Student Services DepartmentRiverside Brookfield High School

September 16, 2014

Freshman Focus:How to Help Your Child

Have a Successful High School Experience

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1. Share who we are and how we can provide guidance and support to you and your student

2. Provide you with specific tips on course selection, 4-year academic plans, and post-secondary planning

3. Introduce you to Naviance, our primary resource and planning tool used with students

4. Provide you with suggestions on how to help your student transition to high school and have academic and personal success

Freshman Focus Goals

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Director: Beth AugustineCounselors: Melissa Carey, Jim Franko, Maggie

Leiteritz, Mike Reingruber, & Renee Thomas (Gina Tauer – Sub)

Social Workers: Mari Mortensen & Chrissy TappertSchool Psychologist: Johanna Bruckner (LADSE)Department Assistant – April EnglehartCounselor Intern: Kate O’DonnellSocial Worker Interns – Rachel Petchenik & Bridget

McLaughlin

School Psych Intern: Erin Sharkey (LADSE)Pillars Counselor: Mark Maciuszek

The Student Services Department Team

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Freshman YearAugust – Small Group Meetings1st Semester– Individual Appointments as

Needed, Naviance Training (Career Profiler) Goal Setting & Develop 4-Year Plans

November– Small Group Pre-Course Selections Meetings

December – Individual Appointments for Course Selection for 2015-16

Spring – Small Group Meetings (Career Cluster Finder & Resume Builder)

Counselor Contact

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Total credits needed for graduation = 22

English – 4.0Math – 3.0Science – 3.0Social Science – 3.0

Western Civilization or AP European History - 1.0US History – 1.0US Government - .50Global Area Studies A or B - .50 (or 4 years of World Lang)Consumer Economic or Economics .50 or AP

Microeconomics and AP Macroeconomics – 1.0

Graduation Requirements

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Cultural & Applied Studies – 2.0 Applied Arts, Fine Arts or World Language .50 Fine Arts Survey (or 4 years of one area of

concentration within Fine Arts OR .50 of a performing arts and .50 of a visual arts)

Health Education – .50Physical Education – 3.50Additional Electives – 2.50

Graduation Requirements Continued

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16 Career Clusters – Links what students learn in school with the knowledge and skills they need for success in college & careers

Consider Fine Arts & Applied Arts courses.Focus on 21st century workplace skills:

InventiveResourcefulImaginativeCreative

Making the Most of Elective Courses

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Fine Arts ElectivesArt

Drawing & Painting

PhotographyDigital ImagingCeramics

MusicBand/OrchestraChoir

DanceTechniqueChoreography

TheaterActing &

DirectingImprovisation &

Sketch Comedy

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Applied Arts Electives

Business & TechnologyComputers AppsComputer AnimationGraphic ArtsWeb Design

Family & Consumer ScienceFoods & NutritionChild Development

Industrial TechnologyAutomotiveConstruction

Technology EducationDrafting/CADCareer Drafting

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4-Year Academic PlanFreshman Year

1. English2. Math3. Science4. Western

Civ./Reading5. PE6. Elective *7. Elective

*World Language

Sophomore Year1. English2. Math3. Science4. PE/Health5. Economics/Elective6. Elective *7. Elective

*World LanguageWestern Civ./AP Euro.Driver’s Education

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4-Year Academic Plan Continued

Junior Year1. English2. Math3. Science4. US History5. PE/PE6. CAP/Elective7. Elective **

**World Language

Senior Year1. English2.

Government/Elective

3. Math (Elective)4. Science (Elective)5. World Language or

Area Studies6. PE/PE7. Elective

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November 3rd Curriculum Guide AvailableNovember 24th – 25th Pre-Course Selection

Meetings A PowerPoint will be available on the website.

December - Teacher RecommendationsStudents/parents will have an opportunity to change

a level recommendation.December 1st – 12th Course Selection Appointments

Students should have a completed registration form with alternative classes and a parent’s signature.

April - Course verifications letters are mailed homeOnly changes due to errors will be made.

Course Selection for 2015-16 School Year

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Health is offered in summer school. Fine Arts Survey is generally offered in the

summer and we offer a proficiency exam twice a year.

