GETTING READY FOR
HIGH SCHOOL
What do you need to do?
MASTERING JUNIOR HIGH





Make Attendance Job #1
 Attendance is about dependability—something that future employers
take very seriously
Read, Read, Read
 The more you read, the better that your verbal, writing and critical
thinking abilities will be
Study Smarter
 Homework should be a TOP priority
Ask for Help
 Go to your teacher first, but keep in mind you can also talk to your
counselor, tutoring, parents
Plan for High School
 Map out your high school courses and complete your Graduation Plan
WORK HARD, WORK SMART
Getting good grades in “tough” classes is the surest way to make
it to college. A strong GPA opens college doors, wins
scholarships, and increases your chances of succeeding in
college.
 More
than three-quarters of students who earn an A or AGPA in high school complete college, compared to one-fifth
of students with a C average in high school
 Over
60% of students who have taken two or more Advanced
Placement courses in high school graduate from college in
four years or less, compared with 29% of students who have
taken no AP classes
HIGH SCHOOL TERMS
 Class
rank—A numerical position one holds within
their class in relation to their grade point average.
 Credit—A unit to measure the quantity of classes
completed.
 Elective—Classes that the student can choose.
Choice may be based upon classes that will support
career goals, leisure interests, or personal and family
goals.
 GPA—Grade Point Average. The points received for
the grade earned. Points are totaled then averaged.
MORE HIGH SCHOOL TERMS

Grades—A way of recording your progress in a class. Grades
may be listed as a percentage, a letter grade or points.

Job Shadowing—An experience in which students seeking a
better understanding of a particular career specialty follow
experienced workers through the course of a work day.

Prerequisite—A class that must be taken before another class
can be taken.

Required Class—Classes that must be taken and passed in
order to graduate from high school.

Transcripts—A record of the courses a student has taken, the
grades earned and the credits earned.
AND A FEW MORE!
 Advanced
Placement (AP)
 College-level
courses offered in high school. If you
score well on AP exams, you may receive college credit
 Dual
Credit Courses
 College
courses taught in high school, at local colleges
and online that provide both high school and college
credit
IN INDIANA…
All students have to complete Core 40—a set of
courses that provide you with a solid
foundation for college, career and life—to
graduate. No matter which diploma you earn,
the tougher your courses and the higher your
GPA, the more options you will have after high
school.
WHAT WILL YOURS LOOK LIKE?
CORE 40---40 TOTAL CREDITS REQUIRED
 Indiana’s
college-and-career-ready diploma
8
credits of English/Language Arts
6
credits of Math
6
credits of Science
6
credits of Social Studies
5
credits of Directed Electives
World
Language, Fine Arts, or Career/Technical Education
2
credits of Physical Education
1
credit of Health and Wellness
6
credits of Electives
College
and Career Pathway courses are recommended
CORE 40 WITH ACADEMIC HONORS—MINIMUM 47 CREDITS
 This
diploma is required or recommended by nearly ALL
Indiana colleges
All Core 40 Courses, PLUS…
2 additional credits of Math
6-8 credits of World Language (Counts toward
Directed Electives)
2 credits of Fine Arts (Counts toward Directed
Electives)
A grade of “C” or better in all courses that count
toward the diploma
A grade point average (GPA) of “B” or better
CORE 40 WITH ACADEMIC HONORS, CONTINUED
COMPLETE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING
• 4 credits in 2 or more AP courses and take AP exams
• 6 verifiable transcripted college credits in dual credit
courses
• Earn two of the following:
• Minimum of 3 verifiable transcripted college credits
from list
• 2 credits in AP courses and corresponding AP exams
• Earn a combined score of 1750 or higher on the SAT critical
reading, math and writing sections and a minimum score
of 530 on each
• Earn an ACT composite score of 26 or higher and complete
written section
CORE 40 WITH TECHNICAL HONORS
 This
diploma is perfect preparation for an apprenticeship or
technical college degree
All
6
Core 40 Courses, PLUS…
credits in a College & Career Pathway
Industry-recognized
certification OR 6 college credits from
dual-credit courses
A
grade of “C” or better in all courses that count toward
the diploma
A
grade point average (GPA) of “B” or better
CORE 40 WITH TECHNICAL HONORS, CONTINUED

