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Due to poor road conditions resulting from inclement weather and extreme temperatures, schools in Sevier County will be closed on Thursday, January 23, 2025.

District
  1. Counseling
  2. Counseling Department

Counseling Department

The Seymour High School Counseling Department is comprised of three counselors and an administrative assistant/registrar. Professional school counselors are certified/licensed professionals with a master's degree or higher in school counseling and are uniquely qualified to address the developmental needs of all students. Professional school counselors deliver a comprehensive school counseling program encouraging all students' academic, career and personal/social development, and help all students in maximizing student achievement.  

School counseling is an integral part of the school program. The school counseling model is developmental and sequential. It is implemented by licensed school counselors with the support of teachers, administrators, support personnel, students, parents and community members. The school counseling program belongs to everyone and serves all students.
 

School Counselors

Student Last Names A-H:  Mrs. Kaitlyn Fox
kaitlynfox@sevier.org

Student Last names I-N & SPED:  Mrs. Candi Buffington
candibuffington@sevier.org

Student Last Names O-Z:  Mrs. Bethany Schultz
bethanyschultz@sevier.org

 

Registrar

Mrs. Sondra Owenby
sondraowenby@sevier.org
(865) 577-7040

The Role Of A School Counselor

  • To counsel with students individually and in small groups
  • To present developmental lessons in the classroom and in small groups
  • To serve as a student advocate
  • To consult with teachers, administrators, school support personnel, parents and business/community agencies
  • To participate in school meetings
  • To work with parents in teaching effective parenting skills, creating a positive environment, and encouraging parent participation
  • To provide staff development in identified areas of need and in orientation to the school counseling program
  • To provide leadership in career development of all students
  • To coordinate school activities pertaining to the school counseling program
  • To facilitate the evaluation of the school counseling program

  • September/October  2023

     

     

    Dear seniors and parents:

     

    Welcome to the senior year.  In order to keep you informed throughout the year of the planning process, we will be emailing or sending a letter every one to two months.  The next parent letter will be at the beginning of November.  A monthly scholarship list will be available via email, picked up in the counseling office, and posted on our website ---sevier.org/schools/SHS. The list will have a variety of scholarships, including due dates, criteria for the scholarship as well as how to apply for the scholarship.

    The following checklist will keep you informed and up to date about planning the senior year.  Also, we have included a list of dates of various events, college visits and test administrations.

     

                                                            To do in September and October

     

    • Send parent’s email address to

      cheryltroutman@sevier.org  A-H   candibuffington@sevier.org  I-N & SPED   bethanyschultz@sevier.org  O-Z   

                We may have your email if you gave it to us at the junior parent night or recently contacted us.

    • Review the scholarship list each time it is available-usually every1-2 months. 

                Use notebook/binder to keep educational information and planning, include:

                    Master calendar with test dates; fees; due dates for application and financial aid:

                            copies of the completed school applications, and financial aid information  

    • Focus on your top 3-4 school choices and begin scheduling college visits.  Visits to technical schools and cosmetology schools are also included in the 3 excused absences for every senior for college visits.

    Pick up a college visit form before visiting the school, from the counseling office.

    • Apply to schools that interest you.  Most all schools want you to apply on-line.  There is normally an application fee along with the application. 
    • Applying for colleges in TN for free-see attached page on email-UT Knoxville is during Sept. 18-22 along with many other schools.
    • There will be a college fair at Pigeon Forge High School on September 28th. We plan on having a TCAT field trip November 7th. Details and permission forms will be given in September/October.
    • Request a transcript through Parchment (students will make an account/sign-up during school Sept. 15th).                                                                                                                
    • The state is giving a senior ACT retake free for all seniors in the fall.  It is scheduled for Tuesday, October 3rd at SHS.  You do not sign up for it-the school will register them. The ACT is a graduation requirement-not specific scores but they have to take it in order to get a regular diploma.
    • We suggest that students take the ACT at least 3 times before graduating.  A free, personalized practice test for the ACT (ACT Academy) is found at www.act.org/academy feel free to go ahead and start practicing. Some schools superscore the ACT and use it to determine scholarships.  Some schools do not superscore.  Deadlines for additional ACT and SAT are found in the upcoming dates.
    • Ask teachers for recommendations if requested for scholarships and or school applications.  Pick up a letter request form in the counseling office if needed.  Give them at least one –two weeks notice.
    • A senior parent/student night is September 21st from 6:00-7:15pm in the SHS cafeteria We will have packets for the meeting or for your teenager to pick up if you cannot attend the meeting Friday (22nd)
    • Ask parents to check with their employer to see if they have scholarships.
    • Conduct a free scholarship search using www.fastweb.com and www.scholarships.com.  Once completed, it will give due date, criteria of scholarship, amount of scholarship, and website for more details.
    • New parent messaging system/platform will be used for parent/teacher communication, alerts, posts,etc.  We will let you know when it is in place.

