WELCOME SILVER HAWK FAMILIES!

1. WELCOME SILVER HAWKFAMILIES!

2. Tonight’s Agenda: • Important policies and procedures • Support networks • Working together to ensure success for all Silver Hawks • Personal Safety

3. Success on the Block Schedule: • Prompt and regular attendance are vital • Missing one day of school is like missing two days of class work • Your student should ask for and complete make up work in a timely manner when he/she is absent • Grades and credits count toward high school graduation and college admissions • 230 credits are required for graduation

4. Arts: 15 credits Fine Arts: 5 Applied Arts: 5 Fine or Applied Arts: 5 Economics: 5 Economic Perspectives Economics AP Macro Economics Oral Communications: 5 Oral Communications Oral Communications D Technology: 10 Human Behavior: 5 Human Behavior Psychology AP Psychology Sociology Sociology D Families & Crises Health: 2.5 Career Ed: 2.5 PE: 7.5 Science: 20 Geoscience (Earth Science): 5 Physical Science: 5 Life Science (Biology) : 10 Social Sciences: 30 Civics/(D): 5 Geography/(D): 5 Global Studies: 5 World History/(AP): US History/(AP): 10 Government & Politics/(AP): 5 English: 30 Math: 20 LPS Graduation Requirements 230 credits

5. More Important Information • 9th graders are required to eat lunch at school. Only juniors and seniors have the privilege of leaving campus during lunch. • Cell phones and iPods may be used only during passing time and at lunch. If they are used during instructional time, they will be confiscated for pick up at a later time.

6. Attendance and Credits • Please contact the attendance office within two days each time your student is absent. • After two days, any unexcused absence counts as a truancy. • Truancies can result in poor or failing grades.

7. Homework Requests • If your student has been or will be absent for two or more days, you must contact the Attendance office to request homework. • Please call school in the morning. Your student’s teachers will be contacted in order for them to have work ready. Please pick homework up in the Attendance office. • Teacher websites are a great resource for you to see assignments. • It is vital that your student complete and turn in his/her missing work when absent in order to be successful in all classes.

8. Support Networks • LSW currently offers several resources to help students achieve academic success: • Saturday School – Students can be assigned by teachers if they fall behind and/or by administration. It is also available to students who would like to use the Media Center on the weekend. • Math Help is available before and after school and is scheduled with individual teachers. Peer tutors are also available to assist students. • Individual teachers set their times of availability.

9. Academic/Career Planning Resources • Have your student log on to Career Cruising • www.careercruising.com • User ID – southwest • Password – silverhawks • Portfolio log in • User ID – Six digit student ID number • Password – Student DocuShare password

10. Silver Hawk Success • School: Provides learning opportunities • Student: Commits to learning • Parents/Guardians: Encourage students to take advantage of opportunities • Everyone works together! School Student Parent

11. Keys to School Success • Timely communication between home and school • Effective/Regular Study Habits and Times • School Involvement • Social Involvement • Students, Parents and the School must all work together to make sure this happens!

12. Timely Communication • Students: • Communicate with teachers, counselors, and parents/guardians • Use emails and websites to access school information • Parents/Guardians: • Talk with your child about his/her day • Encourage your student to be a self advocate • Please provide current email, telephone number and address on census form • Teacher voicemail is available for your convenience • Initiate communication with teachers whenever necessary

13. Timely Communication • School: • Staff can communicate with families via email, websites, phone, etc. • Staff are available before and/or after school, during parent teacher conferences and by appointment.

14. Study Habits • Student: • Be self motivated and responsible for your learning • Study, read, and review every night • Choose a place at home for study time; even when there isn’t homework • Plan ahead and make responsible choices • Access available resources (planners, teachers, websites, etc.) • Parents/Guardians: • Provide a quiet study location • Monitor your child’s study routine • Encourage child to use school resources • Help build an optimistic outlook for child’s future

15. Study Habits • School: • Provides support in and outside of the classroom • Sets a positive tone for learning. • Clearly outlines classroom, homework and grading expectations • Not all classes are homework intensive; however notes should be reviewed and studied on a regular basis.

16. School Involvement • Student: • Become involved in at least one school activity • Support fellow students by attending school events • Demonstrate school spirit and pride • Parents/Guardians: • Encourage your child to be involved in at least one school activity. Assist your student in keeping a balance of activities. • Support your child by attending his/her events • Get involved (Parent Advisory Council, chaperones, booster • clubs, etc.) • School: • Provides a variety of opportunities for all students

17. Personal Safety • Monitor your student’s behavior and balance of activities. • Become familiar with your student’s friends and associates. Talk with other parents/guardians. • Ask who, when, what and where whenever you have questions about your student’s activities. • Determine and set student behavior limits.

18. Personal Safety • Work with your student to help him/her develop and practice healthy personal hygiene habits. • Please keep your student at home if he/she is running a fever or shows other symptoms of illness.

19. CYBER SAFETY • Are you familiar with these terms? • Sexting • Cyberbullying • Are you monitoring your student’s use of communication and information technology?

20. Cyber Safety • When cyberbullying occurs, please talk with your student and get as much information as possible about the source and nature of the bullying. Save text messages if possible. • Caution your student against retaliation when cyberbullying occurs. • Counselors, administrators and our school resource officer will collaborate to address cyberbullying concerns.

21. Cyber Safety • School staff cannot control the large amount of information that is being sent electronically. • Our goal is for safety for all of our students. • Check out information that promotes cybersafety.( www.cyber-safety.com and other sites)

22. Your Counseling Center Staff • We are pleased to let you know that the same counselor will be working with your student throughout his/her time at Southwest. • We believe that working with our students in this manner will allow us to provide continuity of service to you, our families. • Counselors are assigned alphabetically by grade level.

23. Counseling Center Staff • Dr. Kirkland - A-G - dsimps@lps.org • Mr. Feeken - H-K - efeeken@lps.org • Mrs. Volker - L-P - pvolker@lps.org • Mrs. Finkhouse - Q-S – cfinkho@lps.org • Mr. Ernst - T-Z- ternst2@lps.org • Dr. Lehn - SPED students - jlehn2@lps.org • Mrs. Way - Secretary – jway@lps.org • Ms. Clare - Social Worker – nclare@lps.org

24. Don’t Leave Just Yet! • Please attend the meeting for parents/guardians of gifted students in the A118 forum. • Please attend the meeting for parents/guardians of Choir students in room E121. • Both meetings will take place at the close of this session. • Parent Teacher Conferences – 9/21 – 4-7pm

25. Finally… • Thank you for coming to our Freshman Parent/Guardian meeting!