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Vernon Township HS

Hotlines and Resources

HotlinePhone NumberWebsite
2nd Floor Youth Helpline888-222-2228https://www.2ndfloor.org/
Al-Anon/Alateen National Hotline888-425-2666https://al-anon.org/
CarePlus Crisis Response Service201-262-HELPhttps://careplusnj.org/
Crisis Text LineText HOME to 741741

https://www.crisistextline.org/
Eating Disorders Hotline800-931-2237https://www.nationaleatingdisorders.org/help-support/contact-helpline
Healing Space Sexual Violence Hotline201-487-2227https://ywcannj.org/healingspace/
National Domestic Violence Hotline800-799-SAFE(7233)

https://www.thehotline.org/
National Runaway Safeline1-800-786-2929 (1-800-RUNAWAY)https://www.1800runaway.org/
National Suicide Prevention Hotline800-273-8255https://suicidepreventionlifeline.org/
New Jersey Coalition Against Sexual Assault (NJCASA) Hotline800-601-7200https://njcasa.org/
NJ Addiction Services Hotline844-276-2777https://www.nj.gov/humanservices/dmhas/resources/addiction/
NJ Child Abuse/Neglect Hotline877-NJ ABUSE (652-2873)https://www.preventchildabusenj.org/resources/report-abuse/
NJ Connect for Recovery855-652-3737https://www.njconnectforrecovery.org/
NJ211 Helpline211https://www.nj211.org/
PerformCare877-652-7624https://www.performcarenj.org/
Smoking Cessation for Teenstext QUIT to iQuit (47848)https://teen.smokefree.gov/
The STI Project for STD and Sexual Health Hotlineshttps://thestiproject.com/std-resources/std-help-hotlines/

Career And College Information

 

Senior College Application Information – 

STEPS TO A SUCCESSFUL COLLEGE APPLICATION PROCESS 

Senior Document Request Form 

 

  • NJSCA TECHNICAL SCHOOLS/COLLEGES

Click here for Technical Schools/Colleges

 

  • US NEWS BEST COLLEGES

http://colleges.usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/best-colleges

 

 

  • PARENT ACTION PLANS FROM COLLEGEBOARD

9th Grade Parent Action Plan
10th Grade Parent Action Plan
11th Grade Parent Action Plan
12th Grade Parent Action Plan

 

  • COLLEGE ADMISSIONS ARTICLES

Best, Brightest and Rejected: Elite Colleges Turn Away Up to 95% – New York Times

Getting Into the Ivies – New York Times

Our Crazy College Crossroads – New York Times
What This Year’s College Results Mean to Next Year’s Seniors – Huffington Post
Class, Cost and College – New York Times
Six Words of Advice for Parents of College-Bound Juniors – Huffington Post
College counselor to parents: Relax – Christian Science Monitor
Stop Worrying About Your Child Getting Into College. Worry About What Happens Next. – New York Times

 

  • OCCUPATIONAL OUTLOOK HANDBOOK

To visit the US Department of Labor’s latest version of the Occupational Outlook Handbook and learn more about careers, including growth, income and training expectations
Click Here

 

FINANCIAL AID RESOURCES

NJ HESAA

Creating a FAFSA ID

  • STUDENT LOAN GUIDE

http://www.hesaa.org/Flipbooks/StudentLoanGuide/index.html

 

  • INTERACTIVE STUDENT LOAN GAME PLAN

http://www.iowastudentloan.org/smart-borrowing/student-loan-game-plan/nj/student-loan-game-plan.aspx

  • A GUIDE TO CHOOSING YOUR COLLEGE PATH

http://www.hesaa.org/Flipbooks/ReachHigher/index.html

  • PLAN FOR COLLEGE

http://www.hesaa.org/Pages/PlanforCollege.aspx

http://www.goodcall.com/education/fully-accessible-guide-paying-college-students-disabilities/

  • PLAN FOR COLLEGE BY SALLIE MAE

Plan for College by Sallie Mae is an online resource that provides free interactive tools, information and guidance to demystify the college planning process and help families save, plan and pay for college.
http://www.planforcollege.com/

  • COLLEGE OPEN HOUSES & FAIRS

Want some help getting ready for a college fair?

