1.  River Hill High School Ninth Grade Back to School Night September 3, 2013

2. Purpose of Back to School Night  View presentation on how to best support 9 th Graders  Experience their classes and schedules  Get a sense of your children’s teachers  Ask general questions about the class

3. For Specific Questions  E-mail or phone teachers  Schedule a meeting with a teacher  Contact guidance to meet with all teachers  Attend Parent-Teacher Conferences

4. 9 th Grade Team Mission Our mission is to:  Create a smooth and positive transition from middle to high school  Maintain a support network for all 9 th graders  Foster communication among teachers

5. Counseling Services  Academic and Personal Counseling  College/Career Counseling  Testing (PSAT, SAT, AP)  Scholarships

6. School-wide Academic Supports  HSA Support  SOAR (Tuesday)  students sign up Monday morning in Student Services  School Tutoring  before, during and after school in Student Services  Writing Clinic (Wednesday)  sign up outside room 240

7. Class of 2017 SGA  Class Sponsors Emily Kuykendall and Justin Rix  Until a webmaster is elected, 9 th Grade SGA information will be posted on the 9 th Grade Website: 9thgrade.riverhill.org

8. Family Life Unit Information Health Teachers:  Ms. Sybil Modispacher  Ms. Marni Rosenbaum

9. Supporting the Transition  Balance between providing support, structure, and freedom  All students are different and will require different levels of support  Allow students to try being independent

10. View Video  Video features teachers and students talking about how parents can best support their children as they transition to high school

11. Empower Students to Self Advocate  Monitor their own progress  Students check grades (or check together)  The parent portal is on the school’s website  Make sure students know why they got a grade  Confer with teachers about grades or conflicts  Help students practice what they will say  Help students compose an e-mail  If still not satisfied, parents and student meet with the teacher

12. Encourage Students  To get Involved  In and out of school activities  Clubs – look and listen for announcements  SGA to have a voice in the school (even if not an officer)  Try new things (sports & activities)  Use the school’s Academic supports  ask for help when needed  sign up for tutoring

13. Support Students  Stay involved in their lives  Monitor their clothing for school  Ensure they get enough sleep  Make sure they eat well-balanced meals  Check in with them often  Allow them to make mistakes

14. What Students Want You to Remember  High school is hard  Will make mistakes (bad grades)  Will forget homework occasionally  Trust them to make good decisions  Be specific when you compliment them  Don’t compare to siblings or other students  Attend events, but don't embarrass them  Ask about their day, but don’t expect answers

15.  Back To School Night 2013 Enjoy your evening.