Course Selections for 2014-2015
Course Presentations
March 4-6, 2014
WAXAHACHIE INDEPENDENT
SCHOOL DISTRICT
Waxahachie
Global High
School
An Early College High School / TSTEM Academy
Table of Contents
WISD Information Letter ......................................................................................4
Secondary Campuses ............................................................................................ 6
General Introduction ............................................................................................. 7
Grade Classifications ............................................................................................ 8
Texas Graduation Plans ....................................................................................... 8
Graduation Requirements ...................................................................................9
Grade Point Average ………………………………………………………….…………….…..…...10
Class Ranking System ........................................................................................ ..11
Graduation Cords................................................................................................ 12
Additional Academic Information.................................................................. 13-14
Assessments ................................................................................................... 15-16
College Bound Senior Information...................................................................... 17
Early College High School………………………………………………………………..………..…18
Other Means to Gain Course Credits.................................................................. 18
Early Graduation ................................................................................................ 19
Course Descriptions
English Language Arts ........................................................................... 20-21
Mathematics .......................................................................................... 22-23
Science ....................................................................................................24-25
Social Studies ........................................................................................ 26-27
Foreign Language………………………………………………………………………….….…..28
Fine Arts…………………………………………………………………………………….…..……29
Engineering Courses………..……………………………………………………………….30-31
Career and Technical Education Courses……………………………………..…. 32-33
Physical Education……………………………………………………………………………. 34
Other Electives…… .............................................................................. ..35-36
p. 7
• Waxahachie Global High School
• Waxahachie Global High (WGH) is one of approximately seventy Texas Science,
Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (T-STEM) academies across the state.
WGH focuses on project-based learning in these areas. A personalized,
engaging and relevant learning environment is provided for the 100 students per
grade population, grades 9-12. Students may apply to attend WGH and openenrollment selections are made using a lottery system in the spring prior to the
students’ freshman year. Students at WGH are required to take:
• 2 years of engineering courses including Introduction to Engineering Design (IED)
• 2 years of information technology including Principles of Information Technology
(PIT)
• At Waxahachie Global High School, early college high school students are
simultaneously earning both a high school diploma and an Associate’s Degree or
two years of college credit toward a Bachelor’s Degree. Whatever their prior
experience in school, early college high school students are challenged and
supported to develop the knowledge, skills, and behaviors that lead to success in
college.
p. 8
• High School Grade Classifications
• Total credits earned determine a student’s grade classification.
Students graduating under the Distinguished Achievement Plan or
Recommended Plan must earn a minimum of 26 credits which
satisfy requirements for a Texas high school graduation diploma.
• WISD grade classifications are:
• Freshman
0 - 6 credits
• Sophomore 6.5 – 12.5 credits
• Junior
13 – 19 credits
• Senior
19.5 – 26 credits
• Students are classified at the beginning of the school year.
Classifications will remain the same throughout the school year
unless corrections are necessary due to clerical errors. Early
graduates may be classified as seniors at the end of the first
semester of their third year of high school.
p. 9
Waxahachie Global High Graduation Requirements
Four (4) Credits
English
Language Arts
English I, II, III and IV or (Dual Credit)
Four (4) Credits
Mathematics
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II
The fourth credit may be selected from either of the following courses for which Algebra II is a prerequisite:
Pre-calculus
DC Pre-calculus
DC Calculus
DC Statistics
Four (4) Credits
Science
Biology
Chemistry or DC Chemistry I
Physics
The fourth credit may be selected from any of the following:
DC Biology
DC Chemistry II
Scientific Research and Design (concurrent or dual enrollment in college courses)
Engineering Design
Social Studies
Three and One-half (3.5) Credits
World Geography Studies
World History Studies
DC U.S .History Studies
U.S. Government or DC U.S. Government (0.5 Credits)
Economics
One-half (o.5) Credit
Economics or DC Economics
Physical
Education
One (1) Credit
DC Fitness Walking
Languages Other
than English
Fine Arts
Engineering
Two (2) Credits
Must consist of any two levels in the same language.
One (1) Credit
DC Art Appreciation
Two (2) Credits
IED
POE
Other PLTW Engineering Courses
Technology
Two (2) Credits
DC PIT
Classes from one of the three technology sequences
Elective Courses
See Catalog for selections.
p. 10
Grade Point Average (GPA)
•
The ranking of all students shall be computed on numerical grades in the following courses. Any of the courses
taken below the 9th grade level for credit towards high school graduation will be included in the calculation of the
student’s GPA and class ranking.
