Parent night slides

1. GCSSD 7/8 Parent Night
Nov. 7, 2017
WELCOME!

2. Why are we here?

3. Am I on the right path?
•It is all about how you finish!

4. Education Past High School

5. Postsecondary Options
•Workforce
•Trade/Technical School
•Community College
•4 Year College
•Military

6. Make the most out of High School
Use options in High School to be
ready for what is next

7. •Follow GCSSD Forward on social
media -

10. Logistics
• 7th Grade will move to Library
• 8th Grade will stay in Cafeteria
• Snacks/Drinks available in hallway
• Door Prizes at the end of the night!
THANK YOU FOR COMING!!

11. Am I On the Right Track?
7th Grade
Why is the Explore important? How can I be ready for high school?

12. 7th Grade
• What is Explore?
• Why is it important?
• What can I do NOW to prepare for the Explore test and high school?

13. What is Explore?
• 8th Grade version of the ACT
• Students are required by Gibson County School District to take:
• Explore- 8th Grade
• Pareto- 10th Grade
• ACT- 11th Grade
• Career and Academic Assessment
• Helps you get a head start on the ACT test!

14. 2 Parts of Explore:
Career and Academic Assessment
Academic
• Shows your strengths and
weaknesses in four subject
areas
• English
• Math
• Reading
• Science
• You can see how your scores
compare to those of other
students who have taken
Explore.
• Your report will also show the
skills you likely have.
Career
• You will answer questions about
your plans after high school and
about your interests in several
kinds of activities. (Interest
Inventory)
• You will learn more about
careers, clarify your goals, and
begin to plan your future.
• You will receive
recommendations for preparing
for college and taking the right
courses in high school.

15. What Does My Score Mean?
• Scores are between 1 and 25.
• There are a lot more than 25 questions on the test!
• Explore takes the number of questions you get right and translates that into a
number between 1-25.
• You will receive a score for each test:
• English, Math, Reading, and Science
• You will also receive a Composite Score.
• The average of your 4 tests.
• Your score helps predict how well you might perform on the Pareto in
10th grade and ACT in 11th grade.

16. Why is Explore important?
• Helps you build your plans for high school and your future.
• Helps you prepare for the ACT.
• Students who take Explore are more likely to score higher on the
ACT.
• ACT is used by colleges to help them make admissions and
scholarship decisions.
• Used in class rank at the high school level
• Graduating with State Honors = Meeting all 4 Benchmarks on the
ACT
• Employers, Universities, Technical Schools use this as an
entrance requirement.
• Lottery scholarship $$$
• Other scholarships $$$
• Compete against students from other schools and districts

17. Being On Track in 8th Grade!
• The EXPLORE will help you and your teachers know if
you are on-track in 8th grade.
• If you don’t score as high as you want, there will be
opportunities to improve!

18. Using Explore Scores in High School
• GCHS AND SGCHS will use EXPLORE scores to help with course
placement.
Examples –
• 1)Meeting the benchmark in a subject area will help you qualify for
an Honors Course
• 2) Making a 20 in Reading will help ensure you are ready for AP
Human Geography

19. Common Questions:
• How many questions are on the Explore test?
• English-40 questions
• Math-30 questions
• Reading-30 questions
• Science-28 questions
• Is the test timed?
• Yes! You will have 30 minutes to complete each test.
• Should I guess?
• There is no penalty for guessing.
• Answer every question; a blank question is marked as incorrect.

20. Tips for Doing Your Best!
• Get plenty of sleep the night before the test.
• Follow directions exactly.
• Explore is timed, so pace yourself! Don’t spend too much time on any
one question.
• Not sure of the answer? First rule out every wrong answer you can.
Then, pick the best answer from those left.
• If you finish early, go back and review your work!

