Counselor Connect - Special Edition
1/15/2021
Counselor Connection: Special Edition for 8th Grade Families
Welcome to the Counselor Connection special edition for 8th grade families! We are excited to welcome you and your student to Eagan High School! This special edition will cover the ‘ins and outs’ of registering for 9th grade and introduce you to the EHS Counseling office staff!
Virtual Parent Registration Night Video:
The Virtual Parent Registration Night video from January 11th is posted HERE.
Counselor’s Virtual Visits to 8th grade classes:
On Thursday and Friday (January 14 and 15), EHS Counselors joined 8th grade classes at DHMS (Science) and BHMS (Global Studies) to welcome students and assist with registering for 9th grade classes. HERE is a link to the video that was shown.
Registration Help: Drop In Zoom Sessions with EHS Counselors:
EHS Counselors will be available for drop in registration questions/assistance via Zoom on the following days/times:
Tuesday, January 19th from 2:15 - 3:15 pm
Wednesday, January 20th from 2:15 - 3:15 pm
Susan Olsen
Jolaine Haider
(C-Gr)
jolaine.haider@district196.org
Zoom Link:
https://district196-org.zoom.us/j/8250850904
Meeting ID: 825 085 0904
Beth Streit
Michelle Lehmann
(Ku-Ne)
michelle.lehmann@district196.org
Zoom Link:
https://district196-org.zoom.us/j/2810874832
Meeting ID: 281 087 4832
Dave Fritze
Norah Krohse-Hermon
(Si-Z)
norah.krohsehermon@district196.org
Zoom Link:
https://district196-org.zoom.us/j/9972929568
Meeting ID: 997 292 9568
Online Registration Information and Instructions:
The Eagan High School website provides information, instructions and resources for 9th
grade registration and high school academic planning. Click HERE to access this
information.
A Note About 9th Grade Course Placements:
Letters were sent to all families with course placement information for your student (English, Science, Math & Social Studies). These levels were determined by middle school teacher recommendations and standardized test scores. A great deal of time has been spent determining these placements and we believe that your student will be most successful at these levels. However, we also recognize the impact of the COVID-19 global pandemic and its effect on teachers getting to know their students. If you believe that the recommendation you received is not what is best for your student, please feel free to register them for the level that you feel will be most appropriate.
For more information about the differences between regular college prep level courses and honors courses, please click on the below “Registration Guide (Course Descriptions)” link. If you have additional questions about the 9th grade EHS English, Science, Math and Social Studies honors and regular level courses, please contact the following department chairs:
English: noah.mass@district196.org
Science: kevin.dirksen@district196.org
Math: kathy.gillen@district196.org
Social Studies: todd.carlson@district196.org
Students with an IEP or ELL Services:
Students with an Individual Education Plan (IEP) or who are receiving ELL services will work with their middle school case managers/ELL teachers to determine the proper courses for 9th grade.
Registration Guide (Course Descriptions): click on “Registration Guide”
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs):
When must my student’s registration be complete?
The final deadline to register is 11:59 PM on January 22.
My student was recommended for FOUR honors classes. Is this too much?
At EHS, we believe in the importance of academic, co-curricular and life balance. Students and families should talk about setting up a healthy and balanced schedule - both in and out of school. This will look different for different students - as it should. Honors classes are rigorous and require more time and commitment than regular courses. This should be factored into building a balanced schedule. Students may adjust academic levels (up or down) during Schedule Review Week (first week in November) and during the first 10 days of each trimester. We expect our students throughout high school to regularly re-evaluate their academic and co-curricular commitments to ensure that a healthy balance is maintained.
Does EHS have weighted grades?
No, EHS does not have weighted grades or weighted GPAs. That means, for example, a B+ earned in an honors course counts the same as a B+ earned in a regular course. In both scenarios the student would earn one credit and 3.3 grade points.
When is the best time to take Safety Education?
Since the driver’s permit test is administered during the Safety Education class, students
should be 15 years old when completing this class. Generally, students complete this class in trimester 2 or 3 of 9th grade or trimester 1 of 10th grade. However, if your student turns 15 during during September or October of 9th grade, feel free to register them for Safety Education for trimester 1 (course number 0927).
What if my student wants to take Safety Education outside of school?
Students who would like to complete their driver’s education outside of EHS must present the following two items to their school counselor to “waive” the Safety Education requirement:
A copy of their driver’s permit or license
Proof of certification in infant, child and adult CPR. This can be accomplished through a local course (YMCA, Community Education, Red Cross, etc.) or by completing First Aid at EHS. First Aid is available for students in grades 10-12 and also counts a gym credit.
What happens after my student submits their registration? What if we want to change something? When do they see their 9th grade schedule?
Please contact your student’s EHS counselor after the registration window is closed if you have any questions or wish to make changes/adjustments to their courses. Students will receive their 9th grade schedule at “Freshman Orientation” night the week before school starts. More information about this night will follow in early August.
My student has completed two years of Spanish/French in middle school. What level should they start with at EHS?
If your student earned strong grades in two years of middle school French/Spanish, they are encouraged to register for Spanish II/French II.
Should my 9th grader take a study hall? Will they have enough credits to graduate?
Students who never take a study hall and pass all of their classes have the potential to earn a total of 84 credits. To graduate from Eagan High School, students must complete a minimum of 66 credits. Therefore, there is room for a well-placed study hall to help maintain academic balance and good mental health.
How does Band & Choir work in high school? Does my student need to register for it for the full year?
9th grade Choir students may register for 1, 2 or 3 trimesters. Choir is NOT a year-long course for 9th grades. Students in Band must register for all 3 trimesters (9th Grade Band A,B,C). Fall trimester of Band is Marching Band for all students.
My student wants to do a fall sport. How do we make sure we don’t miss out on when practices and try-outs are scheduled?
Fall sports always begin two-weeks before school starts. Families must register their student through "My Payments Plus"“ prior to the start of the season (try-out time).
Sports physicals are automatically sent to the EHS Athletic Secretary from BHMS and DHMS. Families from other middle schools must arrange to have their student’s sports physical sent to EHS. Please refer to the athletics section of the EHS website for information about our athletic programs. Many coaches also allow families to sign up to be on email information distribution lists. Check the above link under each sport for more information about this.