News for Seniors

FAFSA is Now Open! | Posted 12/10/24
Attention seniors who plan to attend college: The FAFSA is now open! You will need your parents 2023 Taxes and W-2s along with your 2023 Taxes and W-2s to fill it out. Colleges hand out money on a first-come, first-served basis, so it's important that you complete your FAFSA as soon as possible so you don't lose out. If you need assistance, please make an appointment with Mrs. Mac. She is happy to help you!

Scholarship Opportunity | Posted 4/12/24
Are you a senior who is not planning on attending college? The Duvick Career and Technical Education Scholarship will award $1000.00 to one recipient to use towards advancing your career. Please see the front bulletin board for more info.

Insurance Apprenticeship | Posted 4/9/24
Seniors, if you are planning to attend Waubonsee Community College, beginning this summer, in business or finance with an emphasis in insurance, Mrs. Mac has an excellent opportunity for you! The Hartford Insurance Company is offering an apprenticeship program where they would pay your tuition at Waubonsee up to $5,250 per year for attending school to get your degree in Business and Finance while also paying you $22 per hour plus benefits as you work with their company. If you are interested in this excellent opportunity, you must attend a virtual session on one of the following dates: 4/15, 4/18, 4/23, 4/24 from 5-6 p.m. Please see Mrs. Mac for a flyer about the program and the link to the virtual meetings.

JJC Scholarships | Posted 3/4/24
Attention Seniors who plan to attend JJC: Mrs. Mac will hold a JJC scholarship meeting during SRT on Wednesday. These scholarships have a due date of April 1 and May 1. The program is not easy to use, so please come to the meeting to learn how to create an account and use the program. You will fill out one application for many scholarships so this is definitely worth your time!

Scholarships Due March 1 | Posted 2/27/24
Seniors: There are several scholarships due on March 1. Please make sure you are paying attention to deadlines and delivery dates. Some scholarships are due on March 1 by being postmarked by that date, and others must be received by March 1. Upcoming scholarships that are due March 1: Gamma Rho, TOI, Marquis, and Pork Scholarships. Kilts Scholarship is due March 6 to Mrs. Mac. Questions or need help? See Mrs. Mac

FAFSA | Posted 1/31/24
Mrs. McAnally received word from the Illinois Student Assistance Commission on 1/31/24 that the federal government will not be able to process FAFSAs and send results to colleges until March. This was originally supposed to occur by January 31. Colleges should understand students cannot provide an SAI for scholarships. Mrs. McAnally expects financial aid packages to come out late because of this. Many families are seeing “in review” on the parent side of the FAFSA and students are receiving emails stating parents have not signed their portion of the FAFSA. There are several glitches and once the federal government works through these glitches, FAFSAs should show the parent did sign and the FAFSA should process. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the financial aid office at the college your student plans to attend.

Waubonsee Community College | Posted 1/29/24
Attention Seniors: Are you planning to attend Waubonsee Community College in the fall? If so, you need to see Mrs. McAnally ASAP. Waubonsee has changed the cost you will be charged and you will no longer be able to attend for in-district price unless you register for a summer course. Please see Mrs. McAnally for more information so you can make an informed choice about attending Waubonsee.

Kilts Foundation Scholarship | Posted 1/28/24
Attention Seniors: Mrs. McAnally will hold a meeting this Wednesday during SRT to hand out and explain the Kilts Scholarship. Please meet her in the Mac Lab immediately after announcements. This meeting will take approximately 15 minutes.

Community Foundation of Fox River Valley Scholarship | Posted 1/19/24
Seniors: This is just a reminder that the Community Foundation Scholarship is due January 31 by 4:00 p.m. This is a great scholarship to apply for, as it's one application for over 300 scholarships. While you can only receive one scholarship, your chances of receiving one are really good. If you need help applying, please see Mrs. McAnally. This will take you a good hour of your time, so please do not wait until the last minute! You must have time to get recommendations from adults, so the time to fill this out is now! Need the website? It's on Mrs. McAnally's bulletin board.

Community Foundation SAI | Posted 1/19/24
If you are applying for a Community Foundation Scholarship and did not receive an SAI index number when submitting the FAFSA, please see the instructions on Mrs. Mac's Class of 2024 Classroom Page or see her for assistance.

