1. 9th Grade Parent Academy
Helena High School

2. Principals Counselors
Ms. Brand: Principal
Mr. Butts: 10th and 11th Grade Assistant Principal
Mrs. Bahr: th and 12th Grade Assistant Principal
Counselors
Mrs. Blanton: 12th Grade Counselor
Mr. Howard: 10th and 11th Grade Counselor
Mr. Palmer: th Grade Counselor
SRO
Officer Traywick

3. PACK 60 Support Academic Achievement Encourage Participation in Clubs
Develop Skills
Leadership
Time Management
Decision – Making
30 Minutes for Lunch
30 Minutes for a variety of Activities

4. Schedule 8:00 First Bell 8:10 - 8:59 1st Period 9:04 - 9:55 2nd Period
10: :51 3rd Period
10: :51 4th Period
11: :40 5th Period
12:45 - 1:34 6th Period
1:39 - 2:28 7th Period
2:33 - 3:22 8th Period

5. PACK 60 - Lunch
Students may purchase lunch items from the following locations:
Cafeteria - Accepts cash or checks & students will enter their lunch account number.
Concession Stand - Accepts lunch account numbers, but not cash or checks.
Vending Machine - We will soon receive a vending machine for cafeteria items & snacks. This machine will ONLY accept lunch account numbers.
Students are allowed to eat in the following locations:
Cafeteria
B-Hall
Courtyard
Teachers’ classrooms (provided they are there for a valid purpose & are under teacher supervision)
The lunch menu is posted and displayed on the TVs in the building.

6. Student - Pack 60 Schedule
Students are allowed to choose what activities they need, or want, to participate in and students may take their lunch at any point during the hour.
Each Monday, students will meet in advisory & work with their advisor to develop their PACK 60 schedule for the week.
PACK 60 schedule is available on website

7. Student Responsibility
Encourage students to be self advocates
Teachers have been encouraged to use Google Classroom for their class and clubs/organizations
Check INOW for updates on grades
Teachers check in Advisory
PACK 60 interventions -
Content area
Specific teacher
Success
9th grade lunch detention

8. Attendance/Tardies
Please provide a note within 3 days even for checkouts and check ins. (Teachers can not put in grades if the absence is unexcused)
There is a good correlation between absences and achievement
Encourage your child to come to school and be on time!

9. What’s a GPA and who cares?
Grade Point Average (GPA):
A =
B =
C =
D =
F = and ↓
Cumulative, Core, College
Determines class rank
Talking points: Cumulative – includes all classes taken in high school and quality points for honors and AP/IB; Core – includes classes taken in English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language and quality points for honors and AP/IB; HOPE – includes classes taken in English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language and quality points (.5) for AP/IB if you made below an A; College – varies from school to school (students should check with individual schools)
Refer to brochure on HOPE GPA. Make copies of the included PDF brochure or order brochures for free from Georgia Student Finance Commission at:

10. AP Courses and some honors classes earn quality points
How do I calculate GPA?
Step 1: Assign each grade a numeric value.
A=4 B=3 C=2 D=1 F=0
Step 2: Total the values and divide by the number of courses.
AP Courses and some honors classes earn quality points
Explain how to calculate the GPA
Use this opportunity to discuss quality points and how they are added.
Refer to Board rule for which courses receive quality points.

11. Calculating GPA Semester 1 Course Grade GPA Points
(H) Eng (A)
(H)World Hist 82 (B) 3.5
Algebra I 73 (C) 2
Biology 85 (B) 3
Career Prep. 90 (A) 4
Phys Ed Life 59 (F) 0
Spanish I 78 (C) 2
Total GPA Points: 19
19 ÷ 7 (Number of Classes) = 2.71 GPA
1st Semester GPA = 2.71

12. Calculating GPA (continued)
Semester 2
Course Grade GPA Points
(H) Eng (A)
(H)World Hist 89 (B) 3.5
Algebra I 74 (C) 2
Biology 83 (B) 3
Career Prep. 95 (A) 4
Phys Ed Life 60 (D) 1
Spanish I 80 (B) 3
Total GPA Points: 21
21 ÷ 7 (Number of Classes) = 3.0 GPA
2nd Semester GPA = 3.0
Cumulative GPA = ( ) ÷ 14 = 2.86

13. GPA Impact… Student A 9th 10th 11th C B B B B B A B B Overall GPA

14. GPA Impact… Student B 9th 10th 11th B B B A B B Overall GPA

15. Colleges Look at 9th – 11th for Admission purposes…
9th Grade is Important!

16. Approximate GPAs for Current Admissions
Birmingham Southern: 3.45 (Academic)
Auburn University: 3.74 (Average)
University of Alabama: 3.0 (Average)
UAB: 2.25 (Average)
Samford University: 3.7 (Average)
Montevallo: 2.5 (Average)
Mississippi State: 2.5 (Academic)

17. Alabama High School Diploma Requirements
4 English
4 History
4 Math
4 Science
1 Physical Education (1-ROTC, 2-band)
½ Health
1 Career Preparedness
3 CTA Electives (Career Technology, Fine Arts, or Foreign Language)
2 ½ Additional Credits
TOTAL: 24 credits (minimum)

18. ADVANCED ACADEMIC ENDORSEMENT
This endorsement would follow all of the requirements for the Alabama High School Diploma and would also require:
Minimum of Algebra II/Trig
Chemistry
Foreign Language - two year of the same foreign language
One half credit of Fine Art
Minimum of 2 AP courses with one in a core content or the equivalent (dual enrollment,
dual credit, or IB)

19. Graduation Requirements
Promotion requirements
9th to 10th: 6 credits
10th to 11th: 12 credits
11th to 12th: 18 credits
24 required credits to graduate!
Must pass all required courses and participate in the state assessment to graduate!
Refer to handout of graduation requirements
Refer to Administrative Rule IKE for detailed promotion requirements

20. Valedictorian - The student at each Shelby County high school who satisfies the requirements for the Advanced Academic Diploma and who attains the highest grade point average in his/her graduating class.
Salutatorian - The student with the next highest grade point average who satisfies the requirements for the Advanced Academic Diploma.
Honor Graduates - Students who satisfy the requirements for an Alabama High School Diploma or Advanced Academic Diploma and who also attain a grade point average of 4.0, or are in the top 5% of the graduating class.

21. Why take Honors and AP classes?
Makes you smarter
Helps you find your interests
Helps you to overcome challenges
Boosts your cumulative GPA
Improves your class rank
Prepares you for tests (ACT, SAT, ASVAB)
Gives you an advantage in college admissions
Makes college easier
Can earn college credit

22. Categorical Grading Gold Grades –60% (Test/Papers/Projects/Etc.)
Silver Grades –30% (Quiz/Labs/Assignments that build toward Gold grades/Etc.)
Bronze Grades –10% (Daily/Homework/Etc.)

23. GOLD (60%)
SILVER (30%)
BRONZE (10%)
75/100  = 75%
40/50 = 80%
7/10 = 70%
60/100 = 60%
30/50 = 60%
6/10 = 60%
50/100 = 50%
45/50 = 90%
9/10 = 90%
85/100 = 85%
35/50 = 70%
8/10 = 80%
80/100 = 80%
10/10 = 100%
Category Avg. = 70%
Category Avg. = 72%
Category Avg. = 80%
70 x 60% = 42
72 X 30% = 21.6
80 X 10% = 8
= 71.6
Overall Avg. = 71.6

24. Find out about their classes
What are you studying in History? Ask specific questions
How is Biology? What are you learning?
What are reading in English? What is it about?
Let me see your math homework… (They had math homework!)

25. Questions