Meetings

CHS PTO Counseling Update February 7, 2023

 ·         February 6-10 is National School Counseling Week. The Counseling Department will be using this opportunity to share what they do at CHS with students, staff, and parents through e-mail communication and social media!

 ·         February 13-17 is Mental Wellness Week at CHS.  The theme for the week is “A Flicker of Hope: Shining a Light on Mental Health, and the goal is to promote mental wellness by offering fun theme days and activities to reduce stress and promote positive coping skills. Check out the CHS Counseling Twitter feed @counselingatchs for more details!

 ·         CHS Counselors are currently working with juniors and current 8^th grade students to schedule their classes for 2023-24.

o   10-12 Counselors are meeting with juniors January 16 – February 15^th for individual advising meetings. Juniors received an email message on 1/11/22 from their counselor with instructions for scheduling their advising meeting. Counselors will ultimately schedule a meeting for those who don’t request one. 

o   Monday, January 9^th was Academic Transition Night for current 8^th grade students. All 8^th grade students were invited to join an 8^th Grade Transition to CHS Canvas Course which provides detailed information about the scheduling process.  

Helpful Resources for Students and Parents to Review:

1.       CANVAS: The Scheduling module in the Counseling Canvas course will walk students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All current CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.

2.       Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments. This is a great place to start to understand all of the course options available to CHS students.  The Program of Studies for the upcoming year is posted in the CHS Counseling Canvas course and on the CHS website under Academics. 

3.       Videos: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This is posted in the Counseling Canvas course and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.

·         Enrollment for Private School Students

Enrollment for 8th grade private school students will be on February 8th and 9th, 2023. Private schools will be providing CHS with contact information on students wanting to enroll. The Counseling office will reach out with additional information to private school parents this month.

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students in a number of ways, including:

o   Meeting with students and families to provide support

o   Connecting students and their families to community resources

o   Coordinating with the PTO to provide food on the weekends for students through the Backpack Program.

o   Organizing a mentoring program for identified students. 

·         All CHS Juniors will take the SAT on March 1^st as part of the State of Indiana’s statewide testing accountability law. A message with details for the day and answers to commonly asked questions about the March SAT will be sent to all juniors and their parents in the coming week. Students in grades 9, 10, and 12 will have an E-Learning Day on March 1^st.

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  The deadline to complete the FAFSA in the State of Indiana is April 15^th, however some colleges require that it be submitted earlier for financial aid and scholarship consideration.  Families can get help with the FAFSA at College Goal Sunday on Sunday, February 26, 2023 from 2-4 p.m. This is a statewide FAFSA completion event held at numerous sites throughout the state, where financial aid experts will be present to assist families with completing the FAFSA. Learn more at www.collegegoalsunday.org

 ·         Seniors and Senior parents are invited to attend After the FAFSA: Finalizing College Financial Aid on Thursday, March 9^th at 6:30 p.m. in the CHS Community Room. This presentation by our partners at INvestEd Indiana will review how to understand what comes next after submitting the FAFSA, how to read financial aid notification letters and more! 

 ·         Local and private scholarship information are coming into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application is now open. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Don’t forget to “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

·         Carmel Education Foundation Scholarships

The Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) provides financial scholarships to at least 80 CHS seniors each year, ranging in value from $500- $6,000. CEF scholarships can be used for expenses related to college, certification, or trade school.   

CHS Seniors are invited to review the CEF scholarship materials available at https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/foundation/scholarships/application-process.  Here, they will find a directory outlining all scholarships and their criteria, application instructions, and the application link, which is now open.  Applicants will be asked to create a profile and respond to a series of questions in a common application format to determine which scholarships they are eligible for. Once their general application is submitted, they will be directed to a list of scholarships for which they will be considered and asked to provide any additional required information.  Approximately half of the scholarships require a short essay, and the prompts are listed in the directory found on the CEF website.

The CEF application deadline is Wednesday, March 15^th, at 5:00 p.m. All applicants will be contacted to verify their application content before they are notified of their application status on May 4, 2023.  Scholarships will be presented at the CHS Community Scholarship Night on Tuesday, May 16, 2023. It is important to note that because CEF awards no more than one scholarship to a single student, they are truly spreading the wealth!

Questions about scholarship resources can be directed to your CHS Counselor or to Mrs. Stephan, College & Career Programming and Resources Coordinator at mstephan@ccs.k12.in.us 

·         Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!

If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Leah Owens in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Tuesday, May 2, 2023.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form will be sent to senior parents in early February and will be available in the Counseling Canvas Course.

·         Save the Date!

o   Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Night, February 16^th, 6:30-8:30 p.m., Starts in the CHS Auditorium

o   After the FAFSA: Finalizing Financial Aid (for Seniors/Families), March 9^th, 6:30 p.m., CHS Community Room

o   STEM Majors & Careers Fair, March 21^st, 6:00-8:00 p.m., CHS Freshman Cafeteria

·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have meet with over 950 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

 

·         Reminder: Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs.

 

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Department Canvas Course to access a variety of resources 

o   Follow the CHS Counseling Department on Twitter @counselingatchs

o   Follow the CCRC on Twitter @CHSCollege411 or Follow the CCRC on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

December 6th, 9:30am PTO Meeting Minutes

1. Senior Celebration- Patrice Dawson reported on the 3 weeks of special days & events
for the seniors in May. She informed on Senior Sunrise, Prizes & Spirit days. Seniors
will be celebrated over the month of May instead of one night like Gradfest. The
committee is beginning to look for sponsors. Feedback is needed from students &
parents to create events the students would enjoy. Senior Celebration is looking for
support from the CCS District and local businesses. (Suggested at meeting) reach out to
elementary & middle school pto for fundraising requests/ideas.

2. K. Nicole Harter-Bale on the PTO Coordinating Council district meeting. She discussed
DEI ideas to include all types of students in meetings and activities. When planning
making sure to take students different needs into account.

3. Vinayak gave a treasurer's report and discussed how the PTO currently buy spiritwear
and how finances have been handled within the spiritwear purchases. Changes need to
be made to vendor spiritwear process beginning January 1, 2023 due to new tax rules.
Pto Ex board will meet with the CCS CPA. Pto Ex Board will also meet to decide
changes to vendor ordering. The Business Entity Report was filed with the state for
2022. It is due every other year.

4. Jennifer Cassidy Backpack Report. Backpack program collected gift cards at Holiday
Spectacular. Holiday bags were sent home with students over Thanksgiving & Winter
Break.

5. Counseling Report was sent out via email this month.

CHS PTO Counseling Update November 1, 2022

·         Scheduling Information for 2023-24

In November, counselors will begin individual advising meetings with students to schedule courses for the 2023-24 academic year.  The Scheduling Information Module in the CHS Counseling Canvas course will provide students the general resources and information needed to select their 2023-2024 courses.  We encourage parents and students to review the curricular opportunities available at CHS in order to maximize the student advising time with CHS counselors.

Advising Meetings

9th Graders:

Freshmen will meet individually with a Freshman Counselor in their English class during the month of November. Students are not required to schedule these appointment times.

 10th Graders:

Sophomores will need to schedule their individual advising meeting with their counselor.  Counselors have sent email to your child through their Naviance account with a link to set up this meeting through Google Calendar.  Please encourage your student to complete this step in the scheduling process no later than November 6th.

 11th Graders:

Juniors will not schedule with counselors until after Winter Break.  Counselors will email Google Calendar links to students after we return to school in January. 

Helpful Resources for Students and Parents to Review:

1.       CANVAS: The Scheduling module in the Counseling Canvas course will walk students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.

2.       Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments. This is a great place to start to understand all of the course options available to CHS students.  The Program of Studies for the upcoming year is posted in the CHS Counseling Canvas course and on the CHS website under Academics. 

3.       Videos: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This is posted in the Counseling Canvas course and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.

·         Enrollment for Private School Students

Enrollment for 8th grade private school students will be on February 8th and 9th, 2023. Private schools will be providing CHS with contact information on students wanting to enroll. The Counseling office will reach out with additional information to private school parents in January 2023.

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students in a number of ways, including:

o   Meeting with students and families to provide support

o   Connecting students and their families to community resources

o   Coordinating with the PTO to provide food on the weekends for students through the Backpack Program.

o   Organizing a mentoring program for identified students. 

·         TESTING ACCOMMODATIONS

In March 2023, all JUNIORS will take the SAT during the school day.  If your student has a 504 Plan or an IEP with testing accommodations, accommodations have been requested through the College Board.  You should have received a letter indicating the approval or denial of accommodations along with an assigned SSD#.  Any accommodations your student is approved for MUST be administered on the March 1 School-Day SAT.  These accommodations will also be in place for any future SAT or AP tests.  If any additions or deletions need to be made, the deadline for additional requests is January 10, 2023.

If your student has an IEP or 504 Plan with testing accommodations and will need testing accommodations for an ACT test, please indicate the need for accommodations during the ACT registration process.  I will receive an email to make the accommodations request and you will be notified once that is approved or denied.

If your current freshman or sophomore has an IEP or 504 Plan with testing accommodations who will need testing accommodations for any AP exams in the spring, please complete this google form before the January 18^th deadline.  (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftcL9rgdpaWIAP1jqWsqdHqERlc0BC5hC89tM3vEWfIXwmng/viewform?usp=sf_link)

If your current FRESHMAN has an IEP or 504 Plan with testing accommodations who will need testing accommodations for the sophomore PSAT, please complete this google form by the end of the school year so the request can be submitted before the deadline of August 22, 2023.  (https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSftcL9rgdpaWIAP1jqWsqdHqERlc0BC5hC89tM3vEWfIXwmng/viewform?usp=sf_link)

If you have any questions about current or future testing accommodations, please contact Stephanie Payne at spayne@ccs.k12.in.us. 

·         Seniors should pay close attention to college application deadlines, especially those that must be met for full scholarship consideration from the schools to which they are applying. The next major deadlines are December 1^st and January 1^st. Seniors must use their Naviance Student account to request their transcripts and update their application submission status. Counselors ask for at least two weeks to process application materials requests and meet all deadlines. Requests for transcripts and other college application materials for deadlines that occur during the Winter Break, must be submitted no later than December 2^nd.  

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  The deadline to complete the FAFSA in the State of Indiana is April 15^th, however some colleges require that it be submitted earlier for financial aid and scholarship consideration. CHS Seniors and parents wil receive an email message this week with FAFSA information and details about upcoming events to help with the process.

 ·         Families can also get help with the FAFSA at College Goal Sunday on Sunday, November 6^th from 2-4 p.m. This is a statewide FAFSA completion event held at numerous sites throughout the state, where financial aid experts will be present to assist families with completing the FAFSA. Learn more at www.collegegoalsunday.org

 ·         CHS will offer a FAFSA completion event on Thursday, November 17th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the CHS Media Center. CHS seniors and their parents can get help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)…no matter where they are in the process. Our partners from INvestEd www.investedindiana.org will be available to help families navigate the FAFSA process. This is a first-come-first-served event, and families can come when it is most convenient for their schedules.

 ·         Local and private scholarship information will begin to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application is now open. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

 ·         CHS will host a Business Majors & Careers Fair, November 29^th, 6-8 p.m. in the Freshman Center Cafeteria. Students and families will have an opportunity to learn about business education and training programs as well as learn about business-related careers from professionals and employers. The event will be a fair format with the option to attend breakout sessions.

·         Save the Date!

o   Military Academy /ROTC Panel, January 31^st, 11:15-12:15 (SSRT) in the CHS Community Room

·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have meet with over  700 students/parents since the school year started! Priority is currently given to seniors requesting appointments, but students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Reminder: Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs.

 ·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Department Canvas Course to access a variety of resources  

o   Follow the CHS Counseling Department on Twitter @counselingatchs

Follow the CCRC on Twitter @CHSCollege411 or Follow the CCRC on Instagram @chscollegecareer

CHS PTO Counseling Update October 4, 2022

·         10-12 Counselors continue to meet individually with seniors to review diploma progress and to answer any questions seniors may have about their post-high school plans, including using their Naviance Student account to search for colleges and request college application materials such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, etc.  10-12 counselors will work throughout the fall semester to process requests for transcripts and other college application materials for CHS seniors. Please be reminded that there are many resources in the Counseling Canvas Course to help seniors navigate this process including a tutorial video highlighting how Naviance Student is utilized in these processes.

·         Please welcome our newest CHS Social Worker, Kristy Tweedy! Kristy will be working with students assigned to the following counselors: Mr. McDonough, Ms. Harbor, Ms. Payne, and Ms. Stuelpe. 

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students in a number of ways, including:

o   Meeting with students and families to provide support

o   Connecting students and their families to community resources

o   Coordinating with the PTO to provide food on the weekends for students through the Backpack Program.

o   Organizing a mentoring program for identified students. 

·         The Counseling Department is preparing for the administration of the PSAT/NMSQT for sophomores and juniors and the PSAT 8/9 for freshmen. The tests will be given on October 25^th during the morning hours. A message about options for seniors on PSAT day will be sent to parents soon.

·         Please keep an eye out for information about the course scheduling process for the 2023-24 academic year in late-October and early-November. Current 9^th and 10^th grade students will be selecting their courses and meeting with their counselor in November/December. Current 8^th and 11^th grade students will be selecting their courses and meeting with counselors in January/February.

 ·         Seniors should pay close attention to college application deadlines, especially those that must be met for full scholarship consideration from the schools to which they are applying. November 1^st, December 1^st, and January 1^st are popular deadlines, but some may occur as early as October 15^th. Seniors must use their Naviance Student account to request their transcripts and update their application submission status. Counselors ask for at least two weeks to process application materials requests.  All deadlines will be met by counselors. Requests for transcripts and other college application materials for deadlines that occur during the Winter Break, must be submitted no later than December 2^nd.  

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  The deadline to complete the FAFSA in the State of Indiana is April 15^th, however some colleges require that it be submitted earlier for financial aid and scholarship consideration. CHS Seniors and parents wil receive an email message this week with FAFSA information and details about upcoming events to help with the process.

·         CHS will offer Financial Aid Night on Wednesday, October 26^th at 6:30 p.m.  Our partners at INvestEd Indiana (www.investedindiana.org) will be sharing information about the financial aid process and completing the FAFSA.  This program is open to all grades, but is most relevant for juniors and seniors. The program will take place in the Freshman Center Cafeteria.

 ·         CHS will offer a FAFSA completion event on Thursday, November 17th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the CHS Media Center. CHS seniors and their parents can get help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)…no matter where they are in the process. Our partners from INvestEd www.investedindiana.org will be available to help families navigate the FAFSA process. This is a first-come-first-served event, and families can come when it is most convenient for their schedules.

·         Each year, over 100 college and university admissions representatives visit Carmel High School during the fall semester to share information about their campuses with our students. Participation in these visits is a convenient way for students to research colleges and make direct connections with admissions professionals. The visits occur during SSRT, and students in all grades are welcome and encouraged to sign-up. Students interested in participating in a college rep visit must sign-up through their Naviance account at least 24 hours in advance. A schedule of upcoming admission rep visits can be viewed from your student’s Naviance Student account.

·         Save the Date!

o   Business Majors & Careers Fair, November 29^th, 6-8 p.m. in the Freshman Center Cafeteria

o   Military Academy /ROTC Panel, January 31^st, 11:15-12:15 (SSRT) in the CHS Community Room

·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have meet with over  350 students/parents since the school year started! Priority is currently given to seniors requesting appointments, but students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Reminder: Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs.

 ·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Department Canvas Course to access a variety of resources  

o   Follow the CHS Counseling Department on Twitter @counselingatchs

o   Follow the CCRC on Twitter @CHSCollege411 or Follow the CCRC on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

October PTO Meeting – October 4, 2022

Call to Order at 9:32 A.M.