English Language Arts:
•
English I, II, III and IV, DC English III, DC English IV, DC Creative Writing, DC Technical Writing
Math:
•
Algebra I (if taken in grades 9-12), Geometry, Honors Geometry, Algebra II, Honors Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, DC
Pre-Calculus, Calculus, DC Calculus, DC Statistics
Science:
•
Honors Biology, DC Biology II, Scientific Research and Design (SRD), Chemistry, DC Chemistry I, DC Chemistry II,
Physics, Honors Physics
Social Studies:
•
Honors World Geography, Honors World History, U.S. History, DC U.S. History, U.S. Government, Economics, DC
Macroeconomics, DC Government
p. 12
Graduation Honor Cords
• Honor Cords, to be worn at graduation, may be earned by meeting specific criteria in areas below:
• Mathematics Cord requirements: 5 math courses
• Science Cord requirements: 5 science courses
BLUE
GREEN
• Community Service Cord requirements: 60 documented hours of community service
WHITE
• Carter Blood Care Cord requirements: Donation of two units of blood during high school
• Institute of Higher Education Graduates
• Computer Science (Three or more classes)
• Engineering (Three or more classes)
• Core Complete
RED/WHITE
GREEN and BLUE
BLUE/SILVER
YELLOW GOLD
RED
p.14
Course
Scheduling
The Waxahachie ISD Counseling Department will make every effort to advise students in the
selection of appropriate classes, based on their career goals, interests and graduation
requirements. However, students’ course selections are ultimately the responsibility of students
and parents.
All high school students will pre-register for the following school year in the spring. Scheduling
concerns may be addressed prior to the beginning of school in the counseling office. As much as
possible, students are encouraged to plan their coursework in sequential order and, if applicable,
within a common career cluster.
Requests for high school schedule changes may be granted at the discretion of the student’s
counselor within the first ten days of the semester. All requests for schedule changes made after
the 10 th day of the semester must be submitted to the Principal. There will be no schedule
changes after the first six weeks of each semester for the high school classes. Students have until
the college drop deadline to change their Dual Credit status in the class. Drops and Adds for the
college classes are dependent upon the college calendar. See Navarro’s or UTT’s course offering
catalog for each semester’s deadlines.
p. 18
Early College High School
Dual Credit Courses (DC)
• The Dual Credit Program at Waxahachie Global High School offers an
opportunity for high school students to take college level academic courses for
high school and college credit simultaneously. Courses offered are based upon a
written agreement between WISD and an Institute of Higher Education and
meets the Texas Education Code provisions relating to courses for joint high
school and college credit. Students must meet all requirements for enrollment
at Navarro or UTT for both semesters. All off-campus dual credit courses meeting
graduation requirements should be completed no later than the fall semester of
the student’s senior year. Each college and university will determine the
acceptance of a dual credit transfer grade. Students may refer to the specific
college catalog for information on transfer grades.
• Note: WISD accepts no responsibility for a college’s acceptance of dual credit
transfer courses.
p.20
Waxahachie Global High School
Course Descriptions
Science Pathway
DC Elective
COURSE SELECTION SHEET
GLOBAL HIGH SCHOOL 2014-2015
Name________________________________________ Phone_________________ Grade ___________
9th Grade
Course
H English I
English
History
H W. Geography
C
1
1
10th Grade
Course
C
H English II
1
H W. History
1
11th Grade
Course
English III
DC English III
C
1
1
US History
1
DC US History
1
12th Grade
Course
H English IV
DC English III
DC Creative Writing
DC Technical Writing
C
1
1
.5
.5
Economics
US Govt
DC Economics
DC US Govt
.5
.5
.5
.5
Science
H Biology I
1
Chemistry I
DC Chemistry I
1
1
Physics
H Physics
1
1
Engineer Prob Solv
DC Chemistry II
DC Biology II
1
1
1
Math
H Algebra I
H Geometry
1
1
H Geometry
H Algebra II
1
DC College Algebra
DC College Stats I
Algebra II
1
1
1
DC Calculus
DC College Stats II
Pre-Cal
1
1
1
Engineering
IED
1
POE
1
Civil
Digital Engineering
Aerospace
Elective
1
1
1
1
Civil
Digital Engineering
Aerospace
Capstone
Elective
1
1
1
1
Computer
DC PIT I
1
Animation
Graphics
Comp Maint
DC PIT II
1
1
1
1
Animation
Graphics
Networking
Programming
Elective
1
1
1
1
1
Animation
Graphics
Networking
Programming
Video Game Design
Comp Technician
Elective
1
1
1
1
1
1
1
Spanish
Spanish I
Spanish II
1
1
Spanish II
DC Spanish III
1
1
Latin I
DC Spanish III
Elective
1
1
1
Latin I
Latin II
Elective
1
1
1
Required
Courses
DC PE I/PE II
1
DC Art I
1
Elective
1
Elective
1
Elective ___________________________________________
Elective ___________________________________________