Pymatuning Valley Local School District

Greetings.  Thank you for visiting the Guidance Office Webpage.  If you need further assistance regarding any of the information listed on this page, please do not hesitate to call, email, or stop in to see Mr. Brown.

Have a terrific summer!  School resumes August 21st.  Students will have until the end of the school day on September 27th to make modifications to their schedules.  Schedule change requests will be honored if:  The schedule change does not affect courses required for graduation, the class the student would like to move to is not filled, and the schedule change does not significantly affect the section balance of the course they are moving into.

We encourage any junior or senior who is considering a post-secondary option including, but not limited to college, technical, nursing, business, or trade school to take the ACT at least once during their high school tenure.  Sophomores on an accellerated learning track are also encouraged to consider taking the exam.   The ACT is offered 7 times per calendar year.  Pymatuning Valley High School is no longer a host site.  The closest sites for the October, December, February, and April dates are either the Kent State Ashtabula campus or Howland High School.  Students can create an account and register for any ACT test date at act.org/bts

 

To best prepare for the ACT and see sample questions and answers, go to www.act.org/testprep

 

Students interested in taking the SAT instead of the ACT may apply to do so at www.collegeboard.org.  PVHS is not a host site for the SAT.  Students must select a testing location on the collegeboard webpage when applying for the SAT.  SAT dates for the 2019-2020 school year are listed below

 

 

Beginning with the class of 2023, students must:

     *  Meet all required state and local graduation requirements

     *  Achieve a competency score of 684 on the algebra and English II end of course exams

     *  Earn 2 state approved graduation seals or one state approved and one local approved graduation seal. 

 

Seals can be earned by:

     *  Scoring proficient on the biology end of course exam

     *  Scoring proficient on the US history AND US government exams

     *  Completing an Ohio Means Jobs readiness form

     *  Enlistment in any branch of the US military 

     *  Completing 80 hours of community service over the course of grades 9-12.  Documenation of service required.

     *  Earning 10 credits in fine arts.  These courses can include art I-IV, choir, show choir, band, jazz band, and piano

     *  Full year or season participation in 10 extra curricular activities.  

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Starting in the 2015-16 school year, College Credit Plus (CCP) will replace the current PSEO program, which allows students to earn college credit while enrolled in high school.   The College Credit Plus option will be available for students in grades 7-12 who meet ACT and grade point average criteria.  Although any current student in grades 6-11 can apply for the College Credit Plus option, the student must have an ACT score on file and it is recommended that the student have received a college remediation free score on the ACT of 18 English, 22 Math, and 22 Reading, and currently hold a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or higher in core classes.  As part of CCP, local school districts and participating institutions of higher education must work collaboratively to provide students considering business, STEM, or general studies with a 15 or 30 credit hour pathway for beginning the accumulation of post-secondary credits.  The recommended pathway for Pymatuning Valley High School is in partnership with Kent State University-Ashtabula campus and can be viewed in the link below.  CCP participants are not required to follow this pathway.  Students intending to apply for CCP enrollment MUST attend a College Credit Plus information session prior to submitting an applicaton.  Pymatuning Valley High School will be hosting a CCP information session in early spring in conjunction with parent/teacher conference night.  Students who would like to participate in CCP in the Fall of 2024 must submit an application and a Letter of Intent by April 1st, 2024          15 & 30 credit hour pathway

 

 

 

Public-Works-Ohio-Chapter.pdfThis is a new and very valuable tool in assisting students in learning more about careers they are pursuing.  I would encourage all students to go to this website, create an account, and do research on their potential careers.  Students can learn important facts such as schooling needed, demand for a particular career, and the average salary of a particular job.  Students can get started by logging onto https://jobseeker.k-12.ohiomeansjobs.monster.com/    To understand where students should be in their thinking and pursuit of post-secondary goals, consider the following suggestions below

 

Students in 9th and 10th grade should:  Have their post-graduation plans narrowed down to no more than a few ideas.  These students should be asking themselves whether enrollment at A-Tech would help them ultimately gain employment in the field they intend to pursue.  These students should also be creating a high school schedule that best reflects what careers they most likely see themselves pursuing after high school.  Students in these grades should also begin the process of researching colleges and other post-secondary institutions such as business, nursing or trade school, and be familiarizing themselves with important facts such as tuition, majors offered, classes required in the major(s) they are considering, and overall GPA and ACT scores needed for admission.

