M-A 9th Grade Parent Night (Class of 2020)

Hosted by the M-A Guidance Department,Counselors Jason Kubo & Megan CorazzaSeptember 20th, 2016

Session Agenda

● Introductions & Welcome

● Graduation Requirements

● Top 5 M-A facts

● Tips for Academic Success & a Positive High School

Transition

● M-A P.R.I.D.E.

● Brief Questions & Answers (please utilize note cards to prepare

questions for conclusion of the presentation.*)

●

M-A Guidance Department Counselors are assigned by

Student's last name,

A-Cap Megan Corazza

Car-Fa Karina Escobar-Weaver*

Fe-Go Silvia Torres Garza*

Gr-K Laura Duran

L-Mi Claudia Gonzalez*

Mo-Ra Lara Sandora

Re-S Francine Andrade*

T-Z Jason Kubo

Back row: Gonzalez, Duran, Andrade, Sandora Front row: Corazza, Escobar, Torres, Kubo

The role of a Guidance Counselor

● The M-A Guidance counselors strive to support your student’s development of self advocacy skills, access of school supports and creation of post secondary education plans & goals.

● Counselors assist in coordination of parent teacher meetings, Student Study Team (SST) meetings and annual 504 meetings (if applicable).

● Counselors deliver small group, classroom guidance lessons and curriculum to all students addressing students’ academic, college & career and personal (social) development.

● Counselors direct students to resources, host one on one academic, college and personal meetings as necessary.

● Counselors are assigned 350+ students, per the Foundation’s generous support of 2 additional counselors, and work diligently to support students & families needs.

Additional Resources at M-A

● Student Services Center (B-20) with Miki Cristerna & Lily Quinonez; M-A

numerous parent information nights throughout the school year as well as

opportunities for families to be involved in the community.

● The College & Career Center (Ms. Nguyen) hosts information events for families for post secondary planning as well provides college counseling for students.

● School platforms such as School Loop, Infinite Campus, MABEARS.org are web based resources that give students real time information regarding grades, attendance, academic history and have tools to assist in academic/college planning.

● BearNews and School Loop email communications are information circulators to keep families up to date.

School Year Timeline

● Progress Report - Progress grades are submitted every 6 weeks (review via

School Loop or Infinite Campus (IC).

● Quarter Grades (2.5 Credits) - October 21st: PE, Life Skills and World Studies 1.

● Semester Grades (5 Credits) - December 21st.

● Final Exams - Last week of the semester December 15th-21st, 2 hour finals per

subject.

Quarter 1 Quarter 2

Semester 1 (Aug 17th-Dec 21st) Semester 2 (Jan 12th-June 8th)

Quarter 3 Quarter 4

M-A Graduation Requirements- Credits

▪ Students are required to earn at least 220 credits to grade.

▪ Students have ample opportunities to accrue credits; since most students earn 60 credits per year (6 yr long courses) X 4 = 240 credits.

▪ A failed class (“F”) does not earn credit and must be repeated until it is passed.

▪ Students will only receive credit once, if the student has earned a “D” or higher.

▪ Students are strongly encouraged to “makeup” grades of D+ and lower as to maintain A-G admission eligibility (for the public universities in California, UCs & CSUs)

M-A Graduation Requirements

▪ Students must complete the M-A graduation requirements to earn a diploma.

▪ All students are strongly encouraged to additionally meet the A-G eligibility requirements for California public universities (UCs/CSUs-4 yrs)

▪ Students must enroll in a full schedule of 6 periods*

▪ Students are encouraged to take additional coursework beyond the graduation & A-G requirements to be well prepared for Postsecondary studies and life after high school.

Subject M-A Grad Requirements

UC/CSU A-G Eligibility

English 4 yrs 4 yrs

Social Studies 3.5 yrs 2 yrs*

Math 2 yrs (Alg I)* 3 yrs (Geometry & Algebra II req)*

Science 2 yrs (Bio)* 2 yrs (2 lab sciences)*

Fine Arts 1 yr 1 yr

PE 2 yrs not required

World Language Level 3 or CTE (Career Tech Ed.)

1 yr 2 yrs of a world language

General Elective 62.5 credits 1 yr*

total # credits 220 credits not specified

M-A Graduation Requirements-Courses

■ English - 40 credits

9th grade English I 10 credits10th grade English II 10 credits11th grade English III 10 credits12th grade English IV 10 credits

*AS English I, II, III, AP English Composition (11th), Creative Writing (12), & AP English Literature (12th) meet the English course requirements for graduation.

■ Social Studies - 35 credits9th grade -World Studies 2 5 credits

10th grade - Modern European History or AP European History 10

credits

11th grade - US History or AP US History 10 credits

12th grade - Government/Economics 5 credits each

M-A Graduation Requirements-Courses

■ Math - 20 creditsOne year must be Algebra I

■ Science - 20 creditsOne year must be a Lab Science (Biology)

*We encourage students to exceed the graduation requirements for Math & Science and take 4 years respectively of courses aligned with ability and interest.

■ Visual or Performing Arts - 10 credits

■ Career Technical Education (CTE) -10 creditsORWorld Language Level 3 or higher - 10 credits

M-A Graduation Requirements-P.E.

■ Physical Education-20 credits required

▪ 10 credits will be completed this year (9th grade).

