1. Welcome Freshman Families! LSW…Committed to lifelong learning and collaboration with families, school staff and our community. 1

2. Tonight’s Agenda Meet the Counseling Center staff Keeping in contact Upcoming Events Graduation requirements Graduation Demonstration Exams College Access information SHOS Gifted Program information 2

3. Counseling Center Staff A-G: Dr. Simpson-Kirkland * dsimps@lps.orgdsimps@lps.org H-K: Mr. Feeken * efeeken@lps.orgefeeken@lps.org L-P: Mrs. Volker * pvolker@lps.orgpvolker@lps.org Q-S: Mrs. Finkhouse * cfinkho@lps.orgcfinkho@lps.org T-Z: Mr. Ernst * ternst2@lps.orgternst2@lps.org SPED ~ A-Z: Dr. Lehn * jlehn2@lps.orgjlehn2@lps.org Secretary: Mrs. Way * jway@lps.orgjway@lps.org Registrar: Mrs. Carman * ccarman@lps.orgccarman@lps.org Social Worker: Ms. Clare * nclare@lps.orgnclare@lps.org 3 I’ll have the same counselor during my 4 years of high school.

4. Counseling Center Staff Our staff is concerned about your student’s success and well being. We are committed to working in cooperation with you, your student and your student’s teachers. Please be sure to talk with your student and learn about his/her school experiences. We will be working with our freshmen in small groups. We will begin meeting with students after the beginning of term 2. 4 I’ll have the same counselor during my 4 years of high school.

5. Keeping in Contact The best information about your student’s progress in class will come directly from your student’s teachers. Counseling Center - http://lsw.lps.org/ Pinnacle Internet Viewer – http://lps.org/parents/ 5 I can check my grades on-line!

6. Keeping in Contact ZOHO - https://creator.zoho.com/ternst/parent- student contact/form- perma/parent_studentcontact/ https://creator.zoho.com/ternst/parent- student contact/form- perma/parent_studentcontact/ ZOHO access information is available on the Southwest Counseling Center website: http://isite.lps.org/pvolker/web/ 6 Text messages from the Counseling Center? AWESOME!!

7. Upcoming Events Parent/ Teacher conferences – September 19 4-7 pm Graduation Demonstration Exams – Writing – September 28, 29 and October 6 Reading – October 5 Freshman /counselor small group meetings will begin after October 18 th. 7 I need to use my planner to write down these dates.

8. LSW Departments Art Business English Family & Consumer Science Industrial Technology Mathematics Media Music PE & Health Science Social Studies Special Education World Languages 8

9. LPS Graduation Requirements Arts: 20 credits Fine Arts: 5 Applied Arts/CTE: 5 Fine or Applied Arts/CTE: 10 Economics: 5 credits Economic Perspectives Economics AP Macro Economics Technology: 5 credits Human Behavior: 5 credits Human Behavior Psychology/AP Psychology Sociology(D) Families & Crises Health: 2.5 credits 5 credits @ LSW Career Ed: 2.5 credits 5 credits @LSW PE: 10 credits Science: 30 credits Geoscience (Earth Science): 5 Physical Science: 5 Life Science (Biology) : 10+ additional Science courses Social Sciences: 30 credits Civics/(D): 5 Geography/(D): 5 Global Studies: 5 World History/(AP): 10 AP Human Geography: 10 US History/(AP): 10 Government & Politics/(AP): 5 English: 40 credits Includes Oral Comm/D Math: 30 credits Includes Algebra and Geometry Total credits: 245 9

10. Graduation Demonstration Exams 10 All students are required to pass Graduation Demonstration exams in Reading and Writing in order to graduate. The Reading Graduation exam verifies vocabulary knowledge and reading comprehension skills. The Writing Demonstration exam verifies writing and editing skills.

11. Graduation Demonstration Exams 11 Students will demonstrate their Math proficiency by successfully completing coursework in Algebra. Students are encouraged to complete 4 years of Math during high school. Most colleges/universities require successful completion of 4 years of Math.

12. College Access-Know How 2 Go EducationQuest.org High School graduation and college/university admissions requirements are not the same. Colleges/universities require more advanced academic work completion. Students will need to take either the ACT or SAT college entrance examination. It is never to early to begin planning for life after LSW. Educational Planning I can check out KnowHow2Go.org for college planning info. 12

13. SHOS Information 13 SHOS: Silverhawks Helping Other Silverhawks A student-centered, student-led transition program for all LSW 9 th graders to: Mentor & build relationships with upperclassmen Encourage sense of safety, connection, & academic success SHOS begins Freshman Day and continues on Tuesdays during Term 1 @ 2 p.m. Questions? See Mrs. Finkhouse – cfinkho@lps.org

14. Thank you for your time! The sky is the limit! Go Hawks! 14 LSW - Soaring to Success It’s going to be a great year !

15. Gifted Program Information Mrs. Roeber - Gifted Facilitator sroeber@lps.org Differentiated vs. Regular Instruction Differentiated course load for freshmen Mr. Raatz – rraatz@lps.org Differentiated vs. AP Classes 15