RHS Counseling Connection
October 2022
General Academic Information
Trister 1 Gradecards - Here's What You Need to Know
Trister 1 gradecards were emailed to all parents/guardians on Friday, October 7, 2022. Parent's can also view their child's grades by logging into the SISK12 Parent Portal . Trister grades provide a snapshot of how a student is performing academically at that point in the semester. However, parents/guardians sometimes have questions about which grades are considered official. Read below for answers to some commonly asked questions about trister grades.
WHAT IS A TRISTER? A trister is a grading period consisting of 6 weeks. Think of a trister as a "check point" in which you can track a student's academic progress for that moment in time. Trister 3 grades in addition to final exam grades are calculated and determine a student's semester grades. The semester grade is reported on the student's transcript and determines whether or not they earn credit.
WHAT’S THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN “TRISTERS” AND “SEMESTERS?”
- A Semester = ½ of the school year. The Fall Semester is August 22 (First day of School)- Jan 13. The Spring Semester is Jan 18 - May 26 (Last Day of School)
- Each semester is broken down into 3 Tristers.
- Each semester is about 18 weeks long.
If your child had a rocky start to the school year, please know there are about 11 weeks left this semester. Changing study habits, submitting all assignments, and attending tutoring may help students improve their grades. Parent Teacher Conferences are a great time to talk to your child's teachers about their academic progress. See below for conference details.
Parent Teacher Conferences Oct. 26th & 27th
We are approaching Fall Parent Teacher conferences which will be held on the dates/times listed below:
- WEDNESDAY, OCTOBER 26--2:30 to 6:30 pm
- THURSDAY, OCTOBER 27--8:00 am to 8:00 pm
Parents/Guardians will have the option to do conferences in-person or virtually (zoom or phone). This is a great opportunity to review your child's academic progress, check grades and attendance, and ensure your child is on track for graduation. Counselors are also available to help students and families plan for the future. Families will be contacted by their child's Advisory Teacher to schedule a conference.
Need Tutoring? Wednesday J-Time Study Hall
Students who may need additional help can get tutoring from any teacher during Wednesday advisory for ANY SUBJECT.
HOW do I get help during Wednesday JTime sessions?"
Beginning on Wednesday, October 12th, we will have JTime Study Hall Sessions.
STUDENTS may ask a regular classroom teacher for a special pass to come to that teacher’s JTIME room and get help during Wednesday tutoring/study hall sessions.
TEACHERS WILL ONLY GIVE OUT 2-3 special appointment e-hall passes for each Wednesday.
You (the student) MUST ASK THE teacher you want to see to create an E-HALL PASS BEFORE checking in with your JTime teacher on Wednesday for attendance.
JTime teachers will NOT email your teachers and ask if you can come get help on Wednesday. You must take care of this ahead of time...the other teacher might already have enough students in their class.
JTime teachers will NOT write passes or e-hall passes to send students to other teachers. JTime teachers do not know how many students are already going to see that teacher.
Procedures for Wednesday Tutoring:
- On Wednesday, check in with your JTime teacher and make sure there is an e-hall pass for you. Your teacher will mark you down for being in attendance, will check that you are in transit on e-hall pass and then will send you on your way.
GO STRAIGHT to the teacher’s room where you will be getting help. MAKE SURE to double check with your teacher and their location….some teachers move during JTime.
GET HELP and STAY THERE. After you move to the teacher/room to get help, you will stay there for the remainder of JTime. No wandering the hallways or forfeit the opportunity to get help.
SMILE 😊 and have a NICE DAY! You did something positive for yourself!
Make an Appointment with Your Counselor!
- Feeling overwhelmed with school?
- Would you like to chat about future plans?
- Are you a freshman struggling to figure out how this whole "high school thing" works?
- Are you behind in credits and want to discuss options to get back on track?
- Do you just need someone to talk to???
Your RHS Counselors are still here to help! Click below to request an appointment.
College Readiness & ACT Prep
PSAT - Sophomores & Juniors Only
The Preliminary SAT, also known as the PSAT/NMSQT® (National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test), is a practice version of the SAT exam. The PSAT is only offered once per year to a limited number of 10th and 11th grade students. If you earn a high score on the PSAT your junior year, you could qualify to receive a National Merit Scholarship—$180 million dollars in merit scholarships are awarded to students each year. The PSAT is 2 hours and 45 minutes long and tests your skills in reading, writing, and math. RHS will be administering the PSAT on Wednesday, October 12th. The test costs $18 which will be charged to participants student account. If you are interested in taking the PSAT, contact tneisha.love@raytownschools.org (10th grade counselor) or katie.cross@raytownschools.org (11th grade counselor) by
12 pm Tuesday, October 11th.
Should I take the ACT?
- Automatic Admissions - Certain ACT scores may make a student eligible for "automatic admission" and academic scholarships.
- Course Placement - Colleges use ACT scores to place you in the right classes at the right level — saving time and money!
- Qualifying for Scholarships - An ACT score may increase your chances of earning new or better scholarships.
- Qualifying for Specific Majors or Programs - Even if a school has a test optional admissions policy, specific programs like nursing and engineering will often require an ACT score to make sure you are ready for the material.
- A+ Scholarship Eligibility - Students who have not received scores of "proficient" or "advanced" on the Algebra I EOC may use their math ACT score to meet A+ Scholarship requirements.
The ACT is offered several times a year (see calendar below). Students can register to test at any location of their choosing, but the closest test site is often Raytown South High School. Students can register for the ACT at act.org. The cost is $63 for the test without writing and $88 for the ACT with writing (not usually required). Students who receive Free or Reduced Lunch services may be eligible for fee waivers. If you have any questions about fee waivers, contact your assigned school counselor.
Local Employment Opportunities
Lutfi’s Fried Fish - Raytown
Lutfi’s Fried Fish Raytown has immediate openings for cashiers and cooks. Cooks must be 17 years of age or older. Cashiers must be 16 years of age or older.
- Cashiers starting pay $11.30 per hour
- Cooks starting pay $12.15 per hour
- Must be reliable and available evenings and weekends!
- (Full time and part time day shifts also available.)
Download application below.
Cargo Largo - Independence
Starting at $15/hr
Aldi - Independence
Starting at $16.50/hr
Freddy's Frozen Custard & Steakburgers - Raytown
RHS Counseling Center
Website: https://www.raytownschools.org/rhscounseling
Location: 6019 Blue Ridge Boulevard, Raytown, MO, USA
Phone: 816-268-7320