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Etowah County Schools
Preparing Our Students for Their Future
3200 West Meighan Blvd., Gadsden, AL 35904
Phone
256.549.7560
| Fax
256.549.7582
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USDA Extends Free Meals for Students
JSJ recognized as National Blue Ribbon School
Statewide College Application Week-February 22-26
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Alabama Literacy Act Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you!
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Check Student Grades
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Freshman Year
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Creative Writing Contest (k-12)
Etowah County School Foundation Student Scholarship
Forms and Policies
Anti-Bullying Policy
Cheerleader Selection
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Homebound Information
Student Code of Conduct
Graduation Requirements
2021 Graduation Dates
History Books (6th-12th grades) - Online and PDFs
Internet Safety
Acceptable-Use Policy
Digital Literacy Links for Parents
Digital Literacy Games and Activities
KINDERGARTEN Registration
MealpayPlus
Parent Guide to STAR Assessments
Parents' Right-To-Know
Resources for Students & Parents
School Calendar
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Transfer Request
Students Attending Non-Public Schools
Understanding Assessments
Dissemination of Assessment Results to Parents
Virtual Academy
Alabama Broadband Connectivity
Teachers' Corner
Administrators
ECS Forms for Administrators
PLUs
College And Career Readiness:Connecting Aspire, Explore, Plan, and ACT Data to Classroom Instruction
Career Preparedness
Financial Literacy Resources
Money Island
Career Resources
Certification
Classroom Management
Department of Human Resources
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Field Trip Request Forms
Grants for Schools and Classrooms
Education Grants
Higher Degree for Pay Purposes
Language Arts
PP's - Grammar Games, Poetry, and Review
Writing Home Page
Writing Activities and Projects
Research Writing
Writing Resources and Links
Elementary ELA (K-6)
Readers Workshops
Storytown Power Point Lessons-3rd Grade
Elementary Language Arts
Wonders
Secondary ELA (6-12)
Literature and Writing Coach Resources and Online Instructions
Language Arts Helpers and Goodies
JSU Language Arts Olympiad, Writers' Bowl, and Holocaust Writing Competition
Copy of Will Smith - "Just the Two of Us"
ELA Text Complexity
ELA Course of Study(CCRS)
Language Arts CCRS Checklists
Science, History, and CTE Content Literacy Standards
CCRS In Our Libraries
CCRS Resources and Graphic Organizers
Leave Request Form
Library Skills
CCRS In Our Libraries
ECBOE Student PowerPoints for Media Specialists
Library Media PowerPoints - Huge Selection!
Web Resources for LMS
School Wide Reading Challenge
Mandatory Reporting
Math and Financial Literacy
Cool Math Links and Resources
Elementary and Middle School ENGAGING Math Lessons
Financial Literacy
Money Island Program - 7th Grade Social Studies
Jump $tart - Financial Smarts for Students
Financial Literacy Activities for All Grade Levels
Geometry Project- How Tall is it?
