Hickory Ridge High School

Welcome Class of 2020

Welcome to Hickory Ridge

Hickory Ridge is comprised of approximately 90 teachers, with 24% having an advanced degree and 18% having their national board certification.

 Hickory Ridge students achieve high scores in proficiency and growth on NC Common Exams and EOC’s

Get involved

Students are encouraged to participate in a variety of extracurricular activities.

Hickory Ridge offers a broad range of clubs and organizations for students to grow in leadership and service, recognize achievements and honors, and allow for exploration of individual interests.

Our athletes participate in 28 interscholastic sports including: baseball, softball, golf, tennis, swimming, basketball, football, etc.

How is high school different from middle school?

More Choices, More Freedom, More Responsibility

We only have homeroom periodically – not everyday.

Lockers are given only if you request one and pay $5 for a lock.

Bookbags can be carried from class to class.

We start school at 7:15 and end at 2:15.

Discipline at HRHS

All the rules will be given to the students in the Student Handbook at the beginning of the year

BULL Pen After School Detentions Saturday School In school suspension Out of school suspension Long term suspension/Alternative

placement

BYOT

Countywide initiative to incorporate technology into the classroom

Student-centered and allows choice Increase student engagement and

ACHIEVEMENT! Individual teachers determine

when/if BYOT will be used

Attendance is very important Don’t forget Compulsory Attendance Law –

students 15 and younger will be in violation of the law if you miss more than 10 unexcused days for the whole year!

In high school, attendance is also taken during each class period

If you are tardy 4 times in the same class, it equals 1 absence

Over 13 days absent in one class may equal no credit (regardless of grade in class). Bring notes and keep up with assignments

What is the day like at HRHS?

Block Schedule 4 classes a day 8 classes per year For each class you pass with at least a

60, you earn one credit Each class is 80 minutes each plus BULL

Time

BULL Time

It’s a time for: Building Understanding Learning and Leadership

Eat lunch during BULL A or BULL B – student decides

Students go to teacher tutorials, club meetings, intramurals, computer labs, media center, peer tutoring, courtyards, etc.

Each student has to make the right choice for them!

BULL Time CAN be cancelled BULL Pen is a consequence if you miss an

assigned tutorial

EOG’s vs EOC’s

3 classes have End of Course tests. Algebra I Biology English II

The difference is that EOC’s are given after each subject instead of at the end of the grade level.

Students also take NC Final Exams in all core subjects

All classes will have a final exam All final exams count for 25% of the overall

grade

How do you get promoted? Earn the minimum amount of credits

each year To be a sophomore, you have to earn 6

credits-Students MUST PASS classes (60%)

To play a sport, you must earn 3 out of 4 credits in the previous semester

To be able to get your learner’s permit or driver’s license, you must pass 3 out of 4 credits in the previous semester

Graduation Requirements Total Credits: 27 credits needed to graduate ENGLISH: 4 credits MATH: 4 credits SCIENCE: 3 credits SOCIAL STUDIES: 4 credits HEALTH & PE: 1 credit CAREER CLUSTER: 4 credits High school credits earned while in Middle

School (Math I, Math II, EES, Chinese) count towards graduation but not towards GPA

Know your child’s counselor HRHS Counselors see students based on

last name: A – D Ms. Jenny Osborne E – KMs. Kelly Lord L—RiMs. Kathy Habjanic Ro—Z Ms. Betsy Navel Graduation Coach Mr. Jeffrey Zimmerman

Student Services Website – important information

*If you want to see us, stop by the guidance office and fill out a form, email or call us.

Career Clusters

JROTC

A career cluster has 4 classes in a specific area of interest with at least one class being a second level.

Transcripts

Every class you take is recorded on your transcript.

EOC scores, GPA, and class rank are also included; however, not teacher comments and discipline

High School Grading Scale Grading scale is located on the student handbook folder

A= 90-100 B= 80-89 C=70-79 D=60-69 F= 0-59

There is a GPA equivalent for every grade A=4.0; B=3.0; C=2.0; D=1.0; F=0

For every honors level course, 1/2 quality point is added to the GPA

For every AP (Advanced Placement) or College and Career Promise course, 1 quality point is added to the GPA

GPA can be found on Parent Portal and on transcripts

Levels of classes

Regular Classes Covers content outlined in Common Core Curriculum for each subject area

Honors: Offers the same curriculum as regular classes but are tailored for high-

achieving students — covering additional topics or some topics in greater depth

Advanced Placement (AP): Covers the breadth of information, skills and assignments found in

corresponding college courses Aligns with the standards and expectations of leading liberal arts and research

institutions Provides motivated and academically prepared students with the opportunity

to study and learn at the college level Students can earn college level credit based on the grade they make on the AP

Exam in May and the college they attend (not all colleges give the same credit)

“Studies have shown that the rigor of a student's high school curriculum is the single best predictor of success in college” per www.collegeboard.org .

Honors or Regular?

Should your child take an Honors class?

Ms. Dyer, one of our AIG coordinators, will discuss Honors classes

Please consider where your child might want to go to college and with whom they will be competing.

Remember, class rank starts as a freshman!

GPA Considerations:

Our current junior class: 106 out of 418 students have a 4.08 or

higher—which is Top 25% of the class 43 out of 418 students have a 4.48 or higher

—which is Top 10% of the class

Our current senior class: 88 out of 352 students have a 4.17 or

higher-- which is Top 25% of the class 35 out of 352 students have a 4.57 or

higher-- which is Top 10% of the class

Choices for next year

Honors English I – 90 or higher in 8th grade Language Arts (80 or higher in AIG English)

Most students start in Math I (there is no honors version)

Honors Math II – 80% or higher in 8th grade Math I Honors Math III – 80% or higher in 8th grade Math II Honors Earth Science – 90% or higher in 8th grade

Science Honors Biology – If your child took EES as an 8th

grader OR if your child wants to take two Science classes in 9th

grade: 80% or higher in Honors Earth and 80% or higher in 8th grade Math I and plans on taking AP Science class by Junior year

Choices for next year

Honors World History - 90% or higher in 8th grade Social Studies

Honors Civics – 90% in 8th grade Social Studies and plans on taking AP World History as a Sophomore

Spanish I or French I– 80% or higher in 8th grade Math and 8th grade Language Arts

Struggling Students

If your child begins to struggle in a HS class, please know that we offer tutoring in a variety of ways: Peer Tutoring: Wednesdays during Bull

Time Teacher Tutoring: Tutorials will be at

least twice a week during BULL times Paid Tutors: We have a list of teachers

in the county that you can pay for tutoring after school

How to register for classes Your child will hear a lot about classes on

Wednesday. They will pick their courses for next year and

bring home a registration sheet for you to sign.

Consider all four years when choosing classes (they already received a four year plan).

Have your child bring the registration form to school on Wednesday, March 16th.

HRHS counselors will meet with each student individually to look over their choices.

Schedules

You should get your child’s schedule in June – but sometimes classes have to be balanced after that.

You should have a limited time to request an online schedule change, but you are not guaranteed one.

Please make sure your child chooses wisely now.

Official schedules will be distributed at Open House in August.

Hickory Ridge High School AHOT

FOR INCOMING 9TH GRADERS

Academy Benefits

4 year program “School within a school” Focus on interdisciplinary project-based

learning Develops workplace “readiness” with field

trips, job shadowing, and internships DOES NOT CONFLICT with Honors/AP

classes, sports, clubs, heterogeneous grouping

Questions?

Counselors will be available this evening at a table in the commons to answer specific questions. Be

sure to stop and speak with:

Core classes-Commons Electives-Main Gym Clubs-Cafeteria