CVHS GUIDANCE NEWS: JANUARY 30th, 2008
NEW ANNOUNCEMENTS:
First Semester Grades:
With the completion of first semester, teachers will be submitting final semester grades early next week. Semester grade reports should arrive home via US mail on or before February 20, 2008. Parents who do not receive a final fall semester grade report by this date should contact their student’s Academic Advisor or Counselor.
Second Semester Schedules to be Distributed – Second Semester to Begin:
Schedules for second semester will be distributed by teachers to all students at the conclusion of their Period 2 final on Thursday, January 31st. Due to necessary changes in the overall school master schedule, as well as the need to balance class sizes, some students may have received a schedule change or teacher change from first semester. Please be assured that changes are only made when absolutely necessary in order to accommodate course offerings or the need to balance overall class sizes. Every effort has been made to make the absolute minimum number of necessary changes. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding as we work to ensure a balanced master schedule for the benefit of all students.
Checklist for New Schedules:
If parents or students are uncertain about ANY of the following, students/parents should contact their Academic Advisor immediately:
1. Does the schedule include all of the classes needed for graduation and/or college admissions? Remember, college admissions require more that meeting just minimum high school graduation requirements!
2. Freshmen and Sophomores must be enrolled in at least six (6) classes including English, math, social science, science and appropriate elective(s) in order to meet high school graduation and/or college acceptance.
3. Juniors and Seniors must be enrolled in at least five (5) classes, including English, social science and appropriate classes to meet high school graduation and/or college acceptance.
4. Did the student fail a class first semester or in the past, and/or is he/she deficient in graduation credits? If so, contact Academic Advisor immediately!
5. Need a schedule change?? Please see announcement below regarding how to request a schedule change.
Schedule Change Requests:
Students who wish to make a change to their second semester schedule must fill out a Schedule Change Request form, available for pick-up in the Guidance Office, or the form can be downloaded by visiting www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm and then clicking on “Schedule Change” under the “General Information” heading. Parent approval is required. NOTE: Schedule changes cannot be made in order to obtain a specific teacher or period. Due to the volume of students requesting changes at the start of each semester, please do not request a schedule change via phone or e-mail, and as stated above, schedule changes cannot be made in order to obtain a specific teacher or period. Schedule change requests can only be processed with the completion of the Schedule Change Request form. A list of open/available classes is listed on the white board outside the Guidance Office. Academic Advisors and Counselors will be working diligently to process requests as quickly as possible. In order to avoid unexcused absences, students must continue to follow their original schedule until they receive a new schedule from the Guidance Department. Please note deadlines below.
Last Day to Make Schedule Changes:
The last day for students to make a change to their elective classes is Tuesday, February 19, 2008. The last day to make a course “level change” (moving down within the same subject area) is Friday, March 28, 2008.
Attention ALL California State University (CSU) Eligible Juniors:
A letter will soon be mailed home to all California State University (CSU) eligible juniors (i.e. those juniors who have a grade point average of 2.9 or above and who are also making progress on satisfactorily completing college prep coursework necessary for four-year college admissions after high school). The letter will inform parents that any junior who may decide to attend a CSU campus after high school graduation should sign up to take the “Early Assessment Program” (EAP) tests in math and English. Although the EAP tests are NOT used by the University of California (UC) system, it is recommended that all four-year college eligible juniors (2.9 or greater GPA with proper college prep coursework) take the EAP tests in case students later decide to attend a CSU after graduation. The essay portion of these tests will be given here at CVHS during tutorial on May 19th and the multiple choice portions will be given later in conjunction with annual STAR testing in May. In order to pass, student MUST take ALL portions of these tests, and although the tests are voluntary, taking the tests will allow CSU admissions to evaluate and place students in college math and English classes. Scoring well on the tests will ensure that students do not have to take remedial math and English classes as CSU college freshman. Students interested in taking the EAP tests MUST sign up in the Guidance Office immediately. Please contact your student’s Academic Advisor with any questions.
Change of Days and Locations: Spring Semester After-School Tutorial and Homework Center:
Does your student need some extra academic help or a quiet place to study after school? The spring semester CVHS After-School Tutorial and Homework Center will begin on Tuesday, February 12th, 2008. The program will be staffed by CVHS science/math teacher, Mr. Eric Johnson, and held every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:55 – 3:55 p.m. in room M-26. An Academic Intervention Counselor (Ms. Galasso or Ms. Jordheim) will also be present at every session, and volunteer student tutors will be available whenever possible. Recommendation: This is a great opportunity for students to get extra help and/or improve study habits, and we highly recommend regular attendance for those students who are earning below a “C” in any class.
