Welcome to LHS!

School Counseling Department School Counselors Mrs. Kelly Hamilton, A-E Mrs. Shaunti Taylor, F-K Mr. Jon Putt, L-Q Ms. Amy Cattrano, R-Z Lion Learning Lab Mrs. Kate Luette Mrs. Nancy Farver Secretaries Mrs. Karen Seegren Mrs. Bobbie Tucker

1.Role of School Counselor and ways counselors work with students in high school 2.Academic Information (credits and graduation requirements) 3.Academic Support Programs 4.Preview of College and Career Readiness 5.General transition information Overview of Presentation

 To guide, advise, recommend, consult, and support students, parents, teachers, administrators, and the school community.  Counselors help students develop educational, post- secondary, and career goals and plans.  Counselors help students with academic and personal growth by advising ways to cope with stress and how classroom behavior affects academic achievement.  Counselors help students develop interpersonal skills such as knowing how to resolve conflicts, how to communicate, and how their behavior affects others. Role of School Counselor

 Parents can call between the hours of 7:15-2:30pm to request an appointment or speak to a counselor. As there can many things happening during a school day, please allow 24 hours for a return call.  Students may stop in the School Counseling office before/after school or during lunch to make an appointment.  Students will receive a pass during first period on the day of the appointment.  If it is an emergency, a student may come in and request to see a counselor right away at any time.  Parents and students may also their counselor for an appointment or information. How to Contact your School Counselor

Educational Career Plans

Academic Information

 Students are now earning credits for each class. LHS offers 1 credit and ½ credit courses.  Students are able to earn 8 credits each year for a total of 32+ credits upon graduation. 25 credits are required for graduation. The additional credits are to allow students to take electives, participate in a completer program, or career major.  When students complete a course, the final grade will appear on their transcript. The final grade in a course becomes part of the cumulative grade point average.  Students will receive a weighted and unweighted GPA on their transcript.  AP course- A = 5.0  Honors course- A = 4.5  Academic course- A = 4.0 Grades, Credits, and GPA

 If you have questions or concerns about your student’s grades, the first person you should contact is the teacher.  The teacher has the most comprehensive knowledge of your student’s performance, assessments, and classroom behavior. The teacher also will know details regarding which particular assignments your student may be missing.  If your student continues to have difficulty in a particular class or classes, please contact your student’s school counselor or case manager (if your student has one). Grade Concerns

Academic Support Programs

Home Access Center

 S leep well  T ime is of the essence  U tilize resources  D iet  Y abba Dabba Do (Have Fun!) Five Pillars of Successful Studying

Students report to their advisory group every day after first mod for 30 minutes. On Wednesdays, they work on advisory lessons and Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday are for PAWS. PAWS is an enrichment time for students to receive extra help from teachers, attend club meetings, see their school counselor, and complete make-up assignments. We encourage students to advocate for themselves and ask for help! PAWS “Promoting Achievement With Students”

 After school tutoring  On a rotating basis, teachers from major subject areas are available from 2:30-3:45 daily in the media center.  Peer tutoring by National Honor Society students  Offered during PAWS  Tutors are available by content area Academic Tutoring

College and Career Planning

 PSAT (10 th /11 th grade)  ASVAB (10 th -12 th grade)  SAT/ACT (11 th -12 th grade)  AP (after course completion)  Individual appointments and groups  Grade level presentations  Online resources College and Career Testing & Planning

 Evening Events:  College Fair (Monday, October 10 th at Carroll Community)  CCCTC Open House (Thursday, October 20 th at CCCTC)  College 101 (Tuesday, April 4 th at CHS)  Opportunities:  Honors, AP courses  Completer Programs  Career Majors/ Internships  Dual Enrollment at a college while still in high school College and Career Readiness

Tips for Success in High School

 Studies show that students involved in extra- curricular activities feel more connected to their school, and perform better academically.  LHS has many clubs, sports, drama, music programs.  Encourage your child to get involved in one or more.  If your child has trouble finding their place, please call us. Get Involved!

 Studies show that students with attendance greater than 94% have a higher chance of academic success.  This equates to about 5 days missed per semester.  Attendance rate is one of the major factors in admissions decisions for many programs. (CCCTC, internships, dual enrollment, etc.) Attendance

 Students must earn a total of 75 service hours. 55 of these hours must be earned by the end of junior year to be promoted to senior status.  Additional service hours can assist with scholarships.  Service learning forms may be picked up and returned in the school counseling office.  Additional information and opportunities are also available on the LHS website. Service Learning

Top Eight Differences in High School 1.No more Homework Hotline. 2.Teachers do not have a common planning time. 3.Self- advocacy 4.Students do not have classes or eat lunch by grade level 5.Eligibility 6.Earning credits for classes towards grade promotion and graduation 7.Classes are offered by semester or yearlong 8.Same counselor and advisor throughout high school

Resources

We are excited to welcome the Class of 2020 and new students! Have a great year!

 Career Related Programs at LHS - Media Center  This session will share how LHS supports personalized learning through career related opportunities. Through review of the student educational career plans (ECP), speakers will address career majors, career related internships, dual enrollment, career and technology programs and completer programs.  Supporting Your Student and LHS - Room 346  Research shows that parent involvement drops off as students transition from middle to high school – Liberty HS is proud to not have this issue. This session will feature the leaders of several organizations at LHS sharing ways to be active and involved at LHS.  Technology at LHS - Room 458  Technology is a key component of the instructional program at LHS. This session will share how LHS supports Bring-Your-Own-Device (BYOD), acceptable use policy, digital citizenship (social media), stay connected with LHS.  College and Career Readiness - Auditorium  What are graduation requirements? What do students need to do in order to demonstrate college and career readiness? Overview of testing requirements for graduation and testing requirements for CCR.  Helping Your Student Succeed at LHS - Room 347  School Counselors play an important role in supporting your student academically and socially. This session will share how the Counseling Department works with your student, how to utilize your student’s School Counselor, and how you can help support your student’s advocacy skills. Parent Sessions