Freshman Seminar at High School West
Who takes Freshman Seminar?
Following a successful pilot year in 2008/9, Shenendehowa's Freshmen Seminar program has been expanded for the 2009/10 school year, as approximately half of this year’s freshman class is enrolled. All students assigned to Ms. Mahoney, Ms. Pfaffenbach or Mrs. Kopchick for Global History & Geography-9 will be enrolled in the Freshman Seminar program. The district plans to have Freshman Seminar be a part of all Shenendehowa high school students’ experience in coming years.
What is the Mission of Freshman Seminar?
Our mission is to empower Shenendehowa's students to become effective communicators, adept thinkers and problem solvers, and instill in them a sense of social responsibility through the Freshmen Seminar experience.
How is Freshman Seminar structured?
Students attend Freshman Seminar in small groups for five consecutive days each quarter for a total of twenty class periods in their freshman year.
Students who have a daily study hall attend the Seminar during that period for 5 consecutive days per quarter. Other accommodations are made for those students who do not have a study hall every day.
At the end of each quarter, the Seminar teacher “pushes into” the students’ Global History & Geography class, where the skills learned in Freshman Seminar are implemented and assessed in the classroom setting in collaboration with the Global History & Geography teacher.
What will students learn in the Freshman Seminar?
The course is designed to empower students, as stated in the Profile of a Shenendehowa Graduate, to become effective communicators, adept thinkers and problem solvers, and instill in them a sense of social responsibility.
Each quarter features a unit focusing on building skills that will help them in their years at Shenendehowa and beyond:
How will students be graded in Freshman Seminar?
Each quarter, students will earn 0-3 points towards their Global History & Geography grade. These points are derived from a rubric taking into account attendance, conduct, effort, and mastery of the unit skills.
In addition, the skills taught in Freshman Seminar are evaluated each quarter when the Seminar teacher “pushes into” the students’ Global History & Geography class.
If I have more questions, who should I contact?
For questions about Freshman Seminar, contact:
Rob Rider, Freshman Seminar Teacher,
881-0330, extension 62661
email: riderobe@shenet.org
or
Lisa Kissinger, Academic Administrator, Social Studies 9-12
Phone: (518) 881-0310 extension 61706
email: kisslisa@shenet.org
or
Dorothy Donlon, Associate Principal, High School West
Phone: (518) 881-0330, ext. 62406
email: donldoro@shenet.org
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