Minutes from last meeting; need to transcribe September Meeting Notes for approval at next meeting where we will approve both the September and October Minutes.

Update from Karen McDaniels:  Homecoming went great this year.  Was a good week for students and families.  Late September is a great time for holding this event.  Next week is Mid-Term.  No grades actually issued, but grades should be updated for Athletic eligibility by October 20.

Fall Break is end of next week.  Ghost and Goblins Event is a 5K event on 10/27 which assists Carmel Education Fund.

PSAT is on October 25.  Will be a Gold Day.  Seniors do not have to come to school that day or can come in for half a day.

Treasurer update:  PTO Membership Revenue is about $12K.  Budget is $16K so we’re getting there.  $24K in Ticket sales and will have a sizable profit.  Have some hospitality expenses as well. 

Backpack program update:  Did two fundraisers:  Marching Band and Soccer Event.  Received lots of donations and gift cards.  Room is in great shape.  64 kids on the list.  Furnished Homecoming outfits for students in need. 

Membership update:  Added 10 more members.  Still working on increasing numbers.

Homecoming update:  Signage needs to be better regarding the dance.  Working on a sponsor for drinks next year for small bottles of water and small cans of soda.  DJ was very expensive so working on switching.  Will raise ticket prices $5 to help cover costs.  Had 1500-1800 students.  Activities center made $500.

Top Scholars:  April 17 at 7 PM in the new Auditorium. 

Gradfest & Afterprom:  Still discussing what these events will look like and still in the planning stages.  Need volunteers for both events.  Will have an update at the next Meeting. 

New safety rules regarding volunteers will require parents to get a background check and to have a child in CHS.  However, attendance at PTO meetings will not require a background check.  There will be links to obtain background checks (subsidized by PTO if cost is a barrier) and a link to see if you previously had a background that is still valid so that you don’t have to generate a new one.

Hospitality:  English Teachers and Police will be honored this coming month. 

Counseling Update:  Senior counselors are finishing up meetings with students.  Making sure they are on track for graduation and post-high school plans.   We have a new social worker, Christy Tweetie.   College App and Essay Help Session is given the morning of the day the PSAT is going on.

Seniors should request from counselors all transcripts and recommendations two weeks prior to Winter Break so that there is time for that.

FAFSA opened on October 1, 2022.  Finish it by Winter Break.

November 29 is a Business Majors and Careers Fair at CHS.

Next Meeting on November 8 at 6:30 P.M. in the Community Meeting.  Use Door #7.

Meeting Adjourned at 10:24 A.M.

CHS PTO Counseling Update September 6, 2022

•    Counselor Class Introductions: Students in all grades viewed a brief video specific to their grade at the start of SSRT on August 19th. The videos review steps for a successful year and ways that the CHS Counseling Department supports students.  The links to those videos were sent home in a parent messenger and are posted in the Resources section of the Counseling Department Canvas course. 
 
•    Senior Meetings: Counselors will begin meeting individually with their seniors this week through early October. These meetings will include a final check on diploma requirements and a review of each student’s post-high school plans. Seniors were sent an email message from their counselor asking them to select an appointment time. In this message they were also reminded of key college application resources previously highlighted.

•    CHS has identified Junior and Senior students who will benefit from taking the ASVAB in order to satisfy the post-secondary readiness requirement for graduation.  Those students are scheduled to take the ASVAB on Thursday, Sept. 8th for purposes of using the score to satisfy graduation requirements.  The ASVAB has proven to be a great opportunity for some students, as it provides an alternative to meeting the benchmarks on the SAT and ACT (which may also be used for graduation purposes.)

•    The CHS Social Workers will continue to have one social worker dedicated to our 9th grade students and three social workers working with 10th-12th grade students.  The social work team works to support the social and emotional needs of our students and works with families to provide information about community resources. Be sure to check out the CCS Virtual Mindfulness Room for the High School Community. This is a great resource for students and families looking for ways to develop coping skills and stress relief strategies.

•    CHS Students can request an appointment with their counselor, a social worker, or the College and Career Resource Center online! They can use the QR code below to fill out a brief form indicating who they wish to see and a reason for the request. Submission of the request form generates an email message to the appropriate person, who will then follow-up with the student. 
 
•    Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs. 

 

 

 

 

K. Nicole Harter asks for discussion of minutes from March PTO.  Kristin Bodey moves to approves, Regan Summers seconds – minutes approved

Updates from school – Karen McDaniel
1. ACE schedule
a. Listened to PTO, teachers, students - Finals week structure is different to allow for studying, changed due to PTO feedback- ½ day re-instituted – attendance required throught the 25th
b. No “finals” with weights more than 20%
2. Buses will still run as normal and study halls will be set up; lunch will run as usual
Updates from counseling – Melinda Stephan
1. Students can request updates for next year
2. Summer school signup – PE through CHS
3. Indiana Online – C+ or worse
4. SAT has occurred – makeup 13 April only for those who missed original test; only 21 of 1300 missed original- prioritized test and it worked
5. Virtual boot camp canvas course, worked great and will continue for rising juniors and seniors
6. Healthcare majors and career fair occurred
7. Skilled trade career fair coming up; topic prompts and questions included
8. FAFSA deadline is 18 April
9. Emails on counseling updates go to Naviance email – check with your student to ensure they are receiving them
Update from Vice President –  K. Nicole Harter
10. Newsletter format changing next year to be more timely, at least 8 times annually
11. PTO outreach went well- thank you Kristin Bodey!
12. If there are any PTO members upcoming from other schools who might be interested in leadership, let us know
Update from Finance – Lin Wu
13. Ledger shows positive balance
Update from membership
14. Membership – 62% are opening the communications
Update from Backpack program – Jennifer Cassidy
15. Prom closet Monday – please donate new or very gently used accessories and clothing (no shoes)
16. Spring Break had backpack and family bag, including gift cards for shopping
17. Committee is in great shape for next year
Update from Hospitality – Regan Summers
18. Lots of positive feedback on the treats and support, including the pitch-in main didishes for the staff
19. Thank you for treats help for special ed staff
20. Custodians, maintenance, print shop for April
21. Committee in great shape for next year
22. Teacher Appreciation Week in May
Homecoming
23. Jennifer Goodspeed will help but need a new chair
Afterprom
24. Afterprom – everything is good to go
25. Prom tickets get students into both prom and afterprom
Senior Celebration - Gradfest
26. Email approved
27. Working on prizes
28. Fundraising coordinated with afterprom

Update from President - Wendy Harlow
32. Slate including bios; can vote via form or online; must be a PTO member to vote
33. Bylaws draft will be on the PTO site and voting will be via a google form
34. PTO outreach flyer will be on the website posted
35. May PTO meeting – thank you and recognition for outgoing board members
36. PTO coffee kickoff – meet teachers and administration in September

CHS PTO Counseling Update April 12, 2022

•    March 1st is the deadline for students to make changes to their 2022-23 course requests for any reason. Between March 2nd and May 1st, counselors can only make changes if there is room in a course. The final deadline to make schedule change requests for the entire 2022-32 school year is May 1st, 2022. Limited reasons for schedule changes after May 1st are listed in the Carmel High School Program of Studies. 

•    2022 Summer School Options: communication was sent home to CHS parents in early March about summer school options for the upcoming summer. A summary of that information follows: 
o    Students can enroll in a maximum of two summer courses regardless of platform.
o    There is no cost associated with any of the summer school options listed below.
o    Questions about summer school enrollment should be directed to your child’s counselor.
o    CHS options: Online PE I OR PE II via Edmentum, May 31 - July 7
o    Indiana Online Eligible Courses: June 6 – July 17
    Any course the student has earned a grade of C+ or lower to improve their grade or need to recover credit
    Math courses to get back on sequence, must be approved by counselor
    IB diploma students who have questions about summer school should reach out to their counselor.

•    CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The period after a break and leading up to the end of the school year can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families for a variety of reasons. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students to provide support for mental health, social-emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information for families; and guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

•    All CHS Juniors took the SAT on March 2nd as part of the State of Indiana’s new statewide testing accountability law. Juniors who were absent on March 2nd are scheduled to complete a make-up SAT during the April re-testing window.  A message with answers to commonly asked questions about the March SAT was sent to all juniors and their parents via email in late January. That document can be viewed at commonly asked questions document.

•    Prior to spring break, the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC) sent a recorded presentation to current juniors and their parents called Top 10 Things Juniors Can Do Before Senior Year. This presentation focuses on the things the Class of 2023 can be doing to prepare for the college application process and/or prepare for next steps after graduation. Juniors and their parents should continue to keep an eye out for more resources that we will roll out during the spring and summer to help support rising seniors in their post-high school planning. 

•    The CHS College & Career Resource Center has created a Class of 2023 Virtual College Application Boot Camp Course in Canvas that covers every aspect of the college search and application process. All current CHS juniors will be invited to join the College Application Boot Camp Course after spring break. With this virtual format, you can work through the information, videos, and exercises on YOUR schedule as quickly or as slowly as you’d like! Summer would be an ideal time to work through this boot camp course in preparation for the Fall semester, when many students will be completing college applications. NOTE: there are no “assignments” or grades associated with the boot camp course, just a lot of useful information to help take the mystery out of the process.

•    CHS will host a Skilled Trades Majors & Careers Fair on Tuesday, April 26th from 6-8 p.m. in the Freshman Center Cafeteria. On the evening of Tuesday, April 26th, CHS will host a Skilled Majors & Careers Fair to help students discover and learn about a variety of educational and professional opportunities in the Skilled Trades. This event is part of our popular Majors & Careers Fair program at CHS, and counselors in the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC) are excited to be able to offer this in-person program again.  The fair will highlight education/training programs related to skilled trades careers as well as professionals and organizations hoping to share more about their career areas.  Many of the opportunities represented at this fair do not require a 4-year degree in order to pursue them. A variety of breakout sessions on topics related to Skilled Trades careers will also be offered.

•    Financial Aid Process and Scholarship Resources
o    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline in the State of Indiana is now April 18th.  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA created by our partners at INvestEd Indiana. You can find these checklists and other resources on their website.  Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov. 

o    It’s scholarship season, and many local scholarship deadlines are approaching. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Instagram and Twitter for scholarship updates! 

o    Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 2, 2022.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.   

•    Upcoming Spring Programing offered by the CCRC:
Please keep an eye out for information about the following upcoming programs offered by the CCRC during the spring semester.  If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Stephan, College & Career Programming and Resources Coordinator at 317-571-5922 ext. 7482 or email at mstephan@ccs.k12.in.us 
o    Juniors: Building Your College List Workshops during SSRT, April 12, 14, 18, 20.
o    Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair, April 26th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

•    CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have met with over 850 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form. 

QRCodeforCollegeAdvisors.png
 
•    Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):
o    Visit our website at www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/counseling and the Counseling Canvas course
o    Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”
o    Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411
o    Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer
 

March 1, 2022 CHS PTO Board Meeting

Call to order and Welcome:  6:34 p.m.

ANNOUNCEMENT:  GRADUATION is on May 26 at 7 PM at the Pepsi Coliseum.

President: (Wendy Harlow):  Good turnout for evening meeting.  Will also meet in the evening in May.  In April, we’ll meet in the morning as usual.

Secretary (Camille Nicodemus):  Minutes from February meeting Approved by motion from Nicole Harter-Bale and seconded by Leslie Simich.

Associate Principal Karen McDaniel:  Tomorrow is SAT day.  9, 10 and 12^th graders will be home and only 11^th graders will be in the school.  Students can leave campus after the Test or stay and go to Study Hall.  The Principal is retiring and they are looking at number of qualified candidates.  School has moved to mask optional; some students and teachers are wearing masks.  Message is that it is each person’s individual’s choice.  Raised $510K at the Marathon over the weekend.  Science Bowl and Science Olympiad won their competitions. World Quest academic group placed in Top 6 for the first time and one team is going to Washington D.C. 

Counseling Update:  By Melinda Stephan.  Last day to make any changes to schedules for next year.  Social workers continue to support students in the school.  A flyer went out about the SAT and what it means for post-secondary education.  Local College Fair coming up w/ over 100 colleges and universities in attendance.   Includes Indiana colleges and Midwest colleges.  Next Wednesday March 9 at Grant Park Event Center, 6 to 8 PM.  March 24 for Health Care Careers.  Lots of resources for scholarships including the Carmel Education Foundation application which has a March 15 deadline.  If your student receives a scholarship from a college, please let CHS know so that they can recognize those (without details) at graduation.  Thursday March 3 for Senior parents from 6:30 to 8:00 in the Community Room called After the FAFSA which helps with financing for college and how to understand the communications you get from colleges.  If you need help with academic or social/emotional support of college/career go to the Counseling Office.

Treasurer Report:  By Lin Wu.  Not present.  Given by Wendy Harlow.  Will post it up on the website.

Vice President (Nicole Harter-Bale):  One more newsletter this year; April 13 is the deadline for articles.  Different model for publishing the Newsletter next year with the goal being to retain sponsorships to generate revenue.  If you have any articles for the Newsletter, contact her at CHSPTONewslettergmail.com.

Membership Chair (Kristin Bodey):  No news.  Same 435 Members.

Gradfest Update (Kimberli Boston-Smith):  8 new members for a total of 14 people on the Team.  Working to get the Team going with the new people and determining who will do what next year.

Backpack Program Update (Jennifer Cassidy):  Have scheduled the Prom Closet for April.  A call is going out for girls’ accessories.  Shoulder wraps, jewelry and purses.  Door 19 during school hours.  Boys supply also needs stocking for Homecoming in the Fall.  Shoes, shirts, pants.

Social Media (Lisa Pelligrino):  Has met with the After Prom Team to work on a theme which is Hollywood Nights and they will promote and following the Homecoming model for activities in the Fieldhouse and food, etc.  Prom is 8 to 11; After Prom is 11 to 2.

Hospitality (Regan Summers):  Teacher Treats needs a few volunteers on March 24 to put together treat bags.  In March, the Staff has a party and they will sponsor their main course for that event.  Discussion of having an earlier to access Donation button on the PTO Website and have donations go to a particular program.

Scholastic Banquet (Karen Tullai):  Given by Wendy Harlow.  Top Scholars have been announced by email to parents and students.  Needs volunteers to help deliver signs and plaques.  Contact her through the PTO website and let her know your Zip Code.  KTullai@gmail.com.

President (Wendy Harlow):  Will be voting on a new slate for the leadership positions.  Will post a draft of the By-Laws by March 14 and approve at the April PTO Meeting.  Drafted the By-Laws by reviewing PTO By-Laws from Carmel Middle Schools and North Central and Zionsville High Schools and looked at some large schools from around the country.  Biggest change is the process for how we elect the Officers and some term limits.  Also have not had continuity.  So in some positions we had a revolving door and in others people stayed in for a number of years.  We are eliminating the Past-President Position and add a President-Elect position.  The purpose of the Past President position was to assist the new President.  Used to be that the VP was the President the next year.  The President-Elect will move up to President the next year.  In order to get momentum and continuity each position is 1 year with renewal for 1 year.  Social Media Chair will also do the Newsletter and the Website, rather than have those spread out.  The Social Media Chair will be the Communications Chair going forward.  Succession plan for Chairs should include a Co-Chair so that person can become the Chair the following year.  The succession plan should begin early enough to hand over the wheel.  One additional position to be added is the Events/Fundraising Chair will coordinate the signature events, working with the Homecoming Chair, After Prom Chair and GradFest Chair and Top Scholar Chair to assure that resources are smooth, timing coordination etc. works for all of the events.  Other changes to the ByLaws are that the dues will continue to be optional.  Schedule and Budget will be set by the Leadership Team before the end of the previous schoolyear.

Open Positions are:  Events/Fundraising Chair. Communications Chair.

Question:  Exec Committee is having Term Limits but what about Committee Chairs?

