8 th Grade Parent Meeting

1. 8th Grade Parent Meeting

2. Getting Ready for HS

3. Begin Your Journey With the End in Mind! • Every step beyond high school requires a high school diploma – Military; Technical School; College • Where do want YOUR journey to end?

4. Organize for Success! • Use some system – Folders; Spirals; Binders; Calendars • Study DAILY & divide study time into increments • Take advantage of tutorials • Stay on Target

5. High School Policies • Must attend 90% of class days for credit • UIL Rules in Academic Planning Guide (APG) • Seven period school day (7:30-2:30) • 7 periods over 4 years = 28 possible credits • Work must be turned in on time

6. Freshman Year Timeline • August- Orientation/Fishcamp • September- Open House, College Night, Club and Organization Fair • October- Explore Test • End of First Semester- Final Exams • January/February- Review 4-year plan/Explore Results begin making selections for sophomore courses • March-April- Begin reviewing college websites • April-May- End of Course Exams • May- Review Summer School options (acceleration)

7. GRADE Policies Progress reports at the end of each 3 weeks Report cards issued every 9 weeks Final course grade must be 70 or better to earn credit Students are promoted to the next grade, based on the number of credits earned. In order to be classified as a sophomore students must earn 6.0 credits

8. MISD Grade Point System Weighted system More grade points are awarded for Pre-AP and AP courses Subject to Change Freshmen courses are foundational to a strong GPA throughout HS

9. GPA & Class Rank The GPA = (all grade points / number of courses) Rank is based on GPA Grade pts are based on semester average Grades below 70 earn 0 grade pts!

10. Semester Averaging May restore credit for a failed 1st semester course if the average of 1st and 2nd semesters grades is equal to 70 or better Cannot average summer school with regular school grades

11. Academic Planning

12. Requirements for Graduation:see Academic Planning Guide • 4 credits English • 4 credits Math • 4 credits Science • 4 credits Social Studies • 2 years of the same Language Other Than English • 1 credit Fine Arts • .5 credit Professional Communications • .5 credit Health • 1 credit P.E. or Athletics • 5 credits of electives 26 Credits TOTAL

13. Recommended Vs. DAP Both Plans Require: • 26 credits total • Passing scores on End of Course Exams Distinguished Achievement Plan ALSO requires: • One of your electives must be a 3rd year of your current world language • IPC and Math Models cannot be used as core credits on the DAP • You must complete any combination of 4 of the following advanced measures: • Original Research Project • Test Data (AP Exam with 3 or higher) • College Courses (Eng, Gov or Econ) with grade of 80+ Additional Details in the Academic Planning Guide.

14. Pre-AP Expectations • Preparation for college level courses (AP or Dual Credit) • Advanced coursework requires significant additional preparation outside of the school day • Heavy emphasis on critical reading (silent, sustained reading), writing, and higher order thinking skills. Summer reading may be required (see APG) • Requires strong organizational and time management skills • These courses have “open” enrollment, but there are strict guidelines in the APG regarding policies and procedures for the course

15. So, how many advanced courses should be taken? Students and parents should carefully consider: • Student abilities and previous performance • Student interest in a particular discipline • Involvement in extracurricular activities • Time requirement for each class

16. Ways to Get Ahead

17. Summer School 1st sem: usually three weeks in June (dates TBD) 2nd sem: usually three weeks in July (dates TBD) only one semester per session $$$ TBD Limited course selections. Check with MS counselors in May Possible courses for acceleration: Fine Arts PE Communications

18. Online Courses • Current Course Offerings: Health Psychology First available in the spring of junior year: Government Economics • If you are interested in taking a course online, stop by your CURRENT counseling office in May to pick up an application!

19. Early Graduation The state currently offers a $2000 scholarship for students graduating in 36 months or less; There is a $500 scholarship for graduating in 41 months or less. If you are interested, plan ahead and meet with your HS counselor before the end of 9th grade

20. Parent Information • Communication • Sign up for Email Distribution List • Check out the Website • Progress reports are distributed every 3 weeks to students (and available on the HAC) • Report cards are distributed at the end of each quarter • Look for the Teacher Syllabi & Contact Information

21. College Planning

22. Successful College Planning • Register for challenging classes • Earn high grades. Remember, freshman year will make up 1/3 of the GPA you will use to apply to college • Read! And, learn to write well – Essays are HUGE! • Get Involved! School sponsored activities are a must! Growth and leadership in a few is better than “so-so” participation in many! • Give back to your community – Volunteer! • Document activities, awards, honors, extracurricular and volunteer activities for college resume • Create connections with teachers and counselors – Recommendation letters are often required. • Search for your passion(s) in life!

23. SAT or ACT scores GPA Rank Difficulty of courses Essays Extracurricular Activities Community service Letters of recommendation Interview WHAT COLLEGES LOOK FOR • Remember, if you rank in the Top 10% (or 9% at UT) of your graduating class, you are guaranteed automatic admission to the Texas public school, not major, of your choice • Research potential colleges thoroughly! Each one is different!

24. Questions? Have a Great Year