Supporting your Freshman & Sophomores

One of my favorite things to do each year is to provide resources in a folder to my students. In my current role I am the freshman/sophomore counselor so I only have two classes to prepare folders for this year.

I give the freshman their folders in the spring of their 8th grade year before they register for classes, this gives them time to review the folders with their family and to prepare for the transition to high school.

Sophomores receive their folders in the fall of their sophomore year to help them navigate the year with confidence. I hand out the folders during my first classroom lesson in the fall and then start up one-on-one meetings with my sophomores after I finish my first round of intro lessons.

Quick Tips

• Color code your folders, green for freshman, blue for sophomores
• Copy items front/back to save paper
• Have Student Government help you stuff the folders over the summer to earn volunteer hours (put the personalized pages in after)
• Can't afford folders? Reach out to your National Guard recruiter, they are always happy to help by providing resources

What's in the Freshman Folders

1. Personalized Note with the student's identified career cluster, learning style preferences and some course placement info (For this step I gather data from the students via a Google Form and then use Autocrat to create each personalized letter and email. Here is an example my colleague helped me generate.) Thanks for the tip Russ Sabella! Learn how to use Autocrat here. 
   
   
2. Orientation to High School notes (all resources are linked in the notes)
3. HHS Freshman Registration Worksheet
4. Helpful High School Courses by Career Cluster
5. Learning Style Tips
6. CTE Electives Handout
7. Info on how to make your social media work for you

What's in the Sophomore Folders

1. Welcome back letter
2. Transcript (I like to use fun stamps to indicate'on-track to grad' (without actually saying 'on-track') & I highlight the cumulative gpa for quick reference). Use the stamp with an ink pad in your school color.
   
3. PSAT 9 Score report (print from College Board account)
4. College/Career Planning Guide
5. Tiger Sophomore ISP Meetings Outline
6. Academic Review Sheet
7. Professional Disclosure Statement
8. SMART Goals Sheet
9. How to schedule an appointment (QR Code)
10. Dealing With Difficult Emotions
11. Emotional Intelligence
12. Am I in a Healthy Relationship?
13. Organizing Your Schoolwork
14. How to read The PSAT 8/9 Score Report (pages 7-8)
15. Additional PSAT 8/9 Insights (pages 10-11)
16. Extracurriculars Matter — To You and To Colleges
17. PSAT/NMSQT Info & Dates -- write a special note on these for students who are being targeted to take this exam
18. Paying for College is a Family Affair (NACAC Early High School Guide page 155-156)

How do you support freshman & sophomores? Share your best practices in the comments below.

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