Counseling: Mohonasen High School

Course Guide – High School Course Registration – Graduation Requirements – Seal of Biliteracy – Career Exploration – Career and Technical Education Pathways – Working Papers for Students – Family Connection by Naviance – Mohonasen Business Advisory Board

Course Guide

Mohonasen High School offers a wide array of core courses that help students meet graduation requirements, as well as a broad selection of elective and college-level classes designed to help students find their passion and prepare for life after high school graduation. Click here to see all of the courses available to students.

Annual Student Conferences

Parents and students are encouraged to be proactive about calling or making appointments with their school counselor whenever they have questions about which courses they can choose from and which would best serve their future goals.  Counselors meet with every student each year by grade and parents are encouraged to attend.

Grade 8

Students and parents are invited to attend an evening high school information program about their elective choices. This is usually held in January or February. Following the evening program, high school counselors meet with students in large group presentations in January or February to provide an orientation to high school and explain elective choices. Students make preliminary course requests. These are mailed home in May for parents to sign.

In August, students and parents are invited to a freshman orientation session, usually scheduled the week before school starts.

Grade 9

This is a key year for developing a game plan for the rest of high school. Counselors send a letter alerting parents that they will be receiving a Google invite to their child’s conference.

The discussion focuses on a review of current academic performance, long and short-term goals and methods of career exploration available to students. The freshman conference is also a good opportunity for parents to personally meet with their child’s counselor, give input into course selection and set the stage for a productive working relationship that will last straight through to graduation.

A preliminary list of course requests is mailed home for parent approval in May.

Grade 10 & 11

At both sophomore and junior meetings, counselors will cover topics including academic advising, career planning and individual options for the following year. Parents are invited by Google Calendar invite and are welcome to attend.

Grade 12

The emphasis switches to graduation and making a successful transition to college and/or the workplace. Parents are invited by Google Calendar invite and are welcome to attend.

High School Registration

At the high school there are several days dedicated to students selecting their courses for the following year. This is called Course Registration. The process occurs during winter for grade 9, 10 and 11 grade students. During the first two days, as students move through their day, teachers will set aside a portion of the block to discuss course options and make recommendations. This will occur in both core academic areas and elective areas.

In addition, all students will be exposed to elective options via videos and/or live presentations. All teachers are available for additional questions period 10 during the week. Students are encouraged to bring their course selection sheets home after Day 2 for parental input. During Day 3, students will meet with counselors in large group settings to go over selections, check credits, answer questions and collect sheets.

What if I change my mind about the courses I selected?

Students sometimes express concern that they may be locked into taking the courses planned out earlier in the year. Students actually have until the end of May to change their minds with regard to course selections and should see their counselor.

What if I don’t get the course(s) that I wanted?

The actual scheduling of students into classes is a very complex procedure that cannot be finalized until the close of the summer school session each August. (Students receive their schedules on the first day of school). Every effort is made to place students in the classes they request, but some scheduling conflicts are inevitable.

Sometimes a course gets cut due to low enrollment. Or, if a student selects multiple courses that are only offered one period each day, they are not always able to fit every elective into their schedule. That’s why counselors ask students to rank their choice of electives from most important to least and choose back-up courses. When in doubt, contact your counselor as soon as possible if there are problems or concerns with your final schedule.

Dropping a Course

It is important that students choose courses carefully since dropping courses after school begins is very difficult. It requires permission from both the parent and the school and often causes scheduling problems. Dropping a course required for graduation is never permitted. However, in extreme cases it may be necessary to drop a course. If this is the case, it is the student’s responsibility to get a level change/drop form from the teacher and procure signatures from the teacher, counselor, academic administrator, parent, and principal in the order they appear on the form.

Students are allowed to drop a full-year course until Oct. 4, 2024. Students have until Sept. 27, 2024, to drop a fall semester course and February 14, 2024, for a winter course. However, this is only if they can still maintain 6.5 credits (or 5.5 credits for seniors). There will be no indication on their transcript if all guidelines are followed.

