PTHS Counseling Newsletter
October 2021
Fall Activities
Trax Farm Harvest Days
Trax Farms, in Finleyville, is hosting a series of Harvest Days. Tickets are $10 and will be released a week at a time for purchase. Tickets will include a hayride, access to a three-acre corn maze, access to farm animals, and access to the pumpkin patch. Stop by for some planned fall, family fun! Reservations are required!
https://traxfarms.com/events/harvest-days-week-days-2020-10-23/
Simmons Farm Fall Activities
Simmons will be offering hayrides, apple picking, and more fall activities this year. They also offer daily flower & apple picking, hayrides, and nighttime hayrides. Visit their website for dates, times, ticket pricing, and more activities!
The Springhouse Weekend Pumpkin Patch Hayrides
From September 25 to October 31
Saturday and Sunday: 11 am to 5 pm (last ride at 4:30)
Stop by the Springhouse for a tractor drawn hayride to pick the perfect pumpkin from the patch. Enjoy a fun time on the farm picking and going through the Corn Maze. Check out the Spring House eats and yummy treats while playing new games at the top of the hill! Visit their website for more information!
https://thespringhouse.ticketspice.com/weekend-pumpkin-patch-hayrides
Get your Scares on at a Haunted House
Fall also coincides with the Halloween season, and many of which are open from late September through early November.
Three of the most popular haunted houses are:
Hundred Acres Manor in South Park
ScareHouse just north of the
Kennywood's Phantom Fright Nights
The first two attractions offer several themed haunts that can be experienced in one contiguous walking path, while Kennywood's frights are scattered throughout the park for a longer evening overall.
If haunted houses are not your favorite thing, try a behind the scenes tour of ScareHouse during the day for some in-depth conversation about how they make all their haunts. Or if you really don't like haunted houses, consider taking the Pittsburgh Ghost Tour or head up to the Living Dead Museum for some alternative horror related topics!
South Hills Annual College & Career Fair - October 19 & 20
You are invited to the annual South Hills Joint College & Career Fair hosted by the South Hills Consortium. The event will be a live virtual fair and will be held on October 19th and 20th from 6:00pm - 8:00pm each night.
Students will be offered the opportunity to learn about many different types of colleges & post-secondary programs, including 2- and 4-year schools, trade schools, and the military. Each vendor will have its own booth in which you will be able to view and save information such as brochures, photos and videos. Students are able to speak one-on-one, via chat or video call, to admissions counselors and college representatives.
Registration is free and students can attend one or both evenings.
Click here for a detailed list of attendees on OCTOBER 19th and to register.
Click here for a detailed list of attendees on OCTOBER 20th and to register.
We hope to see you there!
Harvard, Princeton, UVA, Wellesley, and Yale Prospective Student Information Sessions
Prospective Student Information Sessions
Sunday, October 3, 2021
7pm EDT/6pm CDT/5pm MDT/4pm PDT
Event Registration
Tuesday, October 5, 2021
7pm EDT/6pm CDT/5pm MDT/4pm PDT
Event Registration
Sunday, October 10, 2021
7pm EDT/6pm CDT/5pm MDT/4pm PDT
Event Registration
Advance registration is required.
PT Public Library's Annual College Financial Aid Night
FAFSA Completion Night
If you attended the Peters Township Public Library's Financial Aid Night or are ready to complete the FAFSA form, then join us at our annual FAFSA Completion Night! On Tuesday, October 26, a representative from the Pennsylvania Higher Education Assistance Agency (PHEAA) will provide assistance with the FAFSA completion in a BCIT classroom at PTHS. This workshop is for current seniors and their families to assist in the FAFSA form completion. For this workshop, you will need to bring 2020 tax returns and W-2 forms. Computers will be available to complete your application. Please register for a time as seating for this workshop is limited. Times available for this workshop are 4:30 p.m., 5:30 p.m., or 6:30 p.m. To register, please call Mrs. Murphy in the counseling office at 724-941-6250 x5518 or email Mrs. Murphy at murphyc@Pt-sd.org.
PSAT 8/9 & PSAT/NMSQT - October 13, 2021
- The PSAT is a great opportunity to practice for the SAT that students take during the Spring of their junior year.
- Students who take the PSAT score higher on the SAT on average than compared to students who do not take the PSAT.
- The PSAT score is a predictive score of what a student would earn on the SAT if taken the same day.
- The PSAT is an opportunity to explore academic strengths and weaknesses that are predictors of success in college.
- Identified deficits can be targeted for improvement through a free program, Khan Academy.
- Students who take the PSAT/NMSQT during their junior year are automatically considered for the National Merit Scholarship program.
