2.  Graduation Requirements (NEW)  Credits (NEW)  Absences and Make up Work  Bright Futures Scholarships (NEW)  College and Career Planning  Testing (FCAT, Florida Writes and EOC) NEW  PSAT and PERT (NEW INFO)  Florida Virtual School, EVA and Compass (NEW)

3.  4 Credits of English  4 Credits of Math including Algebra I and Geometry  Algebra I EOC (Level 3 score required or PERT score of 97 in Math –NEW)  Geometry EOC (30% of final grade)  3 Credits of Science including Biology  Biology I EOC (30% of final grade)  1 Credit of World History  1 Credit of American History (EOC is 30% of final grade)  ½ Credit of American Government  ½ Credit of Economics  1 ½ Credits of P.E. including Personal Fitness  1 Credit of Fine/Practical/Performing Art  9 ½ Elective Credits  1 Course through Virtual School – Driver’s Education will count  Four-year college entrance requirements include:  2 consecutive credits of the same foreign language  Additional academic electives  ACT/SAT

4. Students have to pass the EOC exam in Algebra 1 for the Math graduation test requirement. Students can take the Math Portion of the PERT exam and a score of 97 will count as their Math graduation requirement!

5.  Students can get credit for the course with a passing grade, or they will earn credit as soon as they have successfully passed the EOC exam in Algebra.  Students will take the exam in December if they take Algebra, Geometry or Biology in the first block.  Students will take the exam in May if they take Algebra, Geometry or Biology in the second block or as a two-semester course.

6.  You can take courses for credit recovery online through Florida or EscambiaVirtual School.  You can also take courses for credit recovery through community school. You have to be 16 to be considered for community school.  You can also take a course on Compass Odyssey Learning at school in our learning lab!

7.  If a student fails the first semester of a class, they can still earn credit. If the combined semester score for first and second semester is a 119 or higher, they will receive the credit for the class as long as other requirements are met. *This does not apply on EOC courses!

8.  If you have more than 5 absences (excused or unexcused) you must pass your semester exam or you will receive a 59 for the exam grade and the semester grade.  If you do not take the semester exam in a class, you will automatically receive a 1 for the semester grade even if your grade before the exam was a passing grade.  If you have an absence, excused or unexcused, your work can be turned in for a grade within a three day period of returning to school. (NEW ATTENDANCE RULE)

9.  Create a student account at: www.flvc.org www.flvc.org  Bright Futures Eligibility requirements: www.FloridaStudentFinancialAid.org/S SFAD/bf/ * This is so important! Please create your account now so you can start looking! * STUDENTS ARE TO APPLY THEIR LAST YEAR OF HIGH SCHOOL AFTER DECEMBER 1 st !

10.  Florida’s College and Career Planner http://files.flvc.org/pdfDocuments/career/C ollege%20and%20Career%20Planner_formfil lable.pdf  This resource provides students with important information regarding career planning and gives them average GPA and test scores used for admission into Florida colleges and universities.

11. Florida Academic Scholars Award  GPA= 3.5 weighted GPA using the following credits: 4 English, 4 Math (Alg 1 and above), 3 Science, 3 Social Science, 2 Foreign Language(sequential in the same language) for a total of 16 core credits  Community Service Hours = 100 or more  Best combined test score of 1200 on SAT or 28 on ACT

12. Florida Medallion Scholars GPA = 3.0 weighted GPA using the following credits: 4 English, 4 Math (Alg 1 and above), 3 Science, 3 Social Science, 2 Foreign Language(sequential in the same language) for a total of 16 core credits Community Service Hours = 75 or more Best combined score of 1020 on SAT or 22 on ACT

13. Florida Gold Seal Vocational  GPA = 3.0 weighted GPA using the 16 core credits and a 3.5 unweighted GPA in a minimum of 3 Career and Technical Education credits in one vocational program.  Need to be a program completer to qualify for this (example: Vet 1-3)  Community Service Hours = 30 hours or more  Test scores for ACT, SAT or PERT

14.  Early Evaluations (7th Semester) – Postings may begin in March of Senior Year  All students whose transcripts are submitted electronically to the FDOE for an official early evaluation (based on academic progress in the middle of the last year of high school and test scores for tests taken by January 31) will receive an eligibility or ineligibility determination, with the award status notification posted to their online account.  Students cannot lose an award based on early evaluation unless they fail to earn a standard Florida high school diploma from a Florida public or FDOE-registered private high school.  Final Evaluations (8th Semester) – Postings may begin in July after graduation  All students whose final transcripts are submitted (following the student’s last term in high school) will receive an award status notification (eligibility or ineligibility determination) posted to their online account.  The Process  The award (or ineligibility) determination will be posted to a student's online Financial Aid Recipient History (FARH) screen and is viewable by the student. Login credentials will be sent to the student after the FFAA is submitted and enable a student to:  view award status (eligibility determination);  view/update demographic information;  view/update postsecondary institution;  view the amount disbursed each semester;  view the spring renewal GPA;  monitor hours remaining for the year and for the scholarship; and  view all correspondence posted and/or sent from the FDOE.

