Hi, Falcons!

Each month, I send you and your parents/guardians a High School newsletter via Infinite Campus Messenger with lots of information and dates for the upcoming months. You can login into IC to read past newsletters!

Course Planning for next year:

📅 Planning for 2025–2026 School Year 🏫

We are currently in the process of planning the 2025–2026 academic calendar and course offerings. With our shift to a 4-day school week and potential staffing changes, there may be some adjustments—especially in elective courses. We hope to have a clearer picture by late May or early June.

📝 Course Requests – Late May to Early June
I’ll be visiting all English classes during the last week of May or first week of June (including incoming freshmen) to assist students with course requests in Infinite Campus. The course request window will be open for one week, and parents are encouraged to sit down with students to review and discuss course options.

Please note: This is a course request, not a final schedule. Master scheduling is completed over the summer by the High School Office.

📚 Course Placement & Honors Designation

• Required courses will be automatically included in student schedules.

• For information on diploma tracks (Regular, Honors, High Honors), please refer to the High School Handbook.

• Honors course placements are determined by each department based on grades, test scores (MAP/ACT), attendance, and effort.

🆕 New Student Registration
Incoming students will be invited to sign up for registration times via SignUpGenius to meet with me and review transcripts. Dates will be posted as we get closer to school start.

🎓 Senior Planning
Before school begins, incoming seniors will receive a link to schedule a meeting with me to review their transcript and graduation plan.

🔁 Schedule Change Requests
All other students may request schedule changes during the first two weeks of school via a SignUpGenius link. Parents are always welcome to attend and will be notified through Infinite Campus Messenger.

💬 Ongoing Support
As always, I’m happy to meet with students and families anytime. Feel free to reach out before the end of May; however, please know that course availability may still be tentative due to ongoing staffing changes.

☀️ Summer School Opportunity – Credit Recovery & Original Credit
We anticipate limited funding to offer summer school through our Montana Digital Academy (MTDA) partnership for students needing credit recovery or wishing to take original credit.

• MTDA requires in-person attendance for summer sessions (likely half-day mornings).

• Families are responsible for half of the enrollment fee, typically around $123 per 0.5 credit.

• Pricing may vary depending on course format.

📌 Interested in Summer School?

2024-2025 HIGH SCHOOL Original Credit Course List

For a printable list of MTDA’s high school original credit courses, please click HERE.

2024-2025 HIGH SCHOOL FLEXCAP COURSE LIST

For a printable list of MTDA’s high school FlexCAP courses, please click HERE.
Complete this form to request information/and sign up for summer 2025 or apply for financial assistance (limited grant funds may be available):

👉 Transcript Questions?

Official Transcripts:

https://www.florencecarlton.org/page/transcript-request

Unofficial Transcripts 

PDFs can be downloaded from your Infinite Campus Portal

Scholarship Updates

Please remember to check your deadlines for these opportunities Some of these scholarships have hard deadlines, which can be disappointing if you miss out on them

With 7th-semester grades finalizing, now is the time for students to complete scholarship applications, including the MUS Honor & STEM/Healthcare Scholarships and many local opportunities

🔹 Stay updated! New scholarships are posted every Friday on my website. Check regularly for new opportunities! Click HERE for national/local scholarship updates from your school counselor! 

New***CTE share page of PROGRAMS FOR HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS link! Check this link HERE for career pathways opportunities and even summer jobs!

New Student Information can be found HERE

College/Recruiter Request Visit Form can be found HERE

Scholarship Tracking Form Students please submit for each scholarship received.

https://forms.gle/EmJjCtxdHysZVCT58

Make a list of the scholarships that interest you. Don't underestimate the smaller scholarships--they add up! Here is a template you can use to help you keep track! Click HERE

Fill out your FASFA for priority consideration so you can find out your "Financial Aid Package". FASFA dates are announced annually and it's best to apply early. Many local scholarships require this to be completed! If you are an independent student because you are experiencing homelessness on your own, you will need a determination to apply for financial aid without your parent’s information. Please see me as I can provide you with a determination for your FAFSA.

Compare college costs and be aware of extra costs. You want to look for mandatory meal plans,  books, registration fees, parking, dorms,  or other fees. Would scholarships help cover any of that? Here is a tool to compare the cost of some schools you may be looking at. Click Here for a sample, or check with Ms. bristow for an Excel version, or you can create your own here for free! https://www.teacherspayteachers.com/Product/Comparing-College-Costs-Financial-Aid-Award-Letter-Review-7705805?st=2ac9dce6db54e15d897b6de3a1966f5a

Letters of Recommendation

Just a friendly reminder to please request your letters of recommendation from any staff or teacher at least 2 weeks in advance. We want to ensure that everyone has plenty of time to write a great letter for you, so try not to wait until the last minute! When you ask, please fill out and bring me your recommendation sheet (you can find it linked HERE and outside my office). This step is really important! If you just send a quick email like, "Hey, can you write me a letter?" without your personalized request form, it might not get done in time. Parents, your support here is super helpful: Sometimes students overlook this, and we don’t want anyone to miss out on a wonderful recommendation. If a teacher or staff member has or will be writing you a letter of recommendation out of their busy day, please take the time to write them a thank you note.

Health Plans and Student Section 504 plans

If you have a health or 504 plan as a continuing student, your accommodation plan will be shared with the High School teachers by the first day of school. If you have any emergent health concerns, don't hesitate to contact our school nurse, Julie Shepp, at sheppj@florence.k12.mt.us or 406-273-6741.

Don't hesitate to get in touch with me with any questions about the Section 504 evaluation process.