Vocational, educational and personal guidance are vital components of the NCS comprehensive guidance program. We offer a complete testing and evaluation program that enables our faculty to fully understand their students, their goals and challenges and help them resolve their problems within a Christian perspective. Group guidance is facilitated through health and bible classes as well as weekly chapels. Teachers take a personal interest in students, and, through counseling and prayer, assist them in their growth. Individual mentoring is also available through the Advisory program. The Upper School Guidance Program exists to support the
mission of Norfolk Christian Schools by removing barriers to learning and
promoting the intellectual and spiritual growth of its students. Inherent in this mission is a desire to
see each student discover his/her gifts, talents, and strengths with a view to
using them for God’s glory and furthering God’s kingdom. These goals are accomplished by an experienced team of
servants in the guidance office consisting of the director, another counselor,
and an assistant. The services
provided by this team consist of the following:
Issues arise in the lives of students and their families
that make academic and spiritual growth very difficult. We are committed to helping families
deal with those issues to ensure, as best we can, a positive academic and
personal experience at our school.
Our advising program helps in this pursuit.
Through the guidance office and our advising program, we
offer timely and individualized help in choosing academic goals and courses for
each year. When necessary, the
guidance office will intervene with specific Student Intervention Plans(SIP’s)
to address the special learning needs of some of our students. Within each plan there are clearly
delineated responsibilities for the student, teacher, and the parents. Academic accommodations are available
for all students who have been properly evaluated by appropriate testing and
are included in the SIP. Placement
of students in math and science classes begins in middle school to ensure
students are challenged at appropriate levels as high school approaches. The guidance department is charged with
oversight of report cards for students, transcripts for graduating seniors, and
the fall conferences with parents.
We have a comprehensive testing program to assist in wise
decision making for students and to inform our curriculum decisions. The Stanford Achievement Test is given
each year in grades 6 – 9 along with the Otis-Lennon School Ability Test in
grades 7 and 9. We give the
Differential Aptitude Test in 10th grade along with a career interest
inventory, and the ACT in 11th.
Beginning in the 2009-2010 school year, we will offer the ACT Explore in
8th grade and the ACT Plan in 10th grade.
Both of these test batteries are designed to provide a “beginning for a
student's future academic and career success.” (quote from ACT website). These tests culminate in the ACT to
give a complete picture of college readiness and academic strengths and
weaknesses.
® is a trademark of Naviance Inc.
In 11th grade, specific guidance toward post-high school decisions begins. Although academic counsel begins much sooner, the details of the college decision-making process begins in September of the junior year. See right for details and a timeline of this service. The link above will take you to the registration/login page for our Naviance site.
Guidance is tasked with accurate recording and reporting of
grades earned by students. The
student and parent information system, NetClassroom, is overseen by the
guidance office. Orderly and
accurate reporting of grades and GPA’s is a regular and important duty of the
guidance office and includes both report cards each quarter and transcripts in
support of college applications.
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