skss grade 7 parent night (2011)

Welcome to the Titan Nation!The SKSS

New Grade 8 Parent Information Night

“Who’s on first?”

SKSS Introductions

http//skss.sd73.bc.ca

That’s me!


If this applies to you, yell “That’s me!”

• “I went to SKSS/Kam-Hi/JP”• “This is my first child in high school”• “I am a bit nervous about my student

coming to SKSS”• “I find high school bleachers

extraordinarily comfortable”


Tonight…• The Greatest School On Earth• What your student can expect

for next year• Opportunities• Being a high school parent• LINKing New Grade 8s!• Courses for next year• Supports• Canadian Parents for French• PAC• Q & A

“Nuts about SKSS!”


The Greatest School on Earth

A world poll


Recent World Poll of Greatest Schools

Votes for best school on earth

6000000000

20

1000000000

2000000000

3000000000

4000000000

5000000000

6000000000

7000000000

SKSS Every other school on Earth

Votes


SKSS Student e

arns

largest

TRU E

ntrance

Scholarsh

ip for S

cience

Sr. Girls Basketball goes 40-3,

and wins Provincial Bronze

South Kam Math Students Tops in

Okanagan Competitions

South Kam Curling Wins Provincials Nearly 50% of

SKSS Students

achieve Honour

Status

SKSS Student Art

Calendar a hit in the

community!

SKSS Puts Largest Numbers in District Honor Band/Choir

SKSS

German

Students

Run Away

with

National

Awards

South Kam

success rates

increase for

4th year in a

row

SKSS Band Students play Disney Studios

Annual Spring Play “Kiss Me Kate Gets

Rave Reviews


The Greatest School on Earth!

• Tremendous Facility• Dedicated staff • Excellent academic

results• Diverse student

population• Outstanding Extra-

Curricular Opportunities (Fine Arts, Athletics, Clubs)

We’re bananas about SKSS!

Failure rates continue to go

down

SKSS just keeps getting

better!

Overall Failure Rates By Core Subject Year 0-4S1

0.0%

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12.0%

14.0%

16.0%

18.0%

Sciences Mathematics English Social Studies

Year 0

Year 1

Year 2

Year 3

Year 4S1

SKSS Core Subject Area Failure Rate 2006-2010 S1

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4S1

Failure rate


What your student can expect

this year...• 1350 other

students and two campuses

• Nearly 115 teachers and support staff

• The need to be VERY organized

• Review EVERY night, and more around exam time

• Excellent support from their teachers, counsellors, and support workers

• High expectations!

Not to mention a multitude of opportunities!


SKSS Opportunities• Academic• Fine Arts

• Applied Skills• LINK Crew• Athletics

• Leadership• Exchanges


Academics!• Sciences—Biology,

Chemistry, Physics, Computer Studies, AP Calculus

• Humanities—English Literature, History, Law, Social Justice

• Languages—French, German, Japanese, Shuswap

• Honours• French Immersion


An eye for the Arts!

• Drama and the Performing Arts

• Art/Drawing and Painting/Ceramics and Sculpture

• Band• Guitar• Choir


More Incredible Electives• Foods and Nutrition• Textiles• Woodwork

– Carpentry/Joinery

• Metalwork/Art Metal• Photography• Yearbook• Computer Studies• Videogame Making


• Badminton• Curling• Cheerleading• Golf• Football• Rugby• Volleyball• Basketball• Soccer• Field Hockey• Wrestling

Another Provincial

Banner This Year

Nearly 500 Student

Athletes

SKSS Athletics – Welcome to the Titan Nation!

29 Teams

Great fans!


Cool Trips…


Leadership Opportunities

• Leadership class• Global Awareness

Society• Me-To-We

Program• Peer Tutoring• Teacher Assistant• LINK Crew

“Me to We” Vancouver

2010

Intl Day of Peace 2010

LINK Grade 8 BBQ


Encourage your student to take advantage of every opportunity that they can

at SKSS!

What would happen at our school if students were given

permission to care about each other and the structure

in which to do it?

LINK CREW AT SOUTH KAMLOOPS SECONDARY!


What is Link Crew?

•A program that provides a structure which guides grade eight's towards both academic and social success.

•Students help students succeed by using members of the senior grades as Link Crew Leaders.

•Link Crew Leaders are trained to be positive role models, motivators, and teachers who guide the grade eight students to discover what it will take to be successful in high school.


Orientation Day—Sept. 1st!

• 7:00 - 8:00 Link Crew Preparation• 8:05 - 8:20 Registration for New Grade 8s• 8:20 - 9:35 Opening Assembly & Mixer• 9:35 - 9:40 8’s Find Link Crew Leader• 9:40 - 9:45 Crews move to rooms• 9:45 - 11:05 Small Groups Meet• 11:05 - 11:25 Tour• 11:25 - 11:45 Closing Assembly


On-going Link Activities

• Link Alerts - teachers send in alerts when a grade 8 student needs a little extra attention. Link Leader immediately touches base with that student.

• Link Events – Back to School Breaky, Grade 8 BBQ, First Friday Football Game, etc.

• Monthly Link Leader meetings - check in with leaders to keep them motivated and focused on ideas of ways to connect with their Crew members. Have fun activities for the leaders; also have skill building instruction. Used to intro the teaching of the lessons.


What do we hope to see as a result of the LINK

Crew?• Improved academic performance.• Improved grade eight attendance.

