MHS Counseling staff is developing new ways to communicate with parents.
With this in mind we invite you to click on your student's grade level, and
you will automatically receive announcements and updates that pertain to
your child's class level.
The counseling department at Montgomery High School provides a wide variety
of services, which include the following: Educational Planning, Life/Career
Planning, Financial Aid Information, Personal/Social/Emotional Counseling,
Post-secondary Education/Vocational Planning programs and keep track of all
necessary graduation credits. Students and parents may make appointments to
see their counselor by calling or emaling. Counselors are assigned by the
last name of the student.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
All changes to a student's schedule are handled in the Counseling Office.
Students can schedule an appointment with their counselor by coming to the
Main Office. Your counselor will help you to change classes if placement is
inappropriate. For semester classes, all scheduling changes must be made
during the first 15 days of the fall semester and the first 10 days of the
spring semester.
Every effort will be made to place students in courses that are appropriate
for their abilitites and future educational/career interests. Maximum
student and parent input will be allowed during the time when course
selections are made. Once these selections are finalized, we will honor them
to the extent possible.
No changes will be made in their selections except for the following reasons:
1. A required course for graduation was failed during the current year-
if space is available.
2. The course was successfully completed during Summer School.
3. Exceptional circumstances which may require a parent conference and
aprroval of the Vice-Principal, Mr. White.
DETAILS TO REMBEMBER
*We would like to remind you of the existing district policy, #5122,
regarding students' timelines for withdrawing from classes:
"5a) A student who drops a course during the first six weeks of a semester
may do so without any entry on the permanent record card.
b) A student who drops a course after the first six weeks of the semester
shall receive an "F" on the permanent record."
*A student who withdraws from a class after the third week of the Fall
Semester or second week of the Spring Semester may not add another class
except one such as Inside Work Experience (IWE). After the end of the sixth
week no classes may be added.
*Academic level changes in the same subject or department could be made with
agreement of both teachers, parent and/or administrative approval.
*Each student is responsible for making up work in classes that were added
after the initial day.
*Students planning to take a course off campus must first get the course
approved by their counselor and complete an Off Campus Course Agreement.
Failure to do so could potentially affect fulfilling graduation
requirements.
*As a rule, teacher changes are not honored. Conferences will be held to
resolve issues with the Vice-Principal, Mr. White.
*Exceptions to any of the above may be made only in exceptional
circumstances after a parent conference and approval of the Vice-Principal,
Mr. White.
TUTORING SERVICES:
Please see intervention page
STUDY SKILL TIPS:
Please see intervention page
PARENTING TIPS:
Please see intervention page
STAR TEST-Early Assessment Program (CSU)+ Spanish Version
Please see 11th Grade Announcement
Free FAFSA workshop at SRJC
Please see Scholarship
HOW TO CALCULATE YOUR GRADE POINT AVERAGE
To calculate your GPA, use the current semester final grade.
1) Multiply attempted credits by points=total
Point system: A=4, B=3, C=2, D=1, F=0 I=0 (A in an Honors or AP
class=5, B in an Honors or AP class=4, C in an Honors or AP class=3)
2) Add attempted credits column and points column separately.
3) Divided final total by number of attempted credits. This number is the
weighted grade point average for the semester.
CHANGE TO THE UNIVERSITY OF CALIFORNIA ADMISSION POLICY
affecting current high school students graduating in 2012 and beyond
A. SAT II-subject tests will no longer be required for addmission.
B. all applicants will need to complete 11 of the 15 "a-g
course by the end of their junior year.
YEAR BY YEAR TIMELINE: WHAT SHOULD HAPPEN?
ACTIVITIES TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE 9TH GRADE, (FRESHMEN):
All the following activities should be accomplished during
the 9th grade. Review this list as your student registers for courses.
•Complete a tentative four-year plan for courses in grades 9 through 12.
This should be done on the basis of a chosen educational pathway. This may
be done during a freshman conference with student.
•Meet graduation requirements to date and enroll in a full-time program.
•Participate in a career exploration activity, researching careers of
possible interest and revising a career pathway.
•Receive summer school information if there are failed requirements.
•Receive information necessary in preparation for 10th grade registration.
ACTIVITIES TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE 10TH GRADE, (SOPHOMORES):
All the following activities should be accomplished during
the 10th grade. Review this first when your student registers
for courses.
•Review and revise as appropriate, educational pathway and courses listed on
four-year planning sheet.
•Meet graduation requirements to date and enroll in a full-time program.
•Receive educational and/or career planning information necessary as
preparation for 11th grade registration.
•Receive summer school information if there are failed requirements.
•Enroll in at least four academic courses or vocational pathway courses that
are appropriate to career goal. For example, a major in engineering
generally requires four years of college- preparatory math and three years
of science.
•Begin Internet, career center or library search of college costs,
scholarships and possible financial aid available for college.
ACTIVITIES TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE 11TH GRADE, (JUNIORS):
All the following activities should be accomplished during
the 11th grade. Review this list when student registers for courses.
•Review courses listed in the individual four-year educational plan.
•Define further occupational / college goals (student may require more
information about career interests).
•Consult with a counselor if there is a change in student's plans and goals.
A change in course selection may be made.
•Attend the Career Fair.
•Receive summer school information if there are failed requirements.
•Visit the career center or conduct your own search for information on
colleges, scholarships, and financial aid on the Internet and begin the
process of selecting a college or site of further training / vocational
school.
•College bound students should sign up in September or early October to take
the PSAT (Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test) usually on the third
Saturday in October.
•Attend the spring College Faire at Sonoma State University.
•Begin nomination process if applying for military academies.
•Apply for early admission or out-of-state college information, If
appropriate.
•Register for spring SAT I / ACT (college entrance tests) and fall SAT II if
applying to a University of California campus.
•Visit the school's career center for a complete listing of in-state and out-
of-state programs if considering a two-year community college program,
vocational school, or apprenticeship program.
ACTIVITIES TO ACCOMPLISH IN THE 12TH GRADE, (SENIORS):
Twelfth grade career planning activities should be started as
early as possible during the fall. This planning is extremely
important,especially for college-bound students. Review this list
when the student registers for courses.
•Review four-year planning sheet.
•Check credits for graduation, if deficiencies exist, see a counselor for
make-up plan.
•See a counselor and/or use services from the career center if unsure of
college, vocational, or work choice.
•Plan to meet with recruiters from all branches of the service if
considering the military after graduation.
•Complete graduation name card and order cap and gown, etc.
•Take college entrance exam(s), ACT or SAT I, in spring of Junior year or
early fall of senior year. Take S.A.T. II by December if applying to a UC.
•Apply to the University of California and California State Colleges between
November 1-30.
•Write for private and out-of-state college application forms and
procedures. Be sure to make copies of the applications and get a Certificate
of Mailing.
•Attend college information and Financial Aid workshops.
•Apply for financial aid starting January 1st. FAFSA and Cal Grant
applications must be mailed by March 2nd. Be sure to make copies of the
applications and get a Certificate of Mailing.
•Apply for scholarships. Read the Scholarship Alert posted in all
Government, Economics and senior English classes for current scholarships
available in the counseling office.
