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Sato Dragons

Ninth Grade Parent Orientation

August 13, 2025

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Welcome to High School!

This is a big step!

The final years of raising your baby, the transition from childhood to adulthood.

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Welcome to Sato!

Please introduce yourself to the people to your right and left.

Tell them, “Welcome to Sato!”

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Welcome to Sato!

Take pics of slides

Ask questions

(these slides will be posted on our website after today)

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Student Drop off & Pick up

Our key to success in keeping traffic moving is to keep pulling forward. It moves the line and keeps people from cutting in and out, whipping around, backing in, attempting to parallel park, etc.

Peak Times -

15 - 0 mins before school, and 0 - 15 minutes after school

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Student Drop off & Pick up

Traffic Do’s

  • Pull all the way up and keep pulling forward
  • Need extra time? Please use our big parking lot to get situated or load bikes
  • Be patient and polite

Traffic Don’ts

  • Please no 3-pt, U-turns, or other creative vehicular maneuvers
  • Don’t drop/pick up on the opposite side of the street (you have to come around anyway)

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Student Drop off & Pick up

It’s actually EASY to avoid the insanity.

  • Drop off & pick up at non-peak times
    • Before 8:25
    • After 3:55

  • Drop off & pick up off campus
    • CSULB parking lot
    • 7-11/ Fantastic parking lot
    • Neighborhood meet up spot

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Sato Expectations: Soc/Emo Development

Adjustment to Sato from middle school

  • Focus on group work
    • Integrated project (9GIP)
  • Focus on building self-efficacy and belonging
  • Focus on Adulting 101 (chain of command)
  • Level of rigor is progressive

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Sato Expectations: Academics

Expectations for Classes

  • Grading for mastery
    • What counts is what students know and are able to do
    • No “padding” grades with extra credit, compliance
    • No points off for poor habits or behavior
  • Late work grace for HW & project/essay
    • Classwork and components of a project need to be turned in on time.
  • Retake policy
    • Varies by department

Parents

Read your student’s syllabus for each class.

Check grades/missing assignments weekly

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Sato Expectations: Discipline at Sato

Poor Behavior is mostly non-existent at Sato

Here are the four areas where we do have occasional issues

  • Plagiarism/ cheating
  • Social Media drama
  • Dress code violations
  • To school tardies

We have great kids at Sato!

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Sato Expectations: Honor Code

  • Plagiarism /copying/lying/ cheating/ stealing
  • Helping another cheat/ providing answers is also an honor code violation.
  • Progressive discipline applies.
  • Teachers teach students to use Turn It In and other plagiarism trackers as a tool so kids can see what teachers see.
  • We are learning how to teach using AI, like Chat GPT

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Sato Expectations: Social Media drama

Please monitor your child’s social media

Even good kids get caught up in negative/ toxic posting, especially in groups (herd mentality)

Bullying and harassing on social media is a major cause of teen depression, anxiety, and even suicidal ideation.

Let’s be clear: “bagging on”, teasing, “dissing”, and making threats is bullying and harassing

Help us promote the idea that negative comments about others is bullying

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Sato Expectations: Dress Code

Student items must be school appropriate: no alcohol, drugs, guns, violence, sexist, or disparaging messages

Cover the 4B’s

  • Shorts must cover mid-thigh
  • Tops must be long enough to touch bottoms
  • Shoulder straps must be two finger’s width (not spaghetti straps)

Hats may be worn outside--teachers determine hat rules in their classrooms

Shoes need to protect and cover feet - crocs, sandals okay (except for PE)

Corrections include loaner clothing or parent contact

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Sato Expectations: Being on Time

TO School Tardies- students are expected to arrive between 8:15 and 8:35.

  • We want students in the habit of arriving to class at 8:40 and be in their seats ready to learn by 8:45
  • Students will be marked Tardy if they are not in class by 8:45
  • Students who are late to school will check in at the office to receive a slip for class
  • We do not enforce the tardy policy during the first week

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Sato Expectations: Lunch

  • Lunches (and b-fast) are FREE for ALL students
    • PIN#s are in Parent/StudentVUE
  • Lunch area for safety and supervision
  • What lunch looks like - club meetings, field play, rallies, games & competitions, kids on phones
  • Lunch passes are only for 11th & 12th graders in good standing

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Sato Expectations: Odds & Ends

Bikes & Skateboards - lock up at front of school

No Lockers, except PE (bring own lock if you can)

School Hours

  • Campus is open from 7:30 - 4:30
    • Cafeteria breakfast is from 8:15 - 8:40
  • Office is open from 8:00 - 4:30

THERE IS NO SUPERVISION BEFORE 7:30 AND AFTER 4:30, unless students are in a planned club or other activity.