Wendy Harlow answered: Committee Chairs can continue as long as they want.  The Term Limits are not necessarily forced, but will allow for succession planning.

Concluded at 7:30 p.m.

CHS PTO Counseling Update March 1, 2022

·         March 1^st is the deadline for students to make changes to their 2022-23 course requests for any reason. Between March 2^nd and May 1^st, counselors can only make changes if there is room in a course. The final deadline to make schedule change requests for the entire 2022-32 school year is May 1^st, 2022. Limited reasons for schedule changes after May 1^st are listed in the Carmel High School Program of Studies.

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

 ·         All CHS Juniors will take the SAT on March 2^nd as part of the State of Indiana’s new statewide testing accountability law. Only juniors will be in attendance on March 2^nd. All other students will be participating in an e-learning day. A message with answers to commonly asked questions about the March SAT was sent to all juniors and their parents via email in late January. That document can be viewed at commonly asked questions document.

 ·         Upcoming Local College Fair! On Wednesday, March 9^th CHS students have an opportunity to take advantage of the Greater Indianapolis Northside College Fair to be held at the Grand Park Events Center from 6:00-8:00 p.m. The event is sponsored by a group of high schools on Indy’s Northside as a way to provide access to college information for local students. Over 100 colleges/universities will be represented at the fair! The event is FREE, and students in all grade levels are welcome to attend. College fairs are an effective way to get information about many colleges in one place and in a relatively short period of time. No matter where you are in your post-high school planning process, we encourage you to take advantage of this chance to gather information, ask questions, and make connections with college representatives. Of course, parents are encouraged to attend too!  Students are encouraged to register for the fair in advance at StriveFair.com. Registered students will receive a barcode that they can bring with them to the college fair in order to share their information electronically with admission reps.

·         In mid-March the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC) will be sending a recorded presentation to current juniors and their parents called Top 10 Things Juniors Can Do Before Senior Year. This presentation will focus on the things the Class of 2023 can be doing to prepare for the college application process and/or prepare for next steps after graduation. Juniors and their parents should continue to keep an eye out for more resources that we will roll out during the spring and summer to help support rising seniors in their post-high school planning.

·         CHS will host a Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair on Thursday, March 24^th from 6-8 p.m. in the Freshman Center Cafeteria. On the evening of Thursday, March 24^th, CHS will host a Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair to help students discover and learn about a variety of educational and professional opportunities in the Healthcare field. This event is part of our popular Majors & Careers Fair program at CHS, and counselors in the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC) are excited to be able to offer this in-person program again.  The fair will highlight college/university academic programs related to healthcare in Indiana and surrounding states. A variety of breakout sessions on topics related to healthcare professions will also be offered.

 ·         Financial Aid Process and Scholarship Resources

 o    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) deadline in the State of Indiana is April 15^th.  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA created by our partners at INvestEd Indiana. You can find these checklists and other resources on their website.  Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov.

 o    Seniors and Senior parents are invited to attend After the FAFSA: Finalizing College Financial Aid on Thursday, March 3^rd at 6:30 p.m. in the CHS Community Room. This presentation by our partners at INvestEd Indiana will review how to understand what comes next after submitting the FAFSA, how to read financial aid notification letters and more! 

o    The Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS seniors.  The scholarship application opened on December 18^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Information can be found at: http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/foundation/Scholarships 

 o    It’s scholarship season, and new local scholarship information continues to come into the Counseling Office. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Instagram and Twitter for scholarship updates!

 o    Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 2, 2022.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.   

 ·         Upcoming Spring Programing offered by the CCRC:

Please keep an eye out for information about the following upcoming programs offered by the CCRC during the spring semester.  If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Stephan, College & Career Programming and Resources Coordinator at 317-571-5922 ext. 7482 or email at mstephan@ccs.k12.in.us

o    Career Exploration: Self Discovery Workshops during SSRT, February 24, March 7, 11, and 15.

o    After the FAFSA: Finalizing Financial Aid, March 3^rd 6:30-8:00 p.m.

o    Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair, March 24^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

o    Juniors: Building Your College List Workshops during SSRT, April 12, 14, 18, 20.

o    Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair, April 26^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have met with over 750 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o    Visit our website at www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/counseling and the Counseling Canvas course

o    Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o    Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411

o    Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

February 1, 2022 CHS PTO Board Meeting

Call to order and Welcome:  9:35 a.m.

President Update:  If you are interested in the VP position or any other Board Position or Committee Chair, please contact the Nominating Committee at CHS.PTO.VicePresident@gmail.com.  Draft Bylaws will be available at the March Meeting for discussion. Working from the Bylaws of several other schools in Carmel.  We’ve talked about the timing of this meeting and whether it’s convenient to have evening meetings and alternate between morning and evening meetings.  Some people think evening meetings would be better.  Others think that evenings are too busy.  Wi-Fi is a problem and we cannot Zoom b/c the School doesn’t really have the capacity to do that.  We post the PTO Meetings at the start of the year so we could give people notice if we are going to alternate Meeting times.  Next Meeting is March 1^st and we’ll try to do it in the evening at 6:30 or 7:00.  Check https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/pto-chs/meetings.

Treasurer Report:  By Lin Wu.  Not present.  No Update.

Membership Chair (Kristin Bodey):  430 Members currently.  Going to continue to not have dues be required b/c it allows for greater membership and others who have joined have generously covered the cost of dues for those who can’t pay.  Membership Chair and VP plan to go to the 8^th Grade end of year PTO Meetings at Carmel-Clay Middle Schools to solicit members of the CHS PTO.  Wendy goes to leadership meetings as well which is a good opportunity to get people involved in the PTO.  Considering a flyer to share with those PTOs from the Middle Schools.

Gradfest Update (Kimberli Boston-Smith):  Had a meeting where they were able to do some planning and has a list of people for the Team and will report back.  We are going to do a Gradfest and an AfterProm as well. 

President (Wendy Harlow):  Events Discussion.  We need to be really coordinated with events.  Homecoming does not present a conflict but with Gradfest and AfterProm we’re going to have those 2 chairs work together with those events being only a couple of weeks apart.  We’ve discussed having an Events and Fundraising Chair who can help be proactive with fundraising and a birds’ eye view of all the events so that it’s done in a more coordinated and effective way. 

Backpack Program Update (Jennifer Cassidy):  Feedback from the staff is that the clothing closet doesn’t need much, but the most popular things are Carmel gear and girls’ black leggings.  Those things go the fastest, so if you can donate either of those, please do.

President (Wendy Harlow):  Annual Breakfast Discussion.  Annual breakfast for the Staff/Volunteers and Administrators has historically been done, but it was suggested that it occur earlier in the year b/c in the past it occurred later in the year (May) when people are starting to be checked out.  Discussed moving it to September next year.  Also discussed doing two events:  one earlier in the year for meeting the Administrators and Staff and one later in the year to thank Volunteers.

For current committee Chairs:

Please let Wendy know who is on your Committee for the upcoming year and let her know your needs.  Do you need a co-Chair or addition Sub-Committee Chairs so that PTO Leadership can recruit for those as well.

Scholastic Banquet (Karen Tullai):  Date will be April 19.  The Tuesday after Spring Break.  Last year’s event was just the Seniors and their Mentors and it was more intimate than in past year.  Juniors and Sophomores were recognized but not at that event and it worked out well.  The event was less expensive than in years past, but was actually better and the students appreciated it because it was right before AP Exams and it didn’t take nearly as long as before so it was shorter and less of a financial drain on the PTO.

Associate Principal Karen McDaniel (not present – update given by Wendy Harlow):  Roundabout Update: The roundabout will begin May and conclude in August.  The School will be working with the City regarding access to and from through nearby streets.  SAT Update:  All Juniors will be on campus on March 2 to take the test, minus the essay portion.  More details will be shared in the next two weeks.  All other students will be on a virtual day.  Test will conclude at 1 PM or so, but not sure if they will do lunch and then send students home on busses, but updates will be given as soon as they know.  The March 2 SAT is being mandated by the State of Indiana, not CHS.  They are expected to give a makeup Test if a student is not there on that day.  It does not matter what you get on the SAT for graduation purposes.  You can satisfy the Graduation Pathways requirements with the SAT, but the State has not established the cut scores for the accountability score for the State.  Not sure if those will be the same.

Counseling Update:  By Melinda Stephan.  This week is Mental Wellness Week.  They have a Theme Day every day this week.  Today is Destination Day.  Will have Therapy Dogs in the school later this week.  National School Counseling Week will be an opportunity to meet Counselors in the school and discuss things.  Continue to schedule students.  Financial Aid and Scholarships are front and center right now.  They are on Naviance and Social Media.  Carmel Education Foundation is the best source of local scholarships for CHS Students.  March 15 is the Deadline for that.  New scholarship with State Bank of Indiana.  It’s an entrepreneurship scholarship.  Pitch a business idea and winner will get a $2,000 scholarship.  An email will go to Senior parents regarding what kind of scholarships they have received.  They will not list individual amounts but will announce the total scholarship funds received by CHS Students. Lots of upcoming programming in the Spring.  Finalizing financial aid for Seniors.  There will be information about what to do after FAFSA: check email and portals because that’s how schools will communicate regarding scholarships.

President (Wendy Harlow): Taste of Carmel event:  They are looking for 10 photos of things going on around CHS.  Please send to Wendy by February 10 and she will collect them for the event.

Question:  There was a typo in the Graduation Program last year regarding a Technical Honors degree and a parent wanted to know if students are required to proofread that or have a chance to do that.  Melinda Stephan answered: that document is not provided to the students but they do ask them to check the spelling of their name and also to provide pronunciation for Graduation. 

Concluded at 10:14 a.m.

January and February 2022 Minutes are posted on the Website and will be presented for approval at the March meeting.

CHS PTO Counseling Update February 1st, 2022

 ·         January 31-February 4 is Mental Wellness Week at CHS.  The theme for the week is “Just Keep Swimming” and the goal is to promote mental wellness by offering fun theme days and activities to reduce stress and promote positive coping skills. Check out the CHS Counseling Twitter feed @counselingatchs for more details!

·         February 7-11 is National School Counseling Week. The Counseling Department will be using this opportunity to share what they do at CHS with students, staff, and parents through e-mail communication and social media!

 ·         CHS Counselors are currently working with juniors and current 8^th grade students to schedule their classes for 2022-23.

o   10-12 Counselors will meet with juniors January 18 – February 15^th for individual advising meetings. Juniors received an email message on 1/11/22 from their counselor with instructions for scheduling their advising meeting. Counselors will ultimately schedule a meeting for those who don’t request one. 

o   Monday, January 10^th was Academic Transition Night for current 8^th grade students. All 8^th grade students were invited to join an 8^th Grade Transition to CHS Canvas Course which provides detailed information about the scheduling process.

Helpful Scheduling Resources for Students and Parents to Review:

·         CANVAS: A Scheduling Information Module in the CHS Counseling Canvas Course walks students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.

·         Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments.

·         Virtual Event Recording: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This is available in the Counseling Canvas course and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.

·         Important Scheduling Deadlines:

Feb. 1st           Applications are due for all courses that require an application or special approval. (A list of courses requiring applications is available in the Scheduling Information Module in Canvas.)

March 1st       Deadline to request a course change for next year before waitlists are

created.

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; and guiding students through organizational and academic concerns. 

·         AP exam registration for spring-only courses (Government, Comparative Government, and Economics) will begin in early February. AP teachers in these courses are taking students through the process of signing up for AP Classroom on the College Board website prior to exam registration. Students in these courses (and their parents) will receive information via email about exam registration in the coming weeks.

·         All CHS Juniors will take the SAT on March 2^nd as part of the State of Indiana’s new statewide testing accountability law. A message with answers to commonly asked questions about the March SAT was sent to all juniors and their parents via email on January 25^th. That document can be viewed at commonly asked questions document.

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA created by our partners at INvestEd Indiana. You can find these checklists and other resources on their website.  Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov.

 ·         Get help completing the FAFSA at the upcoming College Goal Sunday in the State of Indiana –Sunday, February 27^th at 2:00 p.m.  College Goal Sunday provides Indiana college-bound seniors and their families an opportunity to receive assistance with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Volunteers (many of whom are from college financial aid offices) will walk you through the process of completing the FAFSA and answer your questions. For further information about College Goal Sunday visit the website at www.collegegoalsunday.org.

 ·         Seniors and Senior parents are invited to attend After the FAFSA: Finalizing College Financial Aid on Thursday, March 3^rd at 6:30 p.m. in the CHS Community Room. This presentation by our partners at INvestEd Indiana will review how to understand what comes next after submitting the FAFSA, how to read financial aid notification letters and more! 

 ·         It’s scholarship season, and local scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application opened on December 17^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

 ·         Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 2, 2022.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.

·         Upcoming Spring Programing offered by the CCRC:

Please keep an eye out for information about the following upcoming programs offered by the CCRC during the spring semester.  If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Stephan, College & Career Programming and Resources Coordinator at 317-571-5922 ext. 7482 or email at mstephan@ccs.k12.in.us

o   Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Night, February 17^th 6:30-8:30 p.m.

o   Career Exploration: Self Discovery Workshops during SSRT, February 24, March 7, 11, and 15.

o   After the FAFSA: Finalizing Financial Aid, March 3^rd 6:30-8:00 p.m.

o   Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair, March 24^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

o   Juniors: Building Your College List Workshops during SSRT, April 12, 14, 18, 20.

o   Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair, April 26^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

 ·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have met with over 600 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Canvas Course to see a variety of resources

o   Make use of the CHS Virtual Mindfulness Room

o   Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o   Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411 and @counselingatchs

o   Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

 

January 4, 2022 CHS PTO Meeting

Previous meetings minutes were approved

1. 1st Nicole Harter-Bale
2. 2nd Patrice Dawson

Noted that participation was down quite a bit this month.  Possibly due to COVID and time of year. Because of this, we may delay the January meeting next year by a week and may also change the start time of PTO meetings to 10AM.  It was also discussed that we try to possibly include an evening meet time and utilize  Zoom meetings again.  We are working on the technology aspect of this proposal.

Notes from Karen McDaniel:

Obviously, a COVID surge is occurring, but will stay status quo as far as CDC recommendations. 

Roundabout at 4th and Main will commence THIS summer after school ends in May with a completion expected prior to the 2022-23 school year begins.  The City is working with CCS and the CCPL to make this as safe as possible for the high amount of pedestrians utilizing the area.

The library is expected to open in October!

SAT and juniors.....is it mandatory that ALL juniors take the SAT on March 2.  Freshman, sophomores and seniors will have an e-Learning day instead of in person.

There is a Winter Formal planned by Student Government on January 21. 

Committee Reports:

PTO President Wendy Harlow urged anyone interested in Board or Chair positions to please contact her or any other member.  We are working on filling positions for next school year.  The PTO is also in the process of creating by-laws with one being that the new leadership team is named by March of each year  Donations are wonderful and appreciated, but we can't do it without people.

It was brought up by Karen McDaniel to possibly have the PTO President position be a 2 year commitment or one year with the option of a second year.  This would help continuity of the Board and ongoing projects.

Please feel free to offer advice on any of these topics.  The PTO is listening to you.

Vice President:

VP Nicole Harter-Bale stated that the cafeterias at CHS are greatly understaffed and need more employees to safely and quickly get the students lunch. If you or anyone you know is looking for a part time job, please consider CHS.

Treasury Report:

Membership:   no updates

Hospitality:  Sincere thanks to those who donate to the Teacher Appreciation groups each month. We get great feedback from the teachers receiving them!  It's Foreign Language and the Nursing Dept. this month.  The nurses have been working exceptionally hard with our students!  Not an easy time to be a nurse.  Thank you, Nurses!!

Backpack Program:  doing great and donations are greatly appreciated.

