Freshman Parent/Guardian

Meeting

September 4, 2014

Our agenda for today…

• Our counselors

• School Nurse- Maralyn Kolze

• DHS Technology Director- Maureen Darnaby

• Social Worker- Michelle Freedman

• Student Activities Director- Brian Verisario

• Important Qtr. 1 dates

• Transition to High School

• Parent Organizations

• Attendance Procedures

• Progress updates on Infinite Campus

• Academic resources

• Advisory, Homeroom, Counselors

• A few random parenting thoughts…

Let’s meet our counselors!

• Jeff Beaumont

• Kristen Doktor

• Glynis Hirsch

• Shari Kellogg

• Soo Lee

• Marcellous Moore

• Melissa Romero-Williams

• Amy Bricker, Counseling Department Chair

• Melissa Taylor, Counseling Intern

• Vijaya Schnatterbeck, College Counselor

School Nurse: Maralyn Kolze

• Students must have a physical on file, dated within one year of start of school.

• All medication administration goes through Health Service after paperwork is filed.

• Students may carry inhalers, diabetes equipment, epi-pen etc.

• If your student has a known severe allergy, an action plan must be on file in Health Service.

• Forms and info are available on the Health Service website.

• When your student becomes ill while at school…they must go to Health Service before going home!

Technology Director: Maureen Darnaby

• Chromebooks were distributed to freshmen in advisories on the first day of school.

• Check out the FAQs link on the DHS homepage.

Social Worker: Michelle Freedman

• Parent/Guardian Program “Transition to High School: The Life of a DHS Freshman” will be held on Thursday, Sept. 18 at 7 p.m. in E114.

• DHS Support Groups (Freshman Transition Group- see handout)

• Individual counseling

• Offered as needed.

• Contact your student’s counselor with questions and concerns.

Student Activities Director: Brian Verisario

• Finding one thing that you love

• High school dances

• Getting involved

• Check out the DHS website for a list of all student activities

Important Quarter 1 dates

• September 8th- PTO meeting 7:30 p.m. in J108

•  September 11th-Open House 6:30 p.m.-9:30 p.m.

•  September 16th and 17th Late Arrival. Classes begin at 11:15 (Schedule on the DHS website)

•  September 18th-Transition to High School for Parents/Guardians of Freshmen 7 p.m.

•  September 25th-No school Rosh Hashanah

Important Quarter 1 dates

• Q1 Progress reports

•  Week of October 6th-Homecoming week with Pep Rally after school on 10/10, Homecoming game on 10/10 and Homecoming Dance on 10/11 7:30 p.m.-10:30 p.m. Exhibition gym

•  October 13th- No school Columbus Day

•  October 14th- No school Institute Day

•  October 31st-End of first quarter Grades are usually available on Infinite Campus one and one half weeks after the quarter ends.

The transition to high school…

• Bookmark the DHS website! Put in on your favorites bar! www.dhs.dist113.og

• Look at the DHS Daily Announcements- emailed 2x week and on the DHS website.

• Infinite campus (IC)• Attendance and academic progress

• A weekly family IC check

• Need help? Email the parent portal at DHSPortal@dist113.org

The transition to high school…

• Naviance• Use for registration and college search information

• You will receive your Naviance password at Open House on Sept. 11. Keep it someplace where you will find it again in January!

• For help with Naviance, email Nicole Debnar at ndebnar@dist113.org

• Student Gmail account• Encourage your student to check each day and organize their emails.

The transition to high school…

• Cell phone usage• Allowed for use in non-academic areas (not while in class)

• Not allowed in class, locker rooms, or bathrooms

• Be mindful of these restrictions when communicating with your student.

• Dress Code•Nothing too distracting or revealing, no references to drugs, alcohol, or gangs

•See student handbook for guidelines (+Halloween)

The transition to high school…

• Books• Keep the receipt

• Put name in every book

• Books in good shape can be sold back at the end of the year.

• DHS Honors Society• will learn more in junior and senior year

• need to be involved in numerous and varied activities

Join the Parent Organizations!

•PTO

•Parent Network

•The Booster Club

•Friends of the Arts

Attendance Procedures

• Attendance is very important to academic success.

• To report an absence, call 224-632-3001. Ideally, call between 7:15 a.m. and 3:30 p.m. when the office is open. You can leave a voice mail after hours. Absences must be reported by 11:59 p.m. on the day of the absence.

• If your student is late to school, they must check in with the attendance office.

• Appointments during the day: students must check in with the attendance office for a pass before they leave and when they return. A parent/guardian must call to report the appointment.

Attendance Procedures

• If your student becomes ill while at school, they must go to Health Services before going home!

• Students may not be called out for a class and remain at school.

• For planned absences, students should contact their teachers well in advance and suggest ways to make up the work they missed. WORK AHEAD.

• Students are responsible for what they missed. Use teacher websites and email teachers.

Progress reports on Infinite Campus

• Issued mid-quarter with current grades and possibly comments

• Follow up calmly. Start conversation: what has been difficult? Tell me more about that? How can I help you? What do you think you can do differently? What resources can we use?

• Encourage your student to contact teachers themselves.

• Parents can also contact teachers to create a partnership.

• Do not ask teachers for frequent emailed updates.

• If there are several concerns, call the counselor.

Resource Centers

• ARC: Academic Resource Center• Walk-in tutoring help from 7:22-3:14

• Staff, teachers, and peer tutors are there to help with all subjects.

• Study Hub• After school until 5 p.m., Monday-Thursday

• Same place as ARC

Advisory teachers, Homeroom teachers, and Counselors: what’s the difference?

• Advisory teachers• On the front lines- sees freshmen four days per week

• Help kids with understanding the schedule, rules and procedure, time management, and organization.

• Building a relationship. If problems arise, they can be a great resource.

• Social development.

• Help with academic issues. Advisory teachers see progress reports. Can assist with getting help.

Advisory teachers, Homeroom teachers, and Counselors: what’s the difference?

• Homeroom teachers• Sees students four times per week for 12 minutes per day

• Same homeroom teacher for four years- by grade

• Announcements, etc.

• A home base

• Another relationship and resource

• Will graduate with homeroom senior year

Advisory teachers, Homeroom teachers, and Counselors: what’s the difference?

• Counselor• A resource all four years

• Academic

• Social/emotional

• Post high school planning

• Freshman year: counselors often visit advisories

A few random parenting thoughts…

• Know your student and when to start letting go…and when to start insisting that they take on more responsibility (getting themselves out of bed and to school, doing their own laundry, making their own lunch, etc.)

• Help your student find balance.

• Freshman year is too early to talk about specific college/post-high school plans. Students sense pressure below the surface, even if you think you aren’t directly putting the pressure on.

• JAR: Join, attend, read.

A few random parenting thoughts…

• It is ok to say “no”. No limo for Homecoming. No spring break trip to Mexico without parents. Not everyone is doing it!

• Get to know your child’s friends and their parents. Carpool. You will be amazed at what you learn.

• Monitor social media. Put tech devices in a public space. Phones go to the charging station.

• ENJOY this time with your student! This is an amazing time for growth!

Our next meeting will be on Thursday, November 6th at 9:30 a.m. in the Auditorium.

•Please fill out the evaluation form in the back of your packet and give it to us as you leave.

•Thank you for coming today!