Independence HS Home of the Knights Welcome Class of 2021 Parents!

IHS Counselors Heather Mayfield Lead Randall Ford (A-D) fordra@friscoisd.org Rosalyn Greer (E-K) greerr@friscoisd.org Katie Puente (L-Q) puentek@friscoisd.org Jason Wooden (R-Z) woodenj@friscoisd.org Heather Mayfield Lead 2

Your Four-Year Plan! Encourages your student to stay focused on a high school pathway Helps guide your student through high school Ensures that your student is college and/or career ready Most of all, prepares students for the future! “Four-Year Plans are a work in progress; it can change throughout your four years of high school. Today is a starting point with changes to be anticipated each year during spring registration!”

Academic & Course Catalog The Academic & Course Catalogs are online Academic & Course Catalog The Academic & Course Catalogs are online! You can find the complete 2016-17 Academic Guide and Course Catalog online on the Frisco ISD website at:

What is a Credit in High School ? A student needs 26 credits in order to graduate. A half-credit is earned each semester for each class passed with a 70 or above average. All 9th grade students must be enrolled in eight class periods. 5

Class of 2021 Graduation Requirements Subject Credits Required Courses English 4 English 1, 2, 3, 4 Math 4 Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II, 4th math Science 4 Biology, Chemistry, Physics, 4th science OR Biology, IPC, Chemistry, Physics Social Studies 4 World Geo, World History, U.S. History, Government & Economics Foreign Language 2 Spanish, French, Chinese P.E. 1 P.E., Athletics/Training, Fall Band, Fall Color Guard, Drill Team, Cheer, Dance 1 (not an option for athletes) Health .5 Health, Health Science (Prereq: Medical Terminology) Speech .5 Professional Communications Fine Arts 1 Art, Theater Arts, Choir, Band, Dance, Orchestra, DGA, Elements of Floral Design (grade 10+) Technology 1 BIM, DIM, DGA, Computer Science, Computer Maintenance, Journalism, Photojournalism, TV Broadcast, Intro to Engineering Design Electives (Endorsements) 4 Total 26

4 Credits in Each Core Area: English, Math, Science, Social Studies Endorsement Plans Multidisciplinary All Career Pathways Arts & Humanities Political Science, World Languages, Cultural Studies, Literature, History, Fine Arts 4 Credits in Each Core Area: English, Math, Science, Social Studies Public Services Doctor, Nurse, Criminal Investigator, Law Clerk, Teacher, Athletic Trainer Business & Industry Information Technology, Finance, Architecture, Ag Science Explain that everyone will be on the multidisciplinary endorsement plan as they enter 9th grade STEM Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics

Grades will be weighted according to the level of the course. Rank in Class Policy AP/PAP Dual Credit On-Level Grade Point 95 100 5.5 94 99 5.4 93 98 5.3 92 97 5.2 91 96 5.1 90 5.0 89 4.9 88 4.8 87 4.7 86 4.6 85 4.5 84 4.4 Rank in class, honor graduate status, valedictorian and salutatorian determination shall be based on a weighted grade point average (GPA) system. Grades will be weighted according to the level of the course. Incoming 9th Graders will not receive a GPA and Rank until after the first Fall semester at Independence! 8

Top 10% Rule (end of junior year) Class Rank and GPA are used to determine if a student is in the “Top 10%” of the class. Students who are in the top 10% of their class are automatically accepted into Texas public colleges. (UT Austin is now top 7% for Fall 2017 & 2018) “Freshman grades count!” Start strong and do your best from your first day of high school.” For admissions purposes, rank at the end of junior year dictates the top 10% of the class. 9

State Assessments for High School 5 STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Exams English I English II Algebra I Biology US History 10

Responsibilities of a PAP/AP Student Actively engage with sophisticated concepts Desire to be challenged Ask questions during class Seek help when clarification needed Stay organized Be judged by rigorous, college-level standards More written vs. objective test Open-ended questions Faster pace More depth Complete longer and more complex nightly assignments 30-50 pages a week of outside reading 30 minutes to 1 hour of homework nightly 11

Balance – There are only 24 hours in a day!  Try not to overload yourself. We do not recommend that a student take all advanced-level classes, join numerous activities (band, athletics, student council…), and expect to be successful in EVERYTHING. We all need some down time. Consider your well-being and choose classes and activities carefully. 12

PAP/AP Six-Weeks Commitment Students who sign up for a PAP/AP class will be required to stay the entire first six weeks. At the close of the first six weeks, students who wish to drop will meet with their teacher, parent and counselor to discuss the move. The grade at the end of the six weeks will go with the student to the new class. Following the close of the first six weeks, students will not be allowed to drop the course until second term begins. 13

High School Schedule Known as an A-B block schedule 8 total classes A Day = 4 classes; B Day = the other 4 classes 30-minute lunch is based on student’s 3rd period class School begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 4:15 p.m. Each class is 90 minutes with 5 minutes between each class 14

Block Schedule A Day B Day Periods 1-4 Periods1-4 Sunday Monday Tuesday Wednesday Thursday Friday Saturday A Day Periods 1-4 B Day Periods1-4 15