Attention Families of Seniors | Posted 1/3/24
Attention families of seniors: the 24-25 FAFSA is now available at student https://studentaid.gov. It is being considered a soft opening, meaning it will not always be available as they work through glitches, so please be patient. They will also not relay any results to colleges and universities until the end of January. Mrs McAnally will offer a FAFSA Completion Night Wednesday, January 10, from 6:30 pm - 8:00 pm for families who would like assistance filling out the FAFSA. Hopefully it will be available online during that time, but there will be no way to predict its availability.

Information for Seniors | Posted 12/22/22
Community Foundation of Fox River Valley Scholarship
CFFRV Scholarship applications are due by January 10. This includes letters of recommendations and transcripts. To access this scholarship, go to www.cffrv.org and click on Scholarship. Applications are due complete by 4:00 p.m. on January 10.

Kilts Foundation Scholarship
The Kilts Foundation Scholarship will become available in January. Please listen to the announcements for more information. This scholarship is typically due March 1 to Mrs. McAnally’s office. Once applications are processed, the foundation will pick students to interview. If a student receives this scholarship, it is typically renewed each year until the student graduates. This means a $500 scholarship could end up being worth $2,000! Please watch for announcements about this scholarship and pick up a copy from Mrs. McAnally when it becomes available.

FAFSA
The State of IL has made it mandatory for all students to le a FAFSA in order to graduate from an Illinois high school. If you haven’t already filed your FAFSA, Mrs. McAnally is here to help. Please make an appointment with her to get this requirement taken care of. Mrs. McAnally is available for appointments during the school day, after school, and some evenings. If you plan to join the military or not attend college, there is a waiver form that can be signed. Please make sure you ask Mrs. McAnally for this waiver and get it turned in ASAP!

Northwestern Medicine Discovery Program | Posted 8/18/22
Northwestern Medicine is offering a Discovery Program for Sophomores and Juniors (some seniors on a limited basis) to learn more about the various fields of medicine. If you are interested in healthcare, this would be a wonderful program to participate in. For more information and to sign up for the program, please see the flyer attached in Mrs. McAnally's grade level Classroom pages.

Information for Seniors | Posted 4/7/22
Planning to attend a four-year university? There are some final steps to take once you’ve decided which college you will attend. First, you need to pay the fee to let the college of your choice know you are coming in August. This MUST be done by May 1 or you will lose your admission! Once you send in the card and money required, you will need to choose your housing/dorm plan and meal plan, and register for summer orientation. Next, you need to let all the colleges you AREN’T attending know that. Please either send in the card and mark you are not planning to attend, or email admissions to let them know. This will then open up opportunities for those who are on a waitlist, so it’s important that you take care of this by May 1.

Planning to attend the community college? Now is the time to register for classes! In order to do this, there are steps that must be followed. Many have videos you must watch on new student orientation and how to register. Once you have completed these steps, you should be able to register for classes. It’s important as an incoming freshman to meet with an admissions counselor to get some help so you register for the correct classes. If your SAT scores aren’t high enough (480 in ERW and 530 in Math), you will need to take placement testing before you can register. If you have an IEP, you will want to meet with disability services before registering for classes. If you need help making any of these appointments, please see Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to walk you through the steps!

Interested in applying for a union apprenticeship after graduation? Now is the time to check out the union sites to find out when they plan to take applications. A great site to visit to learn more is our regional vocational system site, VALEES. Please go to www.valees.org/apprenticeships and peruse their website. Toward the bottom of the page, click on the CISCO emblem to load CISCO’s page. On the right side of this page, click on Apprenticeship Guide. This will provide information about each union. You must work in a union local that covers the area you live in, so please pay attention to the various locals and the areas they cover. For more information, please see Mrs. McAnally. Mrs. McAnally does post notices to take applications on her bulletin board when they become available.

Information for Seniors | Posted 12/15/21
If you plan to attend college and have not applied, NOW IS THE TIME!!!! Most colleges give out scholarships to students who apply by January 1. Some have earlier deadlines. If you plan to attend Waubonsee Community College, scholarships are due by February. If you plan to attend Joliet Junior College, their scholarship program opens in January and is due by April 1.

The State of IL has now made it mandatory for ALL students to ll out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) in order to graduate from high school. Students who do not plan to attend college immediately after high school graduation can meet with Mrs. McAnally and le a FAFSA waiver. For more information, please see Mrs. McAnally.

