“Everything you Ever Wanted
to Know about Junior High,
but Were Afraid to Ask”
Protecting your child
O http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aDgjJxJp
6DQ
Three types of students
STUDIOUS
O Always prepared
O Does Homework
O Gets good grades
Three types of students
SLACKER
O Capable but not working
O “If you don’t know about it, I don’t have to do it”
Three types of students
STRUGGLER
O They may work
O They may not work
Junior High School Mind
O The brain is not fully developed until age 25
O Some of this is physiological & some is not
O Sometimes uncaring about potential
consequences, (“living in the moment”)
O The region of the brain that leads
to motivation is still developing in
adolescence
Prefrontal Cortex or the
“Thinking Brain” is not fully
developed
O Less likely to stay organized
O Less likely to show:
 Responsibility in planning
 Prioritizing
 Evaluating the consequences of their actions
Staying on top of it
O Edmodo
O Home Access Center
O Teacher Websites
O Retest <70
O Online Textbooks
O Email teachers
Edmodo
Parent tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dbkJ3QAIE
aw
Student tutorial
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rxrty5j8MS
4
Home Access Center
http://www.katyisd.org/pages/home-accesscenter.aspx
O Parents are issued a HAC letter
O If you have children at multiple campuses,
one login will show you all of your children’s
information at one time.
O Use the “Frequently Asked Questions”
section to help you.
Home Access Center
(Students)
O Username= Student ID Ex: K1211111
O Password= first initial of first and last name
+ last 4 of Social Security Number or State
ID Number
O Example: Student’s name is Mary Barker
and the last four digits of her social security
# is 1234. Mary’s password is mb1234.
End of Year Average
6th & 7th Grade
1st six weeks average
O + 2nd six weeks average
O + 3rd six weeks average
_______________________
Total
Divided by 3 = Semester Avg
O
EOY average = Avg of Sem 1+Sem 2 = 70+
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
Grade Category Breakdown
Major
Minor
Other
6th
7th Aca
45%
40%
15%
7th PAP/
8th Aca
50%
35%
15%
8th PAP /
High School
55%
30%
15%
70% Rule as passing
100
Homework is top 15%
85
70_____________________________________
69 and below is failing
15
0
Homework is not bottom 15%
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
Organization
BOSS video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wIfgsWqwtqg&f
eature=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
How much homework to expect?
O 6th grade : 1 – 1 ¼ hours daily
O 7th grade Academic: 1 – 1 ½ hours daily
O 7th grade Pre-AP: 1 ½ - 2 hours daily
O 8th grade Academic: 1 – 1 ½ hours daily
O 8th Grade Pre-AP: 2 hours daily
Use Advisory Period to study or for
tutoring
Studying at home
O Where? A regular place: Kitchen table;
Dining room table; Study; Bedroom desk
O How? Quiet place, well lit, without
distractions
O When? Every day at 3:30 p.m. after snack
O Regular Routine? It should become routine.
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
The Gift of Failure
O
“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.”
Thank you
This concludes Part 1
Teacher Panel Part 2
Teacher Panel
O Mr. Harrigal (8th grade Math D.C.)
O Mrs. Wood (High School Credit Spanish)
O Ms. Sadler (7th grade Science)
O Mrs. Fernandez (6th grade SS D.C.)
O Mrs. Drake (6th grade English/8th grade Eng)
O Ms. Grubbs (Instructional Coach for Math)