Presented by: Kathy Reamy THIS PRESENTATION IS INTENDED FOR School - - PowerPoint PPT Presentation

Presented by: Kathy Reamy

School Counselor

THIS PRESENTATION IS INTENDED FOR PARENTS/GUARDIANS AND STUDENTS WHO WILL BE ENTERING THE 9TH GRADE FOR SCHOOL YEAR 2020-2021.

The most important steps to prepare for high school are:

• Knowing the enrollment requirements
• Knowing eligibility requirements for extracurriculars & athletics
• Knowing the requirements to earn a Maryland high school diploma
• Knowing which courses are available & required for 9th graders
• Knowing how to:

 Earn high school credit  Achieve promotion status  Receive academic awards

This presentation is intended to give you information to be prepared for high school next year. For more comprehensive information, please visit the Charles County Public Schools website to view the CCPS Program of Studies at: http://www.ccboe.com/ss/high-school-program-of-studies

Proofs of Domicile

In order to officially enroll in high school, you will need to submit two current proofs of domicile to your middle school counselor before the end of 8th grade. You must have one proof from each category:

All proofs must be in their entirety with parent/guardian name and both the residence/service address as well as the mailing address, including city, state, and current date (within 45 days).

CATEGORY 1 CATEGORY 2

• Deed
• Current lease or rental agreement
• Mortgage statement/bill
• Settlement papers
• Foster care placement letter
• Property tax bill
• McKinney-Vento documentation
• Most recent utility bill (i.e., electric, water/sewer, trash, oil, gas,

cable, security system, and solar bills)

• Verification of service statement for above utilities
• Wage statement with name & address of employee & employer
• Most recent W2, 1098, or 1099 statement
• Documentation of benefits from the Social Security

Administration or Department of Social Services

• Official correspondence on letterhead mailed from local, state,
• r federal court

 The attendance policy in high school is strictly enforced and has serious penalties (Policy 5122)  All absences require a note be submitted to the Attendance Office within three days of return to school  Two unlawful absences from any class MAY result in the student failing that class for the marking period  An unlawful absence notification can be issued for an absence or multiple tardies  Continued absences from school (with or without notes) may result in referral for an administrative attendance review

Students who wish to participate in extra-curricular and/or athletic activities in high school will need to meet the following eligibility requirements:  Students who are promoted from 8th to 9th grade will automatically meet the GPA and attendance eligibility requirements for the first quarter and fall sports.  Beginning second quarter, 9th grade students must have earned a 2.25 GPA for the first quarter with no failing “F” grades in order to maintain eligibility for winter and spring sports.  Students who have met the academic qualifications and are absent less than 5 days from the previous quarter will be

• eligible. Students who are absent 5 or more days may provide

documentation for a lawful absence within 5 days of the absence with a limit of 5 parent/guardian notes. A suspension will count against eligibility.

 La Plata High School currently has a 1-hour lunchtime for students that is broken up into two ½-hour shifts.  Students may choose which shift they eat and are only permitted to spend one shift in the cafeteria.  The other shift students are expected to find an activity:  Meet with teacher for tutoring, test make-up, etc.  Library/Media Center  Computer Lab  Club/Activity  Open Gym  Students may choose to spend both shifts out of the cafeteria and are permitted to take their lunch to their activities.

• Athletic Mentoring
• Band/Orchestra
• Best Buddies
• Chamber Choir
• Chess Club
• Community Service Groups
• Cyber-Patriotism Club
• Destination Imagination
• Drama Club
• Dungeons & Dragons Club
• Educator’s Rising
• Envirothon
• Fellowship of Christian

Athletes (FCA)

• Gay Straight Alliance (GSA)
• Girls Who Code
• Honor Societies
• National, English, Technical,

Science, Music (Tri-M), Thespian, Art,World Language

• Improvisation Troupe
• It’s Academic
• Jazz Band
• Key Club
• Kindness Committee
• Marching Band
• Math Team
• MESA
• Mindfulness Club
• Mock Trial
• Model UN
• Newspaper
• Piano Lab
• Play Reading
• Puzzle Club
• Resistance Weight Training
• ROTC Brain Brawl
• ROTC Color Guard
• ROTC Drill Team
• SAT Prep
• Show Troupe
• Solo/Ensemble
• Students Against Destructive

Decisions (SADD)

• Students Offering

Support (SOS)

• Self Selected Reading (SSR)
• Step Team
• Strategic Games Society
• Student Government

Association (SGA)

• Tabletop Gaming
• Unplugged
• VEX Robotics
• Weight Lifting
• Write Club
• Yearbook
• YOGA Club

If you are interested in any of these sports, please check the LPHS athletics page for information BEFORE the desired season begins. You will also find information regarding pre-season workouts on that page.

https://laplataathletics.org/

BOYS GIRLS

• Baseball
• Basketball
• Cross Country
• Football
• Golf
• Lacrosse
• Indoor Track
• Soccer
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Unified Sports
• Wrestling
• Basketball
• Cheerleading
• Cross Country
• Field Hockey
• Golf
• Lacrosse
• Indoor Track
• Soccer
• Softball
• Swimming
• Tennis
• Track & Field
• Unified Sports
• Volleyball
• Wrestling