- There are more than $300 million in additional scholarships for qualified students who opt in by selecting "yes" to the student search service question on the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet.
- A qualifying score of at least a 970 on the PSAT/NMSQT satisfies a graduation pathway requirement for students who did not earn proficiency or advanced on the algebra, literature, or biology keystone exams. See Graduation Pathways below for more information.
PSAT 8/9, PSAT/NMSQT & SAT Scores are Vertically Aligned
ASVAB - Career Aptitude Test
The ASVAB is scheduled on November 4, during periods 1-4. Click here to register for the exam. Contact your counselor with any questions.
Graduation Pathways
Keystone Proficiency Pathway - students who achieve at least proficiency in the (3) keystone exams administered after a keystone triggered course. These exams include algebra, literature and biology. After completion of keystones exams, students who do not earn proficiency on all three keystone exams have additional pathways to achieve this graduation requirement.
Keystone Composite Pathway - students who earn a combined score of at least 4452. Students with this minimum combined score must earn at least one proficiency and cannot earn below basic for any of the three keystone exams.
CTE Concentrator Pathway - students who attend WACTC and are likely to succeed in the industry based competency assessment such as the NOCTI.
Alternative Assessment Pathway - students who earn a qualifying score on an alternate assessments. Qualifying scores and assessments include:
*PSAT/NMSQT - 970
*ASVAB - 31
ACT - 21
SAT - 1010
*Please note that all students in grades 10 and 11 are administered the PSAT/NMSQT on October 13. The ASVAB is scheduled for November 4 and will require registration.
Evidence Based Pathway - outlined in the graphic below.
More detailed information regarding the graduation pathways is available on the Department of Education website. Additionally, a graduation pathways chart is below. Contact your counselor with any additional questions.
AP Exam Registration Dates
The 2022 AP Exam Registration dates are just around the corner.
Registration opens Monday, September 27th at 12:01am.
Registration closes Monday, November 8th at 11:59pm.
November 10th by 11:59pm Exams must be paid for by this date. Any exam with a remaining balance after this date will be canceled.
November 15th: Last day for a full refund.
Registration can be completed through Total Registration:
https://user.totalregistration.net/AP/390535
For more information, please visit the AP Letter at:
https://www.ptsd.k12.pa.us/Downloads/APLetterHome2022.pdf
General AP Testing Dates are listed on the Advanced Placement page located on the High School Website:
http://www.ptsd.k12.pa.us/AdvancedPlacement.aspx
If you have general questions of concerns, please contact Courtney Wolf in the high school counseling office: (724)941-6250 x8910 or wolfc@pt-sd.org
Scholarships
Naviance>Colleges>Scholarships & Money>Scholarship List
National scholarships can also be found through reputable sites such as Going Merry, Fast Web, and College Board. Colleges and Universities also provide scholarship opportunities. These can be found by searching on the financial aid webpages of specific institutions. Naviance also has national scholarships!
Naviance>Colleges>Scholarships & Money>National Scholarship Search
Don't forget to be aware of the scholarship scams! Be weary of someone sending information stating a guaranteed scholarship as reputable scholarships require an application process. Never pay a fee to enter into a scholarship program. Also, scholarship applications will often require personal information such as address and future plans but will not require bank account information or social security numbers.
Paid Pre-Apprenticeship Opportunity
Upcoming Dates
October 13: PSAT for grades 9, 10, & 11
October 19 & 20: South Hills Annual College and Career Fair
October 26: PTHS Financial Aid (FAFSA) Completion Night
October 26: Last Day of Q1
October 29: No School for Students
November 1: Parent/Teacher Conferences
November 4: ASVAB @ PTHS
November 6: SAT @ PTHS
November 8: AP Exam Registration Closes
November 10: American Math Exam
PT Counseling Office
Ms. Alyssa Patton; pattona@pt-sd.org
Class of 2021-2023: A-Di
Class of 2024 and Beyond: A-C
Mrs. Courtney Wolf; wolfc@pt-sd.org
Class of 2021-2023: Dj-Kl
Class of 2024 and Beyond: D-Hh
Ms. Alyssa Simmons; simmonsa@pt-sd.org
Class of 2021-2023: Km-M
Class of 2024 and Beyond: Hi-Mh
Mrs. Heather Prinsen; prinsenh@pt-sd.org
Class of 2021-2023: N-Sk
Class of 2024 and Beyond: Mi-Se
Mr. Jeff Sudol; sudolj@pt-sd.org
Class of 2021-2023: Sl-Z
Class of 2024 and Beyond: Sf-Z
Mrs. Leyna Steffen; steffenl@pt-sd.org
Dean of College and Career Readiness