Encourage a rigorous academic schedule but one that allows for extracurricular involvement.

Taking a study hall can be a good option.Suggest an elective course outside of

your student’s interest. Check college World Language requirements.

Helpful 4-Year Planning Tips

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Web-based college research and planning tool for students, parents, and school counselors.

The site manages individual students through the entire college planning, application and decision process.

Students can search and explore careers, take interest inventories, manage course planning and search for college and scholarships.

Account Information:Students – October Parents – November

Naviance – A Valuable Resource

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Course Planning

Students can search descriptions of classes offered at RB and add them to their interesting courses to take in the future.

Students will enter their 4-year course plan while meeting with their counselors during registration appointments in January.

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Career Interest Profiler

Students can view matching occupations based on their results. They can then research majors related to that career and receive a list of colleges that offer that major.

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Building a Resume

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Scattergram – Northern Illinois University

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Scattergram – University of Illinois

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Take a rigorous high school curriculum.Get the best grades possible. (Colleges look

at freshman year more than senior year.)Take advantage of test prep for the ACT/SAT.Get involved – extra curricular activitiesVolunteer – Keep track of service hours.Balance – Use free time to read and explore.Colleges want interesting people who are

prepared for college and will work hard.

How to be College Ready

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Sophomores and ParentsTuesday, October 14th – 7pm to 8pm

Freshmen and ParentsTuesday, November 11th – 7pm to 8pm

Juniors and ParentsTuesday, March 10th – 7pm to 8pm

College Planning Tips

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All Juniors have had access to take CAP – (College Admissions Prep) 4 rotations (English, Reading, Math & Science) Semester-long, Year-long 0r before or after school Scores usually improve between 2-3 points

Explore January - 8th Grade Placement Exam

PLAN March – Freshman Year

PSAT October - Sophomore and/or Junior Year

(not mandatory)

ACT Spring – Sophomore Year (Practice) November– Junior Year (Practice) March – Junior Year (Provided by the state)

Standardized Testing at RB

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Parents tend to visit school less as their children get older, but parents are needed even more.

Attend…MeetingsSporting EventsFine Arts EventsOpen HousesGuest Speaker EventsParent/Teacher ConferencesStudent Services College Programming Events

Subscribe to the daily bulletin and mention events in your conversations with your children.

Transition Time for Parents

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Organization is the foundation of academic success

and we recommend that you assist your child with…Backpack/book bag organizationLocker useIntervene when necessaryDaily checking of plannerSkyward, understand the systemHomework routine

WhenWhere

Praise the positive

Monitor Schoolwork at Home

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Electronics need sleep too!TextingI-podsInternetSocial media

Multi-Media Usage

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Listen more and talk less.Share something from your day.Have daily schedule “face” time.Create security and reassurance.Post a family calendar.Celebrate all that is good.

Staying Connected

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Know who they are; they reflect your child’s view of him/herself.

Ask for a friend’s cell number that you can call in case of an emergency.

Show a genuine interest in their friends.

Be careful not to prematurely criticize peers

Their Friends, Their World

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The Scary Stuff…Drugs/Alcohol/Sex

Accept that while you cannot control their every choice, they will benefit from hearing your clear expectations.

We are here to assist you if you have concerns about your child’s well-being. We can help with referrals to community services.

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Here are several reliable resources to consider when talking with your teen about decisions regarding:

Sexuality and relationships. http://health.howstuffworks.com/pregnancy-and-parenting/teenage-health/10-tips-for-talking-

to-teens-about-sex.htm#page=

http://www.webmd.com/parenting/features/talk-your-teen-son-about-sex

http://www.sheknows.com/love-and-sex/articles/806908/expert-tips-for-talking-to-your-daughter-about-sex

Substance abuse http://medicineabuseproject.org/assets/documents/parent_talk_kit.pdf

http://www.drugabuse.gov/publications/marijuana-facts-parents-need-to-know/talking-to-your-kids-communicating-risks

http://www.drugfree.org/wp-content/uploads/2010/09/Intervention_Guide.pdf

Additional Resources

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Questions?