Scholastic: no updates

After Prom:  Lisa Pelligrino is working on this and more details, etc to follow.

GradFest:  Kimberli Boston is looking for a replacement.  Please consider working on this wonderful celebration for our seniors.  She is willing to mentor and train those interested.

Counseling:  Counselors are continuing to work with students on registering for next year's classes.  The Canvas Scheduling Module is extremely useful.  Please utilize this to find out information on numerous activities happening in the counseling department. Make sure to check the deadlines for AP Test registrations. FAFSA applications need to be completed soon.    It's scholarship season and the CEF alone has over 100 scholarships available. Speaking of the CEF, their biggest fundraiser of the year is "Taste of Carmel" on March 3rd.  Please consider attending this delicious fundraiser!  Please go to TasteofCarmelIndiana.com for all the information on this wonderful event!  College and Career groups are coming back to the campus, including Military Day, Healthcare and Skilled trades.  Please check the counseling website for more information.

 

 

CHS PTO Counseling Update January 11, 2022

·         CHS Counselors are currently working with juniors and current 8^th grade students to schedule their classes for 2022-23.

o    10-12 Counselors will meet with juniors January 18 – February 15^th for individual advising meetings. Juniors received an email message on 1/11/22 from their counselor with instructions for scheduling their advising meeting. Counselors will ultimately schedule a meeting for those who don’t request one. 

o    Monday, January 10^th was Academic Transition Night for current 8^th grade students. All 8^th grade students were invited to join an 8^th Grade Transition to CHS Canvas Course which provides detailed information about the scheduling process.

Helpful Scheduling Resources for Students and Parents to Review:

·         CANVAS: A Scheduling Information Module in the CHS Counseling Canvas Course walks students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.

·         Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments. This is a great place to start to understand all of the course options available to CHS students.

·         Virtual Event Recording: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This is available in the Counseling Canvas course and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.

·         Important Scheduling Deadlines:

Feb. 1st                 Applications are due for all courses that require an application or special approval. (A list of courses requiring applications is available in the Scheduling Information Module in Canvas.)

March 1st            Deadline to request a course change for next year before waitlists are created.

 ·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; and guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

 ·         AP exam registration for spring-only courses (Government, Comparative Government, and Economics) will begin in early February. AP teachers in these courses are taking students through the process of signing up for AP Classroom on the College Board website prior to exam registration. Students in these courses (and their parents) will receive information via email about exam registration in the coming weeks.

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA created by our partners at INvestEd Indiana. You can find these checklists and other resources on their website.  Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov.

 ·         Get help completing the FAFSA at the upcoming College Goal Sunday in the State of Indiana –Sunday, February 27^th at 2:00 p.m.  College Goal Sunday provides Indiana college-bound seniors and their families an opportunity to receive assistance with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Volunteers (many of whom are from college financial aid offices) will walk you through the process of completing the FAFSA and answer your questions. For further information about College Goal Sunday visit the website at www.collegegoalsunday.org.

 ·         It’s scholarship season, and local scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application opened on December 17^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

 ·         Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 2, 2022.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.

·         Upcoming Spring Programing offered by the CCRC:

Please keep an eye out for information about the following upcoming programs offered by the CCRC during the spring semester.  If you have any questions, please contact Melinda Stephan, College & Career Programming and Resources Coordinator at 317-571-5922 ext. 7482 or email at mstephan@ccs.k12.in.us

1. o    Military Academy Day, January 28^th during SSRT.
2. o    Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Night, February 17^th 6:30-8:30 p.m.
3. o    Career Exploration: Self Discovery Workshops during SSRT, February 24, 28, March 7, 15.
4. o    After the FAFSA: Finalizing Financial Aid, March 3^rd 6:30-8:00 p.m.
5. o    Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair, March 24^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.
6. o    Juniors: Building Your College List Workshops during SSRT, April 12, 14, 18, 20.
7. o    Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair, April 26^th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

 ·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have met with over 600 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o    Visit the Counseling Canvas Course to see a variety of resources

o    Make use of the CHS Virtual Mindfulness Room

o    Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o    Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411 and @counselingatchs

o    Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

December 14, 2021 CHS PTO Meeting

9:30 AM

1. Approval for previous meeting minutes:
2. 1st  Leslie Simich
3. 2nd  Reagan Summers

No guest speakers this morning.

Update from Dr. Harmas’ office from Karen McDaniels:

Finals week is not considered “finals week” anymore and tests are no longer weighted, rather than being graded as a typical test.  This is meant to be less stressful for the students and staff.

This is meant to keep in line with how colleges are navigating their grading system. There was also a Spirit Week. with each day a different “dress up” day.  This was also meant to boost students’ spirits and lessen stress. It was noted that the teachers and staff greatly appreciate the return of the Departments of the Month treats and beverages. CHS is looking in to being mask optional next semester.  This will be monitored very closely in conjunction with COVID numbers and the Hamilton County Health Department.  

The After Prom decision is still in the discussion phase.  More details will be known in the new year.

The planned roundabout at the intersection of Main and 1st St. has been tabled temporarily by the City of Carmel until further risks and rewards are studied and discussed.  It is, however, meant to be a summer project to lessen the impact in that particular area of traffic congestion.

Due to the construction on the main offices starting shortly,  please use Door 13 to enter and exit the building starting in January.

Treasurer’s Report:

1. PTO Membership revenue year to date is $31,669.00
2. Backpack Program Donation year to date is $5,396.00
3. Backpack expenses year to date is -$1958.34

Committee Reports:

Backpack Program:

Jennifer Goodspeed reported a record-breaking year of donations.  Gift cards were and will be included in the Thanksgiving and December break backpacks.

Clothing Closet:

Thanks to Kim Cozzu and Tonya Hornsby for organizing and collecting dresses and suits to those in need for Homecoming and Prom.

Hospitality:

There has been a tremendous amount of donations each month for the Department Appreciation Month.  Due to construction in the Manin Offices, please bring your donations to the Freshman Center.

GradFest/After Prom:

Discussions are continuing with more information to follow in January.

Counseling Department:

The scheduling process for current 9th and 10th graders is nearing an end.  Current 8th and 11th grade students will complete the scheduling process after winter break.

There are several helpful resources to walk students through the information needed to select courses and prepare for their meeting with their advisor.  Please check CANVAS and the Program of Studies for more information.

CHS Social Workers are continuing to support students in a number of ways, including meeting with students in person and virtually, connecting students and their families to community resources, coordinating with the PTO sponsored BackPack Program and organizing a mentoring program for identified students.

It’s SCHOLARSHIP and COLLEGE APPLICATION TIME!  Early January is the last of the most popular college application deadlines.   Seniors MUST request transcripts and update their application submission status in their Navience account at least two weeks in advance to ensure enough time to process application materials requests.

FAFSA opened on October 1, 2021 and the deadline is April 1, 2022.  It is highly encouraged for seniors to submit a FAFSA in order to maximize their financial aid and scholarship consideration.

Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course.  Parents can join as observers once the student has joined.

Please note, due to the short month of academic days, there will be no PTO newsletter.

Happy Holidays.

 

 

CHS PTO Counseling Update December 14, 2021

CHS Counselors are nearing the end of the scheduling processes for current 9th and 10th grade students for the 2022-23 academic year. Current 8th and 11th grade students will complete the scheduling process after the winter break. The following provides an outline of the scheduling process:
Advising Meetings
o    9th Graders:  Freshmen are meeting individually with a Freshman Counselor in their English class during the month of November and December. Students are not required to schedule these appointment times.
o    10th Graders:  Sophomores were sent a link via email to schedule their individual advising meeting with their counselor. Students who did not set up an appointment were/will be automatically added to the counselor’s schedule and called down. 
o    11th Graders:  Juniors will not schedule with counselors until after Winter Break.  Counselors will email Google Calendar links to students after we return to school in January. Juniors already have access to all of the scheduling resources as well as the Online Course Request system in Power School.
o    8th Graders: Information about the 8th to 9th grade scheduling process was sent home to 8th grade parents last week. 8th grade students were invited to join a separate Canvas Course with scheduling information and resources. CHS Freshman Counselors will work with middle school counselors to help 8th grade students finalize their course requests after the winter break. 8th grade students and parents are invited to attend Academic Transition Night on Monday, January 10th from 5:30-8:30 p.m. at CHS. 
Helpful Scheduling Resources for Students and Parents to Review:
•    CANVAS: A Scheduling Information Module in the CHS Counseling Canvas Course walks students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.
•    Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments. This is a great place to start to understand all of the course options available to CHS students.
•    Virtual Event Recording: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This is available in the Counseling Canvas course and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.
•    Important Scheduling Deadlines:
Feb. 1st    Applications are due for all courses that require an application or special approval. (A list of courses requiring applications is available in the Scheduling Information Module in Canvas.)
March 1st    Deadline to request a course change for next year before waitlists are created.

•    CHS Social Workers are working to support students in a number of ways, including:
o    Meeting with students, in person and virtually, to provide social and emotional support
o    Connecting students and their families to community resources 
o    Coordinating with the PTO to provide food on the weekends for approximately 90 students through the Backpack Program. 
o    Organizing a mentoring program for identified students.  

•    Seniors should pay close attention to college application and scholarship deadlines. Early January is the last of the most popular college application deadlines. Seniors must request their transcripts and update their application submission status in their Naviance account least two weeks in advance to ensure enough time to process application materials requests. Requests for transcripts and other college application materials for deadlines that occur during the Winter Break, should have been submitted by December 3rd, as counselors will not be in the office during the break. 

•    The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1st.  The deadline to complete the FAFSA in the State of Indiana is April 15th, however some colleges require that it be submitted earlier for financial aid and scholarship consideration. We encourage ALL seniors to submit a FAFSA in order maximize their financial aid and scholarship opportunities. Parents are welcome to contact the College & Career Resource Center with questions about the FAFSA. If we can’t help, we’ll get you to someone who can! 

•    Families can get help with the FAFSA at College Goal Sunday on Sunday, February 27, 2022 from 2-4 p.m. This is a statewide FAFSA completion event held at numerous sites throughout the state, where financial aid experts will be present to assist families with completing the FAFSA. Learn more at www.collegegoalsunday.org 

•    Local and private scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application will open on December 17th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15th.  More information about CEF Scholarships will be sent to seniors and parents before we leave for winter break. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

•    Upcoming Spring Programing offered by the CCRC:
o    Military Academy Day, January 28th during SSRT. 
o    Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Night, February 17th 6:30-8:30 p.m. 
o    After the FAFSA: Finalizing Financial Aid, March 3rd 6:30-8:00 p.m. 
o    Healthcare Majors & Careers Fair, March 24th 6:00-8:00 p.m.
o    Skilled Trades Majors & Career Fair, April 26th 6:00-8:00 p.m.

•    CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have met with over 550 students/parents since the school year started! Students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form. 
 
•    Reminder: Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs. 

•    Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):
o    Visit the Counseling Department Canvas Course to access a variety of resources  
o    Follow the CHS Counseling Department on Twitter @counselingatchs
o    Like the CCRC on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”, Follow the CCRC on Twitter @CHSCollege411, or Follow the CCRC on Instagram @chscollegecareer
 

November 2021 CHS PTO Meeting

Call to order and Welcome:  9:30 a.m.

Approval of October 2021 Minutes:  Regan Summers approved and Kristen Bodey seconded. 

Administration Report:  By Karen McDaniel.  CJ Glander Assistant Principal will be coming to give an update on intruder drills.  Fire alarms happening lately because of construction on Performing Arts buildings.  They had an air handler sensor accumulate dust and that caused several fire alarms yesterday.  The students are great at clearing the building safely and do a great job.  We just finished the halfway point of the Semester.  They are not doing official grades at that point, but you can see where they stand at this point and encourage a conversation with students about progress.  Learning is a continual process and there is learning throughout the Semester.  The teachers try not to have big projects at the beginning or end of the Semester that would impact grades.  COVID numbers are down and we’ve had fewer positive cases than we did this time last year.  Many students are vaccinated.  Only students who are unvaccinated have to quarantine if a contact tracing indicates exposure.  Homecoming was very successful this year. 

Question:  How do you know if a student is vaccinated?  Karen McDaniels answered:  CHS asks the parent and does not ask for proof.

Question:  Any updates on mask mandates?  Karen McDaniels answered:  Dr. Beresford and Hamilton County Health Department are steering the discussion.  It has been proposed that if a school reaches a low number than the mask mandate is lessened.  Mask optional policy at indoor sporting events have been under discussion.  There’s a balance between mask mandates and quarantining.  Wanting to keep students in school is the goal.  Numbers of Covid cases increase after a break and we want to be careful at those times as well in order to keep students in school.  The Health Department and Governor’s Department say if you have masks in place you do not have to quarantine and we’re bound by that. 

CJ Glanders:  Assistant Principal overseeing safety.  One challenge is communication and making sure that all are on the same page in such a large facility that is undergoing construction.  Every few weeks he meets with team members and SROs to address concerns and issues and communicates with the Admin Team.  There will be a live Intruder Lockdown Drill on November 19.  They work from a script and talk to students about what they would do if an intruder was in different parts of the building.  No intruder has entered a classroom that is dark and where they can’t see students.  Turning off lights and getting out of the line of sight is one major tactic.  They determine where they can get large groups of students into a place of safety and practice during the Drill.

Question:  Is the glass at Reception protected from firearms?  Karen McDaniels & CG Glanders answered:  They are renovating the Main Office and other points of entry to protect them against firearms or other projectiles.  There are currently several layers of doors that require someone being buzzed into the building.

Question:  One student says she was in the restroom and didn’t know where to go and she couldn’t find a door going out that was unlocked.  Karen McDaniels:  Just find the nearest exit. There are always open doors nearby every hallway.

Winners of PTO Member Drawing (President Wendy Harlow):  Nicole Detrick and Cynthia Baldoff.  Each won a $25 Convivio Giftcard.  We will do this each month.  We have a supply of giftcards for this purpose but we also take donations of cards to give out to Staff and Adminstrators.

Greyhound Gazette and Monthly PTO President’s Update:  If you have any material or content for either of these, please send to us.

Treasurer Update:  Have exceeded $11,000 in Membership Fees.  Many people have opted to give more than the $25 which is covering those who did not pay a fee.  We have also received many donations to the Backpack Program.  Treasurer Update will be on the PTO Website.

Membership (Kristin Bodey):  Wanted to mention that no one ever claims the Student Parking Pass, so if you are notified about this, definitely claim it!

Backpack Program (Jennifer):  Nothing to Update.

Scholastic Banquet (Karen Tullai):  Would love to have Volunteers.  The ceremony is for students who are in the top 3% in terms of GPA.  It used to be fairly elaborate at the Ritz Carlton.  Last year they celebrated with just Seniors due to Covid and students selected a mentor that had really helped them.  It was much more intimate and rewarding because it was a celebration of four years of hard work and recognizing the people who helped the students achieve what they did.  April 19 at 7 PM this year at the High School.  Sophomores and Juniors will also be recognized.  Last year they gave plaques and yard signs which were very well received.  They do need volunteers to drive around and deliver the signs and also to set up tables during the event, so let us know.

Social Media (Lisa):  No updates.

Hospitality (Regan Summers):  Continuing Monthly Teacher Treats.  For November we are celebration Administrators, Assistants and Performing Arts Teachers.  We have had a great response to this program and it’s been very well received.

