Transcript WELCOME FRESHMAN PARENTS! Class of 2018 Goals for the Evening To help 9th grade parents:     Understand the importance of making good choices NOW. Follow a time.

WELCOME FRESHMAN
PARENTS!
Class of 2018
Goals for the Evening
To help 9th grade parents:
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Understand the importance of making good choices
NOW.
Follow a time line leading up to the college
application process.
Prepare for sophomore year.
Introduce Naviance - Family Connections.
To-do List
During 9th grade, students should consider the
following items:
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Meet with Mrs. Graham to discuss your future
plans. Review your schedule to make sure
you're enrolled in challenging classes that will
help you prepare for college.
Join a club, sport, or activity. Figure out what it
takes to acquire a leadership role.
To-do List (Continued)
During 9th grade, students should consider the
following items:
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Sign up for a community service activity.
Activate student and parent accounts in
Family Connections.
Meet with Mrs. Graham
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Sign up for an appointment that doesn’t
interfere with class time (before school,
during lunch, during study hall or after
school).
Feel free to join your child if you’d like.
Testing
No PSSAs
 Keystones for those in
Algebra II
 PSAT in October of
sophomore year
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Mid-terms and Finals
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Exams will be administered to all students in 5
subject areas (English, Math, Science, Social
Studies, and World Language)
Testing Times:
January and June
Each exam counts for 10% of final grade
Mid-terms and Finals (Cont.)
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Please keep the final exam
dates in mind when scheduling
summer vacation.
Exams cannot be given in advance,
and to earn a credit for a course, the
student must take the exam.
Classroom Testing
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Teachers will assess students frequently.
(tests and quizzes)
Do not get behind! Do not cram!
Review notes nightly.
Stay after if a teacher offers a review
session.
Academic Success
By the end of 9th grade, students have
already completed 1/3 of the academic
work that colleges consider as part of
their acceptance criteria.
Success during freshman year is
critical.
Help is Available
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Teachers are almost always after school
to provide support.
Free tutoring is offered by honor
societies.
Other tutoring services are available.
A student quote…
“It’s my first year of high
school, so I just want to
take it easy.”
Anonymous
GPA
(Grade Point Average)
GPA is a cumulative, numerical
expression of a student’s average
grades in ranked courses.
(Multiply the credit for a course by the
numerical value for the grade earned.)
GPA
A+
A
AB+
B
=
=
=
=
=
(Grade Point Average)
4.33
4.00
3.66
3.33
3.00
Example:
A- in English
3.66 x 1 credit
(take average of all
classes)
Class Rank
Rank is where a student
stands among his/her peers.
It is determined by the
degree of difficulty AND the
grade earned in a course.
Class Rank in other words…
An ‘A’ in a level 1 class is worth
more “points” than an ‘A’ in a
level 2 class but only when it
comes to class rank NOT Grade
Point Average (GPA).
GPA and College Admission
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Keep in mind, if you do poorly in one class,
your entire grade point average will go down,
even if you have good marks in everything
else.
Colleges see the grades that you earn during
freshman year. These grades count
toward the cumulative GPA (the average
of all semester grades since 9th grade).
What appears on a transcript?
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All courses including rank level
Final grades (not quarter grades)
GPA (current and cumulative)
Class rank
Attendance
Credits earned
Michael’s 9th Grade Profile
Final Course Grades:
73 80
GPA =
79 79 80
2.40
Michael’s 10th Grade Profile
Final Course Grades:
81 87
GPA =
82 85 89
2.60
Michael’s 11th Grade Profile
Final Course Grades:
86 91
GPA =
90 98 82
2.80
When Michael applies to college…
…his choices may be limited.
Aim for a GPA in the 3 – 4 range. Options
will be much greater!
HAC
(Home Access Center)
Check HAC regularly.
 Students are ultimately responsible
for their own grades.
 Use HAC to facilitate conversations
with your child.
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Course Choices
It’s okay if you don’t know exactly what
you want to do after high school---but
it’s important to make good course
choices NOW. If you hope to attend college
you should select courses that are part of the
college preparatory curriculum. The caliber of
subjects you choose and the grades you earn
become the most important record colleges use
in making admissions decisions.
(Course Selection begins in February.)
Basic Course Requirements
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4 English
4 Social Studies
3 Science
3 Math
1 additional year of math OR science
Reach second level of World Language
PE every year
Health 10th grade
Another student quote…
“I took all level ones because I
thought it would look better on
my transcript, even though I’m
getting C’s in all my classes!”
Anonymous
A Balancing Act
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Make realistic choices.