    Students who think they are in the top 10% must come by the counseling office and confirm starting Thurssday, Aug 31st   We will  have ranking completed and students need to make sure they have their blue top 10% form signed by parent.  If we still need your blue form your name will be on a list beside the top 10% list with your name on it.   It is the student’s responsibility to let your counselor know if they are trying for top 10% or if they have retaken a class to increase their GPA and/or ranking. Any student wanting to retake a class for a better grade and be considered for top 10% or Valedictorian position must retake the class in the fall if offered as to have their grade calculated in their GPA for ranking in December/January. Only those students who have retaken the needed classes as well as the students who are on track for top 10%/Valedictorian position in the fall will be considered for yearbook, valedictorian /salutatorian, etc.

     

                Let us know how we can help your teenager. We look forward to working with them this year.

                         

                Ms. Troutman   A-H                        Ms.Buffington    I-N & SPED                       Ms. Schultz   O-Z

                                              Upcoming events and dates

    Now   ------UTK admission application is available on line at https://admissions.utk.edu/apply/first-year/- $50.00

                       application fee (We would advise using the VIP portal rather than the Common Application

                       when applying only to UTK).   UTK will notify students early of acceptance if they applied

                       early-usually in October through December.  See info at end of letter regarding UT promise info on

                       scholarship

    Now—-----Sept/Oct scholarship list is ready—via email to parents (attached ), pick-up by students, posted on website

    Aug 31-----Begin confirming top 10%-sign to confirm—pick up blue form if name listed beside top 10% form on

                       counseling bulletin board

    Sept 1 & 4  Vacation/Holiday-No school

    Sept 7-------Parent/Teacher conference 3:30-6:30pm

    Sept. 7----- Deadline for registering for the SAT on Oct 7 —Register at collegeboard.org

    Sept. 12—-Senior retake pictures after school -sign up online

    Sept 15-----All seniors will sign up throughout the day for TNP & Parchment-transcript request

    Sept. 18-22  Free application week for many schools

    Sept 21-----Senior parent night 6-7:15 at SHS in the cafeteria

    Sept. 22----Deadline for registering for the National test for ACT on Oct 28–.  Register at actstudent.org

    Sept 27—--Report card

    Sept 28-----College Fair at Pigeon Forge High School-Take students on buses-permission forms will be given later

    Oct 3------- Senior ACT retake at SHS- the school will register the students

    Oct  7 ------SAT test

    Oct. 9 -13    Fall break

    Oct 19—--  4:30-6:30–Drop-in Parent meeting to help complete FSA ID before completing FAFSA  in December /library

    Oct 19------Parent/teacher conference 3:30-6:30

    Oct 28—---National ACT test

    Nov. 1------TN Promise deadline to apply

    Nov. 7 —--TCAT field trip

     

    Ready graduate                            

    The state has designated all Tennessee high school students to work towards being “Ready Graduates” which means that the student demonstrates post-secondary and workforce readiness.  SHS plans are to increase the number of students who are “Ready Graduates”. Every student who is a ready graduate will get to wear a red cord at graduation.  There are 4 ways that a student can obtain Ready Graduate:

    • score a 21 or higher on the ACT; or
    • complete 4 early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs);or
    • complete 2 EPSOs + earn an industry certification (on a CTE pathway leading to credential); or
    • complete 2 EPSOs + score a designated score (31) on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) .

