This document provides information for parents of 9th grade students at Sequoyah High School. It outlines the administration and counseling staff, attendance and grading policies, graduation requirements, honors and AP course offerings, state testing requirements, and scholarship opportunities. It encourages students to get involved in extracurricular activities and start building their high school resume to prepare for college applications.

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

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 LEV
• 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 PRINCIP
• 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