GO MATH
Junior High Math Bee Information
Math COS/CCRS
LTF (Pre-AP) Pacing Guides and Resources
Math CCRS and EOCT Checklists
Math Videos - Middle to High School
Money Island (Financial Literacy) - 7th Grade
7th-8th Texts - Online Resources
Promethean Flip Charts - Saxon Math
AMSTI
QualityCore End-of-Course Assessments
9-12 Glencoe Online Texts
Music
Music - Make your own and share
National Board Certification
IMPORTANT NBCT Links
ECBOE National Board Teachers
National Board Renewal
New Teacher Resource Page
Physical Education
INOW Fitness
INOW Fitness Videos
Professional Development
Addressing Disproportionality in Alabama Schools
Alabama New Teacher Mentoring (ATM) Program
Annual Mandatory Training for ALL Employees
Professional Development Websites
Professional Development Exchange Day
PD Subs and Travel Information
Travel Reimbursement
PowerSchool Unified Talent PD User Guides
Summer Professional Development
Educator Ethics Training Videos
Science
AMSTI
Astronomy Resources
Common Core Content Literacy Standards
Electricity Resources
Promethean Flip Charts
Quality Core End-of-Course Testing
Science Course of Study
Secondary Science Activities
Solar System Webquest
Pacing Guides (Secondary)
SchoolsPLP Resources for Teachers
Buzz Website Addresses for Teachers & Admin
Social Studies / History
Social Studies Weekly
Holt 6-12 Textbook Instructions and Resources
6th Grade Text - PDF
7th Grade Text - PDF
8th Grade Text - PDF
9th Grade Text - PDF
10th Grade Text - PDF
11th Grade Text - PDF
AP History Texts
7-12 Pacing Guides
Statement of Economic Interests
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Annual Training
Teaching With Technology
Free Online Education Resources
Podcasting Resources
Using Windows Movie Maker
ECBOE Student Podcasts
Promethean Resources
HUGE list of Promethean ActivInspire How-To Help Guides
End-of-Year Checklist
Promethean Quick Tips
Promethean How-To Manual
Calibrate Activepen
Royalty-Friendly Music and Images
Copyright and Fair Use Policies
Media Fair Use Guidelines
Copyright and FairUse Fuidelines for Teachers
The Educator's Guide to Copyright and Fair Use
Royalty-Free Pics and Music
Social Media Guidelines for Teachers
ThinkCentral
Vertical Teams
Calendar
District Events
2020-2021 School Calendar
GAFE
Current Employees
Benefits
News and Updates
Insurance and Cafeteria Plans (PEEHIP enrollment info pages 12-13)
Leave
Direct Pay for Insurance (During leave or retirement)
COBRA (pg 47)
FMLA
On The Job Accidents
Employee Retirement or Resignation
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Central Office Contacts
Certification
Departmental Contacts
Employee Resources
Board Policies Related to Employment
Educator Code of Ethics
Guidelines for use of Email, Text Messaging, and Social Media
Laws Regarding School Employees and Students
Professionalism and Dress
Students First Act
Special Education Trainings and Resources
How to create Purchase Orders
Payroll
Overtime Guidelines for Classified Employees
Extra Pay for Bus Drivers
Supplements for Employees
Payroll Processes
Onboarding - New Employees
Life Events
Job Descriptions
Contact Payroll Management
Salary Schedules
Professional Development
Prospective Employees
How to Apply
Current Employment Opportunities
Substitute Teaching Opportunities
Technology Resources
Employee AUP
ECBOE Email
Technology Tickets
iNOW (Chalkable)
Google Apps for Education (GAFE)
AESOP/Frontline
Chalkable PD
Travel Reimbursement
Workplace Issues
Home
Our District
Our Mission
What's New
Reporting Suspicious Activity - See Something, SAY Something!
Alabama Teachers Credit Union Honor Roll Rewards Program
February is Career & Technical Education Month
Etowah County School Foundation Student Scholarships
First Class Pre-K Registration
Taking the ACT anytime soon?
Etowah County Spelling Bee Winners
Academic Calendar
National Merit Scholarship Finalist
Anonymous Tips
SchoolMessenger Notification
COVID-19 Update
Neighborhood Bridges
Break for a Plate Alabama
ECBOE Quick Sheet Reopening Guide
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
ECS Reopening Plan Parent Guide & FAQ
Virtual School Resources for Teachers & Parents
Alabama Broadband Connectivity for Students
USDA Extends Free Meals for Students
JSJ recognized as National Blue Ribbon School
Statewide College Application Week-February 22-26
Alabama Family Guides for Student Reading Success
AHSAA Indoor Athletic Events Update
Meal Pick Up Cooking Instructions
Alabama Literacy Act Frequently Asked Questions
Thank you!
