Important Guidance Updates
Good afternoon, Garden City High School students and parents. Below is information about deadlines, programs, and meetings that will take place with students, parents, and School Counselors. Class schedules should all be finalized at this time. For any remaining concerns, the add/drop deadline for electives is Friday September 18th, 2026. Courses cannot be added after 3pm on Friday September 18th. Content area level drops will be permitted until 1st quarter grades are posted (quarter ends November 6th, 2026). Please see your School Counselor with questions.
-Freshman student meetings with School Counselors have begun. This is an important time between the School Counselor and student, to establish the foundation of their working relationship. Students will receive a hallway pass or a phone call into class to go down to the Counseling Center (located by the main office) for the appointment.
-Senior students- the application season is underway. If you haven't done so already, please make sure to complete and submit your brag sheets (parent and student) and activity sheet/resume to the Guidance office. Copies are available in the Counseling Center and online under the Guidance department 'college application process' section on the high school website. School Counselors will be pushing into English classes on September 9th and 10th to link Naviance and Common App. This connection is required for applications to be sent to colleges. Please make sure students have both passwords (Naviance and Common App) before the 9th. Students will need their Chromebooks/devices in class to connect their accounts. School Counselors will be reviewing next steps for application processing. School Counselors will also be in the library during lunch periods on Tuesday September 15th, 2026 for a Common App workshop and application Q&A. All seniors are welcome.
-Junior and Senior students- we will be hosting two college fairs in the library for students only- September 16th and October 7th during lunch periods (11:00am-12:30pm). Please continue to check Naviance, the Daily Bulletin, and the glass window outside of the Counseling Center for ongoing individual college rep visits as well. Individual college rep visits begin Monday September 14th. The comprehensive list of schools and dates for visits is on the Guidance webpage under College Rep Visits. College Rep Visits
-Parents of Seniors- the Seniors and Parents College Guidance Information meeting is Thursday September 17th, 2026 at 7pm in the auditorium. All parents/guardians and seniors are encouraged to attend to review important information about post-secondary planning.
-Parents of Juniors and Seniors- the Financial Aid evening meeting is Thursday October 1st, 2026 at 7pm in the auditorium. All parents are encouraged to attend, as financial planning is a major component of accessing post-secondary pathways.
-Juniors and Sophomores- PSAT registration information will be sent via Parentsquare in the upcoming days. Sophomores and Juniors are eligible to take the exam on Saturday October 17th, 2026. The PSAT is a test designed for Juniors, as a pre-test to the SATs. Although we allow Sophomores to take the PSAT, it is not always advisable.
-Parents of Freshmen- the Guidance evening meeting for parents is Wednesday October 7th, 2026 at 7pm in the auditorium. **This is a change to the calendar, as there was a conflict on the original date**. All parents are invited to discuss the transition to High School and pathways to success.
More information to follow for sophomores and juniors as the year continues.
-Juniors and Parents Night meeting- November 19th, 2026
-Sophomore Parents Night meeting- December 3rd, 2026
Follow us on Instagram @gchs_guidance. Students can also join our google classroom GCHS Guidance and Support Services GCHS Guidance and Support Services google classroom
Thank you in advance for your continued partnership. Best of luck with the year ahead.
Mandi Stefankiewicz
Assistant Principal for Guidance and PPS