This document provides information for 9th grade students and families at Sequoyah High School. It outlines the administration and counseling staff, resources for families through the school website and family portal, attendance and BYOD policies, graduation requirements, honors and AP course offerings, extracurricular opportunities, and information on scholarships and college admissions tests. The goal is to welcome and orient new 9th grade students and their families to SHS.

1. 9TH GRADE
STUDENT
INFORMATION
Class of 2025

2. PRINCIPAL
MR. ROBERT VAN ALSTYNE
ASSISTANT PRINCIPALS
MS. HEATHER PHILLIPS (A-D)
MR. DON GARNER (E-K)
MR. PETER VAJDA (L-Q)
MS. LAURA KUDLAK (R-Z)
SEQUOYAH ADMINISTRATION

3. SEQUOYAH COUNSELING
STAFF
MS. MARIA BALDWIN (A-D)
MS. WENDY FORT (E-K)
MS. MONICA INTRAVIA (L-Q)
MS. MCKENZIE THOM (R-Z)

4. SHS Website
Information for
Families

5. FAMILY PORTAL
CANVAS: ACCESS TO YOUR STUDENT’S:
• GRADES
• TEACHERS CONTACT INFORMATION
• ASSIGNMENTS, MODULES, CALENDAR, TEACHER E-MAILS, & MORE
PROBLEMS/TROUBLESHOOTING:
• SELF-SERVE PASSWORD RESET:
HTTPS://PASSWORDRESET.MICROSOFTONLINE.COM//
• EMAIL: NETWORK.LOGIN@CHEROKEEK12.NET
PLEASE INCLUDE:
• YOUR NAME
• STUDENT’S NAME
• SCHOOL CURRENTLY ATTENDING

6. ATTENDANCE POLICY
• EXCUSE NOTES (PARENT/GUARDIAN, DOCTOR, ETC.) MUST BE RECEIVED IN
THE ATTENDANCE OFFICE (FRONT OFFICE) WITHIN FIVE SCHOOL DAYS AFTER
RETURNING TO SCHOOL.
• ATTENDANCE IS TAKEN IN EACH CLASS PERIOD.
• AT 7 OR MORE ABSENCES (EXCUSED OR UNEXCUSED) AND A PASSING
GRADE IN A SINGLE CLASS, AN APPEAL IS GENERATED, REVIEWED BY THE
ATTENDANCE COMMITTEE, AND APPROVED BY THE PRINCIPAL BEFORE CREDIT
IS AWARDED.
• APPEALS ARE AUTOMATICALLY GENERATED. THERE IS NO
ACTION ON YOUR PART, OTHER THAN ENCOURAGING BETTER
ATTENDANCE FOR YOUR STUDENT.
• NOTES CAN BE SUBMITTED VIA E-MAIL TO
SHS.ATTENDANCE@CHEROKEEK12.NET

7. B.Y.L.D. POLICY
• BRING YOUR OWN LEARNING DEVICE.
• EACH TEACHER SETS THEIR OWN THRESHOLD FOR HOW THESE DEVICES MAY BE USED IN THE
CLASSROOM.
• INTERNET ACCEPTABLE USE POLICY
• TEXTING ALLOWED DURING TRANSITIONS AND LUNCH
• NO PHONE CALLS DURING THE INSTRUCTIONAL DAY FROM 8:15 AM – 3:15 PM
• NO PHOTOS OR VIDEOING WITHOUT EXPLICIT PERMISSION FROM TEACHER OR
ADMINISTRATOR
• REFER TO THE CCSD DISCIPLINE CODE HANDBOOK FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

8. CLASS OF 2025
• CLASSES ARE DIVIDED INTO TWO SEMESTERS
• 1ST SEMESTER: AUGUST - DECEMBER
• 2ND SEMESTER: JANUARY - MAY
• A STUDENT WILL TAKE 6 CLASSES EACH SEMESTER
• EACH SEMESTER COURSE IS WORTH .5 UNITS OF CREDIT PER CLASS
• CREDIT IS ISSUED AT THE END OF EACH SEMESTER (DECEMBER & MAY)
• STUDENTS MUST EARN 23 UNITS TO GRADUATE

9. REQUIREMENTS FOR 2025 GRADUATES
• 4 UNITS OF ENGLISH (9TH LIT, 10TH LIT, AM LIT, ADV COMP)
• 4 UNITS OF MATH (ALG, GEOM, ALG 2, 1 ADDITIONAL MATH)
• 4 UNITS OF SCIENCE (BIOLOGY & PHYSICS OR PHYSICAL SCIENCE REQUIRED, &
2 ADDITIONAL SCIENCES)
• 3 UNITS OF SOCIAL STUDIES (WORLD HIST, US HIST, ECON/GOVT)
• 1 UNIT OF HEALTH (.5) AND PERSONAL FITNESS (.5)
• 3 REQUIRED ELECTIVES (WORLD LANGUAGES, FINE ARTS AND/OR CAREER/TECH
CLASSES)
• 4 MISCELLANEOUS ELECTIVES
23 TOTAL UNITS

