Guidance News


The Guidance Department extends a hearty welcome to all new and returning students. We look forward to working with you this school year. Periodically there will be information posted on our website, EdLine, and/or in our email newsletter, Mari-Times, which will feature items of interest to students and parents for a productive school year. Parents and students are encouraged to read the Graduation Requirements column below, which outlines course requirements, FCAT requirements, and other important information. If you have not provided us with your email address, please do so to be included for special announcements.


GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
Class of 2011
English 4 credits
Mathematics 4 credits
Science (2 with labs) 3 credits
Social Studies 3 credits
(World & Am. History, Economics & Am. Govt.)
Life Management ½ credit
Physical Education 1 credit
Fine/Practical Art 1 credit
Electives 8 ½ credits

FCAT - must pass reading & math sections. Additional requirements include a 2.0 Grade Point Average and the completion of 20 hours of community service. If you are interested in Bright Futures scholarships, there are additional requirements. See the Bright Futures Scholarship website for more information:
www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/bf


Class of 2011, Class of 2012 and Class of 2013

24 credits, including HOPE and the completion of 4 math credits in grades 9-12. Life Management Skills has been incorporated into HOPE and is not required as a separate class. Students must pass the reading and math sections of the FCAT. A grade point average of 2.0 and completion of 20 hours of community service are also required.


DIPLOMA PROGRAMS

Riviera Beach Maritime Academy offers the standard 24 credit diploma to all students. If a student has enrolled the Three-year 18 credit program, that election MUST be made at the time of registration for 9th grade. Because of our unique program, we encourage students to attend RBMA for the full four (4) years in order to have the possibility to earn industry certifications and obtain work experience.


STUDENT PROGRESSION

Student progression from one grade to the next is determined by the amount of credits earned. Classifications are as follows:

  • To be classified from 9th grade to 10th grade, a student must earn at least 5 credits. Credits DO NOT have to be earned in core classes (English, Math, Social Studies, Science) - they can be in a combination of core classes and electives.
  • To be classified from 10th grade to 11th grade, a student must have at least 11 credits OR fulfill the graduation requirement on the FCAT Sunshine State Standards Tests for reading and mathematics.
  • To be classified from 11th grade to 12th grade, a student must have at least 17 credits. If the student has elected the 3-year accelerated program, there are different requirements. Please see the guidance coordinators for more information.
  • To Graduate, a student must complete 24 credits. In order to receive a Diploma, students MUST pass the FCAT tests or the SAT or ACT equivalents. Students who do not pass the FCAT or meet SAT / ACT equivalencies will receive a certificate of completion. More information on student progression can be found on our website and on EdLine.


GUIDANCE COORDINATOR

The school's Guidance Coordinator is Ms. Linda Bonikowski. Ms. Bonikowski is available to counsel students on course selection, graduation requirements, scholarships, testing, dual enrollment at Palm Beach Community College, and all other academic related matters. Ms. Bonikowski is responsible for our ELL/ESOL (dual language) students. All ESE/504 students are serviced by Mr. Ryan Blanton. . If your child participates in a special program and you need more information, or if you think your child needs an IEP or a 504 Plan, please contact either Ms. Bonikowski or Mr. Blanton at 841-7600.


Class Assignments and Scheduling is handled by Ms. Bonikowski who works with your student to determine course placement and class requirements. Ms. Bonikowski prepares student schedules, assists with schedule changes and also maintains all student records.


COLLEGE ADMISSION TEST DATES

Juniors and Seniors interested in applying to 4 year colleges and universities are encouraged to test early and often with the SAT and/or ACT program to complete the application admission process. SAT and/or ACT scores are also needed to evaluate Bright Futures eligibility. For testing dates please see the following websites:
www.collegeboard.com for the SAT
www.actstudent.org for the ACT


Students are encouraged to use the online application for registration for the SAT and/or ACT. Paper applications and practice tests are available at the Guidance office if needed. If you are in need of a fee waiver for either the SAT or the ACT, please contact Ms. Bonikowski.


