Senior Year-at-a-Glance
by Ginger Foster
The information below should serve as a general guideline for the year. Information may change, so be sure to double-check that dates and times are accurate.
August/September:
1. Holiday: September 5th, 2011
2. Sign up for ACT and/or SAT before school starts if you are interested in the September test since registration is due before we begin school. Best score needs to be received on or before December test dates. Many students take the test more than once, but this will not help if you don’t study. See TESTING section of website for dates for both tests.
3. Begin test prep for ACT or SAT . Either buy a book at a store such as Hasting’s or on e-bay, etc., use free study guide from ACT, use TopCat at www.collegefortexans.com or www.number2.com . Without study, your scores will not improve.
4. If you are going to attend a four-year university immediately after high school, begin looking in September at colleges and web sites for admission standards (ACT/SAT scores), class rank requirements, admission dates, scholarship deadlines. Students are allowed 2 college visits during their senior year. Visits must be documented by bringing back the form given you by Mrs. Foster and signed by a university official. Those absences will not count against exemptions and make-up time this year.
5. Order senior rings if desired.
6. Begin volunteer work: sign up for Big Brother/Big Sisters (I will have applications soon) , Pee Wee football games (I usually have a sign-up sheet), Food Pantry (me, again), blood drives (Mrs. Speir), etc.
7. Get involved in school organizations: FFA, FCCLA, Youth for Christ, Spanish Club, NHS if eligible, NTHS if eligible, etc.
8. Try to obtain leadership positions whenever possible.
9. Parents can begin thinking about Project Graduation. A minimum of $5000 needs to be raised if the same format is followed ($50 or more gift for each senior, inflatables @ $200 each, miscellaneous door prizes, food, etc.). You may choose to do something else. I will work with parents since the money is solicited in the school’s name, but the decisions will be yours. Meeting dates will be posted on my blog. If you have not signed up for that and would like updates, make sure you go to the website, click on the gray Texas in the upper right where blogs are mentioned, and sign up to receive my posts.
10. Go to www.collegefortexans.com for a variety of information about college: costs, admission requirements, deadlines, addresses, careers, test prep, etc.
11. Other good web sites: www.collegeboard.com, www.fastweb.com
12. Search for scholarships elsewhere—at your work, on-line, on that section of my website.
13. School pictures: September 15th, 2011
14. September 20, 2011: Senior pictures: cap & gown, formal tux and drape.
15. Blood Drive: September 21st, 2011. Counts as community service. Seniors who donate twice receive a red honor cord to wear at graduation. If your child is unable to donate, someone may donate in his or her name.
16. September 21-24, 2011: Red River County Fair
September 29 - October 1, 2011 Titus County Fair
17. Bullying Assembly for high school: September 30, 2011 around 11:00 A.M.
October:
1. Meet with seniors about financial aid, career choice, college applications, etc.
2. Re-take TAKS if haven’t passed all sections
3. HOMECOMING: October 14, 2011. Powder Puff Football game with Seniors vs. Juniors will be held that week some time. Pep-rally is usually a little earlier for Homecoming.
4. Senior Night: Friday, November 4, 2011 ??
5. October 22, 2011: Rivercrest Education Foundation Golf Tournament @ Clarksville Country Club. Seniors are needed to help. E-mail Vic Bishop @vicbishop@c21php.com to sign-up to play. 4-person scramble format; $200 per team. All proceeds go toward senior scholarships.
November:
1. November 14, 2011: Picture retakes
2. Friday, November 12: End of 2nd 6 weeks
3. Monday, November 15, 2010: Balfour here to present cap and gown information to seniors. Orders will be taken Friday, November 19, 2010.
4. Many colleges are requiring the Common Application that is available on-line @ www.applytexas.org/ . It’s not too soon to work on this.
5. Thanksgiving Holiday: November 21-25, 2011 (A whole week!)
6. November 29, 2011: Senior Cap & Gown presentation from Balfour
December 06, 2011: Senior Cap & Gown order
December:
1. Be getting FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) on your mind. Apply for PINs for student and one parent @ http://www.pin.ed.gov/PINWebApp/appinstr.jsp . Birth dates and SSN are required. Visit www.fafsa.ed.gov to print or look at worksheet to see what will be required. PELL grants from this source are based on financial need, but many scholarships require you to fill out form regardless.