Gradfest (Karen McDaniel):  Had a great opportunity for collaboration to do PromFest (Prom and Gradfest).  Homecoming was an amazing night.  Graduation is offsite at the Pepsi Coloseum.  Everyone is dressed up and family comes in from out of town.  Gradfest was a chance for Seniors to have something safe to do that night.  Then there was Prom and AfterProm (not very well attended).  Graduation is usually a family event.  At AfterProm there is an opportunity for teenagers to be with teenagers at Woodland Bowl and have Pizza and bowl.  2,000 to 3,000 attend Prom and only 200 to 300 that go to AfterProm.  The idea is to increase AfterProm with more student participation.  Prom is at 502 East Center which is close to school.  Plans are being discussed to collaborate on this event.  If we could do an event for Juniors and Seniors, we could increase donations and participation.  Students could go to AfterProm even if they don’t attend Prom.

Question:  Some members of the GradFest Committee are not in favor of combining events and have concerns about combining a Senior event with other events. (Wendy Harlow):  The Question is how do we make this really special for Seniors but there are staffing and logistical issues with GradFest and a desire to make the event better for all.  (Karen McDaniel):  We create a special atmosphere for our Seniors at that event for the Seniors at Graduation.  It’s their thing and it’s special.  We celebrate our Seniors at that event for them. (Wendy Harlow):  It has been difficult to get parent volunteers for GradFest b/c it’s only Seniors and they are leaving the school and our hope is to make it even better for Seniors.  (Karen McDaniel):  The decision is not final and we are evolving and still talking about it but we need to listen to our students.  We want things to be collaborative and have more people involved and helping.  Traditions are important and we respect that, but we can’t hold onto things because they are important to parents and not evolve based on the needs of students.  Continuing input from parents on the pros and cons of combining events.  (Wendy Harlow):  The objectives are to have Staff involved to help and support b/c they can’t do that on Graduation night and to allow for family events on the night of Graduation, to help the parents organize the event b/c they will have more help if it’s Juniors and Seniors and b/c there are liability issues with having students who have graduated on campus for a Seniors only event. (Karen McDaniel):  Can we reimagine and be creative about this for oud kids and not hold onto what we want.  We have an opportunity because of Covid to do things differently this year. We can make Seniors feel special even if it is not on Graduation night.

Wendy (President):  We will have an interest meeting to further discuss the potential changes to GradFest and AfterProm to solicit parent and student input.

Counseling Update:  Will be posted on the website under the Meeting Notes.  Jumping into scheduling for Fall schoolyear.  If you are a Freshman, your student doesn’t need to do anything to pick an appointment with counselor but they do need to prepare for that meeting.  Check your email.  10^th and 11^th grade parents, students received an email from their counselor to set up an appointment.  Please make sure students did that.  Zoom meetings took place on Friday with 9^th, 10^th and 11^th grade students.  There is a lot of information about course selection and it’s hard to do one student at a time.  Before Counselor appointment please do some research and find out what you need to know ahead of time.  November 1 was the College Application deadline for many students.  It takes time for Counselors to process requests so if they have January 1 deadlines, they need to have those to the school and teachers prior to Winter Break.  If you need a transcript, they need to ask before Winter Break.  Once applications are done, you need to apply for Scholarships and Financial Aid.  There is a FAFSA completion event this Thursday and they will help you with that process. There is also an event on Sunday called College Bowl.

Next PTO meeting is December 7.  Meeting Adjourned at 11:00 a.m.

CHS PTO Counseling Update November 2, 2021

·         CHS Counselors have begun to communicate with students in grades 9, 10, and 11 about scheduling processes for the 2022-23 academic year. The following information was sent home to parents via email on 10/29/2021.

We will soon begin individual advising meetings with students to schedule courses for the 2022-23 academic year.  In preparation for these meetings, CHS School Counselors hosted an introductory Zoom meeting on 10/29 during SSRT covering our Scheduling Information Module posted in the Counseling Canvas course. This Scheduling Information Module will provide students the general resources and information needed to select their 2022-23 courses.  We would like to share some of these details that we hope you and your student will review together in order to learn more about curricular opportunities available at CHS and maximize the advising meeting time with CHS counselors

Advising Meetings

o   9th Graders:
Freshmen will meet individually with a Freshman Counselor in their English class during the month of November. Students are not required to schedule these appointment times.

o   10th Graders:
Sophomores will need to schedule their individual advising meeting with their counselor.  Each counselor has emailed their students with a link to set up this meeting through Google Calendar.  Please encourage your student to complete this step in the scheduling process no later than November 7th.

o   11th Graders:
Juniors will not schedule with counselors until after Winter Break.  Counselors will email Google Calendar links to students after we return to school in January. 

Helpful Resources for Students and Parents to Review:

·         CANVAS: A Scheduling Information Module went live on Oct. 28^th in the CHS Counseling Canvas Course. This module will walk students through all the information needed to select their courses and prepare for their advising meeting. All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Canvas course, and parents may view it as observers.

·         SSRT Zoom: On November 4^th, counselors will have another Zoom meeting with students, allowing them to ask questions about courses and to assist them in entering courses into the Online Course Request system. 

·         Program of Studies: The Carmel High School Program of Studies provides course descriptions for all CHS Departments. This is a great place to start to understand all of the course options available to CHS students.  The Program of Studies for the upcoming year will be posted at the end of October.

·         Virtual Event: Learn about Indiana graduation requirements as well as the wide variety of programs available at CHS by viewing our “Exploring Graduation Pathways and Other Programs at CHS” virtual resource.  This was made available in the Counseling Canvas course on Oct. 26^th and includes short informational videos on topics such as Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), Career & Technical Education (CTE) options, AVID, and more.

·         Scheduling Timeline: Review the Course Scheduling Timeline below to understand deadlines and student responsibilities for course selection.

Oct. 26th              “Exploring Graduation Pathways and other Programs at CHS” (Grad Pathways, CTE, AP, IB and AVID) virtual resource goes live in the Counseling Canvas Course.

Oct. 28th              Scheduling Information Module is posted in Counseling Canvas Course.

Oct. 29th              SSRT Zoom Scheduling Presentations for students in grades 9, 10, and 11.

Oct. 29th              Online Course Request (OCR) system in PowerSchool opens for students in grades 9, 10, and 11 to enter their course requests.

Nov. 4th               SSRT Zoom Presentation to assist students with entering courses in the OCR

Nov. 7th               OCR closes for students in grades 9 and 10.  9th and 10th grade students need to have their 2022-23 course selections entered by this date.

Nov. 8-Dec. 6     CHS Counselors hold individual advising meetings with students in grades 9 and 10 to review course selections.

Jan. 17th              OCR closes for students in grade 11.  11th grade students should have their course selections entered by this date.

Jan. 18-Feb. 15  CHS Counselors hold individual advising appointments with 11th grade students to review course selection.

Feb. 1st                Applications are due for all courses that require an application or special approval. (A list of courses requiring applications will be available in the Scheduling Information Module in Canvas.)

March 1st            Deadline to request a course change for next year before waitlists are created.

 

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students in a number of ways, including:

o   Meeting with students, in person and virtually, to provide social and emotional support

o   Connecting students and their families to community resources

o   Coordinating with the PTO to provide food on the weekends for approximately 90 students through the Backpack Program.

o   Organizing a mentoring program for identified students. 

 ·         Seniors should pay close attention to college application deadlines, especially those that must be met for full scholarship consideration from the schools to which they are applying. December 1^st, and January 1^st are the upcoming popular deadlines. Seniors must use their Naviance Student account to request their transcripts and update their application submission status. Counselors ask for at least two weeks to process application materials requests.  All deadlines will be met by counselors. Requests for transcripts and other college application materials for deadlines that occur during the Winter Break, must be submitted no later than December 3^rd. 

 ·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  The deadline to complete the FAFSA in the State of Indiana is April 15^th, however some colleges require that it be submitted earlier for financial aid and scholarship consideration. CHS Seniors and parents received an email (10/4) with FAFSA information and details about upcoming events to help with the process.

 ·         CHS will offer a FAFSA completion event on Thursday, November 4th from 4:30-7:00 p.m. in the CHS Media Center. CHS seniors and their parents can get help completing the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA)…no matter where they are in the process. Our partners from INvestEd www.investedindiana.org will be available to help families navigate the FAFSA process. This is a first-come-first-served event, and families can come when it is most convenient for their schedules.

 ·         Families can also get help with the FAFSA at College Goal Sunday on Sunday, November 7^th from 2-4 p.m. This is a statewide FAFSA completion event held at numerous sites throughout the state, where financial aid experts will be present to assist families with completing the FAFSA. Learn more at www.collegegoalsunday.org

 ·         Local and private scholarship information will begin to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application will open on December 17^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 15^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

·         CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, are busy meeting with students and families who want assistance with the college search and career exploration process. Collectively, we have meet with over 400 students/parents since the school year started! Priority is currently given to seniors requesting appointments, but students in all grade levels are welcome to make an appointment. College Advisors are in the office on both Blue and Gold days.  Students can request an appointment by completing an online request using the QR code below. Students can request that parents join these appointments when completing the request form.

·         Reminder: Be sure to join the Counseling Department Canvas course! All CHS students have been invited to join the Counseling Department Canvas course, and once students accept the invitation, parents can join as observers. The Canvas course includes resources and information aimed at supporting our students’ academic, social-emotional, and career development needs.

 ·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Department Canvas Course to access a variety of resources 

o   Follow the CHS Counseling Department on Twitter @counselingatchs

o   Like the CCRC on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”, Follow the CCRC on Twitter @CHSCollege411, or Follow the CCRC on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

October 2021 CHS PTO Meeting

Call to order and Welcome:  9:35 a.m.

Approval of May 2021 Minutes:  Nicole Harter-Bale approved and Regan Summers seconded. 

Administration Report:  By Karen McDaniel. There is a trend on Tik Tok challenging students to do various devious acts.  In September it had to do with destruction in the restrooms.  In October it is attempting to hit a teacher or administrator on the backside.  Best to remind all student and have them remind their friends this is against the law and a bad idea.  Homecoming went great this year.  No incidents and everyone had a great time.  PSAT is on October 26.  End of grading period is October 13.  No report cards will be sent, but this is a chance to check your progress and see where they are.  Athletic departments will look at those grades to make sure that those with requirements are meeting the standard.

Counseling Update:  Will be posted on the website under the Meeting Notes.

Construction and Parking Update:  By Toby Steele.   Custodial Staff really appreciated the gifts and kind words of support last week after they had to deal with the bathroom destruction situation.  The footprint of the Performing Arts Center is being expanded towards Main Street.  It will be done in 3 phases.  The demo of Phase 1 is concluding.  Working on new HVAC etc.  The new building will extend towards East Drive and Main Street.  New seating, new lights, new acoustical, new cover over orchestra pit.  Lots of new space for costume storage, piano practice rooms, film area with green screen, natural lighting in orchestra areas.

President Report:  By Wendy Harlow.  There was over $1,200 donated to thank the Custodial Staff and they were very grateful for the support and recognition.  Next month we are going to increase PTO registration.  Payment is not required, but you still have to register.  Prizes will be given for those who are newly signed up and also those who have previously registered.

Vice President Report:  By Nicole Harter-Bale.  Take a look at the Newsletter issued by the PTO.  It is full of helpful information and valuable news.  If you’d like to share something for inclusion in the Newsletter send it to us.

Treasurer’s Report:  By Wendy Harlow.  Homecoming raised a lot of money this year.  $31,669 came in and spent about $7,100 or so.  Backpack is busily raising money too, and grateful for donations.

Homecoming:  Jennifer Goodspeed:  Very successful event.  Students from all grades attended, including Juniors and Seniors.  Around 2,000 students attended the Dance.  Even parents whose children didn’t attend can still volunteer and still had a great time.  The kids were all very well behaved and no incidents.

Backpack Program:  By Jennifer Cassady:  Served 22 students this year to provide Homecoming outfits for those who had a need.  Serving a lower number of students this year than previously, so spread the word and let students know that they can go to their social worker and get started with the program.  They will get a backpack of food each week with food and snacks for the week.  They do a birthday bag for birthdays with cake mix, icing and candles.  Also providing toiletry bags for students.  Taking special requests if people need something like socks, pencils and even facemasks and hand sanitizers.  Have also been working on the clothing side as well, for prom and homecoming but also regular clothing side of it.  Record number of volunteers and generous donations as well.  PTO Website has information about how to donate and where.

Hospitality Chair:  Regan Summers:  Custodial staff really appreciated the gift cards, cake, etc.  September Teacher treats were very much appreciated.  In October, they are seeking donations from October 21 and 22 to thank police and math staff.

Membership:  By Kristin Bodey.  We have 414 new members sign up this year.  We still have a large number of others who are still getting PTO information but we are pushing for those to actually register in order to continue receiving information.  We are considering a “New Families” event for those who are new to the City and new to the school.  We are considering a once a semester event to thank, welcome and acclimate new families to CHS who are also new to the area.

Question (Do we have cell numbers for parents who are getting PTO and volunteer emails because we may get a better response from texts). Wendy Harlow answered.  We will look into this.

Question (Is there a place to find out whether we’ve registered for this year?)  Wendy Harlow answered.  Email us to be sure.

Wendy (President):  There are volunteer opportunities on the PTO website that are updated regularly.  You can find current opportunities and sign up on the signup Genius link for whatever you are able to do.

Kimberli Boston-Smith (GradFest):  Working on Senior Celebration for the end of this year.  Email us and she is seeking volunteers to help the Committee with planning.

Next PTO meeting is November 2.  Meeting Adjourned at 10:27 a.m.

 

 

 

September 2021 CHS PTO Meeting

Call to order and Welcome:  9:30 a.m.

Approval of May 2021 Minutes:  Kristin Bodey approved and Lori Pasheilich seconded. 

Counseling Update:  By Melinda Stephan.    College and career program coordinator and liaison for Counseling Department.  Counselor-class introductions took place at start of the year.  Discussed how to be successful this year as a freshman, sophomore, etc.  Auditorium under construction, but videos were sent home.  Please watch those at home.  10 through 12 grades are meeting with counselors this year.  They start with seniors to make sure they’ve done everything they need to graduate.  They discuss post-high school plans and determine next steps.  Those meetings started this week.  Freshman counselors work with the Freshman Center and over the course of 9 days introduce key concepts for being successful in high school and are working to get to know their students and understand what counselors do in the system in the building.  Social workers are working really hard, coming back after this last year is a challenge to get back into the new routine.  Also working with the School District on a Whole Child and Wellness Fair on September 23.  Created a virtual mindfulness room with activities for students to have stress release.  They want to make sure that parents know how their students can connect with their counselors.  They have a QR Code they can click on to set up a meeting with their counselor.  They don’t have to come down to the office in person to set it up.  Also need to highlight the Canvas Course.  Every student in CHS is invited to the Canvas Course and the information in that Course is vast.  How students understand how to schedule for the following career.  College resources and resources from our social workers.  It’s a lot of information so you need to spend time going through each section.  Social media resources push a lot of information out.  There is information on the website for basic contact information.  There is a Counseling social media account as well.  September is Suicide Awareness Month and information about that is being posted and circulated.  There is also information about Part Time Jobs (many jobs available right now).  There is a running job list in the Counseling Canvas Course that is called “Opportunities.”  Wide variety of jobs available.  Naviance Student is an electronic platform for college and career readiness.  6^th Year of using this platform.  Students and parents need to be aware of this tool.  It’s not just for seniors but can be used as early as Freshman year.  Once a week in SSRT they do some videos highlighting the different parts of Naviance for students to use.  There are some self-assessment tools that are new.  They have 7 career inventories, including a personality assessment, a multiple intelligence assessment, etc.  Each takes no more than 15 minutes to do.  One of the most frequent messages she gets is that students want to go to college but no idea what they want to do.  It’s helpful to understand yourself first before you figure out what you want to do in the world.  Ask your students about Naviance and what they think about these assessments.  They can log into the CCS Student Portal w/out any separate log in or separate password.  It’s very easy to access.  For seniors, there is a lot of information going out about college application processes.  They sent home a video about college applications and counselors are meeting with students one on one to discuss plans.  Offering college application and essay help during the week.  These are not a presentation, but they are come with your questions and essays and they will help students where they are.  They limit it to 8 to 10 students per session so sign up early.  They are full through October right now.  If you have free time during another part of the day other than SSRT, please call the Counseling Office and they will try to fit students in.  This Tuesday, there is a College Information Night.  College reps, Financial Aid Info.  Will be in the Freshman Center Cafeteria and then follow with Break Out Sessions.  College Admissions Reps are coming to the school.  Students can sign up for those.  Those are open to students in all grades.  Federal Student Aid Application is available October 1.  All families should complete the FAFSA whether you think you will qualify for aid or not.  It is necessary to be qualified for low interest loans.  Fill it out even if you think you will not borrow.  But if you don’t fill out the FAFSA you are not eligible for the loans.  So do it, just in case you need it.  Also, there are some scholarships that pop up and are eligible only to students who have filled out the FAFSA.  There is CHS assistance for filling out the FAFSA.  There will be an event in November where there will be help to fill out that Form from financial experts.  If you have questions about financial aid, you can email Melinda and she can send you to resources and get you help. There will be information coming out in the coming weeks about AP Exam processes.  There is a new timeline for registering for those exams.  The deadline is in the Fall, not in the Spring.  If you miss the deadline your student will not be able to take the exam.  The two College and Career Advisors, Ann Bolt and Harry Pettibone are the ones who do most of the individual meetings.  Melinda does more of the big picture planning.  If your student needs help, please have them sign up for a meeting and parents can join them too.  Melinda can be found on the Counseling website under Student Services.

