WPCP NEWSLETTER FOR PARENTS

OF OUR SOPHOMORES
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Dear Sophomore Parents,

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1034 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

(773) 534-0034
http://www.wpcp.org/

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A Note from WPCP Counselors

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Welcome to our first Counseling Newsletter! We want to thank you for your partnership,
as we work to support your children in and out of the classroom. We want to ensure that
your child is having the best experience possible here at Walter Payton College
Prep. The purpose of this newsletter is to provide you with information regarding our
counseling program, and the services we provide. Services include individual and group
counseling, classroom guidance, academic support, crisis intervention, and postsecondary planning. Our department follows the American School Counseling Association
(ASCA) standards. We aim to promote healthy lifestyle choices, appreciation for diversity,
and an appreciation for lifelong learning, personal and academic growth. We hope that
this newsletter helps define your students counselors role at WPCP, and the variety of
ways in which you and your child can utilize the counselors skills. If you have any questions or concerns, please feel free to contact us. To schedule an appointment, please call
or email your counselor.

SCHOOL COUNSELORS CAN CHANGE THE WORLD

A Special Note to Parents

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Dr. Ockerman and 13 other friends

With the end of your students sophomore year approaching, it is never too late to start to
discuss college and career planning for the future! At Walter Payton, we will be offering programs to

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offer the students information regarding these topics. They will be invited to a Next Year Prep seminar in the enrichment periods, a Life Planning group, and parents are invited for a college workshop!
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These events are outlined in our calendar with the dates and more information.
A recent survey conducted with the sophomores regarding college and career planning outlined some

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questions of the future. The counseling department is here to serve the students and develop their full

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potential student achievement! Below, we have some helpful hints and tips for parents to help start
conversations regarding college and careers.

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1034 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

(773) 534-0034
http://www.wpcp.org/

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Some of the student responses to the survey can be outlined as Im not sure I know enough about
college planning as a sophomore should and I do not know what to do in college or what job to explore. To help your student explore colleges and opportunities, these tips can help!

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Have as much connection you can with your student! Pick a time out of the day to talk about how
school is going, college, careers, and what is going on in their lives! Ask your students questions!

Remind your students to think positive! The future can be quite the frightening experience to think
about, especially at that age. We want to advise you to engage your student and encourage them
for both academics and their environment as a whole.

There is a college and a career out there for everyone! If your student is thinking about a college
just based off the name or if other friends are interested, try exploring by major or programs offered! Sometimes you can find schools with true hidden gems!

Setting goals can really help a student achieve their highest potential! These goals can be both
for academics but also personal goals too. A personal goal can be trying out for a sports team or
joining a new club. An academic goal can be to starting to prepare for the ACT exam by studying
a little every day and taking practice exams.

Plan a routine for the school day! Plan for the next day the night before, set a reasonable hour to
go to sleep each night, have a nice breakfast, and take time to get ready for the day. Having a
nice routine will make the day easier!

Lastly, during stressful times we must learn to devote time to self-care and to relax! The vigorous
academic curriculum along with college and career planning can be a very stressful; we must
make time to treat ourselves!

ABOUT

Walter Payton College Prep Counseling Department is in the process of applying for RAMP.
This will allow for our department to obtain a national accreditation provided by the American
School Counseling Association (ASCA) that demonstrates we are committed to delivering a comprehensive, data-driven school counseling program. Ultimately, we will be able to answer, How are students different because of what school counselors do?

1034 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

(773) 534-0034
http://www.wpcp.org/
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WPCP & RAMP

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In order to answer this question, the counseling department will deliver a needs assessment survey
to students that allows us to deliver programs that enhance student success aligned with collected
data. We will create yearly classroom lessons tied into program goals, deliver small-group lesson
based on student and school needs, and meet with students individually to discuss social/emotional,
college/career planning, and academic needs. RAMP allows for the continual evaluation of our
department that ensures our program is using leadership, advocacy, and collaboration to impact and
create a systematic change in our school and district.
This process will take one full school year to collect data and complete all application requirements.
We have been working intently this year to ensure all pieces are completed and submitted by October. We have had the privilege of working closely with a team of students from DePaul University that
have been administering a needs assessment to our sophomore class. They have been providing us
with data from our sophomore class that drives our curriculum in order to close the gap between their
feelings and preparedness of college and career planning.
This is a very exciting process for our counseling department and we are looking forward to being
able to enhance our department in order to better serve our students. Continue looking for updates in
our future newsletters as we continue working on our application and improving our counseling
department.

