First marking period is ending

I know I post a lot just talking to the seniors - this blog is meant for everyone! My hope is that when some of the underclassmen read this, they get an idea of what's to come when their senior year comes and they have to start applying to colleges. I hope!

ANYWAY - Just a couple of things for everyone coming up this month.

FIRST:
The first marking period of the spring term ends on March 7th. That's in 2 days! Have you checked PupilPath for all the homework you might owe? Have you done all of  your assignments for this marking period? Talk to your teachers about what you might need to do to make sure all your work is in and you can pass this marking period! Your first marking period grades are an indicator of how you're doing in all your classes and what areas you need improvement in. You may be surprised by the grades you see on your report card - in good AND bad ways!

SECOND:
This Thursday, March 7th, there is going to be a THEATER EVENT as part of HAI!
HAI Presents "A Night of Theater" AUDITIONS!
Come this Thursday at 3pm to room 227 to audition. You can bring a monologue or scene, or use the scene provided by the director. This is your chance to act out *without* getting detention. Come and be silly, be serious, be funny, be romantic - whatever kind of actor/actress you want to be!
THIS THURSDAY AT 3PM IN ROOM 227.
Everyone who auditions WILL BE CAST - There will be a performance in June!

THIRD:
Do you know who your Guidance Counselor is? Just a quick clarification:
Ms. Miller - *everyone* in AVID, all sophomores and seniors
Ms. Ippolito - all freshmen and juniors
Ms. Messina - grade advisor for all students with special education services

Have you reviewed your transcript with your counselor/advisor? Now would be a great time to see where you are at academically. Ms. Ippolito and I will be going into your classrooms this week and next week discussed graduation requirements - make sure to speak up if you have any questions or schedule a time you can come and sit with one of us to review your transcript and see what classes you might need to make up in order to graduate.

-Ms. Miller

REPOST: CUNY DEADLINE IS APPROACHING

I'm reposting this because I think it is incredibly important for all of you to apply to some CUNY schools. Not because all CUNY schools are fall back schools - they are NOT. Just think of Baruch, John Jay, Hunter - very difficult schools to get into if you don't have over a 90 average! I am urging you to apply because it gives you the opportunity to explore your options if you are unsure of where you want to go and what you want to study WHILE saving tons of money. Seriously - without scholarships, college costs can add up to ridiculous amounts and it's kind of ridiculous how LOW CUNY costs can be in comparison while getting the same incredible education. CUNY is not for students who aren't smart or for students who can't get into Ivy League schools - it's for students who want to SUCCEED. 

Some CUNY  graduates you may have heard of include Colin Powell, Marty Markowitz, Jimmy Smits, Ralph Lauren, and Jerry Seinfeld. Some other notable graduates of CUNY schools include:

• Stanley Cohen (B.A. 1943), biochemist and Nobel laureate (Physiology or Medicine, 1986)
• Ruby Dee (1945), Emmy-nominated actress and civil rights activist
• A. M. Rosenthal (1949), former executive editor of The New York Times who championed the publication of the Pentagon Papers; Pulitzer prize winning journalist
• Jerry Moss (B.A. 1957), co-founder of A&M Records
• Frank McCourt (M.A. 1967), Pulitzer Prize-winning author of Angela's Ashes and 'Tis
• Steve Riggio (B.A. 1974), CEO of Barnes & Noble, Inc.
• Guillermo Linares (1975), New York City Council member, first Dominican-American City Council member and Commissioner of the Mayor's Office of Immigrant Affairs
• Dan DiDio (B.A. 1983), American comic book editor and executive for DC Comics
• Yvette Clarke - Congresswoman, member of the United States House Of Representatives from New York's 11th congressional district

(see this wikipedia article for a full list of notable CUNY grads and alumni)

12 Nobel Laureates have been associated with CUNY in areas such as economics, physics, medicine, and chemistry. Read more about them here!

FEBRUARY 1ST IS THE DEADLINE FOR THE CUNY APPLICATION!!

After Feb 1st, you will not be able to submit an application online to any CUNY schools. 

Not sure what you want to study as a career in college? Choose CUNY for 2 years to save money and explore your elective options.

Not sure if you'll get financial aid for all four years of college? Everyone gets less financial aid in their first 2 years than in their last 2 years! Choose CUNY for 2 years (at least!) to lighten your loan debt!

Not sure if you want to live at home and commute or live away from home at school? Choose CUNY to see what the college lifestyle is like and transfer if you want!

