Ninth Grade Success

Mon, 08/31/2015 - 11:17am

How can my Ninth Grader find success in high school?

River Hill’s Ninth Grade Team is very excited to welcome our new students to RHHS!  It’s going to be a great year with our new hawks!  Ninth grade parents, below are our suggestions to help your teen be successful at River Hill High School.  If we can help in anyway, please contact a member of the Ninth Grade Team. 

Get Involved 

One of the best ways to become part of the River Hill Community is becoming involved in activities.  Many students are part of band, orchestra, theater arts, student government. FBLA, or sports. However, there are many other clubs at River Hill that meet at Hawktime or after school.  Try something new! Did you know there is a Risk Club? How about trying Ping Pong? Listen for announcement, asks friends and listen to upperclassman for suggestions on clubs, activities or sports to try.

Time Management

While it is important for freshman to get involved, it is equally important to balance their schedule between school, extracurricular activities and home.   Students should use Hawk Time to meet with teachers, especially if they are involved in after school activities. They should also be aware of the amount of work required for the different level of courses when planning their time to complete homework.  The higher the level, the more work they should expect. Students should use their agenda book to help map out their week, recognizing what adjustments may need to be made around their extracurricular obligations.  Lastly, we want our ninth graders to use their planner to map out long-term projects, to help balance it with daily homework commitments.  That way projects are not left until the last minute.

Be Your Best Advocate

In order to succeed in ninth grade, it is important for students to be accountable for their own actions.  Students need to understand that ultimately, the level of success that they achieve is their own responsibility. There are positive steps ninth graders can make in order to succeed. They should ask questions and advocate for themselves by using Hawktime or scheduled time with their teachers to have polite conversations about their work. They should develop a greater sense of accountability by completing all homework on time and preparing for tests and quizzes, and by accepting their responsibility in their own achievement, which includes attending class each day.  Finally, students should get involved at River Hill High School, which offers numerous clubs and organizations that cater to a wide variety of student interests.  Involvement in athletics, the arts, and/or clubs makes students more well-rounded and gives them a greater vested interest in seeing themselves as part of a community.

Organization

Organization is so important to help you be successful in school and life! Writing things down reduces your stress, because you are not worrying about remembering everything. What is the system that works best for you? River Hill students use CANVAS, agenda books, reminder apps, and/or calendars to help them stay on top of their responsibilities. Are you struggling to stay organized? Talk to your teachers and guidance counselors for some helpful strategies!

Resources

One of the goals of the River Hill 9th Grade Team is to provide a seamless transition into high school and to assure academic success.  In order to achieve this goal, the River Hill High School faculty has compiled a vast array of school resources. For example, students can receive additional academic support through the student services’ SOAR (Students Opportunity for Advancement and Review) program or one-on-one help with their teacher during Hawktime or after school.  Students can access online resources through CANVAS and the Media Center.  However, the resources do not stop there, many teachers include and give students access to various educational tools and other valuable resources that the students can use to enhance or support their learning experience.    All of the resources made available at River Hill High will help ensure HCPSS 2018 Vision and will promote the students’ ability to become college and career ready.  

Team Members:

  • Diana Alvarado                    
  • Caro Appel                 
  • Jackie Browne              
  • Norda Clopein           
  • Betsy Coe                    
  • David Evans                
  • Regina Hobbs              
  • Kristin Malone              
  • Cathleen Maloney         
  • Jocelyn Martin              
  • Kerry Martin                 
  • David McNeal              
  • Rhoda Nunez-Donnelly 
  • Sybil Modispacher       
  • Marianne Pizzo             
  • Marni Rosenbaum        
  • Meg Schultz               
  • Wayne Tromble            
  • Deborah Walk