SHAPING YOUR SHAPING YOUR FUTUREFUTURE

Cranston High School WestCranston High School West

““What you do today affects What you do today affects what you can do tomorrow”what you can do tomorrow”

Future success often depends on your high school Future success often depends on your high school efforteffort

Aim high and work hard to create as many Aim high and work hard to create as many postsecondary options as possible when you graduate postsecondary options as possible when you graduate from CHSWfrom CHSW

Freedom in high school requires greater responsibilityFreedom in high school requires greater responsibility

General Overview of Proficiency-General Overview of Proficiency-Based Graduation Requirements Based Graduation Requirements

(PBGR)(PBGR) CreditsCredits Required CoursesRequired Courses Graduation Portfolio and Presentation Graduation Portfolio and Presentation Community Service (20 hours over 4 years)Community Service (20 hours over 4 years) Standardized AssessmentsStandardized Assessments

– Starting with the Class of 2012, all students will be Starting with the Class of 2012, all students will be required to pass the NECAP in order to graduaterequired to pass the NECAP in order to graduate

Comprehensive Course AssessmentsComprehensive Course Assessments Individualized Learning PlansIndividualized Learning Plans

Detailed information can be found in our Detailed information can be found in our New Diploma Handbook

PBGR: PBGR: CreditsCredits

24 credits for Class of 2011 24 credits for Class of 2011 and subsequent classesand subsequent classes

Credit awarded for final Credit awarded for final grade of D or higher grade of D or higher (however, 4 year colleges (however, 4 year colleges require grade of C minus or require grade of C minus or higher)higher)

Depending on course, Depending on course, student will receive 1.75 student will receive 1.75 (CACTC courses), 1.0, .5, (CACTC courses), 1.0, .5, or .25 credit(s)or .25 credit(s)

PBGR: PBGR: Required Required CoursesCourses

Students must complete:Students must complete:4 credits in English4 credits in English4 credits in Math4 credits in Math3 credits in Science3 credits in Science3 credits in Social Studies3 credits in Social Studies

(1 credit must be US History)(1 credit must be US History).5 credit in Computer .5 credit in Computer TechnologyTechnology.5 credit in Fine Arts .5 credit in Fine Arts 1 credit Physical Education1 credit Physical Education1 credit Health Education1 credit Health Education7 additional credits in elective 7 additional credits in elective coursescourses

General rule:General rule:take four years of take four years of all major all major disciplines and fill disciplines and fill open periods with open periods with required and required and meaningful meaningful electiveselectives

PBGR: PBGR: PortfolioPortfolio

Working Portfolio consists of Working Portfolio consists of artifacts and accompanying artifacts and accompanying reflectionsreflections

Artifacts are evidence of Artifacts are evidence of proficiency in proficiency in communicationcommunication, , problem-solvingproblem-solving, , technologytechnology, , researchresearch, , healthhealth, and the , and the fine artsfine arts

After school support is available for After school support is available for assistance and make-up workassistance and make-up work

Portfolio can be accessed through Portfolio can be accessed through the the RIEPS website

Graduation Portfolio is a subset of Graduation Portfolio is a subset of the Working Portfoliothe Working Portfolio

Senior year presentation of Senior year presentation of Graduation PortfolioGraduation Portfolio

For detailed information see our For detailed information see our New Diploma Handbook

Portfolio consists Portfolio consists of two of two components:components:•Working PortfolioWorking Portfolio houses all artifacts houses all artifacts and corresponding and corresponding reflectionsreflections•Graduation Graduation Portfolio Portfolio houses houses artifacts and artifacts and corresponding corresponding reflections for reflections for portfolio presentationportfolio presentation

PBGR: PBGR: ComprehensiComprehensive Course ve Course AssessmentsAssessments

Students are required to Students are required to complete final exams in all complete final exams in all coursescourses

Every student is required to Every student is required to participate in the New England participate in the New England Common Assessment Program Common Assessment Program (NECAP) during the junior year(NECAP) during the junior year

Starting with the graduating Starting with the graduating class of 2012, students are class of 2012, students are expected to score at least expected to score at least Partially ProficientPartially Proficient