21. YOGOWYPI
You Only Get Out What You Put In
-author Bill Cordes

22. Making the Most out of
High School Opportunities

23. MYTH
• College Path Vs. Career Path –MYTH
• Mix and Match
• Going to show you a lot of options:

24. Block Scheduling
• 4x4 schedule-August through December/January through May
• School year is 36 Weeks Long
• 18 weeks in each semester
• Quarter1-(9 weeks) Quarter2-(9 weeks)
• Semester 1=(18 weeks)
• Quarter3-(9 weeks) Quarter4-(9 weeks)
• Semester 2=(18 weeks)

25. Schedules

26. Electives
• Construction
• Welding
• MLR
• Vet Science
• Small Animal
• Large Animal
• Culinary
• Pharmacology
• Journalism

27. Program of Study GCHS offers
• Agriculture, Food & Natural Resource
• Health Science
• Architecture & Construction
• Hospitality & Tourism
• Information Technology
• Transportation, Distribution & Logistics
• Humanities (History/Psy/Soc)
• Fine Art
• Math & Science

28. EPSO’s
• Early postsecondary opportunities allow students to:
• earn postsecondary credits while in high school.
• become familiar with postsecondary rigor and expectations.
• develop confidence and skills for success in postsecondary learning.
• make informed postsecondary and career decisions.
• decrease the time and cost of completing a certificate or degree.

30. Advanced Placement (AP)
Human Geography-taken as a freshman with meeting criteria
Psychology
US History/English
Calculus
Biology
Students take AP Exams in May. If they make a 3, 4, or 5 they may
receive college credit. The exam fee is also reimbursed by the
district.
70 -> 126, 8 -> 30

32. Dual Enrollment (DE)
• Students take college courses while enrolled in high school. Courses are free
through the Dual Enrollment Grant through the State of Tennessee.
• Can’t use funds until the Junior Year.
• Must have a 3.0 GPA – May be other qualifications based on ACT scores
• Jackson State and/or UTM
• If kids pass the course the credit and grade will transfer.

35. Clubs GCHS Offers
• Current Clubs
• Art Club – Callie Bearden
• Best Buddies – Amy Merrick
• Beta – Sandy Whitley & Hope Smith
• D.A.R.E. Role Models – Officer Tosh
• FBLA – Adam Kuykendall & Scott Jewell
• FCA – Stephen Powell
• FFA – Derek & Lyndsey Norman
• Glee Club – Denise Coleman
• HOSA – Caitlin Clenney & Christy Cook
• SADD – Amy Richardson
• SkillsUSA – Mike Sims, Gaylon Childs, & Christy Wilson
• Student Council – Melissa Griggs
• Youth Summit – Lisa Brewer

36. Questions and Answers
• Do you have any questions on the following:
• Schedules
• Electives we offer
• Programs of Study we offer
• EPSO’s (Early Post Secondary Opportunities)

37. Making My Future Affordable

38. TN Promise
• Complete application at school by Nov. 1st
• Pays tuition at a TCAT or 2 year college
• 8 hours of community service senior year
and each semester of college
• Only pays tuition- last dollar $$$$

39. Hope Scholarship
• 3.0 GPA OR 21 ACT composite
• 4 year college = $1750 per semester
freshman/sophomore year; $2250 junior/senior year
• 2 year college = $1250 per semester
• Must maintain 2.75 GPA freshman/sophomore year;
3.0 Junior/senior year
• Automatic- Student does not have to turn anything in!

40. FAFSA
•Everyone attending any kind of post-secondary
school must complete each year.
•Uses prior/prior tax information
Going to college in Fall of 2020- use 2018 taxes

41. Scholarships
•Community Service
•Leadership
•Grades
•ACT score- ACT sessions here & Saturday
sessions at Dyer Co. HS or Dyersburg HS
•Scholarship Bootcamp- REDI junior year

42. Saving $$$ now
•Never to late to start saving
•Education Savings Account 529
•Mutual Funds
•Talk to your local banks!

43. Summary
• No matter what your EXPLORE results say – Always room to improve!
• Utilize your options in High School to be ready for what comes next
• If you have questions – ASK!
• There are many ways to help make education past High School
affordable
• Follow GCSSD Forward on Facebook and Twitter
• Make sure you get your summary sheet
• Thanks for coming!