Welcome Class of 2019
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Hickory Ridge is comprised of approximately
90 teachers, with 24% having an advanced
degree and 18% having their national board
certification.
Hickory Ridge students achieve high scores
in proficiency and growth on NC Common
Exams and EOC’s
Students are encouraged to participate in a
variety of extracurricular activities.
 Hickory Ridge offers a broad range of clubs and
organizations for students to grow in leadership
and service, recognize achievements and
honors, and allow for exploration of individual
interests.
 Our athletes participate in 28 interscholastic
sports including: baseball, softball, golf, tennis,
swimming, basketball, football, etc.
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More Choices, More Freedom, More
Responsibility
We only have homeroom periodically – not
everyday.
Lockers are given only if you request one and
pay $5 for a lock.
Bookbags can be carried from class to class.
We start school at 7:15 and end at 2:15.
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All the rules will be given to the students in
the Student Handbook at the beginning of
the year
After School Detentions
Saturday School
In school suspension
Out of school suspension
Long term suspension/Alternative placement
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Countywide initiative to incorporate
technology into the classroom
Student-centered and allows choice
Increase student engagement and
ACHIEVEMENT!
Individual teachers determine when/if BYOT
will be used
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Don’t forget Compulsory Attendance Law – students
15 and younger will be in violation of the law if you
miss more than 10 unexcused days for the whole year!
In high school, attendance is also taken during each
class period
If you are tardy 4 times in the same class, it equals 1
absence
If you are absent more than 8 times in a class, you
may not get credit for the class
After 8 absences in one period, you would have to
make up time in Saturday school
Over 13 days absent in one semester = no credit
(regardless of grade in class)
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Block Schedule
 4 classes a day
 About 90 minutes each
 8 classes per year
 For each class you pass with at least a 60, you earn
one credit
 You will need 27 credits to graduate
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3 classes have End of Course tests.
 Algebra I
 Biology
 English II
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The difference is that EOC’s are given after each
subject instead of at the end of the grade level.
Students also take NC Final Exams
17 Total
All final exams count for 25% of the overall
grade
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Earn the minimum amount of credits each
year
To be a sophomore, you have to earn 6
credits-Students MUST PASS classes (60%)
To play a sport, you must earn 3 out of 4
credits in the previous semester and be
promoted to the next grade level
To be able to get your learner’s permit or
driver’s license, you must pass 3 out of 4
credits in the previous semester
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Total Credits: Minimum of 27/Maximum of 32
ENGLISH: 4 credits
MATH: 4 credits
SCIENCE: 3 credits
SOCIAL STUDIES: 4 credits
HEALTH & PE: 1 credit
CAREER CLUSTER: 4 credits
Middle school credits in math (Math I and
Math II) count towards graduation but not
towards GPA.
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HRHS Counselors see students based on last
name:
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A – D Ms. Jenny Osborne
E – K Ms. Kelly Lord
L—R Ms. Kathy Habjanic
S—Z Ms. Betsy Navel
Graduation Coach Mr. Ryan Ferguson
Student Services Website – important information
*If you want to see us, stop by the guidance office and
fill out a form, email us or call us.
A career cluster has 4 classes in a specific area of interest with at least
one class being a second level.
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Every class you take is recorded on your
transcript.
Attendance, EOC’s, immunizations, GPA, and
class rank are also included; however, not
teacher comments and discipline
Sample transcript
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Grading scale is located on the student handbook folder
 A= 90-100
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B= 80-89
C=70-79
D=60-69
F= 0-59
There is a GPA equivalent for every grade
 A=4.0; B=3.0; C=2.0; D=1.0; F=0
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For every honors level course, 1/2 quality point is added to the GPA
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For every AP (Advanced Placement) or College and Career Promise course, 1
quality point is added to the GPA
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GPA can be found on Parent Portal and on transcripts
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Regular Classes
 Covers content outlined in Common Core Curriculum for each subject area
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Honors:
 Offer the same curriculum as regular classes but are tailored for high-achieving
students — covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth
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Advanced Placement (AP):
 Cover the breadth of information, skills and assignments found in corresponding
college courses
 Align with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research
institutions
 Provide motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity to
study and learn at the college level
 Students can earn college level credit based on the grade they make on the AP
Exam in May and the college they attend (not all colleges give the same credit)
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“Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is
the single best predictor of success in college” per www.collegeboard.org .
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Should your child take an Honors class?
Ms. Isaacs will discuss Honors classes
Please consider where your child might want
to go to college and with whom they will be
competing.
Remember, class rank starts as a freshman!
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Our current junior class:
 92 out of 369 students have a 4.03 or higher—which is
Top 25% of the class
 36 out of 369 students have a 4.47 or higher—which is
Top 10% of the class
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Our current senior class:
 80 out of 319 students have a 4.18 or higher-- which is
Top 25% of the class
 31 out of 319 students have a 4.54 or higher-- which is
Top 10% of the class
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Honors English I – 93% or higher in 8th grade
Language Arts
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Most students start in Math I (there is no honors
version)
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Honors Math II – 85% or higher in 8th grade Math I
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Honors Earth Science – 93% or higher in 8th grade
Science
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Honors Biology - 85% or higher in Honors Earth and
85% or higher in 8th grade Math I and plans on
taking AP Science class by Junior year
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Honors World History - 93% or higher
in 8th grade Social Studies
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Honors Civics – 93% in 8th grade
Social Studies and plans on taking AP
World History as a Sophomore
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Chinese I, French I, or Spanish I–
85% or higher in 8th grade Math and
8th grade Language Arts
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If your child begins to struggle in a HS class,
please know that we offer tutoring in a
variety of ways:
 Peer Tutoring: Wednesdays after school in the
media center until 3:15
 Teacher Tutoring: Most of our teachers will stay
after to help students (ask them for the schedule)
 Paid Tutors: We have a list of teachers in the
county that you can pay for tutoring after school
Your child will hear a lot about classes on
Wednesday.
 They will pick their courses for next year and
bring home a registration sheet for you to sign.
 Consider all four years when choosing classes
(they already received a four year plan).
 Have your child return the registration form to
their Encore teacher by Tuesday, March 17th.
 HRHS counselors will meet with each student
individually to look over their choices.
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You should get your child’s schedule in June –
but sometimes classes have to be balanced
after that.
You should have a limited time to request an
online schedule change, but you are not
guaranteed one.
Please make sure your child chooses wisely
now.
Official schedules will be distributed at Open
House in August.
FOR INCOMING 9TH GRADERS
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4 year program
“School within a school”
Focus on interdisciplinary project-based learning
Develops workplace “readiness” with field trips, job
shadowing, and internships
 DOES NOT CONFLICT with Honors/AP classes,
sports, clubs, heterogeneous grouping
 Director of Cabarrus County Visitors Bureau-Ms.
Donna Carpenter
Average Salaries of Travel and Hospitality jobs
that require at least a Bachelors Degree can be:
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Convention & Event Planner:
Hotel General Manager:
Executive Chef:
Corporate Travel Manager:
Human Resources Director:
Senior Marketing Manager:
$46,000
$50,014
$69,000
$80,448
$80,863
$100,000+
Counselors will be available this evening at
a table in the commons to answer specific
questions. Be sure to stop and speak with
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Core classes-Commons
Electives-Gym
Clubs-Cafeteria
Academy-Media Center