Freshman Parents, Take This Quiz

Freshman Parents, Take This Quiz

So your freshman finished the first semester of high school! Congrats! Please evaluate yourself and your freshman in these five areas: Credits, Phone, Friends, Fun, and Purpose. Keep track of your answers. You will add up the total at the end. :-) 

CREDITS - How many classes did your freshman pass? (They take six classes.) 

1  2  3  4  5  6  

The PHONE is a positive influence on my freshman.

No - 1  2  3  4  5  6 - Yes

I like my freshman’s FRIENDS!

No - 1  2  3  4  5  6 - Yes

I think my freshman is having FUN on a regular basis. 

No - 1  2  3  4  5  6 - Yes

My freshman has a PURPOSE for going to school. 

No - 1  2  3  4  5  6 - Yes

28-30 = Your freshman is doing great!

26-27 = Doing well! Keep up the good work!

25 or Lower = Time to have some conversations with your freshman, a counselor, a teacher, your Freshman Academy Coordinator, or an influential role model. 

Some Decent Suggestions

CREDITS - Each class is worth 0.5 credits. Your freshman needs 5.0 credits to be a sophomore. If he or she failed two classes, the spring semester has to be perfect. With three or more F’s, it’s time to start thinking about summer school. Click HERE for the Summer School site. (It’s not quite ready for this summer, but you can bookmark it.) 

PHONE - Most freshmen can live for long periods of time without their phone. Cell phone companies provide some powerful parental controls . . . like the phone shuts off at 10:00 pm. It may be time to have the phone talk. They can’t do it without your help.  

FRIENDS - This is tough. One solution is increasing contact time. Students make friends when they are around other teenagers. We have games, concerts, events, clubs, and the like. I talked to one girl whose parents said she must join a club. She found a great one and is having a blast!

FUN - Another tough one. If you sense that your freshman isn’t having a good time, it’s time for a conversation. One suggestion is to make a special meal or take your freshman out to lunch or dinner at a favorite restaurant and talk about how things are going. 

PURPOSE - Do they have a dream or a vision for life after high school? The counseling department has all kinds of resources and tools for helping to create that purpose. Having a good “Why?” is a powerful thing. 

Have a great second semester!