Student Information

Sandy Mitchum, College Advisor

423-886-0880 ext. 52147, mitchum_s@hcde.org

Margaret Gigandet, Ed.S., College Advisor

423-886-0880 ext. 52120   gigandet_m@hcde.org

The purpose of your college advisor is to collaborate with and support the existing counseling program by serving as a resource for college and financial aid information for students, parents, faculty and staff.

At SMMHS, our ideals include the belief that every student should have the opportunity to go to college. We will work to help increase awareness of postsecondary opportunities, find the right college match for your child, and present as many scholarship opportunities as possible. Specific activities and opportunities to make this possible for students include:

• • Conducting curriculum and college planning workshops for students in grades 9 and 10

• • Conduct classroom advisory sessions on topics such as: how to write a strong essay for scholarships, what a great personal statement looks like, and how to find the right college for you

• • Meeting one-on-one with students during spring of the junior year or early fall of the senior year to build and refine postsecondary plans

• • Maintaining a college counseling database for ongoing accountability, end-of-year reports, and college matriculation follow-up

• • Conduct financial aid workshops and work with support staff from local universities to assist in completing your FAFSA (free application for federal student aid)

• • Coordinating college tours and/or college representative visits to the schools

• • Assisting students with college and scholarship applications

Links      FAFSA      ACT        Collegeboard (SAT)          College for TN

College 101 Info Packet: College Info 24-25.pdf

Scholarship Websites:  www.goingmerry.com           www.myscholly.com      www.fastweb.com    https://studentscholarships.org/scholarships.php

Top 175 Scholarships: Top 175 Scholarships

College Essay Tips: http://https//www.collegeessayguy.com/blog/how-to-write-a-college-essay

ACT Dates 24_25 http://https//www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html#dates

SAT Dates 24-25: https://www.act.org/content/act/en/products-and-services/the-act/registration.html#dates

College Guide for Seniors: Senior-Next-Guide-Class-of-2024-Final.pdf

NACACCollegeAdmissionsProcess.pdf

2023-2024-Preparing for College Guide.pdf

How to Find a College That Fits You 3.doc

SCHOLARSHIP RESOURCES.docx

Scholarship/ Financial Aid Resources Non-TnTech_Scholarships.pdf

College Search in TN:   https://www.collegefortn.org/college-finder/
College Search outside of TN:  https://bigfuture.collegeboard.org/college-search/filters

SMMHS School Profile 23-24: 2023-2024 Profile (1).pdf

Signal Mountain High School Seniors and Parents/Guardians,

We would like to continue a senior tradition/privilege by allowing the seniors who are in good standing to leave campus for lunch the first Friday of each month. Eligible students will be able to check out/in between 10:46 a.m. and 12:36 p.m.

In order to have the privilege of leaving campus for lunch, a parent/guardian signature and teacher signatures are required. The teacher’s signature verifies that you are in “Good Standing” in their class. The parent/guardian’s signature gives you permission to leave campus.

“In good standing in each teacher’s class” means you have met the following requirements:

You are presently passing the class with an average of 70, or above.
You do not have 2 or more unexcused absences since the last open campus lunch.
You have not received an office referral from that class.
If any of these three requirements are NOT met, your teacher’s have been instructed to NOT sign your form.

Requirements for maintaining “Good Student Status” and continuing the privilege of leaving campus for lunch are as follows:

Passing each class with a 70, or above. Seniors will lose the Open Campus privilege any time your average falls below 70 in any class. Students may regain the privilege at the Open Campus lunch if all class averages are at 70, or above.
Upon accumulating two un-excused absences in any class since the last Open Campus lunch, seniors will lose the Open Campus privilege until the next Open Campus lunch.
When a senior’s actions result in a suspension, in school suspension or office referral, the Open Campus privilege will be lost until the next Open Campus lunch.
When a senior is tardy to 8th period after an Open Campus lunch, the Open Campus privilege will be lost for the next month. If a student fails to return to school after an Open Campus lunch, the privilege will be lost for the remainder of the school year.
Seniors must ALWAYS comply with their parent/guardians wishes as it relates to being a passenger in another senior’s vehicle, or allowing another senior to be a passenger in your vehicle. Failure to follow this mandate will result in an immediate loss of this privilege. The amount of time the privilege is lost will be determined in a parent conference.
Seniors will lose the Open campus privilege for the remainder of the year for taking any underclassman off campus during Open Campus Senior Lunch.
Seniors will lose the Open Campus privilege for any other circumstance as determined by administrators, which violates a senior’s “Good Standing Status,” or calls into question the ability of the senior to safely participate in the Open Campus program. Such circumstances are, but are not limited to: 1. A vehicle citation by law enforcement; 2. Any inappropriate behavior at any establishment visited by the senior during the Open Campus time; 3. Visiting the campus of any other school during the Open Campus time. ( This is strictly forbidden )

The SMMHS math department is committed to helping our students achieve their highest potential. Our ultimate goal is to place students in courses that both meet their needs and challenge them to grow. Students who are properly placed are more likely to have their interest in math cultivated. To this end, we offer multiple paths and opportunities to advance at different times in a student’s development.