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Period 8: Overview

Supports & Resources

Period 8/ Advisory structure is unique to Sato

End of day on Tue/ Thu (even block days) 88 mins

After school on Fridays (all period days) 40 minutes

First 40 minutes

  • Teacher office hours

Last 40 minutes

  • Tutoring, study groups - students
  • Wellness activities - students
  • GLT/ dept meetings - teachers
  • Teacher office hours

No club meetings/ field play/ hanging out during p8--this is an academic period

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Period 8

Supports & Resources

  • Parent is contacted
  • Start & end dates provided
  • Math--after every unit test
  • Quarterly, for other subjects, based on grades
  • May be recommended by the GLT of teachers

P 8 is NOT Required P 8 mandatory tutoring

Period 8 is optional

Students can stay for part or all of period 8

Please avoid picking up your child at the beginning of p 8 - please pick up after 2:45

Period 8/ Advisory: a focus on academic supports

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Period 8: Overview

Supports & Resources

  • Help students understand the value of period 8 and to use the time well
  • Students who are not making good use of time will be asked to leave campus*

(*unless they are required to attend)

Good use of period 8 leads to good habits

It is important for our students to learn how to utilize office hours, develop study groups, and set aside time for independent work.

3.6 hours per week of additional support

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Supports for Hot Weather

  • 8 classrooms without AC (3 are freshman classes)
  • Hot weather schedule
  • Water coolers in all student areas that don’t have AC (classrooms, club rooms, nurse’s office, etc.)

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Dragon’s Den

  • Open from 8-4 Th/Fri every other Monday
  • Goal = to empower and promote students to manage their own social, emotional, and physical health while supporting all areas of their lives that may impact academic potential
  • Students can schedule appointments to meet with social worker or walk in when needed
  • Provide groups and activities for different social emotional topics (ex. Stress management, communication skills, problem solving skills)

Referrals for meetings can be completed by scanning this QR code or through the school website by clicking on Student Support Services Referral under Student tab.

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Clubs and Affinity Groups

Clubs

  • Academic, Pathway, Service, Student Interest

Affinity groups

  • Black Student Union, w/ parent Sankofa
  • Southeast Asian club
  • Women in Engineering
  • LGBTQ Gay-Straight Alliance (GSA)

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Sato’s Tiered System of Student Support

ACADEMICS

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

Universal

Targeted

Intensive

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Sato’s Tiered System of Student Support

ACADEMICS

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

Universal

Targeted

Intensive

Period 8

In-class interventions

Dragon’s Den

Clubs

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Sato’s Tiered System of Student Support

ACADEMICS

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

Universal

Targeted

Intensive

Grade Level Team Strategies

Mandatory Tutoring

Dragon’s Den groups

Grade Level Team Strategies

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Sato’s Tiered System of Student Support

ACADEMICS

SOCIAL EMOTIONAL

Universal

Targeted

Intensive

Student Intervention Team

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Staying

Informed

And . . . you can always call us.

EMAIL us!

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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School of Residence 25-26: Whole School

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Middle School 25-26: Incoming 9th Grade Class of ‘29

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Grade Rates ALL subjects

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D/F Rate S2 5 Year Comparison 24-25

Sato

District

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Sato AP Pass Rates 2025

AP COURSE

Sato

Global

Biology

74.2%

70.4%

Calculus AB

100% (BC 83.3%)

64.2%

English Lang

89.3%

74.3%

English Lit

82.3%

74.2%

Precalculus

98.6%

80.8%

Psychology

79.4%

70.5%

Spanish Lang

100%

84.9%

Statistics

57.7%

60.3%

US Govt

66.7%

71.7%

US History

94.5%

73.7%

Total Percent

82%

Advanced Placement courses offer college level rigor. Passing the end of course exam can allow students to earn college credit.

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Pulse Survey - measuring how students feel

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Parent involvement--we need you!

Opportunities for Involvement

  • Student activities
  • Field trips
  • Integrated projects
  • Classroom projects
  • Testing
  • Sato Staff events
  • Committees

Opportunities to Donate

  • We take monetary donations
  • Food, drinks for various events
  • Project supplies
  • Party supplies

How to get Involved

  • Back To School Night QR codes
  • Watch for the SPC (Sato Parent Crew) launch meeting - after BTSN
  • Tatsu Telegram
  • Emails from Ms. Fontela, office supervisor

How to Donate

  • Donate button on our website
  • Walk/send check or money in
  • Respond to email/ TT requests for food, drinks, or supplies

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AGENDA

  • Welcome
  • Student Drop off & Pick up
  • Sato Expectations
  • Period 8: A valuable resource
  • Supports for Sato students
  • Finding Information & Getting Help
  • A little Sato data for ya
  • Parent Involvement
  • Upcoming Events

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Upcoming Events

  • Aug 13 Today! Minimum All Day - p/up 1:05-1:40
  • Aug 19 Mandatory p8 Assembly from 2:00 - 3:00
  • Aug 21 Frosh/Soph schedule changes & textbooks
  • Aug 22 DragonFest - 6-9 at Sato ($25)
  • Aug 25 Band begins, 7:30am (Mon/Wed)/ Chorus - M
  • Aug 26 Orchestra begins, 7:30am (Tue/Thu)
  • Aug 28 Back to School Night, 6-8pm
  • Sep 01 Labor Day Holiday
  • Sep 25 Make-up ID pictures
  • Sep 26 Club rush - assembly schedule

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Questions?

Ninth Grade Parent Orientation

Ms. Ronnie Coleman, Principal

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Thank you!

Ninth Grade Parent Orientation

Ms. Ronnie Coleman, Principal