Dear Seniors and Parents of Seniors,
I am so excited for you. God has great plans for your life and this is a year of celebration and preparation. You will need to call upon all your organizational and time management skills to navigate this year successfully. I am confident you can do it with God’s help. Your Salem Academy family is here to support you, too.
There are a number of extra tasks, expenses, and time commitments that may require your attention in this upcoming senior year. Please mark your calendars now.
- Save the Date: Check the website calendar for any upcoming events
- Senior pictures for the yearbook: Cost varies greatly depending on what you choose, but the deadline for submission without a late fee is November 1, 2012. (See the senior photo letter from our yearbook advisor.)
- Graduation announcements, caps & gowns: A cap and gown will only run around $35. There are additional packages that include announcements and start around $145, or you may order everything separately. You may consider ordering class rings and letterman’s jackets at the same time. This usually happens near the middle of December.
- For athletes: There is a long-standing tradition that at the last home game of each season, seniors are introduced and give their parents flowers. Sometimes parents give the seniors something too. If your senior is not working this will be a small expense.
- Note: If you are interested in pursuing college athletics, register with either or both the NCAA or NAIA clearing houses. See the links on the guidance page or our assistant athletic director, James Stomps for more information.
- Grad Night Party: Traditionally parents of seniors get together in the fall to start planning this celebration. Jennifer Outslay will be coordinating the senior parent committee to determine the grad party events and costs. Some years parents have done fundraisers for this event, and other years parents have divided the expenses out of pocket. Please note upcoming meeting dates located on this page.
- College entrance exams: If your student plans to attend a 4-year college or university, most require an entrance exam. SAT & ACT tests cost around $50 each. International students may be required to take the TOEFL. Our school code is 381031 and you can register your student online at www.collegeboard.com or www.actstudent.org if your student plans to attend a 4-year college or university. If finances are an obstacle to taking these exams, please check with me about your eligibility for fee waivers. Chemeketa’s COMPASS entrance exam is free the first time you take it and can be scheduled weekdays on campus.
Contact Sarah Overby to register the SAT preparatory class being offered at SA this fall. View more info!
- Student transcripts for colleges: If you want transcripts sent to a college or scholarship program, please fill out a transcript request form (also located in the High School Office) and submit to Mrs. Haslebacher, our Registrar. If you have a whole list, please submit names and addresses for each institution on one piece of paper.
Note: Public four-year colleges/universities will usually not accept a student that has a “D” in any core class. If your student needs to retake a class to raise their grade, please contact Karen Haslebacher as soon as possible, and we will do our best to get that on their schedule here at SAC or inform you of other options.
Seniors will be able to request the mailing of up to six official transcripts free of charge. Beginning with the seventh and all subsequent transcript requests, a $5 processing fee will be charged at the time of the request.
- Community Service Hours: Remember Community Service forms are located in the lobby brochure rack just inside the main high school entrance or feel free to download. These forms must be filled out and turned in by the beginning of May in the senior year. Each student is responsible for ten hours of community service per year while attending SAC. This is a graduation requirement. If you have more than the minimum, please turn those in, as well. If your student has a significant number of community service hours, those should be turned in as soon as possible, so your student can be considered for scholarships that reward community service.
- Letters of Recommendation: Many universities and scholarship programs require students to provide letters of recommendation from teachers, coaches, guidance counselors, and pastors. In order to provide you with the best recommendation, you should provide these people with an awards and activities sheet (view example), outlining your extra-curricular activities. There are many good examples online if you google “high school activities sheet.”
- Financial Aid night: There will be a meeting to specifically discuss financial aid. Check back for date and time.
As always, if you have any questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to contact me at khaslebacher@salemacademy.org.
Looking Forward to Serving You,
Karen Haslebacher
Guidance Counselor