YPL and CCF upcoming plans

[alt_sinistra]

Good afternoon! Now that we’ve returned to school, a few notes. Questions on any of the following, do stop by and see me. (And I’ll be in my office this afternoon and evening, as well as the other usual hours.) In particular:

The mural project
The dedication and final presentation of the new mural will take place this coming Saturday, April 21st, at 2:30pm, (by the mural, naturally). Everyone in the castle is welcome to attend, and there will be some refreshments. Mrs Pencarrow will be finalising some of the charms and remaining details this week: schedule is posted by the mural and on the board by the stairs to the astronomy tower.

Summer plans
We’re continuing to work on details for the YPL and CCF summer plans - keep an eye out for more announcements in the next week or two. For first years, I can confirm the camping trip (as always with a few new activities), and for the second years, our two New London trips.

Fourth Years
I’m delighted to say we have a larger than usual number of openings for 4th years interested in being YPL counsellors for younger students. We anticipate our counsellors will participate in one trip each this summer (with a small number of the most senior counsellors assisting with the CCF programme weeks). The process involves an application form (available from me now), some short situational questions, and a brief interview.

Third Years
For current 3rd years: we will be beginning the CCF application process a little earlier this year than last. Our process will be roughly the same as last year - a written application, a letter to someone in a field you may wish to explore after leaving school, and then further detailed testing after the end of the school year.

I want to emphasise again that not being selected is not a comment on a particular student’s skills, loyalty, or magical ability: it simply means that the selectors feel that the CCF is not the programme best suited to developing that person's potential and service to the Protectorate. We anticipate selecting 15-16 students again this year.

Comments

Private message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_sally_anne]

I'd very much like to apply to become a YPL counsellor. Do you think there's any chance I'll come get an application form today.

Private message to Penelope Clearwater

[alt_sinistra]

Miss Clearwater -

A few things I wanted to check on. First, that while I greatly appreciated your help last summer, I know you’re also now looking toward the longer future. While I’d be glad to have you back as the summer assistant, I’m wondering if you’d prefer some more flexibility in searching for a permanent position than our busy summer schedule would allow.

I am, of course, delighted to be a reference for you (by letter or otherwise) in your search. And if you let me know the kind of positions you’re most interested in, I’ll gladly keep my ears open.

Given all that, though, I’m assuming we’d need to find someone to consider for the summer-long assistant position you had last summer. I certainly have a few ideas of my own, but was wondering if you had any particular suggestions.

Private message to Raz

[alt_sinistra]

Love -

I'm hoping you have a good time with duelling club tonight, though everyone seems quite energised to be back, and I know that makes it hard to keep them focused. Even my newts were hard to get settled this morning.

I'm hoping the weather stays clear long enough for me to finally get some decent research time in tonight. (If you want to come up when you're done, you'd be welcome, but it might be on the boring side for you.)

And don't worry that the above is me working too hard. More like having gotten everything sorted so that once we get the final decisions on the CCF details, I can get all of that out with a minimum of fuss. I'm about to settle down to a few hours cheerfully catching up with journal issues I'd been ignoring.

Private Message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_ron]

Will the selection for counsellors be by House? Or just by who's best qualified overall? Or some other way?

I think it'd be awesome to be a counsellor, and I'd be good at it, too, cause I'm good with people, y'know, especially younger kids. And I've always really liked the YPL activities and I participate and all, so I'd be enthusiastic about everything.

Private Message to Professor Sinistra

[alt_pansy]

First off, can there be more than one girl counsellor per house? Because I know that Prefects are just one boy and one girl.

And second, I know that other years have had some of the same people be counsellors and Prefects. That's still a possibility, right? That you could do both?

And third, it's Sally-Anne's birthday this week, and I wanted to know if we could throw a party in one of the astronomy towers on Saturday night. I know she loves astronomy, and I thought it'd be fun to be outside if the weather's nice, and we'd be sure to clean up after, and I was going to surprise her with fireworks, but other than that we wouldn't be too loud or too late. And there wouldn't be a frightful number of people -- just ten or fifteen. Could we?

[alt_daphne]

Oh, I've been waiting for this announcement! I'll come see you for an application as soon as I can. I'd also like to ask some questions about the interview process, such as: Will we know the questions in advance? Should we wear regular school robes or the special occasion school robes? Is anyone on the interview panel sensitive to perfume or strongly scented soaps? But we can discuss these in person, if it's best.

[alt_padma]

Thanks, Professor! I'm really looking forward to the mural unveiling.

And thanks for the application, too.