2020 COVID RELATED EXAM CHANGES

For the 2020 school year, AP exams will be taken online at home. For CollegeBoard's latest announcement, click here. Below you will find additional resources that will further explains these changes.

• 2020 AP Exam System Video
• 2020 AP Exam Interactive Demo

Important Dates and Deadlines:

• August 23rd: AP Exam Registration Opens.
• October 25th: Deadline to Sign-Up for AP Exams.
• January 17th: Deadline to Request Accommodations. If your student has a documented disability that affects testing, and you would like to request testing accommodations, please contact DM's SSD Coordinator, Ms. Amy Hardy, ahardy@susd.org, by January 17th.  If your student has an Individualized Education Plan (IEP), please coordinate with Dr. Cindy Guillaume instead of Ms. Hardy to request accommodations from CollegeBoard. For more information about accommodation eligibility, please go to College Board.
  

Please note: Ms. Hardy and Dr. Guillaume will assist students/families with their requests for accommodations, but the request must be approved by CollegeBoard in order for a student to test with accommodations. For a printable flyer of this information, please click here. For OCR information, please click here.

Arizona Board of Regents
Arizona Board of Regents has recently updated the qualifications for a student to be assured admission to Arizona’s three state schools. Students will now qualify if they meet the following criteria:

• Are an Arizona resident
• Attend an Arizona regionally accredited high school
• Have no course work deficiencies as prescribed by the Arizona Board of Regents
• Have at least a 3.0 unweighted core course GPA

State College Contacts
ASU: Erika Hilligas- (480)965-2879- ASUErikaHilligas@asu.edu
ASU Honors College (Barrett): Michelle Hollin- (480) 965-1520, michelle.hollin@asu.edu
NAU: Erin Murdock- (928) 523-7499, Erin.Murdock@nau.edu
NAU Honors College: (928) 523-3334, honors@nau.edu
UA: Ellen Cyrier- (602) 827-2577, ecyrier@email.arizona.edu 
UA Honors College: Jenni Keatseangsilp- (520) 626-8261, jmkeat2@email.arizona.edu 
GCU: Kendra Godfrey- (480) 431-4966, Kendra.Godfrey@gcu.edu
SCC: Danielle Wagner- (480) 423-6780, danielle.wagner@scottsdalecc.edu
SCC Honors Program: Dr. Larry Tualla- (480) 423-6525, honors@scottsdalecc.edu

Seniors Admitted to Instate Colleges
ASU -Admitted students: Important links
Orientation:  http://students.asu.edu/orientation
Math placement test:  https://students.asu.edu/math
MMR/Immunization link: https://eoss.asu.edu/health/services/immunization

NAU –Admitted students: Important links
Orientation: https://nau.edu/admissions/after-you-apply/orientation/
Math placement test: https://nau.edu/cefns/natsci/math/student-resources/math-placement/
MMR/Immunization link: https://nau.edu/medical-services/immunizations/

UA - Admitted students: Important links
Orientation:  http://orientation.arizona.edu/
Math placement test:  https://www.math.arizona.edu/academics/placement/exams
MMR/Immunization link: https://www.health.arizona.edu/immunization-requirements

Important Documents/Links:
Apply to ASU
ASU Information Sheet
ASU Important Dates
ASU Personal Statement Tips
ASU Barrett, The Honors College
Apply to NAU
NAU Information Sheet
NAU Important Dates
NAU Scholarship Criteria
NAU Personal Statement Tips
NAU Honors College
Apply to UA
UA Information Sheet
UA Merit Scholarships & Honors College Information (Coming Soon)
UA Personal Statement Tips
UA Honors College
UA SALT Center
Maricopa Community Colleges Enrollment Steps Video
Maricopa Community Colleges Enrollment Guide
AZ Transfer
Arizona Loan, Scholarship, and Grant Resource

SENIOR MEETING INFORMATION
TO APPLY TO AN IN-STATE UNIVERSITY

1) Application:
Go online to:     
www.arizona.edu 
www.asu.edu 
www.nau.edu

Fill out the online application.  Submit with the application fee. Use the Self-Report option for classes and grades- it will save you money and your admission status will be sent sooner. If you are applying to an Honors program, be sure to check Honors College requirements and deadlines.