 

Students in 11th and 12th grade should:  Be able to state with certainty what their plans are following graduation.  I VERY highly encourage any student in 11th grade who is certain that he/she will be attending college after graduation to have taken the ACT at least one time prior to the end of their junior year.  This gives the students the opportunity to see what the ACT is like and if they need to take it again in 12th grade in order to improve their score, they have the confidence of having taken it once and can better prepare for the second attempt.  More and more colleges are now requiring an ACT writing score as a criteria for admission.  Some students choose to take the ACT by itself the first time, then take it the second time with the writing test.  I endorse this strategy.    Students also should be taking advantage of the college visits opportunities offered by Pymatuning Valley High School.   Juniors and Seniors get up to 3 visits each year that are excused absences.  Students simply need to get the form from Mr. Brown and let their teachers know what date they will be on a college visit.   I very highly recommend students visit campuses they are considering attending.  A campus visit can sometimes be the most important factor in whether or not a student decides to attend a college or institution they are considering applying to.  Students in 11th grade should be well into the research process of which colleges or institution they are planning to apply to.  Seniors should begin the application process shortly after school begins and have applications out to their desired institutions by December.  Remember, the longer seniors wait to apply to college, the less options for local university grant money will be available.  Students who wait until spring to apply to college also run the risk of classes they wish to enroll in as a freshman being already filled to capacity.

 

 

Scholarships:  All seniors intending to further their education following graduation are encouraged to apply for scholarships.  The applications for most, if not all local scholarships that are open to PVHS students do not become available until early spring.  Announcements will be made on PVTV when scholarship applications become available.  Links to the scholarships will be posted on this site during the period in which the students an apply, or the students are welcome to stop down and pick up an application inside the door of the guidance office.   Scholarships offered in the fall are very few and are typically state or nationwide scholarships.  Those applications if students are interested can be found in the filing cabinet of the outer guidance office.  For any student considering a two year technical degree, scholarship applications for a number of Ohio institutions can be found at http://ohiocareercolleges.org  Applications can be downloaded from the scholarship link on that page.  Students must get a signature from a local legislator as part of the application.   Applications and information for 2023 local scholarships will be posted on this site when they become available in February.   FFA scholarship applications will be posted below as well as I receive them.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

  

 

Any intentional written, verbal, or physical act a student exhibits toward another particular student that causes emotional or physical harm, creates a threatening or intimidating educational environment to the student, and is sufficiently severe, persistent, and pervasive is considered bullying.  All offenses of harrassment and bullying will be documented and result in consequences.   The websites below offer tips for parents and students who would like further information about bullying and harrassement.  Students are encouraged to immediately report to an adult if they feel uncomfortable about a behavior directed toward them

One of the more exciting times for upperclassmen is the process of considering, applying to, and ultimately being granted acceptance to a post-secondary institution in which to continue their academic growth and pursuit of their career goals.  Below are links to the homepage of some of the colleges in our area

 

For students who are interested in certification in an 18-24 month program following high school, below are links to accredited institutions in our area who specialize in programs such as veterinary tech, dental care, HVAC, automotive repair, cosmetology, power machinery, criminal justice, design drafting, culinary arts and more.

 

http://www.EduTrek.com is a valuable link to learn more about thousands of schools in the country.  Prospective students can search the database for institutions by state, degree, and subject.  The website offers a free matching service where students will enter information about their interests and receive instant feedback on schools that best fit their needs.