What's Happening in Our Schools
Central Office Staff Directory
Departmental Contacts
2021 Graduation Dates
Policies and Procedures
Strategic Planning
Communication Plan
2020-2021 Teachers of the Year
2020-2021 Support Personnel of the Year
School Board
2021 ECBOE Meeting Dates
Meeting Agendas
Meeting Minutes
Board Meeting Videos
Departments
Parents & Students
ACT Practice
ACT Practice Tests and Resources
Alabama Family Guides for Student Reading Success
Alabama Literacy Act Frequently Asked Questions
Alabama Teachers Credit Union Honor Roll Rewards Program
Alabama Virtual Library
Library Media
Check Student Grades
Chromebook Forms
College Planning for Students and Parents
Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
Senior Year
Senior Year College Application Process
Alabama Colleges - Admissions and Scholarships
College Planning Links
College Searches
College Visits - Information and Recommendations
Scholarship Opportunities
Creative Writing Contest (k-12)
Etowah County School Foundation Student Scholarship
Forms and Policies
Anti-Bullying Policy
Cheerleader Selection
Enrollment Forms
Homebound Information
Student Code of Conduct
Graduation Requirements
2021 Graduation Dates
History Books (6th-12th grades) - Online and PDFs
Internet Safety
Acceptable-Use Policy
Digital Literacy Links for Parents
Digital Literacy Games and Activities
KINDERGARTEN Registration
MealpayPlus
Parent Guide to STAR Assessments
Parents' Right-To-Know
Resources for Students & Parents
School Calendar
Schools PLP Resources for Parents
Student Registration/Enrollment
Transfer Request
Students Attending Non-Public Schools
Understanding Assessments
Dissemination of Assessment Results to Parents
Virtual Academy
Alabama Broadband Connectivity
Teachers' Corner
Administrators
ECS Forms for Administrators
PLUs
College And Career Readiness:Connecting Aspire, Explore, Plan, and ACT Data to Classroom Instruction
Career Preparedness
Financial Literacy Resources
Money Island
Career Resources
Certification
Classroom Management
Department of Human Resources
DHR Staff Phone and Email List
Field Trip Request Forms
Grants for Schools and Classrooms
Education Grants
Higher Degree for Pay Purposes
Language Arts
PP's - Grammar Games, Poetry, and Review
Writing Home Page
Writing Activities and Projects
Research Writing
Writing Resources and Links
Elementary ELA (K-6)
Readers Workshops
Storytown Power Point Lessons-3rd Grade
Elementary Language Arts
Wonders
Secondary ELA (6-12)
Literature and Writing Coach Resources and Online Instructions
Language Arts Helpers and Goodies
JSU Language Arts Olympiad, Writers' Bowl, and Holocaust Writing Competition
Copy of Will Smith - "Just the Two of Us"
ELA Text Complexity
ELA Course of Study(CCRS)
Language Arts CCRS Checklists
Science, History, and CTE Content Literacy Standards
CCRS In Our Libraries
CCRS Resources and Graphic Organizers
Leave Request Form
Library Skills
CCRS In Our Libraries
ECBOE Student PowerPoints for Media Specialists
Library Media PowerPoints - Huge Selection!
Web Resources for LMS
School Wide Reading Challenge
Mandatory Reporting
Math and Financial Literacy
Cool Math Links and Resources
Elementary and Middle School ENGAGING Math Lessons
Financial Literacy
Money Island Program - 7th Grade Social Studies
Jump $tart - Financial Smarts for Students
Financial Literacy Activities for All Grade Levels
Geometry Project- How Tall is it?
