1. Welcome To Ponchatoula High School The Tangipahoa Parish School System does not discriminate on the basis of Race, color, national origin, sex, age, disabilities or veteran status. We are an equal opportunity employer.

2. INTRODUCTION  The information you are receiving is important for you and your child. You, the school, and the student must work together to ensure that your student achieves his/her educational goals.  Each student will receive an informational newspaper needed for scheduling. It will provide you with graduation requirements, scheduling requirements, course summaries and other important information. Read this guide carefully and discuss the scheduling options with your child.  Students are NOT allowed to change teachers or courses once the schedules are issued. So please give serious consideration to your selections.

3. Overview of Topics State Graduation Diplomas Offered  Curriculum Pathways  Assessment (Test) Requirements  Areas of Concentration  Individual Graduation Plans  Scheduling Forms

4. Louisiana Graduation Diplomas

5. State Diplomas  College and Career Diploma  LA Core 4 College Curriculum  Basic Core Curriculum  Career Diploma

6.  The Louisiana Core Four Curriculum prepares students for entrance to a four-year Louisiana state university.  The Basic Core Curriculum prepares students for a Louisiana state community college or technical school.

7. State Policy 1.All students entering 9 th grade are automatically placed on the LA Core 4 curriculum pathway and College Diploma 2.At the end of their 10 th grade year, a student with parent or guardian permission may opt into the Basic Core curriculum or Career Diploma curriculum

8. Curriculum Pathways

9. LA Core 4 College Curriculum 24 Carnegie Units  Requirements (College Diploma) English 4 units Math 4 units Science 4 units S. Studies 4 units Foreign Language 2 units Arts1 unit Health & PE 2 units Electives3 units

10. LA Core 4 A complete list is provided in the newspaper. The following only includes the courses offered at PHS.  4 Units of English English I, II, III, IV

11.  4 Units of Math Algebra I Geometry Algebra II Remaining unit shall come from the following: Math Essentials, Financial Math, Advanced Math Pre-Calculus, Advanced Math Functions and Statistics, Calculus

12.  4 Units of Science Biology I Chemistry I 2 units from the following: Physical Science, Physics I, Biology II, Chemistry II, Environmental Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Agriscience II  An approved IBC-related course may be substituted for the 4 th science if the course is in the student’s area of concentration. (For Core 4 students only)

13.  4 Units of Social Studies 1 unit of Civics American History World Geography World History  An approved IBC-related course may be substituted for the fourth required social studies unit if the course is in the student’s area of concentration. (For Core 4 students only)

14.  ½ Unit of Health  1½ Units of PE  Note: The substitution of JrROTC is permissible

15.  1 Unit of Art Fine Arts Survey or 1 unit of Art, Band, Choir, or Theatre  2 Units Foreign Language 2 units of the same foreign language or 2 units of speech (must have foreign language for TOPS)  3 units of electives  Total 24 units

16. OPT OUT of LA Core 4 1.At the end of the 10 th grade year, if the student, parent/guardian and counselor decide that it is in the best interest of the student to opt out of the LA Core 4, the student will then enter the Basic Core.

17. Basic Core Curriculum 24 Carnegie Units  Requirements (Basic Core) English4 units Math4 units Science3 units S. Studies3 units Health & PE2 units Career Class1 unit *Electives7 units *Require an Area of Concentration

18. A complete list is in the newspaper. This list only includes the courses currently available at PHS.

19.  4 Units of English English I, II, III, and IV or Senior Applications in English  4 Units of Math Algebra I Geometry Remaining 2 units shall come from Algebra II, Math Essentials, Financial Math, Advanced Math Pre-Calculus, Advanced Math Statistics, Calculus

20.  3 units of Social Studies 1 unit of American History 1 unit of Civics 1 unit from World Geography or World History  ½ unit of Health  1 ½ units of Physical Education  Note: The substitution of JrROTC is permissible

21.  3 Units of Science Biology 1 unit from the physical science cluster: Physical Science, Chemistry I, Physics I 1 unit from Biology II, Chemistry II, Environmental Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Agriscience II, or an additional course from the physical science cluster

22. o 1 unit of Education for Careers or Journey to Careers o 7 units of Electives Shall include the minimum courses required to complete a Career Area of Concentration Total 24 Units