Question (a student’s teacher is mandating meeting during SSRT, how should they navigate that and not miss important information being given in SSRT):  Melinda Stephan answered > the sessions that are happening with information about Naviance are happening during the first 30 meetings of SSRT, so that student will not miss anything.  The presentations are happening at the start of the meeting before students are released.

Question (what is a release period):  Melinda Stephan answered > This is the Senior transition to College Program.  STCP.  They have to be on track for academic or technical honors.  They have to take certain rigorous courses which is not a full schedule.  The reason for it was to make sure that seniors were maintaining a rigorous schedule rather than coasting in their senior year and they are better off challenging themselves as a senior.  The program was meant to continue the academic rigor but give them some time back.  Some students only have 4 classes but release period is when they are finished for the day.  They can do what they want with that time.  Generally students will go to the media center or the coffee shop down the street if their release period is between classes.  It gives them a taste of what college is like, managing their own time and managing space between classes.  If they finish early, they sometimes do an internship for a career interest that they may have.  Participation is down in STCP this year likely b/c many students who missed time during the pandemic really want to be back here on campus this year.

Question (Are the numbers of college visits this year the same as previous year)?  Melinda Stephan answered:  Normally get about 100 every Fall and seem to be on track for that.  There will also be some virtual opportunities.

Question (Are the colleges coming to CHS mostly regional)?  Melinda Stephan answered:  there are some from Texas, but they don’t get many from the coasts.

Administration Report:  By Karen McDaniel.  I am the Associate Principal.  I will give each month the scoop on things you should know.  My goal this year is to bring a different Assistant Principal in.  We are a building of 6,000 and there are 11 Assistant Principals.  My goal is to bring someone in to give you first hand knowledge of what’s going on.  You may see us at games, etc. but I want Brittany Wiseman to talk about Student Services. She oversees clubs and student activities and the school has so many offerings, over 150, which is to find a family or niche for every student. 

Brittany Wiseman (Assistant Principal):  She works with student organizations.  Two different types of groups:  school sponsored clubs.  Sponsor is a faculty member and help lead those meetings.  They may teach a skill or it may be competition based.  This would be like Debate, Model UN, etc.  They are co-curricular. Then there are student interest clubs.  It is student run but there is a teacher volunteer who sponsors the club as a supervisor to make sure that everyone is safe and engaged.  The students are in charge of those clubs.  All of the clubs are listed online and they are working on categorizing them into groupings to assist students in determining which ones to join.  Most of the student run clubs have a social media aspect when their meetings are and what their activities are.  Go to Carmel High School, Student Life, Clubs.  The Freshman just had an activities event where they had a chance to look at all the available clubs and get information about them.  Homecoming is coming up.  There will be a Clubs Booth at Homecoming so students can get information about how to get involved.

Karen McDaniel final comments:  Welcome Week was a new process this year in order to welcome people back after a hybrid year.  A week of registration, Senior Fest, activities for students and parents, workshops about safety and about how to do well in school.  5350 is our current student enrollment.  She would love to hear thoughts on how Welcome Week went.  How it could be improved.  They will probably not have Senior Fest again, as it was mostly for students coming back who lost their in person year as Juniors.  They will do something else special for Seniors next year.  The Performing Arts Center is on track with the remodel.  Due to construction, they had to move pick up lines because of bus lines not being able to pick up in the usual way.  Parent pick up is not ideal, but the busses are rolling out at 4:20 so put your kids on the bus.  The changes were also put into place because the City and Police Department asked us to make a change because of traffic backups on Main and Keystone.  If your student has a temporary physical challenge like a broken leg or crutches or if you have a longer term physical challenge, you can get a special pass to pick up your child at Door #4.  If you are parking in the area, do not park in one of the neighborhoods nearby.  The police are going to start ticketing people who are blocking driveways, etc.  If you want to pick your child up, at 4:30 the school is a ghost town.  You can have your child do some homework and wait for you.  If you are coming as a parent to participate in a school activity, you can park in visitor spots or park in any of the lots.  If you want to prearrange a pick-up before the end of the school day, you must pick up your child by no later than 3:45.  After that, you cannot pull in because the busses have priority.  The busses are on time now, and they are the best way for your child to get home.

Question (I have a senior and a sophomore).  When the senior is in sports, the sophomore has no ride.  Karen McDaniel Answered:  You can ride the bus only occasionally, or part time.  There are bus maps everywhere.  You can ride the bus as much or as little as you want.  @CarmelHighSchoolOfficial is our Instagram account.  Please follow us and have your student follow us.

Question (what happens if someone is not wearing a mask).  Karen McDaniel Answered:  It is required to wear a mask, a shield or a gator.  Our students are very compliant.  This is what is keeping us in school and we are reminding students of that.  We are following the rules of the Governor and Health Department.

Question (how to sign up to work in the library).  Email Terry Ramos or Karen McDaniel and they will help you.

President Report:  By Wendy Harlow.  We will occasionally have Guest Speakers so please let us know if you have a topic you’d like addressed.  We’re going to keep these meetings to 1 hour so we’re going to try to get to our Committee Updates and if you have any specific questions we can address those after.

Treasurer Report:  By Lin Wu.  We have additional donations and memberships this year and additional revenue.  Also Backpack Program donations are up.

Question (how has our revenue changed since we don’t have required membership fees).  Wendy Harlow:  we give people an option to pay the $25 membership fee and an additional donation to cover those who did not pay.  Those who are bridging the gap are more than making up the different for those who didn’t pay.  But we didn’t want to make money a barrier to membership.

Membership:  By Kristin Bodey.  Basically, we’re trying to rebuild our membership and get more people involved.  We want to get the word out about what PTO does.  We have 398 active members.  We went paperless this year which most people enjoyed.  We have used the QR code which we splashed everywhere and pulled in some more people from our Current in Carmel ad.  We are planning on sending out an email for the first couple of months to everyone who subscribed, but after that it will only go to those who have registered for this year.  You need to re-register every year for PTO.

Backpack Program:  By Jennifer Cassady:  The program sends bags of food home on the weekends to students who have nutritional needs.  We resumed packing on Fridays.  We’re going to do our 4^th pack this week.   Our numbers are actually lower this year.  Social workers identify students who need this service and they are reaching out to do that.  We have a record number of volunteers offering to help this year.  They pack food, do food drives, support us financially and drop off food or gift cards.  You can find out more on the PTO Website about how to participate.  Grateful for the help so far.  Setting up a Homecoming Closet which is for students who need dresses or suits for homecoming.  Still need dresses in Size 7 and up.  If you have anything you can drop off in good condition at Door 13 during the school day.

Homecoming:  Jennifer Goodspeed:  Need volunteers.  Everyone is invited to Homecoming but it was traditionally more of a Freshman and Sophomore thing, but this year Juniors and Seniors are taking an interest b/c they didn’t have their dances or events due to Covid.  They are expecting more than the 1200 to 1500 students and thinking it will be 2000 students.  If your child is concerned about your being there b/c they don’t want to see you, don’t worry.  They won’t see you.  Also, parents are not allowed on the dance floor. The Dance is in the Fieldhouse.  There will be pingpong, cornhole, basketball, etc.  It’s not just a Dance.  Sign up Genius will be coming out for Ticket purchase which is ONLY during the week of Homecoming.  Students will need a physical ticket and a CHS ID.  They cannot bring a student from any other school.  Also, there will be a signup for parent volunteers.  Tickets are $15, $10 for Seniors and $20 at the door.  Saturday September 25 is the Dance.  Email Jennifer if you want to volunteer.

Hospitality Chair:  Regan Summers:  Hospitality plans to highlight different departments every month as a way to recognize them and provide snacks and treats.  Due to Covid they want the donations to be store bought.  We will be celebrating Math and Business Departments this month.  Emails will go out to invite you to donate and information will also be on the PTO Website.  Donations will be accepted at the end of each month.

Wendy (President):  PTO Newsletter will be coming out next week.  Plenty of places on the website to contact people with questions.  If you are not sure if you are registered for PTO this year there will be a link to register.  Please consider either paying for membership or doing that for someone else or make a donation to the Backpack Program.  We are completely funded by donations.  Next meeting is October 5.  We’ll be back to Tuesdays.  The first Tuesday of every month.

Meeting Adjourned at 10:55 a.m.

April 13, 2021 CHS PTO Zoom Meeting – Meeting Commenced at 9:05 a.m.

Heather Cassady (President):  Discussed budget issues from last meeting.  There will be a communication sent around that will allow people to donate more than the $25 membership fee in order to raise funds for the PTO.

Approval of Minutes from March 2021 Meeting:  Patricia Edwards made Motion; seconded by Jennifer Goodwin.

Administration Report from Karen McDaniel:   Next year we’ll be back in full time mode.  Continuing to plan ahead with the Administration Team for a Back To School Transition week.  Looking into ways to make people feel more comfortable coming back into the building.  Will be a big year for incoming seniors.  They will have some leadership and teambuilding activities for the seniors.  Also, opening up the campus to all returning students to walk their classes and find their lockers.  But want to do even more and will have activities all day that Back To School week.  Would like to engage the entire school community, including parents and will have activities in the evenings with topics that will be helpful to parents.  Will have a Job Fair as well this year, including a wide variety of potential employers.  This will occur the last week of April and early May.   There will be promotions and information about the employers who will come to campus. 

Graduation:  There will be 4 tickets per graduate for family members to attend.  There will be 4 ceremonies at the Fairgrounds.  Monte Carlo nights will combine Prom and Gradfest and it will be elaborate and wonderful and lots of fun.  Dance Marathon is on for May 15. 

Performing Arts renovation will begin in June and will go through 2022 and be done in stages.  Orchestra, band, theatre, choir, auditorium. 

We are trying to find out who started the CHS Instagram account so that we can use it to distribute helpful information.

(Treasury Report) (Lin Wu is out so Heather Cassady reviewed):  No major expenses coming up and we have a plan in place to deal with the shortfall in income.

Melinda Stephan:  Counseling update.  Job opportunities for students are being posted on social media and they will also start posting them on Naviance in the Fall.  May 1 is the next deadline for changes to courses for next year.   There will be some limited Summer classes.  Students can retake courses to improve a grade.  They can take a Math class to get back on track.  There is a College prep class as well.

AP Exams will be taking place May 3 through May 24.  Emails were sent out with the schedule to registered students.  Students need to be at school around 7:30 on those days because the AP Exams start at 8:00 a.m.  Students can decide by April 29 if they want to cancel an AP Exam and get a full refund.  Check your student’s email for important notices and make sure they are checking it.

Students need to request a Final Transcript to be sent to the college they will attend.  They can do that in Naviance.  There is a video presentation on understanding the college application process.  There will be in-person college application and essay help sessions.  Sign up for those in August and throughout the Fall semester.

Question:  How many graduation tickets will be given?  4 tickets per senior (not 4 per family).

Question:  What is Instagram account?  @carmelhighschoolindiana.

Backpack Program Update (Darlene Mundy):  Need someone to head up clothing closet next year.  Expect to have great need next year for families who have challenges with jobs, etc.  Expecting to have usual revenue at the start of the year.  Will be moving to a separate bank account for Backpack Program next year which will make it more clear for budgeting.  Have had a few financial donors which helped with gift cards for families over Spring Break.  Prom closet could use dresses in excellent condition (clean and ready to go) in Size 15 and up.  You can Donate at the Freshman Center Office.  This Summer hoping to give another gift card (Meijer or Kroger) to help families.  You can drop off gift cards to the Freshman Center ($10 is the easiest for them to work with, but any amount is fine) or donate on the PTO website.

Vice President Report (Wendy Harlow):  We are working on details and how to distribute but St. Vincent’s has agreed to give a free Prom Outfit for anyone who needs one.

Gradfest (Kimberli Boston-Smith):  She will return to this position next year.  Have sold 200 yard signs.  Best way to get information is from the CHS or PTO Website.  See www.carmelgradfest.net.

Green Team (Tara Ascioti not here, Heather Cassady provided):  Tara will not be continuing next year, so we are looking for someone to head up this Committee.  The time commitment is not large.  Locker cleanout at the end of the year.  Light recycling once during the year.  Are expecting locker cleanout to be done in May.  Inviting parent volunteers which would be a good time learn more about Green Team.

Hospitality (Lori Pashelich):   Cannot do the usual buffet for Teacher Appreciation Week, but looking into other options for that.

Membership (Heather Cassady provided):  Kristin Bodey will continue in this role next year.  We intend to partner more closely with Middle Schools in order to proactively encourage membership.

Scholastic Banquet (Heather Cassady provided):  Planning is underway.  Karen Tullai will continue in this role next year. 

Social Media (Kris Wheeler):  Would appreciate any content being provided to her and she will include:  flyers, information about events, etc. at carmelgradfest.net

Tuesday May 4 is the last PTO meeting for the year.  Please encourage anyone you know to join us for those meetings, including any parents w/ incoming students for next year.

Concluded at 10:15 a.m.

 

*Video Link appears at the bottom of the Minutes.

March 2, 2021 CHS PTO Zoom Meeting – Meeting Commenced at 9:07 a.m.

Approval of Minutes from February 2021 Meeting:  Kristin Bodey made Motion; seconded by Camille Nicodemus.

Administration Report from Karen McDaniel:  ISTEP was a great experience for the Juniors.  The only people in the school were Juniors and Staff.  Was a very positive atmosphere and energy throughout the school.  Many of them hadn’t seen other students since March and were vey happy to be there.  The kids are also doing a great job with wearing masks and keeping social distancing.  Planning a very traditional school year for next year.  Looking forward to kids being able to spend time on campus and it’s obviously very valuable.  This year taught us that being more intentional is important in planning next year.  Seniors will have left the building as Sophomores and return as graduating Seniors. 

They will be putting out on March 17 an announcement regarding Prom and Graduation events and celebrations. 

Roundabout:  Recently had a meeting with the City planners and school officials.  Tentatively, the plan is to complete the roundabout in Summer 2022.  They will begin construction after school gets out and finish before school opens in the Fall.  Plan is for two lanes; center median w/ landscaping.  CHS expressed concerns about safety first w/ the roundabout.  The Library anticipates opening in the Fall of 2022 as well.  Raised, lighted sidewalks will be installed.  Wider sidewalks leading up to the roundabout to aid in student crossing.  May have a stoplight during crowded parts of the day.

