1. Honors/AVID Parent Night

2. Benefits of the Honors Program:
Competitive classroom environment
Challenging curriculum
Gateway to high school honors
Higher-level thinking
Fosters academic & personal growth

3. Honors Expectations/Responsibilities
7th and 8th grade honors is a performance based program
English Honors students will read a required summer reading list
Approximately minutes of homework per night
7th grade honors covers both 7th grade & 8th grade standards!

4. Summer Reading Program
Students will be required to read 2 books
1 fiction
1 non-fiction
Students are responsible for obtaining the books
More information will be in the acceptance letter

5. Entrance to honors is determined by a matrix composed of multiple measures:
CST Score of Proficient or Advanced
Report Card
Work Habits
Honors Assessment

6. About the VMS Honors Program
The Honors program is a “linked” program.
If a student is in Math Honors they are also in Science Honors
If a student is in English Honors they are also in Social Studies Honors
Students can be in Math/Science and/or English/Social Studies.

7. Honors Assessments March 17th @ 9 a.m. at VMS in library
March 6:00 p.m. at VMS in library
This assessment will be required for:
All 6th grade students interested in being in Honors. This includes current GATE students.
Any student that wants to transfer from regular 7th grade to Honors 8th grade

8. Notification
Notification of acceptance/denial in the form of a letter will be sent home mid-May.
Please note: April/May 2012 CST scores could affect placement.

9. What is AVID?
AVID is:
Advancement
Via
Individual
Determination

10. Key Components and Benefits
Organization
Study Skills
Reading, Writing, Inquiry, Collaboration
Tutorials
Service
College & Career exploration
Binder Checks
Planners
Progress checks
Contracts
Cornell Notes
Graphic organizers
Test Preparation
Tutorials

11. Expectations Earn C’s or higher in all academic course work
Learn and model successful classroom behaviors
Be accountable for practicing strategies
Utilize the tutorial sessions
Complete a community service project
Complete college & career projects

12. Application Process/Requirements
Teacher recommendations
Student essay
Interview
Student/Parent Agreement
Decent grades
Solid CST scores
Student interest and desire

13. Notification Teacher recommendations are made by mid March
Applications and interviews are due by mid April (when possible)
Notification letters will go out early May

14. More Information
AVID is a national program with a wonderful website
You can also contact Becky Sausker at
Please stop by the table in the MPR as well