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February 2020
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Grade 9 students have nearly completed the first half of their freshman year! This issue of the counseling newsletter provides information for understanding the scores on the Mid Year Progress report, which will be released Friday, February 7, 2020. We also share tools for time management and homework/project organization, take a quick peek at the importance of enough sleep, and offer information for summer program opportunities.
Kind regards,
The HS Counseling Team
Grade 9 Mid Year Progress Reports
Grade 9 students and parents will receive Mid-Year Progress Reports on Friday, February 7th. This report will communicate student achievement on each of the criteria as well as a 1 - 7 working level.
There are several factors to keep in mind when interpreting your child's Mid-Year Progress Report.
Universities and teachers are aware you cannot compare the 1 - 7 scale with the traditional A - F, or other scales.
For example, a 7 is not equivalent to an A. The 7 is markedly harder to achieve.
We put the IB 1 - 7 scores in context by looking at sections of the IB Diploma Statistical Bulletin.
Kind regards,
The HS Counseling Team
Grade 9 Mid Year Progress Reports
Grade 9 students and parents will receive Mid-Year Progress Reports on Friday, February 7th. This report will communicate student achievement on each of the criteria as well as a 1 - 7 working level.
There are several factors to keep in mind when interpreting your child's Mid-Year Progress Report.
- The IB 1 - 7 scale is not the same as an A - F scale. It is much harder to achieve a 7 than an A. (More information below.)
- This Mid-Year Progress Report will appear on a student's transcript (and be communicated in university applications) as their Mid-Year Progress on the way to their End of Year Working Level. It is a mid-point performance indicator, and students are expected to grow throughout the year. One common myth - students need immaculate transcripts from the beginning of Grade 9. In reality, universities like to see growth in a student throughout high school.
- The Mid-Year Progress Report is not used to calculate GPA - GPA is based only on the End of Year Working Level for Grades 9 and 10.
- Honor Roll and High Honor Roll are determined at SFS by adding up a student's Working Levels in all of their classes assessed on the 1 - 7 scale (and by adding one bonus point for any student in Grades 9 and 10 taking Math HL).
- For Grades 9 and 10, if a student earns 42 points (7 classes on the 1 - 7 scale) or 48 points (8 classes on the 1 - 7 scale) overall, they qualify for Honor Roll. If they earn 45 points (7 classes on the 1 - 7 scale) or 52 points (8 classes on the 1 - 7 scale) they qualify for the distinction of High Honor Roll.
Universities and teachers are aware you cannot compare the 1 - 7 scale with the traditional A - F, or other scales.
For example, a 7 is not equivalent to an A. The 7 is markedly harder to achieve.
We put the IB 1 - 7 scores in context by looking at sections of the IB Diploma Statistical Bulletin.
You can see in the table above that out of the 615,000 subject scores given in the IB DP May 2018 exams, only 7.5% of these scores across all the subjects were a "7." Our students do score well above the world average in their final IB Diploma results (averaging 35 points vs a world average of 30 points), Last year on their IB Diploma exams our students earned a 7 on 12% of their subject scores, a 6 in 37% of their subjects, a 5 in 32% and a 4 in 16%. We hope this information can help to put the IB 1 - 7 scores in context.
What happens next?
As Mid-Year Progress Reports are released, please be sure to read the written descriptions of the Working Level scores on the report itself. Conversations between student and parent should focus on the criteria scores and descriptions. These clearly show the level of work the student is currently demonstrating, and helps student know how to learn and grow in order to earn a higher 1 - 7 score for the End of Year Working Level. The score at the end of the year is not an average of work done throughout the year, but rather communicates their achievement by the end of Grade 9.
Upcoming Parent-Teacher Conferences also provide a great chance to meet for a discussion with your student and their teacher to learn more information about your child's achievement and areas of improvement or needed focus.
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Thursday, March 12,2020
3:30 pm - 9:00 pm Friday, March 13, 2020 8:00 am - 3:00 pm |
As you receive your mid-year working level reports, it is a good time to reflect on your first semester of high school. What strategies helped you manage your time and workload? What challenges did you face? These are questions you reflected on during your first seminar after winter break. Many of you already use tools to help you manage your time and organize your school work. Is there one that really worked for you during first semester? Is there a new tool you are ready to try?
Links to organizational tools you encountered in seminar:
Personal Time Management Worksheet
Weekly Planner Worksheet
Breaking Down Large Assignments/Summatives
Homework Plan Worksheet
Personal Time Management Worksheet
Weekly Planner Worksheet
Breaking Down Large Assignments/Summatives
Homework Plan Worksheet
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Study Skills and Managing Your Time
If you feel overwhelmed, stuck, or confused about how to set yourself up for success in managing all the work and responsibilities you face, then please connect with your counselor so they can help get you started!
