WHAT TO EXPECT NOW THAT YOUR STUDENT IS A FRESHMAN CENTRAL HIGH SCHOOL THE HIGH SCHOOL YEARS

THE HIGH SCHOOL DAY The high school day consists of 7, 47 MINUTE academic PERIODS. EACH STUDENT WILL HAVE A 17 MINUTE HOMEROOM BEFORE HAVING A 30 MINUTE LUNCH – LUNCH IS 5 TH AND 6 TH HOUR, FRESHMAN EAT 5 TH HOUR LUNCH HOMEROOM IS A GOOD TIME OF DAY TO VISIT GUIDANCE COUNSELOR, club and organizational meetings, OR CATCH UP ON HOMEWORK.

HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS EACH high school student WILL REGISTER FOR 7 CREDITS and are expected to earn 7 credits each year. EACH SEMESTER your student, IF PASSING, WILL EARN A HALF CREDIT FOR EACH COURSE THEY PASS – 2 semesters = 1 credit

HIGH SCHOOL CREDITS CONT. IF YOUR STUDENT FAILS THE FIRST OR SECOND SEMESTER OF A CLASS THEY WILL ONLY RECEIVE A HALF CREDIT FOR WHAT THEY HAVE PASSED – Students need to be careful, missing credits can add up fast! SEMESTER GRADES ARE CALCULATED BY AVERAGING 1 ST QUARTER, 2 ND QUARTER, AND FINAL EXAM, OR 3 RD QUARTER, 4 TH QUARTER, AND FINAL EXAM.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS Each student must earn a minimum of 25 credits to graduate. ( See page 3 in your orientation packet) 4 English Credits 3 Math Credits 3 Social Science Credits – 1 credit American History (Junior Year) - 1/2 ½ credit of Contemporary History/ IL Constitution Test (Senior Year) 3 Science Credits ½1/2 Credit of Health (Taken 1/4 Credit of Driver’s Ed As a ¼1/4 Credit of Speech Block) ½1/2 Credit of Computer Literacy 1/2 Credit of Resource Management (Senior year) 1 Fine Arts Credit – Music, Art, Foreign Language, Vocational Education 4 Credits of PE 5 ½1/2 Elective Credits

COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS What classes should my child take? We recommend: 4 years of English 4 years of math 4 years of science (at least 2 lab sciences) 3 years of social science 1 year of foreign language (U of I require 2 years) 1 year of fine arts

WHAT’S THE DEAL WITH FOREIGN LANGUAGE? (COLLEGE BOUND STUDENTS) Some colleges will take 1 year of foreign language and one year of fine arts Some colleges want two years of foreign language (u of I) And some colleges don’t have any requirements So what do we do???

THE ANSWER... At least one year of foreign language Other options... Clep (college-level examination program) – taken at jwcc – allows your student to test out of a foreign language Dual credit for Spanish ii and Spanish iv

WHAT SHOULD MY STUDENT TAKE AS A FRESHMAN? YELLOW REGISTRATION SHEET (THIS MUST BE COMPLETED, SIGNED, AND RETURNED TO SCHOOL) You and your student will need to select 2 1/2 credits of electives for freshman year also 1 English 1 math 1 science 1 pe (already marked) 1/2 Computer Lit (already marked)

ELECTIVES (SEE PAGE 5 IN ORIENTATION PACKET) EXAMPLE 1 – fine arts requirement for graduation: Art, Band, Chorus, foreign language, or a vocational course. Example 2 – social science credit to help complete the 3 credit graduation requirement. EXAMPLE 3 – You may want to take an elective that is career oriented.

CAREERS AND ELECTIVES (MORE SUGGESTIONS FOR ELECTIVES AS A FRESHMAN) SOCIAL AND PERSONAL SERVICES –health, speech, Spanish, and foods & nutrition ARTS COMMUNICATION – Art AND music BUSINESS OPERATIONS – AG Business and Record Keeping SCIENCE & TECHNICAL – Agriculture and Computer Applications OUTDOOR & MECHANICAL – agriculture SALES & MANAGEMENT – record keeping, art, and music

ASSESSMENTS EXPLORE – FRESHMAN YEAR – ACT PREP PLAN – SOPHOMORE YEAR – ACT PREP PSAE – JUNIOR YEAR – GRADUATION AND STATE REQUIREMENT (THIS IS A 2 DAY TEST, DAY 1 – act AND DAY 2 – Work Keys) ACT – Junior and Senior Year - College admission requirement SAT – Junior and Senior Year - College Admission Assessment (Optional – Most Colleges take the Act) PSAT – Junior Year – Pre-SAT – Good Preparation for ACT – National Merit Scholarship Program for high test scores ASVAB – 9-12 th - National Test for Military requirement – also a good test prep for the ACT COMPASS – Junior and Senior Year – College Placement Test

