Junior Newsletter For the Graduating Class of 2016

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1 Junior Newsletter For the Graduating Class of 2016 Programs of Study Hey, Juniors! You will need a minimum of 23 credits (units) to graduate in May To earn your diploma, the minimum requirements include 4 credits of English, 4 credits of Social Studies, 4 credits of Science, and 4 credits of Math. In addition, you must have 3 credits in Fine Arts, Foreign Language, and/or CTAE (any combination); 3 credits of general electives (any area), and 1/2 credit of Personal Fitness and 1/2 credit of Health. Students who are planning to attend a four-year college and some two-year colleges must have 2 units of the same foreign language. You must pass the GHSWT (GA High School Writing Test), meet all course/credit requirements, and meet all attendance requirements in order to receive a diploma. Mrs. Sedlacek can give you more detailed information when you meet with her for JUNIOR EVALUATIONS. She will review your credits, course requirements and future plans. Evaluations will be conducted throughout the year. You will also have the opportunity to discuss your courses for next year, including AP course offerings and dual enrollment options. Who s Your Counselor? Mrs. Sedlacek is the junior counselor. This is her 13th year as a counselor and her 7th year at Newton High School. Student Service Center Staff Receptionist-Ms. Orr Registrar-Ms. Brown Attendance-Ms. Banks Records Secretary-Ms. Lewis Graduation Coach-Ms. Boisson B-22 Honor graduates must have an overall GPA of 90.0 or better for the first 7 semesters of high school course work. Honor graduate status is determined at the end of the first semester of your senior year. Counselors are NOT permitted to release class rank to students or parents. What do colleges look for? *Grades in your core academic classes (English, Math, Science, Social Studies, & Foreign Language) *Rigor of your courses (such as Advanced/Quest, AP, dual enrollment) *SAT and/or ACT scores *Counselor and Teacher Recommendations *Participation in extracurricular activities *Volunteer Service Hours (not required, but looks great on college applications!)

2 NEWTON COLLEGE AND CAREER ACADEMY, DUAL ENROLLMENT, HOPE SCHOLARSHIP/GRANT NCCA: Giving Direction to the Future NCCA is located next to the old Newton High School building. A large variety of career pathways are available to students. You will learn skills that will help you to either be workplace ready or to continue your education at the post-secondary level. You will receive hands-on training in state-of the art classroom and laboratory facilities. Dual enrollment classes through both Georgia Piedmont Technical College and Georgia Perimeter College may also be offered at NCCA next year. Applications will be available in the spring. Please visit for more detailed information. Dual Enrollment: Earn College Credit While in High School Did you know that you can begin taking college courses, either part-time or full-time, while you are still in high school? Both Georgia Perimeter College and Georgia Piedmont Technical College offer joint enrollment and dual enrollment programs, including Move on When Ready. Please visit the websites below for more detailed information and to find out if you may meet the requirements to enter a dual enrollment program next year. Georgia Perimeter: Georgia Piedmont: HOPE SCHOLARSHIP & HOPE GRANT INFO At a public college or university or a public technical college, both the HOPE Scholarship and the HOPE Grant cover a percentage of the previous year s tuition. At a private college or university, covers a percentage of the base HOPE Private Scholarship amount. Books, mandatory fees (such as athletic or technology fees), room/ board, and meals are NOT covered by either the HOPE scholarship or the HOPE grant. HOPE Scholarship *To be eligible as a freshman, you must earn a 3.0 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for all English, math, science, social studies, and foreign language coursework. *Zell Miller Scholars: 3.7 cumulative GPA on a 4.0 scale for all core coursework AND score at least a 1200 on the Math and Reading/Verbal portions of the SAT in one administration or score at least a 26 composite score in one administration on the ACT, OR Graduate as the Valedictorian or Salutatorian from an eligible high school and meet the requirements for the HOPE scholarship HOPE GRANT * For use with DIPLOMA and CERTIFCATE programs There is no GPA requirement; however, beginning fall 2011, all HOPE grant recipients must have a 3.0 on all HOPE grant coursework (excluding dual enrollment and learning support courses) at the 30 hour and 60 hour checkpoints Please visit gacollege411.org for more information as the HOPE award amount is subject to change each year. Please visit gacollege411.org for the new RIGOR requirements and course listing.