 

To learn more details about tuition, majors offered, and other important facts about Ohio’s post-secondary institutions, you can visit the following site affordable colleges

 

Do you see yourself entering the workforce after high school, but you would still like to take college, technical, or trade classes toward earning a degree?   Visit http://www.onlinecolleges.net/ohio/ for more information about what accredited online classes are available in Ohio.

 

Education and Career-Planning Tools are now available from Ohio Department of Education Career Connections Department at the Career Connections Website at ODE

 

Have you graduated from PVHS or are you graduating this year and looking for a job in our area?  Check out this website for information about hundreds of job opportunities in our region.  https://www.ziprecruiter.com/high-school-jobs

Students interested in pursuing a career in the military beyond high school, or just getting more information about that possibility, may contact the local recruiting offices who are responsible for working with PVHS students.  Their contact information is below.

As a community, we are all responsible for teaching our children about the dangers of drug and alcohol abuse.  Over 23 million Americans report having a past or current substance abuse issue and Ohio communities are struggling to address dependency numbers that have unfortunately climbed over the past few years.  No student should be dismissed as not being the “type” to abuse drugs.  If you are concerned your child is or may become at risk to substance usage, a local agency that can be contacted is Glenbeigh.  They can be reached at (440) 563-3400.   Below are also some helpful links and resources that address drug and alcohol concerns among youth.

Consumption of alcohol by youth is unfortunately a common issue in our nation.  For ideas and strategies on how to combat this concern and tips on how to communicate with your children about the dangers of underage alcohol usage, the following resource can be utilized
www.AlcoholRehabGuide.org/resources/underage-drinking

 

A couple of important facts courtesy of the Ohio Mental Health Addiction Service

The heroin and fentanyl epidemic has sadly affected many regions of the country, including our own.  Heroin is a highly addictive, illegal drug processed from morphine.  Fentanyl is a potent and opioid pain reliever that is approximately 100 times more powerful than heroin, according to drugabuse.com.  If you, a family member, friend, or acquaintance is struggling with addiction, please seek assistance.  The websites below are helpful,  and counselors trained to effectively deal with those struggling with these drugs are available at 1-877-784-2073

• https://americanaddictioncenters.org/
  
• https://www.recovery.org/browse/andover-oh/
  
• https://www.rehabs.com/local/andover-oh/

Sadly, as in other locations across our state and country, Ashtabula County is not immune to children and adults dealing with depressive and at times, suicidal feelings.  Those students are highly encouraged to talk to Mr. Brown or another trusted adult if they are going through difficulties emotionally.   A local 24 hour crisis hotline is available for anyone who is considering harming themselves.  This number is 1-800-273-TALK.  There are also links below that provide tips for talking to those who are struggling emotionally or are coping with a suicide of a loved one.  I’ve also provided the links to a pair of county counseling agencies as well as Ashtabula County 211, which is a good resource to look up not only contact information for emotional services, but also for other county help agencies such as food and clothing pantries as well.

 

Anyone who would like to reach out for help can also do so via text message.  Simply Text 4hope to 741741 or reach out on Twitter @800273TALK

 

This link outlines common signs of teen depression as identified by the National Institute of Health.  Signs of Teen Depression

Please visit the attached article to see how children and teens spending an excess amount of time on their phones and other social media platforms can affect brain functioning and overall emotional health. Dangers of excess screen time

More and more research shows that frequent absences from school significantly affects a child’s ability to learn and grow academically.  Studies have shown that more than 2 absences per month often lowers grades and creates gaps that students must work overtime to fill.  While absences sometimes cannot be avoided, it is imperative to limit them.   Another factor in children’s learning being disrupted is when that student is in multiple school districts over the course of their K-12 career.  Courtesy of a company called Families on the Homefront, the following data was compiled about what often times takes place when a student is frequently moved from school district to school district.

 

If you are a parent or guardian who’s child is struggling with other emotional or academic concerns such as anxiety, unmotivation, organization, time management, or is exhibiting difficulties in reading, math, or writing, the following websites are very useful.