Want to get a great education in a major like Nursing, Computer Technology, Auto Tech, Psychology, Social Work, Science, Education, Business, Management, Marketing, Graphic Design, Criminal Justice, English?? CHOOSE CUNY!! 

Visit www.cuny.edu to explore CUNY schools and to complete your application. 

***IT IS THE SIMPLEST COLLEGE APPLICATION YOU WILL FILL OUT!!***

Have your Social Security Number and Student ID / OSIS #, basic information, and your list of CUNY colleges you'd like to attend. Make sure to include a Community College or two as fall-backs! 

Come see me when you return after Regents Week if you need help filling out your application!

-Ms. Miller

College Recommendation Letters

Many of you have been sending in lots of college applications and I'm so proud and excited for you! You're researching schools and majors, going on campus tours, and asking a TON of questions (I love it, honest!).

I just want to remind you all, that even though you have pressed the big SUBMIT button, your application is NOT finished! Almost every school you apply to will be looking for some further documentation. Here is some info and tips on everything you'll need to send in.

Transcripts

• CUNY: As long as you put your OSIS # in the application, they automatically receive your transcript. The perks of applying to a public school from a public school!
• SUNY: Once you fully submit your application (with payment), your name and application info will pop up on the SUNY CounselorConnect, which is checked every day. We upload your transcript immediately.
• A sidenote: Even though we do upload your transcript, you DO have to fill out the Student Online Academic Report (SOAR). I know it's a lot of information, but it is a required part of your application. 
• Common App: CommonApp has a Counselor Portal very similar to the SUNY one, which means once you submit your application, your name pops up on the list and your transcript is uploaded. The difference, however, is that your transcript is not submitted until your entire Counselor School Report is submitted. More info on that in the Recommendation area. 
• Other schools: There is no definitive process for the rest of the schools (non-CUNY, non-SUNY, non-CommonApp); each school will have a different method. Many schools use SendEDU.org (ex: NJIT, Wentworth, St. John's, just to name a few); these schools will tell you to bring a Document Request Form to your Counselor. It will also ask you to put in my name and email information - this does not mean it will automatically be sent to me! You still need to bring in the document request form in order for me to upload all of your information to the school and complete your application. There are a few schools left who do not have any electronic upload option; these schools will give you an address to  mail to and an application ID number to attach to the information. Please bring in that information.

Recommendations:
Some quick info about your letters of recommendation before giving school specific info. Choose the people you request letters from wisely. I strongly suggest you get one from your shop teacher, as they have been with you 2 periods a day for the last 3 years. They know you and your work better than most other teachers. After that, think of teachers whose classes you've done exceptionally well in. Outside of school, think of mentors, internship or volunteer supervisors with whom you've done a lot of work that you are proud of. Do not exceed THREE recommendation letters, unless a school specifically asks for it.

• CUNY: The CUNY General Freshman Admission application does not *require* letters of recommendation, however they would be a great supplement to your application, as many students do NOT submit them. If you are getting recommendations for other schools, you might as well send them in with your CUNY application! The Macaulay Honors application does require two recommendation letters. You are able to electronically send a request - but please follow up with the people you have sent requests to.
• SUNY: Similar to the CUNY app, most SUNY schools do not *require* letters of recommendation, but they add to the big picture of who you are as a student and as a person. The SUNY CounselorConnect is able to accept TWO recommendation letters, so make sure they are from the people who can most accurately speak about your strengths and accomplishments.
• CommonApp: CommonApp gives you the option to electronically request recommendations from teachers/supervisors/etc. Please follow up in person with these people. Hard to believe but some people do not check their email as often as you! The best way to get your recommendation done as soon as possible is to personally ask your recommenders. 
• Your CommonApp submission is dependent on your actual application, your transcript, your rec letters, your essay and the school report. The school report is filled out by me, your Guidance Counselor. This report can NOT be submitted without a Guidance Counselor recommendation. Stop in and see me if you have filled out a CommonApp.
• Other schools: Every school outside of these three forms will be different. Some will specifically say no recommendations, some will say recommendations are not required (similarly to CUNY - send them in!), some will ask for one, two, or three. Do NOT send more than what the school is asking for. Think of the amount of paperwork they are reading as it is! They do not want to read extra. On that note, they may not even read extra ones you send in. Request hard copies of recommendation letters from your recommenders.

