Student Services / Counseling

NEW! Counseling Department Calendar & Events

Spring semester schedules

1. In-Person or Remote?

Students will be scheduled in 2^nd semester in their current learning model (In-Person or Remote). If you want to change from your current learning model for 2nd semester, you must submit the request in Skyward Family Access no later than November 30. Instructions for making the change have been sent to families via email. For more information about the two models, click here.

2. Check your course requests in Skyward now.

Students should check Future Scheduling in Skyward to see their requested 2^nd semester courses, which counselors will try to schedule for them in December.

Students should check Future Scheduling in Skyward to see the courses requested and set to be scheduled for them in spring semester. If students would like to request a change in their course requests, they should email their counselor as soon as possible. (Please note that schedules have not yet been created or finalized, so any requests submitted now are only to change requests, not to change actual schedules.)

3. To request a course change:

If students would like to change one of their course requests, they should email their counselor as soon as possible, but no later than Dec. 16. (Please note that schedules have not yet been created or finalized, so some requested changes may not be possible.)

4. Check your email for messages from your counselor in December and January.

Due to the need to modify our master schedule to include Remote courses for 2nd semester, many students' schedules will need to be rearranged (for both the In-Person and Remote programs). This will require course substitutions for many students. Students may receive an email from their counselor asking for their input on course options and should respond promptly, for the best chance of getting the electives they want.

5. Student schedules will not be final and available for viewing in Skyward until sometime in January.

6. Enrollment Resources

For lists of courses for each grade level, and complete course descriptions, grade levels, prerequisites, and fees, please consult the SME Enrollment Resources website. IMPORTANT: Some of the courses listed will NOT be available due to staffing and class sizes.

Feb 23 ACT @ SME - FREE! - DEADLINE to register is NOV 20!

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.
Juniors have the option of taking the ACT WorkKeys, instead, which is also free and will be given the following day, on Wed., Feb. 24th. To learn about the benefits of both tests and how to decide which one to take, click here.
Registration is in Skyward (student access only---parents may not register through Parent Skyward access). Click here for step-by-step directions, including screenshots.
For ACT test prep options, please 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.

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 Nov. 17th