Results will become part of the Results will become part of the student’s official transcriptstudent’s official transcript

For specific information see For specific information see our our New Diploma Handbook

PBGR: PBGR: Community Community ServiceService

Students must complete 20 hours of Students must complete 20 hours of community service over 4 years of high community service over 4 years of high school. It is anticipated that all students school. It is anticipated that all students complete the community service complete the community service requirement by the 2requirement by the 2ndnd quarter of grade quarter of grade 1212

For a complete list of acceptable and For a complete list of acceptable and unacceptable community service hours, unacceptable community service hours, please see our please see our New Diploma Handbook

Students are responsible for maintaining Students are responsible for maintaining a log of their community service hours a log of their community service hours on an Hourly Log Sheet as hours are on an Hourly Log Sheet as hours are completed. Students must have completed. Students must have verifying signatures that service has verifying signatures that service has been completed. Hourly Log Sheets been completed. Hourly Log Sheets should be stored in student’s ILP folder should be stored in student’s ILP folder (make a backup copy and keep at home (make a backup copy and keep at home as well)as well)

Community service will be part of the Community service will be part of the senior Portfolio Presentation at which senior Portfolio Presentation at which time the student will present verified time the student will present verified Hourly Log Sheets and orally reflect on Hourly Log Sheets and orally reflect on their experiencestheir experiences

Admission to Four Year Post Admission to Four Year Post Secondary Institutions Secondary Institutions

Differs from PBGR for CHSWDiffers from PBGR for CHSW General rule: Students should engage in and earn General rule: Students should engage in and earn

a C minus in a challenging program of studiesa C minus in a challenging program of studies Consult the high school Program of Studies Consult the high school Program of Studies

located on the located on the Cranston Public School's website for course descriptions to determine appropriate for course descriptions to determine appropriate course of study for admission to technical, 2 year, course of study for admission to technical, 2 year, or 4 year post secondary institutionsor 4 year post secondary institutions

Basic Admission Requirements for Basic Admission Requirements for Public Four Year Institutions: Public Four Year Institutions:

Courses and CreditsCourses and Credits English 4 years

Math 3 years Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2

Lab Science 2 years Chemistry 412, Biology 422

Social Studies 2 years

World Language 2 years

Fine Arts Elective

Additional Electives

Important Note:Important Note:

Final grades from all Final grades from all high school years high school years appear on your appear on your transcript. Poor grades transcript. Poor grades can negatively affect can negatively affect your future plans (i.e. your future plans (i.e. college acceptance college acceptance and employment)and employment)

Basic Admission Requirements for Basic Admission Requirements for Public Four Year Institutions: Public Four Year Institutions: Standardized AssessmentsStandardized Assessments

PSAT in sophomore year for practicePSAT in sophomore year for practice

PSAT in fall of junior year for additional PSAT in fall of junior year for additional practice and qualification for National practice and qualification for National Merit ScholarshipMerit Scholarship

Register for the PSAT through the CHSW Register for the PSAT through the CHSW guidance officeguidance office

Basic Admission Requirements for Basic Admission Requirements for Public Four Year Institutions: Public Four Year Institutions: Standardized AssessmentsStandardized Assessments

SAT or ACT in spring of junior yearSAT or ACT in spring of junior year

SAT Subject Test (if needed) as soon as possible after completion SAT Subject Test (if needed) as soon as possible after completion of advanced coursesof advanced courses

SAT/ACT in fall of senior yearSAT/ACT in fall of senior year

Register through the testing serviceRegister through the testing service College Board ACTACT

Never too early to create an account for standardized testingNever too early to create an account for standardized testing

College/College/Career Career PlanningPlanning

Use the following online Use the following online resources:resources:

College Board's College Board's College Planning College Planning CenterCenter

WaytogoRIWaytogoRI

ACT's College Planning ACT's College Planning CenterCenter

Start researching Start researching career paths and career paths and postsecondary postsecondary options now!options now!