If you are interested in enlisting in the military and would like to meet with a recruiter, please see Mrs. McAnally for recruiter information. Recruiters are allowed to meet with students during the school day providing it doesn’t interfere with classes. Students can meet with their recruiter during lunch, Academic Enrichment, or SRT. Mrs. McAnally will be happy to provide a private place to meet with the recruiter providing the parent has given permission or the student is 18.

Union Apprenticeships – unions often take applications during the winter months. If you are interested in joining a union as an apprentice, you must apply and pass the necessary tests to be placed on the call list. Unions only take applications on certain days and you must ll out the application at the union hall. To keep track of application dates, please visit valees.org/ apprenticehips and click on the CISCO emblem at the bottom of the page. Once on the CISCO page, click on Apprenticeship Guide on the right side of the page to get a list of all unions and their applications dates and requirements. You may apply while you are a senior, as it takes time to get through the application process.

College Visits and SAT/ACT Test Scores | Posted 12/15/21
This is a reminder that all juniors and seniors get two college days per year. These days do not count against your attendance if you follow the procedures outlined in the handbook and bring back the appropriate paperwork. College days are an opportunity for you to take a 1⁄2 day or a whole day to visit a college campus. Many colleges offer individual visits during the week where you can meet with admissions, tour the campus, eat the dorm food, and sit in on a class. To schedule a visit, most colleges have a sign-up form on their undergraduate admissions page.

Many colleges also offer open houses at various times of the year. The next open house for most colleges is in February around President’s Day. This is an opportunity for students to visit campus with other students. An open house opportunity is a great way to get a first visit. Then, if you are truly interested in attending that school, schedule an individual visit so you can ask questions and learn more about the programs you are interested in. If you need assistance in scheduling a college visit, please see Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to help!

Juniors should visit colleges during the junior year, and develop a list of colleges to apply to by the end of the summer before the senior year. College applications are due in the fall of the senior year, so it’s important to have visits taken care of during the junior year so you are ready to apply when we return to school in August.

While many schools have gone test-optional throughout Covid, many still require high test scores to receive scholarship money. Therefore, it’s important to do your best on the SAT and ACT. All juniors will take the SAT in April, and scores will be available by the end of the school year. However, most SAT and ACT tests are only given during the school year. This means that if you take the test for the first time in April and you do not score as high as you would like, you will have very little opportunity to retake the test before college applications are due. Because we test so late in the year, it is important for juniors to consider testing on a national test date before April. Typically, students who test twice score higher the second time. For a list of national test dates for the SAT, please visit collegeboard.org. If you think you might score better on an ACT, please visit actstudent.org for national test dates and more information. The SAT consists of two English/Reading tests and two Math tests, one with and one without calculator. Each has ve or six math problems that require you to nd your own answer. The rest are multiple choice. The ACT consists of one English test, one Math test (all with calculator and all multiple choice), one Reading test, and one Science Reasoning test. Students who feel they are better at English/ Reading than math tend to score better on an ACT over the SAT. Any student who plans to enter a teacher education program MUST take the optional writing portion of the SAT or ACT in order to be accepted into a teacher education program. Schools in the state of IL require a 22 on the ACT or SAT equivalent score and at least a 6 on the writing portion for admission into teacher education programs.

It is very important to prepare for the SAT and ACT. You should not expect to walk into one of these testing situations and score well without prior preparation. To prepare for the SAT, please use Khan Academy. A diagnostic test is available to see where your strengths and weaknesses lie. It will then design a study plan for you to improve on your weaknesses. For the ACT and SAT, Mrs. McAnally has books you can check out that provide study guides and complete practice exams. To learn more, see Mrs. McAnally.

Information for Seniors | Posted 9/17/21
Seniors, have you filed your FAFSA? Money will disappear quickly, so you need to get your FAFSA filed ASAP! Need help? Mrs. McAnally is here to help you every step of the way. Make an appointment for you and your parent and she will walk you through the FAFSA step by step.

Not planning to attend college? Maybe planning to apply to the union or enlist in the military, or maybe heading into the workforce after high school? You can file a FAFSA waiver to still meet the graduation requirement of having to file a FAFSA. If this is you, please see Mrs. McAnally for the correct form.

