“Everything you Ever W anted to Know about Junior High, but W ere Afraid to Ask”

1. “Everything you Ever Wanted to Know about Junior High, but Were Afraid to Ask”

2. Protecting your child • http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDgjJxJp6DQ

3. Three types of students STUDIOUS • Always prepared • Does Homework • Gets good grades

4. Three types of students SLACKER • Capable but not working • “If you don’t know about it, I don’t have to do it”

5. Three types of students STRUGGLER • They may work • They may not work

6. Junior High School Mind • The brain is not fully developed until age 25 • Some of this is physiological & some is not • Sometimes uncaring about potential consequences, (“living in the moment”) • The region of the brain that leads to motivation is still developing in adolescence

7. Prefrontal Cortex or the “Thinking Brain” is not fully developed • Less likely to stay organized • Less likely to show: • Responsibility in planning • Prioritizing • Evaluating the consequences of their actions

8. Staying on top of it • Edmodo • Home Access Center • Teacher Websites • Retest <70 • Online Textbooks • Email teachers

9. Edmodo Parent tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbkJ3QAIEaw Student tutorial http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxrty5j8MS4

10. Home Access Center http://www.katyisd.org/pages/home-access-center.aspx • Parents are issued a HAC letter • If you have children at multiple campuses, one login will show you all of your children’s information at one time. • Use the “Frequently Asked Questions” section to help you.

11. Home Access Center (Students) • Username= Student ID Ex: K1211111 • Password= first initial of first and last name + last 4 of Social Security Number or State ID Number • Example: Student’s name is MaryBarker and the last four digits of her social security # is 1234. Mary’s password is mb1234.

12. End of Year Average6th & 7th Grade • 1st six weeks average • + 2nd six weeks average • + 3rd six weeks average _______________________ Total Divided by 3 = Semester Avg EOY average = Avg of Sem 1+Sem 2 = 70+

13. How grades are averaged by semester 8th Grade 1st 6 weeks x 2 + 2nd 6 weeks x 2 + 3rd 6 weeks x 2 + Semester Exam ---------------------------------------------- Total divided by 7= Semester Avg Junior High School classes = EOY 70+ High School classes = Semesters are independent

14. Grade Category Breakdown Major Minor Other 6th 45% 40% 15% 7th Aca 7th PAP/ 50% 35% 15% 8th Aca 8th PAP / 55% 30% 15% High School

15. 70% Rule as passing • Homework is top 15% 85 70_____________________________________ 69 and below is failing 15 0 Homework is not bottom 15%

16. Attendance Change • House Bill 5 requires students to be in attendance 90% of the time in order to receive class credit or a final grade. • Careful about unexcused absences or vacations • Don’t leave at semester exam time

17. Organization BOSS video: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIfgsWqwtqg&feature=youtube. • Organize your Locker • Notebooks should be reorganized every six weeks • Use a PLANNER • Use a different notebook for each class • Pencil bag with supplies • To do/done Homework folder

18. How much homework to expect? • 6th grade : 1 – 1 ¼ hours daily • 7th grade Academic: 1 – 1 ½ hours daily • 7th grade Pre-AP: 1 ½ - 2 hours daily • 8th grade Academic: 1 – 1 ½ hours daily • 8th Grade Pre-AP: 2 hours daily Use Advisory Period to study or for tutoring

19. Studying at home • Where? A regular place: Kitchen table; Dining room table; Study; Bedroom desk • How? Quiet place, well lit, without distractions • When? Every day at 3:30 p.m. after snack • Regular Routine? It should become routine.

20. SSI (Student Success Initiative) 8th grade requires students to pass the Reading & Math STAAR tests in order to be promoted to 9th grade. Three attempts: • Beginning of April • Middle of May • End of June

21. The Gift of Failure • “Almost everyone knows that Michael Jordan was cut from his high school basketball team. But most don’t know that Walt Disney was once fired from a newspaper for a lack of ideas and his first cartoon production company went bankrupt. Everyone loves Lucy, but Lucile Ball was told that she had no talent and should leave Murray Anderson’s drama school. With all of Dustin Hoffman’s success it’s hard to believe that he worked as a janitor because he failed in his first attempt as an actor in New York. Can you imagine Bob Dylan getting booed off the stage at his high school talent show? What would have happened if Dr. Seuss actually burned the manuscript of his first book, which he wanted to do after it was rejected by 27 publishers. It’s also hard to fathom Steven Speilberg not getting accepted to UCLA’s film school because of average grades. It’s easy to forget that Steve Jobs was fired from Apple at thirty years old and Oprah Winfrey was once told she wasn’t fit for television and was fired as a news anchor. Failure gives you a test designed to measure your courage, perseverance, commitment and dedication. Failure is not meant to be final and fatal. It is not meant to define you. It is meant to refine you to be all that you are meant to be. The fact is everyone fails in life, but it is a gift if you don’t give up and are willing to learn, improve and grow because of it. When you see failure as a blessing instead of a curse, you will turn the gift of failure into a stepping stone that leads to the gift of success.”

22. Thank you This concludes Part 1 Teacher Panel Part 2

23. Teacher Panel • Mr. Harrigal (8th grade Math D.C.) • Mrs. Wood (High School Credit Spanish) • Ms. Sadler (7th grade Science) • Mrs. Fernandez (6th grade SS D.C.) • Mrs. Drake (6th grade English/8th grade Eng) • Ms. Grubbs (Instructional Coach for Math)