2) Transcript:  Go online to www.parchment.com and order an official transcript to be sent to the school(s) you are applying to.  If you are considering the Obama Scholarship/ASU Assurance Program, you are required to send your transcript by the application deadline.

3) Test Scores:  Go online to www.collegeboard.com (for the SAT) and/or www.actstudent.org (for the ACT) to send your official test scores to the school(s) you are applying to. If you requested to have your scores sent at the time of the test, you do not need to do this again.

TO APPLY TO AN OUT-OF-STATE COLLEGE, you will follow a similar process as above- submitting an online application (please check each out-of-state college's website for application instructions), ordering an official transcript through parchment, and sending official test scores to the schools from CollegeBoard and ACT.

IF YOU NEED A LETTER OF RECOMMENDATION FROM A COUNSELOR:
1) Complete a letter of recommendation form and e-mail/drop it off to your counselor. Click here for exemplary examples.
2) Allow a minimum of 2 WEEKS for the letters to be completed.  The counseling office is closed over Fall Break and Winter Break, so plan ahead. 

WATCH COLLEGE AND SCHOLARSHIP DEADLINES CAREFULLY! BELOW ARE A FEW DATES TO NOTE.
1) There are scholarship information meetings with Mrs. Loftus every Tuesday from September 10th to December 17th in the College/Career Center at lunch (12:47pm). She requires students to attend one of these meetings before she will meet with you individually regarding scholarships.
2) Check the Naviance “College Tab” to sign up for college visits at DMHS. This is your chance to meet with the college representative who will read your application!
3) FAFSA – financial aid forms are available online this year beginning October 1^st.  Many colleges require submission of the FAFSA to qualify for aid or scholarships.

Important Documents/Links:

Letter of Recommendation Form (Student)
Letter of Recommendation Response Examples
Letter of Recommendation Form (Parent)
Common App School Search Tool
Common App "How to Apply"
Common App Login
Common App FAQ
Coalition Application Schools
Coalition Application Information
Coalition Application Login
WUE/WICHE
Overview of Financial Aid Process Video
How to Fill Out the FAFSA Video
FAFSA "What to Expect"
FAFSA
College Admissions Applying 101
College Admission: Process and Prep
How to Write Great UC Application Essays
Scholarships
19-20 School Profile

College Testing Timeline
Sophomores
SUSD pays and registers all 10th graders to take the PSAT in October. Students need to review their scores (see "PSAT Scores" below) and remediate any areas of weakness before their junior year test date.

Consider taking a FREE practice length test for the ACT or SAT to determine which test is for you. Princeton Review is a valuable website to use when assessing the difference between the SAT & ACT tests. Similar tests are available through Scottsdale Education Center, Kaplan or Vogel Prep. You may also want to check out SAT/ACT prep books from the library to practice your skills.

Juniors
Register to take the PSAT in August for the opportunity to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship Competition.  (NOTE: Registration for the PSAT is done through the DMHS bookstore and there are a limited number of spaces, so please sign up early.)  

SUSD pays and registers all 11th grade students to take the ACT in February. Students can also register to take an ACT and/or SAT in the spring of Junior year/summer going into Senior year. (NOTE: Registration for these tests is not done through DMHS. Registration must be completed through CollegeBoard or ACT.)

Verify whether any colleges you are considering require SAT Subject tests.  For a complete list of schools that require subject tests click here.  Subject tests are offered in 5 subject areas including English, History/Social Studies, Mathematics, Sciences and World Languages. The tests are 1 hour long and cannot be taken on the same date as the SAT.  Plan accordingly to take two of these tests during your junior year.  Many students take the SAT Subject tests to keep their options open. 

Seniors
Consider signing up to take an additional ACT or SAT test in early Fall.  A higher score on a second test may make you eligible for a higher scholarship award or gain you admission to a more selective college. 

Check on the ACT and SAT websites to make sure you have sent your test scores to all colleges where you are applying/send scores through these websites. This step is key for scholarship consideration.  

