School Counseling
The mission of the MSMHS school counseling program is to support each student's academic, personal, social, and career needs while preparing each for a lifetime of learning. Our guidance program is founded on the belief that each student is a unique individual capable of personal growth and self-direction. Our goal is to assist and support students as they begin to understand themselves and plan for the future. School counselors at MSMHS take a proactive role in students' lives from the time they first set foot on our campus through their post-graduation planning. Career exploration and college planning begin in the first year at MSMHS as we begin to prepare students for the decisions they will make in future years.
The MSMHS advisory program plays a critical role in our overall goal of providing academic and student support services. Advisories are a primary vehicle for creating a more personalized learning environment where all students are well-known by at least one adult. Moreover, the advisory provides a structure and a set of practices for monitoring and supporting students' academic progress and college and career readiness throughout their high school career. Each student, along with their counselor and advisor, develops an individualized student success plan (SSP) to map out their educational path and set both academic and personal goals.
Post-Secondary Planning
MSMHS follows a developmentally appropriate post-high school planning timeline, starting in ninth grade and continuing through senior year.
The School Counselors are here to assist students and families in the post-high school planning process.
For a comprehensive description of the various post-secondary options and the college application process, please view the 2023-2024 Guide to Post-Secondary Planning and College Applications.
All students should create a resume before they graduate. If students are applying to college, they will need to complete a resume to provide their teachers & counselor who are writing their letters of recommendation. Please see the below Sample Resume Template for an outline of the information that is important to include on their resume.
College Application Resources
- The Organizational Chart for College Search & Applications can be used as a template in the planning and organization of your college applications
- The 2023-2024 NCAA Guide for the College-Bound Student-Athlete answers important questions for students who hope to compete in college sports at an NCAA Division 1 or Division 2 school.
Accessing SchooLinks
Students can access SchooLinks through Clever. Simply log into Clever, select SchooLinks, and sign in using your school Google credentials.
About SchooLinks:
- College and Career Readiness: SchooLinks is our platform for college and career readiness, used by students in grades 9-12 and integrated into our advisory programming.
- Assessments: Students will complete various assessments on SchooLinks to gain insights into their strengths, skills, and interests.
- Community Service Tracking: SchooLinks helps us track community service hours. Remember, all students must complete at least 40 hours of community service to graduate from MSMHS.
- Exploration Tools: The platform includes a College School Search and Career Center to assist with exploration and post-secondary planning.
- Scholarship Matching: SchooLinks features a Scholarship Matching tool to help students find and apply for national and local scholarship opportunities.
Explore SchooLinks today and take the next step towards your future!
Transcript Release Request
Please contact the MSMHS Counseling Department to request a transcript.
Ms. Jennifer Janssen jjanssen@learn.k12.ct.us (860) 446-9380 ext. 604 Mrs. Jenna Mulvey jmulvey@learn.k12.ct.us (860) 446-9380 ext. 607
Letter of Recommendation Forms
From Teacher
Students should complete this form for each teacher they ask to write a letter at least two weeks before their application deadline. Students should check with their teacher to see if they would like any additional information. Students should also provide teachers a copy of their resume or list of activities they have been involved in throughout the last 4 years. This form can be used for college applications, scholarships, or any other application or program that the student needs a letter of recommendation for.
From Counselor
This form needs to be completed and handed into the student's school counselor as soon as possible. This will help their counselor be able to write an in-depth, detailed, and personalized letter for each student. Parents/Guardians are encouraged to fill this form out individually or in collaboration with their child. If the parent/guardian is unable to fill it out, the student should complete it instead.