1. Parents RocK
End of 1st Quarter

2. Communication

3. School to Home Communication
Log ON
Get the App
Update Personal Information/Emergency Contacts
Review Grades
Review Assignments
Quick way to contact teachers
Receive Classroom Messages From Teachers
Don’t have an account? Call the Counseling Office

4. School to Home Communication
Weekly on Friday
Counseling Department Newsletter
Upcoming Events
Career and College Fairs
AP Testing
Grade Specific info
Course Scheduling for next year

5. School to Home Communication
ROCK RIDGE HIGH SCHOOL
Weekly on Sundays
RRHS Administration
Upcoming Events
Athletics News
PTSO Information
Not Receiving? Call Counseling

6. School to Home Communication
Throughout the year
College Information
Course Selection

7. School to Home Communication STUDENTS Live Video Announcements Daily
Rock Block Teachers
Classroom Teachers

8. The 3 C’s of Communication
 Communicate continually
Not just when there’s a problem
Collaboration- We are on the same team.
Collaborative decision-making leads to student success
Communication Plan
Student advocacy
Parent involvement

9. Parent Feedback Regarding Teachers
Encourage your student to self-advocate if they have questions, needs additional support or concerns regarding their grade, assignments or feedback.
Alternate ways to support your child advocating for themselves: Face to Face, , or call teacher
Process:
Contact Teacher Directly address concerns
Contact subject Department Chair
Contact subject Administrator

10. We are a TEAM!

11. Depression Awareness & Suicide Prevention
Introduce yourself.
The purpose of this presentation:
Suggested Language:
“In an effort to reduce depression and suicide among our students, we plan to implement the SOS Signs of Suicide Prevention Program to our students (Specify when you will be doing the 9th grade presentation and the boosters).
Our goal is to help students recognize the symptoms of depression or warning signs of suicide in themselves or their friends and teacher them the appropriate steps they should take to get help. The purpose of the program is not to tell whether students are depress, but rather inform them about whether they , or their friends, may have symptoms that need further evaluation.”
They will also learn steps for getting help through a simple acronym ACT: Acknowledge that your friend has a problem, express that you Care, and Tell a trusted adult.
Dallas Hensley
Based on the SOS Signs of Suicide® High School Prevention Program
SOS Gatekeeper Presentation

12. Why is this presentation important?
Over 90% of children and adolescents who die by suicide have a diagnosable mental disorder, yet 80% of youth with mental illness are not identified or receiving services.
2015 YRBS data suggests…
17.7% of 9-12 graders have thoughts of suicide
13.8% in 2009
14.6% of 9-12 graders have made a suicide plan
10.9% in 2009
8.6% of 9-12 graders have attempted suicide
7.3% in 1991
2.8% of 9-12 graders have made a suicide attempt serious enough to require medical attention
1.7% in 1991
Childhood is also an important time to promote healthy development.
CDC (2016); Kann et al. (2016); Brock (2016)

13. Risk factors Behavioral health Personal features
“…is a personal trait or environmental quality that is associated with an increased risk for suicide.”
Behavioral health
Personal features
Adverse life circumstances
Family characteristics
Environment
-Also touch on precipitating events

14. Warning Signs
“…are verbal or behavioral clues that an individual may be experiencing depression or thoughts of suicide.”
Seek immediate help if:
Someone threatens to kill self
Actively seeks lethal means
Talking, posting, and/or writing about death
Other warning signs to take seriously:
Risky behavior, recklessness
Increased substance use
Decreased interest in usual activities
Extreme withdrawal

15. Protective factors Individual characteristics Family/other support
“…are personal traits or environmental qualities that can reduce the risk for suicide.”
Individual characteristics
Family/other support
School
Mental health and health care
Restricted access to lethal means
What are some protective factors you might find your students?

16. What to do when teens need help
Once a teen has disclosed someone may be showing signs of suicide - do not leave the teen alone.
Listen to what the teen has to say and avoid making the teen feel guilty.
Offer words of encouragement but do not promise to keep secrets.
Advise the teen that you will contact additional supports for help. For 24 hour/day emergency mental health consultation contact
Loudoun County Emergency Services at

17. How to handle the end of the quarter
Karen Currran, Jon Lunieski, Chris Schamus

18. When and what is going on?
End of Quarter 1 is Friday, November 3rd

19. Are there special exam blocks?
No set Exam Dates – assessments/project dates vary by department

20. Should I expect my student to be busier than usual?
It’s likely!
It depends on the course load your student is taking.
Many courses have covered enough content at this point to accurately be able to assess a cumulative understanding. Hence, quarter exams and projects.

