High School Awareness 1 st Trimester Activity (8 th Graders and their Parents) PurposeWho is Responsible Goal Date Teacher will present High School Awareness 1 st Trimester PowerPoint to 8 th grade students. This PowerPoint contains many embedded hyperlinks that allow the presenter to go further in depth on the topics, if desired. Parent Engagement Liaison will present High School Awareness 1 st Trimester PowerPoint to 8 th parents. It is also recommended for 7 th grade parents during the 2nd and 3 rd trimesters. This PowerPoint is also recommended for 7 th graders during the 2 nd and 3 rd trimesters. Parts of this PowerPoint (especially Goal Setting “Chunk 1” can be used with 5 th and 6 th graders). The PowerPoint could be presented as an entire presentation or broken into up to 4 chunks (goal setting, exploring options, academic preparation, social preparation) Accompanying handout/resource (optional) Experience High School Booklet - Phoenix Union High School Opportunities Additional optional presentation resource: Teacher may contact the counseling department of any high school (the elementary school’s feeder high school is suggested as the 1 st point of contact) and request a guidance counselor visit to the elementary school. The guidance counselor can assist the teacher (or designee) with presentation of information. Students and parents will gain awareness of goal setting, high school options, as well as academic and social preparation for high school. 8 th grade teacher (or designated member of the ECAP committee) Parent Engagement Liaison Entire 8 th grade presentation completed by the end of the 1 st trimester (10/31/14) Presenter Information

High School Awareness Chunks (for 8 th Graders and their Parent) 1 st Trimester Topics Goal Setting “chunk 1”Life goal and short term goal setting Exploring Options “chunk 2” Available high schools/programs High school application process/registration forms/open enrollment/deadlines Academic Preparation “chunk 3” Academic programs in high schools High School graduation requirements High school transcripts and Grade Point Average (GPA) Social Preparation “chunk 4”High School Extracurricular activities Presenter Information

High School Awareness 1 st Trimester 8 th Grade

Student Goal Setting: Discussion  What is your goal in life? This is your long term goal.  How do you get there?  Short Term Goal Setting  High School is the next step toward your goal in life.  Make the most of 8 th grade so that you are ready for high school!  Students should review their goals with their parents. Chunk 1

Suggested Goal Setting Student Activities: HOW TO SET GOALS 1. Define the goal.* 2. Outline the steps needed to achieve it. 3. Consider possible blocks and ways of dealing with them. 4. Set deadlines. *Not every wish can be a goal. For instance, you may wish you could live and stay young forever, but since there's nothing you can do to make that happen, it could never be considered a goal. In order for something to be a goal: It has to be important to you, personally. It has to be within your power to make it happen through your own actions. It has to be something you have a reasonable chance of achieving. It must be clearly defined and have a specific plan of action.  Goal Setting for Middle School Students Goal Setting for Middle School Students  Short and Long Term Goal Setting Short and Long Term Goal Setting Chunk 1

Student (Pre) Survey Questions: 1. Are you aware of various high school options in your neighborhood? Check the ones with which you are familiar: o public schools o magnet programs o charter schools o private schools o parochial schools 2. How many total credits do you need to be eligible for high school graduation? 3. Can you list 5 extra-curricular activities available to you in high school?  Write down your answers to these questions. Don’t worry if you can’t answer these questions now. You should be able to answer these questions by the end of all presentations. Student Pre Survey

Parent (per) Survey Questions: 1. Do you know your home high school and are you aware of open enrollment high school options? 2. Are you aware of various high school options in your neighborhood? Check the ones with which you are familiar: o public schools o magnet programs o charter schools o private schools o parochial schools 3. On a scale of 1-5, how knowledgeable do you feel about the high school enrollment process? 1 = I don’t know anything about the high school enrollment process 2 = I know a little about the high school enrollment process 3 = I still have some questions about the high school enrollment process 4 = I know how to enroll into my home high school 5 = I know how to enroll into my home school as well as other high school options  Write down your answers to these questions. Don’t worry if you can’t answer these questions now. You should be able to answer these questions by the end of all presentations. Parent Pre Survey

