NORWICH – A new online resource will give Norwich High School students and parents easier access to college and career searches as well as resume, scholarship and financial aid information.
Guidance Office staff members have already begun using the interactive web-based tool, Guidance Direct, which they say will make their work with students more efficient and more hands-on.
“We want to create more of a comprehensive program for our students,” said High School Guidance Counselor Tracy Maynard, regarding the addition of the resource to the department’s existing offerings. She and fellow staff members Kathy Stratton and Susan Maray-Webster received training on the program last week.
“We’re pretty excited about this,” said Stratton. “We think it has a lot of benefits for our kids.”
The guidance staff plans to introduce the tool to all students grades 9 through 12 by the end of the current school year, but the first push will be getting passwords and access codes into the hands of the junior class before winter break. Once students have that information in hand, they’ll be able to access the site from any computer with Internet access, at home or school.
“Our goal is to get out of our office and into the classrooms to work with students on this,” said Maynard.
Guidance staff will target this year’s sophomores after break. They also plan to send a letter home to all high school parents describing how they can access the site.
“It’s going to give parents a lot of quick links,” said Stratton. Those links include easy access to available scholarships and the Free Application for Student Financial Aid (FAFSA).
While the guidance staff’s primary interest in the program was how it could be used by students and parents, they discovered another benefit of the on-line resource during a 30-day trial prior to purchasing a subscription to the site.
“From a professional standpoint for us, it gives us access to guidance counselors across New York State,” said Stratton. Through the message forum feature, Norwich’s guidance staff can compare notes with their counterparts in other districts.
“It’s great for us to be able to communicate with other districts to see what they do,” explained Maynard.
According to Stratton, the site also makes it easier to navigate complicated State Education Department regulations. In response to posted questions related to these requirements, the website’s administrators provide quick links to specific sections or contact information.
“They’ll tell you where to go or exactly who to talk to,” said Stratton, which she said can save hours of time on the phone.
The counselors admit that there are so many resources available through Guidance Direct that it will take them awhile to realize its full potential.
“There is so much information, that it’s a little overwhelming,” said Maynard. “It’s a good problem to have.”
Maynard said she believes Norwich is the first school district in the county to begin using Guidance Direct, although others have expressed an interest in the program. The December meeting of the Chenango County School Counselors Association will include a presentation on the unique resource.
“This program is a good effort by the Guidance Department to help parents and students plan and prepare for career and college choices,” said Norwich Superintendent Gerard O’Sullivan. “This will help us and help families be better prepared for post high school opportunities.”