Junior Newsletter #1
9/1/2015
All Students Must Graduate College or Career Ready
ALL students must be either college or career ready as defined by KDE & the Simpson County BOE by the time of graduation. Even if a student meets the 32 course work credit requirement, he/she will not receive a diploma if one of the following are not met:
- To be College Ready, students must meet the ACT Benchmarks of: English-18, Math-19, Reading-20 or make the equivalent scores on the ACT COMPASS College Placement Exam of: English-74, Algebra-36, and Reading-85.
- To be Career Ready, students must complete 3.0 credits in a KDE approved career pathway, earn a state issued industry certificate in that area, and pass one of the following academic components: ACT Workkeys-Silver Certificate, ASVAB-50, ACT-meet benchmarks, or COMPASS-meet benchmarks.
Practice ACT for Juniors
During the upcoming testing in September, juniors will be preparing for the ACT. Juniors will be doing a practice ACT on Tuesday, September 22nd. ALL juniors need to make sure they are at school on time because testing will begin at 8am! We will use the results of the practice ACT to conference with juniors on what they need to work on to improve their scores and if they are on the right track for college/career.
Parent/Teacher Conferences
PT Conferences will be held on Thursday, September 24th from 3:30-6:30 and again on Friday, September 25th from 8:00-11:00 on a walk-in basis.
Co-op Requirements
I know many of you would like to co-op as a senior. The following are the requirements that MUST be met by the end of your junior year in order to co-op.
1)Have a co-op job BEFORE August 1 of your senior year.
2)Earn at least 26 credits before August 1 of your senior year.
3)Have at least a 2.0 unweighted grade point average (GPA) by August 1 of your senior year.
4)Do not be absent in excess of 10 days during yourjunior year (this includes excused absences also).
5)Complete and Pass the Career Pathway courses (3.0 credits) for your particular co-op program by the end of your junior year.
6)Is College or Career Ready as defined by KDE BEFORE the co-op appeals deadline of your junior year.
7)All co-op jobs must be approved by your co-op teacher to be sure they meet state guidelines.
8)Consult your co-op teacher to see if your co-op has additional requirements.
Governor Scholars Program
The Governor’s Scholars Program is a summer residential program for outstanding high school students in Kentucky who are rising seniors. The Program originated in 1983 as a result of Kentucky leaders’ concern that the state’s “best and brightest” were leaving the Commonwealth to pursue educational and career opportunities elsewhere without fully understanding the potential of their talents at home. Students who are selected attend the Program without charge and usually can qualify for academic scholarships at Kentucky colleges and universities.
The Program’s mission is to enhance Kentucky’s next generation of civic and economic leaders. The first class numbered 230 and was housed on one college campus. Since then, the Program has enjoyed excellent support and grown to over 1,000 students on three campuses.
Host campuses are determined competitively every three years. The core curriculum for these summer sessions is threefold:
- Focus Area: a “major” subject of study, assigned according to scholar preference as indicated on the application.
- General Studies: an area of study assigned by staff to challenge the scholars. Courses frequently include service-learning components in the community.
- Seminar: a discussion-based small group session. Emphasis is placed on respectful debate and discussion. Scholars are encouraged to ask probing questions.
Faculty and staff also invite a variety of speakers and performers from a range of disciplines and pursuits to visit campus. Carefully organized field trips, special events, and a film series also contribute to the comprehensive educational atmosphere in which scholars are challenged not only to examine, but, more importantly, to nurture their sense of learning and leadership.
In order to participate in the Program, students must be nominated by their high schools and then compete on a state-wide level. Selection for the program is highly competitive, with an application process similar to that of prestigious colleges and universities. In addition to an academic profile that includes difficulty of course load, GPA, and at least one standardized test score, the application requires an outline of all extracurricular activities, a history of volunteer service, and a list of leadership positions held. Teacher & community member recommendations include both quantitative evaluation and qualitative descriptions of the student’s performance and potential. The final component of the application is an original essay.
You may download a GSP Helpful Hints Packet and/or application at when they become available or you may wait and get a hard copy of the application when it is mailed to the guidance office at the END of September.
There is an informational handout in the guidance office about how GSP applicants are chosen and on how to make your application stand out to increase your chances of being accepted.
*INTERESTED STUDENTS WILL NEED TO TAKE EITHER THE ACT OR THE PSAT IN OCTOBER TO QUALIFY FOR GSP.*
(Please see below on how to sign up for these tests)
ACT
ACT testing datesRegular DeadlineRegistration Fee
October 24thSeptember 18th$39.50 (no writing)
This testing date is given here at FSHS. You can register online at . If you are interested in the Governor's Scholars program, you need to take the ACT at the October date.
Where can I get study materials for the ACT?
You can also go to for the question of the day through ACT. This only takes five minutes of your time and can help you reap great benefits when it comes to your ACT score. ACT also offers an online test-prep service for $24.95.
