CVHS GUIDANCE NEWS

The following information was recently distributed in writing to all AP students during AP classes. Students are reminded that they MUST observe all testing rules and guidelines as delineated below:

AP exams will be administered Monday, May 5^th through Friday, May 16^th. AP teachers will advise students about the date, location, and time of their exam. Students’ names should appear on the roster provided to AP teachers.

· APPROVED CALCULATOR FOR CALCULUS AB/BC, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, STATISTICS – bring extra batteries, since none will be available.

· NO CELL PHONES!! PER TESTING GUIDELINES, CELL PHONES WILL BE CONFISCATED and students will be delayed in being released from the test in order to meet with an Assistant Principal to retrieve their phone.

All questions regarding AP Testing should be directed to AP Testing Coordinator /Academic Advisor Cassandra Ondryas at condryas@capousd.org

The Saddleback College Advanced Technology Center will host an Open House on May 3^rd, 2008 from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. at the Center. Parents and students are invited to this special event in order to learn about the program and the value of an educational pathway leading to a high paying and exciting career. A barbecue lunch will be served from 11:30 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. The industries of architecture, mechanical design, art & entertainment, geographical information, automotive, aerospace, medical, and animation are served by the Center. To RSVP or for further information, contact Bonnie Frederickson at (949) 646-2520.

Saddleback College will host Career Technical Education (CTE) Night on May 6^th from 6:00 – 7:30 p.m. on the upper quad of the Saddleback campus. This is an opportunity for parents and students to learn about Saddleback’s CTE programs, career services, transfer programs, EOPS and more. Attendees will also be able to visit with faculty and walk though departments. There will also be free food and live entertainment!

Deadlines for many college scholarship opportunities are fast approaching. 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.

In conjunction with fall registration visits to the Guidance Office, Academic Advisors and Counselors will be meeting with all freshmen in late April and early May through their English classes to complete their four-year high school plans, which will be based upon courses completed during the freshman year, as well as a projection of courses for the remainder of high school. Students will be directed to bring home a copy of their plan to review with their parents. This plan is a flexible road map for students to use throughout the next several years. The plan is certainly a “work in progress” and NOT set in concrete and can therefore change as students’ needs, goals, or interests change. Parents should plan to keep copy as a reference for future class selection and discussions with advisors.

FREE Academic Help!! 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, staffed by CVHS science/math teacher, Mr. Eric Johnson, is held every Tuesday and Wednesday from 2:55 – 3:55 p.m. in room M-26. Mr. Johnson can answer questions regarding all levels of math. Volunteer student tutors for other academic areas will also 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.

“D” and “F” Grades: Implications for College Entrance, Graduation, and Summer School:

Students who receive a “D” or an “F” in a college prep course (i.e. math, science, English, social studies, Foreign Language, Visual/Performing Art, etc.) MUST improve the grade to a “C” or better if they wish the course to satisfy a college entrance requirement. For more specific information on grade and subject requirements for college admissions to CSU and UC campuses, please go to www.cvhs.com Click on “Guidance” and then on “College Info”. NOTE: Current seniors MUST immediately notify their college in writing if they have a change in their academic program from that which was reported during the application process. Students who receive an “F” in any course required for high school graduation MUST repeat the course. Summer school applications are now available in the Guidance Office. Please see summer school information in announcement below.

High school summer school dates have been announced, and summer school applications and flyers are now available in the Guidance Office. Information about summer school is also available on-line at http://www.capousd.org/summer/ 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:

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.

The process of fall course advisement/registration will began Monday April 14, 2008 for all returning CVHS students. On Monday, April 14^th, students received advisement and registration materials from their first period teachers. Most students were pre-enrolled in their core classes (English, Math, Science, and Social Science) based upon courses and grades this year. Students were then directed to seek course selection advice from all of their teachers on Monday and Tuesday, and then return their registration forms to their first period teachers on Wednesday, April 16^th. The registration form MUST have had a parent signature. Students will then meet individually with their Academic Advisors/Counselors in April and early May during their English classes. Parents with questions should contact their student’s Academic Advisor/Counselor.

Parents and students should keep the following key points in mind when selecting classes for next year:

Sophomores must take six (6) classes. Juniors and seniors must take at least five (5) classes. However, it is recommended that students planning to attend a community or four-year college after graduation take six (6) classes.

It is recommended that all students planning to attend college after graduation, including community college, maintain enrollment in college preparatory classes.

Students and parents should ensure that students choose courses that will satisfy college entrance requirements. The CVHS Curriculum Guide is an excellent source of information and can be downloaded on-line at the CVHS Guidance webpage.