Your postsecondary Your postsecondary plans may drive plans may drive your course your course selection, selection, extracurricular extracurricular activities, activities, community service, community service, summer summer employmentemployment

AttendanceAttendance When absent, a parent must call the main officeWhen absent, a parent must call the main office If student is absent or it is projected that the If student is absent or it is projected that the

student will be absent for three or more days of student will be absent for three or more days of school, the parent may request assignments by school, the parent may request assignments by phoning the main office; please allow twenty-four phoning the main office; please allow twenty-four hours for teachers to process the requesthours for teachers to process the request

Student is responsible for making up all missed Student is responsible for making up all missed assignments and/or assessments. See all assignments and/or assessments. See all teachers immediately upon return to class; set up teachers immediately upon return to class; set up a schedule for submitting all assignments and a schedule for submitting all assignments and taking all assessmentstaking all assessments

In cases of extended absences, please notify the In cases of extended absences, please notify the guidance counselorguidance counselor

If incomplete grades are issued, you may be If incomplete grades are issued, you may be academically ineligibleacademically ineligible

Unexcused AbsencesUnexcused Absences

Students with more than 5 days unexcused Students with more than 5 days unexcused absences in major classes or more than 3 days in absences in major classes or more than 3 days in minor classes will have their quarter grade minor classes will have their quarter grade reduced by 10 pointsreduced by 10 points

The grade deduction is determined by the The grade deduction is determined by the student’s Assistant Principal (not the classroom student’s Assistant Principal (not the classroom teacher) upon review of attendance recordsteacher) upon review of attendance records

Consult the school planner for the CPS Consult the school planner for the CPS Attendance PolicyAttendance Policy

Excessive unexcused absences will result in a Excessive unexcused absences will result in a referral to Truancy Courtreferral to Truancy Court

Assessment of CourseworkAssessment of Coursework

Approximately midway through each report card Approximately midway through each report card period Interim Progress Reports will beperiod Interim Progress Reports will be issued issued through the advisorythrough the advisory

If you are not doing satisfactory work, you may If you are not doing satisfactory work, you may need to modify your study habits, see your need to modify your study habits, see your teacher(s) for extra help, and/or have a teacher(s) for extra help, and/or have a parent/teacher contact. Contacts can be arranged parent/teacher contact. Contacts can be arranged through your guidance counselorthrough your guidance counselor

Report cards are issued each quarter. They are Report cards are issued each quarter. They are distributed in advisory except for the fourth distributed in advisory except for the fourth quarter which are mailed to the student’s home quarter which are mailed to the student’s home addressaddress

AspenAspen

Use Aspen portal to check assignments, Use Aspen portal to check assignments, assessments, and gradesassessments, and grades

StudentsStudents– Username: capital S followed by student ID# (e.g. Username: capital S followed by student ID# (e.g.

S123456)S123456)– Password: capital CHSW followed by Year of Graduation Password: capital CHSW followed by Year of Graduation

(e.g. CHSW2014)(e.g. CHSW2014) Parents/GuardiansParents/Guardians

– Contact the Guidance office if you never received a Contact the Guidance office if you never received a temporary username and password temporary username and password

Access through the Aspen login websiteAccess through the Aspen login website

Weekly Progress ReportsWeekly Progress Reports

If you or your parents would like a weekly update If you or your parents would like a weekly update of your academic performance, you may pick up of your academic performance, you may pick up a Weekly Progress Report form in the guidance a Weekly Progress Report form in the guidance office or download a copy of our Weekly Progress office or download a copy of our Weekly Progress Report form by visiting the Student Center on our Report form by visiting the Student Center on our school’s websiteschool’s website

The weekly report process is driven by the The weekly report process is driven by the student and parent. Guidance counselors and student and parent. Guidance counselors and teachers do not initiate, maintain, and/or provide teachers do not initiate, maintain, and/or provide consequences for academic performance based consequences for academic performance based on weekly reportson weekly reports

Summer SchoolSummer School

If you fail a course or receive a “D”, you If you fail a course or receive a “D”, you should repeat the course in summer school to should repeat the course in summer school to recover credit and/or enhance your transcriptrecover credit and/or enhance your transcript

It is strongly recommended that students It is strongly recommended that students attend summer school because failure to do attend summer school because failure to do so will negatively impact your program of so will negatively impact your program of studies studies

