Is Your 9 th Grader On Track for College and Career?

1. Is Your 9th GraderOn Track for College and Career? Welcome to 9th grade. Your teenager’s future starts here with the safe and welcoming environment, excellent teachers, and challenging instruction provided at this school. Let’s aim high. The top priority is to ensure that your son or daughter graduates from high school with the skills to succeed in college or get a good job. Yes, college! Most jobs, not just the best jobs, will require some education after high school. Working together, we can make it happen. Starting now. Here’s how. Columbus City Schools Student Support Services

2. THE BOTTOM LINE: 9TH GRADERS MUST EARN AT LEAST 7 CREDITS TO BE ON TRACK. Believe it or not, college begins in 8th and 9th grade. If you dream of your son or daughter going to college, don’t put off planning until their junior or senior year– it may be too late. Earning a high school diploma is an important and challenging first step. But these days, it's not enough – not when jobs like mechanics or medical lab technicians require some education after high school.The good news is that all students can go to college, if they get on track in 9th grade and pay attention to four key challenges: 2. Take the right courses to earn at least 6 credits. Getting on track for college and career means passing courses and gaining at least 6 credits by the beginning of 10th grade. Remember, to graduate from high school, students need a total of at least 22 credits: 4 in English, 3 in social studies, 4 in math, 3 in science,.5 in physical education, .5 in health, 2 in electives, 1 in fine arts, 1 in an academic elective (science or socials studies), 1 in technology, 1 in senior capstone, and 1 in internship (120 hours). To be well-prepared for college, students should use their electives to earn additional credits in a foreign language, math and science. 1. Attend all classes. Students can’t learn if they don’t show up for class. Make sure your 9th grader attends school every day. If students miss more than 2 days a month, chances increase greatly that they will not excel in the class. SAMPLE COURSE PLANS FOR 9TH GRADERS. Goal: Earn at least 6 credits. Option 1 Option 2

3. 3. Get good grades. • Students can pass their courses and earn credits with grades of 60 % or above. But to be on track for college, your teenager should earn grades of at least 80 on each course. Students who score lower than that may not be truly prepared for the state assessments and for advanced courses in 10th, 11th and 12th grades. • Start strong! It’s hard to improve a low GPA. • Complete all homework. • Ask questions! Find out when teachers are available for extra help. • Talk to the school counselor about outside tutoring options and about how to improve study skills. • Keep a daily log or to-do list. • Team up with classmates who are also aiming for high grades. • Always take notes and pay attention in class. COLLEGE COUNTS Fact: Students who enroll in college earn an average of $15,300 more a year than high school dropouts. Fact: Students who graduate from a four-year college earn an average of $31,900 more a year than high school dropouts. Over a lifetime, that's almost $1.4 million in extra earnings! Source: U.S. Census Bureau, 2009 4. Be Prepared to Pass State Assessments and end of course exams. • To learn more about college access for your child: • Attend school and district-wide college and financial aid meetings • Attend I Know I Can Blueprint College meetings

4. HOW YOU CAN HELP Once students reach high school, they may try to talk you out of being involved. You might hear: “It’s not cool.” Or: “No one else’s parents are involved.” Don’t believe it. Your teenager needs you now more than ever. • Attend all classes. • Set limits on bed time. • Help your student get out the door on time each morning. • Get to know the teachers and school counselors and encourage them to let you know if there is a problem, and work with them to solve it. • Make sure to get a copy of your teen’s report card at the end of each grading period. And use the attached checklist to keep track of your teen’s attendance. • 2. Earn 6 credits by the end of 9th grade. • School counselors should be helping students put together a 4-year plan at the start of 9th grade. Ask to see a copy of the plan, similar to the attached Class of 2017 Planner. • Ask to see weekly and daily course schedules. • Make sure your teenager has books and other instructional materials. • Attend school open houses and parent-teacher conferences to learn more about what students are learning and how that learning is measured. • 3. Earn at least an 80 in each course. • Make sure you know the grading policy for each teacher. What does it take to get an 80 in each class? • Make sure your teen is doing homework every night. This varies by school, teacher and subject. Find out what teachers in this school expect. • Encourage teachers and school counselors to contact you early if there seem to be problems; you don’t want to be surprised by low grades at the end of the grading period when it’s too late. • Make sure to get a copy of your teen’s report card at the end of each grading period. And use the attached checklist to record your teen’s grades. • 4. Get ready for assessments and end of course exams. • Make sure your teenager knows that taking these tests is essential, not optional. • These tests are challenging. Make sure your teen studies for them. • Learn how the school helps students prepare. • Make sure your teen is ready on test days. • Make sure to get a copy of your teen’s assessment and end of course exam results. To learn more about your child’s college and career choices, sign in to his/her Naviance Family Connection site. See attached sheet! (Brochure Source: New Visions for Public Schools, with editorial and design by KSA-Plus Communications, INC.)