October 4, 2004

Principal's Notes
Advisory is an integral part of the school schedule at City High School, convening three times each week for 30-45 minutes. Since every teacher and administrator at the school serves as an advisor, the advisory groups are small with approximately 12 students in each. The class is designed, in part, to be a place and time in the school schedule for students to document and reflect on their grades and academic progress. Now that classes have been in session for a full four weeks, students will receive a grade printout for each of their core classes in advisory on Friday. The goal is to provide students with feedback on their overall performance in classes thus far and to have them strategize in order to work toward a successful first quarter. Students are also starting portfolios in advisory, which will become their own personal archive of course work and grade reports.

Research and experience tell us that the more active students are in tracking their grades and the more aware they are of why they’re performing at the level they’re performing, the more likely they are to improve. As part of our effort to engage students in this process, students will be involved in what are often referred to as "teacher-parent conferences". Conferences will take place the afternoons of October 21 and 22. School will be on a half-day schedule (see reverse) to make time for advisors, students, and parents or guardians to schedule 20-minute meetings to review each student’s progress.

Carrie Brennan, Principal
(carrie@cityhighschool.org)

In the Field
A number of individuals and departments at the University of Arizona are working with City High School teachers to enhance the curriculum. This week students in two City Works classes - the Fox Theatre Archives and Science Center Design - are heading to the University of Arizona on Wednesday afternoon to do field work. When heading to the university, students and teachers travel by SunTran buses from Ronstadt Transit Center to the campus.