Freshmen Seminar

St. Mary's is proud to offer Freshmen Seminar. Launched in Fall 2016, this Success Seminar will cover several areas to help Freshmen find success in their high school years and beyond. Seminar topics will include:

1. Goal Setting
2. Utilizing Guidance Resources
3. Research (Writing, Citing and Analysis)
4. Note Take/Organization
5. Study Strategies
6. Oral Speaking
7. Social Media – Ethical Awareness
8. Project Management – Time Management
9. Technology Skills Enrichment
10. Capstone Multi-Media Project
11. Service – Campus Ministry
12. Develop and Maintain Portfolio

The Success Seminar is not only about setting goals, but also achieving them. As educators, we must encourage our students to understand, through structured learning experiences, that action is the foundation to all success. These actions represent an individual's continuous creation and attainment of goals and are the primary focus of the Success Seminar. The purpose of the Grade 9 Success Seminar is to provide support in the transition of students from middle school to high school. By offering the support needed for the transition from middle to high school, educators are ensuring that students receive adequate tools to become successful students and adults. This interdisciplinary approach to teaching and learning will benefit and collaborate with all subjects offered on the high school level.

The course is taught with an emphasis on study skills, human relations, and technology. The course has separate units:

1. Orientation
2. Study Skills
3. Life Roadmap
4. Careers
5. Post-Secondary Decisions
6. Technology
7. Portfolio.

This course will introduce students to high school expectations, teach essential skills and explore college and career opportunities.

Course Description: This yearlong course is designed to help incoming freshmen manage the academic rigor and social issues of high school. This course covers various study skills, note taking, test-preparation, research procedures, and reading and writing strategies. Students will learn and practice organizational skills. The course will also address social issues that affect freshmen as they begin to explore high school and post-secondary planning. Freshmen Seminar is designed to help students during their transition to high school – its academic and personal demands – and helps ensure their educational success.