FSHS also has several ACT prep books and CDs that students can check out of the library. You may also purchase your own ACT prep book with a CD that scores the test for you at several places including Barnes & Noble, Amazon.com, and other various online retailers.
PSAT/NMSQT- Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test
This test covers verbal, math and writing skills and will give you a chance to "practice" for the ACT/SAT. If you score high enough on the PSAT, you may become a National Merit Scholarship semi-finalist. Becoming a semi-finalist allows you the opportunity to take the SAT and compete for scholarships given by the College Board.
Also, some of you have parents who work for companies that have special scholarships that are administered through The College Board. Your parents should check with the human resources department or the personnel office at their place of work to see if their company has special scholarships. Sometimes the first step must be made by your parent during your junior year. Weyerhauser is an example of a company that sponsors special scholarships. This test may be used on GSP applications if you score higher on this than the ACT.
Test date: October 14th(Wednesday) ---all morning here at school. This is a nationally set date and is the only day of the entire school year that we are allowed to administer this test. No makeup dates are allowed.
Cost: $15.00-- You can pay Mrs. Tyler in the front office/guidance office by cash or by check made out to Franklin-Simpson High School. Some fee waivers are available if a student's family meets income guidelines set by The College Board. Juniors should let Mrs. Tyler know if they think they may be eligible for a fee waiver when they sign up for the test.
Registration will continue through Friday. October 2nd--- You register for the test by paying your $15 to Mrs. Tyler. When you register, you will be given a practice test. It is in your best interest to spend time studying on the practice test so that you will do betteron the actual test. The first 45 students who register are those who will be able to take the test.
Scholarships
Voice of Democracy Scholarship Contest
The “Voice of Democracy” contest is open to students in grades 9-12. You have to record your original 3-5 minute essay to a CD on this year’s theme. Label your cassette or CD and neatly typed essay with your name and complete the entry form. This year’s theme is “My Vision for America”. If you wouldlike to enter this contest, apply online at Deadline is Nov. 1stand must be in the hands of the localVFW post.
Scholar of the Week-WBKO and WKU
The Honors College at WKU and WBKO recognizes high achieving juniors and seniors and wants to feature high school students in their new Scholar of the Week recognition program.
The Scholar of the Week segment will recognize two of the area’s top high school students each week throughout the academic year, whose name, high school, and photograph will be broadcast during a WBKO news program. Selected Scholars will also be entered into a drawing for a $1,000 scholarship to attend WKU. WKU and WBKOencourage the most talented juniors and seniors to apply for this prestigious honor. Selected Scholars from across southern Kentucky will represent their own distinction as well as bring increased attention to the caliber of our school.
The Honors College at WKU and WBKO are grateful for the opportunity to showcase the high quality academic environment found in our area high schools.Students are encouraged to apply online at . Applications are due by September 30, 2015.
Upcoming Events that you may be interested in attending
UK “see blue” Preview Night will be held on September16th at the Holiday Inn/University Plaza, 1021 Wilkinson Trace, Bowling Green from 7:00pm-9:00pm. Admissions counselors will be on hand to answer students and parents questions about admission requirements, financial aid, housing, etc. You can visit to register.
Scholarship Search Engines
This is the site recommended by KDE and the people in charge of student loans and your KEES money. They have excellent resources regarding scholarships and financial aid. If you set up an account, you can see how much KEES money you have accumulated thus far.
This is a government site with plenty of information on funding opportunities and grant application packages. It lists grants that are currently available, and shows you how to apply for them. There's also a special link for minority languages.
An easy-to-use site that lets you search for scholarships specific to your criteria, such as age, gender, year of college, clubs, ethnicity, nationality, sports and much more.
This helpful site links you to several scholarship databases, and runs a free scholarship search for you.
Peterson's provides one of the largest free undergraduate scholarship databases available! They also have scholarship offerings geared towards international students.
Fast, easy and free way to find scholarships on the Internet, ScholarshipExperts.com delivers accurate and timely search results that have been filtered and customized to match unique user profiles.
Yes- You Need to begin Visiting Colleges Now.
How to Make the Most of Your College Visit
As a junior, you need to start looking at and visiting different colleges to get an idea of what each college or university can offer you. The following is a guide of when and what you should be doing when looking for colleges.
- Prepare for your visit by learning as much as can about the college before you go.
- Take a tour, noting how the students look, the cleanliness of campus, atmosphere, size, what it hasto offer, campus safety, etc.
- Many colleges offer group information sessions for parents and students. Attend one of these sessions if possible.
- Talk to someone in the department you are considering as a major. Check out the labs, computers, and other facilitiesassociated with that major.
- Check out the honors program if that applies to you.
- Visit the dorms, cafeterias, student center, health center, etc.
- Inquire about special programs such as Greek life, band, intramural sports, clubs, etc.
- Talk to students walking around campus—they will give you an honest opinion about the school.
- Talk to the admissions counselor and financial aid/scholarship office.
- Pick up a campus newsletter.