Mid-year Reports for Colleges and Universities:
Seniors who have applied to private Universities must provide their Academic Advisor with the necessary Mid-Year Reports. This must be done as soon as possible as most of the schools have a mid-February deadline.
SAVE THE DATE: Capistrano Valley High School 8th Grade Parent/Student Expo:
Capistrano Valley High School’s annual 8th Grade Parent/Student Expo is tentatively scheduled for Saturday, March 8th from 8:00 a.m. – 12 noon. This is an opportunity for all incoming parents and students to visit the CVHS campus and learn more about high school academics, special programs, college preparation, athletics, and co-curricular programs. Save the date and watch future listserv e-mails for updates!
FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid):
It is highly recommended that all seniors who are applying to college complete the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) application process. This is recommended for all students, even those who feel they may not qualify for financial aide. For information, please click on the following link: http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/
Cal Grant GPA Verification for Seniors:
It is highly recommended that all seniors who are applying to college complete the Cal Grant GPA verification process. The form is available in the Guidance Office. Students are advised to make a copy of the completed form for their records and mail the form certified return receipt. The deadline for submission is March 2, 2008.
SAT/ACT Test Preparation through CUSD Community Education and Ivy West Partnership:
The CUSD Community Education Department and Ivy West have partnered in order to provide affordable, quality SAT/ACT test preparation programs to CUSD students. To download information and registration materials, click on the following link (which may take a minute or two to load): http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Capistrano%20SAT%20&%20ACT%20Flyer%202008.pdf or visit the CUSD Adult and Community Education Website at: http://www.capousd.org/adult/ , then click on “Children and Teens” and look for the Ivy West test preparation section.
Next California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Test Date for 2008:
On February 5th and 6th, all seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections of the California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) and those juniors who missed the November test dates will have another opportunity to take these important exams during the normal school day. Students who still need to pass one or both sections of the CAHSEE should plan to attend the Saturday CAHSEE preparations classes listed below. Preparation study books are also available for pick-up in the Guidance Office. NOTE: Passing both sections of the CAHSEE is mandatory for ALL students in order to earn a California High School Diploma.
Saturday CAHSEE Preparation Classes prior to February 5th and 6th Test Dates:
FREE CAHSEE preparation classes are being offered for any CVHS senior or junior who will be taking the CAHSEE on February 5th and/or 6th. (These February test dates are only for seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections of the CAHSEE, and any juniors who missed the November test dates). The Saturday preparation class will be held on Saturday, February 2nd in room P-1. Math preparation will be conducted from 8:00 – 10:00 a.m., and English Language Arts preparation from 10:15 a.m. – 12:15 p.m. It is highly recommend that students attend these preparation classes since data shows that attendance greatly increases student performance and passing scores. For more information or to sign your student up, please contact Academic Intervention Counselors Dana Galasso (ext. 2246) or Jenna Jordheim (ext. 2258).
Summer School – Save the Dates!
Tentative high school summer school dates have been announced. Summer school will be conducted at CVHS this summer on Monday through Thursday each week from 7:15 a.m. – 1:15 p.m. as follows:
Session I: Monday, June 23rd through Thursday, July 10th
Session II: Monday, July 14th through Thursday July 31st
Students who fail a required class or who must make-up a “D” grade for college admissions should plan to attend in order to stay on track for high school graduation and/or college admissions. NOTE: Some students will need to attend both sessions above, while others may only need to attend one session, depending upon which semester(s) of a given class need to be made-up. In general, a student who fails a class during fall semester will need to attend Session I, while a student who fails a class during spring semester will need to attend Session II. If a student fails a class or classes both semesters, they would need to attend both Sessions I and II.
AP Testing Update – Registration Deadline Approaching!:
Students in AP classes were recently given the exam registration forms in their AP classes. Students who may need replacement forms should visit the Guidance Office. AP exams will be administered during the period of May 5th through May 16th. The registration fees are $84.00 per exam and the deadline to register is February 22nd, 2007. Students may pay for the exams at the CVHS Activities Office with checks payable to CVHS. An official bulletin from the College Board with detailed information will be coming sometime in early January. Additional information regarding specific test dates, locations, and times will be given to students following the close of registration. Any questions regarding AP Testing should be directed to Academic Advisor Cassandra Ondryas at condryas@capousd.org
PAST “OLD” ANNOUNCEMENTS & DATES:
Important Guidance Calendar Dates:
Please read the announcements above and/or below for details regarding each date/event listed.
