NINTH GRADE ESSENTIALS PRESENTATION

Durham Early College of Health Sciences

By: William Evans, M.Ed.

School Counselor

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WORDS OF WELCOME

• Mr. Joshua Brown, DECHS Principal

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• Mr. Alec Virgil, DECHS Social Studies Teacher and DPS Teacher of the Year

CONNECTION ACTIVITY

Name one thing about yourself that you are proud of.

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PRE & POST SURVEY

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Scan me, bruh.

DECHS STUDENT SERVICES

Who are we and what do we do?

William Evans, School Counselor

High School Schedules, Individual Counseling (Social/Emotional Support), Post-Secondary Planning, Scholarships & Summer Programs, Athletic & Drivers Ed Eligibility, Classroom Presentations, Parent Nights, Maverick Ambassador Club

Brittany Frost, School Social Worker (W/F)

Attendance Intervention, Home Visits, Support for the Unhoused, Co-Located Mental Health Coordinator, Individual Counseling, Community Resources, Service Club

James Jefferson, Success Coach

Academic Interventions (MTSS), 504 Plans, Individual Academic Coaching, Academic Probation Monitoring, CPR Certification, Restorative Practices

IMPORTANT NOTES

Schedule Changes

Students automatically scheduled into required high school classes

Two teachers per subject area

Limited course availability

Little-to-no wiggle room

Virtually no schedule changes will be possible.

Exception: If you are mistakenly placed into a class that you have already passed

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Co-Located Mental Health Services

DPS partners with local therapy agencies.

Parents must submit an application.

Therapists may conduct sessions at school, at your home, or online.

Your insurance will be billed.

Students or parents may request this service.

Academic Probation

Students who fail a course are placed on academic probation the following semester.

While on probation, students will be required to attend tutoring and will be assigned a faculty mentor for regular check-in meetings.

Students who fail courses during their probation semester may be asked to return to their base high school.

This policy applies to all early colleges in DPS.

ADDITIONAL SUPPORTERS

Angela Batson, AIG Facilitator (Fri)

AIG Identification, High School Rigor Support, Advanced Academic Opportunities, Hot Topics Club

Vacant, EC Teacher (PT)

IEP Case Management, Academic Support, Executive Functioning Coaching

Rosalind Garmon, Career Development Coord. (Th)

Internships, Job Shadowing, Employment Opportunities, Career Interest Inventories, Career Preparation (ex. resumes, interview skills, etc.)

ACCESSING YOUR COUNSELOR

• Walk-Ins are welcome during the lunch period.
• See Mrs. Silva at the front desk to make an appointment.
• Use this link to schedule an appointment or scan the QR code in your classroom.
• Ask your teacher to refer you.

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• Visit the Counselor’s Blog on a weekly basis to learn about community activities, job opportunities, scholarships, summer programs, college visits, etc.

CONFIDENTIALITY

Students are legally entitled to have confidential discussions with the School Counselor and School Social Worker. Parents do not have the right to know the details of these conversations.

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Exceptions

• Students are thinking of harming themselves or someone else.
• Parents will be notified after a Student Safety Assessment is performed.
• Students tell us that they or another person have or may be harmed by someone.
• The proper authorities will be notified (ex. Child Protective Services or the police)
• Students give us permission to share.
• This applies to any topic other than the two above.

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HIGH SCHOOL ACADEMICS

TRANSCRIPTS

• Your transcript is an official record of your high school level academic history. They contain…

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• High school courses taken
• Final grades
• Grade point average
• Class rank
• Attendance

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS: CLASS OF 2029

4 English Credits

• English 1, 2, 3, & 4

4 Social Studies Credits

• Civic Literacy
• Economics & Personal Finance
• US History
• World History

4 Math Credits

• Math 1, 2, 3, 4

3 Science Credits

• Earth & Environmental Science
• Biology
• A Physical Science (i.e. Chemistry)

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1 Health & PE Credit

• …and CPR certification

2 Credit Combination

• Arts, CTE, World Languages

*Some colleges may require 2 consecutive world language credits

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8 Electives

= 26 Total Credits

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*New Requirement: At least 1 of the 26 credits must be an Arts credit

*6 credits are required to be promoted from ninth to tenth grade.

GRADE POINT AVERAGES

Your GPA is a reflection of your academic performance. It is determined by adding your quality points then dividing by the number of total credits.

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Quality points are the number of points you receive for each grade. Points vary based upon the academic level of the class.

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Weighted GPAs include quality points. Unweighted GPAs do not.

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GPAs are only calculated at the end of each semester using final grades.

2.875

GPA ACTIVITY

• 1. Write your name and schedule on a sheet of paper. This will become your transcript.
• 2. Pass your paper to someone. They will assign you a grade for first period.
• 3. Pass and repeat until all grades are assigned.
• 4. Pass it once more. This person will calculate your GPA.
• 5. Pass the paper to its owner so they can review their transcript and GPA!

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Online GPA Calculator

https://gpacalculator.net/high-school-gpa-calculator/

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WHY IS MY GPA IMPORTANT?

DECHS

• Must maintain a 2.5+ GPA to avoid academic probation & deselection

Durham Tech

• Need a 2.8+ unweighted GPA for full course eligibility

Sports

• Must past 3 of 4 courses in the previous semester to be eligible to play

Driver’s Ed

• Must pass 3 of 4 courses in the previous semester to be eligible for a permit

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Post Secondary Options

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• Universities will consider your GPA.
• Community colleges have open enrollment for anyone with a high school diploma.
• The military requires a high school diploma, physical fitness testing, and the ASVAB exam.
• Employers will prefer an education credential.