Exploring Options: Types of High Schools Options  Public High Schools in Phoenix Union High School District – open enrollment to all students  Magnet Programs in Phoenix Union High School District – open enrollment and many have limited number of openings  Charter (Public) Schools – free to attend and often have academic, attendance and behavior criteria to stay enrolled  Private Schools – cost money to attend and offer limited scholarships  Parochial (Private) Schools – cost money to attend and offer limited scholarships Chunk 2

Did you know you had so many options for high school!?  All Phoenix high schools All Phoenix high schools  Phoenix Union High School District schools Phoenix Union High School District schools  Phoenix Union High School District magnet programs Phoenix Union High School District magnet programs Chunk 2

Exploring Options: Application process/registration forms/open enrollment/deadlines  Phoenix high schools have open enrollment so, you may attend a school outside of your feeder area.  When you decide which high school you want to attend, YOU NEED TO REGISTER (even at your home/feeder school).  Some high schools fill up quickly so the earlier you register, the more likely you are to get in (preferred registration is in JANUARY of 8 th grade year). Chunk 2

Items Needed for High School Registration:  Parent signature on forms  Birth certificate  Immunization record  Proof of residence (i.e. utility bill with your parent’s name)  High school-specific forms  Some schools require an essay and/or teacher recommendations  Phoenix Union High School District registration forms Phoenix Union High School District registration forms Chunk 2

Academic Preparation: Statistics  Every year, over 1.2 million students drop out of high school in the United States alone. That’s a student every 26 seconds – or 7,000 a day.  About 25% of high school freshmen fail to graduate from high school on time.  A high school dropout will earn $200,000 less than a high school graduate over his lifetime and almost a million dollars less than a college graduate.  In the U.S., high school dropouts commit about 75% of crimes.  9 th grader drop outs account for 36% of all high school drop outs.  Only 15% of student who have to repeat 9 th grade go on to graduate.  Low attendance during the first 30 days of the ninth grade year is a stronger indicator that a student will drop out than any other eighth grade predictor, including test scores, other academic achievement, and age.  One failing grade during the 1 st semester of freshman year is a strong predictor of high school drop out potential. Chunk 3

Academic Preparation: Academic Programs in High Schools  AVID Advancement Via Individual Determination (high school elective class that helps student become college-ready) AVID  IB International Baccalaureate program IB  ACE Achieving a College Education (high school to college program) ACE  AP Advanced Placement classes (earning college credits for high school classes) AP  Dual Enrollment Programs (attend college classes while in high school and earn both high school and college credits for the classes) Dual Enrollment Programs  Honors Classes – high rigor classes that have a more heavily weighted GPA  Tutoring programs – offered in every high school to assist with academic success Chunk 3

How High School Credits Are Earned  You DO NOT receive credit for a class unless you pass the class.  If you do not pass the class, you MUST make up that class in summer school.  You do not advance without earning credits. For example, if you fail 9 th grade classes, you could be taking classes with 9 th grade students during your 4 th year of high school!  Students earn.5 credit for each class each semester (1 credit for each class in a full school year). If you take 6 classes each semester, you have an opportunity to earn 6 credits each year.  All high schools have free academic support/tutoring programs available to all students.  Students need to take advantage to academic support/tutoring opportunities at the 1 st sign of difficulty in a class (before a failing grade). Chunk 3

Academic Preparation: High School Graduation Requirements RequirementNumber of Credits English4 credits Math4 credits Social Studies3 credits Science3 credits CTE/Fine Arts1 credits Electives7 credits Total22 credits PLUSPROFICIENT scores on high school AIMS reading, writing AND math tests Chunk 3

Academic Preparation: High School Transcript What is a High School Transcript?  A high school transcript is a “digital picture of you.”  It shows the classes you have taken, the grades you have earned, your grade point average, your class rank and your AIMS test scores.  It shows what you still need in order to graduate from high school.  Colleges look at your transcript as one factor in determining acceptance  Students and parents should get a copy of the transcript (from the guidance counselor)every semester. Chunk 3