   The Essay:

• You have all heard how important the essay is to your college application. It gives you a chance to speak about *you* and give a better picture of who you are as more than just the numbers on your transcript. Mrs. Marsigliano is amazing at helping with college essays. Also, don't hesitate to speak to your English teachers for help with your essay!
• CUNY: Just like the recommendations - not required, but would help your application out.
• SUNY: Required on almost all school's supplemental applications. 
• CommonApp: Required step in the application
• Other schools: Some schools will ask for an essay, other schools will not. Similar to the recommendation letters - if it is not *required*, send it in. If they say no essay, don't send it in. Most schools will require an essay as part of the application. 

Secondary School Report: 
A Secondary School Report (SSR) is filled out by your Guidance Counselor (me!). It is a simple form which asks for your rank and GPA and course load information. Almost all schools ask for one to be filled out. The SSR also asks for a Guidance Counselor recommendation. You must come see me after filling out any applications because we need to speak and I need to know as much about you as possible to write an accurate (and glowing!) recommendation letter. It is incredibly important that you come see me as soon as possible as your application will not be complete until the SSR is submitted.

• CUNY: Does not require or request a SSR.
• SUNY: The SSR is automatically requested in the SUNY CounselorConnect portal and is immediately submitted when your transcript is submitted.
• CommonApp: As stated earlier, the CommonApp School Report requires a Counselor Recommendation in order to be completely submitted. Please come see me if you have filled out a CommonApp and I haven't contacted you yet.
• Other schools: As with everything else mentioned above, every school outside of these forms will be different. Almost all will request an SSR. Make sure you completely read through your application confirmation page. They may give you links to forms for you to print out and bring to your Counselor. Read all of your application requirements FULLY!!

Supplementals
Supplemental material will be asked of you from some schools. All SUNY apps are finished when the supplemental applications are complete. For most SUNY schools, the supplemental is your essay and senior courseload. For schools that focus on art, architectural or graphic design, you may be asked to complete and submit a portfolio.  Pay close attention to what is asked of you after you press the SUBMIT button!!

As always, come chat with me if you have any questions!

-Ms. Miller 

SAT re-take

As those of you that signed up for the November 3 SAT know by know, the test has been rescheduled for November 17. For those of you that signed up to take it at NEW DORP HIGH SCHOOL, the test site has been moved to I.S. 24 in Great Kills (225 Cleveland Ave).

If you do not have the admission ticket, you will not be able to print another from the college board site, but will be permitted in the building with a school ID.

GOOD LUCK!!!

Ms. Miller

Back to school

Our first day really back to school in a while! The previous week has been difficult for many McKee students and staff, but we're moving forward. We've also elected to move FORWARD with President Obama for the next four years. FORWARD is the key word for the next few weeks. There is a lot to rebuild on our island, in our state, and in our country as a whole and I'm excited to be moving forward with everyone.

For those that have faced hardships from the storm in the past week, please use school as your place of solace and refuge! Everyone in this building is here to help you in your return to normalcy and we're ready to do whatever we have to do to help you and your family. Please be in touch with me or your teachers if you need anything. Any textbooks lost due to flooding will be replaced, along with other necessary school supplies. We have a discreet clothing closet on the second floor that you can go into at any time and take *whatever* you need.

We don't want you to feel embarrassed about asking for help if you do need it, please know that everyone in this school wants to help in any way they can. Come to me or Ms. Ippolito, pull a teacher to the side privately if you want to be discreet. We will keep your privacy and confidentiality!

My heart goes out to people who lost family members, I know the numbers are no longer rising, but that pain will not go away quickly. For those that have lost their homes and possessions, that pain won't quickly go away either, and I'm truly sorry for those losses. As an island, as a community, as people, it has been abundantly clear that we will rebuild and move FORWARD from this.

-Ms. Miller

Senior Reminders

SENIOR REMINDERS:

1.      The next available SAT test is on December 1^st. The deadline to register is November 1^st. The late registration deadline is November 16^th.

2.      The following SAT is on January 26^th. The deadline to register is on December 28^th. The late registration deadline is January 11^th. (Most of your applications will need to be in by then!)

3.      McKee’s High School code (CEEB Code): 335375. You will need this when registering for the SAT.

4.      Fee waivers are still available for the SAT!! If you qualify for free lunch, you are automatically eligible for a waiver; if not, please bring in your tax information to see if you qualify. See Ms. Jensen in the Guidance office (room 307) for more information. *Fee waivers cannot be used for late registration.*

5.      Your must send score reports to your colleges! You can send scores to FOUR colleges for FREE, and the rest are an additional $11.00. A few tips to save you money:

a.       The CUNY UAPC (University Application Processing Center) code is 2950. This sends your scores to all CUNY schools.

b.      We are able to send SAT scores free from McKee to a select *few* SUNY schools, and all CUNY schools.

c.       Use your free spots to send scores to your top schools right away. Your college choices will notice that you sent your score in as soon as you could.

d.      Keep your www.collegeboard.com login information handy. You need this if you have to register to take the test over; you need it if you have to send your scores to more schools after registration; you need it to log in and get personalized information about your test scores.

