Adams High School
Prospective Families
Joining the JA Family
We encourage and invite you to consider applying to John Adams, in the IB Magnet or as a general education student. Our classes work best when there is a variety of perspectives and experiences represented. Please check out the links tied to this page for more information on how you can become an Eagle.
Prospective Student Visits
Prospective Student Visit FAQ
WARNING! Students are not allowed to register themselves for prospective student visits without their parents' permission. The IB Coordinator must speak to a responsible adult before completing the registration process for the child.
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What is a Prospective Student Visit?
Some people refer to it as "shadowing," which is when an incoming student attends classes with an existing student to get a feel for the school, the classes, and student life at John Adams High School, specifically within the International Baccalaureate Magnet.
Who can visit?
Any 8th-grade student and any 9th - 10th grade student from another school district who is interested in attending John Adams High School and participating in the International Baccalaureate (IB) Programme is welcome to visit AS LONG AS the student is passing all their classes (no F's in any class). The student may visit when the grade has been raised to at least a C.
When are Prospective Student Visit days?
Visits can be scheduled on a Tuesday, Wednesday, or Thursday that classes are scheduled and the academic calendar is amenable. “Shadow Season” is October - December.
Students may select a FULL-DAY visit (9:00 a.m. to 3:15 p.m., including lunch), a HALF-DAY MORNING (9:00 a.m. to 11:10 a.m.--periods 1, 2 & 3); or a HALF-DAY AFTERNOON (12:45 p.m. to 3:15 p.m.--periods 5, 6 & 7)
What would be the benefit of visiting full-day vs half-day?
Full-day visits are good for students who are coming from private schools with smaller student bodies. It allows the student to get the feel for the larger space and the number of people in the space, particularly during lunch. Half-day visits are good for all students who already kind of know that they want to come to Adams. It's a way for students to dip their toes in without missing a whole day of class.
Students who visit the whole day will be placed with a 9th-grade ambassador for half of the day and with an IB junior or senior the other half of the day to get a feel for both what they should expect next year and what they should expect as juniors and seniors in the International Baccalaureate.
Who will be my student's ambassador?
Your student will shadow a Student Ambassador. Student Ambassadors are current JAHS students who have met attendance and academic requirements and have been trained. Student Ambassadors will be in the grade immediately above that of your student, so if your student is a rising freshman, his/her ambassador will be a freshman taking pre-IB and Honors classes.
Prospective students may request a student to shadow, however, all of our ambassadors are vetted for behavior, grades, and schedule, so the requested student may not be available. If your requested ambassador is not available, you will be assigned another ambassador with similar interests.
What next?
1. Fill out the Prospective Student Visit Form
2. Parents/Guardians will be contacted by Mrs. Gehring with the date and time of the student's visit, at which point arrangements can be made with the student's current school. If Mrs. Gehring is unable to reach a responsible adult, the visit will be canceled. Please do not assume that you will automatically get your first choice of date, time, or ambassador.
Please note: DO NOT ARRIVE AT JAHS UNTIL YOU HAVE RECEIVED CONFIRMATION FROM MRS. GEHRING. STUDENTS WHO ARRIVE WITHOUT CONFIRMING THEIR VISIT WITH MRS. GEHRING WILL BE SENT HOME.
THE DAY OF THE VISIT...
1. Enter through Door 1 (faces Twyckenham Drive) between 8:45am - 9:00am (Full Day, Half Day AM) or around 12:45pm (Half Day PM).
2. Come directly to the Main Office. Check-in with Mrs. Gehring, receive a Visiting Student name badge, and connect with the Student Ambassador.
3. As a matter of safety, PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS MUST STAY WITH THEIR ASSIGNED AMBASSADOR. If your student does not remain with their ambassador all day, they will be sent home.
4. Visiting students must be picked up at Door 1 by 11:15am (Half Day AM) or 3:15pm (Half Day PM, Full Day)
QUESTIONS?
Please contact Stacee Fischer Gehring, IB Coordinator, at 574-393-5321 or sgehring@sbcsc.k12.in.us.