15.  Please access the Bright Futures Eligibility Handbook at: http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ SSFAD/PDF/BFHandbookChapter1.pdf  This will give you valuable information about the Florida Financial Aid Application (FFAA) and how to track your status online!

16.  As you may be aware, there has been much back and forth between articulation and Bright Futures/SUS for Liberal Arts Mathematics 1 and Liberal Arts Mathematics 2 to count as core versus elective. After once again reviewing the content of the courses, both courses will now be accepted and considered as CORE, not only for all four Bright Futures Scholarships but also for SUS admissions.

17.  Students are allowed three days between their Junior and Senior year to count as College Visit days.  They need to make sure they let Ms. Frazier or myself know so the absences can be counted as excused.  Please use your College Visit days wisely because you will only be allowed three.

18.  The Common Application is a standardized undergraduate college application that is accepted at more than 240 accredited, independent colleges and universities nationwide.  Some schools that accept the Common Application are: Boston University, Syracuse and New York University.  Some advantages is that it saves time. Instead of typing the same information multiple times, you only have to do it once and there is only one essay to write.  Some disadvantages is limited acceptance because it only services 240 colleges. You can visit the website at:  www.commonapp.org www.commonapp.org

19.  Students who plan to play Division I/II college sports need to register with the NCAA Eligibility Center www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.org  Tate School Code is – 100-560  ACT and SAT test scores must be sent directly to Eligibility Center. (code = 9999)

20.  Summary of Changes   Minimum core-course GPA of 2.300 required for competition;   Ten core courses required before beginning of senior year for competition; and   Slight changes in GPA/test score index (sliding scale).  The following slides explain these changes in further detail.

21.  NCAA Division I Full Qualifier: Requirements for Athletics Aid, Practice and Competition Students will need to meet the following requirements to receive athletics aid, practice and compete their first year:   16 core courses in the following areas:   4 years English;   3 years math at Algebra I level or higher;   2 years natural or physical science (one lab if offered at any high school attended);   1 year additional English, math or natural/physical science;   2 years social science; and   4 years additional from areas above or foreign language, philosophy or comparative religion.   Minimum required GPA:   Minimum GPA of 2.300 required for competition in those 16 core courses.   Graduate from high school.

22.  Academic Redshirt: Requirements for Scholarship and Practice.   16 core courses in the following areas:   4 years English,   3 years math at Algebra I level or higher,   2 years natural or physical science (one lab if offered by any school attended);   1 year additional English, math or natural/physical science;   2 years social science; and   4 years additional from areas above or foreign language, philosophy or comparative religion.   Minimum required GPA.   Minimum GPA of 2.000-2.299 in 16 core courses.   Sliding scale.   Minimum ACT sum or SAT score (critical reading/math only) that matches the 16 core-course GPA.

23.  http://scholarships.fastweb.com/y-high- school-juniors http://scholarships.fastweb.com/y-high- school-juniors  https://secure.flchoices.org/Financial_Ai d_Planning/Scholarships/_default.aspx https://secure.flchoices.org/Financial_Ai d_Planning/Scholarships/_default.aspx  https://www.scholarships.com/ https://www.scholarships.com/  http://www.gocollege.com/ http://www.gocollege.com/  http://www.nasfaa.org/ http://www.nasfaa.org/  https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/schol arship-search https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/schol arship-search

24.  Please inquire about a new file including updated scholarship searches and requirements. This file has over 70 scholarships with application information and deadlines!  The link to the file will be posted on our school website in the guidance section and I will e-mail the form as well!

25.  Students need to get involved with community service organizations.  To qualify for the Florida Academic Scholars, you must have at least 100 community service hours.  To qualify for the Florida Medallion Scholars, you must have at least 75 community service hours.  To qualify for Gold Seal Vocational Scholars, you must have at least 30 community service hours.

