Academic Planning
PARENT WORKSHOP
Agenda
 Role of School Counselor
 6-year plans
 Courses available in middle school
 High school diploma requirements and courses
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available in high school
Special programs available in high school
Transcripts and grades
Naviance/Family Connection
Questions/comments
Role of school counselors
School counselors:
 Deliver a comprehensive school counseling program to the
students whom we serve, that is proactive, research-based and
evaluated for effectiveness
 Support students in the areas of academic achievement,
career development, and social/emotional development,
ensuring that students become productive, well-adjusted and
successful adults
 Consult, collaborate and coordinate with teachers, parents,
staff, and the community to create an optimal learning
environment for all students
What are six year plans?
What is the purpose of a six year plan?
 Helps you understand requirements for graduation
from high school
 Helps you understand Standard of Learning (SOL)
Testing and different diploma options
 Helps you understand what course options are
available
 Provides you with a roadmap for the next six years
Academic Planning Sessions
 School counselor discusses available course options,
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career interests, current achievement levels, credits
earned and needed, rigorous courses of study, postsecondary plans and available academic supports
Each year in middle school, counselors meet with
students in classroom groups to complete the academic
plan form
Students meet individually with their high school
counselor to review the academic plan annually
Parents are invited to contact the counselor at all grade
levels for individual academic plan meetings
Academic planning forms are mailed home each year
6th Grade
English
Reading
American Studies
Science
Math
Physical Education
Elective
7th Grade
English
American Studies
Life Science
Math
Physical Education
Foreign Language, Math or Elective
Elective
8th Grade
English
World Geography
Physical Science
Math
Physical Education
Foreign Language or Elective
Reading, Math or Elective
Academic Plan
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6th Grade
7th Grade
8th Grade
English
English
English
Amer. Studies
Amer. Studies
World Geo.
Science
Life Science
Physical Science
Math
Math
Math
Physical Ed.
Physical Ed.
Physical Ed.
Reading
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
6
Middle School Math Pathway
High School credit classes available in Middle
School
 World Languages- Levels I and II
 Spanish, French, Latin, Arabic, Chinese, Spanish for Fluent Speakers
 Mathematics
 Algebra I, Algebra I Intensified, Geometry Intensified
 World Geography (all 8th graders take)
 Students can earn up to 5 high school credit classes while in
middle school!
 Parents have the option to waive credits taken in middle
school from the high school transcript. This removes the
credit and grade.
High School Graduation
Types of Diplomas
SOL
Requirements
 Standard-22 credits
6 Verified Credits
 Advanced- 26 credits
9 Verified
 International Baccalaureate
 Special Diploma/Certificate for students who do not
participate in SOL assessments
Standard Diploma Requirements
Advanced Studies Diploma Requirements
SOL Courses
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English 11 (must pass both Reading and Writing )
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II
Earth Science
Biology
Chemistry
World Geography
World History Modern
World History Ancient
US History
9th Grade
 English
 World History: Modern
 Biology
 Algebra,Geometry, Alg II
 Physical Education
 Foreign Language or Elective
 Elective
10th Grade
English
World History: Ancient (or elective)
Earth/Space Science
Geometry, Algebra 2, or Pre-Calc
Physical Education
Foreign Language or Elective
Elective
11th and 12th grade classes
11th Grade
12th Grade
English
U.S. & V.A. History
Chemistry (or science)
English
U.S. & V.A. Government
Physics (or science)
Math Analysis, Pre-Calc, or Calc
Foreign Language or Elective
Elective
Elective
Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, or Math Analysis
Foreign Language or Elective
Elective
Elective
Academic Plan
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9th Grade
10th Grade
11th Grade
12th Grade
English
English
English
English
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W.H/Modern W.H/Ancient U.S History U.S. Gov’t
Biology
Earth/Space
Chemistry
Physics
Math
Math
(Alg,Geo,Alg II)
Physical Ed Physical Ed
Math
Math
Elective
Elective
F.Lang/Elec. F.Lan/Elec.
F.Lan/Elec. F.Lan/Elec.
Elective
Elective
Elective
Elective
High School Math Pathway
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6
INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE
(IB Diploma)
 The IB Diploma is an internationally recognized program of
studies available at Washington-Lee High School.
 This diploma can serve as an academic passport to universities
around the world.
 Students who earn an IB diploma are also considered to have
met the requirements for an Advanced Studies Diploma.
 Students who wish to participate in W-L’s Pre-IB program must
submit a Pre-IB application during the Fall of their 8th grade.
 Prerequisites for W-L Pre-IB for 9th and 10th graders:
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Algebra I or greater in 8th grade or Geometry or greater in 9th grade
Spanish II, French II, Arabic II, Chinese II or Latin I in 8th grade (Latin II for
rising 7th graders)
Strong grades (A’s and B’s) in all subjects
Opportunities for Students to earn college credits
in high school
 IB program at Washington-Lee
 AP program at all high schools
 AP Scholars at Yorktown
 AP Network at Wakefield
 Dual enrollment at all high schools/partnership with
NOVA
 Certain career center classes
Career Center
 Cosmetology
 EMT
 Animal Science
 Early Childhood Ed.
 TV Production
 Carpentry
 Forensic Science
 Air Force ROTC
Culinary Arts
Auto Mechanics
Auto Body Repair
Technical Drawing
Electronics
Banking
Commercial Art
Photography
Academic Planning Roadmap, available on APS
website
Grades are Important!
 All of your grades are recorded on your high school
transcript.
 A transcript is like a report card that includes all the
grades you received for the high school level classes
you took and your overall GPA or Grade Point
Average
 Colleges look at your GPA to determine admission
into to their school and financial assistance in post
secondary education
GPA
 Stands for Grade Point Average
 It is your overall average grade of all your classes
 It is based on a 4.0 scale
4.0= A
3.0= B
2.0= C
1.0=D
 You have the opportunity to improve your GPA every
quarter and every year
 The closer to 4.0 that you have, the better your GPA
Naviance/Family Connection
 Students begin to use Naviance, a career and college
planning tool, in 6th grade
 Throughout middle school, students take strengths
assessments, learning style inventories, and career
interest inventories to assist them in career
exploration
 Naviance is used at the high school level as a college
search as well as career exploration tool
 The Naviance website link is available on Kenmore’s
homepage
Questions? Comments?
 Reminders:
 Visit the Kenmore counseling department website, with links to the APS
academic planning website and Naviance/Family Connection, and this
PowerPoint presentation
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You are invited to schedule an academic planning session with your child’s school
counselor
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Course Information Night at Kenmore will be held Wednesday, February 4th at
7pm. Come out to learn about the course scheduling process for next year. High
school course information nights are as follows:
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Yorktown 9th Grade Parent Info Night, January 8th at 7 p.m.
Wakefield 9th grade Parent Info Night, January 22nd at 7 p.m.
W-L 9th Grade Parent Info Night, January 28th at 7 p.m.
Career Center Open House Saturday, January 10th, 9 a.m.-11 a.m.
 Thank you for coming out and have a great holiday season!