Innovation MS Academic Success Night Presented by Nicola Labas, VP Kristy Rozsnyoi, School Counselor

Understanding a middle school teen O Brain research states O adolescent brain is still under development and maturing during the teen years. O The biggest changes occur in areas of the brain that affect self-control, decision making, emotions, and risk-taking behaviors. O During adolescence, the adolescent brain is evolving in its ability to organize, regulate impulses, and weigh risks and rewards.

With this in mind… O Parents to be parents, not the friend O Talk with your child/Positive Attention (fun activities, in the car, dinner time) O Encourage cyber safety O Computer in common area; know passwords O Set a positive example

Set limits O Be specific. Rather than telling your teen not to stay out late, set a specific curfew. O Be concise. Keep your rules short and to the point. O Put rules in writing. Use this technique to counter a selective memory. O Be flexible. As your teen demonstrates more responsibility, grant him or her more freedom. If your teen shows poor judgment, impose more restrictions. O Be prepared to explain your decisions. Your teen may be more likely to comply with a rule when he or she understands its purpose. O Be reasonable. Avoid setting rules your teen can't possibly follow. A chronically messy teen may not be able to maintain a spotless bedroom overnight.

Enforce consequences O Active ignoring. Tell your teen that you'll talk to him or her when the whining, sulking or yelling stops. O Scolding and disapproval. Make sure you reprimand your teen's behavior, not your teen. Avoid using a sarcastic, demeaning or disrespectful tone. Also, avoid reprimanding your teen in front of his or her friends. O Imposing additional responsibilities. Assign your teen additional household tasks. O Imposing additional restrictions. Take away a privilege or possession that's meaningful to your teen, such as computer time or a cell phone. O Asking your teen to suggest a consequence. Your teen may have an easier time accepting a consequence if he or she played a role in deciding it. O Be consistent when you enforce limits. Limit punishments to a few hours or days to make them most effective. O Also, avoid punishing your teen when you're angry. Likewise, don't impose penalties you're not prepared to carry out — and punish only the guilty party, not other family members. Never use physical harm to discipline your teen.

iMiddle: Tools for Success O Netbook: O Charged every night O Brought to school every day O Planner or sticky notes on computer O Homework written down every period, every day O Tutoring: lunch and afterschool O Advocate for Self: speak up and ask questions of your teachers and/or peers O Classroom page on imiddle.org O Student Connect, checked weekly with student

Attendance O Students need to be in school, on time, to every class, daily! O District considers more than 10% of school year absences as chronic, even if you have excused illness O iMiddle tardy policy: more than 4 = Assigned Sat School O Policy states that students must make up work from absences

How to be successful in Science O middle-be-successful-in-science-7--8th-grade middle-be-successful-in-science-7--8th-grade

How to be successful in English O nglish-dept-success-at-imiddle nglish-dept-success-at-imiddle

How to be successful in History O story-dept-success-at-imiddle story-dept-success-at-imiddle

How to be successful in Math O ow-to-be-successful-in-math ow-to-be-successful-in-math

How to be successful in PE O uccess-in-pe-at-imiddle uccess-in-pe-at-imiddle

iMiddle 8 th Promotion Criteria O No “F” or “U” marks (classroom and school wide citizenship apply) O No more than 10 (ten) tardies the entire year (includes first period tardies). O No more than two truancies the entire year. O No overdue school fines for textbooks, library books, netbooks, materials or equipment. O No more than 2 (two) suspensions (including in- school suspensions), or 1 (one) Zero Tolerance (ZT) referral O No suspensions within three weeks of the last day of school *iMiddle staff will have final discretion in determining student participation*

Graduating High School O Meet all SDUSD Graduation Requirements O Passing classes to earn credits (44 semester credits) O UC/CSU A-G requirements, C grades or better O Senior Exhibition O Minimum 2.0 gpa (C average) O Pass the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) O Start taking in 10 th grade O Test on 7-10 th grade material

Class of 2017 and 2018 HS Graduation Requirements A-G SDUSD Grad Requirements Minimum Requirements A) 4 credits (2 years) History/Social Science B) 8 credits (4 years) English C) 6 credits (3 years) Mathematics D) 4 credits (2 years) Laboratory Science E) 4 credits (2 years) World Language F) 2 credits (1 year) Visual and Performing Arts G) 2 credits (1 year) College Prep Electives Total: 30 credits Minimum needed to graduate: 44 high school credits. A) 6 credits (3 years) History/Social Science B)8 credits (4 years) English C)6 credits (3 years) Mathematics Algebra Geometry Intermediate Algebra Statistics or Pre Calculus D)6 credits (3 years) Science E)4 credits (2 years) same World Language F)2 credits (1 year), UC "f" -approved Visual and Performing Arts G)College Preparatory Elective (see electives below) Total: 32 credits Additional Requirements 4 credits (2 years) Physical Education and pass the Fitnessgram Fitnessgram 8 credits (4 years) Career-Technical Education Courses or Other Electives Total: 12 credits Items in red have changed for class of 2016 and beyond.

Prepare for College and Beyond O CaliforniaRealityCheck.com O Naviance (career key, college search, courses) O imiddle.org, parents, counseling O High School Grad Requirements O Imiddle.org, Academics, HS Grad O statecenter.com/resources/industry-sectors

Preparing for CST O CST Released Test Questions: PRACTICE! O Cde.ca.gov O (For Parents) O Online math games, learning upgrade, Revolution Prep O Tests in late April O Importance of eating a good breakfast, being on time, practicing healthy stress relieving techniques (exercise, deep breaths)

Q & A

One final thought…. Parents: All in a Day's Work