EXTRACURRICULARS FACT: STUDENTS WHO ARE INVOLVED IN CO-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES DURING HIGH SCHOOL HAVE HIGHER ACHIEVEMENT, IMPROVED ATTENDANCE, AND HIGHER ASPIRATIONS! ATHLETICS – CROSS COUNTRY, GOLF, FOOTBALL, VOLLEYBALL, BASKETBALL, WRESTLING, TRACK, BASEBALL, SOFTBALL, CHEERLEADING/DANCE TEAM, AND BAND ACADEMICS/CLUBS/ORGANIZATIONS – CHESS CLUB, DRAMA CLUB, SPANISH CLUB, WYSE ACADEMIC CHALLENGE, SCHOLASTIC BOWL, FFA, FUTURE BUSINESS LEADERS OF TOMORROW, FAMILY, CAREER COMMUNITY LEADERS OF AMERICA, STUDENT GOVERNEMENT, ART CLUB, YEARBOOK, AND CHORUS

GUIDANCE OFFICE PERSONAL, SOCIAL, AND ACADEMIC DEVELOPMENT INDIVIDUAL & GROUP COUNSELING Crisis intervention & prevention Career and Post-Secondary Educational Planning Transcripts, Letters of Recommendation, scholarships, college applications, and more!

STUDENT ATTENDANCE REGULAR STUDETN ATTENDANCE IS VERY IMPORTANT! 1 ST HOUR STARTS AT 8:10 am Warning Bell at 8:05 If a student receives three tardies for the start of school, a demerit will be given for each tardy after that – car trouble, oversleeping, missing the bus, or parents calling in will not excuse the tardy for the start of school.

DEMERITS DEMERITS ARE A RECORDING SYSTEM FOR STUDENT’S BEHAVIOR ONE DEMERIT – EACH TARDY AND DETENTION FOUR DEMERITS – EACH IN-SCHOOL SUSPENSION (PER INCIDENT) EIGHT DEMERITS – EACH OUT-OF-SCHOOL SUSPENSION (PER INCIDENT)

DEMERIT CONSEQUENCES 5 DEMERITS – WARNING 10 DEMERITS – LOSS OF PRIVELEDGES, I.E. FIELD TRIPS, PROM, ETC. 15 DEMERITS – MINIMUM PENALTY – 1 DAY In-school suspension, CANNOT ATTEND AND/OR PARTICIPATE IN any SPORTING EVENTS OR SCHOOL ACTIVITIES, AND MUST RESIGN FROM ANY OFFICER POSITION HELD 20 DEMERITS – SAME AS ABOVE BUT 3 DAY in-school suspension 25 DEMERITS – SAME AS ABOVE BUT 3 DAY OUT-OF SCHOOL SUSPENSION 30 demerits – minimum penalty – same as above, 5 day out-of school suspension, and also loss of graduation ceremony privileges 35 demerits – minimum penalty – 10 day out-of-school suspension and expulsion may be recommended.

DEMERITS CONT. ONE DEMERIT WILL BE REMOVED FOR EACH CALENDAR MONTH in which A STUDENT RECEIVES NO DISCIPLINARY REFERRALS 2 MONTHS = 2 DEMERITS REMOVED 3 MONTHS = 4 DEMERITS REMOVED THIS WILL CONTINUE AS THE GOOD BEHVAIOR CONTINUES. WARNING! – RECEIPT OF A DISCIPLINE REFERRAL AT ANY POINT WILL PUT THE STUDENT BACK AT THE BEGINNING OF THE PROCESS.

TIPS FOR A GOOD SCHOOL YEAR! GOOD ATTENDANCE AND BEING ON TIME TO CLASSES! ASKING FOR HELP AND ATTENDING TUTORING WHEN NEEDED JOINING EXTRACURRICULARS AND/OR ATHLETICS UTILIZE THE GUIDANCE COUNSELOR WHEN NEEDED WORKING HARD IN CLASS – TURN IN ALL ASSIGNMENTS! ORGANIZATION – ALWAYS GOOD TO KEEP A PLANNER BE PREPARED! ITS GOING TO BE A GREAT YEAR! LET’S START OFF ON THE RIGHT FOOT!

Q & A AT THIS TIME PLEASE FEEL FREE TO ASK QUESTIONS WE THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIME!