The Power of 15

College and Career Ready

Synergy. Thinking outside the box. Run it up the flagpole. Low-hanging fruit. Most of the time, buzzwords and phrases, when overused, lose their impact. In education, the phrase, “college and career ready” has been widely used, but it may never become cliche. Why? Because it is the root of everything high school is about--it’s our driving goal, our, ahem, hedgehog concept.

One of the ways that we are trying to make students ready for college or a career is through The Power of 15. This is the idea that students will have accumulated 15 hours of college credit in high school through the successful completion of AP and dual credit courses.

What’s the big deal about 15 credits? Students who enter college with 15 credits under their belt:

• Are twice as likely to graduate from college on time.
• Earn a higher GPA in college.
• Report higher motivation to earn their degree.
• Save money! How much? Look at this chart that shows the value of 15 credit hours through different means:

While every student may not go on to college, we want to create an environment where college is at least an option. Regardless, AP and dual credit classes offer the following benefits:

• Solid work ethic to tackle rigorous coursework
• Preparation for college-level classes
• Vocational training and certification
• Time and money savings

Fremd High School offers over 40 AP and dual credit courses across a variety of subject areas. Needless to say, there are offerings to suit everyone! As long as we get our ducks in a row and give 110%, we can provide our students with a low-risk, high yield strategy to move the needle on their future without drinking water from a hydrant. That sounds like a win-win situation to me.

Enough with the cliches. It’s time to table the conversation.

Upcoming Home Activities and Varsity Events

September 18	Girls Volleyball @ Glenbard West H.S. - 5:00 p.m. Fremd Football vs. Buffalo Grove - 7:30 p.m.
September 19	Boys Golf Invitational vs. Dundee Crown @ Randall oaks Golf Club Girls Volleyball @ Glenbard West H.S. - 8:00 a.m. Girls Tennis Invitational @ Rolling Meadows H.S. - 8:00 a.m. Girls Golf vs. Rockford @ Ingersoll Golf Course - 9:00 a.m. Girls/Boys Cross Country vs. Warren @ Gowe Park - 9:00 a.m.
September 21	Boys Golf vs. Barrington @ Ivanhoe Country Club - 2:00 p.m. Girls Golf vs. Glenbrook North @ palatine Hills Girls Tennis vs. Hoffman Estates - 4:30 p.m.
September 22	Girls Golf vs. Barrington @ Palatine Hills - 3:30 p.m. Boys Golf vs. Barrington @ Makray Memorial Golf Club - 3:30 p.m. Boys Soccer @ Hoffman Estates - 4:30 p.m. Late Start - 8:50 start
September 23	Girls Tennis vs. Lake Zurich - 4:30 p.m.
September 24	Collage Concert - Cafeteria, 7;00 p.m. Boys Golf vs. Rolling Meadows @ Hilldate Golf Club - 3:30 p.m. Girls Golf vs. Rolling Meadows @ Palatine Hills - 3:30 p.m. Girls Tennis vs. Barrington - 4:30 p.m. Girls/Boys Cross Country @ Schaumburg, Hoover Elementary - 4:30 p.m. Girls Swimming & Diving @ Barrington -5:00 p.m. Girls Volleyball @ Hoffman Estates - 6:00 p.m.

For a more complete list, please visit our Athletics Page.

Staff Spotlight

NAME: Ken Hester

Ken Hester at last year's Veterans Day assembly.

Position: Custodial/Maintenance

Years at Fremd: 14

Life Before Fremd: Military/Vietnam, Business Owner, Sales and Marketing

Hobbies/Interests: Golfing, Fishing, Horses and Family

Insider Tip for Parents: Listen, guide and

have patience because they are smarter than you think.

Ask the Principal

Are you curious about something at Fremd but have never asked? Email me at ktenopir@d211.org. If your question is pertinent to a wider audience, I will include it in the next blog post.