Dates to Remember:
February 6
Shadow Day Meeting 2:30pm, Art Gallery
February 14
CHS Registration Deadline for 3/14 SAT
February 3-7
National School Counseling Week
February 17-21
Winter Break School Closed
Plan ahead:
March 5 ASVAB Exam Periods 1-5
March 14
SAT Exam @ CHS
March 17 College Day 2 Periods 2 & 3
March 25
College and Career Fair CHS, 7:00pm
Click here for February
Scholarship Bulletin
Commack High School
Counseling Center Newsletter
February 2020
Course Requests and Scheduling Updates & Reminders Through March, counselors will meet individually with all
students to plan for their 2020-21 schedule.
Students will receive a pass to see their counselor from their
homeroom teacher. It is important that students have already
given thought to the courses they wish to take next year.
Parents are encouraged to play an active role in discussing
appropriate course selection with their children based on many
factors such as: workload, rigor and expectations, self-motivation,
time management/constraints, stress and anxiety, & outside
school commitments. Strive to find a healthy balance for social,
emotional, and academic success.
Be reminded of our internships for students, a non-paid, on-site
career exploration experience. This program allows the student to
observe and/or work with a mentor and gain insight into the
profession. Interested students must be interviewed and selected
for the program. These internships are available to sophomores,
juniors and seniors. Click here for Mrs. Nelson’s Internship page.
Parent Portals: The Pros and Cons of Instant Access Excerpts from the Poughkeepsie journal Click here for full article
How often should they check on grades, and what’s the best way to handle the real-time academic updates?
“My suggestion is for parents to not make themselves crazy checking every day,” said Nancy Hill, a developmental psychologist and education professor at the Harvard Graduate School of Education.
“Too much information can make a parent overbearing rather than
facilitating their student’s sense of autonomy” and planning, she added. “It’s how parents use the information that becomes essential.”
Prepare for Junior Planning Conferences!
Your 4 year transcript is the most important piece of the college application
Begin to research colleges online, virtual tours and visit when you can
CHS offers preparatory courses for SAT and ACT at a discounted cost
Method Test Prep and Khan Academy offer free test prep
Continue to work on your Resume (aka Activity Resume) in Naviance
Begin to think about which teachers will write your letter of recommendation
Upcoming College Fairs
Commack High School College & Career Fair Wednesday, March 25
Commack High School Gymnasium 7:00 - 9:00 PM
Western Suffolk Counselors Association Sunday, April 26
Radisson Hotel, Hauppauge, NY 12:00 - 3:00 PM
East End Counselors Association Monday, April 27
Westhampton Beach High School TBD
Nassau Counselors Association Wednesday, April 22
Hofstra University, Hempstead, NY 5:30 - 8:30 PM
Mini College Day 2
March 17th, during periods 2 & 3
Students must register on their Naviance account
How to Wrap Advice as a Gift a Teenager Might Open
Click here for the NYTimes article
What Straight A students get Wrong
Click here for the NYTimes article
Expert Advice: 5 Tips for Parents Helping Teens with the College Search
Click here for article
Sophomores: 10th Grade Shadow Day— Thursday, April 23rd Meeting on Thursday, February 6th at 2:30pm in the Art Gallery
Shadow day provides 10th grade students with an opportunity to learn about a chosen career field and
the work world. During this experience, students will spend time with a local business person. This
mentor will share with the students the various responsibilities of their job and offer insight into skills,
education, and career pathways needed to secure gainful employment. Students should attend the
meeting on February 6th, 2:30pm in the Art Gallery to learn more about the event.
Questions? Contact Mrs. Nelson in the Counseling Center: [email protected]
Juniors: Juniors and their parents should have scheduled their individual
Junior Planning Conference with their counselor for this spring.
Learn about the college application process and important processing procedures.
Become reacquainted with Naviance, the program to help with college and career exploration.
Discuss standardized testing, the importance of your four year record (transcript), letters of
recommendation, your resume and more!
Learn about upcoming programs to assist with college applications and exploration, such as:
common application workshops, essay workshops, college search workshops.
Student Reminders
Seniors: Midyear Grades and Admissions Decisions
Is your college requesting mid-year grades? Are you awaiting an admission decision and would like to
highlight your continuous diligence to academics?