6.      The next available ACT test date is on December 8^th. The deadline to register is on November 2^nd. The late registration deadline is November 16^th. Some information on the ACT test:

a.       The ACT is an achievement test, measuring what a student has learned in school. It has up to 5 components: English, Mathematics, Reading, Science, and an optional Writing Test.

b.      All four-year colleges and universities in the US accept either the SAT or the ACT, most will also accept a combination of both scores.

7.      Student athletes who will play a sport in college: Send your scores to the NCAA Eligibility Center by entering the code 9999. Also, you must complete the NCAA Eligibility Center form at www.eligibilitycenter.org. You cannot receive any sports scholarships without registering with the NCAA Eligibility Center.

Overcoming Obstacles

Today was the first day we began presenting Overcoming Obstacles in the classroom. We were lucky enough to receive this program in our school free of charge from the NYC Gifting Initiative! Overcoming Obstacles is a life skills program that teaches students over 20 important life skills that all young people need, starting with a strong foundation of the most critical skills: communication, decision making, and goal setting.

With the help of our wonderful History department, Mr. Jeff Thomas and I did an introductory lesson with some of the freshmen and sophomore classes today and it went great! The students responded really well to the topics we were talking about and presenting and we're really looking forward to going further in this program with them.

You can find out more about Overcoming Obstacles at www.overcomingobstacles.org.

-Ms. Miller

College Fair

Yesterday was McKee High School's College Fair and it was a real success! Our seniors, juniors, and some sophomores got the opportunity to speak with college representatives and find out information about some schools they may not have known about otherwise! This was a really great chance for our students to find out what is offered at different schools and the wide range of opportunities they have ahead of them. My sincerest thank you to the schools who attended and spoke to our students yesterday:
Wood-Tobe Coburn
Kingsborough Community College
CUNY Central
Kean University
SUNY Maritime College
SUNY Alfred
Institute of Design and Construction
NY Career Institute
Berkeley College
DeVry University
Lincoln Tech
NYIT
College of Staten Island
WorkForce1
US Army
US Marines

We had a great turnout of school and a great turnout of interested students. Thanks so much for your time and effort, representatives! Looking forward to seeing everyone again in the spring and next fall!

-Ms. Miller

Today's positive affirmation:

WHEN I BELIEVE IN MYSELF, SO DO OTHERS

Not sure what to do with this positive affirmation? Read this post explaining the importance and benefits of using positive affirmations in your daily life. And remember, always: POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE!

-Ms. Miller

Positive Affirmations

Affirmations are positive statements that describe a desired situation, and which are repeated many times, in order to impress the subconscious mind and trigger it into positive action. This means you repeat it over and over to yourself in order to convince your brain into thinking and processing it as the truth. In order to ensure the effectiveness of the affirmations, they have to be repeated with attention, conviction, interest and desire.

The best positive affirmations to repeat are short and easy to remember. Repeat them every time your mind is not engaged in something important, like when you're taking the bus or train to school, but do not affirm while crossing a street, or while sitting in class or while taking a test!

Relax any physical, emotional or mental tension when you start repeating it to yourself (also known as "affirming"). The stronger the concentration, the more faith you have in what you are doing, the more feelings you put into the act, the stronger and faster will be the results.

Choose only positive words, describing what you really want. If you desire to lose weight, do not tell yourself "I am not fat" or "I am losing weight." These are negative statements, bringing into the mind mental images of what you do not want. Say instead, "I am getting slim" or "I have reached my right weight". Such words evoke positive images in the mind.

Always affirm in the present tense, not the future tense. Saying, "I will be rich", means that you intend to be rich one day, in the indefinite future, but not now. It's more effective to say, and also feel, "I am rich now", and the subconscious mind will work at overtime to make this happen now, in the present.

The power of affirmations can help you to transform your life. By stating what you want to be true in your life, you mentally and emotionally see and feel it as true, no matter what your current circumstances are, and thereby attract it into your life.

Today's positive affirmation for you repeat to yourself as often as you can is this:

I AM SUCCESSFUL IN WHATEVER I DO

Positive Mental Attitude! PMA!!!