     

    EPSO’s offered at SHS are AP classes, Dual enrollment, dual credit.  The ASVAB will be on November 16th.  If your son/daughter did not meet the 21 ACT composite yet, we would highly recommend taking the ASVAB to try and meet it along with getting the 2 EPSO’s. Feel free to look online for more information:    https://www.tn.gov/education/early-postsecondary.html

     

     

     

     

                          UT Promise Scholarship

    Eligibility

    To be eligible to receive the UT Promise scholarship, students must be under the family household income threshold and qualify for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship (or Tennessee HOPE scholarship-nontraditional).

     https://tennessee.edu/ut-promise/

    UT Promise is a last-dollar scholarship for students accepted into undergraduate programs at UT Knoxville, Chattanooga, Martin and Memphis. In order to become eligible for UT Promise, students must apply no later than December 1, 2023.
    In addition to meeting TN Promise and UT Promise eligibility requirements, students must also be eligible for the Hope scholarship and have a household income of less than $60,000. 
    UT Promise functions separately from TN Promise and can only be used for universities in the UT system. Students must meet all TN Promise requirements, in addition to the college admissions and UT Promise application, prior to enrollment at a UT institution in the fall. Final eligibility will be determined by the University of Tennessee after the July 1, 2024 community service deadline.

  • SCHOLARSHIP INFORMATION

    There are several free websites for scholarship searches. A few that we recommend

    are www.scholarships.com and www.fastweb.com. There are a variety of

    scholarships: by major, athletics, occupational, associational, etc. You will need to

    search the websites. Some may be past the deadline, not available anymore, or not

    applicable to you. They will direct you to a website for more info. They are not just for

    our local students. (Use your own discretion when applying for them-most are

    legitimate, some may not be as helpful).There Several of our local scholarships are in

    the spring: Dolly Parton, John and Ina Berkshire, Ned McWherter, etc. I only post them

    month to month as students may look into those later in the year and overlook those

    which have sooner deadlines. Usually students do not get full rides to college. It is

    normally made up of scholarships and grants from a variety of sources: Lottery/Hope,

    scholarships from the school itself, pell grants, extracurricular/community service

    awards, etc. Awards ranging from $500.00 to several thousand are typical.

    *Make sure you pay attention to deadlines and criteria listed. Some scholarships are

    school specific.

     

    • TN Promise- 2 years free tuition at any of the state’s 13 community colleges, 27 colleges of applied technology, or other eligible institutions offering an associate’s degree program.  No GPA or ACT requirements!  Deadline to apply is November 1st 2023.  Go to tnpromise.gov to apply
    • QuestBridge College Match Scholarship- Full 4 year scholarships for seniors who have demonstrated academic excellence in the face of economic obstacles.  If students are first generation in their family to attend, it is a plus.  They are looking for Top Ten percent students- High academicsand 28 or above on the ACT)  Applicants need to come from households earning less than $65,000 annukay for a family of four.  See your cousnelor if interested  Deadline to apply is September 26th 2023.
    • AES Engineering Scholarship- $500 scholarship.  Must answer an essay questions:  When you look back at your life in 30 years, what would it take for you to consider your life successful?  This is not an Engineering scholarship.  Go to http://www.aesenginers.com/scholarships.htm to apply. Deadline is October 8, 2023
    • Roan Scholars Leadership Program with ETSU- Full fees, room, mean plan, and a textbook allowance- VERY COMPETITIVE.  Students can apply on their own or can go through a nomination process which benefitts them to go directly t the regional phase.  Nomination criteria include strong character, exemplary leadership ability, intellectual curiosity, and evidence of physical activity- leadership is the key!!  High ACT score is a plus.  SHS can nominate 1 student.  The nomination process is lengthy.  See you cousnelor to be nominated by Monday, September 18th 2023.  Deadline for materials is October 15th 2023.
    • Coca- Cola Scholarship- $20,000 schlolarship for studenst that have been recognized for their capacity to lead and serve as well as make a significant impact on their schools and communities.  Must have a 3.0 GPA or higher.  Apply online at https://www.coca-colascholarsfoundation.org/apply/. Deadline is October 2nd.
    • Heisman High School Scholarship- Scholarship ranges from $1.000-$10,000.  Must have a 3.0 GPA or better.  Applicants should be proven leaders and role models within their school and community.  Applicants must participate or have particpated in grades 9, 10, 0r 11 in at least one of the sports recognized by the International Olympic Committee in the Summer and Winter Games, the Paralympic Games, or the National Federation of State High School Associations.  Go to https://heismanscholarship.com/application/school-officials to apply.  Deadline is October 19th.  
    • Walters State Scholarships-Students must be admitted to WS before applying for WS scholarships.  There are several scholarships that Walters State offers.  A committee comprised of faculty, administration, and students select all recipients.  The process gives consideration to high school GPA, ACT scores post-secondary GPA and other demographic information such as county of residency, program of study, and availability of funds.  There is only one application for all scholarships.  Go to https://www.ws.edu/cost-aid/types/scholarships/ws-scholarships/index.aspx
    • UT Promise Scholarship- Students must be under the family household income threshold and qualify for the Tennessee HOPE scholarship.  Apply at https://tennessee.edu/ut-promise/eligibility/.  UT Promise is a last dollar scholarship for students accepted into undergraduate programs at UTK, Chattanooga, Martin or Memphis.  Students must apply no later than December 1, 2023.  Students must meet TN promise eligibility and UT eligibility as well be eligible for the Hope and have a household income of less than $50,000.  UT Promise functions separately from TN Promise and can only be used for universities in the UT system.  Students must meet all TN promsie requirements in addition to the college admissions and UT Promise application, prior to enrollment at a UT institution in the fall.  Final eligibility will be determined by the University of Tennessee after the July community service deadline.  

