Ready, Set, Graduate! How to Jump Start Your Ninth Graders! Volusia County School Counselors: Donnette Estelhomme, Abaco Schweizer, Teresa Snyder, & Ingrid Rivera

 Rationale – Why focus on Freshman year?  Freshman Orientation  Freshman Day  Freshman Empowerment Packet  Academic Resource Manual  Study Skills Packet and How to get Good Grades PowerPoint Agenda

Why Focus on Freshman Year?

 Occurs at the end of July to acclimate Freshmen and their parents to the school  Introduce administration, school counselors, and teachers  Begin to foster school spirit  Review school policies and procedures  Address parent and student questions and concerns Freshman Orientation

 Freshmen are the only students who attend school on the first day of the school year  Homeroom teacher and other faculty are assigned to each freshman homeroom  Freshman Success session: review of study skills packet  Tour of the school Freshman Jumpstart Day

 School scavenger hunt  Showcase of student clubs, athletics, and student organizations  Opportunity for students to get their ID’s and lockers  Students follow their schedule in the afternoon to find the location of their classrooms and meet their teachers  Student feedback survey administered at the end of the day Freshman Jumpstart Day (cont’d)

 Empowers students with the information they need to know to be successful their Freshman year  Packet is shared with students through a classroom guidance lesson during the first few weeks of school  Packet also empowers parents with the knowledge they need to help their Freshmen be successful  Packet is shared with parents during the Freshman Parent Night held during the first few weeks of school Freshman Empowerment Packet

 Contains contact information for administrators, school counselors, and clerical staff  Lists teachers’ tutoring schedules  Provides ESE consultation teachers’ contact information and consultation schedules  Provides online resources for each academic subject area, as well as college, career, and financial aid search information Academic Resource Manual

 Study skills are explicitly taught through classroom guidance lessons through the use of a study skills packet  Study skills packet can be used in conjunction with the “How to Get Good Grades” PowerPoint Study Skills Focus

Thank you! Questions?