Are you a male who is or soon will be 18? If so, did you know you have to register with Selective Service? Selective Service is a mandate from the federal government. In times of war, the military can use the Selective Service list to call men ages 18-25 up for service. Registering with Selective Service within 30 days of turning 18 is the law. Failure to register is a felony and non-registrants may be denied bene ts to student loans, financial aid for college, federal training under the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act, federal and state employment, and up to a 5-year delay of US citizenship proceedings for immigrants. To register, one can either mark "Register Me" when filling out the FAFSA, or go to https://www.sss.gov. Need help? See Mrs. McAnally.

Planning to attend college? Have you filled out and submitted all your applications? Information to know:
  • Colleges give out scholarships in the fall of the senior year; don’t delay applying, it could cost you money;
  • Waiting to apply to college could cost you admission. Colleges fill up their seats with the first students that apply. If you wait, it won’t matter if you meet the admissions requirements if there aren’t any seats left;
  • Filing the FAFSA along with submitting your applications early means you’re most likely to be eligible for money from the college to attend school. However, they don’t wait for the neediest person to walk through the door. Money disappears quickly, so the earlier you apply for the FAFSA and for college, the more likely you’ll receive free money that you don’t have to pay back. In addition, the FAFSA is required in the State of Illinois to graduate from college.

Planning to apply for a union apprenticeship? Do you know when they take applications? Do you know what documents are necessary to apply? Do you know how you earn points to move higher on the call list? For more information and to plan for your future, all these questions need to be answered. CISCO, the union construction industry, produces a document about all unions to inform future employees. This document can be found at https://www.cisco.org/ (click on Apprenticeship Guide at the right.) Underneath this document, students can click on Apprenticeship Opportunities. A list of unions taking applications and the specific information for application can be found here.

Thinking of joining the military? All military branches have websites where students can learn more about each branch. Simply google the branch of interest to nd both .com and .mil websites with more information about enlisting. Thinking of going to college but also interested in the military? Many community colleges and four-year universities offer ROTC programs. Students attend college and participate in the ROTC program; then upon graduation, students are commissioned in as an officer. Students receive tuition and fees for free, sometimes room and board as well, and a monthly stipend up to 10 months per year while attending college. Then, upon graduation, students serve in the military branch of the ROTC program they participated in. See Mrs. McAnally for more information if you are interested.

Senior Packets | Posted 5/25/21
Mrs. McAnally will mail home a white packet to all graduating seniors the second week of June. The packet will contain the following:

• Health immunizations
• Unofficial transcript
• Two sealed official transcripts
• Articulated credit forms

Please put all documents in a safe place so you will always know where they are. If you are applying for a job, the military, the union, or college at a later date, you will need an official transcript. Do NOT open the official transcripts, as an opened envelope makes them unofficial. Colleges and employers will not accept them if they are unofficial. These are for you to use if something comes up last minute, or you need a transcript over the summer months when the school offices are closed.

The articulated credit form is if you earned an A or B in a class that articulates to Waubonsee Community College, Joliet Junior College, or Kishwaukee College. If you earned an A or B in a high school course that articulates, you may pay the articulation fee ($10 per credit) to the VALEES office on Waubsonee’s campus and have the credit added to your WCC, JJC, or Kish transcript. Articulated credit can only be awarded if you enroll in one of these community colleges within two years of graduation. For more information, please visit valees.org and click on Early College Credit to watch a video about articulated credit. Most classes at IVVC earn articulated credit, but if you attended IVVC and paid for dual credit, you will not need to fill out the articulated credit form. For courses that earn articulated credit, please see page 7 & 8 of the course description book online. For more information or questions, please see Mrs. McAnally. Remember, articulated credit is only good for two years, so please turn in the form and pay your fee as soon as possible.

Important Information for Seniors | Posted 5/4/21
Financial Aid - Do you need more financial aid than what was offered? Parents can consider the federal government’s PLUS Loan to help pay for your education. A PLUS loan is for parents of undergraduate students. The loan is a federal loan with a fixed interest rate. The loan can be deferred until the student graduates or quits going to school, or can be paid on while the student is attending school. The loan is based on a credit rating. The Plus loan has a fixed interest rate and no collateral needed, unlike a second mortgage or home equity loan. For more information on how to obtain a PLUS loan, visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/plus.