We offer 6 distinct opportunities in which students may advance during their SMMHS math career. By accepting the opportunity to advance, the student is committing to following the path to which they advance.

1. Students in 6th grade advanced math class take Honors Algebra 1 in 7th grade. The 6th, 7th, and 8th grade standards are covered in the 6th grade advanced course. These students are chosen by data including academic performance, teacher observations, and at least two diagnostic assessments.

2. Students in 6th grade math may advance to 7th grade advanced math which covers the 7th and 8th grade standards in one year. The purpose of the course is to enable students to enter Honors Algebra 1 in 8th grade through an accelerated curriculum. These students are chosen by data including academic performance, teacher observations, and at least two diagnostic assessments.

3. Students in 7th grade may advance to Honors Algebra 1 in 8th grade based on data taken at the end of 7th grade. This data includes academic performance, teacher observations, and at least two diagnostic assessments. Summer work is provided and recommended to prepare students for Honors Algebra 1 in the Fall.

4. Students may double up and take Honors Geometry & Honors Algebra 2 during the same year. In order to do this, they will have to forego an elective Administrative approval is required for this opportunity.

5. After Geometry – Students may take an abridged Algebra II course (not for credit) with only the content of Algebra II needed for DP Analysis and Approaches SL. The course must be completed by August 1st for placement in DP Analysis and Approaches SL. There is not an EOC for this course.

6. After Honors Algebra II – Students may take an abridged Precalculus course (not for credit) with only the content of Precalculus needed for DP Analysis and Approaches HL. The course or content must be completed by August 1st for placement in DP Analysis and Approaches HL. There is not an EOC for this course.

If you have an advancement need not covered here, please let your math teacher and school counselor know.

Parking Information

Documents needed:

• Vehicle registration card signed by parent or guardian- Student Vehicle Registration Card.pdf
• Copies of Driver’s License and Insurance card (we will not make copies)
• $25.00 fee- Students can pay online or by cash or check (https://signalmountainmiddlehigh.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true&category=Parking

IF STUDENTS DO NOT HAVE ANY PART OF THE ABOVE DOCUMENTS, THEY WILL NOT RECEIVE A PARKING TAG UNTIL DOCUMENTS ARE RECEIVED.

If you have any question, you can contact Mrs. Adams.

SMMHS Tardy and Attendance Policy

Tardy Policy (per quarter)

If a student is continually tardy to class, please inform parents and refer to admin on the 4th tardy. Students that miss more than half of the class should be marked absent.

Morning Tardies (1st/2nd Blocks) 

Students must have a tardy pass from the office to be admitted to class.

• 1-3 Tardies = Warning
• 4-6 Tardies = Parent contact/conference, afternoon detention, counseling
• 7-9 Tardies = Parent/admin conference, multiple detentions, student attendance contract
• 10+ Tardies = Parent/admin conference, ISS, parent/student attendance contract

All Other Class Tardies 

Please mark tardies in PowerSchool. A referral should be submitted to admin upon the 4th tardy to class.

• 1-3 Tardies Per Class = Warning
• 4-6 Tardies Per Class = Parent contact/conference, afternoon detention, counseling
• 7-9 Tardies Per Class = Parent/admin conference, multiple detentions, student attendance contract
• 10+ Tardies Per Class =  Parent/admin conference, multiple detentions, parent/student attendance contract

Unexcused Absences Policy (per year)

If a student has three or more unexcused absences per class, the following consequences will occur:

• 3+ Unexcused Absences = Phone call home, counseling
• 5+ Unexcused Absences = Parent/admin meeting, student attendance contract
• 8+ Unexcused Absences = Parent/admin meeting, loss of privileges (i.e. extracurricular and/or driving), referral to social worker
• 10+ Unexcused Absences = Parent/admin meeting, loss of privileges, parent/student attendance contract, possible truancy referral