▪ Physical Fitness Test (PFT) – Students must pass 5 of 6 tests. The test is given to students in March. *Students who do not pass the test will be enrolled in PE-2 in the 10th grade (regardless of participation in sports).

M-A Graduation Requirements-P.E. continued

■ Physical Education - 20 credits

Options for completing the 2nd year of PE….▪ Take a PE class at M-A▪ Participation in M-A sports 10th-12th grade

A student who earns all their 9th grade PE credits (10) and plays 3 seasons of a sport between grades 10-12 (10.5) will have their PE requirement met.

- Participation in sports in the 9th grade do not meet the PE requirement

▪ Participation in M-A competitive cheerleading and dance▪ PE classes at a community college▪ Online PE

See PE Options list at- http://www.mabears.org/documents/11guidancefix11/peoptions.pdf

Top 5 Facts about M-A’s graduation requirements

Fact # 1: A quarter class is worth 2.5 credits (PE, Life Skills, World Studies 1) - A semester class is worth 5 credits, and a year long class is worth 10 credits. *Most 9th grade students earn 30 credits at the first semester, 60 credits at the end of the academic year.

Fact # 2: For 10th grade standing a student should have 60 credits.

Fact # 3: Grades and courses are NEVER removed from the transcript.

Fact # 4: The M-A cumulative GPA includes all semester grades in all courses for the full 4 years. (*yes, the first year-9th grade counts!)

Fact # 5: To be eligible to participate in sports, students must maintain a 2.0 weighted GPA or better and have earned grade level standing in credits.

Supporting your 9th grade student’s SUCCESS*

*Establish organization

plan

*Create long & short term

planning (study) calendars

*Confirm planner or alternate

system to note assignments, tests (+ study

time), etc.

* Review subject binders, notes and reassess

organizational plan.

Step 1-Organization

*Review School Loop weekly to

confirm progress & attendance.

*Encourage your student to speak

directly with teachers & utilize

After School Tutoring

lab/Writing Center.

*Utilize Infinite Campus (IC),

mabears.org to review academic

history and school

calendars.

Step 2 Title

* Students should

investigate their interests by

joining a club or sports team; makes M-A

seem “smaller”

*Get involved in your community

through volunteerism,

work or internship

opportunities (counts for

college!)

Step 3 Title

*If your student is having

difficulty, talk to teachers &

counselor to develop a plan of

action.

*Develop short term & long term

goals for high school and post

secondary (college/career)

Step 4 Title

Step 2-Utilize School

Resources

Step 3-Get

involved

Step 4-Re-

Assess

Additional Organization & Communication notes...

● M-A Planner: Students should be using it daily to note assignments + review school calendar (embedded in the pages of the planner)

● School Loop: Students should login at least once per week; parents should also check in on your student’s progress & attendance. An app is available for mobile devices

● BearNotes: sign up for this PTA e-newsletter to stay informed about schedule changes, events, etc.

● Email teachers: if there is an issue in class, before contacting our office we recommend contacting teachers first (first initial last name@seq.org or search the mabears.org staff directory)

After School Tutoring & Writing Center

Monday-Thursday

3:15 pm – 4:30 pm

Math: F-16

Science: F-11

English: F-17

Social Studies: F-18

Writing Center: F-9 (also available some mornings)

Miscellaneous (Important) Notes

● Attendance - Please be sure to call the attendance office anytime your child is not in school or is delayed due to an appointment, (650)322-5311 x 50101 (Ms. Gonzalez)

● Health / Injuries - Please notify the health office anytime your child has an injury documented by his or her doctor. (650)322-5311 x 50129 (Ms. Edgington)

● Concurrent Enrollment - Prior to taking classes outside of M-A, please discuss the concurrent enrollment process with your child's guidance counselor and review the district guidelines @ seq.org.

(link to Concurrent Enrollment form)

Post Secondary Planning

● Beyond maintaining strong academic progress, we encourage students to have extracurricular involvement; students should be involved in SOMETHING, not EVERYTHING, sports, art, service, work, clubs, etc.

● All 9th grade students will visit a local college campus on the morning of Wednesday, October 19th for M-A College & Career Day to give an opportunity to see a university community; please be sure to complete a permission slip (online) for your student.

● In the 2nd quarter, the Counselors will introduce, Naviance (a web based college/career/personal planning platform) to your student. We will review the features of the program as well as complete a career interest inventory as well as future courses of study aligned with the results*

M-A P.R.I.D.E.P atience: Be patient with the process, yourself,

and others.R espect: Your respect for others is a reflection

of your strength. I ntegrity: Do the right thing, do your own work.D etermination: Dream big and work to get

there.E mpathy: Treat others the way you want to be

treated

M-A College & Career Day 2016Wednesday, October 19th

*Please be sure to complete the permission slip asap for your student as so they can participate in the activities.

DIRECTIONS: Navigate to MABEARS.ORG > Click Permission Slip Link for College and Career Day

Questions & Answers Session

Please pass your note cards forward or hand them in at the conclusion of the presentation to be addresses via email.

The Foundation has generously supported the Guidance Office by funding two of our eight counselors.

Without Foundation support, our counselor to student ratio would be more than 550:1, instead of less than 400:1.

*A big thank you to the M-A Foundation!