1 freshman focus checklist making your freshman year count

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Freshman Focus Checklist

Making Your Freshman Year Count

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS FACTORS

Get Great GradesGet InvolvedGet Connected to Online ResourcesGet Goals

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Great Grades

Learn Classroom Policies, Procedures and Expectations Develop good Study Habits

• Use an assignment planner• Plan/track for major projects• Keep Organized (homework, notes, classroom materials)

Keep the right Attitude • Diligence - The hand of the diligent will rule, But the lazy man will be put to

forced labor. Proverbs 12:24

• Perseverance - Perseverance must finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything. James 1:4

• Humility - Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.” 1 Peter 5:5

Keep a good Balance of academic and extra-curricular activities = GRADES COME FIRST

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FOCUS: Get Great Grades (cont’d) BUILD a great Grade Point Average (G.P.A.): How your G.P.A. is calculated

Grade Grade Point Meaning

100-90% A 5.0 Excellent

89-80% B 4.0 Surpassing

79-70% C 3.0 Satisfactory

69-60% F 0.0 Failing

•Advanced Placement (AP) classes are offered to Juniors and Seniors to build a higher G.P.A. •AP testing guidelines are explained in the CCS Student Handbook. Your teacher can recommend which classes/tests you should take.

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FOCUS: Get Great Grades (cont’d) Daily Work Tests Quizzes Projects

U.S. History 10% 60% 30% (count as a test grade)

Anatomy 15% 55% 30% -

Hermeneutics 10% 40% 40% 10%

Geometry 25% 50% 15% (count as a test grade)

Class.Literature Approx 25% (point system)

Approx 50% (point system)

Approx 25% (point system)

-

Spanish I 25% 50% 25% -

•How your Class Grade is Calculated:

•All students must have two (2) Physical Education (P.E.) credits to graduate from CCS (sports or P.E. classes).

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FOCUS: Get Great Grades (cont’d)

Qtr 1 Qtr 2 Semester Exam

Semester 1 Grade

Semester 2 Grade

Transcript Grade

40% 40% 20% Avg of (Q1+Q2+ Sem Exam)

Avg of (Q1+Q2+ Sem Exam)

Avg of

(Sem 1+ Sem 2)

•How your Semester and Transcript Grades are calculated:

•Building a great transcript is WISE. Start early! •Colleges care about your Freshman year and every year on your high school transcript. Grades for every test, quiz, daily work and project contributes to the grade shown on your transcript.

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Involved (Extra-curricular Activities)

In-School Activities – using your GIFTS and TALENTS from the LORD

• Athletics* (Varsity and Junior Varsity)• Student Government (S.G.A) • Arts (Drama, Art Class)• Clubs (e.g. Interact, F.C.A) • Volunteer Opportunities (e.g. Sports Scoreboard). See Mrs.

Mintz for volunteer jobs at CCS.

• Jobs (start small with jobs like mopping floors). See Mr. Minor for paid jobs at CCS.

* Please note: All CCS students must maintain a G.P.A. of 2.5 or above to participate in extra-curricular activities)

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Involved (cont’d)

• CCS H.S. Athletic Offerings (Varsity Teams)

Fall Winter Spring

Cross-country (Co-ed)

Football (Men)

Soccer (Men)

Tennis (Women

Volleyball (Women)

Basketball (Men & Women)

Swimming (Co-ed)

Baseball (Men)

Golf (Men)

Lacrosse (Men)

Soccer (Women)

Tennis (Men)

Track (Co-ed)

•CCS H.S. Athletic Offerings (Junior Varsity Teams)

Fall Winter Spring

Volleyball (Women) Basketball (Men & Women) None

•See the school website for the latest athletic information. Game schedules and venues can be found at www.highschoolsports.net.

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Outside-School Activities – using your GIFTS and TALENTS from the LORD

• Athletics (e.g. CASL, USTA, AAU)

• Student Government (e.g.Town of Cary Teen Council)

• Arts (e.g. Raleigh Little Theatre)

• Clubs (e.g. 4H, Scouting)

• Volunteer Opportunities (e.g. Meals on Wheels, Rex VolunTEENs, Nursing Homes, serving in your church nursery)

• Jobs (start small with jobs like pet-sitting, child-care or lawn care) or try Job Shadowing.

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Get a LOG to TRACK your activity and begin building your Resume.

Student Name Fall Winter Spring Summer

Academics

Athletics

Activities

Leadership

Volunteer/ Work

• A great Resume opens doors of opportunity for you.

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RENWEB, RENWEB, RENWEB

• Go to school website and logon to RENWEB to see your daily homework assignments.

Get onto College Board.com (www.collegeboard.com)

• Explore the website to begin preparing for the SAT

• Locate the “My Organizer Tool” and create a free account

• Get the SAT Question of the Day sent to your email Click the “For Students” tab

Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Connected to online Resources

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Connected (cont’d)

Get onto the ACT Test website and sign up for an ACT Student Web Account (www.actstudent.org)

• Go to the Test Prep page and get the ACT “Question of the Day”

• Get onto Number2.com for SAT Skills (with coaching)Get a Great Vocabulary – helps with writing essays and

understanding written material • Get the Word of the Day added to your YAHOO home page.• Use your daily CCS reading to build your vocabulary and

look up vocabulary unfamiliar to you.• Read, Read, Read: Read for your pleasure in the areas of

your interest (e.g. Periodicals, Novels, Bible, other books)

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Goals

Set realistic goals for your grades and activities Get a peek at a College Freshman Profile

• What does a typical college freshman look like on paper? (see the Resource Page of this presentation)

Explore your personal interests as time permits (summer, breaks)

Look for opportunities to get exposure to your interests– Camps– Summer Programs

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Making Your Freshman Year Count FOCUS: Get Wise Counsel

Get Help if needed– Your Teachers want to see your best performance and

they will help you achieve it.

– Math Study Hall

– Parents and tutors

– Online help (e.g. Math tutorials)

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• Ask, and it will be given to you;

• Seek, and you will find;

• Knock, and it will be opened to you. 10 For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks

finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened. Luke 11:9-10

ASK continually to receive wisdom from God

Primary Sources: God’s Word and the Holy Spirit, Parents, Pastors, Authorities

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Get Understanding• Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom:

and with all your getting get understanding. Proverbs 4:7

• Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge Him and he shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5

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Resources

• Cary Visual Arts: www.townofcary.org

• Raleigh Little Theater: www.raleighlittletheatre.org

• Rex VolunTEEN program: www.rexhealth.com/Staff_and_Volunteers/Volunteers/volunteen.asp

• College Board: www.collegeboard.com

• ACT Test: www.actstudent.org• NCAA Eligibility - www.eligibilitycenter.org• Freshmen Profiles

– UNC Chapel Hill: www.admissions.unc.edu/ask_carolina.html?id=227 – N.C. State:

www.admissions.ncsu.edu/how-apply/admission-profile/pdf/facts.pdf– Elon University: www.elon.edu/e-web/admissions/snapshot.xhtml– Grove City University: www.gcc.edu/Freshman_Profile.php

1 freshman focus checklist making your freshman year count

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