COURSE REGISTRATION WESTERN ALBEMARLE HIGH SCHOOL

PURPOSE OF THIS PRESENTATION ► Help students understand the process of course registration ► Help students prepare for their individual course registration meeting with their counselor in the next few weeks ► Introduce students to the Guide to High School Credit Courses (previously known as the Program of Studies)

HOW TO DETERMINE COURSES ► Know your Diploma Type and Graduation Requirements ► Meet your post-graduation goals ► Teacher Recommendations Teacher Recommendations will be made on Monday, December 14. Please talk with your teachers to make sure that you understand the rationale behind their recommendation. You will see their recommendations on the portal as well. ► Explore your interests

TWO DIPLOMA TYPES Standard Diploma Military Job Market Two year colleges Some four year colleges Advanced Diploma Military Job Market Two year colleges More competitive four year colleges

TEACHER RECOMMENDATIONS Teacher recommendations are based on student performance in the classroom. Teachers recommend courses or levels in which they feel a student will be most successful. In order for a parent to override the recommendation of the teacher, students will need to get override forms signed by teachers so that parents can make informed decisions about course selection. All course requests will be final as of April 29, 2016, including Overrides.

STANDARD DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS 22 CREDITS 4 credits English 3 credits History 3 credits Math 3 credits Science 2 credits Health/PE 1 credit Fine Art/CTE Course 1 credit additional Fine Art/CTE or Language 1 credit Personal Finance/Economics 2 credits Sequential Electives 2 credits Electives Students entering 9 th grade beginning in 2013 are required to pass an industry certification exam* as well as take one online course * There are provisions for this requirement to be waived

ADVANCED STUDIES DIPLOMA REQUIREMENTS 26 CREDITS  4 credits English Students entering 9 th  4 credits History grade for the first time in  4 credits Math 2013 will be required to  4 credits Science take an online course  2 credits Health/PE  1 credit Fine Art/CTE Elective  1 credit Personal Finance/Economics  3 or 4 credits World Language  2/3 credits Electives

ECONOMICS AND PERSONAL FINANCE We are encouraging Students to consider taking the Economics and Personal Finance class during their Junior Year in order to meet graduation requirements. There is an AP version of this class available to students who are recommended by their History Teacher. This class is also available as an online class in summer and the school year.

ONLINE CLASSES Currently Albemarle County has created five online courses: Personal Finance Students who choose to take Health IPE Virtually will be required Heath II**to attend school to perform PE I*fitness tests. These dates will PE II*be non-negotiable. Current 9 th, 10 th, and 11 th grade students will meet this requirement as part of their regular course work. Students who wish to have a more in depth experience with online course work are encouraged to consider these options. ** Does not include Driver’s Ed!

VERIFIED CREDITS Students earn Verified Credits when they pass both the class and the SOL associated with the class. Courses that have SOL exams include: Algebra IWorld History I GeometryWorld History II Algebra IIU.S. History Earth ScienceEnglish Reading BiologyEnglish Writing ChemistryWorld Geography

VERIFIED CREDIT REQUIREMENTS Standard Diploma  2 English  1 Math  1 Science  1 History  1 Student Choice  6 total verified credits Advanced Studies Diploma  2 English  2 Math  2 Science  2 History  1 Student Choice  9 total verified credits Students who transferred to WAHS during their 10 th grade year or later may have reduced number of SOL requirements. Please check with your counselor.

COURSE LEVELS ► Standard Level provides a broad base of knowledge and emphasizes practical applications of concepts ► Advanced Level provides a rigorous curriculum designed to encourage academic growth and performance ► Honors Level is designed for students demonstrating exceptional aptitude and achievement in a discipline. These students are expected to be self motivated, independent learners able to engage in self-instruction through independent reading, projects and research

COURSE LEVELS, CONTINUED Advanced Placement Level is a college level curriculum that requires much of the same student characteristics as the Honors Level. Depending on the college you attend and your AP score, you may earn college credit after taking the AP Exam Dual Enrollment courses provide students the opportunity to earn college credit through PVCC at the same time as they earn high school credit