If a student failed a class this year, that class MUST be automatically placed on the student’s fall schedule for remediation. However, should the student successfully pass the class during summer, then the class will be removed in the fall and the schedule adjusted accordingly. Some elective courses may not be available at that time.

Students should choose classes wisely. Student course requests to a large degree dictate course offerings; therefore, some course changes may not be possible in the fall once the master schedule is set. Making appropriate and accurate course selections now will help ensure the best possible schedule for each student.

Annual STAR testing will take place for all 9^th, 10^th, and 11^th grade students on May 15^th, 16^th and 19^th. There will be no zero period on these days, and students will be testing with their fourth period teacher all three days. All students should avoid absences during STAR testing if at all possible, and parents are asked to assist by speaking with their students regarding the importance of giving a best effort, and eating properly and getting enough rest prior to testing.

The classroom portion of driver’s training will be available for eligible students this summer during summer school at Capistrano Valley High School. For information, dates, eligibility requirements, etc., please visit the following link: http://www.capousd.org/summer/ and then scroll down and click on the “Drivers Education Classroom Course” title under the “High School” heading.

ATMS students are reminded that completing a geometry course is a condition for college admission. Therefore, those ATMS students who have not yet completed their geometry course requirement should consider doing so this summer through one of the two district-approved methods: either completing the course through Irvine Valley College (the course is unfortunately not available at Saddleback College) or the University of Missouri (on-line). For further information on these options, students should see their Academic Advisor immediately.

Sophomores who missed one or both California High School Exit Exams in March will have an opportunity to make up these important tests on May 6 (English) and May 7 (Math). These are the only state-approved make-up test days allowed, and students MUST make up the exams on these days. Please make sure to mark calendars now with these important dates!

Now is the time for our juniors to start planning for college application acceptance. Does your junior student plan on attending college after graduation next year? Will that include a 2-year community college, a 4-year state university, or a private school? To help answer these questions, we recommend three things: 1) Please visit our Guidance website by going to www.cvhs.com and then clicking on “Guidance.” Once you are on the Guidance page, check out the “Junior Checklist,” which is under the “Annual Checklists” heading. The Junior Checklist contains information and tasks juniors should be doing each month. Also, take a look at the “Senior Newsletter” to see what next year will be like. 2) Make sure you and your student are both signed up for the CVHS listserve so that you will receive weekly messages like this one from our Guidance Office that will keep you up to date on college and guidance information. To sign up, simply go to www.cvhs.com, then click on “Info and News” and then on “listserve” and follow the prompts. 3) Attend the National College Fair that will be held April 6^th from 1:30 – 4:30 p.m. at the Orange County Fair and Event Center in Costa Mesa (see details below).

**Tentative Dates for Summer Registration Packet Pick-up, Walk-through Registration, and Freshman Orientation:

The following dates have been tentatively scheduled for registration packet pick-up, walk-through registration, and incoming freshman orientation:

Freshman Day 1 (January – June birthdays): August 11^th – times to be announced

Freshman Day 2 (July – December birthdays): August 12^th – times to be announced

Juniors Day 1 (January – June birthdays): August 19^th – times to be announced

Juniors Day 2 (July – December birthdays): August 20^th – times to be announced

**Please note that the above dates are projected to be accurate and are provided to assist parents with summer planning; however, dates are still tentative at this time. Also, please note that freshman and juniors have two separate days for registration due to the large numbers of students in these classes. Lastly, even though freshmen register first for logistical reasons, students in upper grades will still be given priority for selection of electives.

Please read the announcements above and/or below for details regarding each date/event listed.

5/6 and 5/7/08 CAHSEE Make-up testing for sophomores See announcement above for details

6/23 – 7/31/08 High School Summer School Dates See announcement above for details

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.”

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.”

Seniors who have been accepted and plan to attend a CSU campus should check the status of their English Placement Test (EPT) and Entry Level Math (ELM) on their acceptance paperwork when received from the university. If the student has not met these requirements, either through the EAP process or SAT/ACT scores, they should plan on taking the tests soon. Click on the link below to see general information and the testing schedules for the various CSU campuses.

Students who are looking for community service hours are encouraged to visit the CVHS PTSA website at the following link: http://www.capoptsa.org/programs/programs.html and then click on “Community Service.” The PTSA keeps an extensive and up-to-date list of community resources where students can look to fulfill various community service hour requirements.

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.

May 6^th and 7^th - held at CVHS during the school day for only those juniors and seniors who have not yet passed one or both sections, and make-up test dates for sophomores who missed testing in March.

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.)

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.