Graduation Plans As Easy As 1…2…3…

Graduation Plans Making a plan for graduation may seem like an impossible task, but it’s a lot like baking a cake. If you follow the recipe, it’s as easy as 1…2…3…4

First - gather the ingredients

You will need A Graduation Plan Form Credit Check (on back of Graduation Plan) Specialization Flow Charts FAQ page

Step One Fill out the top of the graduation plan including: Your name ID Number Counselor’s name Ms. Morrill for (3rd Floor) Visual Arts, Education, or Entrepreneurship Ms. Gunn for (2nd Floor) Medical/Dental or Legal Ms. Villarreal for (1st Floor) Technology

Step Two There are courses in middle school that can be completed for high school credit. These would be written in the small boxes: Algebra 1 Spanish (1a, 1b, AP) French (1a, 1b) English 1 (GT) Biology (GT) Geometry (GT)

Measure Carefully Check and double check

Credit Check Turn the rough draft over On the back you will find a credit check that lists all the required courses for graduation. We will use this throughout the planning process

Step Three In the 9th grade box: Write the courses you are taking THIS year. The Other box can be used for summer school, night school, correspondence courses or classes at Irving, MacArthur, or Nimitz (i.e. Band, Choir, etc)

9th Grade Courses English I Algebra 1 (double blocked) IPC or Biology World Geography Algebra 1 Elective (Art, BCIS, French 1, Spanish 1) Specialization Other – (Band, Choir, Orchestra, ROTC)

Credit Check Turn the rough draft over Underline the courses you are taking now. Example: English 1 etc.

Biology, Chemistry, Physics Step Four Look at the Core Courses that are not marked Put a box around the next course in sequence: English is easy =1, 2, 3, 4 Math – Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II Other math courses will be added later Science – IPC, Biology, Chemistry Or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Social Studies – World Geography, World History, US History, Government and Economics

Turn the page over and write all the courses you boxed in (English, Math, Science, Social Studies) in the area that represents 10th grade Example: If you are currently in 9th grade and taking English 1, you write English 2 in the 10th grade box for English, etc.

Be Patient. We’re Getting there You should have NO MORE THAN 4 lines filled in for 10th grade so far

Step Five Required Electives Look at the remaining unmarked courses on the back. These represent required electives you must take before you graduate. DON’T FORGET Them!

Required Electives cont. Have you completed your language requirement? Box in the next course in sequence Example If you are in French I, box in French II Courses that are 1 semester (PE, Health, Speech) should get half a line Example Health/PE

Required Electives cont. PE Waivers To find out if you get a PE Waiver – look at question number 2 on the FAQ page .

Wait You have to BAKE the cake before you ice it!!!

Step Six Before you finish the 10th grade box: Fill in the rest of the core courses for 11th and 12th grades One course per year using the sequence English - 1, 2, 3, 4 Math – Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II Other math courses will be added later Science – IPC, Biology, Chemistry Or Biology, Chemistry, Physics Social Studies – World Geography, World History, US History, Government and Economics

Finish the Required Electives Now check the rest of the required electives Write in whatever requirements are left on lines 5 and 6 for each year. Leave 7 and 8 open If for some reason, you can’t meet all the requirements in the spaces allotted, you will need to consider alternatives like summer school, night school, correspondence. Talk to your counselor.

Step Seven Specialization Electives Use the flow chart to choose the electives you will take next year Find the specialization electives you are in on the flow chart Moving to the right on the plan and find next year’s electives in that specialization Example If you are currently in Intro HST and Medical Terms, next year you should take HST I for 2 periods

Specialization Electives cont. Using the flow chart write in the specialization electives for 11th and 12th grade Note you will probably need 4 lines your senior year for an internship (DCP)

Double Check Check all the required credits and make sure you have them all on your plan Check that you have at least 2 specialization electives filled in each year Any blank lines you have left write the word “elective” And…

You’re Done!!! Wow What a Masterpiece