DUAL ENROLLMENT

Students in the 11th and 12th grades who maintain a 3.0 GPA are eligible to dual enroll at Palm Beach Community College. Credits earned at PBCC will count toward high school graduation requirements in addition to earning college credit. Students interested in dual enrollment should see Ms. Bonikowski for more information and the appropriate forms.


GRADE REMEDIATION

Students who have failed a class or who wish to remediate a grade of D are eligible to do so. The Guidance Coordinators try to automatically schedule remediation into a student's courseload when possible. Students are also able to remediate grades by taking classes online through either Palm Beach Virtual School or Florida Virtual School. Students seeking to remediate a class should speak with Ms. Bonikowski.


ON-THE-JOB TRAINING

Seniors and qualified Juniors are eligible for On-The-Job Training when all academic requirements have been met. Students should consult with either Ms. Bonikowski to see if they qualify. A 2.0 grade point average is required.


PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES

Parent/Teacher conferences are offered to provide the opportunity for joint conferencing regarding student progress, performance, and other areas of concern. Conferences with specific teachers may be scheduled directly with the teacher. Please refer to the Teacher Email Address List for teacher email addresses. This list is available in the school office and email addresses are also available on the school's website. Conferences with either the Guidance Coordinator or the Principal may be scheduled by calling Ms. Bonikowski (Guidance Coordinator) or Ms. Hicks (Principal).


PSAT TESTING

All Freshmen and Sophomores will be REQUIRED to take the PSAT test this year. This test will help prepare them for taking the actual SAT test in their Junior and Senior years. The PSAT is also a National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, through which 55,000 students across the country will be awarded scholarships based upon their scores. Additionally, school grade will be influenced by the number of students taking this exam, so it is very important that all Freshmen and Sophomores take this exam. Dates for this exam will be forthcoming, or can be obtained by going to the following website: www.collegeboard.com.


FCAT TESTING

Diagnostic FCAT tests and FCAT retakes will be administered in the fall and winter. The FCAT Writes test will be administered on Tuesday, February 9, 2010, with make-up test days scheduled for Wednesday, February 10, 2010 and Thursday, February 11, 2010.


The FCAT Reading test will be administered on Tuesday, March 9, 2010.

The FCAT Math test will be administered on Wednesday, March 10, 2010.

The FCAT Science test will be administered to Juniors only on Thursday, March 11, 2010.


Students will eat lunch after taking the FCAT Reading and Math exams and then be released to go home.


Students who have not yet taken or passed the 10th grade FCAT tests will be required to test on these days. Makeup testing for both tests will be on Thursday, March 11, 2010 and Friday, March 12, 2010. Students are encouraged to get a good night's sleep prior to the testing days. Breakfasts will be made available to all students taking the FCAT exams. It is not required that a student eat a breakfast provided at the school, but they are encouraged to do so if they have not had breakfast prior to arrival at school.


PROGRESS REPORTS & REPORT CARD DISTRIBUTION

Progress reports are prepared at the mid- point of each 9-week marking period. Progress reports for the School Year 2010 will be mailed to parents on the following dates:

  • September 16, 2009
  • November 18, 2009
  • February 17, 2010
  • May 5, 2010


Report Cards will be mailed after each 9 week marking period, with final grades to be issued at the end of Semester I and Semester II. The 9-week marking periods are as follows:

  • October 15, 2009 - end first nine weeks. Report cards are distributed on October 28, 2009.
  • December 18, 2009 - end second nine weeks. Report cards are distributed on January 13, 2010.
  • March 25, 2010 - end third nine weeks. Report cards are distributed on April 14, 2010.
  • June 3, 2010 - end fourth nine weeks and last day of school. Report cards will be mailed after June 7, 2010.


FINAL EXAMS

Final Exams are scheduled as follows:

  • Friday, May 28, 2010 - Periods 1 and 3
  • Tuesday, June 1, 2010 - Periods 2 and 4
  • Wednesday, June 2, 2010 - Periods 5 and 7
  • Thursday, June 3, 2010 - Periods 6 and 8


Students will eat lunch after their second exam each day and then be released to go home.