Adding a Course

Students are only able to add a course during the first 8 days of the semester/school year. This timeframe encompasses two rotations of A-D days. It has been shown that students adding a course after this time are unable to make up the work that has been missed.

Requests and Non–Requests for Teachers

A student or parent may relay a preference for a particular teacher, but this in no way guarantees that the match will work when student schedules are created. There are simply too many variables when it comes to scheduling students, courses, and teachers to be able to promise a particular teacher. Students and parents may put in a non–request for a particular teacher if the student and/or sibling has had the teacher before. However, there is no guarantee that a non–request can always be honored, for the same reasons outlined above.

Early Graduation

Students wishing to complete their graduation requirements either one year or one semester early need to see their counselor the year before. They also will need to submit a letter and a form signed by themselves and their parent to their counselor for presentation to the principal.

Honor Societies

Mohonasen High School sponsors several honor societies. They are National Honor Society, French Honor Society, Science Honor Society, Spanish Honor Society, Math Honor Society, Tri-M Music Honor Society, and National Business Honor Society. Eligibility is based on grade level and very specific academic and extra-curricular criteria.

Honor Rolls

Honor rolls are calculated at the end of each marking period. All grades, except PE, are counted toward the grade point average. Students with failing or incomplete grades are not eligible for honor roll regardless of their average.

Graduation Requirements

Requirements for graduation can be divided into two categories, credits and exams. Students are required to earn 22 credits, including a mandatory core curriculum of 18.5 credits, in order to graduate. Students also are required to pass a minimum of five New York State Regents Exams. There are additional courses and exam requirements for an Advanced Regents Diploma.

• 4 credits in English
• 4 credits in social studies
• 3 credits in math
• 3 credits in science
• 1/2 credit in health
• 1 credit in world language
• 1 credit in art or music
• 2 credits in physical ed.

Minimum 22 credits

Regents Diploma

• Minimum score of 65 required on all exams listed below:
• 1 Math Regents
• 1 Science Regents
• 1 Social Studies
• English Regents

AND at least one of the following:

• Humanities Pathway: a second social studies Regents or state-approved alternative
• STEM Pathway: a second science Regents, second math Regents or a state-approved alternative
• Bi-literacy (Language other than English) Pathway: completion of a world language sequence and state-approved world language checkpoint B assessment
• CTE Pathway: completion of a state-approved CTE program and assessment
• Arts Pathway: completion of an arts sequence including a minimum of 54 WBL Hours, Employability Profile, & Career Plan
• CDOS Pathway: completion of 2 credits of CTE, 54 WBL Hours, Employability Profile, & Career Plan

Advanced Regents Diploma

• All of the above exams plus additional tests listed below, with minimum score of 65 required
• 2 additional math Regents exams
• 1 additional science Regents exam
• 4 credits in world language OR a five-unit sequence in art, music, business, technology, family and consumer sciences, or career and technical education (CTE)
• World language Regents exam (if completing a foreign language sequence)

Students who have a 90 or better average for all of their Regents exams will be awarded a “with honors” distinction with their Regents or Advanced Regents Diplomas.

Local Diploma

A local diploma is only available to students with disabilities. See our Special Education page for details.

Credits Required for Advancement

Students need to meet specific academic requirements to advance to each grade level. They are as follows:

• Sophomore: A student must earn a minimum of 4 credits. One of these credits must be in English or global studies.
• Junior: Students must have a minimum of 8.5 credits. These must include at least two credits in English or social studies, and at least one in the other; and at least one credit in each math and science.
• Senior: Students must be able to be scheduled to graduate. Students also must have two units of credit in math as they are not allowed to take two math courses simultaneously.

Seal of Biliteracy

The Seal of Biliteracy is an award given in recognition of students who have studied and attained proficiency in two or more languages (English and one World Language). It is an official notation that appears on the transcript or diploma of the graduating senior and is a statement of accomplishment for future employers and for college admissions.