21. How do I manage this with my teen?
Organization!
Look at the family calendar in conjunction with the assessment dates.
Plan a study calendar – chunking time and giving breaks along the way.
Study a little each night to avoid cramming.
Encourage communication! We are here to help them balance as well and we can work together to help make a schedule that works for your student.

22. Keep the end game in mind!
This is not the end of the road!
We are only one quarter of the way through the school year.
LEARN from what happened first quarter and set new goals for quarter 2.
There’s plenty of road left!

23. REMEMBER BALANCE!!
The most important thing is your child’s well-being. Walk through this process with them and support their stress along the way. They learn more and more each year about how to balance life and school.

24. GPA & Grade calculation
Amritha Sethi, Heather Hong, Jarrel Taylor

28. 32 English H A World Language 1 Health & PE Math A- Science
STUDENT B
Course
Grade
Credit
World Language 1 A 1
World Language 2
Math A+
English H
Music
World Language 3
Health & PE 9
H Math
H Science
H Social Science
World Language 4
Health & PE 10
Driver Education
AP Social Science
AP Math A-
AP Science
Science
Economics Sem
0.5
Personal Finance Sem
DE English B+
DE Science
AP Social Studies
AP Economics 32
Course
Grade
Credit
English H A 1
World Language 1
Health & PE
Math A-
Science
H Social Science (Pre AP)
English 10H
World Language 2 A+
Driver Education
H Math
H Science
AP Social Science
Technical Drawing and Design
AP English
World Language 3
AP Science
AP Psychology
Creative Writing Sem
0.5
Public Speaking Sem
World Language 4
AP Math
Economics Sem
Personal Finance Sem 27

29. Higher GPA

30. What’s Going on in that Beautiful Mind?
Elizabeth bush & Christina Schmitt

31. Executive Functioning & Your High Schooler:
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING- What’s that?
Executive Functioning is defined as a set of processes that involve managing oneself, as well as the individual being able to utilize the resources available in order to achieve ones goal. This involves mental control & self- regulation.

32. What does this mean?
During adolescence executive functioning skills are not fully developed in your child in comparison to those of an adult and yet they face tasks that demand these skills.
Teenagers need to learn how to communicate in multiple contexts.
They are learning to manage their own school and extracurricular activities.
Ask your child to teach you about something they are learning to check for understanding.
Involve the child in developing their own calendar- DIY
Allowing your child to manage their own projects- serves two purposes:
Time Management & It’s Empowering

33. Strategies to help support executive functioning beyond school:
Encourage Flexible Thinking- Take an ordinary object and ask your child what it can be used for. Encourage your child to come up with as many uses as they can. – Object Activity-
Multi modal instruction- sensory - When assigning tasks provide opportunities to address all three modalities: kinesthetic, auditory and visual.
Focus on the Planning Process- Have your teen identify something they want to accomplish. (A goal established by them, for them, not by you the parent) Ex. Driver’s license, college application, social event

34. Tools for Self – Monitoring
Self Talk – have the student talk themselves through the steps of a difficult activity. Self realization can occur being proactive to address problematic behaviors. (Parents can model this with their own tasks.)
Reflective opportunities- can focus on growth from the experience, lessons learned, how things could be done differently in the future and judgement is not being passed. (Parents can model this with their own experiences.)
Interruptions impede performance- recent studies have shown that though multi- tasking feels great when two or more tasks are vying for one’s attention, this impedes performance. Cell phones and s are perfect examples of interruptions – do not disturb mode, certain apps that lock your phone for a time, preventing access to social media

35. Activities don’t need to be a Juggling Act:
Sports- allows for focused attention, quick decision making skills, monitor self and others actions as well as skill development that is competitive.
Yoga & Meditation- supports mindfulness, reduces stress and helps with learning sustained attention.
Music- helps with selective attention, cognitive flexibility and inhibitions are challenged when learning a new instrument, dance move, vocal piece and those that require rhythm and improvisations.
Logic & Strategy Games- Chess, Battleship, certain Card & Computer games require the mind to exercise aspects of working memory, attention, monitoring of environment, and development of a plan.
Theater- students have to remember their parts, tend to job assignments, self regulate behavior, attend to timing, remembering lines draws on working memory as well.