Academic Preparation: Grade Point Average (GPA) Why do I need to know my Grade Point Average (GPA)?  It is an overall indicator of how you are performing in high school.  It is used to indicate your class rank.  Colleges look at it as part of their admissions criteria. GPA step by step How to calculate your GPA Video Chunk 3

Social Preparation: Extra Curricular Activity Statistics  "Consistent research data over the last 30 or so years shows that involvement in extracurricular activities helps in lowering the high school dropout rate, raises grades and gives students better odds of graduating from high school and attending college.“ - Dr. Jason M. Smith, assistant professor of sociology at The University of Alabama in Huntsville (UAH)  Research has shown that young people who feel connected to their school (often via extra curricular activities) are less likely to engage in many risk behaviors, including early sexual initiation, alcohol, tobacco, and other drug use, and violence and gang involvement. Chunk 4

Social Preparation: The FUN Stuff - High School Extracurricular Activities  Athletics/Sports – football, basketball, track & field, volleyball, baseball, softball, soccer, cross country, golf, swim & dive, tennis, wrestling, badminton Athletics/Sports  Clubs – i.e. Anime, drawing, adventure/hiking, MMA Clubs  Music – choir, band, guitar  Drama – musicals, plays, stage crew/lighting  Dance & Cheerleading/Spirit Line  JROTC – Junior Reserve Office Training Corps JROTC  Student Government  Volunteer Activities Chunk 4

Social Preparation: The FUN Stuff - High School Extracurricular Activities  How to choose extra curricular activities in high school How to choose extra curricular activities in high school  Benefits of Extra Curricula Activities Benefits of Extra Curricula Activities  Extra Curricular School Activities and the Benefits Extra Curricular School Activities and the Benefits  Extracurriculars Matter to You and to College Extracurriculars Matter to You and to College Chunk 4

High School Awareness 1 st Trimester Helpful Resources  Experience High School Booklet - Phoenix Union High School Opportunities Experience High School Booklet - Phoenix Union High School Opportunities  Goal Setting for Middle School Students Goal Setting for Middle School Students  Short and Long Term Goal Setting Short and Long Term Goal Setting  All Phoenix high schools All Phoenix high schools  Phoenix Union High School District schools Phoenix Union High School District schools  Phoenix Union High School District magnet programs Phoenix Union High School District magnet programs  Phoenix Union High School District registration forms Phoenix Union High School District registration forms  AVID AVID  IB IB  ACE ACE  Dual Enrollment Programs Dual Enrollment Programs  Graduation Requirements Graduation Requirements  What is a High School Transcript? What is a High School Transcript?  GPA step by step GPA step by step  How to calculate your GPA Video How to calculate your GPA Video  Athletics/Sports Athletics/Sports  Clubs Clubs  JROTC JROTC  How to choose extra curricular activities in high school How to choose extra curricular activities in high school  Benefits of Extra Curricula Activities Benefits of Extra Curricula Activities  Extra Curricular School Activities and the Benefits Extra Curricular School Activities and the Benefits  Extracurriculars Matter to You and to College Extracurriculars Matter to You and to College  ParentVUE ParentVUE Resources

Additional Parent Information ParentVUEParentVUE: an online parent resource through Phoenix Union High School District  Call your child’s high school registration office to get a log in and password  Parents can access real time student attendance and grades  With one click, parent can teachers, counselor and other school staff  If you don’t have internet access at home, you can use a local library and/or this elementary school (we will continue to be a resource for you) Parent Information

Middle School PreECAP Checklist Following this presentation, students and parents should be able to check off the following items from the PreECAP checklist: Student can identify life goal and 3 short term goals to achieve the life goal (parent is aware of these goals). Student and parent can list 4 available high schools/programs. Student and parent understand the high school registration process. Student and parent can list 3 academic programs available in high school. Student and parent can list high school graduation requirements. Student and parent can review a high school transcripts and calculate Grade Point Average (GPA). Student and parent can list 5 high school extracurricular activities. Middle School PreECAP