Guidance counselors will provide information Guidance counselors will provide information regarding summer school attendance at the regarding summer school attendance at the close of the school yearclose of the school year

Please note: If you earn a “F minus” in a Please note: If you earn a “F minus” in a course, you do not qualify for summer schoolcourse, you do not qualify for summer school

Keep InformedKeep Informed

Keep informed of all student and school activities Keep informed of all student and school activities through the daily bulletin that is read in advisory through the daily bulletin that is read in advisory each morningeach morning

Typical announcements concern meetings with Typical announcements concern meetings with college representatives, athletic events, student college representatives, athletic events, student elections, club notices, and other pertinent elections, club notices, and other pertinent informationinformation

Visit the CHSW website for school information and Visit the CHSW website for school information and add your email address to the CW Family Listserv add your email address to the CW Family Listserv for school announcements and updatesfor school announcements and updates

Scheduling CoursesScheduling Courses

Each year, teachers will recommend courses for the Each year, teachers will recommend courses for the following academic yearfollowing academic year

Recommendations are based on perceived ability, Recommendations are based on perceived ability, work/study skills, and academic performancework/study skills, and academic performance

Recommendations are also based upon performance Recommendations are also based upon performance on standardized assessments (e.g. NECAP, NWEA-on standardized assessments (e.g. NECAP, NWEA-MAP)MAP)

Students and parents may elect to override a Students and parents may elect to override a teacher’s recommendation, provided that a course teacher’s recommendation, provided that a course override form has been completed, signed, and override form has been completed, signed, and returned to the guidance counselorreturned to the guidance counselor

Until the master schedule is created in late August, Until the master schedule is created in late August, the courses are requests only. Students are the courses are requests only. Students are ultimately placed in courses based on requests, ultimately placed in courses based on requests, requirements, availability, and faculty/student ratiosrequirements, availability, and faculty/student ratios

Teacher Teacher RapportRapport

Your relationship with your Your relationship with your teachers and staff is an teachers and staff is an important one.important one.

Establish a good rapport as Establish a good rapport as soon as you can. Let them soon as you can. Let them know that you are know that you are interested in doing well in interested in doing well in their class.their class.

You may need a letter of You may need a letter of recommendation for recommendation for college and/or college and/or employmentemployment..

EligibilityEligibility

• Students who do not meet satisfactory behavior guidelines and Students who do not meet satisfactory behavior guidelines and academic criteria are placed on an ineligibility/unsatisfactory academic criteria are placed on an ineligibility/unsatisfactory conduct list(s) and will be restricted from participating in school-conduct list(s) and will be restricted from participating in school-related extracurricular activitiesrelated extracurricular activities

• Unsatisfactory Conduct IneligibilityUnsatisfactory Conduct Ineligibility • Student incurs three or more “3s” in Citizenship in a marking Student incurs three or more “3s” in Citizenship in a marking

period - The student may ask for a review of status during period - The student may ask for a review of status during the interim grading period (see Student Planner for the interim grading period (see Student Planner for procedure)procedure)

• Academic IneligibilityAcademic Ineligibility Follows RI Interscholastic League guidelinesFollows RI Interscholastic League guidelines Student must pass 60% of scheduled courses (see Appendix Student must pass 60% of scheduled courses (see Appendix

C in Student Planner)C in Student Planner) Academic Eligibility Academic Eligibility cannotcannot be reviewed mid-quarter be reviewed mid-quarter

Start a Guidance FolderStart a Guidance Folder

Begin a Guidance FolderBegin a Guidance Folder, , either in paper form or either in paper form or in yourin your PortfolioPortfolio

Visit the Student Center on the CHSW website in Visit the Student Center on the CHSW website in order to download the Individual Learning Plan order to download the Individual Learning Plan Worksheet and Activity Sheet templates Worksheet and Activity Sheet templates

Include all the awards and achievements you Include all the awards and achievements you receive in school and the community (CLCF, part-receive in school and the community (CLCF, part-time jobs, volunteer work, awards, activities, etc.) time jobs, volunteer work, awards, activities, etc.)