 Charles County Public Schools require several parent/guardian consent and medical clearance forms to be completed in order to participate in interscholastic athletics.  All forms must be submitted to the high school Athletic Director for final clearance prior to student tryouts or practice.  All forms may be accessed online on the CCPS website under “Students” and then “Athletics” at http://www.ccboe.com/index.php/athletics

 Students interested in competing in athletics during college must meet the eligibility requirements set by the NCAA, including specific high school coursework, minimum GPA and ACT/SAT scores

• Parents/guardians and/or potential students athletes are strongly

encouraged to find out more detailed information about the NCAA athletic guidelines by either consulting the NCAA website at www.ncaa.org or by contacting the NCAA directly by phone at 877-262- 1492 (toll free) or 317-917-6222. Students must register with the Eligibility Center by senior year https://web3.ncaa.org/ecwr3/.

 Eligible coursework and GPA calculations begin in the 9th grade of high school

• You can speak with your School Counselor on what courses offered next

year meet the guidelines or you can log onto http://www.ncaa.org/student-athletes/future/core-courses to see all the courses offered at La Plata High School.

NATIONAL COLLEGIATE ATHLETIC ASSOCIATION (NCAA)

To be awarded a diploma, a student must be enrolled in Charles County Public Schools and have earned a minimum of 23 credits:  4 credits of English  3 credits of Math (2 in algebra, 1 in geometry), however Maryland state law requires students to take Math all 4 years enrolled in High School  3 credits of Science (Biology and 2 other lab sciences)  3 credits of Social Studies (LSN Government, US History, World History)  ½ credit of Health and ½ credit of Fitness for Life  1 credit of Fine Arts  1 credit of Technology Education  1 credit of Personal Financial Literacy  AT LEAST ONE OF THE FOLLOWING:

• 2 credits of World Language & 4 credits of academic electives OR
• 2 credits of Advanced Technology & 4 credits of academic electives OR
• 6 credits through the completion of a state approved Career & Technology

Education program (CTE) & academic/career electives

Student Service Learning (SSL):

 MSDE graduation requirement  Components of SSL are embedded in 6th, 7th, 8th, and 9th grade course work  The 9th grade component will be completed when students are enrolled in “Local, State & National (LSN) Government”.

State Testing Requirements:

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS CONT.

Test Requirement PARCC Algebra I Achieve a passing score of 725 PARCC English 10 Achieve a passing score of 725 MD Integrated Science Assess. (MISA) Must participate in the exam HSA Government Achieve a passing score of 394

In order to be promoted to the next grade level, students must achieve the following:  10th Grade – Minimum of 6 credits  11th Grade – Minimum of 12 credits  12th Grade – Minimum of 16 credits and the completion of at least three years of high school Note: Students are able to earn high school credits in middle school for both math (Algebra I and above) and foreign language coursework. These courses are included in the totals needed for promotion status.

PROMOTION STATUS

Semester grades will be determined at the completion of the second quarter and again at the completion of the fourth quarter. These grades are calculated by averaging the numerical % grades from the previous two consecutive quarters. 1st Quarter and 2nd Quarter Average = 1st Semester 3rd Quarter and 4th Quarter Average = 2nd Semester Final Grades will be determined at the completion of all four quarters. These grades are calculated by averaging the “2” semester % grades. Final grades are the only grades displayed on the students high school transcript. Quarterly grades will be calculated by calculating a quarterly average of the students’ grades. The % grade is then translated into a letter grade: A = Superior (90-100%) B = Above Average (80-89%) C = Average (70-79%) D = Below Average (60-69%) F = Failure (0-59%)

Weighted Cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA)

 Weighted classes are identified with the code “W” on the High School Transcript  Designated Honors (H) courses are weighted by adding one-half point (.5) for each grade. (i.e. A=4.5, B= 3.5, C= 2.5, D=1.0 and F=0.0)  Designated Advance Placement (AP) courses are weighted by adding one full point (1) for each grade (i.e. A=5.0, B=4.0, C=3.0, D=1.0, and F=0.0) No weighted points are given for a “D” or “F” grade. AP courses are not available to students until 10 th Grade.

ACADEMIC LETTER  Students may be awarded an Academic Letter if they have been enrolled in the school issuing the letter for a minimum of three consecutive quarters and have a weighted GPA of 3.5 or higher with no D or F grades for any quarter or semester CLASS RANKING  Students are ranked based on the weighted cumulative Grade Point Average (GPA) achieved in all coursework taken in high school  Class rank is recorded on the high school transcript and is acknowledged in academic awards  The cumulative GPA is the average of all final grades earned in high school, rounded to the hundred-thousandths place  Middle school students who took advanced courses in mathematics and world language will receive high school credit if they earned a grade of “D” or higher. The credit will be recorded with a “P” on the student high school transcript. These credits are not included in the high school GPA and do not contribute to class ranking  Credit may be earned only once for any course listed in the CCPS High School Program of Studies

Certificate of Merit  Students may be awarded a Charles County Certificate of Merit if they earn a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.2 or higher with no failing grades during high school Charles County Public Schools Scholars Course of Study  Students may be designated a CCPS Scholar is they achieve a cumulative GPA of 3.5 (weighted) and earn 17 advanced credits which must include:

• 4 English (Honors or AP)
• 3 Lab Sciences (Honors or AP)
• 3 Social Studies (Honors or AP)
• 4 Mathematics- taken in 9 through 12 (Honors or AP)
• 3 World Language classes (at least two in the same language). (This can

include credit awarded for successful completion of a high school level World Language course taken during middle school.)

