Rising Freshmen Orientation

Semester System

• School year divided into two halves of approximately 90 days each.

​

• Each half of a year is a semester.

​

• HS credits are earned by semester.

​

​

​

Fall Semester

1st 9 weeks

2nd 9 weeks

Semester Exam

Semester Grade

Half-credits earned

​

Spring Semester

3rd 9 weeks

4th 9 weeks

Semester Exam

Semester Grade

Half-credits earned

​

Units of Credit

• Credits are awarded for courses based on semester hours.
• Each course is 18 weeks long and earns a half-credit.

​

A Little About Us

24 Units Required to Graduate

A Little About Us

A Little About Us

Typical Freshman Schedule

• 9th Grade English
• Algebra I or Geometry
• American Government and World Geography
• Physical Science, Biology or Environmental Science
• Physical Education and Health
• Elective- World Language, CTAE, Fine Arts
• Elective- World Language, CTAE, Fine Arts

Grade Classification Requirements

• Freshmen (9th Grade)- Successful completion of 8th grade
• Sophomore (10th Grade)-Earned a minimum of 5 units
• Junior (11th Grade)- Earned a minimum of 11 units
• Senior (12th Grade)- Earned a minimum of 17 units

Course Grade Calculation

• 1st 9 weeks- 40%
• 2nd 9 weeks- 40%
• Final exam or EOC- 20%

Weighting of Courses

Advanced Placement (AP) and International Baccalaureate (IB) course grades are weighted with an additional 10 points added to the final semester average.

​

Cumulative Average

• Determination of academic letters and honor graduates are based on a cumulative average of all course grades received in high school.

​

• Students must have a 90.0 or higher cumulative average to receive academic recognitions.

​

• High school credits earned in middle school are included in the cumulative average.

HOPE Scholarship

• Merit based scholarship that provides assistance with tuition at eligible public/private Georgia post-secondary institutions.

​

• Requires a minimum 3.0 HOPE GPA (as calculated by GSFC) and meet specific rigor course requirements.

​

• GPA based solely on core courses taken in high school-English, math, social studies, science, and foreign language only.

​

• High school credits accepted in middle school are not included in the HOPE GPA.

​

HOPE Scholarship

• GPA calculated based on a 4.0 scale.
• A equals 4.0
• B equals 3.0
• C equals 2.0
• D equals 1.0
• F equals 0

​

• The AP/IB weighting applied by the district is stripped prior to HOPE GPA calculation.

​

• HOPE adds back a half a point (0.5) to Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Dual Enrollment (DE) degree-level core course grades.

​

• For additional questions regarding HOPE, please talk to your high school counselor and go to www.gafutures.org.

HOPE Scholarship

• GPA calculated based on a 4.0 scale.
• A equals 4.0
• B equals 3.0
• C equals 2.0
• D equals 1.0
• F equals 0

​

• The AP/IB weighting applied by the district is stripped prior to HOPE GPA calculation.

​

• HOPE adds back a half a point (0.5) to Advanced Placement (AP), International Baccalaureate (IB), and Dual Enrollment (DE) degree-level core course grades.

​

• For additional questions regarding HOPE, please talk to your high school counselor and go to www.gafutures.org.

Acceptance/Rejection of HS Credits in MS- NEW

• All HS credits earned in MS will be placed on the high school transcript. If a student retakes the course in 9th grade, the HS course taken in MS will be deleted and the HS course grade and credit will replace the MS grade/credit.

​

• For example, if a student makes an 72 in Algebra I in middle school, the grade/credit will automatically go on the HS transcript. The student has the option to retake Algebra I in HS. The student makes a 92 in Algebra I in high school. The 72 middle school credit will be removed from the HS transcript and a 92 will replace the Algebra I grade and credit.

​

• Credit accepted in middle school will not be used to calculate the grade point average (GPA) for HOPE scholarship.

​

• Credit accepted in middle school will be used in the grade point average (GPA) calculation for high school.

​

High School Transcript

• Record of all student academic accomplishments in high school.

• Lists every course a student takes, when the course is taken, and the grade received.

​

• Transcripts are used for scholarship selections and part of the application process to post-secondary schools.

​

​

​

​

​

• Based on input from middle school teachers and student data, the four core courses have been pre-selected for students.
• Students have the option to select three additional electives for a total of 7 courses.
• Most freshmen take the required elective:
• Health (0.5) credit
• Personal Fitness (0.5) credit
• Students can select two additional electives- consider pathways.
• Select three alternates in case a course is not available.
• Elective options for Freshmen (HS will provide a copy)

Registration and Course Options

A Little About Us

High School Programs

Career, Technical and Agricultural Education - CTAE

Many programs provide students with Work Ready Industry Certifications

Work Based Learning Internships are available with most programs

Career, Technical and Agricultural Education - CTAE

• Youscience is an assessment that provides students with feedback to select a career pathway program that matches their interests and aptitudes.

​

• All 8th grade students that took the Youscience assessment will receive a passport.

​

• The YouScience Pathway Passport provides rising Freshmen with the top best fit aptitude and interest results for the career pathway programs offered at your school.

​

• Use the Youscience Pathway Passport during the Freshmen Orientation at your high school to determine which programs to visit and which electives to select.

Advanced Placement

• Provides students the rigor of college-level courses in a high school setting.
• AP exams are administered in May.
• Based on the score earned, students can earn college credit.

​

Why Take AP?

• AP exam takers
• Have a higher probability of graduating college in 4 years.
• Earn the same or higher grades in subsequent college courses in the same content area.

​

​

​

International Baccalaureate

• Academically challenging curriculum, address intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students.

​

• IB students experience IB in cohorts.

​

• High college acceptance rate.

​

• IB core classes, conducting college level research, community service and investigating assumptions about what we know.

​

• District program housed at Lakeside High School; students transfer.

​

• Application process: If interested, contact your middle school counselor.

​

​

​

​

Dual Enrollment

• Funding provided for students enrolled in both high school and an eligible postsecondary institution.

​

• Postsecondary coursework for credit counts toward both high school graduation and a postsecondary degree/certificate.

​

• 9th grade - Not eligible

​

• 10th grade - Eligible for CTAE courses or must have a SAT score of 1200 or ACT score of 26 to take other courses

​

• 11th and 12th grade - Eligible to take any approved DE course

​

​

​

Columbia Virtual Academy

• CVA is an online school for students in grades 6-12 that are residents of Columbia Columbia School District.

​

• Students take online courses full-time or part-time that are taught by Columbia County School District teachers .

​

• Students continue to participate in extracurricular activities/sports at zone school.

​

• Consult your school counselor for more information.

​

• Registration Deadline: January 20th

​

​

Registration for High School Courses

​

​

• Core courses are pre-selected based on 8th grade teacher recommendations and student data.

​

• Students will receive a registration form to select electives. The registration form can be turned in at Freshmen Orientation or to the middle school counselor the following week.

​

• January 17th- Deadline to submit registration form

​

​

To learn more:

​

​

Freshmen Orientation Night

January 12, 2023

6:00 p.m.

Zone High School

​

​