APRIL CAREER HIGHLIGHTS

So you think you may want to be a Computer Scientist?

What about a Professional School Counselor?

Interested in becoming a Journalist?

Here are some classes you can take now:

Here are some classes you can take now:

Here are some classes you can take now:

Honors Computer Science- Receive an introduction

to programming and computational thinking, while
expanding upon your problem-solving skills using
mathematics.
Advanced Mathematics Study and Research- Work
to create your very own research project in prepara
tion for the national Intel and Siemens competitions.
Choose from a wide variety of mathematical con
cepts that may interest you!
Advanced Place Physics C: Mechanics- Maybe you
want to help build computers from nothing? This
class takes concepts learned in calculus and applies
them to the world of mechanical engineering.

Advanced Placement Psychology- Learn all about

the basic principals in a variety of psychological
principles and phenomena. You will learn how to
take these basic concepts and apply them to your
own life experiences.
AP Statistics- Learn the basic skills needed to collect, analyze, and interpret data.
Honors Spanish I- Acquire basic skills of reading,
writing, speaking, and listening skills to understand
the Spanish language.

Journalism: Newspaper I, II, III- Be a part of the

monthly print newspaper and learn how to research
stories, design newspaper spreads, and develop
your interviewing skills.
AP English Language and Composition- Become a
stronger writer by reading and writing a variety of
essays. Build a solid foundation of your understanding of the English language.
Journalism Yearbook I and II- Build an understanding of photo journalism techniques, layout/design
components, and marketing skills. Collaborate with
peers to work together and create the annual yearbook.

CLASSIFIEDS SUMMER JOBS, INTERNSHIPS, VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES

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Mikva Challenge Paid Summer Internship Interns work together with peers, community
leaders, and policy makers to think critically about important issues in their community. Click
here to apply!

1034 N Wells St, Chicago, IL 60610

(773) 534-0034
http://www.wpcp.org/

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Lincoln Park Zoo A variety of paid and unpaid programs are available ranging from conducting research, educating guests, and mentoring children. Click here for more information!
After School Matters Summer Programs
Thousands of paid opportunities are available at
community organizations, parks, schools, and libraries
across the entire city of Chicago. Click here for more
information and to apply!
Chicago City of Learning Explore Chicago and learn about topics that interest you with this interactive program. Youth are connected with opportunities online or in their neighborhood while earning badges and rewards along the way. Watch this video for more information!
One Summer Chicago Positions This organization matches young adults to
over 24,000 paid employment and internship opportunities. Positions are
available for youth under the age of 16 with or without a work visa.
Learn more here!

UPCOMING EVENTS
May Calendar of Events

Small Groups in May

May 4 through May 8: AP Exams (Also during seminar on Wednesday, May 6th)

Open small groups during enrichment periods and after school:

May 11 through May 15: AP Exams

Next Year Prep (Mondays during enrichment period, Room 212) - This group will discuss what students are interested in and what classes they may like to take the following year. This will also be an opportunity for students to talk about their strengths
and interests and how they can take classes that interest them.

May 16 - Gender Equality for Teens Conference from 12 - 4pm

May 17 - Sister College Panel 2 - 6pm
May 20 - Payton Booster Association Meeting 6 - 7pm
May 22 - Explore, Plan, PARCC/ACT Testing
* Prom! *
May 26 - Induction Ceremony 5 - 8pm
May 28 - Academic and Athletic Team Awards Ceremony - 2:45 - 4pm

College Workshop for Parents (Tuesdays after school, Room 115) - This group is for
parents who want more information on the college process. Topics discussed: finding
scholarships and funding for college, preparing your child for freshman year, and independent living. Includes a panel of parents who have gone through the process to
answer questions.
Life Planning (Thursdays after school, Room 212) - This group is primarily for sophomores who would like additional help learning about colleges and careers. Topics for
this months group will be on picking a colleges that coincide with their career interests, learning how to use your skills in the workforce, and topics the students bring in.