Now seems like as good a time as any to stop and reflect on your progress.  Did you play any fall sports or attend fall sporting events?  Are you a member of a club?  Did you participate in the Homecoming events?  Have you done any community service outside of school?  If so, then I hope things are going well and if you haven’t, consider whether or not you have time to stretch your horizons and participate in something in or out of school.  Never mind whether or not it looks good to colleges.  Get out there and try new things because it is in trying something new that you learn about yourself.

Report cards went out last week AND the high school held its parent/teacher conferences.  How did that work for you?  Here are some things to think about:

• Were your grades what you expected?  Why or why not?  Identify three things you did that contributed to the grade you received.
• Identify what you would keep and/or change to regarding your grades for quarter 1.
• Can you list three resources that could help you improve or support your academic outcome next quarter?

Taking a few minutes to think about your grades and not just to react to your grades, could help you work smarter rather than harder.

But seriously, I want to welcome all the incoming ninth graders to Massabesic High School’s Freshman Academy.  The Cadillac, Sugarloaf and Katahdin teams are ready for an exciting new year.  Some important things to remember before we begin:

1. If you are in an Honors English class, you still have a little bit of time to go to the library and read one of the books on the book list before the first day of school.  You are not expected to memorize the book but you should be able to discuss the plot with your class.

2. The first day of school is September 1st.  When you get off the bus at the high school, head over to the East building, a.k.a. the “old junior high”.  In the lobby will be a list of students’ names and their homerooms.   Freshmen will spend the entire day with their advisor on Tuesday, as they go through freshman orientation.  On Wednesday, September 2nd, you will actually be attending the classes you have scheduled for that day.

3. For the first day, I suggest having something to write with, something to write on, and either a bag lunch or lunch money.

4. This is the most important thing to remember:  everyone who is entering Freshmen Academy is starting a brand new, important page in their life story.  You will have opportunities to try new activities.  Studies show that students who get involved in school are the happiest students.  You will be asked to take more and more responsibility for your choices and that may sometimes require you to make some tough decisions.  If you are struggling with a decision remember the wise advice of Mr. Morin, your assistant principal:

i.  Do the right thing.

ii.  Always do the right thing.

iii.  If you don’t know what the right thing is, ask a trusted adult.

Your team teachers will have the opportunity to know you very well over the course of the year.  I also hope that you will come by my office just off the Student Center to say hello or ask for help if you have any questions.  Together we can all work to truly make this a year to remember.

However, by far, the most common question is, “What is “Honors?”   English, Science and Social Studies as well as upperclassmen Math classes all offer the choice of a college preparatory level or an Honors level.  So who should take an Honors level class?

Honors classes work at an advanced level.  Depending on what the subject matter is, that may look like a faster pace, more in depth inquiry, heavier reading level, or an advanced writing level, to name a few.

So, the successful Honors student is generally someone who enjoys learning and the challenges learning brings.  They want to be successful.  They are motivated and independent workers who can take on an assignment, manage it successfully and turn it in on time with little or no prodding from their teacher or parent/guardian.  If they don’t understand a concept, they seek help from their teacher.  They are responsible for their learning and accountable for its outcome.

Now, the reality is that not every successful Honors student exemplifies all of these traits, all of the time.  However, it is safe to say based on years of observation, that Honors students possess a combination of these traits most of the time and if they have a weakness in a particular area, they work on it.

What do you think?  Does that sound like you???

This blog is intended to provide information and resources for anyone who is in or is heading to the ninth grade at Massabesic High School.  However, education is a continuum and so some of the information posted here will be helpful to students and their parents and guardians. 

If you have a burning question, please leave it in a comment and I will do my best to either answer the question or to try to send you in the right direction.