Welcome to Sandy Creek High School 9th Grade Class Visit

How Does High School Work? FALL SEMESTER (Semester A) 18 weeks long 7 classes 3 progress reports and a final REPORT CARD SPRING SEMESTER (Semester B) 18 weeks long 7 classes 3 progress reports and a final REPORT CARD

How Credits Work (“Units of Credit”) Each semester class is worth.5 (1/2) credit. Passing both semesters of the same subject gives you a Full Unit of Credit in that subject. Each semester stands alone. Not passing a class in the Fall semester but passing the same subject in the Spring semester does NOT mean passing the whole year of that subject like middle school. You have to make up any required class you do not pass, whichever semester it is. 9 th English A Biology A Coordinate Algebra A Band A Business Essentials A Health (only one sem) Spanish IA 9 th English B Biology B Coordinate Algebra B Band B Business Essentials B Pers. Fitness (only one sem) Spanish IB

Final Exams Final exams (some of which are End of Course tests) count for 20% of your total course grade.

Progress Assessments Progress reports every 4 ½ weeks Only a snapshot of where grade was the day they were turned in for printing Infinite Campus has the most updated information. Final Report Card is the grade recorded on the transcript. PROGRESS REPORT FINAL REPORT CARD MID-SEMESTER PROGRESS REPORT PROGRESS REPORT

Jane Doe Sandy Creek High School 6/2013 Dec th English A85.5 Total GPA:89.8 Total Credits Earned: 7 Coor. Algebra A 77.5 Biology A90.5 Health95.5 Band100.5 World Geog.87.5 Spanish IA80.5 GPA = 87.7 Credit Earned 3.5 May th English B88.5 Coor. Algebra B 86.5 Biology B90.5 Pers. Fitness100.5 Band100.5 Current Issues97.5 Spanish IB82.5 GPA = 91.9 Credit Earned 3.5

GRADE POINT AVERAGE The mathematical average of your grades each semester will give you a grade point average. Average of grades = GPA Academic GPA is different! GPA

Three Graduation Requirements 1.Earn 23 “units of credit” (we usually just say “credits”) 2.Pass all required courses within those 23 credits 3.Pass the Writing section of the Georgia High School Graduation Test

TESTING, TESTING… Georgia High School Graduation WritingTest Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (P.S.A.T.) Scholastic Aptitude Test (S.A.T.) American College Test (A.C.T.) Armed Forces Vocational Aptitude Battery (ASVAB)

PSAT - Preliminary SAT Can take it in 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grades Excellent practice for SAT and ACT Used for National Merit Scholarship Program(11th only) Required for Governor’s Honors Program (GHP) The PSAT is usually given in mid-October

SAT and/or ACT SAT = Scholastic Aptitude Test ACT = American College Testing These tests are one part of the college admissions process. Either test is accepted by virtually all post- secondary schools

For Your Information I recommend... Extracurricular Activities Community Involvement GPA (Grade Point Average) Recommendations

Get Involved!

Education Beyond High School 2-year college 4-year college/university Technical college HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA 2-year degree programs Certificate programs Diploma programs 2, 4- year degree programs Some offer Certificate programs 2-year degree programs Certificate programs Can transfer 2-year degree to 4-year college in most cases

Georgia Student Finance Commission –Calculate the HOPE Scholarship eligibility –Information for all post-secondary schools in the state of Georgia (including universities, colleges, technical colleges, etc.) and many out of state schools –Information for financial aid –Student planner for accomplishments, extracurricular activity, community service, etc. –Student interest and job matching survey

It’s Hard To Learn If You Don’t Come to School An excused absence means the student has a valid (state-accepted) reason to miss class and the student has five (5) days to make up his work he missed. If a student is absent for up to three days and it is excused, she will make up the work upon her return, and the five day rule applies If a student’s excused absence goes beyond three days, parents can request work after the third day. If the third day falls on a Friday and the student needs to work over the weekend, parents can ask for work on Thursday morning to be picked up by Friday afternoon. Sleeping in, cruising the mall, self-imposed vacations all mean that you’ve lost valuable time in school! BUT…

Hear you Encourage you Lead you to opportunity Provide information to you SCHS Counselors

Anything you say to your counselor is confidential Unless You are discussing issues of SAFETY!

HELPFUL HINTS See your teachers for extra help before it’s too late! Use an assignment or agenda book Study old, corrected tests Do all assignments, whether homework or classwork Make a habit of studying 10 minutes per subject every night Ask your counselor to help you find a tutor if you need one

Sandy Creek High Guidance Office Mrs. Love A-Ge Mrs. Dunn Gi-N Mr. Roache O-Z Mrs. Harvey GO Program