Welcome to high school! Whether you are sooo ready to begin this journey or still a bit unsure of ALL the changes you are experiencing as you transition to these next four years, starting high school is A.LOT. You are not alone if you are feeling mixed emotions on a daily basis this first year!
By now, you have probably already heard advice on how to settle in more quickly. Suggestions such as joining a club, playing a sport, participating in fine arts programs (band, chorus or drama to name a few), exploring CTAE Pathways (CTAE-Career Technical Agricultural Education) that allow you to experience possible career options and so much more. Great advice by the way, as these ideas allow you to meet new people that you may not interact with just by sharing a classroom with them.
Great suggestions, and to add to the list is your academic care. Yes, academics need care and attention like all the other areas of your life. High school is a bit different than middle school. Each class you enroll in will create your Grade Point Average (GPA). Your GPA has a huge impact on opportunities you have in high school, from the level of rigor or challenge a class has to offer, to dual enrollment and work based learning options, to the type of education you have access to after high school to prepare for your career. In Georgia, your GPA in your core content areas drive the HOPE/Zell MIller scholarship eligibility, which contributes to college tuition.
Instead of that overwhelming you, think of it as motivation to simply produce the best work you are capable of in all your classes. Learn to talk with your teachers if you are stuck or do not understand something. Get to know your School Counselor, who has a vast amount of knowledge and info to help you navigate high school. Counselors can also help you problem solve and listen as you work through new experiences that may be stressful in high school. It happens to everyone, so developing a support system early on will help you problem solve so much more efficiently!
You will grow so fast this year! Not just physically, but in your experiences, lessons learned from mistakes, in your self awareness of your interests and aptitudes, and in your relationships. Your high school is filled with people who are cheering you on, celebrating your growth, and willing to encourage/support you through your journey!
The purpose of this website is to provide you and your family with a resource of all the current high school planning tools. It is all yours to help you with your academic and career planning. Enjoy your first year as you prepare to get "ready to graduate"!
By now, you have probably already heard advice on how to settle in more quickly. Suggestions such as joining a club, playing a sport, participating in fine arts programs (band, chorus or drama to name a few), exploring CTAE Pathways (CTAE-Career Technical Agricultural Education) that allow you to experience possible career options and so much more. Great advice by the way, as these ideas allow you to meet new people that you may not interact with just by sharing a classroom with them.
Great suggestions, and to add to the list is your academic care. Yes, academics need care and attention like all the other areas of your life. High school is a bit different than middle school. Each class you enroll in will create your Grade Point Average (GPA). Your GPA has a huge impact on opportunities you have in high school, from the level of rigor or challenge a class has to offer, to dual enrollment and work based learning options, to the type of education you have access to after high school to prepare for your career. In Georgia, your GPA in your core content areas drive the HOPE/Zell MIller scholarship eligibility, which contributes to college tuition.
Instead of that overwhelming you, think of it as motivation to simply produce the best work you are capable of in all your classes. Learn to talk with your teachers if you are stuck or do not understand something. Get to know your School Counselor, who has a vast amount of knowledge and info to help you navigate high school. Counselors can also help you problem solve and listen as you work through new experiences that may be stressful in high school. It happens to everyone, so developing a support system early on will help you problem solve so much more efficiently!
You will grow so fast this year! Not just physically, but in your experiences, lessons learned from mistakes, in your self awareness of your interests and aptitudes, and in your relationships. Your high school is filled with people who are cheering you on, celebrating your growth, and willing to encourage/support you through your journey!
The purpose of this website is to provide you and your family with a resource of all the current high school planning tools. It is all yours to help you with your academic and career planning. Enjoy your first year as you prepare to get "ready to graduate"!
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www.gafutures.org offers many career planning resources for 9th grade students. As you explore careers you will also explore the types of training available to help you prepare for your career after you graduate high school. There are three main ways that students prepare. Students may ENROLL in college, ENLIST in a military branch, or become EMPLOYED in the workforce right after graduation. All of these options provide career training. There is not one "right" way to prepare. It is all about the focus you have placed on understanding your aptitudes and interests, and your research on the job market. You want to plan for a career that can pay you to keep up your lifestyle, has growth to ensure job opportunities, and is a career that you find personally rewarding.
You will also learn ways you can get a jump start on industry training in high school, which can help narrow your focus on a specific career or provide you with industry credentials, making you employable upon graduation. High School Pathways, national certifications, Work Based Learning, and Dual Enrollment are ways that can help you become workforce ready. Whether you are considering college or not during your freshman year, it is wise to plan as if you are: keeping your grades up, joining clubs, and taking the most challenging classes you can be successful in are critical to opening up all your opportunities. You will explore many options the next four years, and the checklist on the left can help with what you should know in planning the college option in 9th grade. |