Complete one of the following
 Any
one of the options A – F of the Core 40 with Academic
Honors
 Earn
the following scores or higher on WorkKeys; Reading
for Information—Level 6, Applied Math—Level 6, and
Locating Information—Level 5
 Earn
the following minimum score(s) on Accuplacer:
Writing 80, Reading 90, Math 75
 Earn
the following minimum score(s) on Compass: Algebra
66; Writing 70, Reading 80
MAXIMUM SCORES ON SAT AND ACT
ACT
SAT
Critical
Reading
Writing
 Math
 Science
Math
TOTAL:
 English
 Reading
2400
 Writing--optional
TOTAL:
36
COLLEGE AND CAREER PATHWAY COURSES
 Health
 Agriculture
 Architecture
& Construction
 Arts,
AV Technology &
Communication
 Business
& Marketing
 Education
& Training
Science
 Hospitality
& Human
Services

Information Technology
 Manufacturing

Public Safety
 Transportation
SCHOLARSHIP SUCCESS STARTS NOW!
You
can start earning scholarships now,
in junior high!
Your grades, study habits,
extracurricular activities and high
school Graduation Plan choices will all
contribute to your ability to earn
college scholarships.
TYPES OF FINANCIAL AID
Financial Aid—Any money you receive to help you pay for
college. Can be scholarships, grants, work study and
student loans.
Indiana’s 21st Century Scholars Program
This program helps income-eligible students earn up to four
years of tuition at an Indiana public or private college.
 To qualify, you must enroll in 7th or 8th grade, fulfill a pledge
of good citizenship and participate in a Scholar Success Program
that helps you plan, prepare and pay for college completion
and career success.

MORE FINANCIAL AID
 Scholarships
and Grants—Money for college that you don’t
have to pay back
 Student
Loans—Money you borrow for college and have to
pay back, plus interest, after you graduate
 Need-based
Financial Aid—Scholarships or grants based on
your need
 Merit-based
Financial Aid—Scholarships or grants based on a
special accomplishment.
Grades,
class rank, leadership roles, extracurricular
accomplishments or community service
ADVICE FROM SENIORS TO NINTH GRADERS

Stay in class. Go to every class. My freshman year, I worked really hard, like I was a
senior. I’ve done pretty well this year, but I could have done better.

Throughout high school I really challenged myself with taking the hardest classes. I
wanted to go to a certain college, so I knew what it took to get there. You pretty much
need to work hard all through high school. It will pay off.

AP classes will probably help you with college—they didn’t tell me until last year. The
teachers who teach AP classes sometimes have a different view on things. They cause you
to think outside the box.

When you come to school every day, you come to learn new stuff. You might think your
teachers give you too much work, but it only gets harder when you get into college. When
you’re in high school, this is the easiest.

You have to learn how to deal with different situations. I have this to do; I have that to
do. Which one should I do first? Which one is most important? Or how much time should I
spend on this, so that I can finish that?
BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

FIND A MENTOR
 Tell everyone you plan to go to college. Ask people you trust and
admire if they can help—it could be a church leader, a coach, an
employer, a family friend
 Make a short list of the teachers you respect (from junior high,
too). Send them a note—or an email—explaining where things
stand with your college plans and asking them if they can advise
you when you need help.
 Look for “college access” programs in your community, designed to
give students the one-on-one support that is hard to find in school.

MENTOR—SOMEONE WHO REALLY KNOWS YOU AND WHERE YOU WANT TO GO IN LIFE.
SOMEONE YOU CAN TRUST AND TALK TO AND WHO REALLY WANTS TO HELP YOU OUT,
SOMEONE WHO KNOWS YOUR HEART.
LIFE AT GCHS
WHAT WILL YOURS INCLUDE?
DAILY SCHEDULE

Block 1
8:30 – 9:56 a.m.
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Block 2
10:02 – 11:28 a.m.
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Block 3
11:34 a.m. – 1:30 p.m.

Lunch 1
11:34 a.m. – 12:04 p.m.
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Lunch 2
12:17 – 12:47 p.m.

Lunch 3
1 – 1:30 p.m.