Typical Schedule for a Student in P.E. Class A Day B Day 1st period: Algebra I 1st period: Biology 2nd period: English I 2nd period: Health/Speech 3rd period: Art I 3rd period: World Geography 4th period: PE 4th period: Spanish I 16

Typical Schedule for a Student in Band or Athletics Every Day A Day B Day 1st period: Algebra I 1st period: Biology 2nd period: English I 2nd period: Health/Speech 3rd period: Spanish I 3rd period: World Geography 4th period: Athletics or Band 4th period: Athletics or Band *Girls Athletics is double-blocked 1st period each day. *Boys Athletics is double-blocked 4th period each day. 17

Completing Other Requirements Technology (BIM, DIM, DGA, Computer Science, Computer Maintenance, Journalism, Photojournalism, TV Broadcast, Intro to Engineering Design, Architectural Design) Fine Arts (Art, Theatre, Technical Theatre, Elements of Floral Design, AP Art History, DGA, Music Theory, Band, Choir, Orchestra, Dance) Health (or Health Science pathway which requires Medical Terminology) Professional Communications (speech) Dance 1 – Counts for Fine Arts and PE DGA – Counts for Fine Arts and Technology 18

Ways to Meet P.E. Credit March in the Band- (fall PE credit only) Make Color Guard (fall PE credit only) Make an athletic team (football, volleyball, soccer, etc.) Be an Athletic Trainer (+ Sports Medicine and application) Make Drill Team Make Cheerleading Take Dance I (cannot take if in athletics) Take PE class: Personal Fitness Aerobics Team/Individual Weightlifting Adventure/Outdoor Off-Campus PE Have students turn to the back of the Endorsement Pathways (What Counts as……?) 19

Athletic Try-Outs All students are free to sign up for any athletic class they wish, but they must make the team in order to stay in the class. PE teaches how to play various sports, but the athletic teams in high school are competitive and require you to already know how to play. Try-outs are typically made the first two weeks of each semester. Those not making the team will be moved to P.E. and to elective classes that are STILL OPEN. 20

BAND Wind Ensemble, Symphonic Band (top 2 groups), & percussion are double-blocked classes; Concert Band (third band) & color guard are single blocked classes. Variances are handled on a case by case basis in order to work with other campus programs. All band students participate in marching band during the fall. The band director and athletic coach must be contacted if a student wants to participate in both band and a sport.

Foreign Language We encourage all freshman to start their foreign language in 9th grade! IHS currently offers Spanish, French, and Chinese. FYI…Chinese classes are online. 22

Programs Needing Applications We will bring with us to middle schools in January. Music Theory – Application Academic Decathlon – Application Athletic Trainer – Application Partner’s PE- Application Off Campus PE – Contact Sally Turner at district Middle school will advertise drill team and cheer tryouts. 23

Summer School Options The following courses MAY be offered in summer school for advancement: Business Information Mgmt (1 credit/2 terms) Digital Interactive Media (1 credit/2 terms Health (.5 credit/one term) Professional Communications (.5 credit/1 term) IPC (Integrated Physics & Chemistry) (1 credit/2 terms) Medical Terminology (.5 credit/1 term) **Can take up to 1 full credit in summer school. Does not count in GPA calculation** ***FISD Summer School may be revamped this summer due to funding. Complete summer school details usually arrive to campuses in May. 24

Credit By Exams for Acceleration Current 8th graders may be able to test at the end of school this year to ensure that grades are received in time for an accurate schedule at schedule pickup. A student’s schedule will not change until grades have been received. Grade does not count in GPA. 25

9th Grade Schedule Q&A How does my student select courses for 9th grade? Counselors will be back to the middle school next week to start the 4-year plan with students. Counselors return in late January to specifically review 9th grade course requests. Students and parents will have the opportunity to make any needed changes. Students will have until April 13th to make any needed elective changes! Will my student get every elective class we requested for 9th grade year? Maybe, but there are no guarantees with high school scheduling! We love for the students to get every class they selected, but there are MANY factors that affect a student’s schedule. Don’t forget to list alternate choices on your course requests in January! No alternates listed on course verification form? We pick a new class for you (and unfortunately you can’t change it). Your student’s schedule may not work out as planned, and we prefer not to make that choice! 26

Making a Schedule Change Your last opportunity to change an elective is on or before: April 13th, 2017 Only approved program changes (in or out of athletics, band, etc) can be made during the first two weeks of the new semester. PAP/AP students must complete the first six-weeks grade cycle before a change to on-level will be considered. 27

Dates to Remember August 2017 - Schedule Pickup/9th Grade Orientation December 2016- 4-year plan meetings at Scoggins and Nelson Monday, January 23rd – Rising Freshman Night, 6:00 p.m. @ IHS Auditorium Tuesday, January 24th- Individual Meetings at Scoggins (discuss 9th grade classes) Wednesday, January 25th- Individual Meetings at Nelson (discuss 9th grade classes) ***All course verification forms due back to the middle school counselors the following week March 2017- Middle School Dual Credit Night for FISD April 13th, 2017– Last Day for Elective Changes (Home Access open to view course requests- course request change form with middle school counselors) May 18th, 2017- Aloha Pep Rally at IHS (8th grade field trip to IHS for pep rally and high school panel) August 2017 - Schedule Pickup/9th Grade Orientation 28