-Ms. Miller

End of summer

WHOA!

Summer is almost over! It's been a busy one for me so I apologize for the COMPLETE lack of posts on here over the past 2 months. But school is starting back up so soon and I'm really excited for the 2012-13 school year at McKee. We're going to have some new activities going on during and after school, you're going to be seeing me in your classroom more often doing class lessons, and everything is going be awesome and exciting.

To all McKee students who have been attending summer school at Curtis, congratulations! Today is the final day, and you have a nice 2 weeks off until school starts up again. I hope you never have to take summer school again! But I'm sure you're just glad it's over right now. For those that attended everyday and worked hard to get their credit, good for you! You deserve these 2 weeks of relaxation before you start working hard again.

I hope you're as excited for the new school year as I am, and if you're not, then GET EXCITED! We all have to work together to start off this school year (and every school year, and everything we do!) thinking positively and optimistically. POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE!

• Positive mental attitude (PMA) is the philosophy that having an optimistic disposition in every situation in one's life attracts positive changes and increases achievement. It employs a state of mind that continues to seek, find and execute ways to win, or find a desirable outcome, regardless of the circumstances. It opposes negativity, defeatism and hopelessness. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Positive_mental_attitude)

I just got an idea. At least once a week, I will post a positive affirmation for you to think about and repeat to yourself throughout the day to get your brain on a POSITIVE MENTAL ATTITUDE kick! PMA!

Well, here's to the end of summer being better than the rest of the summer. Enjoy yourselves and be safe!

-Ms. Miller

Seniors!

McKee's class of 2012 is set to graduate in just about 2 weeks and I couldn't be more excited for all of you!! Last night (June 7th) was the McKee 2012 Prom and all of the seniors looked incredible! The party was at The Vanderbilt on Staten Island. The DJ was great!! Everyone was dancing all night; students and teachers. I know I had a great time dancing all night at prom. I might have been more excited to celebrate with my seniors last night than I was at my own prom! Here are some pictures to show you what a great time everyone had and how AMAZING everyone looked.

They definitely danced a lot all night!

 
The lovely prom King and Queen: Izzy Alcivar and Nathalie Ubaldegaray! 

 
Ms. Miller (that's me!) with students Anu McPherson and Aaron Oquendo, with Ms. Starkey - who put the whole prom together. Great job, Ms. Starkey!!

I hope everyone had a great time! It definitely looked like everyone did. Also, I hope everyone was SAFE after prom!

I'd also just like to throw in a quick note here. 

I've only been your Guidance Counselor at McKee for about 8 months, but it has truly been MY privilege to be your Counselor. As your Guidance Counselor and as a member of the McKee community, I've learned what it means to truly LOVE your job and feel fulfilled by the work that you do everyday. To the 2012 Senior class: thank you for being some of the most amazing, coolest, funniest, smartest kids I've ever met. I wish I could have gone through your four years of high school with you but I hope to hear about your upcoming years of college/work/whatever you do! I wish you all the best of luck and I know you'll do great things - I'll try my best to take some credit when you get famous ;). 

To my underclassmen, I'm excited to keep working with you and see you through high school and work together to make it the best few years of your life! 

This doesn't mean the school year is over (sorry to be a bummer). Check the schedule for Regents and make sure you go to tutoring!! Some of you seniors still need to pass Regents in order to graduate - this means if you do not pass the required Regents, you will unfortunately NOT be able to take part in the graduation ceremony. Parents, please be aware of this and contact either me or Ms. Ippolito to find out if your child falls in this situation. 

Hope everyone has a great weekend! Fingers crossed for no rain!!

-Ms. Miller

Still deciding on a college?

Seniors! Hello!

Most colleges ask for your definitive response to their acceptance by May 1st. If you haven't yet picked a school and sent in your response, you're in luck! Every year around this time, the National Association for College Admission Counseling posts a list of colleges and universities that still have space available for freshmen and transfer student admissions. You can search the list easily here - www.nacacnet.org/space.  As of the most recent update, this is the availability found:

• 362 colleges/universities have space for freshmen
• 374 colleges/universities have space for transfer students
• 373 schools still have institutional financial aid available (grants, scholarships, work-study)
• 354 schools still having housing available
• 70 percent of colleges reporting space availability for Fall 2012 are private, and 30 percent are public.

