Counseling

At Manchester, one of the most powerful tools we have at our disposal is the Virginia Wizard.

Let the Wizard help you choose a career, get the information you need to pursue your career, enroll in one of Virginia’s community colleges, pay for college, transfer to a four-year college or university, and get answers to your questions about your future.

See your school counselor today to schedule a time to take the Virginia Wizard!

How to Start a High School Freshman Year the Right Way

You’ve just finished middle school and are at the top of the student ladder, but you’ve realized that come the end of summer, you have to go back to the bottom rung. For a number of reasons ranging from academic to social, high school is intimidating. Now is a good time to think about putting some strategies in place for starting your freshman year the right way.

Instructions:

1. Plan to attend freshman orientation.   Manchester High School’s  Freshman SMART Day is  September 3, 2015 (8:30-2:00).  There is a $15 cost to cover your T-shirt, lunch, and refreshments.  If you have not already registered, please contact the front office at 739-6275.
   
   
2. Talk with upperclassmen. If you know any upperclassmen or meet some at orientation, get them talking about their experiences in the high school. They can fill you in on extracurricular activities, the fastest routes to your classes and study tips that work for them, and you’ll get to know someone you can rely on for information.
   
   
3. Prepare yourself for more work. It’s time to accept that starting high school means a larger workload. Don’t panic: you’re building on skills you already have, but you’ll be expected to work more independently and you’ll have more assignments to tackle.
   
   
4. Reassess your study habits. Once you’ve gotten your class requirements, you can take some time at home to figure out when and how much you’ll need to study. You may already have great study habits and won’t have to adjust all that much or you may have to cut out some down time to make room for your increased workload.
   
   
5. Spread your wings. Starting high school marks a new time in your life and there will be many more extracurricular opportunities and sports to choose from. Round out your freshman education by joining a new sport or club to nurture your interests and to make new friends.
   
   
6. Seek help when necessary. If you’ve done everything you can to start your freshman year the right way and still find that you’re having trouble with your grades or adjusting socially, see your School Counselors. They are trained as experts in all things high school and should be able to get you on track or get you additional help for a great freshman year and beyond.
   
   

Chesterfield County Tutor List (see attachment below)

It’s never too early to start looking ahead…here are a few resources for you!

Big Future presented by the College Board

The College Board (SAT, AP, PSAT) has produced an interactive website to assist students in their college search process. Check it out.

• Big Future

Sophomores are no longer the newbies! Get ready for a great year! What you can do to better prepare for your future…

1. Take an AP Course(s)
   This not only helps you to prepare for the heavy workloads you will get in college, but it also shows college admissions boards that you are a diligent student. If you are not up to the challenge or your school does not offer AP courses appropriate for you, then take as many high level/honors courses as you can, without jeopardizing your GPA.
   
   
2. Take the PSAT
   Your SAT scores are going to make or break your college application, so it’s important to start preparing for this test the right way. Taking the PSAT is a great way to understand your test taking skills. If you do well, you could be eligible for a scholarship from the National Merit Scholarship Corporation. If you don’t do well then it means that you have more time to prepare for the real SATs.
   
   
3. Dedicate Time Outside Of Class
   College admissions boards care about what you do with your time outside of class just as much as your course loads. Try out for sports teams if you are athletic, sign up the Art Club if you are interested in the creative fields, or do something out of your comfort zone like trying out for the lead of a school musical! If you have already found what extracurricular activities you enjoy being part of, that’s great! As your next challenge, try taking on some leadership roles.
   
   
4. Meet With Your School Counselor
   They are there for a reason—use their resources! They can help you research colleges of interest and schedule your classes accordingly. School counselors are also the ones who have direct contact with college admissions officers, so build strong relationships with them if you want to get an extra nudge when applying.
   
   
5. Use Your Summer Wisely
   Whether you are volunteering at a local animal shelter or taking on your first internship or job position, don’t waste your summer bumming around. This is the time for you to set your path straight to get into the college of your dreams. Use this time to craft your art skills if you want to go to art school or practice taking the SATs if you didn’t do so well on your PSATs. Whatever it is, don’t waste it!
   
   

• Big Future 
• Parent Action Plan: 10th Grade
  
  

Now is the time to take the SAT or ACT

• Scholarships/Orange Aid

A high school diploma tells admission officers at colleges, universities, and career and technical schools that the bearer is ready for the rigors of post-secondary education. It also tells potential employers that the graduate possesses the reading, writing, and computational skills required for success in the workplace. In order to graduate from a public high school in the Commonwealth of Virginia, a student must meet the criteria established by the Virginia Department of Education.

