Online Registration Reminder

If you are a student interested in participating in programs at the Delaware Area Career Center, Worthington Academy, or through College Credit Plus, it is important to remember that each of these programs are application based.  This means that when you are completing the online course registration, you will fill out the request as if you are taking a full day at WKHS.  Later, when you find out that you have been accepted to the program of your choice, then I will go back in and adjust your classes.

Also, the Delaware Area Career Center priority deadline is Friday, January 30th, so if you are applying to DACC, please get your application completed and turned in ASAP.

If you are interested in participating in the College Credit Plus program (the chance to earn college credit while still in high school for free) then please make sure you add the information night to your calendar.  The College Credit Plus information night will be held on Monday, February 9th at 7:00pm in the WKHS auditorium.  This is a mandatory meeting if you want to participate in College Credit Plus program.

Worthington Academy applications will be available soon and students who want to have the chance to participate in the Academy program should stop by and see me so that I can add you to the list so that you can have a chance to apply as soon as they become available.

Graduation Requirements

Don't forget that the online registration window is now open so you can select your classes for next year.  As students have been trying to determine which classes they are taking in the future, many have had questions about which classes are required to graduate.

The good news is that while there are different testing requirements for different grades, the Course Requirements are the same for ALL STUDENTS in grades 9 - 12.  

These course requirements include:
- 4 credits of English
- 4 credits of Math (including equivalent of Algebra 2 - for us that is CCSS Math 3)
- 3 credits of Science
- 3 credits of Social Studies (including US History and Government)
- 1/2 a credit of Health
- 1/2 a credit of Physical Education (if you utilize the PE Waiver for athletic/ band participation, you must replace this requirement with 1/2 a credit of any elective)
- 5 credits of Elective (electives can also include additional credits in the core subjects above - so, for example, if you take 4 credits of Science, the 4th credit would be an elective credit.)
- 1/2 a credit of Financial Literacy (can be met with Personal Financial Management, Economics & Financial Literacy, Financial Algebra, or the IB Social Studies classes)
- 2 semesters worth of Fine Arts successfully completed between grades 7 - 12

You can check your transcript in Infinite Campus if you have any questions about what classes you have already completed.

How Many Classes Should I Take?

"How many classes should I take?" It is a common question that students are asking and, in all honesty, the answer depends.

A general rule of thumb for students planning to attend college is that all freshman, sophomore, and junior students should plan to take at least 6 classes each semester. All seniors that are on track for meeting their graduation requirements can decrease the total number of courses each semester due to the demands of other requirements such as college and scholarship applications, but should still plan to take at least 5 classes each semester.

If students are behind on earning their credits, then it may be necessary to plan on taking more classes for a semester or the year.

In order to progress forward with your class, all freshman students must earn at least 5.0 credits to be classified as a sophomore. All sophomore students must earn at least 10.0 credits to be classified as a junior. And, to be classified as a senior, students must earn at least 15.0 credits. 

"But do I have to?" When we talk about the recommended courses, a lot of students will come back asking if they have to take 5 or 6 classes. The answer is no, but you will need your parents to sign off that they approve of you taking less than the recommended number of courses.

Junior Students & Parents

Juniors, are you getting excited about the fact that planning for your senior year has started?  Each year as we begin the process for registering for next year's classes, I offer up the opportunity to meet for a 30 minute time block with every junior student and his/ her parents, if the parents are interested in joining us. I have set aside several days for these individual junior meetings - Thursday, January 29th (7:30am-8:00pm), Friday, January 30th (7:30am - 7:00pm) and Thursday, February 5th (8:00am - 7:00pm). They will be hectic days with back-to-back meetings, but I love the chance to meet with you and your parents to talk about the classes you have selected for your senior year and what your plans are for life after high school. I sent an e-mail out to your parents early this week, so talk it over with them and pick out a date and time that will work well with your schedule so that we can set up a meeting time.  If I haven't heard back from your family about setting up a meeting, I will assign you a time for us to meet.  Don't forget, please make sure you complete your online registration before our meeting!

ACT/ SAT Start-Up

Next Monday evening current freshmen and sophomore students have the opportunity to participate in an ACT/ SAT Start Up.  This test is being offered to Kilbourne students free of charge.  It will provide students with the opportunity to learn about the ACT and the redesigned SAT which will begin next year.  The Princeton Review is offering this practice exam.  In addition to being exposed to questions from both the ACT and SAT in one test, you will also receive a score report detailing your strengths and areas to focus on improving.  The test will take place at WKHS on Monday, January 26th at 6:30pm.  It is free of charge, but you MUST register in advance.  For additional information about this test opportunity and directions to register, please visit the WKHS website - www.wkhscounselors.com - it is at the bottom of the home page.  Sign up today so that you don't miss out!

Registration

As you heard today, all students currently in grades 9, 10, or 11 will use the online registration system to select the classes you would like to take next year.

Over the next few days your teachers will continue reviewing the different classes offered within their departments as well as talking with you individually about the courses they would recommend for you to take next year. Please be sure to carry your registration materials with you so that you can get your teacher signatures on the course selection sheet/ recommendation form and you can make any notes about other classes of interest. If you'd like to hear more in depth information directly from the teachers who teach particular courses, please set up a time to talk to the teacher. Let me know if you need help finding a teacher during one of their off-periods.  I also strongly encourage you and your parents to come to Curriculum Night next Monday, January 26th at 7:00pm to learn more.

After you have determined which courses you would like to take, please talk it over with your parents and then log in and register. (The online registration system will open Monday after you have received your teacher recommendations.) You will register when you log into infinite campus with your username and password.  If you have any problems using the online registration system, please stop in and let me know so that I can try to fix it.  After you have completed your online registration, make sure you print your requested courses and have your parents sign it.

Don't forget to save your signed course recommendation forms! You *MUST* turn those in along with your requested courses page.  If, after talking with your teachers and parents, you still have any questions about the classes you are going to take, please stop by to see me so that we can talk through your options.

Tomorrow's Schedule

A quick reminder that tomorrow we will be on an extended homeroom bell schedule. This schedule will allow all freshmen, sophomores and juniors to receive information about registering for classes next year. Freshmen and sophomores will receive information about next year's classes during your academic prep period.  If you are in 9th or 10th grade and don't have a prep, please attend the presentation during your lunch period.  In order to make up for taking away your prep period, all freshmen and sophomores will be able to utilize the homeroom time to study or do homework.  All juniors will receive the registration information during the actual homeroom time during a class meeting in the auditorium.  I know that it probably seems early to be working on selecting next year's classes, but the entire process takes a lot longer than expected.

Seniors, in case you are curious - you will be having a class meeting in the gym.

The homeroom bell schedule is important to remember if you have late-start as it means 2nd period will start earlier than normal. :-)

Here is tomorrow's bell schedule:
1st period- 7:45 - 8:31
2nd period- 8:36 - 9:22
Homeroom- 9:27 - 9:59
3rd period- 10:05 - 10:51
4th period- 10:56 - 11:42
5th period- 11:47 - 12:33
6th period- 12:38 - 1:24
7th period- 1:29 - 2:15
8th period- 2:19 - 3:05