1. Scheduling Night for Parents of Rising Freshmen Briar Woods High School

2. Evening Program 6:45 – 7:30Presentation 7:30 – 8:30Scheduling Fair in the Cafeteria Core departments Elective departments School Counseling department

3. Presentation Agenda Rising 9 th Grade Scheduling Process Questions? School counseling table Diploma Types & Graduation Requirements Questions? School counseling table Selecting Courses for Next Year Questions? Department tables

4. This Information is Online! BWHS School Counseling >>> Student Scheduling for 2016-2017  Tonight’s parent presentation  Key points are in red font  2016-2017 Program of Studies  Worksheets  LCPS Course Curriculum information

5. Rising 9 th Grade Scheduling Process

6. Current LCPS Middle School students BWHS counselors will visit Eagle Ridge Middle School on February 3 & 4, and walk students through their course selections class-by-class.  The core class will be selected by your child’s teachers  The BWHS counselor will help your child pick electives The middle school will send home your student’s course selections for your review You will have until June 10, 2016 to make changes

7. Students New to LCPS New students usually begin enrolling in mid-April There is a two week window where we cannot complete enrollments, first two week of May The information and materials needed to enroll a new student can be found on the BWHS and LCPS websites New students and their parents will select their courses with a BWHS counselor when they enroll Enrollments are by appointment

8. Diploma Types & Graduation Requirements

9. Diplomas Standard Diploma Advanced Studies Diploma Students who earn Advanced Studies Diplomas should be better prepared to perform well in college Plenty of students who earn Standard Diplomas are successful in college

10. Diplomas Diplomas are based on:  Standard Units of Credit – 140 clock hours of instruction & a passing grade Translation: Pass the class, get a credit  Verified Units of Credit – Standard unit of credit plus passing the end-of-course SOL associated with that class Translation: Pass the class and SOL, get a verified credit

11. Standard Diploma Academic AreasCreditsSOL Verified Credits English42 Social Studies31 Mathematics31 Science31 Health/Physical Education2 Foreign Language, Fine Arts, or Career & Technical Education 2 Economics and Personal Finance1 Electives4 Student Selected Verified Credit1 Total226

12. Advanced Studies Diploma Academic AreasCreditsSOL Verified Credits English42 Social Studies42 Mathematics42 Science42 Foreign Language3-4 Health/Physical Education2 Fine Arts or Career & Technical Education1 Economics and Personal Finance1 Electives3 Student Selected Verified Credit1 Total269

13. SOL Courses = Verified Credits Reading (Eng. 11)Earth Science Writing (Eng. 11)Biology Chemistry Algebra 1World History 1 GeometryWorld History 2 Algebra 2US History

14. Diplomas Freshmen all take the same types of classes regardless of the diploma they want We start all students towards the Advanced Studies Diploma See the Program of Studies for the “fine print” details

15. Additional Requirements VA Department of Education: Standard Diploma students must pass a board-approved “technical education credential” There is a credential component within the required “Personal Finance” class!

16. Additional Requirements VA Department of Education: All students must receive online instruction while in high school  There is an online instructional component within the required “Personal Finance” class which satisfies this requirement!

17. Virtual Loudoun (VL) classes Online classes provided by Loudoun County Public Schools. These are the ONLY online credits we accept. Offered three times/year: Summer, Fall, Spring. Students take VL for a variety of reasons:  To take less classes during the school day  To “catch-up” or “get ahead”  Due to an illness/they can’t attend school  To make room for another class

18. Selecting Courses for Next Year (and beyond)

19. The four most emotional topics… 1. Politics 2. Religion 3. Should my child take Honors or Academic classes in high school? 4. What’s the difference between Earth Science and Biology?

20. Course Options for Freshmen Please relax!!! You have until June 10 th to make your final decision!!!

21. Course Options for Freshmen 1. English 9:Honors or Academic 2. World History 1: Pre-AP (Honors) or Academic 3. Earth Science *: Research (Honors) or Academic 4. Math: Follows sequence 5. Health & Physical Education 9 6. Elective – usually a foreign language 7. Elective

22. Course Options for Freshmen 1. English 9:Honors or Academic 2. World History 1: Pre-AP (Honors) or Academic 3. Earth Science *: Research (Honors), Academic 4. Math: Follows sequence 5. Health & Physical Education 9 6. Elective – usually a foreign language 7. Elective

23. Math Sequence See Program of Studies, page 30  Math 8 >>> Algebra 1  Algebra 1 >>> Geometry  Geometry >>> Algebra 2 or Algebra 2 w/Trig Algebra 2 w/Trig is for the “easy straight A” math student!  Algebra 2 or Algebra 2 w/Trig >>> Advanced Functions and Modeling Advanced Algebra/Precalculus Math Analysis

24. Course Levels – English, Social Studies, & Science Academic Course content and expected student performance require reading and writing at a rigorous level. Academic is a “college-bound” level.

25. Course Levels – English, Social Studies, & Science Honors, Research, Pre-AP Course content is rapidly paced with additional depth. Lessons are often designed to be complex, abstract, and open-ended.

