Sharon High School Program of Studies & Course Selection for 2020-2021
High School Graduation Requirements • English 20 Credits • Social Studies 15 Credits (Must Include World History/World Studies and U.S. History/American Studies) • Mathematics 20 Credits • Science 15 Credits • World Languages & Cultures 10 Credits (Must be of the same language) • Unified Arts 5 Credits • Wellness (in grades 9 & 10) 5 Credits • Additional Elective Courses 102 Total Credits
Schedule Requirements Grades 9 & 10 • 5 academic majors • English, Math, Science, Social Studies, & World Language • Students in Special Education will have an Academic Lab which takes the place of either Social Studies, Science, or Foreign Language • Wellness (fall semester grade 9, spring semester grade 10) • Elective (spring semester grade 9, fall semester grade 10) • Band, Orchestra, & Chorus courses are scheduled during Eagle Block and allow students to take other electives Policy requires students to carry a full load of courses (6) each semester
Schedule Requirements Grades 11 & 12 • 5 academic majors • English, Math, Science, Social Studies, & World Language • Students in Special Education will have an Academic Lab which takes the place of Science, Foreign Language, or electives • 2 semester electives OR • 1 year-long elective • Band, Orchestra, & Chorus courses are scheduled during Eagle Block and allow students to take electives Policy requires students to carry a full load of courses (6) each semester Requests for a study will not be honored
Grade 8 Course Selection & Scheduling Timeline • SHS Student Ambassadors will meet with 8th graders in Advisory this week • By March 4, teachers will discuss courses with each student and will enter their specific recommendation for the course/level for next school year into PowerSchool (If there is no recommendation for Grade 9 English or Social Studies students should select Standard) • Curriculum Q & A Fair in SHS Gym Thursday, Thursday 2/27 at 6:30 PM • On-line Course Selection will begin Thursday, March 5 after school Course selection is NOT first come, first served!
Grade 9 - 11 Course Selection & Scheduling Timeline • By March 4, teachers will discuss courses with each student and will enter their specific recommendation for the course/level for next school year into PowerSchool • Curriculum Q & A Fair in SHS Gym Thursday 2/27 at 6:30 PM • On-line Course Selection will begin Thursday, March 5 after school Course selection is NOT first come, first served!
Course Selection & Scheduling Timeline • On-line Course Selection will begin March 5 after school. Course selection is NOT first come, first served! • SHS Counselors will be available for students questions during lunch -for SMS students on Friday, March 6 and Wednesday, March 11 -for SHS students during lunches the week of March 2 • Students will consider teacher recommendations, discuss course selections with parents/guardians, complete online registration, and return the signature form to Advisory (SMS) or the School Counseling office (SHS) by March 11 • Initial course selections MUST follow teacher recommendations • Counselors will meet with students individually between March 12-18 to verify requests and discuss possible overrides (more on overrides later)
Electives Available in Grade 9 (those in maroon count toward the unified arts requirement) Intro to Art Intro to Media Production/ 2D Animation (“Video & Media Production”) 3D Animation Digital Music Composition Digital Photography Guitar Drawing Honors Music Theory Graphic Design Film Music Painting Sculpture Creative Writing Ceramics Comics & Culture Public Speaking Intro to Acting/ (“Theatre Performance I”) Intro to Journalism Honors Theatre Production Intro to Debate Honors Improv Workshop Intro to Computer Science Eagle Block electives: Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Internship: Help Desk
What’s New (pending approval): Unified Arts: New Course: 2D Animation II New course names in Video Production: Intro to Media Production = Video & Media Production I Newsroom/Digital Editing = Video & Media Production II Honors Media Production I = Video & Media Production III Honors Media Production II = Video & Media Production IV New course names in Theatre: Introduction to Acting = Theatre Performance I Advanced Acting I = Honors Theatre Performance II New Course: Honors Theatre Performance III
Course Levels Advanced Placement: Selected courses taught at the college level (generally in grades 11 & 12) Honors: Significantly more demanding than Standard courses. Require students to spend extra time and exert extra effort. (In grade 9 honors courses are only available in math, science and world language courses. In grade 10 all major subjects offer honors courses.) Standard/Accelerated: College preparatory courses, differentiated by pacing Foundations: College preparatory courses in which students work with increasing independence on critical thinking, problem solving, reading, and writing in the content area. Courses are often smaller, more structured, and co-taught to allow for more individualized instruction. Multi-Leveled: Standard/Honors classes for which students commit to a level at start of the year/semester Unleveled: Certain elective courses
Course/Level Recommendations • Recommendations are based on years of data that project likely success in the next level based on performance in the current course. • We urge students to follow departmental & teacher recommendations regarding level placement. • Students are required to select the recommended course in step 1 of course selection. • With parent permission, a student may choose to override a teacher’s recommendation
Course Overrides • Students must select the recommended courses in PowerSchool • Override forms will be available from counselors during course request verification (March 12 - 18). • A parent/guardian must initiate a conversation with the recommending teacher about the override. Conversations must be completed between 3/19 and 3/30 • Completed override forms must be returned to school AFTER parent/teacher override conversation. Students must express in writing why they want to override and how they will address struggles in the class. Forms are due by 3/31 • If the override form is not completed and returned OR the parent/teacher communication is not completed, the student will remain registered for the recommended course
Course Overrides • Override conversations are NOT intended to convince the teacher to change the recommendation. They are to ensure that students make fully-informed decisions • Failure to complete the override conversation AND override form by March 31 will result in the student remaining in the course initially recommended by the teacher. • Students who drop a course after the third cycle of the school year may have a grade of “W” reported on the transcript • A low grade alone is not sufficient grounds for a level or course change. Requests may be denied even in cases where the student struggles.
Creating a Balanced Schedule Students should consider: • Academic, homework, and time responsibilities in all other courses • Extra-curricular commitments (athletics, music/drama, clubs, employment, volunteer work) • Level of interest in the subject • Future plans and intentions • Areas of academic strength and challenge • Overall course load (requests for a study period will not be honored) Seek challenges. Be realistic.
Time Management Calculator https://www.sharon.k12.ma.us/domain/163
Using PowerSchool
Using PowerSchool Student 1 Student 2 2020-2021 Course Requests: Student 1
Using PowerSchool 2020-2021
Using PowerSchool
Using PowerSchool Teacher name
Using PowerSchool Sample of Elective Section
Using PowerSchool
Timeline ● February 27: Course Selection Q&A Fair (6:30 pm--SHS Gym) ● Through March 4: Teachers make course recommendations ● March 5 - 11: Course selection in PowerSchool ● March 12 - 18: Course request verification ● March 19 - 30: Override conversation window (parent/teacher) ● March 31: Override forms due
Recommend
More recommend
