Middle School to High School: Making the Transition Easy
Tips for Parents:
The transition to high school is an important period in the educational life of students. Higher
standards in education have made it necessary for students to take on more responsibility as
they enter high school. Students will need to develop new habits and skills that support their
independence and academic success.
Parents may also need to change their approach to supporting their child’s success, now that
their student is in high school. Ninth grade is an especially critical year. It is a time when
students need to learn new ways to succeed. Most ninth grade students enjoy the new level of
freedom they experience in school, but they are often unaware of the responsibilities that
come with it. In high school, students own the primary responsibility for their success in school.
Students will need to be organized and self-motivated to do well. Although high school students
are responsible for the grades they earn, they will still need support from school and home to
do well. Parents play a critical role in a student’s development of the skills needed to succeed in
high school. While parents will naturally work to foster a sense of independence and maturity
in their student, they should not be shy about maintaining close supervision of their student’s
work in school. Parents should also feel comfortable about keeping ongoing communication
with their student’s teachers and school counselor.
The transition to high school can be a positive and exciting time for both students and parents.
Students will want to be independent, but they still need the direct support and supervision of
parents. With the attentive guidance and support of parents and the school, students can
experience both the excitement and success of their high school years. Student must not be
afraid to seek help. High School is different from Middle School.
See Chart below for more tips!
 Students are assigned homework
almost every night. It is important to
study and review, even if no
assignment is given.
 Regular class attendance is critical. It
counts toward the semester grade, and
students are not given credit for late
work
 Keeping up with assignments is the
key to maintaining high grades.
 Schedule changes are not permitted
after the first six days of class and are
granted for academic reasons only.
 CHS has two semesters per school
year. A grade is earned for each
semester of a course.
 Report cards are given to students
after winter break for 1st semester and
are mailed home in early June for 2nd
semester.
 Progress reports are sent home after
the 6th and 12th week each semester.
All teachers send home these reports.
Progress report dates are listed in the
Student/Parent handbook.
Sources: Georgia Compliments of the Collins Hill
High School Department of Guidance and
Counseling
 Students are expected to take on a
larger role in keeping parents informed
of their progress.
 Keeping up with assignments is the
key to maintaining high grades.
 Students are expected to stay with
selected schedule.
Ways to help:
Set a regular time for homework and study.
 Arrange a quiet and comfortable space
at home that is used only for study.
 Remove distractions during study time.
 Allow your student to study with other
students if that helps.
 Be available for help.
 Read over the Student/Parent
Handbook and take note of important
dates and phone numbers.
 Read all information that comes home
from the school.
 Supervise your student’s regular use
of a planner/agenda regularly.
 Check your student’s homework and
study materials on a regular basis.
 Supervise the school work your
student does at home.
 Communicate often with your
students’ teachers. The use of e-mail
has become a particularly effective
method.
 Know the course requirements to earn
a diploma
Central High School
Class registration
It is important for students to know
what type of diploma he/she is
perusing
January-February 2014
Standard Diploma
22 credits are required
6 SOL verified credits are required
2 English (English 11 Reading and
Writing)
1 Math
1 Science
1 History
1 Student Selected
Classes with SOL tests
Earth Science
Biology
Chemistry
World History I
World History II
U.S. History
Advanced Diploma
26 credits
9 SOL verified credits
2 English (English 11 Reading and Writing)
2 Math
2 Science
2 History
1 Student Selected
Algebra I
Algebra II
Geometry
English 11
(Reading and Writing)
Scheduling
 Student has four block classes
scheduling per semester.
 Each class is 90 minutes long.
 At the end of the semester,
students switch and take four
new classes.
 End of Course (EOC) SOL testing
takes place twice a year in
January and in May.
Triplett Tech
 Students may attend Triplett Tech
programs in their junior and senior
years.
 Students must complete at least 11
credits prior to attending TT
 Plan ahead if you are interested in
attending TT
 When the bell rings for lunch on
Monday, students return to first block,
Tuesday, second block, etc.
 Lunch is forty-five minutes. Students
may make up work during Return if
they miss a day of school.
Massanutten Regional Governor’s School
for Integrated Environmental Science and
Technology
 Located at Triplett Tech
 Courses are dual enrolled with Lord
Fairfax Community College and James
Madison University.
 Students engage in a multi-disciplinary
approach to problem solving.
 In order to attend, it is important that
students complete their foreign
language requirement and Earth
 Upon completion of a TT program,
students may take the State Board
exam in the area of study to earn
certification in that area.
 CHS sophomores visit TT to learn more
about what is offered.
Science, Biology, and Chemistry by the
end of their sophomore year.
 Applications are due in December of
the sophomore year.