Freshmen Information

Remember when you were younger and fantasized about what you were going to be when you grew up? Well, you are growing up; you are now in high school, and its time to start organizing yourself to attain your dreams and aspirations. Until now, you have been somewhat protected from the world. But your high school record, your grades, your test scores, your activities, your personal growth and perhaps even your behavior will be subject to examination by people who will make decisions about you that will impact the rest of your life. Starting with high school, everything matters.

In high school, you will be required to assume ever-increasing responsibility for your education and your personal development.

Study in a focused manner every night. Establishing good study habits from the beginning is critical to your long term success. Go here for some advice concerning studying, and test preparation.

Do all your homework! Do not put it off. Homework is important because it is practice for the information the teacher wants you to know. Most, if not all, homework is graded in some way and your performance affects your final grade. Do your homework.

Work hard to get your GPA as high as you can. Remember, everything matters. Freshman courses, grades, and credits will be part of your high school transcript when you apply to colleges or compete for scholarships

Build strong academic, language, mathematics and critical thinking skills by taking challenging courses.

Read! Read as much as you can. Reading develops your vocabulary and improves your writing. Reading skills are important to virtually every walk of life. You need reading skills to use a computer, interpret a construction plan, or follow a recipe. So, read! Your class and test scores will reflect your new interest. And these scores can be very important.

Establish a good attendance record. For the most part, you need to be in class to learn effectively. Being in class allows you to participate in the learning process and let the instructor see and respond to your interest in the subject matter.

Attendance brings up yet another point; it is not just your academics that you have to develop as you proceed towards your career choice. You must also develop and hone skill sets and behaviors that will improve your opportunities for success in your chosen career field.

If you are struggling regarding any issue or problem, seek help! Seek advice and input from advisors, counselors, teachers, and parents. This being said, they can’t learn for you, they can only point the way. Learning and reasoning skills must be internalized through your own efforts. Other people can’t pour this stuff in your ear – it’s up to you!

Don’t be a grind! Stay balanced! Get involved in several activities but be careful not to spread yourself too thin. The depth of your involvement in any one activity (e.g., four years in band, soccer, art club, etc.) is important because it shows focus and commitment.

Start a portfolio of your high school activities, honors, awards, leadership positions, employment, volunteer work, community activities, etc. Keep copies of all report cards, transcripts, registration forms, etc. Keep a list and include everything! If you have a home computer, start an “Activities and Awards” file and update it at least once a year. Many software programs are on the market that will help you to organize and manage your portfolio.

Transition to High School

"Shifting Gears"  What parents need to know 

A student’s move to the freshman year of high school involves great change. These changes include increased rigor, challenging expectations about work, and greater individual responsibility for organization.  It is important that your student anticipates change as he or she “shifts gears” and enters high school:   

• Rigor will increase. High school students are expected to take an active role in their learning. They will also be responsible for material that is increasingly challenging and to do the work needed to complete every assignment on time.  
• Work will increase. Completing all assignments (classwork, homework, reports, and projects) is only the start. Studying every night is considered normal. Successful Riverside freshmen have reported at least 90 minutes of study each night. A daily routine of study is normal for a high school student.  We have placed links to two articles about daily study at the bottom of this page.  
• Organization will become more important. Until your child has a good method for keeping track of materials, including keeping agenda notes for recording due dates and test dates, he or she may need your assistance. The goal is to have the student keep track of his or her assignments.   
• Attendance in high school is an important issue. In order to provide high school credit, school districts need to verify that each student has spent the required time in the classroom. Students are only allowed five absences for a semester class and ten absences for a year class. This has to be done in order to provide the Carnegie Units (course credits), which are needed  to move each student to the next grade level and toward graduation.
• Discipline will focus on high school rules, policies, and procedures. Students will be held individually responsible for following the rules or face disciplinary actions, including detention hours. If they receive detention hours, they will have to complete them on time or face suspension, Until they become accustomed to the rules, freshman tend to pick up more detention hours then upperclassmen. Many of the detention hours come from simple rule infractions like tardiness and dress code violations,