3 Testing Information If you plan to attend a four-year college after graduation, you will need to take the ACT or SAT. Spring or Summer 2015 are good dates for juniors to test for the first time. Most colleges will accept either test and it is not necessary to take both tests. Go to the websites of the colleges you are considering to find the required scores for admissions. Meet with your school counselor to discuss your options. Most two year colleges in Georgia do not require the ACT or SAT for admissions. If you are planning to attend a technical college, the SAT and ACT are not required. You can register for the ACT at You can register to take the SAT at collegeboard.com. ACT and SAT Schedules Should I take the ACT or SAT? SAT Regular Registration Late Registration Postmark Deadline May 2 April 6 April 7-21 June 6 May 8 May 9-27 Location Newton HS Georgia Perimeter College-Newton Campus Rockdale County HS (Conyers) GPC-Newton Campus Salem Hs (Conyers) ACT Regular Registration Late Registration Postmark Deadline Location April 18 March 13 March June 13 May 8 May 9-22 Eastside HS Georgia Perimeter College-Newton Campus Rockdale County HS (Conyers) GPC-Newton Campus AP COURSES AP, or Advanced Placement courses, are college level courses taught at the high school. These rigorous classes give you the potential to earn college credit for courses while you are still in high school. If you are interested in AP courses for your senior year, please discuss this with Mrs. Sedlacek during your evaluation. Gacollege411.org-Do you have an account? This free, secure account provides information on high school planning, college planning, financial aid planning, and career planning. You can also check your HOPE Scholarship GPA. There is also free test prep available for both SAT and ACT!

4 YOUTH APPRENTICESHIP (YAP) AND WORK BASED PROGRAM LEARNING Ms. Brand (Room D 15) is the coordinator of our Work Based Learning Program and Youth Apprenticeship Program. If you will have a job in the fall or are possibly interested in working as an intern in a specific field of interest, you may be able to qualify for one of these programs. Attendance, discipline record, grades, and teacher/counselor recommendations are taken into consideration for program placement. If you have room in your schedule next year and are interested in either program, please let your counselor know during your junior evaluation. How can I make up classes this summer? There are several places where you can go to make up failed classes. You can recover up to two credits in the summer. You are not permitted to take any classes to get ahead. You must see your counselor for a registration form. Some classes are offered online (varies by school). Please contact the school directly for detailed information on enrollment including pricing, courses, and summer school dates. Here are three options. Alpha Omega-This is a private school located in Covington. Weekly fees are about $40. Summer classes are approximately six weeks in length. Call for more information. Covington Academy is also a private school located in Covington. Prices are based on the number of credits taken-please call for current fees and dates. Call for more information. Faith Academy-This is a private school that has a site in Conyers. Summer school starts in early June and ends in mid-july. Weekly fees are about $40. Call for more information. Did you know? You will need a minimum of 17 credits at the beginning of the school year in order to be classified as a senior. You MUST have at least 17 credits at the beginning of the year since we do NOT change grade classifications at any time during the school year. If you enter school with less than 17 credits, you will be classified as a Junior for the entire year. You need a minimum of 23 credits in order to meet the minimum credits required to graduate.

5 Do Your Research.. ~WEBSITES TO CHECK OUT~ Starting the Countdown to College-11th and 12th grades (month by month planner) 100 Most Commonly Used SAT Words SAT vs. ACT ACT and SAT Preparation Resource List Internet Resources For College and Financial Aid NCAA Clearinghouse link (for student athletes) Newton High School home page: Includes information and applications for HOPE scholarship and grant program Includes free study guides for GHSWT, ACT, SAT and COMPASS tests Includes online applications to the colleges in Georgia Includes information about every college and technical school in Georgia Check out the College Credit Now link for information about dual enrollment opportunities, including Move On When Ready Other Helpful Web Resources: Custom scholarship information and updates Allows students to search for scholarship information College Board s scholarship search Described as a one-stop shop for financial aid Information on all of the University System of Georgia schools, including links to college websites and admissions requirements Avoiding scholarship scams: (Better Business Bureau), (Federal Trade Commission)