Click Here for CollegeBoard’s College Fair Checklist


SUMMER ENRICHMENT PROGRAMS-Websites
www.summerdiscovery.com
www.studenteducationprograms.com

VOLUNTEER LINKS

 

Student Assistance Counselor & School Clinician

STUDENT ASSISTANCE COUNSELOR

What is a Student Assistance Counselor?

Student Assistance Counseling is talking confidentially with a professional counselor to discuss problems and develop healthy and effective coping strategies together.

Examples of problems might include:

*anger issues *alcohol and other drugs use
*depression *suicidal thoughts
*relationship issues *stress
*bullying *eating disorders
*school-related issues *cutting and other self-injury behaviors
*and ANY other issues having an effect on you.

Student Assistance Counselors are certified with advanced training and experience in the field of substance abuse and mental health. Mrs. Romeo is our Student Assistance Counselor and she provides support for our students daily.   Prevention, intervention, support and instructional services for students in the district are provided through our Student Assistance Counselor.  Mrs. Romeo offers assistance to students troubled by familial, emotional, social, legal, physical, sexual, or substance abuse problems.


Mrs. Romeo is available to provide confidential counseling and referral services for at risk students and their parents.  The ultimate goal is to empower students to assist in the development and maintenance of a positive school climate.   Mrs. Romeo often works to link students and their families with community resources to provide for needs requiring specialized services.

Mrs. Romeo has worked in public education since 2000.  Her education includes the following:

Master’s in Educational Leadership from Saint Peter’s University 

Master of Arts in Teaching from MaryGrove College 

Bachelor’s Degree in Psychology and Education from Monmouth University 

Substance Awareness Coordinator Certification from Montclair State University

She has been a member of The Loss Coalition for 15 years.  Mrs. Romeo proudly accepted the Governor’s Educator Services Professional of the year award in the Spring of 2022.  She is currently the Key Club advisor and volunteers to run the Pokemon club.  

Confidentiality:

All conversations with the Student Assistance Coordinator is confidential except if there is concern of immediate harm to self or others, there is suspected or reported abuse/neglect or concern about harassment, intimidation and/or bullying (HIB).


You can contact Ms. Romeo 

973.764.5799      

kromeo@vtsd.com

 

School Clinician

Our newly instituted School Clinician is making a positive impact with our students and families both in and outside the classroom. We are developing and implementing a new program to help our students and community overcome some of their biggest challenges surrounding mental, social and emotional health of students.

Our School Clinician offers additional solutions to students, teachers, and families by providing a wide-range of onsite services. Our district clinician creates a tailored learning environment plan based on the need of the student and the school.

Mr. Demsak is a licensed professional counselor.  He provides support to our students and families daily.  Mr. Demsak was a teacher in the Vernon district for three years prior to transitioning to this role.  He is a licensed school counselor and also holds a clinical license through NJ DCA.  My theoretical orientations include Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, Dialectical Behavior Therapy, Person Centered Therapy, Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy and Solution Focused Brief Therapy.  

An example of the school clinician program components can include:

  • Individual and family counseling
  • School clearance assessments
  • School Presence Model to address school avoidance
  • Skill-building groups including social skills, conflict resolution, mindfulness, anger management, and stress management
  • Substance abuse programs specifically for youth
  • Educational workshops for faculty and parents
  • Direct in-class support for students and teachers
  • Collaborations with the school personnel and outpatient resources
  • Partnerships with child study teams as indicated by IEPs
  • Community outreach to engage youth and families
  • Case management and care coordination
  • Parent support groups
  • After school recreation and summer programs
  • Transitional programs to assist students with school and grade level changes

Confidentiality:

All conversations with our School Clinician is confidential except if there is concern of immediate harm to self or others, there is suspected or reported abuse/neglect or concern about harassment, intimidation and/or bullying (HIB).

You can contact Mr. Demsak

973.764.5902      

ddemsak@vtsd.vom

NCAA Information

 

Scheduling Information

Course Selection Sheets

Grade 9 Course Selection Sheet 2022-2023
Grade 10 Course Selection Sheet 2022-2023
Grade 11 Course Selection Sheet 2022-2023
Grade 12 Course Selection Sheet 2022-2023

General Scheduling Information

 

Scheduling Process

 

The scheduling process involves many layers and is very time consuming. It involves many people such as your child, teachers, counselors, and administrators. Each student request made in January was reviewed,  discussed and taken into consideration when building the schedule- the master schedule is student needs  based and we utilize the requests made in January to build the best schedule possible. Scheduling over 900 students may not seem difficult at first; however, we strive to offer as many classes as possible in order to provide students the ability to explore their interests while fulfilling state requirements.

        

8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grade students receive course recommendations at the end of the first semester. Students are encouraged to discuss recommendations with their teachers. However, any appeals to the recommendation must be addressed with the school’s administration and content Supervisor.

 

         Students make course requests online and then have a follow-up meeting with their counselors based on: graduation requirements, teacher recommendations, prerequisites, student interests, and future plans. Students may not request courses requiring teacher recommendation unless they have received those recommendations. If they qualify, current 9th, 10th or 11th grade students may use a waiver for honors or AP level courses (see Waiver Process).

 

Changes to Initial Student Course Requests

         After the course request deadline has passed (near the end of March), students may not alter their course requests. Any appeal for a course request change must be initiated in writing by the parent and requires a discussion or conference with a school counselor before being reviewed by the Subject Supervisor and Principal.

 

Changes to Academic Schedule and Elective Courses

Changing courses after the academic year has started can be very disruptive to a student’s schedule and may impact courses other than the primary one being adjusted. Elective course changes may not be permitted if they interfere with academic courses already scheduled. In addition, the administration may consider such factors as: minimum and maximum class size, teacher’s total student load, and physical room size and district budgetary and staffing restrictions.

 

Once the school year has begun, a change to a student’s schedule may be permitted for the following reasons:

 

  1. To resolve schedule conflicts or correct clerical errors.
  2. Child Study Team recommendation.
  3. Intervention and Referral Services Team (IRST) or 504 Committee recommendation.
  4. Teacher, subject supervisor and counselor agree that the selection of a course was inappropriate due to indicators such as previous coursework, standardized test scores or classroom performance.
  5. Student repeats a course taught by the same instructor he or she has previously failed (based on staffing ability).

 

Students are not permitted to enter a class after 14 classroom meeting days for a full year class or 7 classroom meeting days for a semester class.

 

         Any request for a schedule change not fitting within the categories listed above must be initiated in writing by the parent and requires a discussion or conference with the school counselor before being reviewed by the Administration.

 

         Schedule changes other than for the reasons listed above will ONLY be considered after the completion of 7 school days.  Students may not be permitted to enter/drop a full-year course after 14 class-meeting days. Students may not be permitted to enter/drop a half-year, semester course after 7 class-meeting days. For any approved schedule changes, the student is responsible for completing any missed work. Appeals to decisions follow the District’s posted Procedures for Processing Concerns – ‘Chain of Command’.

 

Withdrawals

         A student who withdraws from a course prior to the close of the initial marking period for that course will have no entry on his/her permanent record nor on his/her report card. In full year courses, after the close of the first marking period and prior to the close of the second marking period, a student who withdraws from a course will receive a “WP” indicating withdrawal passing or a “WF” indicating withdrawal failing. This grade will not be included in the computation of class rank. After completion of 50% of the course, the student is not permitted to withdraw. A student withdrawn due to violation of the attendance/cutting policy will receive an “AF” on his/her transcript and will not receive any course credit. This grade may be included in the computation of the GPA and class rank.

 

Waiver Process

In grades 9, 10, and 11, a student and his/her parents may sign a waiver to enter an Honors/Advanced Placement course.  If a student enters the course in this manner and then decides to drop the course after 1st MP, the student will receive a “WF” on his/her transcript for the Honors/AP class which was dropped.  Placement in another course will be dependent on class size and availability.  Students will only be able to sign a waiver into two (2) Honors/AP courses and must attend a mandatory meeting run by the supervisors of that discipline prior to the completion of scheduling.  Students in College Prep classes must be earning at least a “B+” (85)  in order to be eligible for a waiver.