Levels of Organization - Dr. Maggie Wray
Is your teen on top of everything they need to be?
Good organization is critical for students. Without good organizational systems & habits in place, students often struggle at school — not because they aren’t smart enough to earn good grades, but because they…
If so, then helping your teen get organized this semester could have a major impact on their success in school…not to mention their stress levels, sleep, and overall happiness!
Levels of Organization:
“Organization” is a very general term that can include everything from keeping track of where you left your math book, to keeping track of what you need to do in order to complete your term project by the end of the semester.
It can sometimes be helpful to think of the things students need to organize in terms of their level of complexity, ranging from immediate, physical things like binders & papers to the organization of more distant, intangible things like appointments and due dates for long-term assignments.
Most teens know it’s important to get organized and often want to feel more on top of things, but have a hard time knowing where to start. Rather than trying to change everything at once, it can be helpful for teens to begin by considering which areas of their life would be most helpful to organize so they can work on improving one at a time and not get so overwhelmed by the process.
Is your teen on top of everything they need to be?
Good organization is critical for students. Without good organizational systems & habits in place, students often struggle at school — not because they aren’t smart enough to earn good grades, but because they…
- Didn’t realize they had a test the next day
- Did their homework, but forgot to turn it in
- Forgot about their English essay until 10 pm the night before
- Left their textbook at school, and didn’t realize it was missing until the night before
- Waited until the day before their term project was due to start working on it
If so, then helping your teen get organized this semester could have a major impact on their success in school…not to mention their stress levels, sleep, and overall happiness!
Levels of Organization:
“Organization” is a very general term that can include everything from keeping track of where you left your math book, to keeping track of what you need to do in order to complete your term project by the end of the semester.
It can sometimes be helpful to think of the things students need to organize in terms of their level of complexity, ranging from immediate, physical things like binders & papers to the organization of more distant, intangible things like appointments and due dates for long-term assignments.
Most teens know it’s important to get organized and often want to feel more on top of things, but have a hard time knowing where to start. Rather than trying to change everything at once, it can be helpful for teens to begin by considering which areas of their life would be most helpful to organize so they can work on improving one at a time and not get so overwhelmed by the process.
To break it into manageable steps, here’s a checklist (From Dr. Maggie Wray) of the organization systems that can be helpful for students to set up at some point during the school year.
How much sleep do you need in 9th grade?
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8 - 10 hours each night
Sleep deprivation impacts: mood behavior cognitive ability academic performance |
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Although there are some medical causes for sleepiness, most sleepy teens simply do not get enough sleep. Scientific research shows that to function at your best, you need between 9 hours and 10 hours of sleep every day. This is more sleep than you needed before you were a teenager, and it is more than you will need when you are an adult. Teens need more sleep because they are in a time of very fast physical, intellectual and emotional growth. During sleep, Important connections occur in the brain and other body functions continue to develop.
Lack of sleep can make it hard to get along with your family and friends, hurt your academic performance, and cost you on the court or the field. Sleep is food for the brain.
Remember: A brain that is hungry for sleep will get it, even when you don’t expect it (ie. in class).
Articles:
Sleep in Adolescents
Teens and Sleep
Lack of sleep can make it hard to get along with your family and friends, hurt your academic performance, and cost you on the court or the field. Sleep is food for the brain.
Remember: A brain that is hungry for sleep will get it, even when you don’t expect it (ie. in class).
Articles:
Sleep in Adolescents
Teens and Sleep
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Applying to Summer Programs?
SFSHS recognizes that many of our students choose to attend summer school/programs. Note: Student can request recommendations for two summer school/programs per year. SFS does not accept credits or grades earned at any summer school program. |
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Here's what you need to know...
If you intend to apply to a summer program please complete the following steps:
*SFS Counselors do not endorse specific programs but you can find a growing list of available programs here.
If you intend to apply to a summer program please complete the following steps:
- Complete the Summer Program/School Request Form.
- Complete the Counselor Recommendation Questionnaire.
- Requests for teacher recommendations should not be given directly to the teachers
- If it is a paper/pdf recommendation, it should be turned into the counselor.
- If it is electronic recommendation, please do not send the request to the teacher until you are directed by your counselor.
- Be advised, recommendations are not given to students/parents.
- A minimum of 10 working days (two school weeks) should be allowed for the counselor to process application.
*SFS Counselors do not endorse specific programs but you can find a growing list of available programs here.