Working on looking at grades in the end of March so that parents and students can assess where they are and finish up the semester where they need to be.  There will not be quarter grades going forward when we go back to school. 

Student driving should be unaffected by the Roundabout as they come up through Smokey Row.  Performing Arts department will be under improvement this Summer as well, so everyone will be getting used to construction over the Summer in the approaches to the school.

Vice President Report:  The PTO Newsletter welcomes content from anyone.  The Deadline for articles is March 30, so please put that on your calendar if you are a regular contributor and send in anything you’d like to submit.  This will be the last newsletter of the year.  We are seeking input into the PTO for next year.  Ways to improve it, or questions, or any volunteers for leadership positions, committee memberships or just to lend a hand.   You can reach Wendy at chsptovicepresident@gmail.com

Lin Wu (Treasury Report):  This month we received a large Backpack donation and $60 for Membership fees.

Melinda Stephan:  Counseling update.  Monday was deadline for course changes.  Additional requests can be made but will be in a holding pattern.  Deadline to register for Spring AP Course exams is now closed.  If your student did not get registered for the Exam, they can be placed on a wait list if someone else has cancelled their exam.  Not as much flexibility as in the past.  Counselors are working very hard to help the students and families.  They are here to help you all.  We kicked off the Virtual College and Planning week.  No in person event, but it’s all information available virtually.  Breakout sessions were pre-recorded, including information about Admissions, Naviance Information and College Admissions Testing.  There is a Q&A Session on Thursday where you can register and ask questions and they will be answered.  Some colleges are opening up for more in person visits.  They are limited but you can sign up for them.   Working on College Application Boot Camp.  There was a virtual one last year that can be introduced again this year, but may be able to do some in person help session days in August.  There is a statewide virtual event for help with FAFSA and scholarship information.  Carmel Education Foundation Scholarship Application deadline is coming up on March 19.  Let the school know about any scholarship awards so the school can share the information.  AP College Board is taking some time in determining how AP Exams will be handled, but as soon as we have the information, we’ll share that with families.  See the Counseling Update below on this webpage for additional information and details.

Backpack Program Update (Darlene Mundy):  Huge thank you to staff and students for the Food Drive.  There was great involvement and food donations.  Great support through some PayPal Donations.  Planning ahead for next year, especially with volunteers.  Looking for additional volunteers.  Prom planning:  working on putting together prom closet.  They are doing well with dresses, except for size 16 and up.  So if you have any to donate, please bring those in.  Also, any jewelry, handbags, and accessories for men.  They send gift cards home over Spring Break for families in need and will be putting out a call for Grocery Store gift cards (Kroger or Meijer). 

Tuesday April 13 and Tuesday May 4 are the next upcoming PTO meetings.  Please encourage anyone you know to join us for those meetings, including any parents w/ incoming students for next year.

Concluded at 9:52 a.m.

 

 

 

CHS PTO Counseling Update March 2, 2021

·         March 1^st was the deadline for students to make changes to their 2021-22 course requests for any reason. Between March 2^nd and May 1^st, counselors can only make changes if there is room in a course. The final deadline to make schedule change requests for the entire 2021-22 school year is May 1^st, 2021. Limited reasons for schedule changes after May 1^st are listed in the Carmel High School Program of Studies.

·         All AP exam registration and payment has closed for May 2021 exams. Students who did not register for an exam but wish to do so, can be placed on a waitlist, should someone cancel their exam. Students currently registered for an exam who wish to cancel their registration may receive a full-refund until April 30^th. After April 30^th, no refunds will be processed. 

·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

·         Our annual 9^th/10^th College & Career Planning event will be virtual this year. During this week (March 1^st), this event will feature recorded breakout sessions on topics most relevant for freshmen and sophomore students and their parents seeking guidance about the college and career planning process. The recorded breakout sessions, live presentations, and a variety of resources can be viewed at: https://sites.google.com/ccs.k12.in.us/chs-9th-10th-ccplanning/home On Monday, March 1^st CHS hosted a “Paying for College” virtual session with our partners at INvestEd Indiana. A recording of this session will be posted on the Virtual Event site. To wrap up the week of virtual presentations, CHS College & Career Resource Center Counselors will host a live virtual Q&A session on March 4^th at 6:30 p.m.  Information about breakout session topics and how to access them was sent to 9^th/10^th parents and students.

·         In mid-March the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC) will be sending a recorded presentation to current juniors and their parents called Top 10 Things Juniors Can Do Before Senior Year. This presentation, traditionally delivered in-person every spring during SSRT, will focus on the things the Class of 2022 can be doing to prepare for the college application process and/or prepare for next steps after graduation.

 ·         Virtual College Exploration Opportunities. While some colleges/universities are allowing for on-campus visits, the current global pandemic has limited the options for visiting campuses. There is no shortage of virtual college exploration opportunities though! Be sure to encourage your students to check the websites of their schools of interest to join virtual information sessions, student panels, and more. They should also check out these upcoming virtual college fair events:

 o    National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Virtual College Fairs featuring more than 500 colleges and universities from the US and worldwide. February 28, March 7 (STEM), March 16 (Performing & Visual Arts), March 21, April 10 (Western US), April 20 (Southwestern US), and May 2. Register for free at www.virtualcollegefairs.org

o   Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling (INACAC) 6X6 Virtual College Fairs on Marth 10^th and April 12^th will allow students to learn about 6 schools at a time during 45-minute virtual sessions. Free registration will open in mid-February for both dates

·         The CCRC staff is currently working on plans for the College Application Boot Camp program to be offered during Summer 2021 for the Class of 2022. The format will be different than previous summers, and details will be shared in mid-March. Please know that while much of the content typically delivered at an in-person boot camp will be virtual this year, we still plan to offer in-person opportunities in early-August for seniors to get help with applications and essays! 

 ·         Financial Aid Process and Scholarship Resources

 o    Get help completing the FAFSA at the upcoming Virtual College Goal Sunday in the State of Indiana –Sunday, March 7^th at 2:00 p.m.  College Goal Sunday provides Indiana college-bound seniors and their families an opportunity to receive assistance with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Volunteers (many of whom are from college financial aid offices) will walk you through the process of completing the FAFSA and answer your questions. For further information about College Goal Sunday visit the website at www.collegegoalsunday.org

 o    It’s scholarship season, and local scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Instagram and Twitter for scholarship updates!

o    The Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS seniors.  The scholarship application opened on December 18^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 19^th. Information can be found at: http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/foundation/Scholarships 

 o    Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 3, 2021.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.   

 ·         Mrs. Stephan, along with CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, have met with and assisted nearly 500 students and families needing assistance with the college search and career exploration process since the start of the year! We can help you too! Now is a great time for juniors to start thinking about making an appointment, but students in all grade levels are welcome to take advantage of our services. College Advisors are in the office everyday between 9:00 a.m. and 4 p.m.!  Students can request an in-person or virtual appointment with a CCRC staff member by completing the electronic counseling appointment request form. Parents may join these meetings virtually, if requested in the form. The CCRC is located in B107 across from the 10-12 Counseling Office.

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o    Visit our website at www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/counseling and the Counseling Canvas course

o    Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o    Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411

o    Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

*Video Link appears at the bottom of the Minutes.

February 2, 2021 CHS PTO Zoom Meeting

Approval of Minutes from January 2021 Meeting:  Heather Cassady made Motion; seconded by Kris Wheeler.

Administration Report from Karen McDaniel:  Black History Month and Mental Health Awareness is the focus right now.  The “I Can Do Hard Things” Campaign.  Emphasizing certain people for Black History Month in connection with that.  Wants entire Carmel Community to be involved in the celebration.  Also it’s Counselor Appreciation Week and they do a lot across the school and the district, not just scheduling.  It’s also the mental health that they focus on and they are in valuable. 

ISTEP is being given to Juniors this week on Friday the 5th and Wednesday the 10th for those tests.   All other students will have an extra virtual day.  English will be this Friday and Math will be next week.   Administrative Team has focused on how to help virtual learners who haven’t been in the building yet this year to feel comfortable coming in for ISTEP.  They will have their own separate entrance and be spread out within the school to avoid unnecessary contact.  They will be in the Freshman Center for testing.  If students need a bus ride that day, they can contact Transportation and let them know.  Make sure students get a good night’s sleep and breakfast.  Lunch will be provided.  Bring a water bottle and of course masks.  Trying to make it a bit easier for those students who aren’t regularly coming in to school and need some guidance.

Prom Update:  Trying to figure out what kind of plans can be made and what it would look like.  Planning is still in the works, but hoping to have something in person with restrictions on number of people.

Graduation:  May 27 will be some kind of an in person event.  Working together with Carmel Health Department.  Planning is still in the works.

Last year they did Senior Yard Signs.  Might be a good idea for this year.  If anyone wants to help coordinate that for the Senior families that would be helpful.  Heather:  We have a vendor that we used last year so it’s not required to plan from the start.

Lin Wu (Treasurer Update):  Summary of Backpack donations and expenditures.  We have $27,917 balance in our checking account.  Savings account is $5,000.  It’s a little low.  At the end of last year we had $39,000 in checking and $5,000 in savings account, so we need to do something about it.

Special Vote on Budget issues (overage offset and Backpack Accounts).  We are short about $21K between what we brought in and what we expect to spend.  If we use our saved balances, and transfer out $2K to the Backpack Program, we’ll have about $9,397 left as carryover into the next Fiscal year.

We may have some savings from expenditures we won’t make, such as PTO Membership Expenses and some income from ads for the Newsletter.  We’ll need to vote on those.

Fundraising:  Carmel Education Foundation Board has a Papa John’s Fundraiser 2/19 to 2/26 and can benefit every PTO in the District.  She has a flyer on this.

Backpack allocation:  Typically carryover is $4K.  Backpack thinks they have $5K in reserves right now.  If we transfer that out, we’ll be carrying over $6,397 at the end of the Fiscal Year.

Kristen Bodey (Membership):  We don’t need any more of the funds allocated for any Membership events so we can take that $1,100 out of the Budget Expenses.  

Voting on a $20K shortfall and whether to use the savings we have to cover all of that, leaving us with $7,497 carryover to the next year.  Kristin Bodey in favor.  Heather Cassady seconded.  Vote on Leslie Simich in favor.  Jennifer Cassidy seconded.

Melinda:  Counseling update.  Culture of Care Activities this week and next.  I Can Do Hard Things and Compassion Week.  Trying to increase awareness of what school counselors do.  Still in scheduling mode.  8th Grade students should accept the Course Request for information about classes.  If someone is in a Spring only AP class, exam payment has opened up.   This round is just for Spring only.  Check your emails for this.   College and Career Resource Center Counselors will host a Paying For College virtual session on March 1 at 6:30 pm and a live Q&A on March 4th at 6:30 PM.  Vast number of virtual opportunities for college tours and fairs.  Good way to gather information in a less intimidating way.  We’re in Scholarship seasons.  Lots of opportunities for applications and awards.  Will be pushing information out to Seniors about deadlines.  As you learn about your awards, report to CHS so they can recognize it.  They do not divulge individual amounts, but will announce in May 3 in the Graduation Bulletin.

Backpack Program Update (Darlene Mundy):  Tricapita Community Organization has helped with food and financial drives.  Planning to serve as many families next year as this year and this year we are serving double the number of families as in past years.  Will do a food drive at the end of the year and work with social media to remind them of the need.

Gradfest Update (Kimberli Boston-Smith):   The Team is losing Senior parents and do not have anyone shadowing this year so next year, she will continue even though she has a Senior but needs people to take over.  At the end of the year, they sell the Spiritwear from the year before at a really low price and will be doing that early this year.  Will be in the bookstore and messages will be sent out to staff and the bookstore has T-shirts and shorts that typically are used for PE at all the Carmel schools and All Things Carmel store will sell these for us and the profits will go to the Backpack Program.  What about a Legacy Brick where families can have their name at the school would be a possible fundraising idea.  How to publicize this to families.

Question:  Is there a position or committee on the PTO that coordinates fundraising?  Heather Cassady:  Membership and Homecoming raise funds for those categories but there is no overarching fundraising chair.  Discussion over how to get more parents involved, as we have needs including a need for Chairs of Homecoming and Hospitality going into next year and other senior parents may step down.  Kristina Wheeler:  Discussion of how to communicate with parents as we are prohibited from sending out mass emails to every parent in the school.  Heather Cassady:  Not having an in person Freshman Orientation meant that we lost a chance to sign up parents and get membership fees.  

Green Team (Tara Ascioti):  Serve Carmel Tree Project.  Trying to hit a goal of planning 1500 trees to offset the 2.3 million sheets of paper that CHS goes through. You can request a tree for $5 each.  Deadline is March 17 to request the trees.  There are volunteer opportunities as well for students.

Social Media (Kris Wheeler):  Send anything relevant to her for posting.

Concluded at 10:37 a.m.

 

CHS PTO Counseling Update February 1, 2021

• February 1st-5th is National School Counseling Week! The Counseling Department will be using this opportunity to share what they do at CHS with students, staff, and parents through e-mail communication and social media!

 

• February is Culture of Care Month for Carmel Clay Schools, and CHS is celebrating with activities and spirit days for the next two weeks. The theme this year is “I Can Do Hard Things,” and there will be activities on both cohort days that are aimed at promoting mental health awareness, using positive coping skills, and spreading kindness at CHS. The second week we are calling “Compassion Week at CHS”.  During this week we are doing a compassion challenge each day starting with Compassion for your Community (complete with a Food Drive challenge), Compassion for Adults, Compassion for Peers, and ending with Compassion for Yourself.  Be sure to ask your child about our “I can do hard things” weekly videos. In honor of Black History Month for the month of February all of our highlighted figures are African Americans that were able to overcome obstacles, made amazing achievements and demonstrated determination, confidence, empathy and grit . The graphic at the end of this update offers a glimpse of all the Culture of Care Activities.

 

• CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; guiding students through organizational and academic concerns. 

 

• Scheduling for current juniors for the 2021-22 school year will continue through mid-February. Counselors are currently meeting individually with juniors to review their course selections and discuss post-high school plans.  During these meetings, counselors are also providing instruction in utilizing Naviance Student as a resource for college and career exploration and planning.  

 

• 8th Grade scheduling for high school will continue into mid-February. Freshman Counselors continue to review course requests and communicate with current 8th grade students/parents as needed. They will conduct their final virtual Q&A sessions for Carmel Middle School families this week. NOTE: the deadline to register for Summer PE via Indiana Online is March 1st. 

 

• AP exam payment for spring-only courses (Government, Comparative Government, and Economics) opened on February 1st. Students in these courses (and their parents) received information via email about the spring-only exam payment process last week. It is important to note that the AP payment process is in addition to students indicating their exam status in their AP Classroom/College Board accounts. AP exams for spring-only courses are $100/exam. The regular AP exam payment deadline is Sunday, February 14th.  Payments submitted between February 15th – February 19th, will incur a $10.00 late fee.  In order to ensure timely ordering of AP exams, the Total Registration site will close after February 19h. NOTE: the payment window for students in summer of 2020, fall-semester or year-long AP courses has already occurred, closing on October 16th, 2020.  

 

• Our annual 9th/10th College & Career Planning event will be virtual this year. During the week of March 1st, this event will feature recorded breakout sessions on topics most relevant for freshmen and sophomore students and their parents seeking guidance about the college and career planning process. Mark your calendars for a live “Paying for College” virtual session with our partners at INvestEd Indiana on March 1st at 6:30 p.m. Your College & Career Resource Center Counselors will also host a live virtual Q&A session on March 4th at 6:30 p.m.  More information about breakout session topics and how to access them will be sent to parents and students later this month.

