Student Services / Counseling

NEW! Counseling Department Calendar & Events

Enrollment for 2021-22

Feb 23 ACT @ SME

This is a REAL ACT and is FREE.
Deadline to register is Friday, November 20th.
Registration is limited to current juniors.
Exam will be given in person at SME on the morning of Tuesday, Feb. 23rd to all juniors who register. There are no online options for this exam.
Juniors who are testing will be excused from class on the morning of Feb. 23rd. More details about testing locations, etc., will be provided in February to students who register.
For ACT test prep options, please check the SME Counseling Calendar or click here for our Testing website.
For general information about the ACT and/or to register and pay for one of the Saturday test sessions, see the ACT website.

Summer School 2021

Transcripts & Recommendation Letters

Class of 2021:

You must contact the SME registrar, Melanie Lowe, first for all transcript submission methods (mailed, electronic, or uploaded). Students must submit a completed transcript release form, in person, to Mrs. Lowe.
Before requesting a transcript, you should always confirm first that your college or university actually needs and wants a transcript right now---many do not! If the school uses self-reporting for courses and grades, you'll just enter them yourself. Do not request that a transcript be sent now unless you're sure they want and need it.
If you're sure the college needs a transcript, you may request it in one of two ways, depending on the application method you used for each particular college or university:

METHOD 1:
Use only if you are applying directly via a college or university's website:

Request through your Xello account, but only after you have contacted the registrar and signed a transcript release form. Only students may do this (parents are not able to request transcripts using their child's Xello account). Please allow at least two business days after you submit the request for your transcript to be sent.
In your Xello account:
- To the right, click Request.
  - A banner at the top of the screen will indicate the request was sent..
- Under the Application Checklist, find Transcript.
- Under College Applications, select the institution to which you'd like your transcript sent.
- In your Xello Student Dashboard, under Goals & Plans, click College Planning.

METHOD 2:
Use only if you are applying to a college or university via Common App or SendEdu:

You must contact the registrar first, to obtain and submit a transcript release form. (Keep in mind that many colleges do not require a counselor recommendation.
Invite your counselor in your Common App account and email your counselor to update her on your colleges and deadlines.
Your counselor will upload your School Report (which includes your transcript) to Common App and each college will download it when you submit your application.
If a college requires a counselor recommendation, let your counselor know immediately, but no later than a month before your application deadline. Your counselor will then send you a Google Form questionnaire.
Keep in mind that it may take several days (or even weeks, during busy times), for a college or university to download and match your transcript to your application file. This must be done manually, even with transcripts sent electronically. Your application status may continue to indicate they have not yet received your transcript if they haven't yet matched it to your file (even if it has already been sent by SME). If you have questions, first check with your college's admissions department directly.

For all other transcripts or questions about GPA:

Please contact SME Registrar, Melanie Lowe, directly with questions:
melanielowe@smsd.org

College Applications & Financial Aid

eSchool (online)

Spring eSchool enrollment opens December 1st.

The following online courses may be taken in eSchool for INITIAL CREDIT (not credit recovery):

Health (9-12), Fitness for Life (9-12), Art History (9-12), Financial Literacy (10-12), Psychology (10-12), ELA 3 (11), US History (11-12), ELA 4 (12). and Government (12).

Courses are taken outside the school day and all work is completed entirely online.
Fee is $180.
Enrollment and payment are both done online.
All students must complete mandatory online orientation before they may begin the class.
Check with your counselor before enrolling, to be sure you're in the correct class.
Find the enrollment form and important details on the eSchool website.
Fitness for Life may be taken only once.
Classes begin on January 19th, which is also the deadline to enroll.

FAFSA - Free Application for Federal Student Aid

Visits with College Reps

SME is now using RepVisits.com to schedule virtual visits with college representatives!

View all virtual visits on our Counseling Calendar.

Only juniors and seniors may participate.
Students should inform their teachers they will be missing class.
Students are responsible for making up any classwork they miss during a visit with a college representative.
Copy and paste the url listed in the calendar to join the virtual visit on the scheduled date/time.

ACT & SAT Exams

AP Exam Registration & Payment

Beginning October 19^th, students and their families will be able to register for an AP exam on College Board and pay for test(s) on Total Registration.

Registration will close after 2 weeks on Nov. 2^nd and a $40 late fee will begin.
Students enrolled in Macroeconomics for 2nd semester - Do NOT enroll or pay at this time. There will be an opportunity to enroll and pay without a late fee in February.

The fee for each exam will be $100 (plus $40 per exam for late registration).

The testing schedule is listed on the College Board website below: https://apcentral.collegeboard.org/courses/exam-dates-and-fees
There is a TWO-STEP PROCESS----both steps are required! See more detailed information about the TWO-STEP PROCESS to enroll and pay in the daily announcements.

New Counselor Assignments

The counselor assignments have shifted slightly, to help balance caseloads.

Below are the new alphabetical assignments for each counselor, by student’s last name:

A-EL: Traci Ybarra, traciybarra@smsd.org
Em-K: Michele Burns-Grimes, micheleburns@smsd.org
L-Re: Susan Barr, susanbarr@smsd.org
Rh-Z: Brenda Tretbar, brendatretbar@smsd.org

Also, we are celebrating the recent marriage of counselor Michele Burns! You will see her name as Michele Burns-Grimes, but she can currently still be reached at micheleburns@smsd.org.

If you have any questions about a change in your counselor, please reach out and we’ll be glad to help.

College Admissions - COVID updates

Many colleges and universities are altering their admissions processes, requirements, and deadlines due to the coronavirus. You can use this searchable database to find details on individual colleges. It is being updated frequently.
This COVID-19 resource was compiled by the Kansas Board of Regents and includes information on state universities in Kansas
Some colleges and universities will not be requiring test scores for admission. Check the admissions website of the college you're applying to for the most up-to-date information.
Read this recent article from the New York Times for juniors applying to selective schools.
Please consult the SME College FAQ web page for more information.

Johnson County Mental Health Center Crisis Line: 913-268-0156
Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 800-273-8255; Text: 741741
Johnson County Resource Connection
Youth Line Teen crisis helpline: Text TEEN2TEEN to 839863
Crisis Text Line: Text HELLO to 741741
National Domestic Violence Hotline: 1-800-799-7233
SMSD Resources for Parents
Includes a variety of activities to do at home, community resources, COVID-19 specific resources, and the SMSD PickUp and Go Meals information
EverFi Family Portal: receive direct access to a library of digital courses. Simply enter your state and your child's school name to receive the full catalogue of age-appropriate courses for your child.

Updated January 22nd