What are the benefits for students?

• Students will receive an endorsement from the NYS Education Department on their diploma and their transcript;
• Certifies students’ attainment of biliteracy and 21st-century skills;
• Provides students with a credential that gives their future employers a method of identifying them as biliterate and skilled in language and culture;
• Provides universities with a method to recognize and give credit to applicants for the attainment of high-level skills in multiple languages and cultures; and
• Honors the multiple cultures and languages in our community and shows that students recognize the value of diversity.

Earning the New York State Seal of Biliteracy

Students wishing to receive the NYS Seal of Biliteracy must complete all requirements for graduating with a NYS Regents diploma and must earn three points in the areas listed below in English and a World Language. Learn more about the how to earn the New York State Seal of Biliteracy by clicking here.

Criteria for Demonstrating Proficiency in English

• Two points: Present a culminating project, scholarly essay or portfolio that meets the criteria for speaking, listening, reading and writing established by the district’s NYS Seal of Biliteracy Committee to a panel of reviewers with proficiency in English.
• One point: Score 80 or higher on the NYS Regents Examination in English Language Arts or English Language Learners may score 75 or above on two Regents exams other than English without translation.
• One point: Complete Grade 11 and Grade 12 ELA courses with an average of 85 or higher.
• One point: English Language Learners score at the Commanding Level on two modalities of the NYSELAT.
• One point: Achieve a 3 or higher on the AP English Literature Exam or an 80 or higher on the TOEFL.

Criteria for Demonstrating Proficiency in a World Language

• Two points: Present a culminating project, scholarly essay, or portfolio that meets the criteria for speaking, listening, reading and writing established by the district’s Seal of Biliteracy Committee that is aligned to the NYS Checkpoint C Standards to a panel of reviewers with proficiency in the target language.
• One point: Complete a Level 5 World Language with a grade of 85 or higher for both coursework and the final examination.

Career Exploration

• Roadtrip Nation
• Career Zone
• O’NET Career Connector
• Bureau of Labor Statistics

Career and Technical Education Pathways

At Mohonasen, students can choose between four Career and Technical Programs. Click here to learn more.

• Family and Consumer Sciences (FACS) Pathway- Early Childhood Education
• Business Administration Pathway
• Technology- Engineering Pathway
• Technology- Machining & Manufacturing Pathway

Working Papers for Students

• Physical Fitness Certification
• Application for Employment Certificate

Family Connection by Naviance

The Counseling & Career Center is using Family Connection by Naviance, software for career and college exploration.

Students must log on to Naviance using their school username (the one they use to log onto school computers) and the password: notebook. They can change their password once logged in. Parents can log in as a guest for now.

Family Connection is a comprehensive website designed to help parents and students with decisions about courses, colleges and careers. As it is linked with Naviance Succeed, which our office uses to track and analyze data about career and college plans, Family Connection provides up-to-date information that is specific to our school.

The following are just some Family Connection activities:

• Game Plan Survey
• Create a resume’
• Complete an Interest Profiler
• Complete a Personality Assessment
• Start a college search
• Develop a prospective college list
• Access scholarship search engines; more than a hundred national scholarships are available
• Maintain journal entries
• Complete school-developed surveys
• Compare colleges
• Link to selected third-party resources College Board, Financial Aid, NCAA, Careers, College searches, etc.)
• Track deadlines
• View guidance news bulletins

If you have any trouble accessing the documents linked from this page, please contact the Communications Office at 356-8250. The FREE Adobe Acrobat Reader can be downloaded here. 

Mohonasen Business Advisory Board

Our Business Advisory Board is a dynamic connection between local businesses and the Mohonasen School System. In this partnership, we work together to develop work based learning opportunities for students, and communicate to understand and address the unique employment needs of our local community. Click here to learn more about this partnership.

Serving students in grades 9-12
School Hours: 7:35 a.m. – 2:10 p.m.