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COLLEGE COUNSELING Ken Pelc – Director of Guidance and College Counseling Melissa Welsh – Guidance and College Counselor Ryan Finnigan - Guidance and College Counselor Linda Arndt – Guidance Office Registrar ACADEMIC SUPPORT Colleen Morrison - Powers Academic Student Support (PASS) - Study Skills Teacher Powers Catholic students are assigned to advisory rooms based on their grade level and last name. A counselor is then assigned to each advisory room. Students remain with the same advisory room, and therefore the same counselor for four years. If a student is more comfortable with a different counselor, notify Mrs. Arndt, Guidance Office Registrar, with a request to change.
The Guidance and Counseling Department strives to serve the needs of each student regardless of his/her ability or background, nurturing the student’s self-worth, encouraging the student to reach his/her potential and educating the student about issues relevant to achieving those ends. Students meet with counselors in individual and group sessions. Conversations between counselors and students are confidential. Please visit this link for the 2019-2020 PCHS Guidance/College Counseling newsletter. GUIDANCE SERVICES Course selection freshman through senior year is one of our primary services. We want students to be successful and prepared for their postsecondary endeavors. Appropriate placement is the first step toward that goal. We start by meeting with each class of students on an individual basis, ensuring that we register them, that their graduation requirements are met. Please see the following link which includes the Graduation Requirements & Course List for 2019-2020, which your students were given at registration for the current school year. They will be provided with an updated list annually, prior to their registration period. Counselors are always available to meet individually with students and/or parents, as the overall wellness of our students is our priority. STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM Students who have academic special needs may be identified for the Powers Academic Student Support (PASS) program. Students in the PASS program work to develop strategies to improve organization, time management, self-advocacy skills and effective study strategies, as well as get the accommodations they need to be successful. If you have any questions regarding this program, please speak to your student's Guidance Counselor. Please see this link to view information regarding PASS. CAREER EXPLORATION Career exploration is available through the students' online SCOIR account. Juniors complete online career exploration tools, as well as employability skills, in their group guidance sessions. Sophomores discuss career possibilities individually with their counselors at their individual registration appointments. COLLEGE PLACEMENT Because almost 100% of our graduates go to college, students and parents can attend group sessions on admission requirements, scholarship and financial aid. Seniors will also be able to meet with college admission reps when they visit Powers Catholic (an updated list of college reps is available daily in the Student Bulletin, listed on the PCHS website). Students are introduced to college information, as well as assistance making decisions on where they will apply during freshman year by creating their online SCOIR account. Group guidance sessions continue through sophomore and junior years, focusing on continued online and on-campus searches. Juniors and their parents are invited to attend the "College 101" fall evening presentation that occurs annually prior to "Meet the Teacher" night at Powers Catholic. Additionally, seniors are given support on the college application process as soon as senior year begins, both in a group and individual setting. GROUP GUIDANCE We want to make the transition to Powers Catholic High School as smooth as possible. Beginning with Freshman Orientation (or Transfer Orientation), we try to help with the adjustment. In the Life Skills program counselors talk about situations faced by freshmen and sophomores in their school and family life as well as friendships. Junior and Senior years focus is college and careers. If you need someone to listen, see your counselor. Talking to someone trustworthy usually helps. A counselor is an objective adult whose job is to help. And it’s confidential. RESOURCES We have a great deal of resource information that may be found in our office, and you are welcome to stop in during office hours to explore them. We are more than happy to meet with our students and families to review any information where assistance may be needed. Please call/e-mail the Guidance Counselor that you wish to meet with in order to to schedule an appointment. Students are welcome to stop into the Guidance Office and schedule an appointment with their Guidance Counselor and will be seen ASAP if necessary. Please refer to the following for Guidance and College Counseling information resources:
EMPLOYMENT Your student will need a work permit in order to be employed at a fast food restaurant, grocery store, or retail establishment. They are available in the Guidance Office. COLLEGE VISITS We encourage our students to visit multiple campuses by the time they apply to college at the beginning of senior year. Please take some time to visit college/universities that your student is interested in, as a family. It will help both parents and younger siblings begin thinking about what they would like from the college experience, beyond a good education. The more research a student does prior to applying and making a final decision during senior year, the more likely they will be to complete their degree from the first college they attend, therefore saving money in the long run. Visiting a campus when classes are in session is recommended, in order to get a better vision of student life. ACT/SAT TEST PREPARATION Powers Catholic offers a free, online ACT Prepworks course that is available to all juniors. Both Princeton Review and Kaplan offer intensive (and expensive) summer courses in the Ann Arbor and Birmingham area. Sylvan and the Learning Center on Miller Rd. also offer summer test prep work. Self-motivated students can benefit from one of the many test prep books or computer programs available. Go to www.actstudent.org or www.collegeboard.org for free practice test questions. Reading is one of the best, and least expensive, methods to improve test scores. Information about the ACT and SAT tests, in relation to the college admission process, is available during a free evening presentation for juniors and their parents. This opportunity occurs on Wednesday, August 28th at 6:00 p.m., prior to "Meet the Teacher" at 7:00 p.m. All juniors and their parent(s) are encouraged to attend this "College 101" presentation, in the auditorium, to receive information about the college admissions process. Students with a diagnosed disability that affects learning who wish to qualify for accommodations on the ACT/SAT, are asked to please contact Mr. Ryan Finnigan (Powers Academic Student Support (PASS) Coordinator). PASS info sheet is available here. Any student interested in taking the ACT can register online at www.actstudent.org. Powers Catholic is a National Testing Center for the October and June test dates. NCAA CLEARINGHOUSE Rising seniors who plan to play a sport for an NCAA Division I or II university must submit a Clearinghouse form for academic eligibility. Their website is www.eligibilitycenter.org. |
Testing
Having close to 100% of our students attend college after graduation places an emphasis on college selection. The ACT Aspire test is administered to all freshmen and to all sophomores in May to provide them with practice for the ACT and to use as a counseling tool for academic strengths and weaknesses. In the fall juniors and their parents attend a program on college selection, admissions and testing. College bound juniors have the opportunity to take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT) in October and continue investigating colleges. College admission representatives visit Powers regularly, and seniors may meet with them as long as they have the permission of their classroom teacher. Dates for school visits, college open houses, and area receptions are listed in the student daily bulletin. Contact Information Phone: 810.591.4741 Guidance Office FAX: 810.591.0265 Office Hours Monday – Friday, 7:45 a.m. – 4:00 p.m. Earlier or later appointments are also available on request. High School Code 231-490 ACT Test Center Code 193110 |
