Welcome Freshman Parent Meeting 2013 - Explore Your Child’s High School Journey

1. Welcome Freshman Parent Meeting 2013

2. Counselors 414-281-6200 Mrs. Michelle Wauer (Last names A-Hd) Ext. 2435 mwauer@admin.greenfield.k12.wi.us Ms. Christi Burden (Last names He-Pe) Ext. 2436 cburden@admin.greenfield.k12.wi.us Mrs. Kim Keranen (Last name Pf-Z) Ext. 2437 kkernanen@admin.greenfield.k12.wi.us

3. Overview • Explore Test • WISCAREERS • High School Experience

4. The EXPLORE® program is designed to help 9th graders explore a broad range of options for their future. EXPLORE prepares students not only for their high school coursework, but for their post-high school choices as well. It marks an important beginning for a student’s future academic and career success. • Why Take Explore? • UNIACT Interest Inventory (72 items) • Needs Assessment • Plans and Background Information

5. EXPLORE • ENGLISH: 40 questions – 30 minutes • Measures understanding of written English and rhetorical skills • MATHEMATICS: 30 questions – 30 minutes • Measures mathematical reasoning, pre-algebra, algebra, geometry and some statistical methods • READING: 30 questions – 30 minutes • Measures reading comprehension and requires students to get meaning from passages • SCIENCE: 28 questions – 30 minutes • Measures students’ scientific reasoning skills

6. What do your scores mean? • Your Scores are between 1(lowest you can receive) and 25 (highest you can receive) • Composite score is the average of the English, Mathematics, Reading and Science test scores • How do you compare with other students who took Explore? • Next to your scores you’ll find a percentage of students scoring at or below your score

7. Your Plans for High School and Beyond Your High School Course Plans Compared to Core • 4 years of English • 3 years of Math • To include Algebra and Geometry and 1 beyond • 3 years of Science • To include General/Physical/Earth Science, Biology and Chemistry • 3years of Social Studies • To include U.S. History, World History, and elective social studies

8. Your Plans for High School and Beyond • Your Reported Needs • Your Plans After High School • College Readiness • Career Possibilities • Building Skills

9. Checklist for Parents • Encourage your child to take challenging high school courses • Talk to your child about careers, colleges, and life after high school • Establish a regular study time each day • Try to provide a good, quiet study setting • Discourage phone calls, visitors, TV, and other distractions during study time • Talk to your child about what he/she is learning. Ask questions. Listen to the answers

10. WISCareers • http://wiscareers.wisc.edu • Careers • Major Selection • College Choice • Financial Aid • Life Skills First time registration code: ghs_c301

11. Tips for a collegiate future • Freshman year • Maintain good grades • Try to establish general knowledge base • Get involved in extra-curricular activities • Sophomore year • Maintain good grades • Begin focusing on academic strengths • Take Plan Test • Get involved in extra-curricular activities

12. Tips for a collegiate future • Junior year • Maintain good grades • Take more classes according to your interests • Take PSAT during the first semester • Take the ACT during second semester • Keep record of all activities for college application • Start looking at and visiting colleges • Research grade and class requirements • Begin determining a specific occupation

13. Tips for a collegiate future • Senior Year • Maintain goo9d grades for scholarships • Retake the ACT (October) if you think you can improve your score • Apply to colleges before the holidays • Look at scholarships and other sources of financial aid • Determine your college by May 1st

14. Your Student’s High School Transcript • Legal document • Individual meetings throughout years focus on academics and strengthening the transcript • Transcript shows: Cumulative GPA, Class Rank and lists courses with semester grades • This is required with college applications

15. Questions? THANK YOU FOR COMING!!