Scholarships - Mrs. McAnally is still receiving scholarships, and there are still scholarships available with May and June deadlines. Please check Xello for the most up-to-date list. Remember, a $500 scholarship is still more than you would make working in the amount of time it would take to fill out the application, and $500 will pay for books for a semester, so well worth the time you will spend!

New Scholarship – If you plan to major in nursing, see Mrs. McAnally for an American Legion scholarship specifically for nursing students. This is a new scholarship and she just received the application.

JJC Info – JJC is now providing online remote placement testing. Students who did not earn a 480 on the English portion of the SAT and/or didn’t earn at least a 530 on the Math portion, will need to take a placement exam to earn placement in a college level course. This can be done by contacting the JJC Testing Services. For more information, visit https://www.jjc.edu/student-resources/testing-services/placement-testing. For the latest information, please visit the jjc website at www.jjc.edu.

WCC Info - WCC is offering online remote placement and in-person testing with an appointment. Please refer to the WCC website at www.waubonsee.edu for more information. Placement testing must be completed before you can register for classes if you did not score high enough on the SAT in both English and Math.

Senior Graduation Package – Mrs. McAnally will mail home a large white envelope in June that will contain several important items:
• Two official transcripts sealed in individual envelopes
• An unofficial transcript for your records
• Immunization records
• Articulated Credit forms for articulated credit with JJC, WCC, and Kishwaukee

Please keep these documents in a safe location so you will always have access to them. The official transcripts will be necessary so you can apply for jobs, a union apprenticeship, apply for scholarships, apply for college or grad school, or any other important piece of business that would require one. The immunization records will be needed to live in a college dorm, apply for a passport and visa, and apply for certain places of employment. Always make a copy of your immunization records and keep the original in a safe place. The articulated credit forms can be taken to the VALEES office on the campus at Waubonsee Community College Students can pay $10 per credit hour to have the credits earned added to their college transcript. You must attend the college in order to get the credit. You have two years after graduation from high school to transfer the credit. If you have any questions concerning these documents, please contact Mrs. McAnally.

Final Transcripts – final transcripts will be sent out the first part of June once all final grades are posted. If a college reports AFTER June 15 that they have not received your final transcript, please contact Mrs. McAnally and she will send an additional one. If it’s BEFORE June 15, please give a little more time for the transcripts to arrive at the college and make it through processing. This can take up to two weeks after the transcript arrives, especially with colleges that have a large incoming freshman class.

Diplomas & Fees Owed – Diplomas will not be issued until fees are paid. To pay a fee, checks can be mailed to the high school at 413 Chicago Rd., Newark, IL 60541. If you wish to discuss your fees or need to know if you still owe fees, please reach out to Mrs. Ingraham in the school office. Chromebooks also need to be brought in for Mr. Lesak to update for release, and textbooks need to be returned. Once this has all occurred, diplomas will be issued. Most diplomas are issued immediately after graduation in the main office. However, if you have not taken care of the above, your diploma WILL BE HELD! You MUST complete the above steps in order to receive your diploma.

Information for Seniors | Posted 3/26/21
Seniors should be finalizing their post-secondary plans. Students who applied to college should be receiving financial aid award packages from the colleges they applied to. Students then have until May 1 at the latest to decide which college they will attend and which ones they will not. The college chosen will require a down-payment, or matriculation fee, by May 1 to say the student is truly going to attend. This fee can range anywhere from $200-500. Once the final decision is made and the fee is paid, students will then need to notify the other schools they applied to in order to let them know they will not attend. This frees up seats and offers to students who have been sitting on a waitlist. Once the matriculation fee is paid, students will then be able to pick housing and meal plans, and sign up for orientation. Some colleges are still doing virtual orientation, some do an orientation day for admitted students, and some do an orientation week. During orientation, students will be able to take placement tests and proficiency tests if not already completed, and will be able to register for classes for the fall.

Community college students should also be receiving financial aid packages right now. Students who have not taken placement tests or submitted SAT or ACT scores in lieu of placement testing, will need to arrange with the community college to take these tests. Many community colleges are still doing virtual placement testing. Mrs. McAnally can help you call the college to find out more if needed. Once students complete placement testing and new student orientation, they will be able to meet with an advisor and register for classes. Students should always ask their community college advisor for help when needed, but Mrs. McAnally can also provide some assistance if the student or parent feel additional help is warranted.

