Student Planner 2013-14 - Pinkerton Academy

Freshman Seminar at Pinkerton AcademyThe Goal of Freshman Seminar• To help students become active members of the PA community.• To provide support for students making the transition from 8th grade to high school.• To help students develop positive study skills & self-assessment.• To address various issues, including but not limited to: enriching curriculum, increasing cultural awareness,and enhancing inter-personal relationships among staff and students.• To monitor student academic performance and maintain communication between parents and teachers toprevent advisees from “falling through the cracks.”• To provide staff and students with a forum to discuss how the curriculum manifests within the “real world” sothat students see their education operate outside of the classroom for career exploration.Semester 1 (Terms 1 and 2): Transitioning to Pinkerton• All freshmen will participate in Freshman Seminar scheduled for BOTH terms.• Themed lessons parallel school calendar for events/activities such as Club Fair, Volunteer Fair, Pep Rally, andCourse Selections.• Study skill lessons for note-taking, organization of materials, and studying for exams.Students are rewarded for completing work and having good grades!Students are rewarded for their good work and can receive a full period lunch at the end of semester 1 by doing the following:1. Grades: All Term averages and all Semester averages must be 70% or better for students to have the optionfor full lunch.2. Withdrawals: The PLC will determine if a student who has withdrawn from any class during Term 1, Term 2 orTerm 3 has the option for full lunch.3. Incompletes/Competency Failures: Once Incompletes or Competency Failures have been brought up to “passing”in accordance with the previous criteria, students may have the option for full lunch.4. Seminar Activities: Students must pass/complete 70% of Seminar Activities to have the option for full lunch.5. Seminar Competency (5-year Plan): Must have 9th & 10th year plans completed.6. Attendance: Students must have 5 or fewer unexcused absences per term (in accordance with the AttendancePolicy).• Those students who do not meet the rubric for a full lunch period will have the benefit of remaining in a smallerSeminar to get more direct support for study skills.• There will be periodic times that all students will be called back to Seminar in order to receive important information.Attendance is mandatory.Semester 2 Focus: Improving Study Skills by Targeting Executive FunctionsSeminar teachers will follow a weekly routine focusing on continued development of executive functioning skills such as:organizing, planning, prioritizing, and completing homework assignments. During Seminar, students will utilize an organizationaltool such as the “Weekly Organization Skills Worksheet”, or student planner of choice. Students will have a full lunchperiod either on Monday (Apollo & Mercury) or Friday (Orion & Gemini). Mondays/Fridays will be a quiet Seminar study.44