There are many colleges and universities in New York with availability as of right now!  This list is comprised of NACAC schools that have responded to the Space Availability Survey; these schools base their availability on the number of acceptance responses they have received by May 1st. The survey consists mostly of four-year institutions; however some two-year institutions may appear on the survey results. Please note that if an institution of any level does not appear on the survey results, it does not necessarily mean there is no space available at that institution.

If you see a school on this that you are interested in but have not yet applied, you must contact the institution directly for application information. Listing on the survey implies only space available. Admission is contingent upon each institution’s review of application information.

Why Four-Year College?

FOUR YEAR COLLEGE
A four-year college education, or bachelor's degree, can open doors and prepare students for a wide variety of rewarding careers.
While all four-year colleges hope to attract bright, well-prepared students, colleges vary greatly in their size, admission requirements, costs, and in the majors they offer.
At most four-year colleges, students take about half of their courses in their major (the subject they have chosen to study in depth). The rest of their courses are required general education courses (English, science, history, math, etc.) and electives (courses they want to take).

COLLEGE PREPARATION
Colleges recommend that students follow a college prep program in high school, and that they get the highest possible grades. 

College Prep Courses
Most colleges recommend that students take the following college prep courses in high school:
4 years of English
3-4 years of math (including Algebra I, Geometry and Trigonometry/Algebra II)
3 years of social studies
3 years of science
2-3 years of the same foreign language*
1 year of fine or performing arts*

*The NYC DOE Public High School requirement for foreign language recently changed to 2 credits, which is equal to 1 year. McKee offers 1 year of Spanish to our students to meet graduation requirements. We also offer one year of General Art class to meet the 2 credits of Art/Music requirement.

Competitive schools and programs consider the above to be the minimum requirements. They commend that students take advanced courses when possible. Students who haven't taken several of the above recommended college prep courses may want to start at a community college or at a college's branch campus. The requirements for admission are less competitive, the classes are smaller, and there's less pressure.

Activities and Interests
Colleges are looking for students who are active and involved. Develop your interests, skills, and talents, and get involved in activities in your high school and your community.

CHOOSING A COLLEGE
There are many things to consider when you choose a college.

Size
Do you want to go to a large school with lots of majors and activities, or to a small school with fewer students and smaller classes?

Academic Programs
If you have a specific subject you want to study, you need to find the colleges that offer that major. If you don't know what subject you want to study, look for a college with a variety of majors.

Location
Where do you want to go to college? Staying in Staten Island? Living at home but commuting to NYC? In another state completely? In an urban or rural area?

Admission Requirements
Look for colleges that accept students with grades and test scores similar to yours.

Cost
If cost is a concern, keep the following in mind:

• public colleges (in-state) are generally less expensive than private colleges
• you can save money by living at home and commuting, or by starting at a community college
• there is a great deal of financial aid available!!

Here is a very, very general and broad college outline. As I continue this blog, I will be adding more about month-by-month steps for each grade level.

9th grade
Get off to a good start academically. Look for ways to develop your interests and talents.

10th grade
Consider taking the PSAT.

11th grade
-Take the PSAT in October.
-Begin to seriously research your college options.
-Start thinking of your interests and abilities in terms of possible college majors.
-Talk to your counselor about your college plans.
-Take the ACT and/or SAT in the spring.
-Make college visits. 

12th grade
-Retake the ACT and/or SAT, if necessary
-Fill out applications. Be aware of deadlines.
-Meet with your counselor to discuss your college plans, possible majors, financial aid, etc.
-If you are applying for financial aid, apply for your PIN and submit your FAFSA as after January 1 as possible.

Finally, the internet knows a lot more than me about all of this. Here are some extremely helpful websites:
www.collegeboard.com
www.educationplanner.org
www.finaid.org
www.actstudent.org
studentaid.ed.gov
www.collegesavings.org

-Ms. Miller

REGENTS

18 DAYS UNTIL FINALS BEGIN (12 FOR SENIORS!)

26 DAYS UNTIL REGENTS BEGIN!! Please see the Regents schedule for June 2012!! Please be on the lookout for Regents prep and tutoring after school!

40 DAYS UNTIL THE END OF THE YEAR (that's actually only 27 SCHOOL DAYS left!)

The end of the year is fast approaching!! That doesn't mean it's any time to slack off, though - keep working hard to bring up whatever grades may have dropped in the second marking period, or just keep working to get your great grades even higher and greater!! (Can you tell I'm excited for summer and am a fan of exclamation points?)

As it gets closer to finals week, I will be posting the schedule for all students and parents to be aware. If you have any questions leading up to them, please get in touch!

