1. Welcome Parents Seniors 2017

2. Building Principal Mark Smith Associate Principal Kurt Stephens
10th Grade Principal
Clarence Bennett
Gear Up
Vickie Evans
Counselor
Angela Van Schoubroek

3. ALL 9TH GRADE STUDENTS ARE GEAR UP STUDENTS

4. GOALS OF GEAR UP:
Graduate in 2017
Accepted and enroll in college, career/technical program, or military

5. Course Description Guide STAAR EOC PSAT Scheduling
FOCUS on Your Future
Course Description Guide STAAR EOC PSAT Scheduling

6. Areas of Interest: Course Names
Art 2 Photo Commercial Photo Art 3 Photo Commercial Photo II Broadcast Journalism Audio/Video Production Yearbook Graphic Design & Illustration Practicum In Arch Design Engineering Design and Presentation

7. Areas of Interest: New Courses
AP Accounting (Pending College Board Approval)- 1 credit course
Audio/ Video Production II- 2-3 credit course
Corrections Services-1 credit
Forensic Science- Serves as fourth science and offers continuation in Public Law cluster-1 credit course
Practicum in Health Science- Pharmacy Tech 2-3 credit course
Principles of Law, Public Safety, Corrections, and Security- 1 credit course

8. What is STAAR EOC?
Students will take 5 STAAR End of Course (EOC) Assessments:
Algebra I
English I
English II
Biology
U.S. History
Combined reading and writing beginning this spring for English I and II

9. PSAT
Practice with standardized testing and for taking PSAT as a junior, the year students can qualify for the National Merit Scholarship competitions
Improve academic skills and prepare for the SAT
Personalized study plan with practice SAT
Projected SAT score
Personalized college planning kit and list of colleges, majors and careers
Access to “MyCollegeQuickstart,” an interactive majors, college and career exploration program

10. 10th Grade PAP Courses English II PAP (year-long)
GT Block - English II PAP, Art History AP, World History AP (Linked together for 3 credits-year-long)
World History Pre-AP (1 semester)
Geometry PAP OR
Algebra II PAP
Biology PAP (year-long)
Physics 1 PAP
Chemistry 1 PAP
Spanish 2 PAP (1 semester)
Spanish 3 PAP (1 semester)
French 3 PAP (1 semester)
If a student took Algebra in 8th grade, they are allowed double up their math with Algebra 2 PAP and Pre-Cal PAP with the intent of taking Cal 2 PAP as a senior.
With that being said we are offering additional math classes in order for your student to have several options other than Calculus into Cal 2. New class options: AP Statistics and Finite Math Dual Credit, which would be choices for their senior year.

11. Pre-AP Course Requirements
Students and parents must sign a unilateral contract for participation in Pre-AP.
If a student requests a Pre-AP class, no schedule changes will be made during the first week of the course.
Changes to a regular-level class will be permitted the 2nd through the 4th week after a conference with the counselor, as well as the teacher, and with a note signed by the parent, giving permission for the student to drop the class.

12. Sophomore Year with Biology
Fall
Spring
English II or PAP
Biology or PAP
Geometry or Algebra II
or PAP
W History or PAP
Elective

13. Sophomore Year (Biology taken as freshman)
Fall
Spring
English II or PAP
Geometry or Algebra II or PAP
Chemistry or PAP
World History or PAP
Elective

14. GT Sophomore Year Fall Spring English II PAP Art History AP
World History AP
SS Adv Std
Biology or chemistry
Biology or elective
Geometry or Algebra II
Elective

15. Introduction Year
Sophomore Year is the year to start the Pathways with the Introduction class
Most Programs are 2 full year classes

16. Career Pathways
Clusters of careers grouped by shared interests and strengths
Variety of occupations with different levels of education
Provides focus, flexibility and variety of course selection

17. Career Clusters Agriculture, Food and Natural Resources
Business Education
Marketing
Finance
Arts/Audio/Video Technology and Communications
Information Technology
Manufacturing
Transportation
Distribution
Logistics
Architecture and Construction
Health Science
Science Technology
Engineering Mathematics
Human Science and Services
Education and Training
Hospitality and Tourism

18. Questions Angela Van Schoubroek 936-630-4104 (Counseling)
(office)
Questions

19. Parent to Parent
We will now break into small groups to learn more information on: Graduation Requirements & GPA

20. GPA All grades are used in determining GPA and class rank.
Numerical grades are averaged with the weighted GPA determining class rank.
The course weighting system:
Regular course grade= X grade for class
PAP course grade and Dual Credit = X grade for class
AP course grade = X grade for class

21. Graduation Requirements
Course Recommended Distinguished
Diploma( RHS) Diploma (DAP)
English credits 4 credits
Mathematics 4 credits 4 credits
Science credits 4 credits
Social Studies 4 credits 4 credits
Foreign Lang. 2 credits 3 credits
**Physical Ed. ** 1½ credits 1½ credits Health Ed. ½ credit ½ credit
Technology 0 credit 0 credit
Fine Arts 1 credit 1 credit
Comm. App. ½ credit ½ credit
Electives 4 ½ 3 ½
State or local electives 5 5
Total 31 credits 31 credits
** substitutions for PE- Athletics, band, cheer, drill team, and trainer
DAP Science- IPC does not count as one of the 4 sciences. Biology, Chemistry, Physics and additional science for their 4th.

22. Measures for Distinguished
Any combination of the following, to equal 4:
Student’s performance on the PSAT qualifies the student as a commended scholar or higher. (counts as 1 measure)
Student earns a B or better in a college course. Prior approval required. (1 measure per college course)
Student earns a 3 or higher on any AP exam. (1 measure per exam)