Compass, formerly known as TMM, is a 30-minute period that helps students in four areas, those being academic planning, career readiness, college readiness and social/emotional learning. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic and distance learning, a bi-monthly newsletter is taking its place for the time being. Students are assigned an adviser that stays with them all four years of high school.

Compass has not met with advisers in person this year. Instead, newsletters have been sent to all students by the counseling department. So far it has been entirely virtual this year, but the plan is to have in person Compass once students are all back at school together. In the newsletters it may ask students to complete a survey that helps the counselors and administration meet the needs of the students and better prepare them for their futures.

Students will be able to access the resources provided in the newsletters all year long and so will parents. Parents will also be able to help their kids during distance learning with the help of the information on the newsletter.

The plan for Compass the rest of the year is to continue focusing on the four areas in the letter and to help students prepare for next year. OHS Principal Mr. Kory Kath said, “We will continue to meet all four priority areas of Compass and a big part of that is selecting courses for the next school year and connecting our seniors to their desired colleges and careers.”

Life after high school

Students have struggled to find a college that they really want to attend due to the fact college visits have mainly been virtual this year. A few things that is exciting about graduating high school and moving onto the next stage in life is getting to meet lots of new people, try new things and have more freedom.

Life after high school can be nerve racking and scary because of all the things that will change. Senior Brody Erola said, “It definitely seems nerve racking, leaving home, leaving the people and places you know, to move to a completely different place.”

The counselors also play a major role in helping students prepare for life after high school. Students can set up one-on-one meetings with the counselors where they can provide students with connections in the workforce or help students with their college search.

Ms. Tami Langlois said, “Make sure students have the resources they need to best prepare – give information no ACT prep, FAFSA information, free application/transcript week, help align interests with careers, etc.”

Preparing for life after high school can be difficult and scary, but the counselors can help students make the transition easier by providing them with information and resources they need.

COVID-19 has made preparing for life after OHS difficult. Students have had limited college visits. The future of the students may be uncertain, but hopefully this experience will prepare them for anything that comes their way.