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Hamilton High School
Freshman Orientation Meeting
April 21, 2014

Freshman Orientation Meeting
Purpose
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Talk about how to be successful in the high school
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Give information concerning the programs that are available at the high school
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Talk about the new schedule for 2014 - 2015
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Give information that students will use as they begin to schedule classes (Wednesday, April 30 th )

Staff Members
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Doug Braschler, Principal
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Mat Rehkopf, Co-Principal
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Gina Sneller, Counselor (A-K)
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Dawn Safford, Counselor (L-Z)

How to be Successful!
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You get to start with a clean slate
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Take charge of your education
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Focus on the future (Where do you want to end up?)
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Challenge yourself, make academics #1
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Stay active, involved, organized
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Build Positive Relationships
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Don’t get behind

Attendance is Important
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Attendance
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Nothing is more important than being here
Cannot duplicate what goes on in the classroom
Doing make-up work just isn’t enough
No more than 6 absences in a term
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Studies show that attendance is one of the most important employability skills that schools can teach their students
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Plan vacations during school vacations

How can parents help?
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Hamilton Community School Web-Site
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Encourage Students to Check Gmail Account
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Contact Teachers with Questions
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Please have a current email
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Encourage homework completion
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Stay involved
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Parent-Teacher Conferences
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WISH volunteers
Attend events and activities
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Stress responsibility to your child
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Accepting responsibility is a valuable learning experience

Athletics
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Physicals are Wednesday, May, 28 th
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6:30-8:00pm at the high school
$20 fee
Good for the 2014-2015 school year
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Signed Athletic Code (Annually)
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Current Insurance Fee is $40, but subject to change
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All insurance fees must be paid prior to practice starting

Michigan Merit Curriculum
(Need for a Four-year Plan)
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With the Class of 2016, how many State requirements are there now?
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Answer: 18 credits
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4 credits English
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3 credits Social Studies
4 credits Math
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3 credits Science
2 credits World Language (Same Language)
1 credit PE/Health
1 credit VPAA

Beginning with the 2014 – 15 school year, Hamilton High School will be running a blended schedule where core classes will be taught in a semester model and non-core classes will be taught in a trimester model.

WHY CHANGE
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*Budget problems – Deficit spending 5 years in a row
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*Projected 2014-15 Budget deficit of over $1 million
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*Admin was charged to reduce staff
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*Allows us to share staff

So why the blended schedule?
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*Wanted to keep elective offerings for students
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*Wanted to keep our support program in place
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*Natural reduction of staff through attrition

Other schedules looked at
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*6 period semester
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*7 period semester
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*7 period alternating semester
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*6 period trimester

Bell schedule
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60 minute classes
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6 periods in a day rather than 5 in the trimester
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7:35 am start – 2:35 pm departure
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65 minute 2 nd hour to accommodate announcements
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Tech Center students will eat lunch at HHS before traveling
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Tech Center will use 3 class periods (presently 2)

Credit structure
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Incoming freshmen will have 29 total credits with 26.5 required for Graduation
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0.5 credit is what you earn by taking a single class in a term
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Credits by year:
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9 th 6.5 credits
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10 th 7.0 credits
11 th 7.0 credits
12 th 8.5 credits

Core classes
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Taught all year long in two semesters
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Adding time to each of the following classes (33 more hours of instruction) per year
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English – 4 credits
Math – 4 credits
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4 th math credit can be taught in 2 tri’s
Science – 3 credits
Social Studies – 3 credits
World Languages – 2 credits

Non-core classes
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Taught in a trimester schedule
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Students will have either 3, 6, 9, or 12 electives per year.
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Less time for each of the following classes (11 less hours of instruction per trimester)
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Physical Education
Health
Art
Music (can still have 3 trimesters)
All electives

Sample schedules

Personal Curriculum
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Personal Curriculum
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A way for parents and students to fine-tune their four-year plan
Can be initiated by parents, student, counselor, or teacher
Somewhat restrictive (can’t alter certain MMC requirements)
See your counselor for details

Counseling Department
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Mrs. Sneller (A-K)
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Mrs. Safford (L-Z)
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Mrs. Eding (secretary)
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We provide:
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Scheduling
Standardized testing
Personal counseling
College/career information

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Unique Courses
(Offered to Upper-Classmen)
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AP Courses
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Careerline Tech Center
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Dual Enrollment
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Teaching Practices
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Online Courses
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Co-Op

8 th Grade
Scheduling Day
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Wednesday, April 30 th
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Students will submit class choices online prior to April 30.
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Students need PowerSchool User ID and Password
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HS Counselors will assist students in Mr. and Mrs. Youngs’
Classrooms.
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Have PowerSchool User ID/password with you
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Additional questions will be answered
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All class choices are final once schedule is made

YOUR FUTURE STARTS NOW!!
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ACT + GPA +12 th Grade Strength of Schedule = COLLEGE
ACCEPTANCE
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Valedictorian
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(GPA
X
250) + (ACT
X
27.777) = Honor Points
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Highest Honor Points = Valedictorian

Start Thinking About What Your
Schedule Will Look Like for the
Next 4 Years and Have a Great Night