26.  10 th grade FCAT Reading scores will count as the graduation requirement for reading. It will also determine what level of core classes you will take. The ACT Reading section can count as the reading requirement with a score of 19.  Students will have an opportunity to take the PSAT test on Wednesday, October 15 th. The cost is 14.00 and you need to sign up with Ms. Reeder in Guidance!

27. Scholarships & Recognition  By taking the PSAT/NMSQT, you may qualify to enter the competitions for prestigious scholarships and participate in recognition programs.  National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) Students in the eleventh grade of high school enter NMSC competitions by taking the PSAT/NMSQT, which serves as an initial screen of approximately 1.5 million entrants each year, and by meeting published program entry and/or participation requirements. NMSC uses the Selection Index score (the sum of the critical reading, mathematics, and writing skills scores) on the PSAT/NMSQT as an initial screen of program entrants and to designate groups of students to be honored in the competitions it conducts. Student Entry Requirements To participate in the National Achievement ® Scholarship Program, a student must: take the PSAT/NMSQT ® in the specified year of the high school program and no later than the third year in grades 9 through 12, regardless of grade classification or educational pattern;PSAT/NMSQT ® request entry to the National Achievement Program by marking Section 14 on the PSAT/NMSQT answer sheet.

28.  What's on the Test  The PSAT/NMSQT includes five sections:  Two 25-minute critical reading sections Two 25-minute math sections One 30-minute writing skills section  The whole test requires two hours and 10 minutes.  Critical Reading  Two 25-minute critical reading sections = 48 questions  13 Sentence completionsSentence completions  35 Critical reading questionsCritical reading  Math  Two 25-minute math sections = 38 questions  28 multiple-choice math questionsmultiple-choice math questions  10 Student-produced responses or grid-insgrid-ins  Students are advised to bring a calculator with which they are comfortable. Students should have basic knowledge of 4 math categories:  Numbers and Operation  Algebra and Functions (but not 3rd year level math that may appear on the new SAT)  Geometry and Measurement  Data Analysis, Statistics and Probability  Writing Skills  One 30-minute writing section = 39 questions  14 Identifying sentence errorsIdentifying sentence errors  20 Improving sentencesImproving sentences  5 Improving paragraph questionsImproving paragraph  These multiple-choice questions on writing skills measure a student's ability to express ideas effectively in standard-written English, to recognize faults in usage and structure, and to use language with sensitivity to meaning.

29.  It is never too early to start preparing for the ACT and SAT tests.  ACT TEST DATES: Test Date: October 25 th Deadline: September 19 th Test Date: December 13 th Deadline: November 7 th Test Date: February 7 th Deadline: January 9 th Test Date: April 18 th Deadline: March 13 th Test Date: June 13 th Deadline: May 8 th Get all study guides and sign up information in guidance or visit: www.actstudent.org

30.  PSAT Workshop Saturday, October 4 th 8-12 in the Tate Media Center Sign up in Guidance  ACT Workshop Saturday, October 18 th 8-12 in the Tate Media Center Sign up in Guidance

31.  The students that have a 3.0 GPA or higher are eligible to take the PERT test in the spring of their 10 th grade year.  PSC faculty and staff come to Tate to help test the students.  This is the test that will qualify them for Dual Enrollment classes at school or through PSC or UWF.  They can start taking DE classes in the summer after their sophomore year.

32.  Students entering the 9 th grade this year and after are required to take at least one online course before they graduate.  Visit www.flvs.netwww.flvs.net  There is a Course Catalog and you can Test Drive a Course to determine if it would be something you would be interested in taking.  Students can also take a class on Compass Learning at school.  Deadline to sign up for EVA classes is Sept 27 th ! Please let me know if you need a class. You must be done with any fall courses by December 19 th.

33.  Students are only allowed to take one online course at a time in addition to their regular school schedule.  If the student registers for more than one class at a time on Escambia Virtual School, one class will be activated until the course is completed and then the next class will be activated after course grade is entered into transcript.

34.  The academic profile of the middle 50% of freshmen accepted in 2014 was:  3.8-4.3 academic GPA; 26-30 ACT composite; 1760-1960 SAT total  In addition to the academic profile, a variety of other factors are also considered in the review process. These include the written essay, the rigor and quality of courses and curriculum, grade trends, class rank, strength of senior schedule in academic subjects, math level in the senior year, and number of years in a sequential world language. They look for well- rounded students!essay

35.  It is vital that you keep up with your student’s academic progress to ensure that they don’t fall behind. Please contact Ms. Reeder in the guidance office at 937-2300 ext 229 to set up parent/teacher conferences if you have any questions or concerns about your student’s grades.If you don’t have an account, follow the link below to create a parent portal account: https://focus.escambia.k12.fl.us/focus/auth/  If you already have an account from last year, please follow the link below: https://focus.escambia.k12.fl.us/focus/

36.  The state of Florida is changing the diploma types.  There are now three high school diploma types that your student can achieve.  They are the Scholar Diploma, Standard Diploma and Merit Diploma.  No student will be required to earn a credit in Algebra 2, Chemistry or Physics for the standard diploma!

