Counseling Department

Counseling Office
Phone (301) 934-7448
Fax - (301) 392-5506

Hours for Counselors
Monday – Friday
7:15 – 2:45

Hours for Registration/Withdrawal
Monday – Friday
7:30 – 11:30

Hours for Parent/Teacher Conferences
Monday – Friday
2:15 – 2:45

Who We Are

Our school counselors work with students, parents and school staff to help all students become effective learners and achieve success.

Counseling Department
	Mrs. Chantel Gladden, Classes of 2026, 2022 School Counselor cgladden@ccboe.com

	Dr. Tamantha Harper, Classes of 2027, 2023, 2019 School Counselor tgoldenharper@ccboe.com
	Ms. Abby Pherson, Class of 2028, 2024 School Counselor apherson@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Kathy Reamy, Classes of 2025, 2021, 2020, 2016 School Counselor kreamy@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Chivonne Posey, Counseling Secretary cmposey@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Sharon Bautista, Registrar sbautista@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Olivia Sisson, Career Advisor osisson@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Cheryl Birmingham, Pupil Personnel Worker cbirmingham@ccboe.com
	Mrs. Megan Phanthasy, School Psychologist mphanthasy@ccboe.com

Address Changes

If you have moved to a new address but it is still within the La Plata zone, you must submit the following updated information to Mrs. Bautista in order for the change to be made in our records. This will ensure that you receive report cards and other important information.
You must complete a Change of Address Form ni addition to providing two current proofs of residency for your new address
Change of Address Form
proofs of residency
You can return these three pieces of information to Mrs. Bautista in person or send them in with your student

While you are out, work can be completed through the StudentVue account by going to the teacher's gradebook for each class and clicking on the assignment. Once there, you will find a full description of each assignment once you have clicked on the assignment tab. It details when it was assigned, the amount of time it takes to complete and what the student is to do, as well as how to access any necessary resources or documents. Once in the assignment description, there should be a link that directs the student to an attachment of the assignment or a link to the website that contains the assignment(s). See the instructions below detailing what to click once in the gradebook.

cOVID-19 Classroom assignments

Homework Requests

If your student has been absent for three or more days, you may contact Mrs. Posey in the Counseling Office to collect work from teachers. She can be reached at 301-934-1100 or 301-753-1754.
Teachers will have 24 hours to provide work to the Counseling Office
Parents may pick-up work from Mrs. Posey in the Counseling Office the next afternoon. You are encouraged to call ahead of time to see if work is ready for pick-up

MVA Learner's Permit

Please review the guidelines on the MVA website for complete information
If under 16, you must have a Learner's Permit School Attendance Certification form (DL-300)
Download form above or pick up on the front counter in the main office
You can sumbit your Attendance Certification form to Mrs. Alcorn in the attendance office
This form must be presented to the MVA in the sealed, un-opened envelope that is given to you
During COVID virtual learning, students may use this form: Learner's Permit - Maryland MVA - Maryland.gov

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Please make sure you have checked your ParentVue account on Synergy and tried communicating directly with the teacher by email and/or phone first!
Be aware that each Counselor can only facilitate one conference a day so communicating directly with the teacher first may eliminate the need for you to wait for an available afternoon conference
If you would still like a conference after taking these steps, please contact your child’s Counselor to set up an appointment after school
Conferences are held from 2:15 until 2:45pm every weekday except Tuesdays and 2-hr dismissal days
Your student should attend the conference!

Registrations & New Enrollments

Transcript Requests

Recent graduates and former students: See Mrs. Posey in the Counseling Office
Current students: Fill out a Transcript Request Form and see Mrs. Bautista in the Counseling Office
$2 per transcript
Please allow one week for processing of all transcript requests.
Current students: If you are also requesting a letter of recommendation, allow two weeks and please be sure you have submitted your Senior Recommendation Form to your Counselor!

