Communications Arts High School
EXPECTATIONS FOR
YOUR SENIOR YEAR
Mr. Guerrero: AP Economics &
Government
1 semester course for grades
 1 semester course in regards to attendance
 AP Course and expectations
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 Significant amounts of reading and taking notes outside
of class
 Be ready to actively participate in class discussion
 A general awareness of the news is a must
Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish
Available Resources
 Tutoring
 CD Tutoring program
 Salon de Sabios
 Computer Lab
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Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish
eClassroom
 Study Suggestions sheet
 Online resources, especially www.classzone.com
 supplies – notebook, folder
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Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish
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Spanish IV AP and the AP Exam
 Why take it?
○ You can get a minor without taking a course in college
depending on the college you go to
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Homework/Workload
 Will have homework every day
 Some practice or studying 30 minutes each night even
if specific homework is not assigned
Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish
 Skills
for Success
 Time management
 Organization; Balancing school and extra-curricular
 Asking for help when needed
 Academic
integrity
 Absences/tardies
Mrs. Davern: English IV
Objectives of the course:
 To study British and world literature and to cover the
curriculum specified in TEKS.
 To prepare for the AP Literature and Composition Test
in May.
 This course is taught as a college level English class
and, as such, includes a challenging workload,
especially outside reading.
○ Be prepared to schedule reading into your free time and
to receive frequent writing assignments.
Mrs. Davern: English IV

Turnitin.com
Summer Reading Assignment:
Part One
 Mythology:
Timeless Tales of Gods and
Heroes
by Edith Hamilton
 core knowledge for AP Lit. students
 reading it first and carefully will help
students understand many allusions
found in the literature we read
 please highlight important information
in the text
Summer Reading Assignment:
Part One
 Writing Assignment for Mythology
 NOTE: Write all assignments in a new Mead
Composition Book (this is a supply requirement for
the class)
 take detailed notes. See the handout for
specific instructions
Summer Reading Assignment:
Part Two
 The
Inferno by Dante Alighieri (trans. John
Ciardi)
○ the first part of The Divine Comedy, which follows Dante
as he explores Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.
○ Inferno: Dante and his guide Virgil explore the
different levels of Hell.
Writing Assignment for Inferno
○See the handout for details
 annotation
 bring your copy of the novel to class
every day until the summer unit is
complete.
 essays and tests will occur during the
first two weeks of school.
 Failure to complete the either
assignment will be detrimental to your
first six weeks grade.
Acquiring the Texts
The school has a few copies of Mythology and The
Inferno, but I encourage you to purchase your own
copies so that you can annotate and mark in them.
 Both books can be found relatively cheaply in
paperback at both regular and used books
bookstores as well as online.
 In addition, having your own copy of any AP
recommended/studied text allows you to review it
before the AP test and remind yourself of characters,
setting, etc.
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English IV AP—
Supplies
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Two (2) 100 page, sewn composition book
Blue/Black pens & highlighters
Loose leaf paper
A pocket folder/binder
5x8 lined index cards—extra large cards
1 large glue stick
Flash drive
Planner
Novels
English IV Novels
Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe
 The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald
 Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte
 Hamlet, William Shakespeare (Folgers ed.)
 A choice Modern novel—from a list
 A choice 19th century novel—from a list

Mrs. Malik: AP/Dual Credit
AP vs. Dual Credit
 Expectations: homework outside of class
 AP tests are given in May
 Students can receive college credit depending on
their score
 Each university awards its own credit; there isn’t a
standard score/grade equivalency

Mrs. Malik: AP/Dual Credit
Grades earned in dual credit become part of the
PERMANENT ACADEMIC RECORD and will be
recorded on BOTH the high school AND college
transcripts
 Dropping a course-responsible for drop date
 Failing & possible consequences with later
financial aid
 Failing and reflection on transcript and GPA

BENEFITS OF ENROLLING IN DUAL
CREDIT COURSES:
Classes are taught by ComArts teachers and are
held at the high school.
 Offers FREE tuition for two courses, 6- 8 hours of
college credit each year.
 Saves parents & students considerable amounts
of college costs.
 Shortens the length of time to complete a degree
 Allowed access to NSV and ACCD services such
as the library

DUAL CREDIT COURSES:
(some also offered as Pre-AP & AP)
MATH: Pre-Calculus, Calculus AB/ BC, Statistics,
College Algebra
 SCIENCE: Biology, Environmental Science
 English 3 and English 4
 Spanish 3
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FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT
COURSES (cont.)
Students must attend their Dual Credit class
regularly and may be withdrawn for lack of
attendance and/or lack of progress.
 Students who make a D or an F in a Dual Credit
class will not be allowed to continue in the Dual
Credit program.
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FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT
COURSES (cont.)
Students are responsible for knowing and
adhering to the drop deadlines for withdrawal on
the Alamo Colleges Academic calendar (should
his/her grade fall below a C).
 Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 and remain
in good standing to continue in the Dual Credit
Program.

FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT
COURSES (cont.)
If a student plagiarizes a paper or colludes or
cheats in any dual credit class, the student will be
subject to the discipline policies and procedures
of the college; severe cases may result in failure
of the course and suspension from the dual credit
program.
 Courses are generally transferable, but it is not
the responsibility of the college to ensure that the
dual credit course is transferable to the
college/university the student plans to attend.