26. Work Load, freshman survey English 9 Academic = 1 hour 29 minutes/week English 9 Honors = 2 hours 40 minutes/week Earth Science Academic = 1 hour 32 minutes/week Research Earth Science Honors = 2 hours 32 minutes/week Research Biology Honors = 2 hours 40 minutes/week World History Academic = 2 hours 10 minutes/week PreAP World History Honors = 3 hours 23 minutes/week Algebra 1, Geometry & Algebra 2 = 1 hour 48 minutes/week Algebra 2 w/ Trig = 2 hours 18 minutes/week Foreign Language = 1 hour 21 minutes/week

27. Work Load, freshman survey All Academic = 8+ hours of work outside of school All Honors = 12+ hours of work outside of school

28. * Freshman Science Earth Science – 9 th grade course  Research/Honors  Academic Biology – 10 th grade course  Research/Honors  Academic is not available for freshmen

29. * Freshman Science Earth Science Honors or Biology Honors  Most freshmen take Earth Science, 73%.  Skipping Earth Science is not recommended by LCPS/BWHS. Students who skip freshman Earth Science will miss important science content – perhaps the most important science content an involved citizen should have  Students have not had the same level of exposure to this subject in middle school  Academy of Science students receive Earth Science instruction and take the Earth Science SOL  Honors Research Biology has a strong research component; students first learn the research process through Honors Research Earth Science  Students who skip Earth Science may be able to go “higher” in science with less concessions (assuming they want to; and assuming they have the math to do so)

30. Science: What/When/Ask Talk with your child about what science classes they may be interested in – next year, and beyond. (LCPS/BWHS recommends Earth Science). What other classes are they interested in? Use the plan of studies worksheet/four-year plan to estimate when your child might want to take those science classes. Can they still fit in the “other” classes they want to take? – the middle schools will also do this with your child Ask: Is skipping Earth Science necessary to meet my child’s goals?

31. LCPS Science Courses SUBJECTGRADE LEVELPREREQUISITES 9 th grade: Earth Science9-10None 10 th grade: Biology9-10None 11 th grade: Chemistry10-12Algebra 1; Algebra 2 recommended 12 th grade: Physics11-12Algebra 2 11 th or 12 th : Conceptual Physics10-12Algebra 1 11 th or 12 th : Environmental Science11-12Two science classes AP Biology10-12Biology & Co-requisite of Chemistry AP Environmental Science10-12Earth Science & Biology AP Chemistry11-12Chemistry AP Physics11-12Physics & Co-requisite of Calculus DE Independent Science Research (GMU)11-12Two science classes DE Geospatial Science I (JMU)11-12NOT FOR SCIENCE CREDIT DE Geospatial Science 2 (JMU)12NOT FOR SCIENCE CREDIT

32. Reminders A rising freshman course selection worksheet is online A plan of studies/four-year plan worksheet is online The 2016-2017 Program of Studies is online Course curriculum information can be found on the LCPS website The middle school counselors and teachers are a great resource when making these decisions

33. Course Options for Freshmen One more time… Please relax!!! 3-4 honors/academic decisions in 3-4 months!  English, science, social studies; maybe math You have until June 10 th to make your final decision!!!

34. “Lesson in Balance” The Goal: Challenge the student vs. Overloading the student If you figure out the formula for this, create an app! You’ll make millions!

35. “Lesson in Balance” Take the most challenging classes you can handle.

36. “Lesson in Balance” Take the most challenging classes you can reasonably handle.

37. “Lesson in Balance” How much time do you have available to study and do homework?  Do you play sports?  Are you involved in activities – both in or outside of school? What does your track-record indicate?  Do you complete your work with little prompting? How committed and disciplined are you? What are mom and dad prepared for? What do you believe you’re the parent’s role is?

38. Looking Beyond the Freshman Year Student often mix and match honors-level classes Students are not stuck on an honors or academic “track” They can move “up” or “down” from year-to- year in most subjects (notable exceptions are math and foreign language)

39. “Lesson in Balance” Don’t forget to consider the student’s interests when determining his/her courses and overall course load!

40. Course Options for Freshmen OK… and one more time… Please relax!!! 3-4 decisions in 3-4 months!  English, science, social studies; maybe math You have until June 10 th to make your final decision!!!

41. About that deadline… While you do have until June 10 th …. We cannot make changes to course requests after the deadline of June 10, 2016.

42. After the School Year Begins Elective changes will not be possible Academic level changes  Level change decisions are made case-by-case  Input from a variety of sources will be needed  A class that is “difficult” is not the same as a class that is “too difficult” for a student!  Changing a level often disrupts the student’s entire schedule!  Changing a level is often not possible! Class space is finite!

43. Agenda Rising 9 th Grade Scheduling Process Questions? School counseling table Diploma Types & Graduation Requirements Questions? School counseling table Selecting Courses for Next Year Questions? Department tables – ask the experts!!!

44. Upcoming Events April 8 at 9:15am: BWHS Activities EXPO  Private & homeschool students are welcome! Adult must sign them in and supervise visiting students May: Athletics meeting for parents – date TBA Special education meeting – date TBA Week before school begins  Freshman Student Orientation  Freshman Parent Meeting – meet the principal Monitor our website and look for our newsletter!

45. Have Fun at the Scheduling Fair! 7:30pm – 8:30pm