PSAT Scores
Follow this link for PSAT score access:

• See all your scores and if you are on track for college readiness
• View detailed explanations of skills required to be college ready
• Send your scores to Khan Academy^®for personalized practice recommendations
• Search for colleges that fit your needs
• Access your PSAT/NMSQT Selection Index score used for participation in programs conducted by National Merit Scholarship Corporation
• Start on your scholarship and college financial aid plan
• Take a personality test to find majors and careers fit for you
• Get feedback on your readiness for AP courses

Important Documents/Links:
2019-2020 Test Dates
PSAT College Board Practice
PSAT Free Practice Test Search
Understanding PSAT Scores
ACT vs. SAT Comparison
ACT Online Sample Questions
ACT Test Prep Packet (English)
ACT Test Prep Packet (Spanish)
ACT Writing Prep
ACT Free Practice Test Search
College Board SAT Practice
KHAN ACADEMY SAT Prep
SAT Free Practice Test Search
Maricopa Community Colleges Placement Test Prep
Test Prep Tutor List
SCC MEID and ID Retrieval Information

SUSD Fine Arts Diploma Seal

The following are required for a student to qualify for SUSD's Fine Arts Diploma Seal

• A final GPA of 3.0 or 4.0 in each of the qualifying arts or career and technical education (CTE) courses.
• 4 minimum credit requirements in one of the following ways:
  • A minimum of 4 credits in one artistic discipline: (dance, music, theatre, visual arts, or media arts) or;
  • 3 credits in one artistic discipline; and 1 credit in a qualifying creative industries CTE credit or separate discipline; or
  • 2 credits in one artistic discipline, and 2 credits in a qualifying creative industries CTE course or separate artistic discipline.
• 80 hours of arts related extracurricular activities
• A student capstone project

For more information regarding SUSD's Fine Arts Diploma Seal, please click here.

SUSD Seal of Biliteracy

For SUSD World Language students to qualify for the Seal of Biliteracy they must meet the following requirements:

English Language Arts requirements:

• Student must take 4 years of ELA courses 
• Students must have an overall 2.0 GPA in ELA classes on a 4.0 scale
• Pass AZMerit at Proficient or above

If student has a primary home language other than English,

• The student shall obtain a score of proficiency on the AZELLA

World Language proficiency requirement:

• Students must meet cut scores listed below on one of the State approved tests.

For more information regarding SUSD's Seal of Biliteracy, please click here.

Student Grade Access
Student's grades are accessed thru a online system, called  StudentVue. There is a link to StudentVue on the DMHS homepage.  For detailed instructions, see the" DMHS Grades" document below. Student login information is as follows:
User Name: Student ID Number
Password: Student 8-Digit Birthdate (mmddyyyy)

District Policy on Dropping Classes
Important changes have been made to the district policies on dropping classes! Please review this important information and the changes to the district policy and how it impacts student’s transcripts.
Classes that are dropped during the first four weeks of the first quarter (or third quarter for second semester classes) will not be shown on student's high school transcript. Classes dropped during the remainder of the first quarter (or third quarter for second semester classes) will have a WP (Withdraw Passing) or WF (Withdraw Failing) on their transcript, depending on the student’s current grade. If a student drops a class any time in the second quarter (or fourth quarter for second semester classes), they will receive an “F” on their transcript, no matter what their current grade is in that class. Students will remain in the class they dropped on an audit basis for the remainder of the semester.

State Civics Test
The state of Arizona has implemented a high school graduation requirement in which students will be required to pass a state civics exam. This exam will be given when students are taking a social studies class at DMHS. Follow this link for online practice tests.

Dual Enrollment
The Dual Enrollment Program was designed to provide an opportunity for qualified high school students to enroll in college courses at high school locations, and to earn high school and college credits simultaneously. Scottsdale Community College has established agreements with local high schools to offer selected courses to students who have been identified as candidates for college-level work. Dual Enrollment courses may be offered in a variety of courses but offerings vary from year to year depending on SUSD staff qualifications and SCC certification requirements. Click here for the list of courses offered in 19-20.

Online Learning (eLearning)
All online academic credits (Mathematics, English, Social Studies, Science, World Language) must be taken through SUSD eLearning for academic credit to be given automatically. Online courses from non-SUSD accredited high schools are accepted by SUSD as elective credit only, unless a request is made for consideration as academic credit. For the complete policy, please click here.

