Counseling and Honors. Who are the Counselors? Karen Lynch 7 th Grade Counselor Lisa Shortley 8 th Grade Counselor Amanda Vega de Garcia Student Services.

Counseling and HonorsCounseling and Honors

Who are the Counselors?Who are the Counselors?Karen LynchKaren Lynch

77thth Grade Grade CounselorCounselor

Lisa Shortley8th Grade Counselor

Amanda Vega de Garcia

Student Services Technician

Parents of students new to the district need to see Mrs. Vega de Garcia to enroll.

What do counselors do?What do counselors do?

Personal, social, and academic problemsPersonal, social, and academic problemsParent conferencesParent conferencesPromotion statusPromotion statusCommunity referralsCommunity referralsCrisis interventionCrisis interventionClassroom guidance lessonsClassroom guidance lessonsExtended Learning Time (ELT), no sign up Extended Learning Time (ELT), no sign up necessary, just attendnecessary, just attendInformation on CJSF, School Service Information on CJSF, School Service Award, and Academic Talent SearchAward, and Academic Talent Search

California Junior Scholarship California Junior Scholarship Federation (CJSF)Federation (CJSF)

Free statewide honors clubFree statewide honors club

Qualified students Qualified students must reapplymust reapply every every trimestertrimester– Any 2 trimesters during 7Any 2 trimesters during 7thth grade grade andand first 2 first 2

trimesters during 8trimesters during 8thth grade are required grade are required

What’s the benefit?What’s the benefit?– Practice for high school level of CSF which helps Practice for high school level of CSF which helps

with college applications and leadership with college applications and leadership opportunitiesopportunities

– Recognition in promotion ceremonyRecognition in promotion ceremony

programprogram

School Service AwardSchool Service Award(CJSF with Distinction Award for CJSF members)(CJSF with Distinction Award for CJSF members)

20 hours of school service required20 hours of school service required– Recycling program, Esperanza birthday club, Recycling program, Esperanza birthday club,

campus beautification club, ELT tutoring, campus beautification club, ELT tutoring, music tutoringmusic tutoring

– Students get the applications from their Students get the applications from their counselor, Ms. Lynchcounselor, Ms. Lynch

Grades OnlineGrades OnlineSign up for grades onlineSign up for grades online during 6during 6thth grade grade and your login will rollover from year to year. If and your login will rollover from year to year. If you don’t sign up this year, you’ll have to wait you don’t sign up this year, you’ll have to wait until Back-to-School night in October to get the until Back-to-School night in October to get the codes to sign up and check your child’s grades in codes to sign up and check your child’s grades in 77thth grade. grade.

Ask your elementary schoolAsk your elementary school for the for the directions and codes to sign up.directions and codes to sign up.

Students will need access to Students will need access to grades onlinegrades online (with their own email address (with their own email address and password or use of a parent’s email address and password or use of a parent’s email address and password) to register for their 8and password) to register for their 8thth grade grade electives at the end of 7electives at the end of 7thth grade (and to track their grade (and to track their own progress).own progress).

HonorsHonors

*7*7thth grade – grade – HeterogeneousHeterogeneous

*8*8thth grade – Honors or grade – Honors or heterogeneousheterogeneous

**All honors information will **All honors information will be sent home the first week be sent home the first week

of schoolof school

Transitioning from Elementary Transitioning from Elementary to Secondaryto Secondary

Students who have participated in the G.A.T.E. program Students who have participated in the G.A.T.E. program in elementary school have shown that they have the in elementary school have shown that they have the potentialpotential for learning in a manner different from other for learning in a manner different from other students. students.

In secondary school, grades 7 – 12, students who are In secondary school, grades 7 – 12, students who are G.A.T.E. identified may participate in honor’s programs G.A.T.E. identified may participate in honor’s programs with other students who have shown high achievement in with other students who have shown high achievement in the specified subject matter. the specified subject matter. The emphasis in The emphasis in honors level classes now shifts from honors level classes now shifts from student learning potential to a student’s student learning potential to a student’s actual academic performanceactual academic performance.. Standards Standards are set in each academic area which an honors student, are set in each academic area which an honors student, GATE identified or not, needs to meet or surpass in GATE identified or not, needs to meet or surpass in order to continue in the program. order to continue in the program.

To be successful in the honors To be successful in the honors environment, students should display high environment, students should display high interest in reading and possess strong interest in reading and possess strong reading skills. Students will be reading reading skills. Students will be reading books of their own choosing and reading books of their own choosing and reading novels assigned to them to complement novels assigned to them to complement instruction. As honors students are instruction. As honors students are reading at more advanced levels, some of reading at more advanced levels, some of the books they choose to read will have the books they choose to read will have more mature content as well.more mature content as well.

