Counseling Corner: Willowbrook Guidance Department gets the class of 2018 ready for the future

Throughout December and January, counselors in the Willowbrook Guidance Department will meet with each student in the class of 2018 to complete a Freshman Interview and to register for the 2015-16 school year. The Freshman Interview serves several purposes:

• It helps students transition to high school.
• It monitors academic progress.
• It monitors progress toward graduation/expected credits by the end of the school year.
• It shows involvement in extracurricular activities.
• It encourages students to think about careers of interest.
• It provides a review of available academic supports.
• It provides an opportunity to address any academic or social/emotional concerns.

Along with the interview, counselors will assist freshmen in selecting courses for the 2015-16 school year. When selecting classes, counselors review teacher recommendations, grades, test scores and the student’s post-high school plans. Each student will receive a copy of his or her selected courses for parent/guardian review, and a summary of the meeting will be mailed home to parents. Changes to courses can be made through March 1. Parents are requested to sign the form and return it to their student’s counselor.

To help with selecting classes, parents should have received a course-registration mailing form and a Four-year Course Planning Worksheet. Students and parents are encouraged to view course descriptions at https://www.dupage88.net/site/public/files/?item=1789. 

For questions about the course selection process, contact your child’s counselor at 630-530-3417.

Tip of the week: It is never too early to begin creating a post-high school plan. Students are encouraged to research careers of interest and begin exploring college options. Looking into colleges of interest can help guide students to select the most appropriate classes at Willowbrook. Many four-year colleges require at least two years of the same foreign language.