Take recommendations from teachers
seriously.
Aim to challenge yourself.
Be ready to put forth the time and effort it
takes to be successful in higher level courses.
Advanced Placement (AP)
Availability: sophomore year
Benefits: prepare for college course
work; earn credit to off-set college
course work
Weight: AP courses are weighted
higher than a regular level 1 course.
Career and Tech Ed
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Students can apply to Delaware County Technical
School toward the end of 9th grade.
DCTS offers course in a variety of areas such as
building trades, cosmetology, landscaping, medical
careers, and early childhood education.
DCTS students graduate with a Penncrest diploma.
Students can attend the presentation in December.
Extracurricular Activities
Colleges are interested in:
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Non-academic interests.
Your long-term commitment to an activity.
If you’ve made a meaningful contribution.
If you can manage your time and priorities.
Extracurricular Activities
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(Cont.)
If you haven’t already done so, make
sure to join a sport, club, or activity.
Don’t join too many at once---focus on
your ability to make a long-term
commitment to only a few.
Aim for leadership roles.
Service Requirements
All Penncrest students are required
to participate in at least 2 school
service activities and at least 2
community service activities
before graduation. This is
equivalent to 1 activity per year.
Service Requirements
(Cont.)
School Service (2): Participation in a
club, sport, or activity counts as a school
service. Office aides also get credit.
Community Service (2): Volunteerism
outside of school counts as community
service. There is no specific time
requirement.
Community Service
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Once an activity is completed, retrieve a pink
card from the guidance office or the main office.
You must have the activity coordinator’s
signature to earn credit for the service.
Opportunities for service are advertised on
Penncrest’s website (“Curriculum” link), on the
desk in the 10 / 12 office, and on morning
announcements.
NCAA
The National Collegiate Athletic Association
has eligibility requirements for student
athletes who wish to play sports at the
Division 1 or Division 2 level:
 a minimum GPA of 2.0
 at least 14 specific core courses
Please let Mrs. Graham and your coach
know if you are interested in playing
sports at the college level.
Work Experience
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Working, whether paid or volunteer, can
help a student identify career interests and
goals. It’s also a good way to start
earning money for college.
Students should periodically check the job
board in the Career Center.
Obtaining Working Papers
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Students must be at least 14 years old in order
to secure a part-time or vacation certificate for
work done after school or during vacation including summer vacation.
Papers may be obtained in the Main Office (8:30
- noon). See Mrs. Kilpatrick. Bring a proof of age
such as a birth certificate or passport.
Job Shadowing
Arrange for a job shadowing experience
during sophomore year.
POWR---Penncrest Opportunities for
Workplace Relationships
 Mrs. Louise Naismith is located in the Career Center.
 She can arrange job shadowing.
 To set up an appointment, contact her at 610-6276344 or [email protected].
Behavioral Expectations
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It is our job as an institution of education to
prepare you for life after Penncrest High School.
Follow the rules and respect yourself and others.
Teachers and administrators are more likely to
give you a recommendation for a job or college if
you are in good disciplinary standing.
Behavioral Expectations
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Make Twitter, Instagram, and Facebook
accounts private.
Make sure posts are free of
inappropriate comments, pictures, and
bullying.
Sophomore Interview
You will meet with your counselor
during the spring of 10th grade.
Items discussed will include
general information about college
searches, college visits, course
choices, and academic progress.
Counselors for Grades 10 - 12
A-D
E-K
L–Q
R–Z
Mr. David Harple
Mrs. Lori Rice-Spring
Ms. Karen Kerr
Mrs. Helen DouglassGarrett
NAVIANCE: Family Connections
http://connection.naviance.com/penncrest
Every Penncrest student has an account. This
program is designed to serve the needs of
students and parents as they go through the
entire college planning timeline.
NAVIANCE: Family Connections
Program Features
College Search
Scholarship Search
Career and Personality Inventories
Organizer for college acceptances, test scores,
extracurricular involvement, letters of
recommendation, etc.
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How do you register?
 Students received a registration code
 Parents received a separate registration code
 Registration codes are used to create accounts
 Codes are random and alphanumeric for security reasons
 Codes can be used only once
 Naviance can be reached by going to the Penncrest homepage
and clicking on the link on the right hand side
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New User Registration Page
Enter
Registration
Code
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Complete the Registration
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Common questions
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How much homework should I have each night?
Am I responsible for make-up work when I’m out
and how do I get it?
How do I find out about clubs and activities to
join?
Do my grades count?
Contact Information
Mrs. Graham
 610-627-6207
 [email protected]
Have a great year!