Date Event Notes
1/31/08 Spring schedules distributed During period 2 final; see announcement above
2/4/08 Spring semester begins See announcement above
2/5 & 2/6/08 CAHSEE test dates For seniors and juniors who were absent for November testing; see above
2/19/08 Last day to change an elective class See announcement above for details
2/22/08 Deadline to register for AP Tests See announcement above for details
3/28/08 Last day to make a course level change See announcement above for details
6/23 – 7/31/08 High School Summer School Dates
See announcement above for details
**WEBSITE REMINDER:
CVHS Guidance Website Resources:
Perhaps the best source of guidance information for parents and students can be found on the Capistrano Valley High School website at: www.cvhs.com For guidance information relating to college, scholarships, testing, careers, and general information, simply click on the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm or visit the CVHS website at www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance.”
Archive of Past Guidance News Listserves Now Available:
An archive of past CVHS Guidance News Listserve messages is now available on-line by visiting www.cvhs.com, then clicking on “Guidance” and looking near the bottom under “Guidance News and Announcements Archive.”
College Scholarship Information Posted:
Current scholarship opportunities are now posted at the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/Scholarship.htm , or go to www.cvhs.com and then click on “Guidance” and “Scholarship Info.” Recommendation: Scholarship information will be updated approximately every 7-10 working days, so students and parents should check the posting periodically throughout the year. In addition, a “Scholarship Notebook” of information will be available in the Guidance Office.
**HOT RESOURCE!! National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) Resource for Students and Parents:
The National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC) offers a great on-line resource for students and parents. Recommendation: Visit one of the following links to view and print a basic guide about the college admission process:
Guide in English:
http://www.nacacnet.org/NR/rdonlyres/70DEDCDE-2A40-4248-80B1-339B04232326/0/GuideforParents.pdf
Guide in Spanish:
**HOT NEW RESOURCE!! – On-line Guidance “Annual Checklists” for All Grade Levels:
In an effort to provide parents and students with clear and concise guidance information for all grade levels, the CVHS Guidance Team has developed specific guidance “Annual Checklists” for each grade level. These lists show key guidance timelines, college testing and application details, and other information in an easy to follow, month-by-month format for each year of high school. To access and print the lists, simply go to www.cvhs.com , then click on “Guidance,” and then look under the heading entitled “Annual Checklists.” ( Print out and review all four lists in order to get a full picture of the progression of guidance-related issues throughout the four years of high school.)
Division I and Division II NCAA College-Bound Athletes:
Students who may want to participate in college Division I or Division II college athletics after high school should be aware of athletic eligibility and entrance requirements for college freshman athletes. In general, student athletes must complete either 16 (Division I) or 14 (Division II) core college-prep academic courses while in high school in order to be eligible to participate in collegiate athletics (generally very similar to the CSU/UC Subject A-G requirements). Recommendation: For more information, students and parents should visit www.ncaa.org and then download the document entitled “NCAA 2007-08 Guide for the College-Bound Student Athlete” at the following link: http://www.ncaa.org/library/general/cbsa/2007-08/2007-08_cbsa.pdf
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Test Dates and Info. for 2008:
February 5th and 6th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections, plus those juniors who may have missed the November test dates.
March 11th and 12th – held at CVHS during extended school days for all sophomore students only.
May 6th and 7th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) Preparation Books Available!
California High School Exit Exam (CAHSEE) preparation books for Math and English Language Arts are now available in the Guidance Office for all sophomores and any juniors or seniors who have not yet passed one or both portions of the exam. (NOTE: These are the same booklets that will be handed out in all sophomore English II classes during Back to School Night, so students whose parents attended will not need to pick up booklets.)
On-Campus College Visits:
For a listing of the dates and times when various colleges and universities will be on the CVHS campus providing information and answering questions for potential student applicants, please visit the following link on our Guidance website: http://www.cvhs.com/guidancedocs/Collegerepsfall07.pdf Recommendation: Please check the list frequently as it will be updated throughout the year.
CVHS Curriculum Guide NOW Available On-line!!
The CVHS 2007-08 Curriculum Guide is NOW available for download on-line in order to help parents and students answer important questions about course offerings, high school graduation, and college entrance requirements. The Guide is an excellent parent resource and is also distributed every year to incoming freshmen as a part of the registration process. To download the Guide, please visit the following link: http://www.cvhs.com/guidance.htm and then click on “Curriculum Guide” under the “General Info” heading. In addition, if you have questions regarding graduation or college admissions requirements, please contact your student’s Academic Advisor.
CVHS Guidance Team