COUNSELING

The Counseling program at Ranchero Middle School is designed to meet the unique personal, social, and academic needs of the middle school child. Middle school is the time for a child to explore and learn more about his or her “self”. The counselors concentrate their energies and skills on helping our students resolve whatever issues may be standing in the way of their education.

Following are the ways in which counselors can help:

Personal Counseling
Crisis Intervention
Decision-making skills
Academic Counseling
Class Scheduling

The counselors at Ranchero Middle School are here to help our students. Many problems concerning both school and one’s personal life can be resolved in the Counseling office. Students can request to see their counselor for any reason by completing a counselor request form located in the office. Each student is assigned a counselor depending on the their last name.

Counselors are also involved in scheduling classes. Changes in classes will only be granted if there is an error in the student’s schedule. Otherwise, there are a series of steps that must be followed before a schedule change is considered. The initial step involves a parent/teacher conference.

HOMEWORK POLICY

Students need to be academically responsible and productive while at Ranchero Middle School. The better prepared our students are at this level, the more positive and successful they will be in all they do. Time should be set aside each day for homework. Students should expect to have homework every day Monday through Thursday. Students are also expected to complete all assignments within the given time. If the student seems to be spending an excessive amount of time, more than two hours per day on homework, please contact your child’s teachers.

STUDENT RECOGNITION

There are many ongoing programs in the classrooms, the school, and the district to recognize and encourage student accomplishment. We strive to reinforce positive choices and actions, build confidence, independence, and enhance self-esteem. When students obey the rules and work hard to reach success, we feel it is important to recognize them for a job well done.

CREDITS

Five units of credit are earned at the end of each semester for each class that a student passes with grades of A, B, C, or D. No credit is given for F grades. There is a potential of earning 35 credits per semester or 70 credits per year. A student must obtain 50 credits to be eligible for promotion to 8th grade and 110 credits for promotion to 9th grade. Failure to do so may result in possible retention.

PROMOTION & 8TH GRADE END-OF-YEAR ACTIVITIES

All students need to be accountable for their academic progress. Students who successfully display ability through their academic performance will be promoted to the next grade level. Those students who do not display successful academic performance will be addressed on an individual basis. Eighth grade students who have successfully completed a minimum of 110 units, and cleared all library, textbooks, and monies owed, will be included in the Memory Day activities on the last day of school. Students that do not meet these requirements will not participate in 8th grade dance, or 8th grade field trip or Memory Day. In order to participate in the 8th grade dance and the 8th grade field trip, students must have no suspensions during the second semester and not owe any fines (library, textbook, etc.) to the school. Students will need to clear fines before purchasing a dance or 8th grade field trip ticket or before participating in Memory Day.