     

     

  • Please contact our registrar, Mrs. Sondra Ownby via email at sondraownby@sevier.org or via phone at 865-577-7040.

  • Fall 2023 Junior Parent Letter

     

    Junior parents and students,

    We wanted to keep you abreast of dates and activities coming up in the Fall.  There will be another parent letter going out at the beginning of the semester for the Winter/Spring.

    • Governor’s School applications should be available online in October  https://www.tn.gov/education/districts/instruction/tdoe-governors-schools.html (you can look at last year’s info)  .  Governor’s School is for high ability and highly motivated juniors and sophomores to get a great experience in various areas.  More information is available on the website. Before applying on-line see Ms. Schultz in the counseling office to make sure we know who is applying.
    • ACT-All graduating seniors must take the ACT in order to graduate if he/she is getting a regular diploma.  We recommend students taking the ACT at least 3 times before graduation.  A free ACT is planned to be given to all juniors on March 13th, 2024 and students will register at the school.  The website is www.act.org  to register for the National tests on Saturdays if you want to get additional practice.  The counseling office also has information on the ACT.
    • The PSAT will be given to juniors who sign up by Sept. 12th for the test on October 24th.  It is also the National Merit qualifying test.  More information is online at  https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt.  It is $20.00-Make check payable to Seymour High School
    • There will be a college fair at Pigeon Forge High School on September 28th.  Details and permission forms will be given in mid September. They will be traveling by bus.
    • TCAT Knoxville field trip-This year we will be taking our annual field trip to TCAT on Tuesday, November 7th.  We will be going by school bus and are limited to 35 students.  Seniors are given first choice followed by juniors.  We will stop to eat lunch in South Knoxville– students will need lunch money.
    • 30’s Club and Rising 30’s- students who have a composite 30 on his/her ACT are recognized as being in the 30’s Club and student names are displayed coming into the front entrance on a display board.  A T-shirt is also given to them.  Students who have at least a 30 in one of the four areas on the ACT are recognized as being in the Rising 30’s in the front entrance, listed in a frame.  It is updated two times a year, November and March.
    • Ready Graduate- The state has designated all Tennessee high school students to work towards being “Ready Graduates” which means that the student demonstrates postsecondary and workforce readiness.  SHS plans are to increase the number of students who are “Ready Graduates''.  All Ready Graduates wear a red cord at graduation.  There are 4 ways that a student can obtain Ready Graduate:
    • score a 21 or higher on the ACT; or 
    • complete 4 early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs);or 
    • complete 2 EPSOs + earn an industry certification (several offered for students who take Northview classes); or 
    • complete 2 EPSOs + score a designated score (31) on the Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT).

