1. Freshmen/Sophomore Parent Information Night
Wharton High School
February 26, 2015
Presented by WHS Guidance Department

2. Welcome Parents – Classes 2017 & 2018 Agenda
Welcome Remarks/Introductions Kevin Stephenson, APC
Role of Guidance Dept./Graduation Requirements Cindy Rogers, Dept. Head, Alpha SH-Z
Assessments Kevin Stephenson
Guidmii Sherry Ware, Counselor, Alpha DAV-HOR
Community Service Procedures for Bright Futures Robert D’Agostino, Counselor, Alpha A-Dau
Acceleration Opportunities – Ways to set up for success! Sara Theiss, Counselor, Alpha MOO-SE
AVID Patricia Daniel, WHS Avid Coordinator
Options to stay on track & 8 Great Tips to help your Child be Successful Sherry Ware, Counselor, DAV-HOR
Staying Connected – Information is Key! Magda Rodriguez, College Career Counselor

4. Role of Guidance Dept. Cindy Rogers – Dept. Head
Go to Hillsborough County Public Schools Website. Link:
Click on STUDENTS
Scroll down to GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
View by graduating year (in English or Spanish)

5. Upcoming Assessments
9th and 10th Grade FSA Writing – 1 session: 3/2 – 3/6
Algebra 1 EOC Make-Ups – 1 session: 3/23 – 3/31
10th Grade FSA Reading – 2 sessions: 4/13 – 4/17
Biology EOC – 1 session: 4/20 – 4/24
9th Grade FSA Reading – 2 sessions: 4/27 – 5/1
Alg 2 EOC – 2 sessions: 4/27 – 5/1
FSA Geo EOC – 2 sessions: 5/4 – 5/8
FSA Alg 1 EOC – 2 sessions: 5/11 – 5/15

6. Guidmii- Lighthouse Guidance Systems Sherry Ware
Guidmii, your academic planning and tracking solution.
Log on to Guidmii & login with EDSBY user name/password.
Watch 6 minute video tutorial
Helps you create an academic plan
Assess GPA’s
View FCAT performance
Track graduation requirements
View grade history
See SAT & ACT scores
Log community service hours
Explore Bright Futures & scholarship information
Manage the college entrance process

7. WHS Community Service Hours Procedures for Bright Futures Scholarships
WHS Community Service Hours Procedures for Bright Futures Scholarships WHS Contact: Mr. Robert D’Agostino
FORMS AVAILABLE IN GUIDANCE LOBBY, OR HCPS WEBSITE UNDER “COMMUNITY SERVICE FORMS”, OR ON GUIDMII Bright Futures Scholarships hub.
PLEASE READ COMPLETELY.
MUST HAVE PROPOSAL PACKET PRE-APPROVED BY MR. D’AGOSTINO
MAKE COPIES OF EVERYTHING!!!
SIGNED LOG FORMS MUST BE SUBMITTED BEFORE GRADUATION DATE!

8. Acceleration Options – Ways to set up for Success! Sara Theiss
Advanced Placement Courses
Dual Enrollment
Virtual School
District Approved Summer Programs

9. What is AVID? A structured college preparatory system
A direct support structure for first- generation college goers, grades 4-16
A schoolwide approach to curriculum and rigor
THIS SEEMS TO FALL INTO THE CATEGORY OF WHAT WE DO ((vs. what we ARE): A professional development program providing training throughout the world

10. Average to high test scores 2.0-3.5 GPA (initially)
The AVID Elective student profile
Has academic potential
Average to high test scores
GPA (initially)
College potential with support
Desire and determination

11. Why does AVID work?
Places AVID students in rigorous curriculum and gives them the support to achieve
Provides the explicit “hidden curriculum” of schools
Provides a team of students for positive peer identification
Redefines the teacher’s role as that of student advocate

12. AVID DATA in Hillsborough County
80% Applied/60%Accepted to a 4 year College or University
99.4 % Graduated from High School
88.8 % Completed 4 year college requirements
79% Took 1 or more AP course
76% have above average GPA: 3.62
Opening access to Advanced Placement courses for all students, regardless of ethnicity or economic background, is essential to leveling the academic playing field. AVID students, who take many AP tests every year, show greater ethnic diversity than AP test-takers do overall. The proportion of Latinos taking AP exams is over four times higher among AVID students than among U.S. students overall. [IS THIS SUPPOSED TO SAY “FOUR TIMES GREATER THAN OTHER LATINOS OVERALL”? IF SO, I HAVE THE ARROW POINTED TO THE WRONG NUMBER AND THE STAT IS INCORRECT.]
ALSO, I’VE MOVED THE DETAILED SOURCE INFORMATION OFF THE SLIDES AND PUT IT INTO THE NOTES, LIKE SO:

13. Staying on Track! Credit Recovery Options - Sherry Ware
Credit Recovery-(school based)
Offered in the IMPACT Lab
Program is computer based. Not all classes are available for recovery
Available every morning at 6:45 am and/or 6th lunch
Applications are available from your school counselor
Classes can be recovered and used for grade forgiveness
May NOT count for NCAA
Hillsborough and Florida Virtual Online Classes (HVS & FLVS)
(HVS)
(FLVS)
Classes can be recovered and used for grade forgiveness
Students request classes and classes are approved by their school counselor

14. Ways To Help Your Child Be A Successful 9th/10th Grader:
Make sure your child gets acquainted with his/her counselor.
Have your child join something. Join a club; try out for a sport; sign up for marching band, chorus, or color guard. This will help them find friends who share their interests.
Encourage your child to not change themselves to fit in. Be themselves and they will eventually find students who share their same interests.
Prepare them for situations that might happen. Create scenarios about what they will do or say if someone offered them a cigarette, alcohol or drugs.
Still ask the questions and stay connected! Know who their friends are…
Set high expectations! They will have to work hard. Nothing worthwhile comes easy.
Keep them balanced. They need to have time for fun and time for work.
Teach them to be PROACTIVE, ORGANIZED, INDEPENDENT, TO ASK QUESTIONS, AND GO TO THE SOURCE or you/they can just Google it!

15. Staying Connected – Information is Key
Staying Connected – Information is Key! Magda Rodriguez, College Career Counselor
By or call , ext.218
Wish to See Forms – Found in Guidance office
Follow her on
All events are posted on her Eventbrite page: whartonccc.Eventbrite.com
TV morning show announcements
“Remind” text messages and in messages type in @whs2018s (sophomores)
Check out bulletin boards outside her office in Guidance: SAT/ACT, Scholarships, Monthly Events, College Scholarship Council Boards
Monthly Guidance Newsletter sent at the beginning of each month through ParentLink . If you haven’t signed up with HCPS My Spot, go to
FYI – NACAC COLLEGE FAIR, SUNDAY, MARCH 1ST, 12:00-3:00PM AT THE TAMPA CONVENTION CENTER!