10. TEACHERS AS ADVISORS (TAA)
• TAA GIVES AN ADDITIONAL LAYER OF SUPPORT TO STUDENTS
• 26 MINUTES EVERY WEDNESDAY WITH ADVISORS
• STUDENTS MAY EARN .5 ELECTIVE CREDIT EACH ACADEMIC SCHOOL YEAR
• DEVELOP STRONG BONDS WITH A GROUP OF PEERS AND ADVISORS
• FOCUS
• ACADEMIC
• COLLEGE/CAREER
• CHARACTER EDUCATION
• PERSONAL/SOCIAL
• GOAL
• WHO AM I?
• WHERE AM I GOING?
• HOW DO I GET THERE?

11. WORLD LANGUAGES
• 4- YEAR COLLEGES/UNIVERSITIES CURRENTLY REQUIRE A MINIMUM
OF TWO CONSECUTIVE YEARS OF THE SAME WORLD LANGUAGE
• TECHNICAL COLLEGES CURRENTLY DO NOT REQUIRE A WORLD
LANGUAGE
• WORLD LANGUAGE OPTIONS AT SEQUOYAH HIGH SCHOOL:
• SPANISH
• FRENCH
• LATIN
• AMERICAN SIGN LANGUAGE

12. PROMOTION TO 10TH GRADE HOMEROOM
• A STUDENT MUST EARN AT LEAST 5 TOTAL UNITS OF CREDIT
BY THE END OF THEIR FRESHMAN YEAR.
• 3 OF THESE UNITS MUST BE IN THE FOLLOWING ACADEMIC
AREAS:
1 UNIT OF ENGLISH
1 UNIT OF MATH
1 UNIT OF SCIENCE
Please Note: In high school, students are not “held
back”. They continue their academic sequence, but
are placed into a “retained” homeroom.

13. • Each Semester: You OWN it!
• Grades are cumulative
• Aug-Dec (Semester 1) - posted to your
transcript, ex: 9th Grade Lit/Comp A
• Jan-May (Semester 2) posted to your
transcript, ex: 9th Grade Lit/Comp B
SAMPLE 9TH GRADE TRANSCRIPT

14. RECOVERY OPTIONS FOR FAILED COURSES
SUMMER SCHOOL
• RECOVER 1 CREDIT (MAXIMUM)
• THREE WEEKS IN JUNE
• 8:00 – 4:30 MONDAY – FRIDAY
• $200.00 PER HALF CREDIT
ONLINE OPTIONS (CREDIT CONNECT)
• SEE COUNSELOR FOR OPTIONS
• STUDENT MUST HAVE ADMINISTRATIVE APPROVAL
BEFORE BEGINNING ANY PROGRAM
• COST VARIES
Please speak with your counselor regarding any
recovery options!
RETAKE CLASS DURING SCHOOL
• NO COST INVOLVED
• MAY DELAY GRADUATION

15. GEORGIA MILESTONES: EOC
GEORGIA EOC’S
• GSE ALGEBRA 1
• UNITED STATES HISTORY
• BIOLOGY
• AMERICAN LITERATURE
SCORING
• THE TEST COUNTS AS A PORTION
OF THE FINAL GRADE IN THE “B”
HALF OF THE CLASS.
• PASSING THE CLASS IS NECESSARY
FOR GRADUATION.
DATES
• MAY – ALL EOC COURSES

16. PSAT
• ALL 9TH AND 10TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO TAKE THE PSAT
• 11TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE OFFERED THE OPPORTUNITY TO TAKE THE PSAT AT
PERSONAL COST
• TESTS CRITICAL READING, MATH, AND WRITING SKILLS
• PREPARES STUDENTS TO TAKE THE SAT, SHOWS AP POTENTIAL
• PSAT IS ADMINISTERED IN OCTOBER