Financial Aid Packages for ALL Seniors Planning to Attend College – Some colleges mail the nancial aid package home and others post it in the student’s online portal. Either way, students must accept or decline all portions of a financial aid package. Scholarships and grants should ALWAYS be accepted, as this is free money the student doesn’t have to pay back. Loans should only be accepted if needed, as these will need to be paid back. For loans, students can accept the full amount offered, choose to edit the amount offered to a lower amount, or decline the amount all together. One note to remember about loans is the loan amount will not be the exact amount applied to the student’s account. The loan origination fee of a little over 1% will be deducted from the loan amount before the loan is disbursed. Also, loans are divided equally over both fall and spring semesters, not all up front. Therefore, there may be expenses that must be covered for fall semester over the amount of the financial aid package. For example, a $2,000 loan will be a little over 1% less, and then the amount will be divided 50/50 with equal amounts applied toward costs of school per semester.

Work Study – If work study is offered on a financial aid package, please remember the student must earn the money to get it. Students will not receive that money offered as work study up front, but will have to get a job on campus and then work enough hours to earn that money in a pay check. Once the money is earned, the student can choose to apply it toward their tuition and fees. However, the initial amount offered will have to be covered up front by the student and/ or parent until the money is earned back. Student jobs are always advertised at the beginning of the school year and are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Smaller colleges often have enough jobs for everyone who wants a work study position and was awarded that opportunity in their financial aid package. Larger universities tend to run out of positions, so it’s important for students to apply for work-study jobs immediately.

Scholarships – The counseling office continues to receive scholarships for our seniors on a regular basis. All scholarships are listed in Xello under College Planning – Local Scholarships. Students who wish to search for more scholarships than Newark High School receives should consider using one or more of the scholarship search websites Mrs. McAnally provided in the fall. These are also listed under Student Services – Presentations – Financial Aid Night. For help with scholarship applications, please make an appointment with Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to walk you through each application and help you fill it out.

JJC Scholarships – JJC scholarships are still available. The Foundation Scholarship has a deadline of April 1 and the rest have a deadline of May 1. JJC uses a program called Award Spring to manage their scholarships. Students only have to fill out one application and then the program lets students know the extra documents that are needed for certain scholarships they are eligible for. Award Spring automatically applies the student’s application to every applicable scholarship. For more information or help with this program, please contact Mrs. McAnally. She is happy to sit down with you and help you fill everything out.

Information for Seniors | Posted 3/1/21
Seniors who applied to a four-year university should start receiving financial aid packages if they haven’t already received them. Students and parents should look these over and compare each school to determine the best school for the student to attend. Once a decision has been made, the student will need to pay their admission/matriculation fee to say they are attending. This will hold the students seat for fall. Students wil then need to follow a series of admitted student steps, typically sent to the student or listed on the school’s website. This will involve choosing a meal plan, a dorm option and paying a dorm reservation fee, and picking a roommate.

Students who plan to attend the community college next fall should apply if they have not already done so. If scholarships are still available (JJC – yes, WCC – no), students should get the application filled out asap. Community colleges will require students to participate in a New Student Orientation (NSO) before being able to register for classes. Many students will need to take a placement exam in English and/or Math before registering for classes. For more information, please set up an appointment with Mrs. McAnally so she can walk you through the steps.

Students planning to apply for a union apprenticeship should check the local union website. Many unions held off on calling up applicants starting last March. Therefore, there is currently a wait list and many unions are only calling up applicants that had applied before Covid. However, some are beginning to accept new applicants. The various union websites will let you know if applications are being accepted and on which days. You will need a high school transcript in order to apply. You can request this from the school’s website. Click on Student Services and pull down to Request a Transcript. If you have any questions, please let Mrs. Mac know.

Students planning to enlist in the military should talk with their recruiter to make sure they are following the necessary steps to enlist. If you are interested in the military but haven’t talked with a recruiter yet, please contact Mrs. McAnally and she will help you arrange a meeting with a local recruiter for the branch of military you are interested in.

Planning to work after high school? Do you have a job yet? Mrs. McAnally can help you learn how to search for jobs in a field you are interested in. Please shoot Mrs McAnally an email to set up an appointment to learn how to create effective searches, talk about designing your resume’, and how to fill out an application appropriately so you can make a great first impression!

