1. Waverly High School 8th Grade Parent Night
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

2. Waverly Community Schools
+ Proud to be one of the most diverse schools in the area
+ A world class learning experience
+ Preparing students for real world achievements - AP, CACC, TEC, etc.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

3. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
Agenda
Agenda
Counseling role
Communication between counselor, parent, students
Scheduling Process
Details on core areas
Credits/Transcripts/Graduation Requirements
4 Year Plan for High School
Athletic Eligibility
What’s all this testing?
College & Career Preparation
Honors versus regular courses, AP, volunteer hours, and clubs
Counselor contact information
Question and Answer
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

4. High School Counseling Role
Counseling Caseload: Your child will be assigned a counselor next year (based on last name). This person will stay with them until they graduate.
Student advocate
Encourage each student to succeed
(success is different for each individual)
Academic, personal, crisis, and career planning
Summary: Planning for 2 time frames - 4 years of high school and post-secondary
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

5. Scheduling Process 5 Easy Steps
1) Review the scheduling worksheet with your parent.
Be deliberate in your alternate choices as you are likely to get those classes as well.
2) Obtain student and parent signatures.
3) Obtain signatures for Honors classes when applicable.
4) Return the worksheet to school.
5) Transfer your choices from the worksheet into PowerSchool (March 22).
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

6. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

7. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
“6-Choice Day”
The High School is a 6-choice day
Most freshman will have:
English 9 or English 9 Honors
Algebra I or Geometry Honors (only for a select group of students)
U.S. History or U.S. History Honors
Biology
World Language
General PE/Health
6 Alternate Choices
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
Counselors

8. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
PRIDE
Provides time for a homeroom (PRIDE).
Allows time for test prep, supplemental instruction, clubs, career exploration.
Flexible & Individualized
Time to meet the unique
needs of each student.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

9. Graduation Requirements 23 Credits
4 English credits
4 Math credits
(Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and Senior-Year Math)
3 Science credits
(Biology & Chemistry/Physics & 3rd Science Choice)
3 Social Studies Credits
(U.S. History, World History, U.S. Government/Economics)
.5 General Physical Education & .5 Health
2 credits of World Language
1 VPAA
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

10. 4 Year Plan 9th 10th 11th 12th Note: Consider requirements first
Career Path second
CACC and general interests
Suggestion-9th grade students complete their 4 year plan
9th
٠Algebra I or Geometry
٠English 9 or English 9 Honors
٠U.S. History or U.S. History Honors
٠Biology
٠2 electives (most with General PE/Health)
10th
٠Geometry or Algebra II
٠English 10 or English 10 Honors
٠World History, World Hist. Honors
٠Physics or Chemistry (Chemistry Honors)
٠2 electives (VPAA; take requirements first)
11th
٠Algebra II, Pre-Calc
٠English 11
٠U.S. Government/Economics
٠ 3rd Science
٠2 electives or CACC
12th
٠Continued Math Sequence (4th Year Math
substitutes)
٠English 12, Eng. 12 H, or AP English
٠4th year of Science is recommended
٠4th year of Social Studies is recommended
٠2 electives or CACC

11. Sample Plan 9th grade 10th Grade 11th Grade 12th Grade Alg. I
English 9
U.S. History
Biology
PE/Health
World Language
10th Grade
Geometry
English 10
World History
Physics
ELECTIVE (VPAA)
World Language
11th Grade
Intermediate Algebra II
English 11
U.S. Government/Economics
3rd Science
Elective
12th Grade
4th Credit of Math
English 12
Core Class
Elective

12. Honors Classes, Regular Classes & AP
Honors Courses
The questions: Do you desire more rigor, extra challenge, additional reading & homework?
Earning an “A” in a regular class versus a B in an Honors course
Consider changing to an Honors section the following year. “Recommended” by a teacher does not mean “Ready” on every level
Preparation for the WHS AP Program
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

13. Should I take Honors Courses?
Things to consider:
Teacher recommendation
Wait a year?
Reading skills
Test scores reviewed by teachers
Prepare for AP
Strength of high school resume/transcript
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

14. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
Math
Math is very individual
-Discuss placement with your current math teacher.
-You are still required to take 4 years of math during high school.
- Honors Geometry students should plan to progress to AP Calculus.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

15. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
Foreign Language
2 years of the same language are required (Spanish, French, ASL [American Sign Language]).
Colleges prefer to see two years during high school.
Language is recommended in 9th grade, but you could wait as late as 10th grade to begin.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

16. French
Ms. Amy Parsons, Department Co-Chair

17. American Sign Language (ASL)
Mr. Pete Sherry, Teacher
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

18. Plans of Study http://whscounselingpage.weebly.com/scheduling.html
Review Course Descriptions

19. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
Testing Out
-Applications will be available in the spring.
-Get your application from Mrs. Hood.
-Health and PE are options for test-out. It is not just a test; there are projects as well.
-Applications are due Friday, May 19th.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
Counselors

20. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
Credits - A New Concept
D- or higher at semester = .5 credits/class
June = 7 possible credits earned
23 credits required to graduate
Tutoring/credit recovery
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley
Counselors

21. Transcripts=College Admission & Job Opportunities
A permanent document
Parchment
Grades, attendance, honors versus regular courses, rank, test scores (selling yourself on paper after high school)
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

22. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
Athletic Eligibility
Must be passing five of seven classes to compete.
Potential College Athletes:
NCAA – must register as a student athlete
Recommended to be done sophomore year
Division I and II worksheets for requirements are available on the NCAAwebsite.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

23. What’s All This Testing?
9th Grade- PSAT (Practice test for SAT)
10th Grade-PSAT (Practice test for SAT)
11th Grade- State Testing (April)
Day 1 SAT Test *
Day 2 Work Keys
Day 3 Additional state-mandated testing
9th grade is not too early to begin studying on the only sanctioned SAT test prep website KHANacademy.org
MANY JUNIORS register and pay for the ACT and/or
an additional SAT test.
12th Grade – Optional - retest for better admission scores on ACT/SAT
NWEA – Three times a year in math and English; used for placement
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

24. Career & College Preparation
9th grade = collecting information
Username:edp-student number
Password: Powerschool password
Students can repeat the career test as many times as they wish.
Career Fairs, College Visits, Job Shadowing,
CACC
The best academic preparation for college is an AP class
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

25. College/Trade School Admission
Volunteer Hours
Letters of Recommendation
Work Experience
Test Scores (ACT OR SAT)
Attendance
Cumulative GPA
Courses-Rigor
(AP and Honors versus Regular)

26. Volunteer Hours Clubs Sports
All students should track volunteer hours as most colleges and employers inquire.
Clubs and sports are important as well. Consider 2-3 options at WHS or outside of school.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

27. Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors
Attendance
Parents must call to excuse a child (sometimes this very important step is missed).
It is always the student’s duty to recover missed work.
Students are not penalized for college visits.
Missing class typically results in lowering your grade.
Stephanie Brokstad, Tonya Droessler, Kristen Gazley Counselors

28. How to get information home?
Invitation for parents to sign up for REMIND:
to 81010
Make sure an accurate address is on file next fall.
School Announcements/Daily Bulletin
Individual appointments/student appointments
Classroom visits

29. Waverly High School Main Office Administration 517-321-3831
Vanessa Scruggs-Attendance
Salome Preston-Athletics/Community Outreach
Michelle Smethhurst-Registrar
Administration
Chris Huff-Principal
Tracy Thomas-Deputy Principal
Tony Terranova-Asst. Principal
Scott Castelle-Athletic Director
Counseling Office
Ginny O’Connor Doyle-Secretary
Stephanie Brokstad-Counselor
Tonya Droessler-Counselor
Kristen Gazley-Counselor
Pat Klein-Social Worker
Jessica Hernandez-College Advisor

30. & Answers Thank you for joining
Questions
&
Answers
Thank you for joining
us this evening and for being involved in your son/daughter’s education.