The standard and advanced diploma options are the two most common options available for students. Other diploma types offered by the Commonwealth of Virginia include the Modified Standard Diploma; the Special Diploma; the Certificate of Program Completion; the General Achievement Diploma (GAD); and the General Education Development Certificate (GED).

Please note that requirements do vary based upon the year when a student begins the ninth grade.

The purpose of school counseling is to build skills for academic, career and personal/social development. School counseling in Chesterfield County Public Schools is a planned, sequential program of services that is comprehensive in scope and developmental in nature.

Academic counseling helps students and parents learn about curriculum choices, plan an appropriate program of studies, arrange and interpret academic testing and seek post secondary academic opportunities.

Career counseling helps students acquire information and plan for work, jobs, apprenticeships and post-secondary education and career opportunities.

Personal or social counseling helps students develop an understanding of themselves and the rights and needs of others, resolve conflict and define individual goals that reflect their interests, abilities and aptitudes. Such counseling may be provided in groups in which generic issues of social development are addressed or through structured individual or small group counseling sessions that focus on specific student concerns (for example, divorce, anxiety or aggressive behavior).

At Manchester High School
Our school counselors take great pride in getting to know our students. Whether we are enrolling new students; answering a scheduling question; brainstorming with students about what to do after they leave Manchester; or maybe just offering an empathetic ear to challenges at home, we care about our students.

Each year we work with our students on a variety of issues. During the freshman and sophomore years, our goal is to develop a relationship with your child in order to help him or her adapt to high school. During the junior and senior years, our goal is to help your child further explore options for life after high school. We meet with students individually and in the classroom setting through a variety of classroom guidance lessons. Please review our school counseling department calendar each year to review our plans for the current school year.

Beyond the general services offered as described above, the Manchester School Counseling Department offers a number of other services and programs, e.g. College Night, financial aid workshops, orientations, and student scheduling. The department also coordinates all mandated testing, sends transcripts, and coordinates award assemblies with the administration..

Opportunities for Seniors

Transcripts

Graduated prior to 2012:
Your files have been put on microfiche and are not on file at Manchester. You must call (804) 639-8900, ext. 1651 to request your transcript. Include your name, social security number, high school (Manchester), and the year you graduated. Provide the address where you want the transcript sent.

Coordinator: Cammie Nicely
12601 Bailey Bridge Rd, Midlothian, VA 23112
Phone: (804) 739-6284
Fax: (804) 639-6974
CEEB Code: 471870

How to Get a Copy of Your Official Manchester Transcript

Chesterfield County Public Schools has partnered with Parchment.com for all transcript requests and education verifications for all current high school students and alumni.  Parchment provides efficient and secure electronic transcript delivery nationwide with up-to-date tracking through email notifications for all registered users.

Processing Time:

Please allow a minimum of seven (7) business days for processing of all requests.  Transcripts ordered through Parchment over the weekend or holiday breaks will not be processed until school re-opens. Please keep this in mind as many college application deadlines fall around the holiday seasons.

Current Students:

• Seniors will be registered for this service via their English classes.  They will be given a registration code and a Transcript Release form to be completed by their parent/guardian, or the student if they are 18 years of age.
• Students should NOT register from home for this service.
• Parents/Guardians should NOT create an account on behalf of the student.  This results in that account having to be deleted and new orders having to be placed by the student.
• Parchment requests are Free.
• When you order your transcript from Parchment, you choose the college you want it sent to.
• After you request your transcript from Parchment, you MUST fill out your Blue Card in School Counseling Office.  This tells us the deadline for your college and whether or not you need a letter of recommendation.
• If you need a hard copy of your transcript (ex: scholarships), please visit the School Counseling Office.  The first transcript is free of charge provided that your request is at least 10 school days before the due date.  Thereafter, it is $3 charge with a 5 day notice and a $5 charge for immediate requests.  School Counseling Office only accepts cash or check.
• If you need an unofficial copy of your transcript, request one from Parchment and choose Self-View.  Please note that transcripts cannot be emailed to personal email accounts.
  
  

Alumni:

• To set up your Parchment account, click here Parchment. No registration code required.
• Place an order for your high school transcript to be delivered to your required destination(s) (ex: college, university, employer, third-party verifier, recruiter, yourself, etc.).
• If your destination does not accept electronic transcripts, Parchment provides paper delivery via mail during order processing. **Please note that Parchment does charge fees for service.**
• To request additional documents (i.e., immunization, SAT/ACT Scores, IEP Documents) download the Additional Record Request Form.
  
  

Questions? 

Please click here for Frequently Asked Questions.

Thank you again for using Parchment to request your transcript. If you have any questions about Parchment, select the Parchment help link for details. As always, you may contact your School Counseling Office for additional questions.