GO MATH
Junior High Math Bee Information
Math COS/CCRS
LTF (Pre-AP) Pacing Guides and Resources
Math CCRS and EOCT Checklists
Math Videos - Middle to High School
Money Island (Financial Literacy) - 7th Grade
7th-8th Texts - Online Resources
Promethean Flip Charts - Saxon Math
AMSTI
QualityCore End-of-Course Assessments
9-12 Glencoe Online Texts
Music
Music - Make your own and share
National Board Certification
IMPORTANT NBCT Links
ECBOE National Board Teachers
National Board Renewal
New Teacher Resource Page
Physical Education
INOW Fitness
INOW Fitness Videos
Professional Development
Addressing Disproportionality in Alabama Schools
Alabama New Teacher Mentoring (ATM) Program
Annual Mandatory Training for ALL Employees
Professional Development Websites
Professional Development Exchange Day
PD Subs and Travel Information
Travel Reimbursement
PowerSchool Unified Talent PD User Guides
Summer Professional Development
Educator Ethics Training Videos
Science
AMSTI
Astronomy Resources
Common Core Content Literacy Standards
Electricity Resources
Promethean Flip Charts
Quality Core End-of-Course Testing
Science Course of Study
Secondary Science Activities
Solar System Webquest
Pacing Guides (Secondary)
SchoolsPLP Resources for Teachers
Buzz Website Addresses for Teachers & Admin
Social Studies / History
Social Studies Weekly
Holt 6-12 Textbook Instructions and Resources
6th Grade Text - PDF
7th Grade Text - PDF
8th Grade Text - PDF
9th Grade Text - PDF
10th Grade Text - PDF
11th Grade Text - PDF
AP History Texts
7-12 Pacing Guides
Statement of Economic Interests
Suicide Awareness and Prevention Annual Training
Teaching With Technology
Free Online Education Resources
Podcasting Resources
Using Windows Movie Maker
ECBOE Student Podcasts
Promethean Resources
HUGE list of Promethean ActivInspire How-To Help Guides
End-of-Year Checklist
Promethean Quick Tips
Promethean How-To Manual
Calibrate Activepen
Royalty-Friendly Music and Images
Copyright and Fair Use Policies
Media Fair Use Guidelines
Copyright and FairUse Fuidelines for Teachers
The Educator's Guide to Copyright and Fair Use
Royalty-Free Pics and Music
Social Media Guidelines for Teachers
ThinkCentral
Vertical Teams
Calendar
District Events
2020-2021 School Calendar
GAFE
Current Employees
Benefits
News and Updates
Insurance and Cafeteria Plans (PEEHIP enrollment info pages 12-13)
Leave
Direct Pay for Insurance (During leave or retirement)
COBRA (pg 47)
FMLA
On The Job Accidents
Employee Retirement or Resignation
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Central Office Contacts
Certification
Departmental Contacts
Employee Resources
Board Policies Related to Employment
Educator Code of Ethics
Guidelines for use of Email, Text Messaging, and Social Media
Laws Regarding School Employees and Students
Professionalism and Dress
Students First Act
Special Education Trainings and Resources
How to create Purchase Orders
Payroll
Overtime Guidelines for Classified Employees
Extra Pay for Bus Drivers
Supplements for Employees
Payroll Processes
Onboarding - New Employees
Life Events
Job Descriptions
Contact Payroll Management
Salary Schedules
Professional Development
Prospective Employees
How to Apply
Current Employment Opportunities
Substitute Teaching Opportunities
Technology Resources
Employee AUP
ECBOE Email
Technology Tickets
iNOW (Chalkable)
Google Apps for Education (GAFE)
AESOP/Frontline
Chalkable PD
Travel Reimbursement
Workplace Issues
Freshman Year
Freshman Year
Sophomore Year
Junior Year
Senior Year
Alabama Colleges - Admissions and Scholarships
College Planning Links
College Searches
College Visits - Information and Recommendations
Scholarship Opportunities
Etowah County Schools
»
Parents & Students
»
College Planning for Students and Parents
»
Freshman Year
Freshman Year
FRESHMAN YEAR
VERY IMPORTANT!
Begin m
aintaining a folder or filing box to store any certificates, pictures, letters, awards, newspaper clippings, medals, etc. that demonstrate academic, leadership, community service, and/or athletic accolades or accomplishments. This documentation will be invaluable when you begin the college and scholarship applications in a few years.
GRADES COUNT.
From the
first day
you step into the
classroom
in the beginning of ninth grade throughout the rest of your high-school and college education, grades count! Every single
semester grade
you earn will go on your
high-school transcript
as a
permanent record
of your grades.