Print this Mid-year grade request form and bring it to Mrs. DeCicco in the Counseling Center.
Please let us know about all of your college admission decisions! Stop in to the Counseling
Center to bring copies of decisions or send your counselor an email with the information.
Freshmen: Community Service and Involvement Program
Be sure that you are continuing to work on your CSIP hours! 15 hours must be completed by the end of
9th grade. Click here for more information, forms and opportunities.
Within the next few weeks, 9th grade students will be sent passes to visit the Counseling Center and
plan for next year’s courses. Be prepared for these meetings by having conversations with your teachers
and looking for electives in the Curriculum Guide.
Information for Juniors and Seniors!
Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test (ASVAB) will be offered on March 5th.
The ASVAB test is a tool for assisting students in clarifying their abilities or interests and then matching these abilities or interests with possible career choices.
While this test is useful to students considering a military career, this information can also be used to help all students make informed career choices.
Click here to read the letter sent to all parents and students. See Ms. Sciacca in the Counseling Center to register for the exam.
Commack High School is Introducing a New Pathway for Students
CISCO: Introduction to Networking and Computer Repair Academy These courses present networking education to equip students with knowledge and skills that can be applied
toward entry-level information and communications (ICT) careers. Students who complete these courses will
be able to take the Cisco Certified Technician (CCT) certification or the CompTIA+ Certification, which
allows students to enter the workforce as a computer technician.
Click here to learn more about the certifications and pathways!
Interested in a Summer Externship with CISCO?
Click here to learn more and to view the application. Due date: 2/29/20
Past experiences include: Intro to Networking, Intro to Programming, Cybersecurity, History of Cisco, Personal
Branding, Professional Etiquette, Customer Visits and Persuasive Presentations
Commack High School College and Career Fair
Wednesday, March 25
7:00 – 9:00 pm
Representatives from over 100 colleges and universities will be available to give insight into pro-grams offered at their schools, and to provide guidance to parents and students.
Military personnel will be on hand to explore careers in the armed forces. Business leaders and professionals from the Commack area will also be available to answer
questions and offer advice about career paths. Representatives from various colleges’ Departments of Special Services and a variety of agencies
and organizations will provide students with education, employment, and recreational opportunities.
What are your Summer Plans?
There are a variety of options for high school students to keep busy during the summer months! Camps
and programs will help students to come together with like-minded peers who share the same passions
and interests, while broadening their horizons academically, personally and socially.
While there are many college programs to choose from, students can gain a fruitful experience by
volunteering or working in their own community. Summer programs and volunteerism are great
resume builders and demonstrate knowledge and skill when applying to college!
Benefits of summer programs or work experience:
1. Learn skills or academic content from positive role models
2. Development of self-reliance and independence
3. Activities, jobs or classes for all types of learners
4. Make new friends and connect with those with similar interests (and some with different ones!)
5. A time of exploration and growth
6. Experience life on a college campus (if academic program)
Free or Low Cost Summer Programs are out there! Click here to learn more.
Click here for the most up-to-date offerings that Commack High School
has put together for students in all grade levels.
“Summer is an opportune time to engage in activity
that will look appealing to a college admission
committee. While this will largely depend on your per-
sonality, some activities would include college summer
programs, volunteering, summer
employment, and more. The key here is to use your sum-
mer productively!”
~ Jessica Kowaleski
Associate Director of Admissions, Ithaca College
“The University of Tampa looks for students to be ac-tive and involved throughout the year and especially during the summer. The summer is a great time to get a job, be involved in community service, or take advantage of a great internship that can be used to help your career in the future.”
~ Anthony Pinto Assistant Director of Enrollment Management University of Tampa
“There are many opportunities other than academics
during the summer months that will enhance your college
applications as well as provide you with life-long learning.
Colleges today are placing great emphasis on how students
give back to their communities. Not only does this
demonstrate commitment to helping others, but it also
implies that students will continue to be active participants
in their new college campus communities. “
~Robert Pertusati, Director of Undergraduate Recruitment,
Stony Brook University Click here for full article
“Summer months are a critical time for high school students. It is a great time to shadow or volunteer in areas you may be interested in studying when going to college. Summer programs are also a great opportunity to gain depth into a major field that could become a future area of interest.”
~ Sunil Samuel Associate Vice President of Admission, Hofstra University