July 2024 Newsletter
Greetings from the Valley to Rising VIIth Form Parents and Guardians:
Summer is in full swing, and I hope you are all taking full advantage of the longer days and sunny skies to do the things that make summer, summer. I trust that you and your students are getting used to more time together! We surely miss the energy and joy they give to us during these quiet summer months. As I look back on the past year, I smile and understand that it was a wonderfully rewarding one. As I look to the upcoming year, I smile with anticipation at what it might become in the hands of this Senior Class. The Commencement tent in the picture up there seems a long way off but this class will be standing in it before you know it!
We will continue to use this Newsletter format to keep the group updated generally on the important steps and information in the process of securing post-Rumsey education plans for the Class of 2025.
Please know that these Secondary School Counseling Newsletters contain time sensitive information. Archived copies can be found on the Secondary School tab of our website.
I know many of your children are already fully engrossed in various summer plans that will enrich their lives and prepare them for the steps ahead. Awesome! I love seeing the occasional email in my inbox letting me know what your sons and daughters are up to, and I am not averse to an occasional postcard from them!
As we consider the initial research and steps in this process, you may wish to speak by phone, Zoom, or connect via email. It is best to go through Julie at jfred@vaftizo.com to set up an appointment time. Be aware that I will be traveling to Asia from July 17 to July 28 visiting with families and students in Hong Kong, Shanghai, Beijing, Seoul, and Tokyo, thus unavailable for meetings for those not living in these cities!
We continue to look forward to working with you on this important process. Please, enjoy the time with your family. Your children will need the days of sleeping in, reading a good book, or going on a long bike ride as they prepare for the upcoming school year.
Clayton Ketchum
Director of Secondary School Counseling
In your email on July 12!
Rising VIIth Form families will receive an email from Julie on July 12 with an attached letter from Clayton which will include an initial list of recommended schools to investigate. There may be an alternate communication depending on your family’s plans. The recommended list of schools will be based on information your family has provided through meetings with Clayton, on the Parent and Student Questionnaires, end of year teacher comments, as well as assessing your child’s strengths, needs, and interests and projected growth, development and maturity. The first step for you will be to go online and do some research. The second step is for you to schedule interviews / tours at the schools you wish to visit. We have reserved the week after Upper School Fall Parents’ Day (October 21 - 26) for families to do their Senior School Visitations. Schools will continue to offer tours and interviews on campus, though virtual options will continue to be a tool they employ.
SSAT Preparation
As I have said before, more and more schools are returning to requiring the SSAT. This was something that was not wholly unexpected, and though there will be some schools who remain test optional, the Class of 2025 will sit for the SSAT on campus on Saturday, November 9th. While our area has limited resources to provide support for test preparation and practice, parents and students can utilize online preparation platforms detailed below.
As I have said in the past, test preparation is only as effective as the prepper, but families have had great success with their children using the services and practice offered by Test Innovators, Summit Educational Group, the SSAT online practice tests in the ssat.org portal, and Titus Tutors.
Test Innovators:
http://testinnovators.com/
Summit Educational Group
http://mytutor.com/
SSAT Prep Options:
http://www.ssat.org/prepare/practice
In Person SSAT Prep Option at Rumsey with Titus Tutors
http://2m1s.vaftizo.com/summer/summer-camp/titus-tutors
SSAT Testing
As Rumsey’s Academic Calendar indicates, 2024-25 Calendar the Class of 2025 will take the paper-based SSAT here at Rumsey on Saturday, November 9, 2024. The Secondary School Counseling Office will register your child for this test, so please do not do this on your own.
The two (2) remaining fall National Test Dates for paper-based testing are October 12, and December 7. If you would like your child to take an additional SSAT test (aside from November 9), please register your child and make arrangements for travel if needed. At Home Online Testing is also an option. Learn more about this at SSAT At Home . Note that the At Home Online Test cannot be administered here on Campus and International students, in most cases, remain limited to paper-based tests.
TOEFL
Regardless of your child’s immigration status, if English is not your child’s first / native language, OR your child’s TOEFL score result is more than two (2) years old, you need to strongly consider having your child take the TOEFL this summer, as certain schools may require it. Please be sure to forward any scores to Julie at jfred@vaftizo.com.
LINKS
Class of 2025 Timetable
Class of 2024 Acceptances & Matriculation
2024-25 Academic Calendar
