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Guidance Information:

PHS Honors Classes

In March 8th graders have the opportunity to apply for Honors English and Honors Science. (Accelerated math classes may be selected without the application process.) Students obtain the application forms from Ms. Ridolfi and Ms. Ellwood and complete the required information. As part of the process they will also be required to complete a spontaneous writing prompt that will be administered at Rye Junior High School. Before sitting for the prompt the student must have all parts of the application completed and ready to pass in.

All these materials go to Portsmouth High School where the selection team reviews each application and makes a determination regarding admittance into the honors classes. All decisions are made by PHS teachers. Students who are not accepted in the first round of review may choose to appeal the decision.

It is not uncommon for freshman to take the regular college bound level for their first year in high school and then apply for honors level for their sophomore year. By senior year a student may qualify for AP (Advanced Placement) through either path.

Preparing For PHS Honors Application

• Demonstrate daily in your classwork and participation your love of the subject area. An honors student will come to class every day fully prepared and will be an active participant in the day’s lesson. Students who are quiet or who easily get “off track” should work to improve on these traits. A high school honors classroom should have students who are bright, knowledgeable, spontaneous thinkers, hard-working, focused, verbal, strong writers, and enthusiastic. A level 4/Advanced College Prep classroom has students with all these qualities but when the assignment is done they are not wishing that there were an opportunity for them to explore the topic even more fully.
• Complete the application fully and accurately. Constructed responses and essays should be well written and properly punctuated.
• Make a final check to see that all parts are included. (parent signature, self-addressed stamped envelope, copies of report cards, recommendations, etc.) Attending to these details is one more indicator as to whether or not this student is a strong, independent learner.
• Understand that the writing prompt is the greatest indicator of acceptance to the honors class. This gives an excellent measure of how well the student performs independently, organizes thoughts, thinks critically, problem solves, and produces quality, written work.
• The high school has an appeals process. Strong academic students who have a true passion for the subject area have a second opportunity to convince others of their merit.
• Finally, entrance into honors classes in order to be a candidate for highly competitive colleges is very important in the high school years. Students who are not accepted into an honors class their freshman year still have time to mature academically and apply their sophomore year.

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TESTING

Each year Rye Junior High School students in all grades take the California Achievement Test (CAT tests).These are standardized tests with national norms that measure verbal and mathematical skills. Subtests include vocabulary, reading comprehension, language mechanics, math computation and math concepts. Scores are reported in percentiles. This means that a student receiving a percentile score of 50 has scored as well as or better than 50 percent of all the students taking the test. Of every 100 students taking the test the student scored better than 50 others. A student who earns an 80 has scored better than 80 percent of the tested population. Of every 100 students taking the test the student scored better than 80 others. Over the years we have found that Rye Junior High School students typically score much higher than the national norms. Our average student tends to score more in the 70th percentile range rather than the national 50th percentile range.

As part of the state assessment program Rye Junior High School will be participating in the Fall NECAP Testing. This test will be given to all students in grades 6, 7, and 8 with the results expected to be available in February.

SSAT The Secondary School Achievement Test is a privately run testing program that is sometimes required for acceptance to a private school. Registration forms for this test are available in the guidance office. Further information is available at http://www.ssat.org/, e-mail questions to mail@ssat.org, or phone 609-683-4440.

SAT The Scholastic Aptitude Test is generally taken by high school juniors and seniors as part of their admission process in applying to colleges. Our Rye Junior High School 7th and 8th graders may be invited to take this test as part of the CTY Johns Hopkins Talent Search program. Students who earn a minimum score of 97th percentile on their CAT test in certain subtests qualify for participation. Invitational letters and registration forms are sent home in October and must be completed in order to participate. More information is available online at www.sat.org.

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STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES

Any student is welcome to take advantage of our after school support services. Students may meet with a specific teacher on his/her extra help afternoon or by special arrangement. In addition we offer tutorial support in our after school Homework Club that meets Mondays through Thursdays from 2:45 until 3:30.
When a student is struggling academically or socially he/she may be referred to the team by his/her parent or teacher for consideration of support strategies. Typically teachers, the counselor and support staff begin by meeting with the student for extra help, attending after school Homework Club, exploring study strategies, analyzing daily difficulties and implementing possible solutions. When these are found to be insufficient it may be decided to make a formal referral to the Student Support Services. Information will be gathered and evaluated. Upon completion of this process the team will meet and determine the appropriate plan of action. If the student qualifies, this may include identification in Special Education or the development of a 504 Plan.