 

• Virtual College Exploration Opportunities. While some colleges/universities are allowing for on-campus visits, the current global pandemic has limited the options for visiting campuses. There is no shortage of virtual college exploration opportunities though! Be sure to encourage your students to check the websites of their schools of interest to join virtual information sessions, student panels, and more. They should also check out these upcoming virtual college fair events:

  • National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Virtual College Fairs featuring more than 500 colleges and universities from the US and worldwide. February 28, March 7 (STEM), March 16 (Performing & Visual Arts), March 21, April 10 (Western US), April 20 (Southwestern US), and May 2. Register for free at www.virtualcollegefairs.org 

  • Indiana Association for College Admission Counseling (INACAC) 6X6 Virtual College Fairs on Marth 10th and April 12th will allow students to learn about 6 schools at a time during 45-minute virtual sessions. Free registration will open in mid-February for both dates. 

 

• Financial Aid Process and Scholarship Resources

  • Get help completing the FAFSA at the upcoming Virtual College Goal Sunday in the State of Indiana –Sunday, March 7th at 2:00 p.m.  College Goal Sunday provides Indiana college-bound seniors and their families an opportunity to receive assistance with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Volunteers (many of whom are from college financial aid offices) will walk you through the process of completing the FAFSA and answer your questions. For further information about College Goal Sunday visit the website at www.collegegoalsunday.org

  • It’s scholarship season, and local scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Instagram and Twitter for scholarship updates! 

  • The Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 100 local scholarships to CHS seniors.  The scholarship application opened on December 18th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 19th. Information can be found at: http://www1.ccs.k12.in.us/foundation/Scholarships  

  • Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 3, 2021.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.   

 

• Mrs. Stephan, along with CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, have met with and assisted over 450 students and families needing assistance with the college search and career exploration process since the start of the year! We can help you too! Now is a great time for juniors to start thinking about making an appointment, but students in all grade levels are welcome to take advantage of our services. College Advisors are in the office everyday between 9:00 a.m. and 4 p.m.!  Students can request an in-person or virtual appointment with a CCRC staff member by completing the electronic counseling appointment request form. Parents may join these meetings virtually, if requested in the form. The CCRC is located in B107 across from the 10-12 Counseling Office. 

 

• Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

  • Visit our website at www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/counseling and the Counseling Canvas course

  • Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

  • Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411

  • Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

 

**Video Link appears at the bottom of the Minutes.

Call to order and Welcome:  9:05 a.m.

Approval of December 2020 Minutes:  Jennifer Goodspeed approved and Heather Cassady seconded.

Administration Report:  By Karen McDaniel.  Some difficulties with remote learning were resolved at the start of the semester.  Hybrid learning is working well, with keeping the building clean and everyone is pulling together.  Athletic events are very different – not allowing outside spectators – so it’s been a very different feel.  We have COVID fatigue and the holidays were hard, but we’re all working hard.  No guidance yet from the State regarding vaccine rollouts yet for anyone not in the 80 and over group.

Things we’re looking forward to in the Spring include plans for a Prom, even if virtual.  Scheduled for the first weekend in May.  Graduation is still set for May 27, 2021. There will be an in-person event, but it will depend on County guidelines.  Also planning for GradFest. 

Update on the Roundabout:  The project is still being designed and CHS administration will be involved with regard to concerns and safety.  The project will not begin until Summer 2021.

Heather Cassady:  We are working hard in the PTO, even with limited financial resources and limited ability due to working remotely and we will continue to work in ways to support our teachers and the programs the PTO supports, even with the challenges.

Vice President Report:  By Wendy Harlow.  Collecting articles for the PTO Newsletter.

Heather Cassady:  We’d like to consider ideas for a Fundraiser for the Spring

Treasurer Report:  By Lin Wu.  In addition to donations in the Fall, Wendy got us over $2,000 in fees for ads in the Newsletter.  Reviewed expenses for the Fall, including Professional Development for Teachers and Backpack Program.  Doing well overall.

Heather Cassady:  PTO will meet to discuss what adjustments we can make for the rest of the year based on our more limited budget.  Normally we would spend $8,000 on Homecoming and our expenses this year were about $800.  The PTO Board will consider our limitations and make recommendations to the PTO for a vote on how to change our programs.   We’ve been

Karen McDaniel:  Scholastic Banquet is still going forward, so we need to see why that appears to be out of the Budget and allocate funds for it.

Counseling Update:  By Melinda Stephan.  Still in the midst of scheduling for next year.  Getting students settled into the Second Semester.  Juniors should be making their appointments now and doing so virtually would be helpful.  Virtual academic transition night for 8th graders was done last night.  It was obviously very different, but the 9th grade counselors put together a video presenting the information needed for incoming students.  Our Social Workers are continuing to do a great job.  Mental Health Awareness week is coming up.  There will be a lot of information and activities.  CHS Social Workers are wearing many hats to help our students and our families, meeting individually with students and working on the Mentor program.  Registration for AP Exams for Spring Semester only courses will begin in early February so be aware.  Not too late to fill out FAFSA.  Deadline is April 15, although some colleges and universities have earlier deadlines.  InvestED Indiana is an amazing resource for helping with the FAFSA and there is a link on the Update for them.  It is Scholarship season and those applications are starting to open.  Some require a mid-semester Transcript and some Seniors need them for college applications.   Counselors have emailed Seniors to tell them how to request those Transcripts.  Seniors should let CHS know which schools they have received scholarships from to be recognized in the Graduation materials.  The school keeps track of overall awards but does not publish specific amounts.  They are setting up Military options information and videos.  Counseling Canvas Course has many resources and takeaways so take time to explore that.

Question about qualifying for Distinguished Graduates:  They should be able to log into PowerSchool and see their GPA.  Cumulative GPA can be found in Naviance.

Backpack Program Update (Darlene Mundy):  Have had a lot of donations so far this year. Packing about 75 bags per week.  Have received a lot of grocery gift cards and have distributed those.  Shelves are stocked for now.  Have had great volunteer participation.  They have a clothing closet, but it’s not a huge part of the program.  Carmel gear donations would be welcome.

Gradfest Update (Kimberli Boston-Smith):  Proceeding with planning as normally.  Selling Spiritwear and we’ll see where we are in the Spring.  Has a couple of volunteers for Gradfest.

Green Team (Tara Ascioti):  Lights are being collected until Friday, so send in any of those for recycling.

Scholastic Banquet (Karen Tullai):  Planning a virtual event this year.  Will try to have Seniors do a 30 second blurb where they can acknowledge their favorite teachers similar to last year’s Graduation program. 

Concluded at 10:17 a.m.

CHS PTO Counseling Update January 12, 2021

·         CHS Counselors are currently working with juniors and current 8^th grade students to schedule their classes for 2021-22.

o   10-12 Counselors will meet in-person and virtually with juniors January 19 – February 12^th for individual advising meetings. Juniors received an email message on 1/8/21 from their counselor with instructions for scheduling their advising meeting. Counselors will ultimately schedule a meeting for those who don’t request one. 

o   Monday, January 11^th was Virtual Academic Transition Night for current 8^th grade students. Families can view the virtual presentation and brief videos about elective courses at CHS using this link. All 8^th grade students were invited to join an 8^th Grade Transition to CHS Canvas Course which provides detailed information about the scheduling process.

o   Parents of current CHS students can review this brief video outlining the scheduling process for the 2021-22 academic year.

o   General Scheduling Processes for all students include:

§  All scheduling information is being communicated to students through grade-level-specific scheduling modules in the Counseling Department Canvas Course. Students who have not accepted the Counseling Canvas Course invite should do so immediately. Parents who are observers in their student’s Canvas account can view this information as well.

§  The CHS Program of Studies can be found electronically at https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/academics/program-of-studies

§  Application Courses. Some courses at CHS require an application for approval. The deadline to submit these applications is February 3^rd. A list of courses requiring applications is included in the Canvas scheduling modules.

§  Scheduling Note: Summer School. Students should consider summer school options when planning their schedule for next year. Summer School options and registration process information will be updated in the Canvas scheduling modules as soon as it is confirmed. Counselors will discuss summer school options during individual advising meetings. 

 ·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

 ·         AP exam registration for spring-only courses (Government, Comparative Government, and Economics) will begin in early February. AP teachers in these courses are taking students through the process of signing up for AP Classroom on the College Board website prior to exam registration. Students in these courses (and their parents) will receive information via email about exam registration in the coming weeks.

·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA created by our partners at INvestEd Indiana. You can find these checklists and other resources on their website.  Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov.

 ·         Get help completing the FAFSA at the upcoming Virtual College Goal Sunday in the State of Indiana –Sunday, March 7^th at 2:00 p.m.  College Goal Sunday provides Indiana college-bound seniors and their families an opportunity to receive assistance with completion of the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA).  Volunteers (many of whom are from college financial aid offices) will walk you through the process of completing the FAFSA and answer your questions. For further information about College Goal Sunday visit the website at www.collegegoalsunday.org.

 ·         It’s scholarship season, and local scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 90 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application opened on December 18^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 19^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

 ·         Scholarship Confirmation Forms: Seniors report your scholarship awards!  If your student has earned a scholarship, please submit a copy of the official confirmation letter, including the amount, to Mrs. Melinda Stephan or Mrs. Julie VanBuren in the counseling center.  Please submit only those confirmed college scholarships for the school the student will be attending.  All monetary information will remain confidential.  Submission of confirmations will enable your student to be recognized in the graduation program.  The last day to submit scholarship confirmations for recognition is Monday, May 3, 2021.  Due to coordination and printing deadlines, any awards received after this date may not be included for recognition in the graduation program. The scholarship confirmation form is available in the Counseling Canvas Course.

·         Virtual College & Career Programming is in the works! With the current limitations on visitors in the building and social distancing guidelines, we are working in the CCRC to move some of our more popular college & career programming to a virtual format as well as add some new programming. Please keep your eyes open for virtual programming opportunities during the Spring Semester related to Military Options After High School (Early February), the Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Virtual Event (late February), and a Junior College & Career Planning Presentation (mid-March).  We also plan to offer in-person Career Exploration Boot Camps during SSRT starting in February.  More details will be forthcoming as we get closer to these dates.

 ·         Mrs. Stephan, along with CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, have met with and assisted over 400 students and families needing assistance with the college search and career exploration process since the start of the year! We can help you too! Now is a great time for juniors to start thinking about making an appointment, but students in all grade levels are welcome to take advantage of our services. College Advisors are in the office everyday between 9:00 a.m. and 4 p.m.!  Students can request an in-person or virtual appointment with a CCRC staff member by completing the electronic counseling appointment request form. Parents may join these meetings virtually, if requested in the form. The CCRC is located in B107 across from the 10-12 Counseling Office.

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Canvas Course to see a variety of resources

o   Make use of the CHS Virtual Mindfulness Room

o   Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o   Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411 and @counselingatchs

o   Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer

 

CHS PTO Counseling Update December 1, 2020

·         CHS Counselors continue to meet in-person and virtually with students in grades 9 and 10 to schedule courses for the 2021-22 academic year. NOTE: current juniors and 8^th grade students will receive scheduling information prior to and immediately after the winter break.

o   Parents can review this brief video outlining the scheduling process for the 2021-22 academic year.

o   Freshman participated in a group Zoom presentation during SSRT on November 2^nd and 3^rd, that allowed counselors to review the process moving forward.  Freshmen have been meeting individually with a counselor via Zoom (during their English class period) to review course requests and answer questions. Freshmen parents received an email on 10/30 with details about the scheduling process.

o   Sophomores signed-up for their individual advising meetings (in-person or virtual) using the counselor-specific links sent via email. If a student did not sign up for an appointment, their counselor will assign an appointment time. All students will meet with their counselor to build their 2021-22 schedule.  

o   General Scheduling Processes for all students include:

§  All scheduling information is being communicated to students through grade-level-specific scheduling modules in the Counseling Department Canvas Course. Students who have not accepted the Counseling Canvas Course invite should do so immediately. Parents who are observers in their student’s Canvas account can view this information as well.

§  The CHS Program of Studies can be found electronically at https://www.ccs.k12.in.us/chs/academics/program-of-studies

§  Application Courses. Some courses at CHS require an application for approval. The deadline to submit these applications is February 3^rd. A list of courses requiring applications is included in the Canvas scheduling modules.

§  Scheduling Note: Summer School. Students should consider summer school options when planning their schedule for next year. Summer School options and registration process information will be updated in the Canvas scheduling modules as soon as it is confirmed. Counselors will discuss summer school options during individual advising meetings. 

 ·         CHS Social Workers are working to support students and families! The holiday season and winter months can be a stressful and difficult time for students and families, especially during a Global Pandemic. Please remember that CHS Social Workers are here to help by collaborating with PTO to implement the backpack program; meeting individually with students, in person and virtually, to provide support for mental health, emotional needs, family crisis, and more; providing community resource information; guiding students through organizational and academic concerns.

 ·         Seniors should pay close attention to college application deadlines. January 1^st is a popular upcoming deadline. Seniors must use their Naviance Student account to request their transcripts and indicate to which schools they have submitted applications before Counselors can send materials to schools. NOTE: all transcript and letter requests for January 1^st deadlines MUST be submitted no later than December 4^th to ensure that they will be processed BEFORE the Winter Break.

 ·         The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) opened on October 1^st!  CHS Seniors received FAFSA information in October that included checklists for completing the FAFSA as well as upcoming events to help with the process. Families can complete the FAFSA online at www.fafsa.gov. If you missed the CHS Virtual Financial Aid Night you can view it at: https://youtu.be/jbwjlpzu7zU

·         Virtual College & Career Programming is in the works! With the current limitations on visitors in the building and social distancing guidelines, we are working in the CCRC to move some of our more popular college & career programming to a virtual format. Please keep your eyes open for virtual programming opportunities during the Spring Semester, including: Majors & Careers Fair events, Military Academy Day, and the Freshman/Sophomore College & Career Planning Night. More details will be forthcoming as they are confirmed.

 ·         Local and private scholarship information is beginning to come into the Counseling Office more frequently. Seniors can browse scholarship opportunities that they may wish to pursue in the Scholarship List located in their Naviance Student account. Scholarship information is updated frequently from November through April, and seniors are encouraged to check Naviance Student regularly.  Specifically, the Carmel Education Foundation (CEF) offers over 90 local scholarships to CHS students.  The CEF scholarship application will open on December 18^th. The deadline to submit the CEF application is March 18^th. Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook or “follow” us on Twitter or Instagram for scholarship updates!

·         Mrs. Stephan, along with CHS College Advisors, Mrs. Ann Boldt and Mr. Pettibone, have met with and assisted over 350 students and families needing assistance with the college search and career exploration process since the start of the year! We can help you too! Now is a great time for juniors to start thinking about making an appointment, but students in all grade levels are welcome to take advantage of our services. College Advisors are in the office everyday between 9:00 a.m. and 4 p.m.!  Students can request an in-person or virtual appointment with a CCRC staff member by completing the electronic counseling appointment request form. Parents may join these meetings virtually, if requested in the form. The CCRC is located in B107 across from the 10-12 Counseling Office.

 ·         In the near future:

o   December 3^rd/4^th: Current juniors will receive information and instructions for the 2021-22 scheduling process.

o   December 18^th: CEF Scholarship application opens

o   January 11^th: Virtual CHS Academic Transition Night for current 8^th grade students

 

·         Don’t forget to use the following resources to learn more about the services and resources offered by the Counseling Department and the College & Career Resource Center (CCRC):

o   Visit the Counseling Canvas Course to see a variety of resources

o   Make use of the CHS Virtual Mindfulness Room

o   Like us on Facebook at “Carmel High School College Counseling”

o   Follow us on Twitter @CHSCollege411 and @counselingatchs

o   Follow us on Instagram @chscollegecareer