1. 1 Welcome 8 th Grade Parents and Class of 2020 Lowell High School Incoming Freshmen Information Night

2. 2 Mrs. Hudak Assistant Principal

3. Curriculum PBL is at the heart of our instructional model 1:1 Technology High emphasis on culture building and college & career readiness  Advisory The ability to combine classes  English 9 and Interactive Media (course is referred to as Interactive English) 3

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5. Student Laptops Students at LHS can take their laptops home  Student responsibility to charge at home Distribution will take place within first couple days of school  Mandatory parent permission Email now available to students Increased accountability expectation  Tier Levels 5

7. Attendance Policy Nine excused absences per school year  Mandatory documentation  Extended vacations: must contact an Administrator  Attendance Contract Violation of contract is referred to attendance court Tardies  Detention at third tardy  Sixth tardy is 6 to 6 program Five minute passing periods  Most students have time to go to their locker in between classes  Limit time talking to friends 7

8. Weighted Grades 8 LHS has weighted grades for Honors, Dual Credit and AP classes .5 point for Honors or Dual Credit  1 point for AP Max weight a class can receive  Semester letter grade does not change for weighted class Ex: a student who earns a B in an Honors class will still have a B recorded on their transcript, but that B will be worth 3.5 GPA points instead of 3 GPA points.

9. GPA Distinctions LHS has moved to the Laude Latin Model.  Starting with the class of 2017, refer to the chart below for distinctions  Distinctions based on weighted grades  No valedictorian or salduatorian 9 DistinctionGPACredits Summa Cum Laude4.0 and Above55 Magna Cum Laude3.85-3.9951-54 Cum Laude3.7-3.8447-50

10. 10 Tips for Success Attendance, timeliness Collaboration Do homework Take all testing seriously Challenge yourself in your course selection Use a planner or I-cal Appropriate conduct (Agency) Extracurricular activities  Importance of getting involved, see handout of extracurriculars  Community Service

11. 11 LHS COMMUNITY SERVICE Started with the class of 2015 Students are encouraged to complete 40 hours of community service by the end of the 12th grade. Each student should complete 10 hours of community service every year. can begin earning hours this summer when the current school year ends All forms and information are on the LHS website.

12. Post Secondary Action Steps 9 th Grade  Involve yourself in extracurricular  Start your GPA off on the right foot  Map out your plan Find out your career interests/talents and align your HS course work to those pathways (there are plenty of career inventory assessments)  Keep track of accomplishments, honors, awards etc for future resume  Begin to take challenging courses 10 th Grade  Begin researching and exploring post secondary options (college, certifications, etc)  Begin understanding funding for college  Prepare for PSAT  Continue to take challenging courses  Job shadow if you can or talk with professionals in your career interest

13. Post Secondary Action Steps 11 th Grade  Visit colleges  Find jobs or internships in career field interest  Begin taking college entrance exams (SAT & ACT)  School Day PSAT/ SAT  Continue to take challenging courses (DCC/AP/H)  Begin understanding financial aid (scholarships, grants, loans, etc)  Build your resume 12 th Grade  Visit colleges  Narrow down your choices  Analyze post secondary decisions (cost, degree, location, etc)  Continue to take challenging coursework, earn college credit early (DCC/AP)  Apply to College Transcripts, resume, letters of rec, essays  Scholarships  SAT/ACT  FAFSA

14. 14 Upcoming Events Week of Feb. 22  Collect scheduling forms at LMS through classes April 20  8 th Grade Athletic Orientation  In the Auditorium August  Registration Available online All students must register Open enrollment decisions made August  Freshmen Orientation Day

15. 15 Mrs. Thomas Guidance Counselor Mrs. Thomas: A-Gi Mrs. Marinkovich: Gl-Na Mrs. Richie: Ne-Z

16. 16 HS Credits earned in MS Credits Credits from will count in HS:  Algebra I, Geometry Honors, ICP, and English 9 Honors  The credit and grades from both semesters will be listed on the high school transcript. What if I do not want to take the credits and grades?  A student may not go on to the next course in the sequence without taking the credits and grades.  If a student does not feel they have mastered the material they may repeat the course at LHS and the first time they took the course at LMS will not be listed on their transcript.  The HS recommends that students not earning at least a B or above retake the course.

17. English Courses English: Three Options English 9  Not Weighted  Combined with Interactive Media English 9 Honors  Weighted  Still take Interactive Media, but not combined with English Classical Lit and Composition Honors  English 10 Honors  Weighted  Not combined with Interactive Media, pick additional elective 17

18. Business Interactive Media  Worth two credits per semester Taken in combination with English 9  Co-taught with an English Teacher Students use various software programs involved in creating multimedia presentations, digital movies, web design, and introductory scripting 18

19. Mathematics Students currently in Algebra can enroll in Honors Geometry. Students in Honors Geometry can enroll in Algebra II Honors.  Highly recommended that students who do not have a B or above retake the course at the high school level  May retake Algebra or Geometry Honors as freshmen All other students will enroll in Algebra. 19

20. 20 Algebra Enrichment Students recommended by I-STEP, NWEA, and teachers for Algebra Enrichment to take with Algebra I.  Students who DNP Math I-STEP and/or did not master the necessary skills to be successful in Algebra I with out support  Students who pass 8 th Grade I-STEP can possibly be switched out of Algebra Enrichment before school year begins Placed in alternate class selection Possible change at semester

21. 21 Science There are two options:  Integrated Chemistry & Physics (ICP) and Honors Biology. The Biology Honors course and tests require a higher level of thinking and questioning. Students need to be prepared to go above and beyond normal course work expectations. A student who wants to take AP Biology later on should take Honors Biology.  Can be recommend to take Honors Biology after ICP

22. 22 Social Studies All students are required to have a total of 6 credits in Social Studies for graduation. A student can choose to take Geography as a freshmen elective class.  Will count towards graduation requirement  Honors Geography available Sophomores can take World History, AP World History, or Geography/Honors Geography if not taken their freshmen year.