English - Reading

Honors students will be required to write Honors students will be required to write formal essays which earn top level rubric formal essays which earn top level rubric scores. Writing now becomes more scores. Writing now becomes more purposeful with an emphasis on analysis, purposeful with an emphasis on analysis, explanation, and evaluation. Honors explanation, and evaluation. Honors students should have grade level mastery students should have grade level mastery of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, and of spelling, punctuation, and grammar, and advanced skills in the areas of generating advanced skills in the areas of generating ideas, organization, voice, sentence ideas, organization, voice, sentence fluency, and word choice.fluency, and word choice.

English - Writing

• All 7th grade students take Pre-algebra

• Ability levels are mixed within each class and each community

• Honors level work available to all students

• Special projects and challenge problems available to all students

• All students have the opportunity to move to algebra in 8th grade

Pre - Algebra

Algebra 1

Introto Algebra

Grade of A or B

AND

Good work habits

Grade of C, D, F

OR

Work habits need improvement

7th Grade 8th Grade

Algebra 1

Geometry Honors

Algebra 1Repeat

Grade of A or B+

AND

Excellent work habits

Grade of B, C, D, F

OR

Work habits need improvement

7th GradeSpecial case through testing and invitation only.

8th Grade

History Honors History Honors CurriculumCurriculum

7th grade history classes are 7th grade history classes are heterogeneously grouped and are heterogeneously grouped and are differentiated. differentiated.

Students wishing to pursue an honors Students wishing to pursue an honors designation must demonstrate the designation must demonstrate the following characteristics: intrinsic following characteristics: intrinsic motivation, focus, organization, and motivation, focus, organization, and outstanding behavior. outstanding behavior.

In addition, they should be critical In addition, they should be critical thinkers, skilled writers, and read two thinkers, skilled writers, and read two years above grade level.years above grade level.

I.I. Alternate Alternate AssignmentsAssignments

II.II. Historical NovelsHistorical Novels

III.III.End of Unit End of Unit AssessmentsAssessments

Requirements

• Criteria for qualification into 8th Criteria for qualification into 8th grade honors:grade honors:

•• 90% GPA (or higher) average for the 90% GPA (or higher) average for the whole school year.whole school year.

•• Completion of the history portfolio with Completion of the history portfolio with all necessary work.all necessary work.

•• Satisfaction (or higher) citizenship mark Satisfaction (or higher) citizenship mark for the whole school year.for the whole school year.

•• ““Outstanding” work habits mark all Outstanding” work habits mark all three trimesters.three trimesters.

•• 7th grade history teacher 7th grade history teacher recommendation.recommendation.

•• Review of portfolio contents by 8th Review of portfolio contents by 8th grade honors teachers.grade honors teachers.

Honors CurriculumHonors Curriculum

8th Grade United 8th Grade United States HistoryStates History

Areas of AssessmentAreas of Assessment

•Historical NovelsHistorical Novels

• End of Unit Assessments and/or Reflective End of Unit Assessments and/or Reflective Historical EssaysHistorical Essays

• Integration with the Honors History Integration with the Honors History ClassesClasses

9th Grade Honors History Criteria9th Grade Honors History Criteria•90% class average (or higher) for each 90% class average (or higher) for each

trimestertrimester

•Demonstration of advanced writing & Demonstration of advanced writing & higher level thinking skillshigher level thinking skills

•Satisfactory (or higher) citizenship Satisfactory (or higher) citizenship marks for the whole school yearmarks for the whole school year

•Outstanding work habits all three Outstanding work habits all three trimesterstrimesters

•8th grade social studies teacher 8th grade social studies teacher recommendationrecommendation

Honors ScienceHonors Science 77thth grade – heterogeneous grade – heterogeneous 88thth grade – honors or grade – honors or

heterogeneousheterogeneous Positive behavior is Positive behavior is

necessary because of the use necessary because of the use of chemicals during labsof chemicals during labs

Requirements to Enter 8Requirements to Enter 8thth Grade Honors ScienceGrade Honors Science

Earn at least a 95% each trimester of 7Earn at least a 95% each trimester of 7thth grade grade Turn in assignments on timeTurn in assignments on time Score at least 93% on metric competency during Score at least 93% on metric competency during

1st trimester1st trimester Demonstrate mastery of graphing with at least Demonstrate mastery of graphing with at least

95% on graphing assessment during 195% on graphing assessment during 1stst trimester trimester Enroll in Algebra or Geometry as an 8Enroll in Algebra or Geometry as an 8thth grader grader Outstanding or Satisfactory citizenshipOutstanding or Satisfactory citizenship Earn at least a 90% on all honors components of Earn at least a 90% on all honors components of

differentiated assignments (ie. cell project, animal differentiated assignments (ie. cell project, animal project, etc.)project, etc.)

99thth Grade Biology Grade Biology

Earth Science for regular students, Earth Science for regular students, Biology for honors science studentsBiology for honors science students

Requirements for BiologyRequirements for Biology Must earn an A all three trimestersMust earn an A all three trimesters No less than an 88% in algebra or geometry No less than an 88% in algebra or geometry

during 8during 8thth grade grade An outstanding or satisfactory in both An outstanding or satisfactory in both

citizenship and work habits.citizenship and work habits.

Questions?Questions?