Cougar Connection

Block 4
1:36 – 1:53 p.m.
1:59 – 3:25 p.m.
DEPARTMENTS AND CURRICULUM GUIDE
AGRISCIENCE
BUSINESS TECHNOLOGY &
FINANCIAL SERVICES
ENGINEERING & TECHNOLOGY
EDUCATION
ENGLISH
FAMILY & CONSUMER SCIENCE
FINE ARTS/VISUAL ARTS
MATHEMATICS
PERFORMING ARTS
PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH
SCIENCE
SOCIAL STUDIES
WORLD LANGUAGE
WHERE ARE MY CLASSES?
 The
high school is separated by departments.
 All of the classes in each department will be in one
section of the building.
 Upstairs are Social Studies, some Science and
Mrs. Schoeff’s English classes
 Business is where the “cheese grater” is!
 Art and Ag are in the back center of the building
 Tech is in the back left corner of the building
WHERE ARE MY CLASSES?
 You
will find Foreign Language in the front and
center of the building
 Math and Science are toward the South end of
the building
 Most English classes are down the first long
hallway and a few are down the second long
hallway
SUGGESTION: GET A MAP ON YOUR FIRST DAY!
TEACHER EXPECTATIONS
 Be
in school, ON TIME, EVERY DAY
 Learn
how to adapt to different teachers
 Be
prepared for EACH class
 Sit
in the front of the class, if possible
 ALWAYS
DO YOUR HOMEWORK
MORE EXPECTATIONS!
 Participate
 Be
in class
a good group member
 Treat
others with courtesy and respect
 Involve
your parents
 Be
aware of your body language and
nonverbal behavior
 Get
involved in SOMETHING….clubs, teams,
your class activities…
OTHER STUFF!
 Your
locker will be with other students in 9th
grade. Find it your first day!
 Teachers can be found on the school’s website!
Preview it before your first day!
 The grading scale is the same as the junior high,
BUT…many teachers DO NOT accept late work.
LISTEN for due dates.
 LISTEN in Cougar Connection! You will learn a
lot of good information.
EXTRA-CURRICULAR OPPORTUNITIES

Blue Fusion Dance Team

Band Leadership Team
The Cougar Review
 Drama Club

Bowling Club
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Brain Game/Quiz Bowl
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
Business Professional of America
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
Cadet Teachers
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Catamount
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Cheer Team

Chess Club

Choirs

Comedy Sportz

Cougar Productions

FCCLA
Fellowship of Christian Athletes
FFA
Foreign Exchange Programs
 French Club
 French Honor Society
 German Club
 Interact
 International Thespian Society
 Key Club
MORE ACTIVITIES…

Mentor Protégé

SpellBowl

National Art Honor Society

Student Council

National Honor Society

Student Leadership Academy

Pathfinders

Sunshine Society

Pep Band

Technology Club

Quill and Scroll Society

F-1 in Schools

Science Club

Super Mileage Team

Spanish Club

Vex Robotics

Spanish Honor Society

Winter Guard

Speech Club

Winter Percussion

Women in Engineering
ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES AT GCHS

English Language & Composition

European History

Studio Art (Drawing Portfolio)

Biology

Studio Art (2D Design Portfolio)

Chemistry

Studio Art (3D Design Portfolio)

Physics

United States History

Calculus

Psychology

Statistics
ATHLETICS
FALL SPORTS
WINTER SPORTS
SPRING SPORTS
Football
Men's Basketball
Baseball
Men's Tennis
Wrestling
Softball
Men's Soccer
Men's Golf
Men's Cross Country
Men's Swimming &
Diving
Volleyball
Women's Basketball
Women's Soccer
Women's Swimming &
Diving
Women's Golf
Women's Cross
Country
Women's Tennis
Men's Track & Field
Women's Track & Field
DUAL CREDIT CLASSES AT GCHS—IU/UINDY

Advanced Composition

Medical Interventions

Literary Interpretation

Biomedical Innovations

Speech

US History

Principles of Biomedical
Sciences

Human Body Systems
• International Business Finance--UIndy
MORE DUAL CREDIT--PURDUE



Engineering Design &
Development
Civil Engineering &
Architecture
Bio-Tech Engineering

Intro to Engineering

Principles of Engineering

Digital Electronics

Aerospace Engineering
EVEN MORE DUAL CREDIT—IVY TECH








AP Calculus
AP Psychology
Personal Finance (in
development)
Early Childhood Education (in
development)
AP United States History
AP English Language and
Composition
Studio Art (Drawing Portfolio)
AP Physics







Digital Design Illustration
Digital Design II Digital Imaging
Drawing I
Drawing II
Advanced Manufacturing I
Advanced Manufacturing II
World Languages Spanish (In
Development)
VOCATIONAL PROGRAMS
WALKER CAREER CENTER WCC
EASTERN HANCOCK--GREENFIELD-CENTRAL &
MT. VERNON
ACADEMIES
•
•
•
•
CAREER
COUGAR ACADEMY
PLTW – BIOMEDICAL
PLTW – ENGINEERING
FRESHMAN LEADERSHIP ACADEMY

Freshman Leadership Academy (formerly known as Pathfinders) is a
leadership skills development program for freshman only.

Students will attend evening seminars on a variety of leadership topics and
will also participate in a school service project.

Our own Student Leadership Academy’s “Leaders to Go” will provide the
training and serve as mentors to the students.

Meetings are once a month in the evening and usually include food and a
beverage.

In the spring those students who successfully complete the program will
attend Student Leadership Academy Graduation celebration and receive a
certificate. (Fee for program is $30 to cover cost of T-shirt and pizzas for
meetings)