Class of 2017 Parent Night Ninth Grade

Report cards are issued two times a year, at the end of first semester in December, and at the end of second semester in May. Each class is worth 0.5 credits per semester By the end of 9th grade, students should have 6.0 credits All GA students need 23 credits to graduate from high school All students must have 4 credits in language arts 4 credits in mathematics 4 credits in science 3 credits in social studies 1 credit in health/PE 3 credits fine arts 4 credits electives

Different Levels of Classes There are 4 different levels of classes: – College Prep – Honors – Gifted – Advance Placement (AP) Colleges prefer to see a slightly lower GPA in AP classes, than no AP classes. All students with the proper support can be successful in AP courses.

What are Honors Level Courses? Honors level classes are designed for students who have mastered pre-requisite knowledge and skills allowing them to follow a faster pace of instruction and more in- depth knowledge of the AKS. Honors classes are offered in Language Arts, Science and Social Studies Teachers make recommendations for Honors courses prior to scheduling

Advanced Placement (AP) courses offer college level work for a chance at college credit. Many colleges award college credit for passing the exams or allow a student to be exempt from certain classes What is AP? Should A Student Take AP Classes?

AP Classes offered at Archer 9 th 10 th 11 th 12 th Social Studies AP Human Geography AP World History AP US History AP Macroeconomics & AP Government ScienceAP BiologyAP ChemistryAP Physics MathAP Statistics AP Calculus or AP Statistics Language Arts AP Language & Composition AP Literature & Composition Electives AP Environmental Science AP American Government AP Microeconomics AP PsychologyAP Spanish

How does my child move on to the 10 th grade? Earn minimum 5.0 credits Pass at least one semester of each:  Language Arts  Science  Math Pass the EOCT (20% of final grade )  Language Arts  Biology  Algebra

Typical Freshmen Schedule The student has earned a total of 6 credits. 70 or above is PASSING FallSpringTotal FR LA83 = = Biology77 = = Alg 1 CC71 = = World Geo90 = Health/PE95 = = Elective87 = = Total College acceptance is based primarily on your grades from 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grade.

What are End of Course Tests (EOCTs)? EOCT is the state mandated final exam in 8 courses. The tests help identify student strengths and weaknesses and provide data to evaluate the effectiveness of classroom instruction. Freshman Language ArtsJunior Language Arts Algebra 1 CCGeometry CC BiologyPhysical Science US HistoryEconomics

Current Programs for 9 th Graders at Archer Monthly meetings held with counselor and struggling students to discuss grades and academic progress Optional weekly small group counseling for 9 th graders who are struggling academically and personally/socially. Study Skills help once a week during Guided Study Programs initiated through 9 th Grade Academy Tutoring with Peer Leaders and TOD

High school is the time when students are MOST in need of parental support and encouragement YET Parent involvement drops dramatically as students move from elementary school to middle school and middle school to high school

Parent Portal

eClass – Student Portal

Why Student Activities are So Important Students who participate in activity programs tend to have higher grade-point averages, better attendance records, lower dropout rates and fewer discipline problems Through participation in activity programs, students learn teamwork, sportsmanship, winning and losing, the rewards of hard work, self-discipline, build self- confidence, and develop skills to handle competitive situations Participation in high school activities is often a predictor of later success - in college, a career, and becoming a contributing member of society Check out Archer website (archerhighschool.net) for all activities

If your student fails a class – there are options! Any questions ?? Call – Blair Morton 9 th Grade Counselor

Top 10 ways to help your 9 th grader be successful in high school 10 Keep tabs on school attendance. If you suspect that your student may be absent without your consent, call the school 9 Do not encourage your child to miss school for special trips or activities that are not related to school 8 Make sure your student is getting at least 8 hours of sleep each night 7 Don't accept “I'm never going to use this after I get out of school" as an excuse for not working hard in a particular class (Algebra for example may not be everyone's favorite subject, but studies show that courses like Algebra are critically important in college acceptance decisions and achievement)

6 Help your teen keep an assignment calendar (Agenda) with dates for long term projects as well as daily homework (write down 6 things everyday). 5 Review calendar at the beginning of the week to plan how time will be used, making allowances for sports and clubs 4 Help your student divide long term projects into smaller tasks and develop a timeline for when tasks should be finished in order to have an entire assignment completed on time 3 Make sure there's a place for quiet study away from the television, and video games 2 Listen to your teen talk about his day and ask questions about school and what he has learned 1 Encourage your student to join clubs and activities, as studies indicate that students that are members of a team or a club enjoy school

Thank you for being an involved parent!