SOPHOMORE PARENT NIGHT

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SOPHOMORE PARENT NIGHT

• Ben Instone, M.A. 10th Grade Counselor
• Michelle A. Ditomaso, M.A. SAI/ELL Counselor

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Welcome Parents!!

• Topics for discussion
• Stress
• Grades
• Test Taking Strategies
• Learning Styles
• Graduation Requirements/A-G Requirements
• Upcoming Tests
• Attendance Policy

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HELP!!! Im STRESSED OUT!

• Signs of Burnout
• Self-criticism
• Weight loss or gain
• Depression
• Anger
• Negativity
• Irritability

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How can I help my student!

• Acknowledge
• Identify
• Quality Time
• Provision
• Reasonable Expectations
• Sensitivity
• Encourage

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Student Study Strategies

• Develop a homework routine
• Study at least a few hours every day
• Family support of study time
• Study difficult or boring subjects first
• Make a daily To Do list (Including VHS
  tutorials)
• Use a dictionary
• Unplug the phone
• Read and re-read the text
• Practice being disciplined (Use a VHS Planner)

Teen Tips by Tom McMahon
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Test Taking Tips for Parents

• Homework/Reading leads to preparedness
• Positive Attitude
• Encourage vs. Pressure
• Calendar
• Promote REST
• Please visit http//www.testtakingtips.com/parents
  /index.htm
• for more tips.

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Learning Styles

• Do you know your childs Learning Style
• Kinesthetic
• Auditory
• Visual
• Homework Tips
• Auditory
• reciting, reading while listening to audio,
  singing the information
• Visual
• flashcards, drawing illustrations, highlighting
  and underlining
• Kinesthetic
• hands on activities, highlighting and
  underlining, moving around, using a stress ball

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Resources

• Book Teen Tips A practical survival guide for
  parents by Tom McMahon
• www.schoolfamily.com
• www.testtakingtips.com/parents/index.htm

• Book The 7 Habits of Highly Effective Teens by
  Sean Covey
• http//www.parentingteens.com/index/Teen

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VHS Graduation Requirements
To graduate from Valhalla High School, a
student must Earn 220 credits Pass the High
School Exit Exams (Language Arts Math) Meet the
Career Plan, Technology, and First Aid
requirements.
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California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE)

• There are two parts to this Exam
• English
• Math
• Students must pass both to graduate.
• 350 is a passing score, although 380 is
  considered Proficient.
• Test will be given in Spring 2010.
• Students only re-take the portion they did not
  pass.

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A-G Courses (UC and CSU)

• A History (2 years, World History and U.S.
  History)
• B English (4 years)
• C Math (3 years Alg. I, Geometry, Alg. II).
• 4 years recommended
• D Lab Science (2 years, three recommended)
• E Visual/Performing Art (1 year)
• F Foreign Language (2 years, 3 recommended)
• G Academic Elective (1 year)
• Students must earn a C or better in all A-G
  courses
• NCAA students will need to complete an additional
  year of math beyond Alg II or an additional year
  of science.
• Visit www.ncaaclearinghouse.org for more
  information

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Upcoming Tests At VHS

• PSAT at VHS
• Sat, October 17th 2009
• COST is 25.00 thru day of exam
• Registration can be done online or _at_ the Finance
  office
• Results should be available BEFORE the Winter
  Break.

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PLAN At VHS

• November 2, 2009 during periods 2-5.
• PLAN acts like a pre-ACT, which is one assessment
  taken for 4-year college admission.
• All Sophomores will be assessed in Science, Math,
  Reading Comprehension, and English.
• Career Interest Inventory component

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A Quick Reminder About Absences

• District policy states that a student will not
  receive credit

for a class when his/her absences exceed 10 in
any given semester.

• Absences include both excused (doctor visits,
  illnesses, family vacations, family illness) and
  unexcused (truancies).

• Excused absences may be made up by attending
  Saturday school, after-school detentions, or
  before/after-school tutorials.

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This Power point will be available on the VHS Web
site under the Guidance Web page. Questions/Commen
ts? Thank you for coming,

and drive safely!

Valhalla High School