2. Feb 9, 2015 Use your mouse to click the speaker icons

3.  This is an Exciting Time!  Outline the process of transition to high school  Answer questions

4. FAQ’s When do we start? What are credits? What is the difference, Honors vs. Standard What is Block Scheduling? How can I help my child?

5.  Where and when registration forms need to be turned in?  Pros and Cons of Block Scheduling  Clubs, Sports, After-School Programs  Tutoring  What if my child has an IEP?  Testing: is there TCAP? How does it affect graduation?  Honors, A.P. classes, Dual Credit programs

6.  WHO: Parent, Student, Counselor, and Teacher (recommendations)  WHEN: Time: Discussion between parent/student; open house visits; individual registration appointment  WHAT: Class Selection

7. Block Schedule: (also known as 4x4 block) students take 4 classes from August through December; then 4 new classes from January through May Advantages: +Classes meet everyday (don’t rotate) +Will take up to 32 classes by graduation (26 required, leaves 6 additional classes of choice) +Fewer classes at a time Disadvantages: -Extended breaks between subsequent courses -Full year course completed in ½ year Research is statistically identical on schedule models

8.  Elective: a class that a student chooses based on academic interest; examples include fine arts classes (Theater I, Children’s Play), business classes (Accounting, Marketing), career and technical classes (Agriculture, Digital Design, Criminal Justice)  Credit: a credit is the value given to a class that has been passed ▪ Freshmen will attempt 8 credits ▪ 26 credits are required for graduation ▪ English, Math, Science, and Social Studies are often referred to as “Core” credits

9.  Required Credit: a class that must be taken and passed for graduation ▪ Every class that an incoming freshman takes is considered “required”; class choices have been restricted to only those classes that count towards graduation

10.  Transcript: the official record of grades of classes taken during a high school career ▪ Every single class—pass or fail—goes on the transcript ▪ The transcript will go with the student towards college admissions  Honors: a class that goes beyond the regular rigor of a standard course; close equivalent to Advanced in middle school ▪ All Honors classes require either a pre-requisite or teacher recommendation

11.  Advocate: seeking information from the proper person; a student will be expected to advocate by asking questions

12.  Up to this point, “registration” has consisted only of filling out a single form  February: Students and parent should be discussing academic strengths and weaknesses, as well as areas of interest; review resources together, including available test scores; visit the school website www.hendersonvillehighschool.com www.hendersonvillehighschool.com

13.  Feb (9): AP and Honors Open House at HHS, 6:00-8:00 pm; meet the teachers and hear about academic options  March (TBA): Attend the 8 th grade parent night open house at HHS; schedule individual registration appointment  April (1-4): Attend registration appointment and turn in registration form (at EMS); perform as well as possible on TCAP  May: Prepare and perform as well as possible on final exams, placement tests  June-July: Read at least 1 grade level fiction book (pleasure/choice) and at least 1 non-fiction book (autobiography, biography)

14.  Physically, the building is laid out so that students can get from place to place fairly easily  Students have longer breaks between classes  Freshmen will be placed into an Advisory group with a teacher that will follow them for 4 years through graduation; advisory groups plan to meet weekly

15.  Every class offered to freshmen counts towards graduation  EMS teachers will make careful recommendations in English, Math and Science  Once at HHS, the teachers will also help make recommendations on Honors/Standard classes for 10 th, 11 th, and senior years

16.  If you are on the fence, aim for “balance.” Once your student is established and has developed clearer academic strengths, more rigorous classes make more sense (a bad experience in an honors class makes the student less likely to set that goal for another honors class later)  Data shows that students who are in honors classes because their parents want them there do worse than students who have the appropriate recommendations

17.  Yes, 2 credits of the same language (i.e., Spanish I and Spanish II)  However, students do not have to take foreign language their freshman year; these credits must be earned by the time a student graduates

18.  Honors and standard classes are exclusive of each other; that means a student can take Honors math, and standard everything else; or Honors Science, and standard everything else.  From year to year, a student can take more honors classes even if he/she is in standard this year  Data shows that honors classes yield higher ACT scores

19.  Freshmen can take Standard or Honors *  Advanced Placement (AP) classes are offered starting in 10 th grade  Successful score on College Board (AP) exam can equal college credit (advantage); more AP classes offered than Dual Enrollment (adv.)  AP classes require a tremendous amount of outside work (disadvantage)  Dual Enrollment classes are available to Seniors; student gets high school and college credit for the course; credits accepted at TN public colleges *Beginning 2015, World Studies includes AP Human Geography; class placement requires teacher recommendation

20.  Start with your student; in high school, students are expected to advocate for themselves—but not entirely by themselves  If you have a question about a particular class or assignment, contact the teacher directly, preferably by email (use staff directory on website)  If you are not satisfied with that answer, or you don’t get an answer, contact an administrator

21.  If you are seeking advice about your child in general (development, not transitioning well, failing all classes), contact the counselor; the counselor won’t be able to speak in detail about each class  If you want some perspective about your child and the whole high school experience, try reaching out to your child’s Advisory teacher  Other resources include: the school website; some teachers have individual websites; Online gradebook system*

22.  Note: high school teachers do not have the same schedule as middle school teachers; they are much more likely to respond by email than by phone message. Also, high school teachers do not have common planning times, so you will have to contact each teacher separately (but you only have 4 each semester).

23.  The high school has more than 20 clubs for students. Sometime in late September, 9 th graders can see all of the options during “Club Rush” week.  The high school boasts more than 15 sports in the fall, winter, and spring. Many athletes successfully participate in more than 1 sport. (Generally, sports and practices are held outside of the school day and do not take the place of a freshman class.)  The high school has the county’s largest visual and performing arts department, and all are open to freshmen. (Some may require an audition.)

24.  Data shows that students who are involved in at least 1 extracurricular activity (in or outside of school) academically far outperform students who do not participate.  Balance is the key; by the end of the freshman year, students should be able to determine their interests and strengths, and limit their activity participation to those few areas they do very well, rather than “spreading themselves too thin.”

25.  TCAP testing ends in 8 th grade  Students will take an End-of-Course exam when they complete one of the tested courses; a proficient score on the EOC must be achieved in order to receive full credit for the course towards graduation; EOC tests are for “core” classes only

26.  The primary goal of the high school is to help students achieve graduation.  Start with the teacher, then the counselor.  The counseling office has a list of recommended tutors in specific courses (including foreign languages), some of which tutor for service hours instead of money  Each academic department has established extra instruction time, usually before or after school, that is open to anyone.  Students with IEPs receive their accommodations in courses and can graduate with a regular diploma

27.  www.hendersonvillehighschool.com www.hendersonvillehighschool.com  www.explorestudent.org www.explorestudent.org