Senior Parent Night | Posted 9/9/20
yt-srVideo Presentation
pdf-srSenior Parent Night Presentation (PDF)
pdf-srHandout for Note-Taking (PDF)

Military and College Interest List | Posted 9/9/20
Each fall, colleges and military recruiters have the right to request a list of all juniors and seniors and their contact information. This request is covered under federal and state law. The law also states if you do not want your student’s contact information (name, address, home phone) provided automatically to those who request it, you may write a letter to the records custodian (Mrs. McAnally) to place in the student’s file. The law allows until October 1 to provide such a letter. If the letter is not provided, any recruiter who asks will be provided with a junior/senior list of names and contact information that includes your student’s information. (See page 40 of the Student Agenda/Handbook) For more information or questions regarding this law, please contact Mrs. McAnally.

Important Information for Seniors | Posted 5/1/20
Colleges expect you to let them know you are attending by May 1, but this also means you should let the colleges you are not attending, but received admission to, know that you are not going to attend. Have questions? Email Mrs. McAnally and she’ll help walk you through the process.

Financial Aid – You will need to go online or mail in the financial aid package you received, letting the college know what financial aid you are accepting. You do not have to accept everything they offer. For example, only take out a loan or the full amount of a loan if you need it. If you don’t need it, you don’t have to accept it. You can also choose to only accept a portion of a loan. This all needs to be done as soon as possible, and preferably before May 1. If you need help with any of this, Mrs. McAnally is happy to walk you through the steps.

Do you need more financial aid than what was offered? Parents can consider the federal government’s PLUS Loan to help pay for your education. A PLUS loan is for parents of undergraduate students. The loan is a federal loan with a fixed interest rate. The loan can be deferred until the student graduates or quits going to school, or can be paid on while the student is attending school. The loan is based on a credit rating. The Plus loan has a fixed interest rate and no collateral needed, unlike a second mortgage or home equity loan. For more information on how to obtain a PLUS loan, visit https://studentaid.gov/understand-aid/types/loans/plus.

JJC Info – JJC is now providing online remote placement testing. Students who did not earn a 480 on the English portion of the SAT and/or didn’t earn at least a 530 on the Math portion, will need to take a placement exam to earn placement in a college level course. This can be done by contacting the JJC Testing Services. For more information, visit https://www.jjc.edu/student-resources/testing-services/placement-testing. At this time, JJC summer classes will all be offered through an online format. For the latest information, please visit the jjc website at www.jjc.edu.

WCC Info - WCC has not announced changes to placement testing for next fall and is waiting to see if they can still open their offices this summer. However, all summer classes will only be offered in an online format. For the latest information, please refer to the WCC website at www.waubonsee.edu.

Post-Graduation Plans for Seniors – Mrs. McAnally has a Post-Grad Plans form on both the school’s homepage and her Google Classroom page that MUST be filled out by all seniors. Please take a few moments to fill out the form in its entirety so Mrs. McAnally can mail final transcripts and provide your graduation package. Questions? Ask Mrs. McAnally!

Senior Graduation Package – Mrs. McAnally will mail home a large white envelope in June that will contain several important items:
• Two official transcripts sealed in individual envelopes
• An unofficial transcript for your records
• Immunization records
• Articulated Credit forms for articulated credit with JJC, WCC, and Kishwaukee

Please keep these documents in a safe location so you will always have access to them. The official transcripts will be necessary so you can apply for jobs, a union apprenticeship, apply for scholarships, apply for college or grad school, or any other important piece of business that would require one. The immunization records will be needed to live in a college dorm, apply for a passport and visa, and apply for certain places of employment. Always make a copy of your immunization records and keep the original in a safe place. The articulated credit forms can be taken to the VALEES office on the campus at Waubonsee Community College. Students can pay $10 per credit hour to have the credits earned added to their college transcript. You must attend the college in order to get the credit. You have two years after graduation from high school to transfer the credit. If you have any questions concerning these documents, please contact Mrs. McAnally.

Final Transcripts – final transcripts will be sent out the first part of June once all final grades are posted. If a college reports AFTER June 15 that they have not received your final transcript, please contact Mrs. McAnally and she will send an additional one. If it’s BEFORE June 15, please give a little more time for the transcripts to arrive at the college and make it through processing. This can take up to two weeks after the transcript arrives, especially with colleges that have a large incoming freshman class.