37.  English = 4 credits (must pass FCAT reading and take FCAT Writing in 10 th grade)  Math = 4 Credits (Algebra 2, Pass Alg EOC, Math course above Algebra 2)  Science = 3 credits (Pass Bio EOC and Chemistry or Physics)  Social Studies = 3 credits (Pass US History EOC)  PE = 1.5 credits Including Personal Fitness  Electives = Must take at least one AP or DE course  Fine or Performing Art = 1 credit  Online course = 1 course (excludes Driver’s Ed after July 1, 2013)  Foreign Language = 2 consecutive years of the same language

38.  English = 4 credits (Pass Reading FCAT and must take FCAT Writing in 10 th grade)  Math = 4 credits (Must pass Alg EOC, Geometry EOC is 30% of grade, 2 credits can be substituted for industry certification)  Science = 3 credits (Biology EOC is 30% of grade, 1 credit can be substituted for industry certification)  Social Studies = 3 credits (US History EOC is 30% of grade, World History, Government and Economics)  Foreign Language = no requirement  PE = 1.5 credits including Personal Fitness  Fine or Performing Art = 1 credit  Online course = 1 credit (excludes Driver’s Ed after July 1, 2013

39.  Same as requirements for standard diploma plus one industry certification !

40.  Students are placed in honors classes based on their standardized test scores and overall grades. Teachers can also recommend for students to be placed in honors classes.  The honors curriculum usually covers the same subjects and materials as non-honors courses, but honors courses work through topics at a faster pace than standard courses do and they dig into the subjects in more detail. They might have extra assignments included in the curriculum to enrich students.  Honors courses carry weighted grade point average points that make them worth more on transcripts. While an “A” in a regular class is worth a 4.0, an “A” in an honors class can earn them.025 on their weighted GPA. Each honors class the student takes is worth.025 toward their overall weighted GPA.  AP or Advanced Placement courses have the same weighted GPA points as Honors Classes. The students can earn.025 points added to their overall weighted GPA for AP classes. The students will take an AP exam during the last part of the course and if they score a level 3 or higher on the exam, they can earn high school and college credit for the course. If they score below a level 3 and pass the class, they will still get high school credit but they will not receive college credit for the course.  AP credits transfer to any college or university in the United States.

41.  www.act.org www.act.org  www.collegeboard.com www.collegeboard.com  www.flvs.net www.flvs.net  www.flvc.org www.flvc.org  www.escambia.k12.fl.us www.escambia.k12.fl.us  www.escambia.k12.fl.us/schscnts/that/guid ance/index.asp www.escambia.k12.fl.us/schscnts/that/guid ance/index.asp  http://ecsd- fl.schoolloop.com/cms/resources?d=x&fold er_group_id=1313209628754&group_id=131 3209628754&id=1377669530805 http://ecsd- fl.schoolloop.com/cms/resources?d=x&fold er_group_id=1313209628754&group_id=131 3209628754&id=1377669530805

43.  The complete State University System Matrix is available at the following link: http://www.flbog.edu/  You can also find valuable resources and various criteria for admissions for the different colleges and universities in the state. There is also new information about Florida Polytech University!

44.  https://secure.flchoices.org/ https://secure.flchoices.org/ Florida Choices website: Please create an account on Florida Choices for your student. You can look at various specific scholarships. This is just as important as creating an account on Florida Virtual Campus! You can also plan for your college career!

45.  http://pdfs.remind.com/invite?class_cod e=tatec&class_name=Tate+Class+of+20 16&phone_number=%28850%29+634- 0372&sms_supported=true&user_signatur e=Ms.+Mills http://pdfs.remind.com/invite?class_cod e=tatec&class_name=Tate+Class+of+20 16&phone_number=%28850%29+634- 0372&sms_supported=true&user_signatur e=Ms.+Mills  Use this link to sign up for Remind 101 text and e-mail announcements. I will be posting important deadlines and information for students and parents!

46. If you have any questions, please contact me! Christy Mills 937-2300 ext 234 cmills@escambia.k12.fl.us