9th Grade Registration: Important Information and Vocabulary List

1. 9th Grade Registration • November 27, 2007 • NHS Counselors meet with 8th graders to start the registration process during Science Class. • December 6, 2007 • Freshman Preview Night @ NHS 7-8:30 p.m. • December 7, 2007 • Registration materials due to HS counselors. • Meet with HS counselors during Science class to finalize registration.

2. High School Pre Registration Information Vocabulary List for Incoming 9th graders

3. Semester Grade Point Average (GPA) • At the end of each semester, each letter grade has a point value that is attached to it. Total semester points are added up and then divided by the total semester credits earned to give students their semester GPA.

4. Cumulative Grade Point Average • Each semester GPA added together and divided to get a cumulative GPA. Colleges typically look at the cumulative GPA after 6 semesters or the end of a student’s junior year for admission.

5. Class Rank • A student’s class rank is where your cumulative GPA is compared to others in your class. Most colleges require you to rank in the top half of your graduating class.

6. Credit/Credit Count • One half of a credit is given to any semester required or elective class a student successfully completes. • You need to earn 22 credits in order to graduate.

7. Enriched • Enriched classes are offered in the English department. It is an opportunity for students to expand their reading and writing. A student should have a genuine interest in English and be highly motivated.

8. Accelerated • Accelerated classes are offered in the Math department. It’s an opportunity for students to study the material in greater depth and at an accelerated pace.

9. Advanced Placement (AP) • There are 13 classes that are Advanced Placement. These classes are taught like college classes. If a student chooses they would be able to take a College Board National test in May. If the student scores at a certain level they can receive college credit at most colleges/universities.

10. Honors • A course designed to challenge exceptional high school students with high aptitude and motivation in Science.

11. Early Bird • Classes that meet before the buses arrive. Students are required to provide their own transportation. Currently music is the only department offering Early Bird which begins at 6:35.

12. Elective • Classes other than the required 13.5 credits of English, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, and Physical Education is considered an elective class. Students must earn a minimum of 8.5 credits of elective classes to earn a high school diploma.

13. Required • Classes inEnglish, Math, Science, Social Studies, Health, and Physical Education are required classes for a high school diploma. A minimum of 13.5 credits in these areas are required.

14. Graduation Requirements vs. College Requirements • College admission requirements differ from high school diploma requirements. For example, additional classes in Science, Math, and possibly Foreign Language are required for many 4 year colleges/universities. Individual students must research their college of choice.

15. Pre-Requisites • A class that must be successfully completed in order to take an additional class in that subject area.

16. 4 Year Plan • An academic guide that assists students in tentatively planning their high school yearly schedules.

17. Credit Load • The number of classes taken per semester. Each semester class is given .5 credit. Typically freshman take the minimum required 6 credits. • Occasionally students take 6.5 or 7 credits.

18. Full Load • A student is scheduled every hour without a study hall.

19. Class Period • There are 7 class periods in the school day. Each of the 7 class periods is approximately 52 minutes long.

20. Study Hall/No Credit • A period during the day when you don’t have an academic class. A time where you can get homework finished. No credit is given for a study hall. • It is highly recommended for freshman to take a study hall or two.

21. Class Conflicts • A classconflict is when two classes you wanted to take are only offered at the same time. • You will be assigned an alternate course when this occurs.

22. Seats Available • Each class has a certain number of seats/spots available. If the class number is set at 28 and there are 26 scheduled in that class, 2 seats would still be available.

23. Drops & Adds • A class is either dropped or added when there is a class conflict or a student is not in the right class. • Schedule changes are done only in extreme cases.

24. Withdraw Fail (WF) • Except under extenuating or extreme circumstances, any course dropped after mid-quarter of the first and third quarters will receive a withdraw fail (WF) on their transcript and the grade of WF will be affect the GPA.

25. Mid-Quarter Progress Report • Students doing unsatisfactory work in their class will be issued progress reports at approximately the mid-point of each grading period. Normally a student who is achieving at an F or low D grade at the end of the fifth week will receive a progress report the sixth week of the quarter.

26. Lunch Period • A 30 minute break in classes to eat your lunch. • Lunch is not written on your schedule.

27. Open Lunch • During the lunch period students are allowed to leave the school building. • You still only have 30 minutes!

28. Skills Center • A resource room for students to get help with their homework instead of being in a larger study hall. No credit is earned. It is available before and after school in addition to all 7 periods.

29. Technology Charter School • A school within the high school where students can take classes and receive high school and technical college credit.

30. Extra Curricular • School sponsored activities offered outside of the school day. • For example sports and clubs.

31. Truant • Being absent without a valid excuse from all or any part of the school day.

32. Habitual Truant • Being absent from school without a valid excuse for all or part of 5 or more days within a semester.

33. Homework Request • A student must be out of school excused 2 days before homework can be requested from teachers.

34. Semester/Final Grades • At the end of each semester, a semester or final grade is earned. Even if the class is a year long, you will receive a final grade after each semester.