New Position!

Ballard High School is hiring an additional counselor!!! If interested, check out the posting on TeachIowa.gov!

FREE Service for families!!

Let me introduce you to a new FREE email service for parents and guardians of students in 8^th through 12^th grades.

Earlier this week, we launched SP³ – Student Planning Pointers for Parents, a service to empower the parents/guardians of students between 8^th and 12^th grades to engage in post-secondary planning with their students. As I’m sure you’re aware, studies show that students whose parents are engaged in planning their future are much more successful in high school and college.

How It Works

Parents and guardians register with their students’ grade levels at www.sp3.org. Twice-monthly emails containing timely and grade-level specific information will be sent to those who register. The articles will provide tips, tools and resources for parents and guardians to have meaningful discussions with their students about their postsecondary options.

The content is relevant to the month in which it is sent and includes a number of topics, such as:

·         How GPAs work and the importance of getting good grades and forming strong study habits in high school

·         Taking interest assessments, career exploration and setting career goals

·         Core course requirements and earning college credit in high school

·         Options available after high school — apprenticeships, certificate and degree programs, military, etc.

·         The importance of working and saving for college, budgeting time and money

·         ACT and SAT prep, college and scholarship applications

·         Completing the FAFSA, understanding the cost of college and the financial aid process

·         Preparing for college or career after high school

Parents and guardians who register and utilize the information and resources within the articles are entered into quarterly drawings for contributions to a 529 college savings account. Forty winners will be randomly selected each quarter with each winner receiving a $250 deposit toward their savings plan of choice.

Promotion

In addition to Iowa Student Loan directly promoting the new service, school counselors and the Iowa College Access Network (ICAN) will help publicize this service and encourage parents to enroll. This service has also received endorsements from College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, ICAN and Strada Education Network. Development of this tool was supported by Strada Education Network, a national social impact organization improving lives by forging clearer and more purposeful pathways between education and employment.

Help Spread the Word

Please tell all the parents you know with students between 8^th and 12^th grades to sign up for the free service at www.sp3.org. Also, please share with your AEA colleagues as well as with educators you know.