-Ms. Miller

Show Me app

Have you heard about this cool new iPad app called Show Me? Our students in the AVID program have been utilizing this very cool app as a classroom tool to teach and learn lessons. Students are able to create and share lessons that they make with each other and with the world on the Show Me website. Check out some of the lessons our AVID students have made here: http://www.showme.com/mckeehighschool

ALSO! Congratulations to some of our seniors, Caleb King, Epifanio Ortiz, Corey Newell-Hopkins, Jonathan Cortes and Patrick Fleming on their exit interview from the Construction Skills Program.  
The Edward J. Malloy Initiative for Construction Skills provides pre-apprenticeship training that prepares graduating New York City public high school seniors for entry into unionized building and construction trades apprenticeship programs.
The pre-apprenticeship program is designed to prepare New York City public high school students for the rigors of the construction industry.  Through the provision of classroom and hands-on training, students complete the program armed with the skills necessary to be successful in the unionized construction industry.
Upon successful completion of the program, graduates of Construction Skills are referred to union apprenticeship programs through a “direct entry” track.  In other words, Construction Skills graduates earn access to union building and construction trades apprenticeship opportunities without going through the public recruitment process.

This is a great motivator for sophomores and juniors in the Construction shop to keep in mind! Successful students will be referred to the program by Mr. O'Connell, the Construction teacher, and will be able to receive even more support from outside the building through this program. Wouldn't it be nice to be able to work in the construction field right after high school?? If construction is your field, make sure you talk to Mr. O'Connell about this opportunity!

-Ms. Miller

Summer Youth Employment

It's that time again to apply for the NYC Summer Youth Employment Program! There are only a few days left to apply so get on it RIGHT NOW!! Go to the SYEP application page ASAP and send in your info! https://application.nycsyep.com/

The Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP) provides New York City youth between the ages of 14 and 24 with summer employment and educational opportunities. In 2011, the Dept of Youth and Community Development employed 30,628 participants and placed them at 5,732 worksites.  Participants work in a variety of entry-level jobs at government agencies, hospitals, summer camps, nonprofits, small businesses, law firms, museums, sports enterprises, and retail organizations.

The Summer Youth Employment Program is designed to:

• Emphasize real-world labor expectations
• Increase awareness of services offered by local community-based organizations
• Provide opportunities for career instruction, financial literacy training, academic improvement, and social growth

If you didn't know about Summer Youth before, you do now! And you must get your application in immediately! This is a great opportunity for all students in NYC and I've heard great reviews from the several NYC public schools I've worked in, from both students, school staff, and businesses involved. Good luck!!

-Ms. Miller

Thank you, from Ms. Ippolito

Ralph R. McKee High School held its very successful second annual Career Fair on Thursday, May 3, 2012.  The Career Fair consisted of over twenty professionals from various career and technical areas.  Professionals included Nick Manfredi and Frank Agostino; Emil Galante from Galante Home Improvement; Leroy Cooper from Lincoln Tech; Lawrence Chiarelli from Poly Tech; Richard Rothenberg from Fashion Institute of Technology; FDNY; William Smith and Dan Wardrope, Construction Managers for the State of NY (DASNY); William Ellis (Graphics); Dan Morio, Information Technology (NYCDOE); Alan Broth, Information Technology from Queens Hospital; William Bonner, CFN Network Leader; Tracy Brown, author and former student; Cheryl Farrell, Cristelle Yamada and Julia Harris who are engineers in different areas of construction and computer science; Carol Burt, National Association of Women in Construction; Denise Schiera, salon owner; Samantha Bernadine, NYS My Health Careers. 

The McKee High School students have received immense support from these professionals. We feel especially privileged to have had some of these individuals join us in the past.  Their dedication and consistency has reinforced and enhanced our efforts and ability to assist our students through active engagement, providing materials/information to our students and discussing internship and employment opportunities available for the CTE areas.

The goal is to prepare students for careers in Architecture, Computer Networking, Computer Graphics, Construction Technology, Automotive Technology and Cosmetology.  McKee students experience great success in higher education, internships and employment. Having professionals visit our school is the ideal means to experience what we offer as a career and academic institution.  It also provides our students with more exposure to the career and technical fields, develops their knowledge and enhances their skills. Our staff is thankful to the professionals who have taken the time to assist us toward our goal to motivate and encourage our students to continue exploring, enhancing their skills and pursuing the career and technical areas.

Joyce Ippolito, Guidance Counselor

Prospective CUNY Students

Calling all underclassmen interested in CUNY colleges!!