    EPSO’s (Early Post-Secondary options) offered at SHS are AP classes, Dual enrollment, state-wide dual credit and Industry Certifications.   If your son/daughter did not meet the 21 ACT composite yet, taking the ASVAB would be a good way to try and meet it along with getting the 2 EPSO’s. Feel free to look online for more information:    https://www.tn.gov/education/early-postsecondary.html

    • The ASVAB (Multiple-aptitude battery that tests a student’s knowledge in eight areas) will be given at SHS on November 16th at 8:15. Students can sign up in Mid October. It is free of charge.
    • Remind your teenager it is important to volunteer, obtain leadership positions, join interested clubs and have extracurricular activities while in high school as many scholarships are based on involvement and it is needed for a resume as well as colleges and employers look for these items. 
    • Enrichment programs-leadership, internships, camps- If you are interested in developing good leadership skills, learning about an interested career, or improving interpersonal skills, come by the counseling office and pick up a thorough list of programs offered.  Specific details, criteria and deadlines are listed as well.
    • Free mental health awareness pamphlets are available next to our office in the 200 hall–some of the topics:  Social anxiety, Depression, Dealing with stress, Feeling overwhelmed, Suicide prevention and many more.
    • New parent messaging system/platform will be used for parent/teacher communication, alerts, posts, etc. We will let you know when it is in place.


     

    • Email-if this email is not the best one for correspondence, please send another email to your counselor.

     

                 

                  Ms. Troutman   A-H                                Ms. Buffington    I-N & SPED                 Ms. Schultz   O-Z

                  cheryltroutman@sevier.org                  candibuffington@sevier.org                 bethanyschultz@sevier.org

                  

                  Dates and activities

                    Sept 1 & 4-  Vacation/Holiday

    Sept. 7—     Deadline for registering for the SAT -testing on Oct 7-go to collegeboard.org

    Sept. 7—     Parent/teacher conference 3;30-6:30pm

    Sept 12—    Underclassmen pictures -1st and 2nd block

    Sept 22—    Deadline for registering for the National ACT Test on Oct. 28.  Register at act.org

    Sept 27 —   Report card  

    Sept. 28—   College Fair at Pigeon Forge High School

    Oct. 7—       SAT test

    Oct 9-13      Fall Break

    Oct 18—      TCAT permission forms available in the counseling office

    Oct. 19—     Parent/teacher conference  3:30-6:30

    Oct 28—      National ACT test

                  Nov. 3----      Last day to sign up for ACT National test on Dec. 9th. Go to  actstudent.org to sign up

    Nov. 7—      TCAT field trip

    Nov. 10—    Holiday/Veteran’s Day

    Nov 14—      Report card

    Nov 16–        ASVAB given at SHS-sign up in counseling office-it is free of charge.

                   Nov 22------- 1/2 day

    Nov 23 & 24-Thanksgiving break

    Nov. 29-Dec 12  --End of course testing (subject to change)

    Dec 20—      Last day before break

    Dec. 21-Jan.8-Christmas break/Holiday

    Jan 8-----------Students return-first day of second semester

  • Fall 2023 Sophomore Parent letter

     

    Sophomore parents and students,

    We wanted to keep you abreast of dates and activities coming up in the Fall.  There will be another parent letter going out at the beginning of the semester for the Winter/Spring.

