Freshman Welcome Letter - Draft
June ____, 2015
Dear Grant Freshmen and Families:
Welcome to the Grant Community! We’re so glad that you’re joining us in the year to come.
We know that entering high school can be a little bit scary, and a little bit confusing. We’d
like to offer some tips to make the transition as smooth as possible. Grant students, parents,
and staff worked on these suggestions to help you be ready. We’ve split the tips into two
sections – parents and freshmen.
Put freshmen first, then parents
For Parents/Adults at Home
Important Dates to Know: Fill in here as these become known. Include Back to School Night,
Conferences, etc.
Academics:
Freshman year is very important – students’ GPA and number of credits earned impact the rest of
their high school career and what they can do after high school.
 Students need 24 credits to graduate (each semester of class = ½ credit).
 Students need Cs or better to get into college or the military. Oregon State Universities now
require a minimum GPA of 3.4 for automatic entry.
 You can check StudentVue online (through Synergy) to see your student’s grades in each
class.
 Check in with teachers early and often.
 Your student will need to be a lot more independent at high school than in middle school,
but you can still make a big difference in helping them at home – see the suggestions for
supporting your student section below.
 Make sure to check the teacher’s blog or website, if the teacher has one; teachers often post
assignments and updates for students.
 Be sure to check the grading policies for each class on your student’s syllabus – they may
differ from class to class.
 Freshman year is the time to start planning for after high school – this includes using the
College & Career Center, thinking about finances, FAFSA, etc. We have resources to help!
How to Calculate GPA: A = 4.0, B = 3.0, C = 2.0, D = 1.0, F = 0 points.
Total points for all classes earned, divided by total number of points possible in all classes = GPA.
For example, if a student earns 2 As, 2 Bs, and 2 Cs, GPA would equal 4.0 + 4.0 + 3.0 + 3.0 + 2.0 + 2.0 /
4.0 points possible per class x 6 classes = 3.0 GPA.
Contacting Office, Teachers, Administrators: When, How, and Why:
We are here to help. Don’t be afraid to speak up and let us know what you need! Our offices are
open to help you – if you have a question, call 503-916-5160. The main office can help direct you
to the correct person if you’re not sure who to talk to.
Class concern? 1) Contact teacher. 2) Contact counselor. 3) If the first two steps don’t resolve the
issue, contact the Curriculum Vice Principal.
Schedule issue? Contact your student’s counselor.
Key Contacts:
Teacher and staff emails are all available on the website and usually follow the formula
firstinitiallastname@pps.net
Counselor Contact Info: Insert
Administrator Contact Info: Insert
Keep in mind that we do our best to respond to emails as quickly as possible, but anticipate 24
hours during Monday-Friday for a response.
Getting Info & Updates from GHS: Check the website at http://www.pps.k12.or.us/schools/grant/
for info and updates. Sign up for cel.ly notifications (texts) and Twitter notifications from Principal
Campbell about upcoming events. Insert info on how
Insert blurb from Madeline Kokes about CCC and services provided.
Resources at School:
Insert info about Free Geek to get computer – refer to Madeline Kokes
Insert info about Century Link and Comcast – refer to Counseling
 Computers are available in the library for student access from __ to ___. There is also a
public library (Hollywood Branch) around the corner at ___, which is open from __ to ___.
 The College & Career Center (across from the GHS library) has information about
scholarships, college applications, internship and volunteer opportunities, filling out the
FAFSA, and much more. There are also computers here for student use. It’s never too early
to check out these resources – students do better in school when they have a plan for their
next steps after high school.
 The Counseling Center (give info about what it does, when it’s open)
 Student Health Center (give info about what it does, when it’s open)
Athletics, Activities, & Clubs:
Encourage your student to consider joining a club, activity, or fall sport. Getting involved is one of
the best ways to ensure your student feels part of the GHS community, makes friends, and does
well in school. Insert info about where to find sports and activities info on the GHS website, when
Club Fair happens.
