Welcome!! Tuesday, Sept. 21, :00 – 7:00 PM Freshmen Class Parent Information

Administrative Staff Judy McDonald, Principal Assistant Principals are sorted by alphabet (but all can help you or your student) Synthia Kirby – A to C Peter Braveboy – D to Mi Rebecca Hitchcock – Mo to Z

Counseling Staff A – CJennifer Spurgers D – HeWendy Risner Hi – MiSusan Palmore Mo – ScAlice Rogers Se – ZJill Lauck College Readiness Julie Johnson Guidance Office Clerks & Secretary Debbie Vandestreek, Secretary Lesa Burleson, College Readiness Clerk Paula Moore, Registrar

Attendance Student attendance is crucial to success. If a student is absent, the attendance office must be notified by note within 72 hours. The student is responsible for contacting the teacher for missed assignments on the day he/she returns to school. To receive credit for a class, a student must attend at least 90% of the days the class is offered.

4 x 4 Explanation 4 core classes each year of High School Given that there are only 26 total credits for the recommended program, 20.5 of them are reserved for required credits. This leaves only 5.5 credits for elective credits. Failure of a Semester could result in Summer School or Saturday School.

FOUR YEAR PLAN - RIDER HIGH SCHOOL Grade Course 1Course 2Course 3Course English 1 Reg. or Pre-AP Math Alg. 1 or Geometry Reg. or Pre-AP Biology Reg. or Pre-AP World Geography Reg. or Pre-AP 10 English 2 Reg. or Pre-AP Math Geom. or Alg.2 Reg. or Pre-AP Science IPC or Chem. Reg. Or Pre-AP World History Reg. or Pre-AP 11 English 3 Reg. or AP Math Alg. 2 or Pre-Cal. Reg. or Pre-AP Science Chem. or Physics Reg. or Pre-AP U.S. History Reg. or AP 12 English 4 Reg. or AP Math Student choice Reg. or Pre-AP/AP Science Student choice Reg. or Pre- AP/AP Government/ Economics Reg. or AP The following courses are required. However, they may be taken at any time during their high school career: Comm. Applications (Speech) (0.5) Fine Arts (1.0) PE/PE Equivalent (1.0) Foreign Language-same one both years (2.0) Electives (5.5) ************** These, along with the mandatory 4 x 4, complete the requirements for the Recommended Graduation Plan of 26 Credits ********************

Grade and Credit Sheet

How To Drop a Class Students must sign up to see their Counselor, and they will explain the process of dropping a class. PAP to Regular schedule change requires Parent and Teacher Signatures to drop/change. A conference may also be held between the teacher and parent. Time restrictions apply to drop a class. After the 9 weeks, if the class is dropped, the student will receive an “F” for the course. This is due to state attendance policies.

Changing from Pre-AP to Regular Classes A student must remain in a Pre-AP class for the entire year to receive the extra grade point. Students cannot be changed from Pre-AP to Regular during the last six weeks of each semester (3 rd & 6 th six weeks). If class is dropped at the end of the 6 weeks, the letter grade goes up one letter grade. If the class is dropped before the 6 weeks, the current grade stands.

GPA and Class Rank GPA and Class Rank are recalculated at the end of each semester. At the Freshman level, GPA is not reflective of true rank. Example: There could be 40 students ranked number one by the end of the first semester.

Figuring GPA example Regular Pre-AP/AP A = B = C = D = F = 69 & below 0 0 ******************************************************************* (Classes) Sem. 1 (Grade Points) Reg. Pre-AP/AP English Math Science Soc.Stud (Total Grade Points) Add up grade points then divide by # of grades attempted (4) Equals GPA Regular Pre-AP/AP 10/4 = 2.5 GPA 14/4 = 3.5 GPA

Freshman Level TAKS Test All Freshmen will take TAKS tests this Spring: March 1, 2011 Reading April 28, 2011 Math TAKS Study Guides are available for 9 th graders to study at home upon request. Advisory period is designed for students to get extra help for TAKS tests or for classes they are struggling with. Make sure your Freshman student is well rested and has a good breakfast.

PSAT Results PSAT is a practice SAT. Students may take it their 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grade year. But their 11 th grade year is when they can get scholarship money for very high scores (National Merit Scholars). Results from the PSAT Test (taken in October) are expected in December. Scores will be handed out in their English Class.

PLAN is a practice ACT. Students will take it their Sophomore year. For the next two years, there is no cost associated with this test. The PLAN will include an Interest Inventory to help your student with their possible career goals. PLAN Test

College It is never too early to start researching and gathering information. Check college websites for entrance requirements and deadlines. Check the Rider Counselors’ Website or with our College and Career Counselor, Julie Johnson.

Scheduling February Students will be given a credit sheet (see example) with grades written in from classes they have had during the school year Your student’s counselor will highlight on his/her credit sheet what classes he/she needs for next year. Parents will have the opportunity to discuss the possible classes with their students. Later in the Spring, your student will meet with his/her own counselor to select his/her schedule requests. It is very important that they list alternate choices.

How Classes are Assigned for the Next School Year During the summer, just before school starts, the administration will complete the Master Schedule based on the new staff hired, current staff, rooms available, district and state requirement changes. The computer actually does the scheduling. If your student’s schedule does not work out based on the times the classes are offered, the counselors have to go in and make adjustments to his/her schedule. Often your student’s requested classes could be offered at the same time or are too full, so we try to look at his/her choices. But sometimes it is impossible to fit in what they requested, so we have to assign them to what classes are available. Again, it is very important that your student lists alternate classes.

IMPORTANT INFO!! State graduation requirements are set/changed by the state. The Independent School Districts can add more classes than are required to graduate, but they cannot take them away. For instance, the Fine Arts requirement is added at the local level and is not a state requirement. So for this school district every student must complete one full year of the same fine art class. State requirements can be viewed at the TEA (Texas Education Agency) Website.

QUESTIONS ?