    • Governor’s School applications should be available online in October https://www.tn.gov/education/districts/instruction/tdoe-governors-schools.html (you can look at last year’s ).  Governor’s School is for high ability and highly motivated juniors and sophomores to get a great experience in various areas.  More information is available on the website. Before applying on-line see Ms. Schultz in the counseling office to make sure we know who is applying.
    • ACT-All graduating seniors must take the ACT in order to graduate if he/she is getting a regular diploma.  We recommend students taking the ACT at least 3 times before graduation.  A free PreACT is planned to be given to all sophomores  on March 13th , 2024 and students will register at the school.  The website is www.act.org  to register for the National tests on Saturdays if you want to get additional ACT practice.  
    • The PSAT will be given to sophomores and juniors on October 24th.  The deadline to sign up is Sept. 12th.  It is a good practice for sophomores to see the subjects they can work on.  Only juniors can qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Program (NMSP).
    • 30’s Club and Rising 30’s- students who have a composite 30 on his/her ACT are recognized as being in the 30’s Club and student names are displayed coming into the front entrance on a display board.  A T-shirt is also given to them.  Students who have at least a 30 in one of the four areas on the ACT are recognized as being in the Rising 30’s in the front entrance, listed in a frame.  It is updated two times a year, November and in March.
    • Ready Graduate- The state has designated all Tennessee high school students to work towards being “Ready Graduates” which means that the student demonstrates postsecondary and workforce readiness.  SHS plans are to increase the number of students who are “Ready Graduates”.  Students get to wear a red cord at graduation.  There are 4 ways that a student can obtain Ready Graduate:
    • score a 21 or higher on the ACT; or 
    • complete 4 early postsecondary opportunities (EPSOs);or 
    • complete 2 EPSOs + earn an industry certification (several offered for students who take Northview classes); or 
    • complete 2 EPSOs + score a designated score (31) on the Armed Services

    Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB) Armed Forces Qualifying Test (AFQT).

     

    EPSO’s (Early Post-Secondary options) offered at SHS are AP classes, Dual enrollment, state-wide dual credit and Industry Certifications.   If your son/daughter did not meet the 21 ACT composite yet, taking the ASVAB would be good way to try and meet it along with getting the 2 EPSO’s. Feel free to look online for more information:    https://www.tn.gov/education/early-postsecondary.html

    • Enrichment programs-leadership, internships, camps- If you are interested in developing good leadership skills, learning about a interested career, or improving interpersonal skills, come by the counseling office and pick up a thorough list of programs offered.  Specific details, criteria and deadlines are listed as well.
    • Free mental health awareness pamphlets are available next to our office in the 200 hall–some of the topics:  Social anxiety, Depression, Dealing with stress, Feeling overwhelmed, Suicide prevention and many more.
    • New parent messaging system/platform will be used for parent/teacher communication, alerts, posts, etc. We will let you know when it is in place.
    • Remind your teenager it is important to volunteer, obtain leadership positions, join interested clubs and have extracurricular activities while in high school as many scholarships are based on involvement and it is needed for a resume as well as colleges and employers look for these items. 

     

    • Email-if this email is not the best one for correspondence, please send another email to your counselor.

     

                 

          Ms. Troutman   A-H                    Ms. Buffington    I-N & SPED            Ms. Schultz   O-Z

          cheryltroutman@sevier.org     candibuffington@sevier.org            bethanyschultz@sevier.org

                  

                  Dates and activities

                   

                   Sept 1 & 4- Vacation/Holiday

    Sept. 7—     Deadline for registering for the SAT -testing on Oct 7-go to collegeboard.org

    Sept. 7—     Parent/teacher conference 3;30-6:30pm

    Sept 12—    Underclassmen pictures -1st and 2nd block

    Sept 22—    Deadline for registering for the National ACT Test on Oct. 28.  Register at act.org

    Sept 27 —   Report card  

    Oct. 7—       SAT test

    Oct 9-13      Fall Break

    Oct. 19—     Parent/teacher conference  3:30-6:30

    Oct 28—      National ACT test

                  Nov. 3----      Last day to sign up for ACT National test on Dec. 9th. Go to  actstudent.org to sign up

    Nov. 10—    Holiday/Veteran’s Day

    Nov 14—      Report card

    Nov 16–        ASVAB given at SHS-sign up in counseling office mid October-it is free of charge.

                   Nov 22------- 1/2 day

    Nov 23 & 24-Thanksgiving break

    Nov. 29-Dec 12  --End of course testing (subject to change)

    Dec 20—      Last day before break

    Dec. 21-Jan.8-Christmas break/Holiday

    Jan 8----------Students return-first day of second semester

     

  • The Tennessee Department of Education handles public requests for duplicate diplomas and education verifications, which have historically been processed using paper forms. Currently, the department is transitioning from a paper-based system to a digital format to enhance efficiency, accuracy, and productivity. 

    To support this change, the department is asking districts to remove any direct links to paper forms on their websites. Instead, districts should link to the department’s duplicate diploma and education verification webpage, where both the paper forms and the new online request form will be available.