for students in 10th grade
Look inside for:
 Counseling office information- including staff and hours of
operation
 Counseling Services
 Forms/Policies
 Checklists/Planning Pages for 10thgrade students
_________________________________________________________________
Page
Counseling Office Information . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3
Linn-Mar Community Schools Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Linn-Mar High School Counseling Mission Statement . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
School Counseling in the 21st Century . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
Counseling Services . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5
Linn-Mar High School Policies . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6-7
Checklists/Planning Pages for 10th grade students . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .8
Appendix . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .
 Credit/Fail Application
 Early Graduation Application
 P.E. Waiver
 Transcript Request Form
Linn-Mar High School Student Planning Pages
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Linn-Mar High School Counseling
Office Information
_________________________________________________________________
:
The counseling office secretaries are available from 7:30 a.m. 4:00 p.m. Monday-Friday. School counselors are available for appointments from
7:30-3:30 each day. Arrangements can be made for appointments outside of
school hours. Students are welcome to stop by and see their counselor at any
time.
:
Barb Benton, Counseling Secretary:
Phone . . . . . . 447-3070
Email: bbenton@linnmar.k12.ia.us
Jayne Gutierrez, Records Secretary:
Phone . . . . . . 447-3045
Email: jgutierrez@linnmar.k12.ia.us
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Linn-Mar Community Schools Mission Statement
We, the Linn-Mar community, are dedicated to the
development of lifelong learners by equipping them with the
knowledge and skills to confidently meet life’s challenges as
responsible, productive citizens.
Linn-Mar Counseling Department Mission
Statement
The Linn-Mar K-12 School Counseling and Guidance Program is
designed to promote the formation of productive and responsible lifelong learners by ensuring the academic, career, and personal/social
development of all students.
Linn-Mar Community Schools Guidance
Philosophy Statement
The Linn-Mar Community School District adheres to the philosophy that the
school counseling program is an essential and integral part of the overall
education process. The comprehensive program is built on the assumptions that
educational, career, and personal objectives are attainable for all students. This
implementation acknowledges that school counseling is no longer a service to be
offered by one person but a program coordinated with other educators
incorporating a comprehensive curriculum. Growth and learning are
developmental; therefore, school counseling must be developmental and
sequential.
The Linn-Mar Developmental School Counseling Program, when fully
implemented will provide:
 A school counseling program that reaches the diverse needs of all
students.
 A programmatic approach to school counseling services/programs.
 Accountability for school counseling programs.
 Identification and achievement of student competencies and outcomes
through the school counseling program.
Linn-Mar High School Student Planning Pages
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ACADEMIC
4 Year Planning
Graduation/Credit Requirements
Drop-out Prevention
Alternative Schooling
Tutoring
College Credit Opportunities
ACADEMIC
4
Planning
PEYear
RSO
NAL/SOCIAL
Graduation/Credit Requirements
Tutoring
Drop-out Prevention
Alternative Schooling
College Credit Opportunities
Prevention and Crisis Counseling
Referrals to Community Agencies
Small Group Counseling
CA R E E R
Career Planning
College Searches
Interest Inventories
ACT, SAT, Standardized Testing Information
Career Seminars
Job Shadows
Linn-Mar High School Student Planning Pages
Scholarship Opportunities
Internships
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Linn-Mar High School Policies and Guidelines
Course Load
Students in grades 9-11 are required to carry a minimum of 35 credits per
semester. 12th grade students are required to carry a minimum of 30 credits per
semester.
Credit/Fail
Students may elect to take a course for “Credit/Fail”. The following guidelines
apply:
 9th grade students may not opt for Cr/F
 Courses used to meet the minimum requirements for graduation in math,
science, English, and social studies may not be taken Cr/F
 A limit of 25 Cr/F credits may be taken during the high school career.
 A grade of “C-“ or higher must be earned in order to receive credit.
 Parent signature is required.
 Deadlines for applications: Block classes- end of 5th week; traditional
class- end of10th week. Applications must be filed for each quarter of a
block class and each semester of a traditional class.
 Once this option is chosen, it may not be reversed at a later date.
Drop-Add Deadlines
Students may drop or add a course without penalty before the following
deadlines:
 Add deadline*Block class- End of the 3rd day of new quarter
*Semester class- End of the 5th day of a new semester
 Drop deadline*End of 4th week of new term (block classes)
*End of 8th week (semester classes)
Early Graduation
Students who have met the minimum academic requirements, with parental
consent, may graduate early. Applications are available in the counseling office
and must be submitted to the principal by December 1. Students who graduate
early are not eligible to participate in co-curricular activities. They may, however,
attend Prom and participate in graduation exercises.
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Graduation Requirements
Linn-Mar High School students are required to earn 250 credits in order to
graduate. In addition, the following department requirements must be met in
order to earn a diploma:
 English- 40 credits. Must include English 9 (10), English II (10), English III
(10), and a speech course (5).
 Mathematics- 30 credits. Must include Algebra. Students who complete
geometry in 8th grade may, if conditions warrant, count those credits to
meet the mathematics requirement.
 Science- 30 credits. Must include life science (10) and a physical science
course (10).
 Social Studies- 30 credits. Must include U.S. History (10), World History
(10), and American Government (5).
 Health/P.E.- 25 credits. Must include Perspectives on Life.
Graduation- Honors
Graduation honors are calculated after the 3rd quarter of the senior year.
Valedictorian is the senior with the highest grade point average. Salutatorian is
the senior with the 2nd highest grade point average. Graduation with Distinction
to those with a 4.0 grade point average or higher. Graduation with Honors to
those with a 3.75-3.99 grade point average.
Letter Requirements
Students who achieve a 3.33 or higher grade point average during a given school
year are eligible for a Linn-Mar High School academic letter. Academic letters are
presented to students at an assembly each fall. Students must have been in
attendance at L-MHS during the previous school year to qualify.
Physical Education Waiver
Physical education is required for all students by state educational standards.
Students may, however, receive a waiver of the physical education requirement
through application to the principal. Applications will be approved if one of the
following criteria are met: a) The student is enrolled in a for-credit, cooperative,
work-study, or other educational program authorized by the school, which
requires the student’s absence from the school premises during the school day.
b) The student is enrolled in academic courses otherwise unavailable.
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Sophomore Year Planning Pages
Fall
 Get involved. Find an activity at your school or in your community that
you would enjoy (i.e., clubs, band, choir, athletics, or volunteer activities)
and be active.
 Remember, grades do matter. Colleges look at your overall grade-point
average through all four years of high school.
 Know yourself. Think about what you like to do, what you are good at and
what you value most. The first step in career planning is self-discovery.
Visit the Iowa Choices portal located off the guidance website to help you
determine your interests and values.
 Consider taking the PLAN test to assess your academic strengths and
weaknesses as well as your career interests.
Winter
 Explore college and career options related to your interests within the
Choices Planner. Add the items that interest you to your portfolio.
 Talk with your parents/guardians about your college and career goals and
what it will take to attain them.
 Find a mentor who can assist you in high school and with the college
search process. Good mentors are teachers, parents, family members, etc.
Spring
 Attend Transition Night at Linn-Mar/Marion High School in March to help
explore post high school opportunities.
 Update 4 year plan.
 Consider Academy Classes and PSEO classes for junior and senior years
 Consider internships for summers of junior and senior years
Throughout the school year:



Participate in 10th grade guidance (during Perspectives class)
Attend a career seminar
Sign up for job shadow opportunities
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