36. A lot is going on in that Beautiful Mind so……………….
Allow your child to critically think and have some autonomy
Encourage them to be reflective and help them through the process.
Recognize the impact of electronic devices on their attention span to task such as school work.
Increase their challenge through activities.

37. Stress Management and End of Quarter to-dos
PEER

38. Organization
Everyone has different styles of organization – just make sure that your student finds something that works for them!
Examples:
Agendas and color coding
Phone w/Apps – myHomework, Evernote, theHWApp
Remember individual classroom requirements
ExaEveryone has different styles of organization
Agendas and color coded binders
Phone
Apps - myHomework, Evernote, theHWApp
Individual classroom requirements
Just make sure that there is some system of organization in place
Let your child find what works best for them!
mples

39. Study Habits Plan out your time
Map out study plan - try not to study the night before 
Checklists
Flashcards/Quizlet
Incentives (Snacks)
Allow for breaks
Brain breaks are good!
Healthy Snacks
Exercise
Naps - make sure you have an alarm set
Walking away when you’re stuck on something can help clear your mind

40. Balance and Time Management
“Achieve mental equilibrium”
Don’t overcommit
Balance clubs, sports, extracurriculars, etc.
Choose things that you want to do and commit to those 
Avoid Procrastination
A common issue amongst high schoolers
How can your child avoid it?
Plan ahead
Be proactive about their tasks

41. communication Don’t worry!
Students understand all that is expected of them and already feel the pressure to deliver on all their commitments
Gentle reminders are helpful but trust your child to manage their responsibilities wisely!
Stay up to date
High school is tough! Make sure to check in with your children and encourage them when they are feeling overwhelmed!
Remember...
Teach independence and resiliency – prepare for college!
Allow students to make mistakes and learn from them.

42. End of quarter to-dos Students: Check in with your grade
Communicate with Teachers
Utilize Rock Block
Be Proactive
Parents
Let your kids “know you know” (grades, what’s going on in school)
Talk to your kid
Trust

43. Class screamers
Preparing Students for the future

44. Freshman First Semester Second Semester Register for Naviance
Take 1st PSAT
Attend a College Fair
Make a College Board Account
Get involved in extra-curricular activities
Start to track Volunteer Hours
Naviance
First PSAT
Extra-Curricular Activities
Volunteer Hours Tracking
Second Semester
Check Naviance and GPA
Get paperwork for Volunteer Hours

45. Sophomores First Semester Second Semester Take 2nd PSAT
Attend a College Fair
Research Colleges
Start to compile a resume
Discuss Monroe Shadowing
Naviance
Second PSAT
College Fair
Resume
Shadowing Day – Monroe
Volunteer Hours
College Comparison
Second Semester
Log volunteer hours
Compare college requirements
Check Naviance and GPA
Get paperwork for volunteer hours
Update resume

46. Juniors First Semester Second Semester Take 3rd PSAT
Naviance Personality Test
Compare and search suitable colleges
Attend Career Center college visits
Continue to update resume
Sign up for Spring ACT/SAT
Attend Job 4 A Day
Juniors
Naviance
College Search
College Visits
Resume
SAT/ACT
Volunteer Hours
Scholarship & Financial Aid
Admission Requirements
NCAA Clearinghouse for Athletes
Summer work or internships
Second Semester
Log volunteer hours
Take an ACT/SAT
Start looking for scholarships
Study college entrance requirements
Visit colleges that interest you, narrow your choices
Register for NCAA Clearinghouse (Athletes)
Review senior course requests
Look for summer work, volunteering or interhships

47. Seniors First Semester Second Semester Naviance Master Calendar
CREATE MASTER CALENDAR
Verify Naviance and College Board Log-Ins
Request reference letters
Attend college visits at schools and college fairs
Continue to update resume
Work on College Applications and submit Early Action
Work on FAFSA and Financial Aid
Naviance
Master Calendar
ACT/SAT
Applications
College reference letters
Resume
FAFSA and Scholarships
AP Exams
Vocational Applications
Second Semester
Attend financial events and submit FAFSA
for scholarship advice
Respond to college acceptances
Send deposit to chosen school by May 1st
Send Thank You notes to those who helped
Apply to Vocational/GAP/Technical Schools
Find a fabulous summer job
Enjoy your High School Graduation

48. Thank you for taking time to fill out the survey