• Increased sense of belonging.• More school spirit and a willingness

to participate in school events.


What if my student misses the orientation day?


No worries!

Those students who miss the orientation on September 1st will be invited to come to school at

9:30am on the first day of school to get a mini-orientation!


Structures at SKSS

What does high school LOOK like?

http//skss.sd73.bc.ca TIME

DAY 1

DAY 2

Collaboratio

nDay

DAY 3

DAY 4

8:27 WARNING BELL

8:33 – 9:39

A

B

Collaboration 8:30-9:13

C

D

9:39 – 9:49 CLASS CHANGE ( 9:13-9:20)

9:49 – 10:55

B

C

A 9:20-10:26

D

A

10:55 – 11:11 (Warning Bell 11:05) LONG BREAK

LONG BREAK

11:11 - 12:17

C

D

A

B

12:17 – 1:02

C Study

D Study

C 11:58-1:04

A Study

B Study

1:02 – 1:54 (Warning Bell 1:46) LUNCH (1:04-1:54) 1:58 – 3:00

D

A

D 1:54-3:00

B

C

B 10.36-11:42

Students may: do work from that class; study for tests from that class; do work in other classes; study for tests in

other classes, or silent read


8:35-9:42 (67)

9:52-10:59 (67)

11:12-12:19 (67)

Block C

12:19-1:09 Lunch

1:09-2:15 (66)

Block D

2:20-3:00 (40)

Connections Block

Block B

Block A

Wednesday Connections Block


Open areas for students

• 2 Math Areas• 2 Science Areas• 2 English Areas• 2 Socials Areas• 2 Gyms• 1 Language Area• 1 Fine Arts Area

• 2 Libraries• Lower Cafeteria


Academic Intervention Program

• We do not want students to “fall through the cracks” – If they get behind in their studies,

they will be directed to AI

• After school from 3:10-4:00, Mon to Thurs

• We need your support!

As a result of your students, the staff, your support, and structures like Study Block, Connections Block and AI, failure

rates continue to go down at SKSS!

SKSS Core Subject Area Failure Rate 2006-2010 S1

0.0%

1.0%

2.0%

3.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

Year 0 Year 1 Year 2 Year 3 Year 4S1


The Support Network at

South Kamloops Secondary School


Administration

We are here to help!


Administration- our doors are open!

• South Kam has three Vice-Principals and one Principal

• Vice-Principals– Mr. Brar works with students in the A-

E portion of the alphabet– Mr. Wales – F to Mi– Mr. Rife – Mo to Z

• Principal – Mr. Birk


Administrative Supports• Communication

– Different from Elementary—please call in for absences

– Scrolling Televisions – Upper/Lower– Announcements (formal, classroom)– Website: http//skss.sd73.bc.ca

• Online Newsletters

– Open Door Policy– Please make sure you give an up to date

email address to the school!


More on Communication

[email protected]

Newsletter


Even more support programs!

• First Nations Program• Learning Assistance

• Work Experience


The SKSS Counselling Department

People helping people!


Counsellors

• Personal and Interpersonal issues• Timetable and course plans• Future education and vocational

planning• Liaison with Community Agencies• Homework for long term absences• Interim reports between report cards


Timetables

• Balancing Semesters (Academics vs. Electives)

• Available on Sept. 1st (Orientation Day)


A typical timetable for a Grade 8

Semester One (Sept-Jan)

• English• Math/PE• Language• ASk Mosaic

Semester Two (Feb-June)

• Socials• Math/PE• Science• FA Mosaic / Band

NOTE: The SKSS Course Selection Booklet is available on the SKSS Website


Grade 8 Mosaic Courses

Mosaic Fine Arts

• Art• Drama• Computers• Health and Career

Mosaic Applied Skills

• Cooking • Sewing• Woodwork/

Metalwork


Language Choices• Two choices in grade 8:

> French> Secwepemctsin (Shuswap)

• Four choices in grade 9 and beyond:

> French> Secwepemctsin> German> Japanese

* Availability depends on enrolment at all levels *


Agendas and Homework

Agendas will be given out during homeroom classes.

Students should record their homework in their agendas.

Grade 8 students should review their classwork regularly each night.


Wow, that sounds like a lot of work!

How can we as parents help our students to be

successful?


Easy steps to improve your student’s work habits

• Utilize the agenda/homework book EVERY DAY and CHECK IT!

• Have them do their work in a public part of the house--not in their room!

• Limit time on the phone/computer to after homework is done

• Be nosey!


Common phrases we hear...

• “We have to trust they are doing their homework, don’t we?”

• “But ______ is great on the computer!”

• “_____ was an honor student in Grade 7”

• “Is there some way they can be put in protective custody for the next 3-5 years?”


Adults are from Venus,Kids are from Mars….


Very High

Very Low

Degree of adults being

morons

Grade Level of StudentK 3 6 9 12 U

Adult Moron Curve

Snoop or Miley

(“Superman or Xena”)

“My parents are SO lucky. They get to go to work every day, I have to go to school!”

“They may give me money to get

out of the house”

(“WHATEVER” ZONE)


You will not be a moron to your child at the end of

high school…we promise.


Even more support programs!


The Canadian Parents for French


The SKSS PAC


Questions and Answers

skss grade 7 parent night (2011)

Education

skss students

link grade

day of school

link crew leaders

link crew preparation

link events

school events

skss introductions