The elearning login link is https://susd.geniussis.com. To login:
Login: Student ID Number
Password: Student 8-Digit Birthdate (mmddyyyy)
For more information about using the eLearning program, click on the "Student Guide to GradPoint (eLearning)" below.

Important Documents/Links:
Student/Parent Question & Concern Procedure
2019-2020 High School Planning Guide (English)
2019-2020 High School Planning Guide (Spanish)
Graduation/In-State University Credit Check Worksheet
GPA Calculation Worksheet
Four Year Sample Plans
College Readiness Timeline (Freshman to Senior Year)
Instructions for Accessing Gapps E-mail AccountDMHS Grades- How to Access StudentVue
Student Grade Check Form
General Academic Intervention Information
Adult/Tutoring Organization List
Crash Course Study Skills Videos
eLearning Class List
Dual Enrollment Course List
NCAA Eligibility Center
NCAA Division I Eligibility Quick Facts
NCAA Division II Eligibility Quick Facts
NCAA College-Bound Student-Athlete Guide
Cox Connect2Compete (Low Cost Internet for Qualified Families)

If you are experiencing a life-threatening emergency, please call 911 immediately. If you are experiencing a crisis or suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Helpline at 1-800-273-8255 or the EMPACT's 24 Hour Crisis Hotline at 480-784-1500.

SUSD recently updated our Community Mental Health Resource Directory (linked below). This directory is meant to be used as a guide for locating community partners our district often collaborates with and refers our students. Please feel free to download this directory and explore the list of agencies, behavioral health hospitals and resources for locating private practitioners. Although we frequently consult or refer students to these agencies, we cannot guarantee the success of their services and they do operate independently of SUSD. For additional questions, please contact Shannon Cronn at 480-484-5094 or scronn@susd.org.

District Mental Health Resource Directory
District Mental Health Resource Quicklist

Other Resources
Student Resource List provided by EMPACT
Search for Free & Low-Cost Services in Maricopa County
EMPACT Goal Setting Presentation
EMPACT Identifying & Managing Emotions Presentation
EMPACT OPIOID Parent Presentation

Groups on Campus
DM offers groups on our campus as a support for students. Our Prevention Specialist, Paige Phelps, leads these groups. Below are the groups that are offered this semester. If you would like to participate in one of these groups, please contact Ms. Phelps, pphelps@susd.org.

Empowered: This group empowers teens to believe in, focus upon and commit to positive personal success through peer-to-peer support.
Healing through Grieving: This group supports teens as they navigate their similar and unique stages of grieving, and recognize and accept one another's individual journey.
Creating Connections: This group is designed to support students who are new to DM or simply desire to establish new friendships.
Beyond Anxiety: This group is designed to explore ways to manage stress and anxiety, and to identify the triggers to uncomfortable feelings. Ultimately, freeing yourself from the debilitating experience. This group includes yoga and mindfulness techniques.

What is Naviance?
Naviance is an online portfolio system adopted by SUSD for students to complete their Educational Career Action Plan (ECAP). Students can enter the courses they are taking in Naviance under “Course Planner”; take a career inventory at “Career Interest Profiler”; and investigate colleges in “College Search”.  This information along with other Naviance activities will be utilized to guide course selections, college advisement and applications, as well as planning for careers/majors beyond high school.

How Do Students Access Naviance?

1. Go to signon.susd.org
2. Enter student username and password
3. Click on Student Apps at the bottom
4. Click on Naviance link
5. This will automatically log you into your account
6. To logout of Naviance, click on Logout in the top right corner and close the tab/window

How Do Students Sign Up for College Visits through Naviance?
Please click here for directions on how to sign up for college visits.

Students should sign up for all college visits on Naviance and print out the confirmation the day prior to the college visit. This printout will serve as a pass to show your teacher so you can be excused from class. Students should go to the period class they will be missing prior to the college presentation and get the teacher to sign off on the printout. Teachers have the right to deny attendance to the college visit due to excessive absenteeism, tardiness, tests or critical lesson plans. After the confirmation has been signed, bring this print out to the College & Career Center to hear the presentation. The confirmation will be collected and given to attendance to excuse your absence. If you do not have a printer, please see Mrs. Loftus at least 24 hours prior to visit.