• 1 Additional advanced course (Honors or AP)

Maryland Scholars

The Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) has partnered with the Maryland Business Roundtable for Education to acknowledge students who have completed a course of study beyond the basic requirements for graduation. In order to be designated a Maryland Scholar, students must attain a cumulative weighted GPA of 3.0 or higher and must have completed the following courses:  4 credits of English  4 credits of Math (including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)  3 credits of Lab Sciences (Biology, Chemistry and Physics preferred)  3 credits of Social Studies (LSN Govt, US History and World History)  2 credits of the same World Language

 English I  Mathematics

The recommended course sequence is listed in the Program of Studies.

 Earth Systems

Students who choose to enroll in the PLTW Biomedical Sciences program next year MUST take Biology-H as their science course in 9 th grade. Students who choose to enroll in the PLTW Engineering program next year MAY choose to take Earth Systems or Biology (either A-level or Honors) as their science course in 9th grade. Students who take Biology in 9 th grade will then take Chemistry w/ Earth Systems during their Sophomore year, so they will be prepared to take the MISA assessment at the end of the Sophomore year.

 L/S/N Government

When choosing courses for next year, students will select 3 elective courses and 2 alternates. The following are the elective areas available to 9th graders:  Physical Education/Health* – Fit for Life & Health are ½ credit semester courses that must be taken together consecutively.)  World Language* – Spanish I, Spanish II, Latin I  CTE Completer Programs  Computer Technology – Computer Applications and Concepts, Exploring Computer Science*, Web Design & Development  Fine Arts* – Art I, Concert Band I, Symphonic Band I*, Symphonic Orchestra I*, Woman’s Choir I, Men’s Choir I, Chamber Choir I*, Show Choir I*, Theatre Arts  Navy JROTC (There is a required dress code for this course.)  Technology Education* – Foundations of Technology * Audition required. * Fulfills a graduation requirement.

The following CTE programs are available through La Plata High School:

• Pharmacy Tech (Stethem beginning in 11th grade)
• Physical Rehabilitation (Stethem beginning in 11th grade)
• Automotive Technician (Stethem beginning in 11th grade)
• Business Management & Finance (starts in 9th or 10th grade)
• Career Research & Development (starts in 11th grade)
• Computer Science (starts in 9th or 10th grade)
• Maryland Fire & Rescue Institute* (1 year program in 11th or 12th grade)
• HVAC (Stethem beginning in 11th grade grade)
• Interactive Media Production (Stethem beginning in 11th grade grade)
• PLTW Biomedical Sciences (starts in 9th or 10th grade)
• PLTW Pathway to Engineering (starts in 9th or 10th grade)
• Teacher Academy of Maryland (starts in 10th grade)

 Parents/guardians, teachers and students will work together to select the student’s courses for their freshman year.  Current teachers will make their recommendations for course levels for students.  If students and/or parents/guardians do not agree with the recommended course, they are encouraged to discuss it with the teacher to reach an agreement as to which course will be selected.  If you cannot reach an agreement regarding the selected course, parents/guardians may override the teacher recommendation by attaching a written request to the student’s course selection

• sheet. The parent/guardian request will be honored by the high

school Counselor when the schedule is prepared.

Please keep in mind that schedule changes in 9th grade are made only in extreme circumstances, such as errors in academic placement. No schedule changes will be considered for elective or alternate choices.

 Advanced Placement (AP) courses are designed for the student who has demonstrated the ability to move beyond the honors level courses and aspires to become a critical reader of college-level texts and strengthen the effectiveness of his/her writing through close reading and frequent practice at applying rhetorical

• strategies. Extensive reading and writing outside of the classroom

are required. AP courses are not available until 10th grade.  Honors (H) courses are designed for the student who has an interest in English, has the ability to move beyond grade level in content, and wishes to be prepared to enter a competitive four- year college or university at the end of his/her high school career.  A-Level (A) courses are designed for students who wish to improve their reading and writing skills and whose plans may include entry into postsecondary education or significant employment.

 For all public colleges and universities in Maryland, students will be required to take a math class at the Algebra II level or higher in their senior year of high school. This is also true for most out of state colleges/universities.  In addition, most colleges require two credits in the same foreign language. Many colleges prefer 3 credits of foreign

• language. Please refer to individual college websites for

admissions requirements.  If students are planning to attend college, it is very important for them to take challenging classes (Honors & AP). These students should seriously consider taking one

• r more honors course in their freshman year.