September 2016

OTHS 9TH AND 10TH GRADE PARENT NIGHT

OTHS COUNSELING DEPARTMENT

• Traci Wagner A-COE Traciwagner@katyisd.org

• Karla White COF-GOM Karlalwhite@katyisd.org

• Teri Brownson GON-LIC teresahbrownson@katyisd.org

• Glenda Demas LID-PAT Glendaedemas@katyisd.org

• Kristel Green PAU-SND KristelGreen@katyisd.org

• Mona Clark SNE-Z Remonalclark@katyisd.org

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

• Foundation High School plan with endorsements

• Students must choose an endorsement (STEM, Public Services, Multidisciplinary Studies, Business and Industry, Arts and Humanities)

• Parent Course Selection Meeting will be held in January 2017

• Students will begin bringing home course selection sheets in January.

• Counselors begin meeting individually with students in January/February to choose courses for next school year

CHECKLIST

• Take the right courses

• Challenge Yourself

• Get off to a strong start

• Explore career options

• Research Colleges and Post-Secondary Options

• Create a college admissions or post-secondary plan

• Get involved

• Start a brag sheet

GRADE LEVEL CLASSIFICATIONStudents are classified based on the year they first entered 9th grade and the number of academic credits they have earned at the beginning of the school year.

The FHSP + Endorsement requires a total of 26 credits.

CLASS RANKClass rank is based on the cumulative grade point average of high school credit courses. A student’s grade point average is derived by dividing the total number of grade points by the number of semester courses attempted.

Class rank is first officially calculated during the SPRING semester of the JUNIORyear and is updated after each subsequent semester.

GPA-GRADE POINT AVERAGE

• Students receive a GPA as soon as they take a high school course.

• Class ranks are distributed in the spring of a student’s Junior/11th Grade year

• Types– Weighted

Unweighted

– Reminder: We are on a 4.0 grading scale

GPA EXEMPT COURSES-NOT UNTIL THE 3RD OR 4TH

YEAR OF ENROLLMENT IN THE COURSE

• Athletics (Continuous enrollment for 2-3 years in any designated athletic course regardless of sport; does not include PE)

• • Band

• • Cheerleading

• • Choir

• • Dance Colorguard

• • Dance Team

GPA EXEMPT COURSES

• Advanced Journalism

• Newspaper

• Yearbook

• • Agricultural Science Courses:

GPA EXEMPT COURSES

• • Debate

• • Oral Interpretation

• • Orchestra

• • Theatre

• Technical Theatre

• Theatre Arts

• Theatre Production

WHAT IS A QUARTILE?

• Each class is divided into four.

• Example:

SENIORS 2016 CLASS RANKING

Q1 4.826 - 3.9800

Q2 3.9792 - 3.4872

Q3 3.4773 - 2.8478

Q4 2.8293 - 1.3810

WHY DOES IT MATTER?

• Many Texas Public Universities accept the top 10% automatically.

• University of Texas: Currently accepts the top 7% automatically; All others by individual review.

PSAT

• Given to all 10th and 11th graders

• Wednesday, October 19, 2016

• No fee for the 10th and 11th graders to take

• They are signed up automatically

• 10th Graders: Practice

• 11th Graders: Qualifies for National Merit Consideration

PSAT

• Practice Test: https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt-psat-10/practice/full-length-practice-test

• Free Prep Materials from the Khan Academy: https://www.khanacademy.org/sat

SAT

• Students typically sign up in the spring of their Junior Year.

• https://sat.collegeboard.org/home

• KHAN ACADEMY: Free study materials-https://collegereadiness.collegeboard.org/

• Others: Testmasters, Sylvan, Princeton Review etc.

ACT

• http://www.act.org/content/act/en/register.html

• Online study options are available

• Others: Testmasters, Princeton Review, Sylvan etc.

SAT/ACT PRACTICE TEST

• There is still time to register.

• Deadline to register is October 12th and space is limited.

• Cost is $40.00.

• SAT or ACT practice test will be held at Tompkins High School on Saturday, October 22 from 9am-1pm

• http://tompkinshsptsa.org/2-general/91-register-for-the%20sat-or-act-practice-test

CREDIT BY EXAMINATION

• Next window due date is October 16, 2016

• Most core classes are offered except STAAR tested areas and science

• Contact your child’s counselor for more information

• CBEs are offered in the spring and summer as well

• Students only receive academic course credit for a CBE exam.

CBE FOR ACCELERATION

• Students must earn 80% or better to receive credit

• Credits earned will be awarded by the campus and the scores will be added to the student transcript

• Students do not have the option to decline credit after passing a CBE, just as elementary aged students MUST accelerate to the next grade level if they receive a score 80% or above on all 4 CBEs

• There is no student fee for initial CBE testing

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CREDIT BY EXAM VENDORS

University of Texas CBE http://www.utexas.edu/ce/k16/cbe-ea/about/

• Online & Paper (we try to always do online for the immediate results)

Texas Tech University CBE https://www.depts.ttu.edu/uc/ec2k/Heading.asp

• Paper (tests that are not offered by UT will be ordered through TTUISD)

Katy ISD CBE • Paper

• Spanish and all level III LOTE only (All other LOTE tests will be ordered through UT or TTU)

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CBE BOARD POLICY (CONT.)