17. HOPE AND ZELL MILLER
SCHOLARSHIP
 SSN VERIFICATION:
• SOCIAL SECURITY NUMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO BE IN ASPEN FOR A STUDENT TO BE HOPE ELIGIBLE.
 RIGOR REQUIREMENT
 4 COURSES COMPLETE PRIOR TO GRADUATION (EXAMPLES: ALGEBRA 2 OR HIGHER, CHEMISTRY, PHYSICS, 2ND YEAR OF
FOREIGN LANGUAGE OR HIGHER, AP COURSES)
 HOPE SCHOLARSHIP:
• 3.0 ACADEMIC GPA, COVERS APPROXIMATELY 80% OF THE PREVIOUS YEARS TUITION*
 ZELL MILLER SCHOLARSHIP:
• 3.70 ACADEMIC GPA—COVERS 100% OF TUITION*
• SAT 1200 COMBINED CR AND MATH SAT, OR 26 ACT COMPOSITE
* HOPE & ZELL SCHOLARSHIPS ARE ONLY APPLICABLE TOWARD TUITION. ALL OTHER COSTS ARE THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE STUDENT.
www.GAFutures.org
HOPE GPA is calculated using academic
courses only.
GPA’s are NOT rounded for HOPE
eligibility!
Official HOPE GPA Calculated by
Georgia Student Finance Commission

18. HOPE SCHOLARSHIP RIGOR
REQUIREMENTS
Four of these courses required prior to graduation
Requirement Examples
Advanced Math Algebra 2, College Readiness Math, Statistical Reasoning, Pre-Calc, Calculus,
Honors Multi Variable Calculus, AP Math
Advanced Science Chemistry, Physics, Anatomy, Forensic Science, AP
AP Core Courses AP Eng Lit, AP Env Sci, AP Statistics, AP Computer Science, AP Psychology
Dual Enrollment Core Courses English, Math, Science, Social Studies, World Language
Advanced World Lang Spanish, French, Latin, American Sign Lang (2,3,4 and AP)

19. HONORS COURSES OFFERED AT
SHS
• 9 LIT
• 10 LIT
• 11 LIT
• U.S. & WORLD HISTORY
• U.S. & WORLD AFFAIRS
• SPANISH 2, 3, 4
• FRENCH 2, 3, 4
• LATIN 2, 3
• GSE GEOMETRY
• GSE ALGEBRA 2
• GSE GEOMETRY/ALGEBRA 2
• PRE-CALCULUS
• MULTIVARIABLE CALCULUS
• CHEMISTRY
• PHYSICS
• BIOLOGY
• HUMAN ANATOMY
ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES &
WORLD LANGUAGES
MATH AND SCIENCE
• STUDENTS MUST HAVE A 90 OR ABOVE IN CURRENT CONTENT AREA OF STUDY AND/OR
DISTINGUISHED ON EOC/EOG FOR RECOMMENDATION FOR HONORS LEVEL.
• CURRENT OR FORMER TEACHER RECOMMENDATION REQUIRED
Honors Course Placement

20. ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES (AP)
• SHS CURRENTLY OFFERS 21 AP COURSES AVAILABLE
THROUGHOUT THE 4 YEARS OF HIGH SCHOOL (SEE NEXT
SLIDE FOR LIST OF COURSES OFFERED AT SHS)
• STUDENT REMAINS ON CAMPUS WITH A SHS TEACHER
TRAINED BY COLLEGE BOARD
• STUDENTS MUST HAVE AN 85 OR ABOVE IN HONORS
LEVEL/90 OR ABOVE IN ON-LEVEL AND DISTINGUISHED ON
CONTENT AREA EOC/EOG

21. AP COURSES OFFERED AT SHS
• AP ENGLISH LANG &
COMP/AMERICAN LIT
• AP ENGLISH LIT/COMP
• AP PSYCHOLOGY
• AP GOVERNMENT
• AP ECONOMICS
• AP U.S. HISTORY
• AP WORLD HISTORY
• AP HUMAN GEOGRAPHY
• AP STATISTICS
• AP CALCULUS AB
• AP CALCULUS BC
• AP BIOLOGY
• AP CHEMISTRY
• AP ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
• AP PHYSICS C: MECHANICS A
• AP COMPUTER SCIENCE
• AP COMPUTER SCIENCE PRINCIPLES
• AP DRAWING
• AP 2-D ART & DESIGN
• AP MUSIC THEORY
• AP LATIN
ENGLISH & SOCIAL STUDIES MATH & SCIENCE ELECTIVES

22. GET INVOLVED!
• Sports, clubs, community service – not a graduation requirement, but encouraged
• See the SHS website for information about extracurricular activities offered at
Sequoyah.
• Extracurricular activities can help your student feel connected to the school
and are a factor in the college admissions process.

23. THANK YOU
SEQUOYAH CLASS OF 2025

24. STUDENTS SHOULD START BUILDING
THEIR HIGH SCHOOL RESUME NOW!
KEEP TRACK OF ALL ACADEMICS,
ATHLETICS, EXTRACURRICULAR
ACTIVITIES, AND AWARDS
STUDENT RESUME