Getting Ready for High School!

START!

Montgomery County Public Schools

Take a Moment to Reflect…

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What is a dream you have for your student?

What excites you about this new chapter?

What makes you nervous about this new chapter?

Increased confidence

Improved attendance

Higher grades

Increased social skills & behavior

Student Benefits:

Continued Partnership

• All parents have dreams for their children and want the best for them.
• All parents have the capacity to support their children’s learning.
• Parents and school staff should be equal partners.
• The responsibility for building partnerships between school and home rests primarily with school staff, especially school leaders.

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NEXT!

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By the end of our presentation we would have:

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• Answered some of your questions
• Talked together on what to expect in high school
• Discussed how our partnership (like in middle) continues in high school

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Parents and school staff work together as a team for the well-being of the student.

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We all want young people to excel and to be able to perform at their best.

Student Rights and Responsibilities

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Right to access a safe learning environment.

Access to a rigorous curriculum

Acknowledge identities of all students.

Be respectful to all students and staff.

Participate in public safety and weather emergency drills

The use of cellphones and other electronic devices must remain off and out of sight during instruction

Click or tap here to review the complete Student Rights and Responsibilities

Student Code of Conduct

• The Student Code of Conduct is a guide for students, staff, and parents/guardians to create safe learning environments in Montgomery County Public Schools (MCPS).
• It applies Maryland law, Montgomery County Board of Education policies and MCPS regulations with respect to behavior expectations, safety, and intervention.
• You have the right to appeal a disciplinary decision. Here is a document for your reference.

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Click or tap here to review more about the Student Code of Conduct

Life of a High School Student

Schedule is 7:45am - 2:30pm

Larger building with more students

Balancing classes, extracurricular activities, SSL hours

Must pass a class with a “D” or higher to receive credit

Planning for life after high school

How Parents Can Support Their Student

• Establish goals/expectations and encourage them to make school a priority
• Create a homework schedule routine
• Designate a location for homework/studying
• Encourage participation in extracurricular activities (clubs, sports, etc.)
• Volunteer at your child’s school
• Connect with other families

Social/Emotional Resources & Services

• Anxiety, stress, and school-related pressure
• Depression and mood-related concerns
• Peer conflict and friendship challenges
• Bullying and cyberbullying
• Emotional regulation and anger management difficulties
• Identity development and self-esteem concerns
• Social isolation and feelings of belonging
• Attendance avoidance and school refusal
• Grief and loss
• Trauma and adverse experiences

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• Substance use concerns
• Family stressors or changes at home
• Academic motivation and executive functioning challenges
• Conflict resolution
• Healthy relationship concerns and dating issues

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Tap or click to see some people in your school that can help, including the school counselor

High School is a time of of shifts, not only academically, but also socially and emotionally. This is part of your child’s development. Some behaviors to monitor include:

Class Selection Process

Standard classes for all Students

• English/EML
• Math
• Science
• Social Studies
• PE/Health
• Elective classes (Vary by school)
• World Language
• Fine Arts/Technology
• Academic Support classes

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*School counselors guide and ensure students are on track with classes they need for their credits and graduation requirements, monitor academic progress, coordinate PT conferences, etc

What does a credit mean?

• 1 credit = 1 full year of a subject
• Example: English 9A + English 9B= 1 credit for English 9
• You have to receive a D or higher in BOTH Semesters
• Each semester class is a SEPERATE class
• Example: English 9
• You have to receive a D or higher in 9A
• You have to receive a D or higher in 9B
• You received an E Semester 1- you have to retake that class

Credits for Graduation

English - 4 credits

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Art - 1 credit

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Health Education - 1 credit

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Math - 4 credits

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Physical Education - 1 credit

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Social Studies - 3 credits

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Science - 3 credits

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Foundations of Technology - 1 credit

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Program Completer:

World Languages - 2 credits

Electives - 2 credits OR Career & Technical Education

(CTE) Program of Study (POS) option

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State Standardized Testing

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75 hours of student service learning (or 45 hours if the student enrolled in 9th grade)

Graduation Requirements

Click or tap to open the Class of 2030 Graduation Requirements

College, Career, and Community Readiness

• Career Talks
• College Searches
• Scholarship Information
• Financial Aid
• Workshops
• College Visits

College, Career and Community Readiness

It Matters To Be Here

• Students should attend school every day for their academic success and social/emotional well-being.
• Student absences are excused for illness, observance of a religious holiday, death in the immediate family, court summons, college visits, suspension, state emergency, hazardous weather conditions (you will receive notifications if schools close or hours change)
• Family travel is not an excused absence, however, please communicate any significant absences with the school to have a plan to catch up with instruction that is missed.
• Families should monitor attendance via ParentVUE and will receive calls via ParentSquare if your child is marked absent from class.
• Chronic absenteeism- A student is absent 10% or more (5 days during the quarter). Please make every effort to send your child to school every day. If you have any barriers sending your child to school, reach out to a trusted staff member at your school. They are here to help.

