February 1 and 8, 2016
FREE SAT @ LHS April 12
Registration at Lamar this month
Free SAT test prep at khanacademy.org
Juniors are receiving information
on their credits, graduation
requirements and course options
for senior year.
Course requests are made in a
meeting with their Academic
Deans
Materials and selections go home for
parent review after the meeting
Send your corrections (if needed)
to your student’s assigned office
By February 19
April/May
August
Course choices
available for
review & changes 3 times
Schedule mailed home
for review and limited
changes as needed
Choose Carefully:
1. Do not plan on making changes after
school begins
2. Best way to get it as you like is to have
it correct by the end of May
3. Changes are made as space is available
4. Schedule is based on student requests
and available staffing
4
4
4
4
2
credits
credits
credits
credits
credits
English
of
of
of
of
of
English
Math
Social Studies
Science
a language other than
1 credit of PE or equivalent
1 credit in Fine Arts
½ credit in Health
½ credit in Speech
5 credits of Electives
26 credits total
Graduation Requirements
4 credits of math
Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry and a fourth math
Fourth Math: Precalculus or
Advanced Quantative
Reasoning (Application of
concepts in Algebra & Geometry)
Advanced Quantitative Reasoning
 Cannot start with Precalculus and
move to AQR in January. Credit must
be from the same class.
 Must complete both semesters of
Algebra 2 before AQR
Graduation Requirements
4 credits of science
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and a fourth
science
Fourth Science: Anatomy, Aquatic Science
or PDP Environmental Science,
IBDP Biology, Chemistry, or
IPC (only if taken before Chemistry &
Physics)
4th Science
To earn graduation credit in SCIENCE:
 Credit for both semesters must be
earned in the same science
 You cannot move from one science to
another for the spring semester
Because health and speech are only
taught online at Lamar, your student
will need to complete both outside of
the school day before they graduate.
There are 3 ways to complete this
requirement:
1. Free in summer school
2. Free online outside of school during
the school year. See the advisor to
sign students up for Grad Lab as an
after school course to complete these
classes.
3. Students may have opted to graduate
under the new HB5 rules and eliminate
Speech from their requirements.
(Deadline was Spring 2014 for this.)
Through April of 2014, your student
may opted to graduate under the HB5
rules for graduation. The requirements
are the same as the Recommended
High School Program your student is
graduating under, but the HB5
requirements eliminate speech and
add another semester of an elective in
it’s place.
Your student’s graduation plan will
change from the Recommended High
School Program to the Distinguished
Level of Achievement Program.
The only course change that will be
required is that a semester of an
elective will be needed instead of
Speech.
HB 5 requires students to complete an
endorsement - a 4 year sequence of
courses in an area of interest to them.
The “Multidisciplinary Endorsement”
requires more math and science which
Lamar graduates complete as our
minimum graduation requirements, so
no other course selections are needed.
If more than 2 unexcused
absences are earned in any class,
credit will be denied for the
semester.
Students who….
...have credit appeal denied
...did not file credit appeals
…failed courses needed to graduate
Have 3 options before next year:
Summer School
Online coursework free through
Grad Lab
Online Course – Texas Tech $$
Students who have lost credit due to
absences or failed classes needed to
graduate will not be rescheduled in
the class.
Students will be scheduled into one
“Grad Lab” period where they can
retake the course(s) online for no
charge.
Online/Correspondence will not be approved for
completion of graduation requirements during
senior year to allow room for Off Campus
SOLUTION:
Complete Summer School or Correspondence
before the fall semester begins.
See your Academic Dean soon for approval
College Instructors come to Lamar to teach
college level classes for HCC AND IB credit
Students must register in the fall are required
to take the end of the year exam for IB credit
Dual Credit classes are not for IB Diploma
testing
Free tuition for HCC Central residents
Purchase textbooks
Students must take the IB exam.
Registration fees for IB may apply
($180.00)
Student assistance available to those
in the free or reduced lunch program
BOTH are full year, 2 semesters
Students are expected to be in both semesters
HCC/IBSL English 4
HCC/IBSL Psychology (online)
These courses are not for IB Diploma testing classes
For Eligibility Approval:
Sue Ling in the College Corner
713-942-3339
cgranger@houstonisd.org
Free tuition in the summer for dual credit
classes at HCC Central Campus
No high school credit for summer courses
Approval required and begins at Lamar
See Sue Ling in the College Corner after spring
break for information
Off Campus is not recommended for students
applying to selective universities
Seniors must take 1 Advanced Academic course
for each requested period of Off Campus (PDP,
IB, AP, Dual Credit)
Students must leave the campus during the Off
Campus period
Seniors may take only one non-credited course
each day (Study Lab, Grad Lab, Student Aide,
STARR review, Off Campus)
No student will be placed in Off Campus
if in Grad Lab.
Off Campus is only available to seniors who need
7.5 or fewer credits in August to graduate
 Above all, they look for a strong record in
difficult classes
 Don’t lighten your class load senior year
 An improving transcript is better than one in
decline
 Improve communication skills especially writing
 Get involved in outside activities
Adding a PDP or IBDP class?
Complete an IBDP assessment
form for the first time in IBDP
If in IBDP now, add another on
your course selection sheet
without additional paperwork
Texas A & M admission
Through Algebra 2 plus ½ credit advanced
math: Precalculus or IB Math Studies
UT Austin Units Plus
Admissions bump for having courses over
the minimum in 2 of 3 subject areas:
Math, Science and Foreign Language
Take as much as you can:
MATH
SCIENCE
LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH
If having trouble with PDP/IB, change to
recommended rather than dropping the
subject senior year
Work/Study
Magnet Internship – Coach Nolen
Supervised work experience for magnet seniors
at Houston area corporations
Career Prep – Ms. Branch
Option for seniors not in magnet
 Work at businesses supervised by Lamar
teachers
 EARN $$ while you LEARN
Salary plus high school credit earned
Leave school early because of work schedule
Visit colleges when possible
Spring Break is a great time
Private or out of state colleges
Have your list ready this summer
Community Service
Colleges usually ask for this on
applications
Make an ACT/SAT plan
The free SAT @ LHS counts on April 12.
Encourage your junior to prepare
Consider taking the ACT in the spring of
junior year
If the needed score is not met, take the
better test again in senior fall
Review Information
 Check transcript before summer for accuracy
before rank is determined in October
 Copy of transcript grades and courses will be
sent home with course selection materials
 Review applications for needed information:
www. applytexas.com www.commonapp.org
 Essays often do not change for next year
Next Up:
Choosing a College: April 4
Thanks for coming