HOW ELSE CAN I STAND OUT TO COLLEGES & EMPLOYERS?

Start building a resume of high school activities! According to honorsociety.org, “research shows a positive correlation between participation in extracurricular activities and academic performance. Students involved in these activities often show improved grades, higher educational aspirations, increased college enrollment, and reduced absenteeism.”

Examples

• Community Organizations
• Jobs
• Private Lessons (ex. Violin)
• School Clubs
• Sports
• Summer Programs
• Volunteer Opportunities

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DECHS CLUBS

Tips for Success

LOOKING AHEAD…

LOOKING AHEAD…

MAV MEDICAL EXPLORATION DAYS

Employees from Durham Tech and Duke Health will visit DECHS monthly and provide 60-90 minutes of hands-on learning activities. Each visit will be focused on one of the available healthcare pathways. The purpose is to expose students to each career and enable them to make an informed decision during sophomore year about which pathway to follow.

Motivations

Favorites and Opinions

Durham Early College of Health Sciences

James Jefferson

“You don’t drown by falling into water. You drown by staying under.”

Interests & Hobbies

Role: Student Success Coach

Years in Education: 19

Profession: Health/PE & Admin.

Location: Jordan, MCHS, DECHS

Motivation: God’s Calling

Education: Univ. of Cincinnati

Born and raised in Pittsburgh, PA, I attend Perry Traditional Academy, part of the city school district. I attended Edinboro University of PA for my undergraduate, in which I majored in Health and Physical Education with a minor in Geography. I obtained my masters in Education Administration from the University of Cincinnati (OH), and have been teaching in North Carolina public schools since 2004.

1. God (Jesus) and Family
2. Sports and Fitness (Steelers, lifting weights, playing basketball and pickleball, etc.)
3. Playstation, Reading, Traveling, board games, music, etc.

Add logo

Add logo

To be better today than I was yesterday.

To honor my God, my wife and my kids through my work.

To have fun.

Shoes: Nike, Timberland, and Stacy Adams

Music: 90’s Hiphop / R&B >, Jazz

Tech: Google Pixel > Apple

Random: Cold > Hot, College Sports > Pro, Mountains > Beach, Traveling > Gifts, Best French Fries: Five Guys or Ale House

Best Milkshakes: The Loop

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Durham Early College of Health Sciences

Student Success Coach

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504 Coordinator

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MTSS Coordinator

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My Duties

Support students in reaching their full potential—academically, socially, and emotionally. I provide mentorship, help set goals, track progress, and connect students with resources. I build relationships, encourage accountability, and guide students through challenges to keep them focused, motivated, and on the path to graduation and beyond.

A 504 Coordinator ensures students with disabilities get the support they need to succeed. They develop, implement, and monitor 504 Plans, making sure accommodations are in place and followed. They work with students, families, and staff to break down barriers and create equal access to learning.

provide academic, behavioral, and social-emotional support to all students. It uses data to identify students’ needs and offers targeted help through different levels (or tiers) of support, making sure every student gets what they need to succeed.

Durham Early College of Health Sciences

Multi-Tiered Student Support Introduction

Tier 1: Basic Core Instruction

Smaller Class Sizes

High Expectations

Individual Practice

Presentations/Projects

Differentiated Instruction

Regular Progress Monitoring

Social-Emotional Lessons (SEL)

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Tier 2: Targeted Small Group Instruction

• Small group support
• Behavior check-in/Check out
• Social skills groups
• Short-term counseling sessions
• More frequent progress checks
• Reward system

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Tier 3: Intensive Support - Individualized interventions for students with significant needs

• 1 on 1 academic tutoring
• Behavioral Intervention Plan (BIP)
• Referral for Special Education
• Personalized learning plan

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QUESTIONS?

PRE & POST SURVEY

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Scan me, bruh.

COMMUNITY AGENCIES

echo

• Mr. Ken Blocker, ken@echo-nc.org

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El Futuro

• Mrs. Maiya Garrett-Peters, maiyagarrett-peters@elfuturo-nc.org

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Emily K Center

• Ms. Ronicia James, rjames@emilyk.org

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We are Kings & Queens

• Mr. Alec Virgil, alec_virgil@dpsnc.net

maiyagarrett-peters@elfuturo-nc.org

maiyagarrett-peters@elfuturo-nc.org

WHAT is El Futuro?

• Nonprofit outpatient clinic that provides comprehensive mental health services for Latino families in a bilingual environment of healing and hope. 
• Somos una organización sin fines de lucro brindando servicios de salud mental para familias latinas en un ambiente bilingüe de sanación y esperanza
• We serve children ages 6+ and adults. 
• Brindamos servicios a los niños de 6+ y los adultos
• Our mission is to nurture stronger familias to live out their dreams. 
• Nuestra misión es fortalecer las familias para que vivan sus sueños

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Confidential

Copyright ©

BEFORE YOU LEAVE…

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• Visit with community agencies in the lobby!

CONTACT US�

William Evans, M.Ed.

Email

william_evans-jr@dpsnc.net

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919-972-3600, ext 36019

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Book an Appointment

Brittany Frost, MSW

Email

brittany_frost@dpsnc.net

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919-972-3600, ext 36021

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James Jefferson, MSA

Email

james_Jefferson@dpsnc.net

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919-972-3600, ext 36020