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Academic Resources & Services

• Meet 1:1 with a teacher before or after school or during lunch
• Schools may have specific homework supports such as writing labs, National Honor society tutoring, etc
• After school activities and clubs
• Student Service Learning Opportunities
• Student Well-Being Team

Does Your Child Get Bus Service?

Montgomery County Public Schools provides bus service for:

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• High school students living more than 2.0 miles of walking distance from school.*
• Students who face hazardous walking conditions regardless of distance from school (multilane highways, construction areas, etc.) as determined by the MCPS Division of Transportation Services.
• Students in special education services identified as a related service in their IEP.
• Students in Magnet, Language Immersion, International Baccalaureate, Centers for Enriched Studies, and some vocational/educational programs based on eligibility outlined in MCPS Policy EEA & MCPS Regulation EEA-RA, Student Transportation.

*A tenth of a mile may be added to establish a reasonable boundary.

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What is ParentVUE?

What is ParentVUE?

• A website and phone app for parents and caregivers to see their student’s grades, attendance, and more.
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• See the names of your student’s teachers and how to contact them.

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• Similar to ParentVUE, a website and phone app for students to see their grades, attendance, and more.
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• Give you an opportunity to encourage your child to be engaged and take responsibility.

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• Students can model use of ParentVUE for their parents.

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What is StudentVUE?

ParentVUE Access

• Parents/guardians must have an email address to use ParentVUE.
• Parents/guardians must first activate their accounts.
• Link in activation email
• Activation code
• You can change the language.
• For more information, see the ParentVUE Quick Guide and visit the Technology Information and Support for Parents webpage

• Grade percentage
• Missing Assignments
• Click on the name of the class to see grade details
• Emailing teacher

ParentVUE- Schedule and Grades

For the Body (and Mind)

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A hungry child cannot learn. Although your child may bring their own lunch, we encourage school meals. You can view the daily breakfast and lunch menus on the website for the Division of Food and Nutrition Services or call them at 240-740-7400. This phone number is also for calls related to the Free and Reduced Price Meals program. You may also contact via email DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org. Please contact the school (cafeteria manager) regarding any dietary restrictions.

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• Add money to your child’s lunch account at Myschoolbucks.com
• Free and Reduced Meal (FARM) Application at MySchoolApps.com

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Valuing Diversity in our Classrooms

Other Things to Consider

• English Language Development (ELD) for Emergent Multilingual Learners (EML) - For more information, click on the Division of Multilingual Education’s ELD webpage.
• Special Education Services - For more information, click to visit the MCPS website for special education.
• For more general information and links to resources, visit the MCPS Parent Resources webpage.

Student Service Learning Hours (SSL)

Click or tap to open the Student Service Learning page

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75 hours of completed service are required for high school graduation

Students can begin their hours in the summer of 6th grade

The service must be pre-approved by MCPS.

Contact your SSL coordinator with questions

Aside from service to the community, this is also a good opportunity for students to explore future career paths

Important School Contacts

• Teachers
• Principal
• Assistant Principal (by grade level)
• School Counselor - at the high school level, this is your main point of contact
• Nurse

• Attendance Secretary
• Registrar
• Pupil Personnel Worker
• Family Engagement Specialist
• Social Worker
• Community School Liaison (some schools)

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Communication & School Connections

• ParentSquare - texts, emails, and/or recorded messages
• School website
• ParentVUE
• Naviance
• Email
• Mail sent home
• Language Line

• Naviance
• Grade level and other parent meetings
• Parent Teacher Association (PTA)
• Other parent groups
• Parent Academy

Future Events

• 9th Grade Orientation Events
• Transition Day - August 24
• Back to School Night (Fall)

Questions?

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Sylvia Romero

Family Engagement Specialist

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Sylvia_J_Romero@mcpsmd.org

240-740-4620

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Department of Family Engagement

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Key Offices

Department of Family Engagement, 240-740-4620

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Department of Systemwide Equity, 240-740-2869

Melaika_A_Brown@mcpsmd.org

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Department of Curriculum Development, 240-740-0135

Stephanie_D_Brant@mcpsmd.org

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Department of Food and Nutrition Services, 240-740-7400

DFNSOffice@mcpsmd.org

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Division of Multilingual Education, 240-740-4004

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Special Education Services, 240-740-3042

Additional Resources

Who You Gonna Call?

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Frequently Asked Questions