GREAT VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL

225 North Phoenixville Pike

Malvern, PA 19355
Phone 610-889-1918, Ext. 21930
Fax 610 889-1971

Meridith Bebee (mbebee@gvsd.org)

J. L. Chip Harvey (charvey@gvsd.org)
Carrie Kane (ckane@gvsd.org)
Jeff Martin (jmartin@gvsd.org)
Anna Saracino(asaracino@gvsd.org)
COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

August 2016
Dear Senior Parent/Guardian:
The Counseling Department has greatly enjoyed working with your son/daughter while he/she has attended Great Valley
High School. This past school year we invited all juniors and their parents to meet individually with us to discuss postsecondary plans and career aspirations. We have heard from many of you that these were beneficial meetings. We also
received excellent feedback regarding the Junior Parent Night, which was held last fall. And, we received many great
suggestions for topics for our upcoming Senior Student/Parent night in September. Our guest speakers on Junior Night,
provided parents and students with valuable information about the college admission process, financial aid, standardized
testing, student athlete/NCAA regulations, and other options for students who are moving directly from school to work.
We realize that the senior year can be an overwhelming time for students and parents alike. In an effort to support you and
your son/daughter, we would like to share some information that we hope you will find helpful.
Seniors must complete the Senior Letter of Recommendation Survey that is on the NAVIANCE program prior to their
senior meeting with their counselor in the fall. We also ask that you complete a Sr. Parent Letter of Recommendation
Survey that appears in your own NAVIANCE account. Directions for accessing these surveys are attached.
Counselors will meet individually with all senior students shortly after the school year begins. As we informed your
son/daughter during their junior meeting, this summer is the time to finish research related to post-secondary options. We
strongly encourage students who plan to attend a post-secondary program to return to school having begun the application
process (i.e. complete a resume, locate college applications online and begin to complete them, choose an essay topic(s),
and begin to write their essay(s)). Planning and preparing before the school year begins will prevent your son/daughter
from experiencing unnecessary stress as they navigate the application process. Remember GVHS counseling office
requires 15 days to process the schools part of the application (transcript, SSR, counselor rec letter). That 15
days begins when the Application Submission Form is received in the counseling office. Students do no need to
be finished with their part of the application before submitting the form to the counseling office.
Please note that GVHS will be an ACT test site for the September 10 ACT. If your child has not obtained the score she or
he would like to achieve on a college admissions exam, she/he may want to take the ACT in September. Sign up is done
by going to www.actstudent.org and must be completed before the late registration deadline of August 19. Seniors who
feel they need to take the SAT one more time can take the October 1 SAT at GVHS. Registration must be completed
before the late registration deadline of September 20. Students register for the SAT by going to www.collegeboard.com.
Senior Student/Parent Night will be held on Thursday, September 8 at 6:30 PM. The counselors have invited many
professionals to present during the evening. The presenters will share information that is important to assist your
son/daughter with their future plans. In addition to sessions that will include four-year post-secondary information (i.e. essay
writing, GVHS Counseling Departments application process, NAVIANCE), counselors will be on hand to answer general
questions regarding college planning and the application process, and to provide military, school-to-career, trade school,
and junior/community college information. All seniors and their parents are strongly urged to attend this program.
Counselor caseloads remain the same from junior to senior year; students continue to be assigned by the first few letters
of their last name. Students whose last names begin with A-Com are assigned to Mr. Chip Harvey, who is also the
Counseling Department Chairperson; Con-Hil work with Ms. Meridith Bebee; Him-McQ will work with Ms. Carrie Kanes
long-term substitute while she is on maternity leave for the 2016-2017 school year; McR-Set work with Ms. Anna Saracino,
and Seu Z work with Mr. Jeff Martin.
We are looking forward to an exciting senior year with your son/daughter. If we can be of assistance to you in this or any
other matter, please contact our department at (610) 889-1918 ext. 21930. Please note, counselors have very limited
summer hours. Counselors will return to work with all staff on August 23. We hope youve had a wonderful summer.
Sincerely,
The Counseling Department