Keys to Freshman Success
Presented by
Jamie Pollard
9th grade School Counselor
Farmington High School
jpollard@farmington.k12.mo.us
573-701-1310 #2170
Importance of Freshman Year
•Failure rate is higher than any other year
•Those who fail their freshman year are more
likely to drop out
•HS dropouts earn 1/3 less than graduates.
•Alternately, successful freshman years lead
to increased success throughout high school,
increased graduation rates, and increased
earning potential
•From Bottoms, Gene. Redesigning the Ninth-Grade Experience: Reduce Failure, Improve
Achievement and Increase High School Graduation Rates. www.sreb.org
In St. Francois County, non-graduates earn an average of $13,550 per
year, HS graduates earn $23,914 (over $10,000 difference)
http://dailyjournalonline.com/news/local/the-forces-driving-theeconomy/article_7642b7b6-1a5d-11e2-860f-0019bb2963f4.html
60,000
50,000
40,000
30,000
20,000
10,000
0
Average Yearly Salary
Importance of
Caregiver Involvement
 When parents/guardians are involved during HS,
 higher grades in math and English
 more proficiency in reading and writing skills
 better attendance
 fewer discipline issues.
Epstein, J.L. (2008) Improving Family and Community Involvement in Secondary Schools.
Education Digest, 73, 9-12.
What if my freshman is already
failing?
I have missed 9,000 shots during my career. My
teams have lost 300 games. And 26 times that my
teammates gave me the ball in the final seconds of
the game to take the game-winning shot, I missed
the shot and we lost the game. I have failed over
and over again. The only reason I can succeed is
because I understand how to deal with failure.
Michael Jordan
From Teenagers Preparing for the Real World by Chad Foster, p. 11
Help for Struggling Students
 Tutoring 7:00-7:35a.m, 3:15-4:00 M-F,
(Tutoring buses M, W—request the week before)
 Seminar
 Academic Labs
 Parent Portal- www.farmington.k12.mo.us
 School Counselor, Home-School Liaison
 Other school personnel
 Learning Express Library, other LMC resources
 Outside medical, mental health, and substance
abuse resources
Keys to Success
 Attendance
 Organization
 Time Management
 Relationship with a Caring Adult/Mentor
 Involvement with an Activity
 Goal for the Future
 Discussions about Life Issues
 Perseverance/Effort
Attendance
 One of the challenges freshmen have
identified
 Difficult to “catch up” when students miss
 Helps students maintain good habits that
will be important for work later
 To qualify for A+, students must have a
cumulative 95% attendance average their
senior year (measured hourly)
Organization
 Folders/binders for each class
 Designated “school” flash drive
 Color coding
 Time to organize materials
 Planner
 Long-term planning
 Smart use of cell phone
Time Management
 Freshmen have cited “juggling school,
family, relationships, and sports” as a
challenge for them
 Prioritizing is tough at this age
Relationship with Caring
Adult/Mentor
 This relationship creates an environment
that encourages student success
 Advisory/Seminar
 Crucial role of family, extended family
 Community organizations can also play a
role
Involvement with an Activity
 Most freshmen want to know more about the
activities offered here
 Place of connection
 Positive relationships
 Activity Fair in August
 Sports, clubs, community groups
 Clubs related to careers (FFA, FBLA, etc.) These
are also referenced in Programs of Study
Goal for the Future
 Short Term
 Long Term
 Intermediate goals
 Drives academics
 Answers the “What’s the purpose?”
questions
 Missouri Connections Assessments
 Programs of Study
 Personal Plans of Study
Reality
Check
SKILLS
Work
Importance
Locator
Interest
Profiler
Career
Interest
Inventory
Missouri Connections
Career Clusters Framework
From the MCCE website PowerPoint presentation
Programs of Study
Career Path
Career Cluster
Career Pathway
Programs of Study
Personal Plan of Study
A full range of activities, documents
and process that make up a
seamless education program from
school to school within a given
Career Cluster or Career
Pathway.
Includes a three-part curriculum
framework extending from
secondary to two-year
postsecondary to four-year
postsecondary education.
Sample Program of Study
www.farmington.k12.mo.us
https://sites.google.com/a/farmington.k12.mo.us/f
hs-counseling-center/programs-of-study/fhsprogram-of-study-templates/class-of-2016-beyond
Planning My High
School Career
Adapted from slides by Jennifer Cooper, FHS
Career Counselor
(next 5 slides)
18
How to Complete My Personal
Plan of Study
Step 1:
Review through your Career Cluster
Inventory and other assessment results
from Missouri Connections. Choose the
cluster area that was one of your top
choices, and most interests you as a
career area of focus.
19
How to Complete My Personal
Plan of Study
Step 2:
Use the Farmington High School Program of Study for
your career cluster area to serve as a guide. They are
available on the FHS Counselor Webpage under Programs
of Study.
20
How to Complete My Personal
Plan of Study
Step 3:
Using your Program of Study as a guide, begin to create your own personal
plan of study. Blank Personal Plan of study forms can be found for each
career cluster on the Counseling Center webpage under the personal plans of
study tab. (Mrs. Pollard worked with each seminar to create one in Google
docs as well.) It will be important to go over your plan with your advisor
and parent or guardian. Your personal plan of study will be a useful tool
when choosing your class schedule and to map out your postsecondary plans.
21
How to Complete My Personal
Plan of Study
Step 4:
Revisit your Personal Plan of Study!
As you get involved in different activities and take different courses
throughout high school, your interests and plans may change. It is important
to revisit your personal plan of study at least once a semester to ensure that it
still fits your goals. Make sure that you communicate changes with your
parent or guardian, your seminar teacher, and your counselor so that they can
help you to stay on the right path towards your career goals.
22
The Counseling Center Webpage
https://sites.google.com/a/farmington.k12.mo.us/fhs-counseling-center/
Personal Plan of Study
Career Path
Career Cluster
Career Pathway
Programs of Study
Personal Plan of Study
A student’s scope and sequence of
coursework and co-curricular
experiences based upon chosen
educational and career goals.
Arranged according to secondary
graduation requirements and
postsecondary admissions
requirements.
Required of all students in grades
9-12 and is to be reviewed
annually.
Discussions about Life Issues
 Time of critical life choices
 Parents and family are the most influential
 Discuss alcohol, drugs, sexuality and your
views
(Drug abuse on the rise in rural communities—
National Center of Addiction and Substance Abuse 2000)
 Talk about long term impact of current
choices
 “There is no such thing as an insignificant
decision.”
Perseverance/Effort
 Success is not so much about intelligence as
it is hard work and perseverance
 All students can achieve academic success
despite differences in natural intelligence
Questions?
Please contact me at the
Counseling Center.
jpollard@farmington.k12.mo.us
573-701-1310 #2170