Mrs. Malik: Independent Study
Mentorship (ISM)
 Independent
Study Mentorship with the key
word being independent
 Major goal is to promote independent
learning and being responsible for themselves.
Mrs. Malik: Independent Study
Mentorship (ISM)
 Responsible
for finding own mentor
 Mrs. Malik can provide possible names
 Responsible
for own transportation
 Must be professional and courteous as you are
representing the school and the program
Mrs. Malik: Independent Study
Mentorship (ISM)
 Select
a topic that you are truly interested in.
You will be researching it in depth for a full
year.
 Topic must require post secondary education.
 Blocking with English once the 2nd six weeks
starts
 Speeches every six weeks
 Research paper on topic
Mrs. Malik: Independent Study
Mentorship (ISM)
 Meetings and attendance
 Allowed to go during ISM period ON ISM days
 Mrs. Malik cannot excuse an absence or tardy for
another class due to a meeting
 Meetings are due the 3rd and 5th Monday of each
six weeks (2 per six weeks).
 Students may have additional meetings.
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 1st
Six Weeks: college prep: resumes,
applications, reading a degree plan
 Apply Texas
 We will begin in class so that teacher can help
 REMEMBER
passwords and social security #
 FAFSA
 Entrance
Exams-SAT & ACT
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 Letters
of Recommendation
 Give teachers at least a week to write them
 Provide recipient information and a copy of
your resume that we will write in ISM class
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 Deadlines/Admissions
 Deadlines are very important
 “Received by” vs. “Postmarked by”
 Early Decision is binding if accepted.
 Early Action-usually November deadline; turn
everything in early and university sends decision early
 Deadlines includes ALL components
○ E.g., for a college application, it will include all of the
required components such as the actual application, essay,
transcript and letters of recommendation (if required)
Mrs. Malik: College Admissions
 Regular
Decision:
 application due dates are much later and most
acceptance letters are sent out around March 1st
 Rolling
Admissions:
 applications are reviewed as they are received and
letters are sent out once a decision has been made
 If
you have questions about an application
or your status, CALL the university. Check
your status regularly.
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 Transcripts
 At Taft
 May order and pick up before school, after school and
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at lunch only
Can take up to a week
May want to order a couple to have on hand
Forms can be found in Mrs. Malik’s room or front office
Parent Consent form only one time (if under 18); forms
can be found in Mrs. Malik’s room or front office
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 NW
Vista
 Mrs. Malik will show the students how to log into ACES
and how to order a transcript online
Mrs. Malik: College Prep
 Final
documentation for College
 In May, we will discuss making a folder/portfolio to
take to college orientation
 Students will be given an order form for their final
CAHS transcript and will be shown how to order the
Vista transcript for the college they will be attending
Mrs. Whitus: Electives
 Yearbook
 Advanced
Video
 Digital Graphics & Animation
Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items
 Yearbook
 $70, price will increase to $75 in the Spring
 Senior ads
○ Order in the Spring
○ Prices range from $70-$250 (quarter
page-full page)
Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items
 Senior pictures
 Must take by December 1 for inclusion in yearbook
 No cost for yearbook senior picture
 Yearbook senior picture must be taken by Prestige,
but you DO NOT have to buy any pictures from
them
○ two dates here at school in the Fall:
 Saturday, September 21
 Retakes Saturday, November 4
○ or set up appointment at their studio: 690-1476
 Picture packages from Prestige: $100-$600
Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items
 Class
ring
 Order from Josten’s in the Fall
 Range of prices from $100-$1000
 Prom
 $50-$65; price of ticket increases as it gets closer
 tux rentals: $100-$250
 dresses: $200-$400
 Senior
Banquet
 Free for students, $25 for each guest
Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items
 Graduation Expenses
 Cap and gown
○ $25
 Graduation Announcements
○ Order from Josten’s in the Fall
○ Packages vary from $75-$200
 Parking at Alamodome: $10
 Project
Graduation
 $55-$70
 Ticket price goes up as year goes on
Summary of
Nonacademic Expenses
(based on 2011-12 costs)
 Yearbook: $70-$75
 Senior pictures: $0 - $600
 Senior ad in yearbook: $70 - $250
 Class ring: $100-1000
 Graduation invitations: $75-200
 Cap & gown: $25
 Prom tickets: $50-$65
 Senior Banquet: free for students, $25 per guest
 Project Graduation: $55-70
Resources
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Eclassroom
Each teacher offers tutoring—talk to your teachers!
Salon de Sabios
 After school from 4:20-6:20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays
 A place to study, use the computer lab, make up a test or
quiz
 in the past, a Spanish teacher has been available every
Thursday to help students
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Lunch Lab and Lunch Study Hall
Students are expected to print homework
assignments at home, not in the labs
Resources
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Go Center
 See Mrs. Crowson for scholarship information before
school or at lunch
 She will also help to contact schools if there are
questions that we cannot answer
 She schedules college reps to speak throughout the
year during lunch. Take advantage of this
Counselor
 Planners
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QUESTIONS?