While a good GPA is important for admissions and scholarships, it may be secondary to your ACT or SAT score and rigor of curriculum (Honors, Advanced Placement, Distance Learning, Career Tech, and Dual Enrollment courses).
Do not be tempted to take "easier" classes to have a higher GPA.
Remember, most colleges would prefer to have a student with a low A or B in a challenging course than an easy A in a simpler course. Plus, these challenging courses often help students increase their ACT and SAT scores, which most often determines scholarships and admissions.
READ!
Reading will help increase your vocabulary, your knowledge, your grades, your test scores, and your college and career success!
WRITE!
Learning to write well in high school will also help to prepare you for college entrance exams; college essays; and for all the writing you will be required to do in college and in your career!
This is the time to really use your standardized test results
(ACT, SAT, ASPIRE, and/or EXPLORE)
for remediation in your areas of weakness. Ask your teachers for help; attend all after-school tutoring sessions or test-preparation
seminars
; and if necessary, ask your parents to find a tutor for you. Taking responsibility NOW for improving your skills will help you to perform better on all other standardized assessments.
It is important to develop
good study habits
by putting forth much effort in your classes and in your studies. If you need help with time-management and study skills, please ask your counselor and teachers to help you.
It is also important in the ninth grade to really know your
interests
and your
personality
in order to
research careers
.
It is important now to develop your career goal and to create a
four-year plan
that relates to your
career goal.
You will need to know the
education required for your career
and to make sure you are
taking the courses in high school that are required for admission and for your program-of-study at your chosen college.
Now is also the time to
research colleges
.
Look at
colleges' admission requirements; scholarship-eligibility criteria; financial aid; cost of attendance; size; location; campus life;
etc. Be informed! Know what you need to do to be admitted and to earn a scholarship from colleges.
Attend the
National College Fair
sponsored by the National Association for College Admission Counseling (NACAC). This Fair is always held on a
Sunday afternoon
in
September
at the
Birmingham/Jefferson
Civic
Center.
Go to
www.gotomyncf.com
to register. See your counselor for further information.
Ninth grade is also a good time to start planning your
college visits
.
Whenever you can, try to visit colleges so you can find the college that best suits you.
Be sure to ask your parents/guardians to schedule a time for you and for them to
meet with your school counselor.
Your counselor will assist you with determining your strengths; weaknesses; interests; personality; and goals. Your counselor will help you use your assessment results and all other academic, career, and personal/social information to help you create your high-school four-year plan and to assist you in your postsecondary planning.
Be sure to discuss your
career ideas
with your counselor, your teachers, your parents and with recent college graduates so they can help you better prepare for your chosen career and so that you will be a better informed student.
Visit the high-school Counseling Office where you will find books, DVDs, and other
college and career resources
that will be helpful in your college and career search.
It is important to
get involved in your school.
If possible, join one of the many school clubs offered
at your school
and participate in the volunteer activities in which these clubs are involved.
Your
volunteer service
is also a very important factor for college admission and for scholarship organizations. Colleges, scholarship committees and prospective employers want to see that you have a committed involvement in one or two
service
organizations
and
that
you
are
doing
your
part
in making
your
community
a
better
place
in
which
to
live.
Ask
your
teachers
about
all
the
clubs
in
which
you
have
interest
in joining.
You can also spend time
volunteering with organizations outside of school
in a career field that you are interested in pursuing. Talk with your parents, your counselor and your teachers for more information on these organizations.
Keep a
record
of all your volunteer activities because these will be included on your
resume
that
you
will
be
completing
in
the
eleventh
grade.
If you are a
student athlete
and want to participate in college athletics, it is
your responsibility
to know the
requirements for eligibility.
You will find information on NCAA, NAIA, and NJCAA in this handbook. Be sure you read this information carefully.
The most important thing for you to do in the ninth grade is to keep your G
P
A up and to score as high as possible on the
ACT
or
SAT.
Finally, it is important to know that your counselor is here to assist you with any academic, career and personal/social issues. Please talk with your counselor if you have any of these concerns!
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