday, March 4th, the School Counselors will host an open-house at WHS to give parents an informal opportunity to meet with their students' own counselors.

"On-Demand" Junior Night will include approximately six or seven short slideshow videos, narrated by the school counselors, of all the topics that were going to be covered at the live Junior Night. Accompanying these videos will be written details of each topic, as well as direct links to resources mentioned. By presenting in this way, students and families will be able to view each topic at their convenience, and refer back as much as necessary to review topics again.

The School Counselor Open House will run from 7-8 PM on Wednesday, March 4th.  Parents will be able to briefly meet with their own child's counselor in a face-to-face setting. It will be an opportunity to ask questions and follow up on information provided in the “On Demand” Junior Night website in a comfortable and informal way.  In addition, experienced members of the School Counseling Parent Advisory Council will be on hand to help interested parents learn and use Naviance as a tool for college and post-secondary research. 

The School Counseling Department is committed to making sure our services and information are available and accessible when you need them. We are looking forward to providing you with these new and exciting resources!

We are excited to be members of the Class of 2016 as you develop your plans for after high school! Whether your plans include college, work, career training, military or other options, the School Counseling Department is here to support you throughout the process.
 
To help guide juniors through the college application and post-secondary planning process, we will be meeting with each student for a one-on-one conference to help them take the next steps toward their future. We want to empower juniors to take ownership of their future and these conferences will provide students with the opportunity to share their thoughts and plans with their counselor. At the conference common topics to be covered will include, (1) review of the transcript, (2) letters of recommendation, (3) standardized testing, (4) college application essays.  In addition, each conference will be tailored to the individual needs of the student.  So whether you are just beginning to think about your options for after high school, already have a detailed plan and multiple colleges in consideration, or are not planning on attending college, we will be able to help guide and coach you as you take the next steps in your future. Parents are also always encouraged to call or email their child’s counselor with any questions throughout the process. We are happy to help!
 
Counselors will begin to hold conferences on Monday, February 9th and students are invited to schedule their appointments once they are ready. Before students may schedule their appointments, students and parents are both asked to complete a few items in Naviance to help the counselors prepare for the conferences. They are:
 
• Junior Questionnaire 2016 (student)
• Junior Parent Questionnaire 2016 (parent)
• Activity Resume Draft (student)
• Identifying Colleges You are Thinking About (student, if applicable)
• Checklist of Completion (student)
 
More information and written instructions to complete these items are available by clicking the "Read More" link below. You may also view this instructional video on how to access and complete these items.