On Sunday May 20th, there will be an Open House session for the Macaulay Honors College. The College is located at 35 West 67th Street, New York, NY. The Open House will be from 2pm to 4pm; you can register to attend the event at this link: http://macaulay.cuny.edu/community/rsvp/event-registration/

What's so special about the Macaulay Honors College?
Macaulay students enroll in one of seven CUNY colleges (Baruch, Brooklyn, City, Hunter, Lehman, Queens, or Staten Island). Through the unique Macaulay Advising Program, each student develops a coordinated, individualized academic program that includes courses selected from over 210 majors, global learning, graduate and professional mentoring, community engagement, and faculty-student research collaboration.

What makes Macaulay different?
Macaulay's core values are collaboration, innovation, leadership, and service. Unique aspects of the Macaulay program include:

• A sequence of four interdisciplinary seminars with a focus on New York City
• Each student creates a unique course of study, guided by over 200 majors and the Macaulay Advising Program (MAP), which encourages students to pursue research, service, and internship opportunities, in New York and around the world
• Through the Macaulay Opportunities Fund, each student may apply for up to $7500 for global study, service, and internships
• The Macaulay community on each campus includes a Director and Advisors, as well as Instructional Technology Fellows ("Tech Fellows"), graduate students who are also experts in using technology for research and collaboration across the disciplines.

What else can Maucalay offer for me?
As if that weren't enough! Macaulay Honors College students are designated "University Scholars" and receive a comprehensive scholarship package. Students receive a full undergraduate tuition scholarship, a brand new MacBook laptop, professional mentoring and career prep with leaders in government, business, science, and the arts. Students in the Macaulay Honors College are given greater opportunities to explore the world around them and abroad; Honors students study abroad and receive service learning opportunities around the globe, they are also given a Cultural Passport which provides free or discounted entry to hundreds of New York arts and cultural venues.

Macaulay Honors College at CUNY is not its own college. It is a college program that works in conjunction with your CUNY college that you apply to and attend. The CUNY colleges that offer the Macauly Honors College program are: Baruch, Brooklyn College, City College, Hunter, Lehman, Queens, or the College of Staten Island. Each of these schools have some extraordinary programs even without the Macaulay Honors College!

Speaking of which! The College of Staten Island will be showing off their programs at their Undergraduate Open House on Saturday May 12th. The Open House will be at the College (the Center for the Arts - Building 1P) from 10:30am to 2 pm. Join knowledgeable staff and renowned faculty for presentations, workshops and information fair highlighting academic, pre-professional and honors programs, scholarships, financial aid, athletics and a myriad of student services and resources. Enjoy a tour of their magnificent campus! Refreshments will be served.

Just a quick refresher:
Saturday May 12th from 10:30am to 2pm - College of Staten Island FREE Open House
Sunday May 20th from 2pm to 4pm - Macaulay Honors College FREE Open House

If you are a Freshman, Sophomore, or Junior who is determined to go to college and succeed, these are some great opportunities for you and your families to start finding out what your options are after McKee High School!!

Ms. Miller

CUNY Ladies!

If you're a female senior and planning on going to a CUNY school in the fall, here is a great opportunity for you! It's called the Grace Outreach Darlene Jeris Scholarship. It's a pretty great program which pays YOU to get math and writing prep during the summer, and continuing help from a college counselor through your first year of college!

About the Grace Outreach D.Jeris Scholarship

The scholarship offers you three things:

• Payments of $400 as you complete the requirements for a summer prep program and join first semester activities at a CUNY college. 
• Grace Outreach college counselor will help you do well in your first year at a CUNY college, and you will receive membership into a great peer program.
•  Training this summer (prep program) to improve Math and Writing to master the CUNY Skills ACT/COMPASS Placement Tests at college.

Eligibility

·         You must be a high school graduate by June 2012

·         You must be a female within the age range of 16- 24 and a resident of New York State

·         You must apply to a CUNY College

Entry Requirements

·         Fill out a GO scholarship application

·         Attend an interview

·         Participate in the GO Summer Program and a fall college support/study group

(The deadline for the application is May 29, 2012; pick up an application form from Ms. Miller or Ms. Marsigliano.)

Award of your Scholarship

Grace Outreach is awarding a total of $850 in cash to 18 students

·         20 hours a week of college prep with a total payment of $400 by the end of the summer

·         Additional payments when you meet your first semester college goals

·         A monthly Metro card for the summer program

 This could be really helpful so please come see me about it!!

-Ms. Miller