• A student is not permitted to test more than 2 times per academic year

• Students must take each pre-requisite CBE to receive credit. For example, taking and passing Chinese 3 does not validate Chinese 1 and 2. Students must take the courses for Chinese 1 and 2 or the CBEs for Chinese 1 and 2.

• CBE passing scores will go on the student transcript

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CBE TESTING WINDOW

• Testing Window Location Application Deadline

• November 28 - December 2, 2016 Home Campus 10/19/16

• February 27 – March 3, 2017 Home Campus 1/18/17

• June 5 – 9, 2017 Seven Lakes HS 4/12/17

• July 10 – 14, 2017 Seven Lakes HS 5/24/17

• Contact your child’s counselor for more information!!

KUDER CAREER ASSESSMENT

• Registration for New User

• Go to www.kudernavigator.com.

• Select New Users.

• Select Student and choose your grade level from the drop down menu.

• Click Continue to create your account.

• During the process you will need to create a unique user name and password. Write down your user name and password in the space provided for future reference.

KUDER CAREER ASSESSMENT• User Name: KISD Student ID

• Password: Falcons

•

• Registration for Returning User

• Go to www.kudernavigator.com.

• Select Log-in (please enter your same user name and password)

•

• Activation Code

• You will also be asked to enter your N Activation Code that was provided by your school:

•

• Activation Code: N3985593MQZ (valid 8/1/2016 – 8/1/2017)

KATY VIRTUAL SCHOOL• Courses Offered for 2016 - 2017

•AP Art HistoryAP EconomicsAP European HistoryAP GovernmentAP PsychologyAP US HistoryPreAP Geometry (summer only)PreAP Multivariable Calculus**PreAP World GeographyCreative WritingEconomicsEnglish IV**GovernmentHealthMath Models**PE Individual and Team Sports Professional Communications PsychologySociologyWorld Geography**World History**

• **New for Fall 2016

• To Register: https://secure.infosnap.com/family/login.aspx?ReturnUrl=%2ffamily%2fdirectaction.aspx

FACE TO FACE SUMMER SCHOOL INFORMATION

• Schedule is typically released after spring break

• Past Cost: $200.00 per semester

FORCE VOLUNTEERING

• Falcons Out Rendering Community Engagement-FORCE

• Volunteering is not a requirement for graduation.

• Yet, it does look good on applications

• Online method of keeping up with your hours

• Recognized at graduation

• For more information, stop by the counseling office for an application

• No fee for membership; T Shirt fee

COLLEGE VISITS

• Students begin to qualify for college visits during their Junior Year.

• 2 college visits during Junior Year

• 2 college visits during Senior Year

EXEMPTIONS

• 9th Grade students get one exemption

• 10th Grade students get two exemptions

• The same class may not be exempted for both semesters

• Final Exam schedule is usually released early in the spring

EXEMPTIONS

• Attendance Requirements– A no more than 3 absences (excused and unexcused)

– B no more than 2 absences (excused and unexcused)

– C no more than 1 absence (excused and unexcused)

– All absences will count against exemptions unless specifically stated otherwise.

– Conduct Grades

– N in any course results in loss of exemptions in that course for that semester

– U in any course results in the loss of exemptions in all classes.

MILLER CAREER AND TECHNOLOGY CENTER TOUR

• Tour is for 9th graders this year.

• Permission slips are due to the counseling office on October 18, 2016.

• Actual Tour Date is Wednesday, October 26th. Students will either be assigned an AM or PM tour.

• This is an optional field trip.

• Great way to see what Miller Career Center has to offer!

• Miller Open House is Tuesday, February 7, 2017 at 6:00pm.

UPCOMING INFO

– Mini College Fair during lunches on September 27, 2016

– Naviance Parent Training: TBD November 2016

– Parent Online Book Study in the spring; More info will be sent in December!

– Katy ISD Career and College Night is October 5, 2016 at the Merrell Center, 6301 S Stadium Lane from 6-8:30pm.

– Military Academy Night is scheduled for Tuesday, November 15, 2016. It will be held in the ESC Board Room from 6:30 pm to 8:30 pm.

– Take Flight Mentors

• If interested, email Ms. Junti at cynthiaajuntti@katyisd.org

CONTACT US

• High School CEEB Code: 443726

• Follow us on Twitter @othscounselors

• Remind Senior Text 81010 @othssen

• Remind Tompkins Counselor Text 81010 @othscounse

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