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PORTSMOUTH HIGH SCHOOL

Portsmouth High School has a student enrollment of 1000 and services the towns of Rye, New Castle, Greenland, Newington and Portsmouth. PHS works on a 4 by 4 block schedule. This means that there are 4 quarters in a school year and a student takes 4 classes each quarter. Some classes are 1 quarter long, some 2 quarters, and a few are 3 quarters. Each class is worth 0.5 credits. A student must earn 26 credits to graduate and complete a specified distribution of required classes.

Elective courses at PHS are heterogeneously grouped while many of the required core classes are homogeneously grouped. These include English, social studies, and some science classes. Math tends to automatically become homogeneously grouped by the course the student selects.

Course levels are:
1 basic
2 (not available in all departments)
3 college bound
4 more challenging college bound

HONORS and AP - ADVANCED PLACEMENT

In February of each year, the Portsmouth High School guidance counselor for incoming freshman comes to Rye Junior High School to talk about the high school and begin the course selection process. There is a daytime presentation for students and an evening session for parents. Students are given a “Program of Studies” booklet containing a listing and brief description of all the courses offered, general information, and a planning guide for the next four years. Students then work with Mrs. Costanzo, their teachers, and their parents to decide which courses they will take next year as freshman. Once the selection is made levels will be assigned by teachers then parents will sign the course selection sheet acknowledging the choices.

For students who are interested in applying for honors level English and science classes, there is a specific application form for each that must be completed. Typically the student writes an essay explaining why he/she is interested in the honors level class, and submits evidence of high quality work and letters of recommendation from current teachers. When asking a teacher to write a letter of recommendation students must first complete the “Recommendation Questionnaire.” All forms are submitted to Mrs. Costanzo who then sends them to PHS with a transcript of grades. This is a highly selective process and only enthusiastic learners with conscientious work habits and superior ability will be accepted.

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PRIVATE SECONDARY SCHOOL APPLICATION PROCESS

1. Students and parents select the private school in which they are interested and acquire an application from the school.
2. Students and parents complete the application according to the schools directions.
3. Some schools require the SSAT test. Registration forms to take this test are available from Mrs. Costanzo’s guidance office or may be completed on line at http://www.ssat.org. Other schools require their own test and will list specific test dates.
4. Students needing a teacher recommendation will:
   • Complete and turn in to Mrs. Costanzo the Recommendation Questionnaire (This is available from Mrs. Costanzo. Students respond to three brief essay questions.) This is then kept on file to be referred to by teachers as they write recommendations for private schools and honors level classes for Portsmouth High School. No recommendations are written until this is completed.
   • Personally ask the teacher to write a letter of recommendation.
   • Personally hand the teacher any necessary forms and an appropriate size stamped envelope. It is Rye Junior High School procedure to mail all recommendations directly to the secondary school.
   • Honor any deadlines. Students asking for letters of recommendation should complete all these steps at least 2 weeks before their chosen secondary school’s deadline. In cases where their deadline falls during a vacation plan to follow these steps at least 2 weeks before the last school day before vacation begins. This is how the Rye Junior High School deadlines are calculated.
5. Give to Mrs. Costanzo a written request for transcripts stating your name and the school to which you are applying.

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RECOMMENDATION QUESTIONNAIRE

On a separate paper write brief essays responding to the following questions:

• Describe you activities, interests and special talents.
• Discuss your commitment to academic success. Explain how you go above and beyond the expectations of your classroom teachers.
• What are your goals and what daily strategies do you plan to use to achieve them?
  

The Recommendation Questionnaire must be completed and given to Mrs. Costanzo to be kept on file before any RJH teacher will write a letter of recommendation for honors classes at Portsmouth High School or for admission to a private secondary school. Teachers refer to these essays as they write their letters of recommendation.

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