Dear Students and Families,

You have seen multiple emails from School Administrators about the plan for the TAS closure and what it means for the learning progress of our students. I would like to recognize and reiterate the need for patience and flexibility, understanding, and support - and want to reassure you all that College Counseling has been a major part of these conversations.

I would also like to stress to all of you that unfortunately, we are not the only ones facing changes in our delivery of curriculum (meaning online). Please note that colleges and universities worldwide understand this, and it will not negatively affect prospects of admission in any way. This is both for the Class of 2020 as well as Class of 2021 and your future transcripts. In fact, several schools have already posted messages of support and understanding, reassurance and awareness. Sadly, this is not the first time an emergency or natural disaster has prompted the need for colleges and universities to be more flexible with the receipt of information. They understand. College applications and admissions is and always has been a human process. We are all here for you.

As we continue to support you, it is important that we all recognize engagement and progress in your learning must occur, even in this new way; feedback will be critical and faculty, counselors (including college counselors), and administrators are here to help. I have no doubt that results (grades particularly, as well as external assessments for the AP and IB) will remain as strong as they always have been at TAS. To that end, I would like to note that the ACT will still be administered on campus this Saturday, Feb. 8, following normal TAS health protocols. College Counseling staff and counselors continue to work to provide transcripts, information, and other materials to schools as necessary.

We are also continuing to communicate all of this to colleges and universities, and are working with them to find ways to provide virtual information sessions, since they cannot come to campus.

A few TO DO ITEMS:

1) For Juniors/Class of 2021, I ask that each of you schedule at least 2 online 1:1 meetings with your counselor before we return on Feb. 25. This should be conducted via Zoom or Google Hangouts. In some ways, the adapted timeline and combined/compressed schedule allows for greater options to meet with your college counselor!

Counselors will be available for the "office hours" noted in Principal Lowman's email, every day from 2:30-3:30. For some students, this may be the only time you can meet, so I have asked that our counselors make that time available for appointments.

2) Seniors at this point should have all applications completed/submitted and their counselors involved as necessary. However, please reach out to us with any questions or concerns - and certainly with any and all results as you receive them. We are so proud of you all.

Finally, I would like to announce that going forward, the College Counseling Office will be sending out a monthly newsletter to families, so that we can recap what material and information was covered in College Counseling classes, any tasks and to-do items that students and families should be doing and discussing, and just ensuring that we are all on the same page through this journey.

Warmly,

Ms. Hamre and the College Counseling Office Team