Diplomas & Fees Owed – Diplomas will not be issued until fees are paid. To pay a fee, checks can be mailed to the high school at 413 Chicago Rd., Newark, IL 60541. If you wish to discuss your fees or need to know if you still owe fees, please reach out to Mrs. Ingraham in the school office. Chromebooks also need to be brought in for Mr. Lesak to update for release, and textbooks need to be returned. Once this has all occurred, diplomas will be mailed home.

Information for Seniors | Posted 5/20/19
Articulated Credit – this is credit you can apply for through Waubonsee Community College, Joliet Junior College, or Kishwaukee College based on classes you took while at Newark High School or IVVC. If you earned an A or B in an approved course, you can use the articulated credit form to have the college credit equivalent added to your college transcript for $10 per credit hour. Example: you took Ag Mech at NCHS with Mr. Steffen or Computer Apps/ Keyboarding with Mrs. Woods and earned an A or B. These classes are worth college credit. If you attend WCC after high school you can pay $40 to have 4 credits of Computer Information Systems added to your college transcript at WCC. This is a savings of a little over $500 toward your degree. If you attend JJC after high school and took Ag Mech, you can have 3 college credits added to your college transcript at JJC for $30 and save a little over $500 toward your ag degree. Mrs. McAnally will include Articulated Credit Forms in a mailing she will send home to all seniors after graduation. All you have to do is sign the form and deliver it to the VALEES office on WCC’s campus with your money (even if the credit is for JJC or Kish). That office will process the credit form and send it to the appropriate college to have the credit applied to your college transcript. Questions? See Mrs. Mac.

Health Immunizations – most colleges and some employers will require a copy of your health immunizations before August. Mrs. Sapsford and Mrs. Meyer will provide the counseling of ce with a copy of your immunizations at the end of the school year and I will mail these home in the same packet as the articulated credit forms. You should make a copy to send to your employer or college and keep the original for your records. You will need this information throughout your lifetime, so please put it in a safe place so you will always know where to nd it. If you ever decide to travel to another country, you will need to present this information for your VISA./Passport as well.

Official and Unofficial Transcripts – colleges and employers will want an of cial nal copy of your transcripts after graduation. Mrs. McAnally will mail of cial transcripts to the organization listed on the senior survey that was handed out the rst week of May. Final transcripts should be mailed no later than June 10, as that is the last day Mrs. McAnally will work for the school year. In addition, Mrs. McAnally will mail home in the senior packet a couple of official and unof cial transcripts in case you ever need one quickly and the school is closed.

What is the difference between and official and unofficial transcript? An official transcript has Mrs. McAnally’s signature and the school seal on the transcript and is sealed in an envelope. If the envelope is opened, it voids the transcript. Transcripts are only official if they remain sealed. An unofficial transcript does not have the school seal and is not sealed in an envelope.

Planning to Attend a Technical or Trade School?
You should be following the same guidelines as those who are applying to a four-year university. The time to file an application is now. You will need to fill out the FAFSA and any other forms required by the school in order to receive financial aid. You may need to reserve housing. Talk to your admissions representative and the financial aid office to learn more about scholarships and other opportunities to fund your education.

Sports After High School | Posted 10/5/17
Are you considering playing sports at the college level? What schools and sports are you considering? If any of those schools are NCAA Division I or II or an NAIA school, you MUST register with the NCAA Eligibility Clearinghouse or NAIA website in order to be eligible to play sports at the college level. For the NCAA, you must have 16 approved core courses on your transcript by the time you graduate and 10 by the end of the juniors year, 7 of which have to be English, Math, and Science if you are considering Division I. There are specific guidelines for Division II as well. Both require a certain index number which is compiled of an ACT or SAT score and GPA minimum. It costs $80.00 to register with the NCAA Clearinghouse. For NAIA, a student must have at least a 3.0 GPA and an 18 ACT or 940 SAT to be eligible. The cost to register with the NAIA is $75.00 if done while in high school. After high school and if you take a gap year before registering, the cost is $100. For more specific information about these programs, please see Mrs. McAnally.

Information for Seniors - College Application Jargon
The following article, available as a download below, contains useful information for seniors regarding College Visits, Early Decision, Non-Binding/Binding, Applications and Essays, Priority Deadline, Scholarships, FAFSA, Letters of Recommendation, Work Study, Grants, Transcripts, ACT Scores, Housing Reservations, Meal Plans and more.
Download the College Application Article