Athletic Director and Activities Director contacts.
Suggestions for Supporting Your Student:
Adult support at home is very important to ensuring student success at Grant High School.
 Attendance is the foundation of academic success – let your student know you expect them1
to be on time and in class daily, and check up to make sure this is happening.
 Ask your student about what’s happening at school in specific classes. (insert suggestions)
 Set up a common time/place for your student to do homework every day. Check to make
sure it’s getting done, and help them track when assignments are due to make sure they’re
in on time.
 Get to know your student’s counselor and teachers – email is a good way to start reaching
out. Come to Back to School Night and conferences if you can, and bring your student with
you. You’re also always welcome to request a meeting at another time.
 Sign up for a StudentVue account so you can check your student’s grades online. Follow up
with the teacher if you have a question about what you see.
 Keep lines of communication with the school open
 Read weekly newsletters and the bulletin (email) – there’s a lot of information here
designed to help you support your student
Volunteering:
We need the help of every parent to make Grant High School successful. In addition to supporting
students at home, there are many ways to get involved here on campus. There’s a quick
background check required by the district, available at this site:
http://www.pps.k12.or.us/departments/security-services/1106.htm
Here are some of the areas in which we need help:
 Help with tutoring (Math, Science, English, Social Studies) in the College & Career Center
 Help with copying, filing, office tasks
 Help distributing schedules on the first day of school/first day of new semester
 Help with speaking to individual classes about your related profession/experience
 Help with assisting on field trips
 Help in another area where you’d like to give your time – let us know how you’d like to help
us – we’d love to see you!
For Freshmen
Academics: Freshman year is important. Take it seriously.
 Attendance is the foundation of academic success – you can’t succeed if you don’t show up.
 Credits: You need 24 credits to graduate. (Each semester class is ½ credit.)
 GPA matters all four years – start out strong your freshman year – GPA will determine
what you can do when you leave high school.
 Grades: You need Cs or better to get into college or the military.
 Timeliness: Pay attention to deadlines, and have your work ready on time.
 Getting Help: Teachers are there to make sure you can do it – take advantage of it. Ask
questions in class – if you have it, someone else does too. Seek out teachers as mentors.
1 We realize “them” is not grammatically correct. However, we use it to acknowledge that not all of our students identify as
male/female, and we want to be inclusive of all.


Talk to your teachers – they like it when you check in with them a lot, and before the last
minute. Use tutorial time/office hours.
Study Habits: Make a plan for what you will do each day, when, and where. Have a study
space and time every day. Use your planner.
Responsibility & Independence: You are responsible for yourself – make good choices,
and choose your friends wisely. Know that there are people here to support you.
Where to Go for Help:
If it’s a class problem: 1) Talk to your teacher. 2) Talk to your counselor. 3) Talk to the vice
principal for grades 9-10.
If it’s a safety issue: Talk to any adult (teacher, administrator, security monitor) immediately.
If it’s a personal problem: Talk to your counselor.
It it’s a health problem: Visit the GHS Nurse, or the free, in-school Multnomah County Health Clinic
(both at the south end of 1st floor).
Athletics, Activities, and Clubs:
 Check out the Grant HS website. There is a whole section dedicated to sports, including
non-cut sports, and other sections about activities and clubs.
 Why join? Getting involved in activities helps you meet different kinds of people, make
friends, and enjoy your school experience more. Joining activities that meet regularly and
work towards a goal, is the best way to help you make friends.
 Keep in mind that there are fun-based clubs (like anime club) and purpose-based clubs
(like National Honor Society); both have a place in helping you connect to school.
 ___ is our Activities Director; ___ is our Athletic Director. You can find them in Room ___ and
___, or email them at ____.
 Consider running for student government – your voice matters. Mr. Gavitte teaches our
Leadership class and is looking for freshman representatives; you can contact him at ____ or
find him in Room ____.