Links

http://www.eduinconline.com/eduweb/


http://www.campustours.com/


  • College Answer - The Planning for College Destination : "Your starting point in the planning for college process. Learn how to assess yourself, understand college requirements, prepare for standardized tests, and get college advice."

http://www.collegeanswer.com/index.jsp


  • College Board : "College Search; register online now for the next SAT test date. Get ready for the SAT with official practice tests and questions. PSAT/NMSQT® test takers: Get your free personalized college planning kit here."

http://www.collegeboard.com/


  • Edline : Your internet portal to your child's educational experience

    • Class Assignments

    • Grades/Gradequick

    • School News & Activities

    • School Calendar

    • PTO updates/activities

    • Hot Links

https://www.edline.net/pages/Riviera_Beach_Maritime_Academy


  • FACTS.org : "is Florida's Academic Counseling and Tracking for Students. Sponsored by the Department of Education and the Florida Center for Advising & Academic Support, this free online advising website helps students plan and track their education progress from middle school through college."

http://facts23.facts.org/navigation/home.do


  • FastWeb : Scholarship search tool

http://www.fastweb.com/


  • FSFA : Free application for Federal Student Aid

http://www.fafsa.ed.gov/


  • FCAT Explorer : "With resources for parents and students, the FCAT Explorer helps students learn about and practice the skills tested on the Florida Comprehensive Assessment Test (FCAT)"

http://fcatexplorer.com/


  • Fin Aid : "The Smart Student Guide to Financial Aid "

http://www.finaid.org/


  • Florida Next : "FloridaNEXT.com is your one-stop-shop for tips to help you plan your future. Whether you're just starting high school, or about to graduate, this website features gotta-know info you can use."

http://floridanext.com/


  • Florida Student Scholarship and Grant Program : "The Office of Student Financial Assistance (OSFA) State Programs, within the Florida" Department of Education, administers a variety of postsecondary educational state-funded grants and scholarships, and provides information to students, parents, and high school and postsecondary professionals.

http://www.floridastudentfinancialaid.org/ssfad/home/uamain.htm


  • Live Homework Help T: Students from Kindergarten through 12th grade, first year college, and Adult Learners can get on-demand help from qualified tutors online. Now students from five to 85 can connect to a tutor for one-to-one help through our web site (www.pbclibrary.org) - and it's free!


Live Homework Help T is an online tutoring service from Tutor.comT that allows students to connect to an expert tutor either in any Library System location or from their home PC or Mac with a library card, on Sunday through Thursday from 3:00-9:00 p.m., and Saturday from 2:00-7:00 p.m.

http://www.pbclibrary.org/live-homework.htm


  • Military.com : Get the inside information on what military life is really like. Learn about the ASVAB, scholarships, how to get the best signing bonus, and find out if the armed services are right for you. Get the Insider's Guide to Joining the Military now. No obligation.

    • Army

    • Navy

    • Coast Guard

    • Marine Corps

    • Air Force

    • Reserve/Guard

https://secure.military.com/Recruiting/page1.do?ESRC=ggl_rec_usmc.kw


  • MYFUTURE.COM : " Work Interest Quiz - Trying to figure out what to do? Or what you'd like to do? This tool can help you get started. "

http://www.myfuture.com/


  • Occupational Outlook Handbook/Bureau of Labor and Statistics

    • Featured Publications

      • Occupational Outlook Handbook (OOH)

      • Monthly Labor Review

      • Occupational Outlook Quarterly (OOQ)

      • Career Guide to Industries

    • A complete source of employment information

http://www.bls.gov/


  • Scholarships.com: " Free College Scholarship Search & Financial Aid Information."

http://www.scholarships.com/


  • Student Aid on the Web : "Your source for free information from the U.S. Department of Education on preparing for and funding education beyond high school.

http://studentaid.ed.gov/PORTALSWebApp/students/english/index.jsp