DUAL ENROLLMENT COURSES Courses that earn Dual Enrollment credit from PVCC include: PVCC English 12 PVCC Teaching as a Profession PVCC Astronomy PVCC Web Design III/IV PVCC Drawing PVCC Music Appreciation PVCC Elementary Statistics PVCC Medical Terminology PVCC Entrepreneurship (New for 2016 – 2017)

PVCC(DUAL ENROLLMENT) PREREQUISITES Students who enroll in Dual Enrollment Courses are required to:  Apply to PVCC online  Return a signed parent permission form  Meet Testing Requirements  520 on SAT Reading or Writing, Math OR  ???on PSAT Reading or Writing, Math OR  Pass the Virginia Placement Test

COURSES THAT REQUIRE APPLICATIONS ► Leadership ► Yearbook ► AVID ► Teaching as a Profession ► Independent Study ► Junior Senior Internship ► Journalism ► CATEC Courses All applications are due by Friday, February 26, 2016 and are available in the Counseling Office and online

ARTS AND LETTERS PATHWAY The Fine Arts Pathway at WAHS will provide opportunities for Fine Arts students to gain additional recognition, rigorous experiences, and college and career skills, both within the school and community. In addition to course study, students will participate in internships, job shadowing, and a capstone project during their high school career. Art Ceramics Crafts Digital Imaging Photography Band Orchestra Choral Creative Writing Theatre. Students wanting to complete a Pathway will be able to enter the program prior to their their freshman or sophomore years. Students, however, do not have to be involved in a Pathway to enroll in a Fine Arts course.

NEW COURSES TO WAHS CATEC Cyber: Computer Networking Electrician I and II WAHS PVCC Entrepreneurship Audio Production Architecture II Robotics and Automation II Musical Theatre Film Photography Physics C AP Environmental Science

NOT SO NEW CLASSES: SAME COURSE, DIFFERENT NAME! Materials and Processes This course is now called: Engineering I: Tools and Manufacturing Engineering II: Design and Application Manufacturing Technology This course is now called: Design I: Industry Design and Prototyping Design II: Product Design and Development

GUIDE TO HIGH SCHOOL COURSES The Guide to High School Courses can be found on the School Counseling Web Page under Registration. e/Pages/default.aspx e/Pages/default.aspx

STUDENT DATES FOR ENTERING COURSE REQUESTS ONLINE Families will have the opportunity to enter course requests online beginning at 5:00 pm on Friday, December 18 – January 10 at midnight through the Parent/Student Portal Questions regarding entering course requests can be directed to your counselor. All Students will meet with their counselor to discuss and finalize course requests beginning in January

CHANGING COURSE REQUESTS All course requests will be final as of April 29, Students may meet with their counselor prior to this date to make any changes NO CHANGES (including level changes) will be made during the summer The only changes made at the start of the year are to make corrections

WHAT’S NEXT? ► The Curriculum Expo will take place on Monday, December 7 during lunch. This is a good time for you to get more information on courses in which you may be interested ► Recommendations will be made the last week of school in December. If you disagree with a teacher recommendation, please talk with that teacher to understand his or her basis for that recommendation prior to meeting with your counselor. Override forms must be signed by your current teacher and parent before turning into your counselor.

WHAT’S NEXT…(CONTINUED) Your course request selections are not finalized until you meet with your counselor!!! ► Families will make preliminary course requests through the Portal on Power School. Your course request selections are not finalized until you meet with your counselor!!! ► You will meet with your counselor in the next few weeks to choose courses

WHAT’S NEXT…(CONTINUED) If you find an error, let your counselor know ASAP! ► Course Request Verification Letters will be sent home in the spring so that you and your family can verify that the correct courses and levels have been entered into the computer. If you find an error, let your counselor know ASAP! ► No changes will be made after April 29, 2016 so that we can build that master schedule

ONLINE RESOURCES Please check with School Counseling Website under Counseling Documents for the following items: Graduation Requirements A Worksheet to determine next year’s courses Directions on entering course requests through the Portal Counselors will be meeting with students from January though February 26 to review, discuss and submit course requests. We encourage all parents to sit in on student course registration meetings. Please contact your counselor to make the appointment for your student.

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