This folder will prove helpful as you begin the This folder will prove helpful as you begin the college application and/or employment process in college application and/or employment process in your junior and senior yearsyour junior and senior years

School School ActivitiesActivities

There are a variety of athletic, There are a variety of athletic, academic, musical, and social academic, musical, and social extracurricular activitiesextracurricular activities

Benefits include better school Benefits include better school performance, sense of performance, sense of belonging, increased pride in belonging, increased pride in school, and more competitive school, and more competitive college and employment college and employment applicationsapplications

Consult the student planner or Consult the student planner or CHSW website for a current list CHSW website for a current list of all activitiesof all activities

Visit the RI Interscholastic Visit the RI Interscholastic League website for detailed League website for detailed information on athleticsinformation on athletics

Become involved Become involved in the school in the school community!community!

Guidance Guidance Services: Services: General General OverviewOverview

Counselors are available to Counselors are available to assist students in dealing assist students in dealing with academic, career, and with academic, career, and personal issuespersonal issues

Counselors can provide Counselors can provide referrals to other support referrals to other support staff members (school staff members (school social workers, social workers, psychologist, nurse)psychologist, nurse)

Counselors play an integral Counselors play an integral role in the selection of role in the selection of coursescourses

Counselors can assist in the Counselors can assist in the college and/or employment college and/or employment application process application process

Guidance Guidance Services: Services: Requesting Requesting an an AppointmenAppointmentt

StudentsStudents: Ask your advisory : Ask your advisory teacher for a teacher for a “Request for “Request for Counselor Appointment” Counselor Appointment” form or fill out one in the form or fill out one in the Guidance Office.Guidance Office. Please Please include the reason for the include the reason for the visit so your counselor can visit so your counselor can plan the time accordinglyplan the time accordingly

ParentsParents: Call the Guidance : Call the Guidance Office at 270-8063 or email Office at 270-8063 or email the guidance counselor to the guidance counselor to schedule an appointment. schedule an appointment. Please refrain from walking in Please refrain from walking in without an appointment without an appointment

Anti-BullyingAnti-Bullying PolicyPolicy

Bullying of any form is NOT tolerated in the Bullying of any form is NOT tolerated in the Cranston Public SchoolsCranston Public Schools– Forms of bullying include physical, Forms of bullying include physical,

mental, emotional, and technological (i.e. mental, emotional, and technological (i.e. Facebook, texts, emails)Facebook, texts, emails)

If you are a victim of bullying or know of If you are a victim of bullying or know of another student who is getting bullied, another student who is getting bullied, please let an administrator, counselor or please let an administrator, counselor or teacher knowteacher know

You can anonymously send us information as You can anonymously send us information as well!well!

ReferenceReference

Support staffSupport staff– Assistant Principal for Academic Affairs: K. MagnelliAssistant Principal for Academic Affairs: K. Magnelli– Assistant Principal of Special Education and related Services: Assistant Principal of Special Education and related Services:

D. SchiappaD. Schiappa– School Counselors: D. Golini, J. McGuirl, M. Royal, R. Willette, School Counselors: D. Golini, J. McGuirl, M. Royal, R. Willette,

R. D’Almeida, L. Velino, D. Ciccone and V. ClarkR. D’Almeida, L. Velino, D. Ciccone and V. Clark– Social Workers: L. Thompson , K. AscoliSocial Workers: L. Thompson , K. Ascoli– School Psychologist: G. BlessingSchool Psychologist: G. Blessing– School Nurse: D. MolliconeSchool Nurse: D. Mollicone

Location: A-1 WingLocation: A-1 Wing Phone number: (401)270-8063 Fax: (401)270-8522Phone number: (401)270-8063 Fax: (401)270-8522 School address: 80 Metropolitan Avenue, Cranston, RI, School address: 80 Metropolitan Avenue, Cranston, RI,

0292002920 Website address: http://cpsed.net/chsw/index.htmWebsite address: http://cpsed.net/chsw/index.htm Email addresses: available at school websiteEmail addresses: available at school website CEEB school code: 400036CEEB school code: 400036