Rising 7th/8th Grade Parent Information Night Let’s get ready to choose! Rising 7th grade team: Rising 8th grade team: Mr. Spencer (dean) Mrs. Smyth (dean) Mrs. O’Brien (counselor) Mrs. Waldo (counselor)

7th Grade Required Courses: Grade Level or Honors in the following: English Life Science U.S. History Math: Students currently in Math 6 will go to Math 7. Students currently in Accelerated Math 6/7 will go to Algebra 1. **Students will NOT make Core selections, they will be automatically uploaded based on recommendations Also Required: Health and P.E. Technology and Engineering Education & Family and Consumer Science (one semester of each) **All 7th graders will have 45 minutes of Resource or Spectrum**

7th Grade Elective Courses All 7th Graders will choose ONE Fine Arts Elective: Band 7 (must be currently enrolled in Band 6) Strings 7 (must be currently enrolled in Strings 6) Chorus Guitar 7 Art 7 All 7th Graders will choose ONE Core Elective: Coding at the Middle School (CAMS) Communication Studies Spanish 1, German 1, Latin 1, French 1 (high school credit) (not all students should start World Language in 7th grade, but it is the only way to reach AP level by Senior year without summer school) *Accelerating Literacy might be recommended by school

Required Courses-Grade 8 English Civics- Government/Economics Physical Science-Physics/Chemistry Math: Students who took Math 7 will go to Algebra 1 (Math 8 Option) Students who took Algebra 1 will go to Geometry Health and PE 8 *Resource-all 8th graders are required to have a 90 minute Resource block every other day. **Students who take Spectrum will have 45 minutes of Resource and 45 minutes of Spectrum

Grade 8 World Language World Languages and Cultures Level I or II in: Spanish, Spanish for Fluent Speakers, German, Latin or French

Foreign Language Important Notes: For an Advanced Studies Diploma, students must successfully complete three years of one language or two years each of two different languages. Some colleges may require more than the minimum number of foreign language credits currently needed for the Advanced Studies Diploma. Colleges are looking for students to continue foreign language through their senior year of high school. It is recommended that a student earn at least a “B” in order to progress to the next level of foreign language study. Seal of bilingualism

Grade 8 Elective Choices Students who are not taking a World Language will choose TWO of the following: Band 8 (if currently enrolled in Band 7) Strings 8 (if currently enrolled in Strings 7) Chorus (any student) Guitar Level 2 (if currently enrolled in Guitar 7) Technology and Engineering Education Family and Consumer Sciences Art 8 3 Dimensional Design Art 8 – New!!! Students who are taking a World Language will choose ONE of these electives

Summer Options Some students decide to take a math course in the summer to accelerate their course work through Virtual Loudoun. Detailed Information is provided to counselors in May, and will be forwarded to parents at that time. Typical cost approximately $700

Expunging Grades Any high school course taken during middle school. Once expunged, the grade AND credit are gone. Students would need to retake the course in order to receive credit or to move onto subsequent levels. Expungement forms will be sent home with all FINAL report cards. Forms MUST be submitted to the Counseling Departments NO LATER than August 15, 2017: Rising 9th Graders: Submit forms to THS Rising 8th Graders: Submit forms to SMMS (Ms. Waldo)

TJ/AOS/AET Timeline-8th grade year The process to apply to these schools begins in the Fall of 8th grade. AOS uses the PSAT as an admissions test-if your student requires accommodations you will need to start this process in August before school starts Schools host open houses/info session in the Spring TJHSST Admissions open house: April 1st @ TJ (9am-12pm) AOS Info Session: May 18th @ Dominion HS @ 7pm Students must be enrolled in Algebra 1 or higher during their 8th grade year in order to apply to TJ/AOS. Students must be enrolled in Geometry or higher during their 8th grade year to apply to AET.

Monroe Tech 26 programs Internship and Job Opportunities Auto Collision Repair Technology, Biotechnology, Building Construction, Computer and Digital Animation, Cosmetology, Firefighter, Graphic Communications, Nail Design, Practical Nursing, TV Production & Digital Movement, Welding Internship and Job Opportunities For Juniors and Seniors

AVID What can AVID do for you? What does it take the place of? Teach you organization and study skills Improves your communication and educational self-advocacy skills Challenge you to take higher level classes in high school You will have an AVID class that takes the place of an elective.

AVID

GPA Grade Point Average Numeric Value Letter Grade Quality Points (before weighting) 98-100 A+ 4.3 93-97 A 4 90-92   A- 3.7 87-89   B+ 3.3 83-86 B 3 80-82  B- 2.7 77-79    C+ 2.3 73-76 C 2 70-72   C- 1.7 67-69   D+ 1.3 63-66 D 1 60-62   D- 0.7 0-59 F 0

Advanced Studies Diploma Academic Areas Credits SOL Verified Credits English 4 2 Social Studies (World Studies (2), US/VA Government, and US/VA History) Mathematics (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II or above level of Algebra II) Science (From 3 of the 4 disciplines: Biological, Chemical, Physical, Earth) World Language (3 years of one language or 2 years each of two different languages) 3 or 4 Health/Physical Education Fine Arts or Career & Technical Education 1 Economics & Personal Finance Electives 3 Student Selected Verified Credit Total (depends on foreign language option) 26 or 27 9

Huh? Verified what? A verified unit of credit is earned by passing a course and its related end-of-course Standards of Learning (SOL) test where an end-of-course test is required. Students may repeat end-of-course tests to earn the verified credits needed for graduation. Classes that have SOLs Algebra I (administered at the end of Algebra I and Algebra I, Part 2) Algebra II Algebra II and Trigonometry Biology Chemistry Earth Science Geometry Reading (administered in English 11) Writing (administered in English 11) World History and Geography to 1500 World History and Geography, 1500 to Present United States History.

6 Year Plan Grade 7 Grade 8 Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12 Math 7 Algebra Geometry Algebra 2 Pre-Calculus AP Calculus AB Spanish 1 Spanish 2 Spanish 3 Spanish 4 Spanish 5 AP Spanish English Earth Sci Hons