23. Individual Graduation Plans  The IGP reflects the curriculum pathway and the recommended sequence of elective courses  The IGP is flexible, yet sufficiently structured to ensure that a student will meet the high school requirements for admission to a postsecondary education institution or enter the workforce  The IGP shall be signed by the student and parent or legal guardian yearly

24. Career Options Law  According to the Career Options Law, every student must have an Individual Graduation Plan (IGP) on file at the school  Parent and student signatures are required  The plan is initiated in 8 th grade and will be updated each year  The web link for the IGP is louisianaconnections.com

25. Areas of Concentration and Individual Graduation Plans

26. Areas of Concentration  Each student MUST choose an Area of Concentration on the Individual Graduation Plan (IGP)  An Area of Concentration is a sequence of courses based on a student’s interests

27. High Stakes Tests

28. Required Assessments End of Course Test  Students must pass three End of Course test in the following subjects to graduate. English II or English III Algebra I or Geometry Biology I or American History * EOC Test will count as 15% of the final grade

29. TOPS The Louisiana Tuition Opportunity Program for Students is a scholarship program that will pay for 8 semesters of college tuition at any in-state public college for qualifying students. The College Prep award will pay for tuition only at a qualifying state college. The Tech award will pay for qualifying technical school tuition.

30. TOPS Requirements  19 TOPS Core Curriculum Credits  Overall 2.5 GPA in TOPS Core  20 ACT - College Prep Award or 17 ACT - TOPS Tech Award

31. TOPS COLLEGE PREP CORE CURRICULUM  4 English Credits – English I, II, III, and IV  4 Math Credits – Algebra I, II, and 2 units from Geometry, Calculus, or Adv. Math  4 Social Studies Credits – Must include Civics, American History, World Geography, and World History

32. o 4 Science Credits – Must include Biology I or II and Chemistry I or II, and 2 units from Physical Science, Environmental Science, Anatomy and Physiology, Agriscience II, Physics, Biology II, or Chemistry II

33. TOPS College Prep Core Continued…  2 Credits of the same Foreign Language  1 Credit of Fine Arts or 1 unit of a performance course in music, or theatre, or 1 unit of studio or visual art, or Speech III and IV (both for one unit)

34. TOPS TECH AWARD  ACT of 17  Senior Applications in English  Financial Math  Chemistry I

35. Option I Fine Arts or a Vocational Course in Agriscience, Business, Marketing, Technology, or Family and Consumer Science 2 Foreign Language credits or Speech I and Speech II, and/or Technical Writing ½ Computer Science or Computer Applications

36. TOPS TECH AWARD Option II  4 Career major courses in a vocational area  1 Related or technical field course  1 Basic Computer course

37. Classification by Grade Levels  9 th Grade0 – 5.5 Credits  10 th Grade6 – 10.5 Credits  11 th Grade11 –16.5 Credits  12 th Grade17 - Credits

38. Scheduling Information

39. Honors Courses Criteria  A student must meet three of the five criteria yearly for the subject area requested 1. Minimum overall GPA of 2.8 2. Minimum subject area average of 3.0 3. Teacher Recommendation based on a subject-area checklist 4. Student Application and Self-evaluation Form with Parent Signature 5. Score Mastery or Advanced on LEAP or EOC test in subject area

40. Scheduling Forms  Forms Schedule Request 2012 – 2013 Individual Graduation Plan Career Clusters & Area of Concentration Form Student Application and/or Teacher Input Form for honors classes The Principal or School Counselor will inform your child regarding the procedures for returning the scheduling forms to his/her school If the forms are not returned a schedule will be made for the student by the counselor

41. Course Selection  Please be sure to read the description of the elective before choosing.  Please choose wisely, because we do not change electives once the master schedule is made.  If you ask for a class and receive it, you are expected to stay there for the entire length of the course.

42. Some courses require that you get special approval. Special approval means that you must get the teacher granting permission to sign your schedule request form. For example, band requires that the PJHS band director signs.

43. FOR YOUR INFORMATION...

44. COUNSELORS’ CORNER  Denise Latour (A-D) 474-8809 denise.latour@tangischools.org  Orlisa DePhillips (E-K) 474-8810 orlisa.dephillips@tangischools.org  Katharine Meadors (L-Q) 474-8805 katharine.meadors@tangischools.org  Marie Caldorera (R-Z) 474-8808 marie.caldorera@tangischools.org Ms. Melanie Monistere, 9th Grade Academy Coordinator 474-8819