Withdrawals

CSM Dual Enrollment Program

Charles County Board of Education webpage for CSM Dual Enrollment and Fulltime Waiver Information:

dual-enrollment

Information about the dual math program between LPHS and CSM

For students enrolled in Pre-Calculus and Advanced Algebra w/ Trigonometry at LPHS:

La Plata High School has partnered with CSM to offer a great opportunity called the Dual Math Program. This program gives students in these classes the opportunity to earn college credit at half the price. Below is a letter from CSM explaining the program and the Dual Enrollment Form. Students should also be receiving a copy of this from their teacher. This is a fantastic opportunity for students. If you have any questions about this program, please contact:

Kathryn Jenkins
La Plata High School
Mathematics Department Chair
kjenkins@ccboe.com

DUAL ENROLLMENT STUDENT - IT'S TIME TO REGISTER FOR CLASSES!!!

Seniors who are currently a Dual Enrollment Student with the College of Southern Maryland need to register for their classes no later than August/December 15th. Please contact with Ms. Prather at the College of Southern Maryland about how to complete this registration process. Also, you must provide the Senior School Counselor a copy of your Spring classes after you complete the registration, so she may verify your Dual Enrollment Status with the Board of Education.

Attention Current Juniors: Any junior interested in taking a class at the College of Southern Maryland for the spring semester needs to see their school counselor to see if you qualify and to obtain the necessary information and paperwork to complete this process by the county's deadline of Dec 15th. If you have any further questions, please feel free to contact your counselor by phone (301) 934-1100 or by email.

CTE Programs at LPHS and Stethem

What is Career and Technology Education (CTE)?

Career Technology and Education Courses at LPHS

program of studies
(please see the above or the pre-requisites and explanation of courses taken in each track/program)

Maryland Fire and Rescue Cadet Program

Business Management and Finance

Career Research and Development (CRD)

Computer Science

PLTW Biomedical Sciences

PLTW Pathway to Engineering

Teacher Academy of Maryland

Programs at Robert D. Stethem Educational Center

Career and Technology Education (CTE) at Stethem Educational Center

Virtual Academy Information

Scholarships for High School Students 9th-12th

Not a senior but you're interested in scholarship opportunities now? Start building your money for college early!!

Juniors, Sophomores and Freshman can apply for these today!

Once you are directed to the website, if you click on the "Due Date" column, it will filter it by earliest date so that you don't miss any upcoming opportunities. You may filter by amount as well (up to $250,000 for some)!

Scholarships for Class of 2022

Scholarships for Class of 2023

Scholarships for Class of 2024

https://www.scholarships.com/college-search/

Scholarship.com Directory

Financial Aid Resources for College Information

FINANCIAL AID/SCHOLARSHIPS

www.cappex.com/scholarships

www.salliemae.com

www.meritaid.com

Seniors: Information and Scholarship Opportunities

To assist the Counseling Department with data, please notify Mrs. Campbell, LPHS College and Career Counselor and/or your school counselor upon applying for any scholarships. Please make an appointment with Mrs. Campbell to review your application before submission. Thank you!

-The Counseling Department

SENIOR INFORMATION

SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

OTHER SCHOLARSHIP OPPORTUNITIES:

Croft Scholarships for University of Maryland Engineering Students

Tara Campbell, College and Career Advisor tcampbell@ccboe.com

College Planning Timeline

College Admission Terms

Tips & ideas for planning for the future

It is never too early to start making plans for what you will do after high school. Not sure where to start?? Mrs. Campbell is available to help you in the College and Career Center and every student has access to Career Cruising!

Offered by the College Board to students once they have taken the PSAT. Passwords should be available in December after taking the PSAT for the first time. Students can also link this account to their Khan Academy account to generate practice questions for the SAT.

In addition to the programs offered at La Plata, there are many websites that offer interest inventories. While an online inventory should not substitute for an actual career assessment, these sites can provide a foundation for students. The following are just a few of the free websites that exist.

