2. FCS Mission Statement
• Florida Christian School, a private non-
denominational school, exists to provide
quality Christian education for pre-school
through 12th
grade. Our mission is to
develop well-rounded students through
excellent academic and extra curricular
activities, while seeking to win the lost to
Christ and equip Christians with the skills
and knowledge to change the world for
Christ
3. Ninth Grade…Being and
Becoming
• The start of a four year
journey of seeking to be and
to become good and
honorable men and women
4. A Learning Community
• Dr. Robert Andrews – Headmaster
• Mr. Jim Arnold – High School Principal
• Mr. Scott Stemmer – Director of Student
Activities
• Mr. George Gulla – Dean of Students
• Ms. Griselda Bain – Director of College
Counseling
• Mrs. Janet Mattern – Head Guidance
Counselor
5. Academic Expectations
• In a college preparatory program students
arrive on time for classes, prepared with
the necessary materials and with a ready
mind to engage in active learning
• Florida Christian Students are not passive
receptacles for knowledge, but learners
actively engaged in asking and answering
questions, gaining skills, and applying
learning to new situations.
6. Academic Expectations
• Your work is your own! Questions about
plagiarism or collaboration should be
addressed to your teachers before trouble
arises.
• Deadlines are serious and are regularly
enforced. Work is due the day it is
assigned for, and during the period in
which you have the class.
7. Academic Expectations
• Homework helps solidify learning of the day
or prepare for the learning of the coming
day. Students who do not take homework
seriously should not expect to reap the
same results in learning and grades as
those who do.
• Assignments missed due to absences
(school related or otherwise) are the
responsibility of the student to keep track of
and to complete.
8. Attendance
• Studies show that regular attendance is the
single most important indicator for predicting
academic success.
• Our goal is to successfully encourage
families to avoid all elective absences.
• Doctors notes are required on return to
school who are absent more than three days
(unexcused until the note is received).
9. Attendance
• 9 day rule: Students absent for more than
9 days in a semester are subject to losing
credit for the semester (except for SA and
doctor excused illness).
• 18 day rule: Students absent from school
more than 18 days in one school year are
subject to losing credit and in danger of
failing the year.
10. School Day Communications
• Cell phones are to be completely silenced or turned
off during class periods.
• Laptops or I-Pads are to be used during class time
for class work only with teacher approval
• Work to become a community which values
electronic devices as tools. We understand that
every tool has appropriate and inappropriate uses.
• No I-pods or MP3 players allowed during the day.
Lock them up in a secure place.
11. Multi-tasking
• 1. Synthesizing multi-tasking can be good:
doing several related tasks to solve a
single complex problem.
• 2. Distracting multi-tasking interrupts deep
thinking processes: writing a paper while
receiving IMs, doing math assignments
while socializing on the phone, trying to
comprehend new material in a text while
watching TV, etc.
12. Think About It
• You have to go to High School anyway, so
you might as well…
• MAKE IT COUNT
• The choices that you make in the 9th
grade
will affect the opportunities that you have
after graduation.
13. • You will have lots of choices to make that
will affect the next four years of High
School.
• The Choices that you make will become
your habits
• Your habits will affect the choices you’ll
have for the rest of your life
14. • Remember! Everyone, in every kind of job,
needs to be able to write and speak
clearly, listen carefully, understand what is
written and spoken, and use math
effectively
15. Make Your Classes Count
• Pay attention to everything said in class
• Join in class discussions
• Ask questions! If you don’t understand
something, chances are others don’t
understand either
• Keep up with the class assignments.
Finish them before they due.
• Ask for help
16. • Look for ways to sharpen your basic skills
in each class. Don’t compartmentalize
your skills.
• Learn to take good class notes. You’ll be
taking lots of notes throughout the rest of
your life.
• Learn to proofread, correct, and rewrite
your written work
17. • Develop your test-taking skills
• Read, read, read – develop your reading
comprehension
18. Self-Discipline – The Keys
to Success
• Self-discipline may beat smarts as key to
success
• See the big picture – sacrifice the short-
term pleasure for long-term gain
• Self-discipline is the royal road to building
academic achievement
20. Everything Counts
• All of your courses, grades, and credits
earned will be on your transcript.
• Your freshmen grades will be used in
determining your GPA (grade point
average)
21. Know the School Policies
• Attendance/Tardy Policies – The
Importance of regular attendance cannot
be over emphasized!
• When you miss school, you miss lectures,
notes, discussions, homework
explanations, quizzes, assignments, and
tests.
22. • It doesn’t matter how conscientious you
are about making up your work, you can
never make up everything you miss
• In order to get good grades, you need to
be in school every day
• You are responsible for finding out what
you’ve missed and for getting the work
made up
23. • Good attendance will not guarantee you
good grades.
• You are, however, pretty much
guaranteed bad grades if you have poor
attendance.
24. Know How To Get Good
Grades
• Be Organized
1. Write assignments down in an assignment
agenda
2. Have a separate folder for each class
3. Check RenWeb or call classmates for
missed assignments
4. Keep your locker and backpack neat
5. Get organized for the next day before you
go to bed.
25. • Manage your time well
1. Use class time to get started on
homework
2. Create a study plan that’s going to
work for you.
3. Break large assignments down into
smaller parts.
4. Don’t wait to the last minute to do your
work.
26. • Be Successful In The Classroom
1. Learn how to adapt to different teachers
2. Learn each teacher’s class rules and
procedures
3. Be in school, on time, every day
4. Have everything you need with you
when you go to class
27. 5. Always do your homework
6. Participate in class, be an active listener
7. Be a good group member
8. Treat others with courtesy and respect
9. Do extra credit work whenever possible
28. • Take Good Notes
1. Be an active listener
2. Learn to recognize and write down
important information
3. Get any lecture notes if you are absent.
29. • Learn to read a textbook
1. First, scan the assignment
2. Then, read the assignment
3. Finally, review by scanning the
assignment again.
30. • Study Smart
1. Organize your study time
2. Prioritize your work
3. Use a computer, always save what you
print.
31. Summary
• 1. You need to be in class
• 2. You need to be an active participant in
the class
• 3. You need to stay current with your
homework
• 4. In actuality the single greatest
determiner of success is EFFORT.
32. Preparing for College
• An important part of your high school
years includes preparing for college
• When you apply to college, they will want
to know all about your high school years:
9-12th
grades
• Each year of high school has important
tasks for you to complete
33. Preparing for College
• During your next four years there are 4
important things to keep in mind:
• Academic performance
• School involvement
• Volunteer service
• Test taking skills
34. Naviance
• In 9th
grade you will be introduced to
Naviance, the FCS college guidance
website
• You will take a personality test and start to
explore careers
35. • Throughout the rest of high school you will
continue to participate in tasks that will
prepare you for the college process
• The FCS website has a section under the
tab academics for college guidance
• http://www.floridachristian.org
• On this site you will find timelines for each
year of high school
36. • Make the most of your high school
experience by:
• Staying focused on Academics
• Getting involved in school
• Volunteering your time and building your
community service hours
• Growing spiritually by developing your
relationship with God
