GUIDANCE AND STUDENT SERVICES

Sterling High School is committed to providing a guidance and counseling program for each student. The counselors provide a variety of services. Most individual conferences are student initiated by making an appointment, however counselors may call students in when necessary. This handbook will stress some of the important responsibilities of this department.

1. Counseling: The counseling staff offers counseling services on either an individual or group basis to any interested Sterling High School student. Counselors do not solve a student's problems. Rather they help him/her secure the necessary facts and guide his/her thinking toward possible solutions, with the final decision made by the student. Students are invited to plan conferences with their parents and counselor.

2. Educational Guidance: Counselors assist students in making educational decisions. Students are helped in groups and individually to make course selections in high school to meet graduation requirements and post graduation needs . Information on colleges, universities, and technical schools is available to students in the Guidance Office and through the guidance department website.

3. Scholarships/Financial Aid: The guidance staff works diligently to gather and disseminate scholarship and financial aid information. Student and parent meetings are held to explain the application process. Although a wealth of information is available, the student and family must take the responsibility of asking for the information and meeting application deadlines. Information is available on the guidance department website. Warning: Counselors do not encourage paying for any scholarship information or application.

4. Career/Vocational Guidance: Counselors assist students in making career decisions. Through group guidance activities and testing programs, students are exposed to information about themselves and the world of work in order to make better informed decisions regarding their future careers. Counselors are available to assist students in career exploration.

5. Counselor/Student Confidentiality. The general requirement that counselors keep information confidential does not apply when disclosure is required to prevent clear and immanent danger to the client or others, or when legal requirements demand that confidential information be revealed. Counselors adhere to the Code of Ethics andStandards of Practice of the American Counseling Association.

GUIDANCE OFFICE CALENDAR CHECKLIST
The following are the major activities of Sterling High School’s Guidance Program for the first semester. Please note those activities that are of interest to you and check them off as you participate in them. Additional information is available on the Guidance web site at www.sterlingschools.org/shs/guidance/. We have the following information posted: guidance checklist, scholarship information, scholarship listing, Latino scholarships, financial aid information, Career Information System, college planning information, college entrance tests, graduation requirements and course descriptions, grading, and the guidance department’s newsletters. The names and phone numbers, as well as email addresses of the counselors and secretary/registrar are also shown on the site. Parents, please contact your student’s counselor if you have questions or concerns.

Eighth Grade - Prepare for matriculation to Sterling High School!
_____ High school course selection. Counselors will visit CMS to assist in selection of freshman courses
_____ Parent/student meetings for 8th graders coming to Sterling High School in the fall.

Freshmen - Get to know your counselor, before you need to!
August
_____ Orientation program during the week before school starts
September
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
October
_____ Group meetings in English 1 classes to introduce Career Information System, complete a career interest survey, and plan four-year high school course selections.
November
_____ Sauk Valley Area College Night (SVCC)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
December
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
January
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-registration required)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
February/March
_____ Course selection for next year’s schedule - Consult your Four-year Plan when choosing courses for your sophomore year!
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
April
_____ Explore Test required - no fee
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
May
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments

Sophomores - Consult your Four-year Plan when choosing courses for your junior year!
September
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
October
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-registration required)
November
_____ Group meetings in English 2 classes to continue exploration of education and career information, including career and college/technical school information, military options, apprenticeships, and related information.
_____ Visit Whiteside Area Career Center. Sign up in the Guidance Office. Date will be announced.
_____ Sauk Valley Area College Night (SVCC)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
December
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
January
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-registration required)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
February/March
_____ Course selection for next year’s schedule
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
April
_____ PLAN test required, no fee
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
May
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments

Juniors - College bound Juniors should take the PSAT/NMSQT in October; meet with college representatives of schools of interest throughout the year.
September
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
October
_____ After-school and evening meetings for students and parents regarding college planning information (date to be announced).
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-regis tration required)
_____ Preliminary Scholastic Achievement Test/National Merit Scholarship
Qualifying Test - (PSAT/NMSQT - Pre-registration, and fee required)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
November
_____ Sauk Valley Area College Night (SVCC)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
December
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
College entrance tests should be taken in the spring. Watch for deadlines!
January
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-registration required)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
February/March
_____ Course selection for next year’s schedule
_____ ACT application deadline
_____ SAT application deadline
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
April
_____ Prairie State Achievement Exam Required - No fee
_____ SAT test
_____ SAT application deadline
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
May
_____ ACT application deadline
_____ SAT test
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
June
_____ SAT test
_____ ACT test

Seniors - Beware of scholarship scams that charge money for scholarship information! Always check with your counselor before spending moneys to get moneys. Meet with college representatives of schools of interest, schedule college visits, especially Columbus Day and Veterans Day.
September
_____ Senior credit checks; complete academic resumes with counselor
_____ After-school and evening meetings for students and parents regarding scholarship information (date to be announced).
_____ Evening parent meeting for scholarship information (date to be announced)
_____ ACT test
_____ College applications
_____ Scholarship applications (check guidance website)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
October
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test - (no fee - pre-registration required)
_____ SAT test
_____ ACT test
_____ Finish senior credit checks/academic resumes
_____ College applications
_____ Scholarship applications (check guidance website)
_____ File Clearinghouse application for athletic scholarships/athletic participation
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
November
_____ Sauk Valley Area College Night (SVCC)
_____ SAT test
_____ College applications
_____ Scholarship applications (check guidance website)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
December
_____ ACT test
_____ ACT test
_____ College applications
_____ Scholars hip applications (check guidance website)
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
Complete FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid)!
January
_____ Financial Aid Information Meetings
_____ ACT application deadline
_____ Evening parent meeting on financial aid
_____ Consumer Education Proficiency Test
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
February
_____ ACT Test
_____ Check FAFSA deadlines for colleges and universities still under consideration
_____ Complete dormitory housing contracts
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
March
_____ File FAFSA
_____ Complete college selection, notify colleges
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
April
_____ Continued college acceptance process
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointment
May
_____ AP Exams
_____ Honors Program and Honors assembly
_____Complete college acceptance process
_____Complete “Senior Plans” form
_____Complete “8th Semester Transcript” form
_____ _____ _____ Counselor appointments
_____ GRADUATION!

SCHOLARSHIPS
Scholarship opportunities are disseminated through the Guidance Department. Because there are so many varied scholarships, there is no intent in this handbook to list them. All interested students are strongly encouraged to see their counselor for scholarship information and to access scholarships on the guidance website.