Accelerated Math Courses Brighten Academy 2016

Increased Course Offerings at BACS As part of our growth plan, Brighten Academy has created a plan to accelerate qualified students through middle school math standards These students will have the opportunity to earn high school credits before ninth grade BACS offers acceleration for credits in Foreign Language and Math Douglas County School System supports our acceleration plan as participation in Georgia’s Move on When Ready (MOWR) initiative

Advanced vs. Accelerated Advanced Math provides students with a challenging curriculum, rigorous study, and required projects through the Georgia Common Core standards Students have opportunities for independent study Accelerated Math compacts some units, to push students through 1.5 years of GA Common Core Standards during one school year Students complete projects and independent study to increase rigor and depth of knowledge Allows opportunities to accumulate high school credits prior to 9th grade Positions students for a higher level math through high school; opportunities to expand to optional courses

Course Placement All students are placed into middle school math courses by use of a rubric; students must maintain these qualifying criteria to stay in the accelerated track Spring MAP data Mastery of the current year’s math standards / grades; Mastery in all Habits of Scholarship areas Teacher input Study habits HW completion Pace of learning GMAS Math Scores Attendance – an accelerated program requires strong attendance records

Summer Packets New this year! All incoming Accelerated Math students will be required to complete a Summer Packet Review of skills Preview of the first unit Standardized test practice This packet will be the students’ first HOS grade

Student supports Tutoring with their Teacher Availability varies Before school, during lunch, Wednesday Power Hour IXL website – all middle school students were provided logins Buzz Math – sixty licenses were purchased, logins can be requested GA Milestone Assessment Guide – available through GADOE.org

The traditional Progression 6th Grade Math 7th Grade Math 8th Grade Math

Class of 2021 (current 8th Graders) – Accelerated Take 8th Grade EOG Milestones 6th Grade 6th Grade Math 7th Grade 7th Gr. Math + part of 8th Math 8th Grade Finish 8th Gr. Math + ½ credit HS Algebra

Class of 2022 (current 7th Graders) – Accelerated Take 8th Grade EOG Milestones 6th Grade 6th Grade Math 7th Grade 7th Gr. Math + part of 8th Math 8th Grade Finish 8th Gr. Math + ½ credit HS Algebra

Class of 2023 (current 6th Graders) – Accelerated Take the Algebra EOC Test 6th Grade 6th Gr. Math + part of 7th Math 7th Grade Finish 7th + All of 8th Gr. Math 8th Grade Full credit in HS Algebra

Foreign Language Program Entrance 5th Graders will be screened for eligibility At least a 2.5 in Reading and Language Arts after the third nine weeks Scoring Proficient or Distinguished on the 5th Grade GA Milestones ELA/Reading section Meets or Exceeds in Commitment and Critical Thinking, Habits of Scholarship Teacher & Parent Recommendations The two-year course is split into four semesters: one in 6th, one in 7th, and a full year in 8th

Earning Foreign Language Credit Once enrolled in the foreign language program, middle school students must demonstrate the following to remain in the program Scores of 3 or above by the end of the year in all Spanish semesters Scores of Meets/Exceeds in Habits of Scholarship: Craftsmanship, Commitment, and Critical Thinking The final 8th grade scores will be converted for credit in Spanish I The final grade will count towards high school GPA Student will be enrolled in Spanish II as a 9th grader

Questions? Presentation continues with specific information for current 8th grade students in Accelerated Math

Finishing 8th Grade Math Students must have tested in all units before December 16 Retest opportunities available with Mrs. Beck, through the end of January Grades at the end of January will be converted for the final 8th grade math credit Students will take the 8th Grade GA Milestones test in April

Preparing Students for High School Grading Teacher will utilize a combination of independent / paired work in learning activities, with scheduled quizzes and tests Grades will be given as raw scores or percentages, to mirror typical high school grading methods Students can strive for mastery with remediation and retests All retest attempts due by May 19 Units 1-3: Quantities & Expressions, Linear Equations & Inequalities, and Quadratic Functions ½ Credit in GSE Algebra I, which counts towards high school GPA

How can I earn the other ½ Credit in Algebra? GA Virtual School, www.GAvirtualschool.org Registration for summer courses begins in March Create a Student Account to begin registration and view courses The online course is necessary to complete the second semester of Algebra I Cost is $250 for the remaining ½ credit; student/family must pay Must finish the online coursework before July 7 to be eligible for testing Grades are released from GAVS on July 20; parent will send the report to the high school https://gavs.gavirtualschool.org/GAVSRegWeb/Courses/CourseCatalog GSE Algebra I B is the course your student will need prior to 9th grade

Summer Testing Algebra I EOCT is required to earn credit Testing on July 13-14, scheduled by county calendar The EOCT score counts as 20% of the final grade, averaged with the two semester scores The final grade (after the EOCT calculation) is included in the student’s high school transcript, towards GPA

Ninth Grade! Register for Geometry, Analytic Geometry, IB Math, or STEM Math, as determined by the high school Spring opportunity to enroll in the Accelerated track, dependent on each high school’s offerings Each high school will determine how to finish Algebra I, if the GAVS credit is not finished Each high school offers credit recovery, should the student need to retake the course

Questions? Thank you for attending! Sue Beck, Math Teacher Kelly Bemus, Math Teacher sBeck@BrightenAcademy.com kBemus@BrightenAcademy.com Shawn Brown, Math Teacher Lisa McDonald, BACS Director sBrown1@BrightenAcademy.com Lmcdonald@BrightenAcademy.com