Old Rochester Regional High School held an 8th grade parent information session led by Principal Mike Devoll for up and coming freshmen parents last week.
Attendees were greeted by the student AmbassadORs and given sample copies of the course selection card that had been handed out to their children.
With the start of the presentation, Devoll welcomed parents and gave a brief overview of the topics they would be covering. He had a word of advice for everyone before they began: “Read the program of studies!”
Located on the high school’s website, the program of studies summarizes the class selections available to students so they have a better idea of what each course entails.
Devoll provided points of clarification for parents as well, such as the fact that if a student takes college prep level classes their freshman year, it does not keep them from entering higher level classes in following years. He also reminded them that this applied to those who dropped down a class level (i.e. honors to college prep).
“As you think about [courses], think about what is going to make your child happy,” Devoll said. “We do the best we can to help students make decisions, but really, you don’t know it until you live it.”
Also present were the heads of each educational department: Steven Bernardo for the World Languages Department, Erich Carroll for Social Studies, Robert Biehl for English, Melanie Kellum for Mathematics, and Colleen Foster and Heidi Graser as co-department heads for the Sciences. Each teacher spoke briefly about the different options available in their respective departments for freshmen students while also looking at future opportunities.
The majority of freshmen take (any level of) English 9, Biology, World History and Geography, Mathematics, and Spanish or Latin. These go along with one half year each of Health 9 and Physical Education, and either one full-year or two half-year electives.
With the 8th grade course selections due several days after the presentation, the information night provided valuable and essential information to parents and allowed them to help their children make more clarified choices in regards to their future in high school.
By Jo Caynon