Interest Inventory

Holland Codes
Based on the extensive research and copyrighted work of Dr. John L. Holland. The Holland Codes are useful for helping people to make sense of the relationship between "occupational types" and college majors and career fields.

Use the following websites to identify your Holland Code and related occupations.

Career Toolbox
A military-based checklist of 60 items and identifies a few civilian and military related occupations. The interest check list will take 5-10 minutes to complete and also has links to résumé writing and interviewing websites.

Personality Inventory

Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI)
Psychological test designed to assist a person in identifying their personality preferences. It was developed by Katherine Briggs and her daughter Isabel Myers during World War II, and follows from the theories of Carl Jung as laid out in his work Psychological Types.

Use the following websites to identify your Myers-Briggs Personality Type and related occupations.

Humanmetrics
Is a 72 Yes or No question assessment that identifies Myers-Briggs Type and provides links to online descriptions of the type.

Common Careers for Personality Types
Use Myers-Briggs Type to identify potential careers.

Career Clusters

Career Cluster Interest Inventory
Provides both and online and printable assessment to identify interest in career clusters.

Who R U?
Another online assessment, housed within Virginia View, that identifies career cluster interest level.

College:

If you are planning to attend college after high school, you should be taking the most challenging classes and earning the best grades you can. All four years of high school count when you apply to college.

9th – 11th most important for grades because you will be applying to colleges in the early fall of 12th grade
- Every class, every credit matters. Even electives.
- Would you want admissions offices to see those interims? If not, make sure they improve by the end of the year for final grades because those are what get printed on your transcript!
Discipline Record --> Counselor Page
- Every college asks your counselor to check off whether or not you’ve ever been suspended. If yes, we have to explain why.
- Cell phone violations look silly to college admissions reps --- it looks like you won’t be able to follow simple campus rules.
Build a resume starting NOW!
- Volunteering/community service is more than just your SSL graduation requirment
- Get involved in an activity and stick with it
- DO something, anything that will make you more than a name on a page
- Jobs and colleges want more than just grades!!!
- PUT IT ALL IN CAREER CRUISING!

Military:

If you are interested in entering the military after high school, you must take the ASVAB test. You can take it in the 11^th grade and again in the 12^th. There is no fee for the ASVAB and it is offered at La Plata High School. More information about this test is available from Mrs. Campbell in the Career Center. You must also pass a physical exam. You should talk to recruiters from all branches of the military before making a decision on which one you want. They come to the College and Career Center at least twice a year or you can visit the recruitment office in Waldorf.

Apprenticeship Programs:

There are many different programs out there, mostly union apprenticeships, ranging from wallpaper hanger to heavy equipment operator. The length of these programs varies from two years to five year. You start getting paid once you are accepted and start your apprenticeship program.

Vocational & Technical Trade Schools:

There is a large selection of vocational and technical trade schools in this area. They take anywhere from six months to two years to complete, with either a certificate or an Associate’s degree. There is no room and board at most of these schools. They usually concentrate on just the major classes with very few other courses offered. Applications to these schools are similar to college applications. You will want to make sure the school is accredited for the program you are considering.

Workforce/Employment:

Career Cruising has a pretty decent Employment section where you can search for open positions in the area. Some are entry level and perfect for high school students! The newspaper, classified ads, and signs in local businesses are good places to start looking too. Mrs. Campbell occasionally gets information about job openings too. You can check with her in the College & Career Center during lunch or before school!

Scholarship Application Information

Keep checking this page for more scholarships!

Financial Aid Process click here to learn more!

College of Southern Maryland (CSM) Scholarship Finder

Seniors who are planning to attend the CSM after they graduate are encouraged to use the CSM Scholarship Finder link to find scholarships.

Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth
* The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Unaccompanied Homeless Youth is available to unaccompanied homeless youth who are planning to earn an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. Please click on the link for more information.

Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients
* The Maryland Tuition Waiver for Foster Care Recipients is available to foster care youth who are planning to earn an associate's degree, bachelor's degree, or vocational certificate at a Maryland Public institution of higher education. Please click on the link for more information.

Foster Care to Success
* One simple application for several scholarship program. Apply By March to find out what you are eligible for.

Financial Aid Award Letters Comparison
This is a chart from College Board where you can do a side-by-side comparison of the Financial Aid Award letters you receive in the financial aid packages from your schools.

Howard P. Rawlings Educational Assistance Grant
* The Educational Assistance Grant (EAG) is a need-based program. The Annual award amounts vary and are determined by student need. This link will will provide you with more information to find out if you are eligible for the Educational Assistance Grant and the amount of the award.

Howard P. Rawlings Guaranteed Access Grant
* The Guaranteed Access Grant (GAG) is a need-based program. The award amount varies and is determined by student need. This link will provide you with more information to find out if you are eligible for the Guaranteed Access Grant and the amount of the award.

Fastweb
Fastweb is a free scholarship search site.

* Student Must Complete the FAFSA to be considered for these programs. - Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Opens October 1st of students high school senior year and must be completed each year for the following college school year.
FAFSA.GOV

Local Scholarships

Croft Scholarships for University of Maryland Engineering Students

Local Organizations offering Scholarships

Ongoing Deadlines

Inovations in Education Scholarship

Minimum GPA 3.0, Student must have designed an inovative project that makes a difference in the lives of others. Deadline: The 20th of each Month

Notice: Scholarships below are listed by deadline date. Be sure to look ahead. Most scholarship applications open a month or more prior to deadline.

October
- 23 Scholarships for High School Seniors
  Deadlines Start as early as October 1, 2021
November
- November Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as November 1, 2021
December
- December Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as December 1, 2021
January
- 29 Scholarships for High School Seniors
  Deadlines as early as January 1, 2022
February
- 33 Scholarships for High School Seniors
  Deadlines as early as February 1, 2022
March
- 50 Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as March 1, 2022
- Charles County Scholarship Fund (CCSF)
  Check back in December. Deadline March 1st
April
- 37 Scholarships for High School Seniors-
  Deadlines as early as April 1, 2022
May
- May Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as May 1, 2022
June
- June Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as June 1, 2022
July
- July Scholarship
  Deadlines as early as July 1, 2022
August
- August Scholarships
  Deadlines as early as August 1. 2022

SAT Information and Registration
http://sat.collegeboard.org/home

SAT Prep
http://sat.collegeboard.org/practice

SAT Prep
http://www.khanacademy.org

ACT Information and Registration
http://www.actstudent.org

ACT Prep
http://www.actstudent.org/testprep/

SAT/ACT Prep
www.prepfactory.com

What's the Difference Between the SAT and ACT?

	SAT	ACT
WHY TAKE IT?	Colleges use SAT scores for admissions and merit-based scholarships.	Colleges use ACT scores for admissions and merit-based scholarships.
TEST STRUCTURE	Math Reading Writing and Language Essay (Optional)	Math Reading English Science Eassy (Optional)
LENGTH	3 hours (without essay) 3 hours, 50 minutes (with essay)	2 hours, 55 minutes (without essay) 3 hours, 40 minutes (with essay)
READING	5 reading passages	4 reading passages
SCIENCE	None	1 science section testing critical thinking skills (not your scientific knowledge)
MATH	Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry Trigonometry Data Analysis	Arithmetic Algebra I & II Geometry Trigonometry
TOOLS	Some math questions doln't allow you to use a calculator.	You can use a calculator on all math questions.
ESSAYS	Optional: The essay will test your comprehension of a source of text.	Optional: The essay will test how well you evaluate and analyze complex issues.
HOW IT'S SCORED	Scored on a scale of 400-1600	Scored on a scale of 1-36