2. Plan to have income tax figured ASAP after information is received. You must have information from that for FAFSA.
3. Plan for second semester of dual credit classes. This will require tuition again and different books.
4. Students usually get raffle tickets for Rivercrest Education Foundation fundraiser. Students will sell tickets at basketball games.
REF scholarship will require participation in order to be eligible to apply for scholarship. Last year students had to work two basketball games AND sell a certain number of chances on a television in order to apply for scholarship.
5. Finish resume’ to use with scholarships
6. If you did not take dual credit classes this year, it is time to get qualified for college courses you will take after graduation. You will do this by taking THEA or Accuplacer in areas needed. These are offered through PJC and/or NTCC. (Not needed if you met THECB standards on Exit level TAKS or if you scored 23 composite on ACT with 19 in verbal and 19 in math. Can also qualify through SAT, but I’m not sure of those scores.) Phone numbers for testing center at PJC: 903-785-7661 NTCC: 572-1911
7. Christmas Holidays: December 19, 2011-January 1, 2012. Return to school on January 2, 2012.
January:
1. Attend financial aid workshop at RHS at night. PJC presents, but general information is given. Meeting is for parents and students. Date and time will be posted later.
2. Project Graduation meeting.
3. Blood drive: January 12, 2011. Community may participate.
4. Fill out and submit FAFSA. Priority deadline is March 1st. (First come, first served.)
5. College visit: tour, meet with advisor in chosen field, visit with financial aid office. I can make arrangements for you or give you information.
6. Make sure to meet scholarship deadlines at college or university. Four-year university deadlines are early.
7. Stop senioritis in its tracks!
February:
1. Lennox Scholarship is usually due this month. Winners typically have 24 ACT or higher, variety of volunteer experience, involvement in extracurricular activities, and plans for a 4-year degree. Scholarship is good for $12,000 over 4 years. Rivercrest is guaranteed 1, but 10 are given countywide.
2. Project Graduation meeting for parents.
4. Get psyched up for scholarship applications. I will probably work through Mr. Purviance’s or Mrs. Guest's classroom. Usual procedure: I give each senior a calendar of when scholarships are due. Scholarship forms are placed in the back of the room, and students are required to pick them up there. Scholarships are turned into a labeled folder in the front office. FYI: I accept scholarships turned in late but mark on the scholarship that they were late. Get your resume' finished before February so you can attach it to applications. It will save you time and effort.
5. Fill out and submit FAFSA if you have not already done so.
March:
RIVERCREST EDUCATION FOUNDATION BANQUET: QUALIFICATIONS TO APPLY FOR THE REF SCHOLARSHIP: 1) SELL 20 $1.00 TICKETS, WORK AT TWO BASKETBALL GAMES, AND WORK AT THIS BANQUET.
1. District UIL competition
2. Project graduation meeting.
3. Spring Break: March 12-16, 2012
4. Ag. Mechanic Show @ Houston: March 16-18, 2012
5. March 7-9, 2012: EXIT level TAKS retest
April:
Red River County Texas Scholars reception in Clarksville for scholars and parents. TBA Red River County Texas Scholar standards are higher than Texas Scholar requirements. Students must have any 2 of the following: 4th year of advanced math, 4th year of advanced science, AP class, dual credit class, or AP exam score of 3 or higher.
Project Graduation meeting: TBA
May:
1. FFA Banquet: Thursday, May 10, 2012 6:00 PM
2. Band Banquet: TBA
3. Athletic Banquet: TBA
3. Guaranty Bond Bank usually sponsors a fun party for seniors
4. Awards Ceremony usually two weeks before school is out.
5. Project Graduation Meeting
6. Graduation: May 25th, 2012, 7:30 PM in gym
7. Project Graduation: May 25, 2012—usually begins around 11:30 PM-5:00 AM-ish.
8. Send thank you notes to scholarship donors, teachers who have been especially helpful, etc.
