PTHS Student Handbook 2016-2017

GUIDANCE SERVICES COUNSELOR ASSIGNMENT: Lisa Meyer - A-K, and Jeff Flott -L-Z The functions of the department can be divided into three areas: Educational Guidance, Career Guidance, and Personal Counseling. Educational Guidance helps students develop their educational goals, select courses and make post-high school plans. The counselors schedule routine conferences at least twice a year with all the students to discuss their educational and vocational plans. Group guidance sessions are held to disseminate information and interpret test scores; however, this is never intended to discourage students from seeking individual help from a counselor when the need arises.

Vocational guidance aids students in gathering information and considering careers in conjunction with their standardized testing results. Special activities include a tour for all sophomores of the Livingston Area Career Center and the Career Day.

Personal counseling for students is voluntary, and a student may talk with any member of the department whom he chooses. What the student chooses to discuss with the counselor is held in utmost confidence. A student may arrange for an appointment during a study hall or before or after school. Some special activities provide students with more information and will help them make better informed choices. These activities are Freshman Orientation, Career Center Tours, Financial Aid Meeting, and standardized testing. Students who meet certain academic criteria will be required to take the PARCC required by the State of Illinois. At the student’s expense, additional testing is offered. Juniors may take the Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (P-SAT), and both juniors and seniors may take the SAT. Various college catalogs are on the shelves in the Library. An up-to-date file of information on various occupations with regard to training and opportunities in all fields of work is available as well as pamphlets regarding social and emotional growth and development. Parent conferences are encouraged. If a parent has any questions regarding a student’s educational or vocational plans, achievement, testing or post-high school training, he should call a counselor for an appointment. Mutual concerns always serve to benefit the student. LIBRARY The Dr. Ronald J. Yates Memorial Library provides resources for students through print and online collections that are housed at the high school and available on the Library webpage. Print materials include fiction and nonfiction books, magazines, and newspapers. Online subscription databases include magazine, newspaper, and reference articles as well as images, videos, and primary source documents. The Dr. Ronald J. Yates Memorial Library is also a member of the Alliance Library System which gives students access to library materials through inter-library loan from school, public, and academic libraries throughout Illinois. The department also accommodates frequent requests from graduates, and those who left school for some other reason. No request is too trivial, and the department always welcomes the opportunity to be of assistance.

Students are encouraged to use the Library during study halls and before and after school to work on assignments and access resources. The Library will be closed to students on occasion for instructional purposes.

Students who wish to use the Library during their study hall should report directly to the Library. Attendance will be taken and reported to the study hall supervisors. Students are expected to remain in the center for the entire period unless they have a signed pass from another teacher. Students are expected to follow the rules that are posted in the Library. Students who display inappropriate behavior will be removed and lose their sign in privileges as determined by the staff.

Most books are loaned for two weeks. Overdue fines will be charged for each day the item is late. Magazines are for overnight use only. Checked out books and other materials may be returned to the Library or the metal book return outside the center’s doors.

Students are responsible for returning their loaned materials on time to the Library. After an item is five days overdue, the automated circulation system will generate an overdue notice. A second notice is prepared when an item is ten days overdue. Items more than 15 days overdue are considered lost and a bill is generated.

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