23. 23 Physical Education and Health Students are required take two semesters of PE. One semester of Health is required during high school.  Both PE and Health are requirements by the state of Indiana in order to receive a high school diploma.

24. 24 World Languages World Languages are not required to graduate from high school, but at least two years of a World Language is strongly encouraged.  Colleges such as IU and Purdue will not accept students who do not have at least two years of a World Language. To graduate with a Core 40 with Academic Honors Diploma, a student must complete 3 years of one language or 2 years of two languages.  Currently we offer French, Italian, and Spanish.

25. 25 Do Honors courses look better for college? Colleges look to see that students are challenging themselves. It is also important that a freshman establish a record with the best grades possible. It can be very difficult to recover from a low Grade Point Average (GPA) after the first year of high school. You may still receive the Academic Honors Diploma without taking “Honors” courses.  Take AP or Dual Credit courses Starting with the class of 2017 Lowell High School weights grades for Honors, Dual Credit, and AP courses.  Half a point for Honors or Dual Credit and a full point for AP courses  Some colleges have their own system of weighted classes or only accept an un-weighted GPA

26. 26 Elective Options Some courses can be one semester in length. Some courses will have a pre-requisite. Remember two credits in Fine Art are required for the Academic Honors Diploma This is an opportunity to explore! Choose something you like. JROTC  JROTC Flex  JROTC I Performing Arts (Fine Art)  Ex: Beg Choir, Band CTE, Engineering/Techology  Intro Eng Design (PLTW I)  Intro to Adv. Manufacturing Fine Arts  Intro 2D Art/Adv. 2D  Dig Design  Music History and Appreciation

28. 28 Freshmen Course Selections All students must take English, Math, Science, PEI & PEII and Advisory in their freshmen year.  Students in English 9 must also take Interactive Media To assist parents and students the eighth grade teachers have provided recommendations in English, Mathematics, and Science.  intended to be a guide to encourage a student to be challenged in the most appropriate course  Recommendations already on sheet On the course selection sheet circle the desired course and then write in elective choices.  write in alternate selections

29. Doe, John French I Inter. Band Spanish I Beg. Choir Spanish I Only write on this line if you were recommended for Classical Literature x

30. 30 Class of 2020 Graduation Requirements Three main diploma pathways  Core 40  Core 40 with Academic Honors  Core 40 with Technical Honors In their freshmen year students will develop their Four-year Plan or Pathway with the aid of a guidance counselor. Grad requirements in course catalog, also available on LHS website, under Guidance tab.

31. Core 40 Diploma 42 Credits  8 credits English  6 credits Math  6 credits Science  6 credits Social Studies  2 credits PE  1 credit Health Electives 8 Credits Preferred career academic sequence Any area 5 credits Directed Electives  World Languages  Fine Art:  Career/Technical Courses 31

32. 32 Changes in CORE 40 Math Requirements  6 credits must be earned in grades 9-12  Students must take a math course or quantitative reasoning (QR) course each year in high school QR courses include courses that help advance a student’s ability to apply mathematics in real-world situations and contexts. Examples: Physics, AP Physics, Principles of Engineering, Economics

33. 33 Core 40 with Academic Honors 47 Credits Complete Core 40 requirements 8 credits in Math 6 or 8 credits in World Languages 2 credits Fine Arts C or above in all courses GPA of 3.0 or above  B average Additional requirements on next slide

34. 34 Core 40 with Academic Honors Complete one of the following:  4 credits in AP courses and corresponding AP exams,  6 college credits in dual credit courses  Complete both of the following: 1 dual credit course worth 3 college credit hours 2 credits in AP courses and take corresponding AP exam,  Earn specific SAT or ACT

35. 35 Core 40 with Technical Honors 47 credits Complete all requirements for Core 40 Earn a grade of C or above in all courses that will count towards the diploma Have a GPA of 3.0 or higher Earn 6 credits in the college & career preparation courses in a College & Career Pathway and one of the following:  Pathway designated industry- based certification or credential Ex: Health Careers, Network Fundamentals (CISCO)  6 college credit hours in dual credit course in state approved pathway Core 40 with Academic Technical Honors continued on next slide

36. 36 Core 40 with Technical Honors Continued Complete ONE of the following:  Any one of the additional requirements of the Academic Honors Diploma.  Earn the following scores or higher on WorkKeys: Reading for Information – Level 6, Applied Mathematics – Level 6, Locating Information – Level 5.  Earn the following minimum score(s) on Accuplacer: Writing 80, Reading 90, Math 75.  Earn the following minimum score(s) on Compass: Algebra 66, Writing 70, Reading 80.

37. 37 Next Step for Students and Parents Help your student decide what courses to take next year and mark them on the selection sheet. High School Counselors will go to LMS to collect Course Selection Sheets during class time.  Week of Feb. 22 If your student is currently attending a parochial or out of district school please stop by the residency expert’s table, Mrs. Lukasik-Rosenbaum, and pick up the necessary paperwork for enrollment.

38. 38 Thank You