 

For students who “waived” into a class or formally requested an AP or Honors class:

Students will remain in the course into which they have waived until at least the end of the 1st marking period.  The earned grades will accompany them if they switch to another level of the course.  Students who drop a class they waived into or did not alter prior to June 1st will be issued a grade of “WF”

Dual And Concurrent Enrollment

Vernon Township High School has articulated with several colleges and universities, including Seton Hall University, Rutgers, FDU, Syracuse, and Sussex Community College, to allow for certain high school courses to be cross-listed with college level courses in a dual-enrollment format.

In reviewing VTHS’s courses, curricula and instructors, the post-secondary institution has certified that the course work and rigor match those of college level courses. By engaging in this process with partner institutions, Vernon Townships Schools curriculum office, supervisors and teachers may develop coursework most appropriate to support the college readiness of all our students.

In addition, 11th and 12th grade students have the option to earn college credit by enrolling simultaneously through the college or university for the course being taught at the high school.

While enrollment in the college-level course is optional, there are several potential benefits to consider: students have an opportunity to challenge themselves and demonstrate success in college-level courses, college credits are available to families at a substantially reduced rate and college credits may be transferable once a student is admitted to college.

Course requirements are identical for every student enrolled in these approved high school courses regardless of whether a student elects to enroll in the college course. Also, all high school courses approved for dual enrollment will be noted as such on the high school transcript regardless. 

It is impossible to predict which colleges will accept which credits for what value as this can vary from university to university, department to department and year to year.  Both AP scores and college credits of a transcript remain intact.

Having AP scores and Dual Enrollment both give the student options, and arguably, the credits will never cost less.  The best thing to do is research each college. So many students are taking at least one AP course these days that colleges usually have their policies defined.  Dual enrollment courses have become popular as well.

For dual enrollment, we list the notation on the transcript that it is approved for credit.  It is your choice.  The only thing is that it cannot be applied retroactively.

The following overview of courses are approved for college credit.  Courses, costs and teachers are approved through partner universities.

 

Click here for more info on Dual enrollment courses

 

Dual Enrollment Possible Courses

Sussex County Community College

Introduction to Building Construction

Construction, Safety, Tools and Equipment

Print Reading and Sketching

Codes in Construction

Construction Site Preparation & Layout

Construction Materials and Methods

Introduction to Environmental Science

Business Management

Principles of Marketing

Chemistry I

Chemistry II

Computer Concepts and Applications

Introduction to Computer Science

Website Development

Cosmetology Principles and Procedures I

Cosmetology Principles and Procedures II

Cosmetology Principles and Procedures III

Science and Ethics for Cosmetology

Macroeconomics

Microeconomics

Introduction to Engineering

Numerical Methods for Engineers

Engineering Statics

Engineering Dynamics

Vector Graphics and Page Design

Intro to Game and Development

Digital Imagery and Editing

Introduction to Hotel, Restaurant & Institutional Management

Food Service Sanitation

Food and Beverage Management

Contemporary Math

Statistics

Pre-Calculus I

Calculus I

Calculus II  

Sussex County Community College/Temple

CFM I – III

Fairleigh Dickinson University

Biology

Organic/Biochemistry

Art Major

Rutgers University

Anatomy & Physiology

Biology

Dyn. of Health Care in Society Honors

Clinical Emergency Care/Fund. of Health

Seton Hall University

English IV AP

French IV Honors

Spanish IV AP

Music Theory I

Music Theory II AP

Psychology

US History II AP

Sociology

Syracuse University

Chemistry

Forensic Science

Parent Programs

PARENT PROGRAM MATERIALS
2023-2024 SCHOOL YEAR

Remind App
Class of 2023
Class of 2024
Class of 2025
Class of 2026

May SAT Protocols

Please click the following link to see protocol regarding the upcoming SAT test that takes place on May 8, 2021.

 

Click Here to read

I Am A Senior

I Am A Junior

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Upcoming Events

September 2023

Thursday September 21

All Day
Rolling Hills SchoolCraft Picture Day
7:00 pm – 9:00 pm
BOE Public Meeting @ LHS

Monday September 25

All Day
Yom Kippur (District Closed)
Yom Kippur - District Closed
Yom Kippur - District Closed

Tuesday September 26 – Wednesday September 27

HS LORS Underclass/Faculty Photos

Tuesday September 26

All Day
LH School Pictures

Wednesday September 27

All Day
WR-Picture Day AM/PM
View the Full VTSD Calendar