th
9
Grade Course Selection
Academic Catalog
You can find the 2014-2015 Course Catalog
online at:
http://www.friscoisd.org/ly/parentsStudents/
HighSchoolCourseAcademicCatalogs.htm
All course offerings are subject to change!
Funding levels and student interest may
affect whether or not an offering is available.
Tentative Changes in Texas
Graduation Plans (HB 5)
► Creates a Foundation High School Program
► Allows a student to earn an Endorsement in one
of the following:
● Arts & Humanities
● Business & Industry
● Multidisciplinary
● Public Service
● STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering & Math)
► Provides for a Distinguished Level of Achievement
► College Admission Requirements versus High
School Graduation Plans
What is a Credit?
A student needs 26 credits in order to
graduate. A half-credit is earned each
semester for each class passed with a 70
or above average.
All 9th grade
students must be
enrolled in eight
class periods.
Current Recommendations for
College Readiness
(Distinguished Level of Achievement)
Subject
Credits
Required Courses
English
Math
Science
4
4
4
Social Studies
4
Foreign Language
P.E.
2
1
Health
Speech
Fine Arts
.5
.5
1
Technology
1
English 1, 2, 3**, 4
Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra II**, 4th math
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, 4th science
OR Biology, IPC, Chemistry, Physics
World Geo, World History, U.S. History,
Government & Economics
Spanish, French, Chinese, ASL* 1&2
P.E., Athletics/Training, Fall Band, Fall Color Guard,
Drill Team, Cheer, Dance (not an option for athletes)
Health, Health Science (prereq Medical Terminology)
Communication Applications
Art, Theater Arts, Choir, Band, Dance, Orchestra,
DGA, Elements of Floral Design (grade 10+)
BIM, Digital Interactive Media, DGA, Computer
Science, Web Technologies, Computer
Maintenance, Yearbook, Video Technology,
Broadcast + possible additions
Electives (Endorsements)
4
Total
26
*ASL does not meet all college admissions requirements.
Distinguished Level of
Achievement
Requires completion of the following:
► Four credits in math which must include Algebra 2
► Four credits in science with one course being
advanced (courses to be determined)
► The remaining curriculum requirements
► The requirements for at least one endorsement
Registration Process
8th Grade Year
Four-Year Plan
December
Group Presentations January
Fall 9th Grade Year
Guidance
October
October
November
Individual Meetings
– Verification Forms
January
Four-Year Plan
Review
Changes & Addition
of Alternates
February
Changes to FourYear Plans
Last Day to Make
Changes
May 9, 2014
Spring 9th Grade Year
Individual Meetings
– Verification Forms
February
Changes & Addition
of Alternates
February
Rank in Class Policy
Rank in class, honor graduate
status, valedictorian and
salutatorian determination shall
be based on a weighted grade
point average (GPA) system.
Grades will be weighted according
to the level of the course.
Incoming 9th Graders will not
receive a GPA and Rank until
after the first Fall semester at
Independence!
AP/PAP
Dual
Credit
On-Level
Grade
Point
95
100
5.5
94
99
5.4
93
98
5.3
92
97
5.2
91
96
5.1
90
95
100
5.0
89
94
99
4.9
88
93
98
4.8
87
92
97
4.7
86
91
96
4.6
85
90
95
4.5
84
89
94
4.4
Top 10% Rule
► Class Rank and GPA are used to determine if
you are in the “Top 10%” of your class.
► Students who are in the top 10% of their class
are automatically accepted into Texas public
colleges. (UT Austin is now top 7%)
► Freshman grades count! Start strong and do
your best from your first day of high school. For
admissions purposes, rank at the close of junior
year dictates the top 10% of the class.
Prerequisites
Prerequisite - required or necessary as a prior condition.
In order to take the classes below, a prerequisite class
is required first.
Examples:
Spanish II
Prereq: Spanish I
Health Science (10th Grade Course)
Prereq: Medical Terminology (9th Grade)
The 2014-2015 Course Catalog will outline the
Prerequisites and the Grade Restrictions
Course Pathways at CTE Center
► Arts & Humanities
●
●
●
●
●
Art
Dance
Music
Theatre
Language
► Business & Industry
●
●
●
●
●
Advanced Journalism
Ag, Food & Natural Resources-Animal Science
Ag, Food & Natural Resources-Horticulture/Landscape
Ag, Food & Natural Resources-Ag Mechanics
Architecture & Construction
Course Pathways at CTE Center
► Business & Industry continued
● Arts, AV Technology & Communication
● Business Management & Administration
● Financial Systems
● Hospitality & Tourism
● Information Technology
● Marketing, Sales & Service
● Sports & Entertainment Management
► Multidisciplinary
► Public Service
● Education & Training
● Government & Public Administration
● Law, Public Safety, Corrections & Security
Course Pathways at CTE Center
► STEM
●
●
●
●
Computer Science
Health Science
Math
Science
More information regarding Career & Technology
pathways can be found online at
http://schools.friscoisd.org/spc/cte
What Counts in College Admissions
NACAC 2008
Recommendations
Essays
Grades in ALL
Classes
21%
27%
52%
54%
SAT/ACT Scores
Strength of
Curriculum
62%
Grades in Challenging
Classes
75%
Admission Trends: Trends Survey 2008
NACAC
Pre-AP and Advanced Placement Program
What is the Pre-AP/AP program?
Allows students to participate in college preparatory courses and
college level courses while still in high school
Who can enroll in a Pre-AP/AP course?
Any student can enroll
Students committed to completing the course they
sign up to take
Changes will be allowed at the 1st six-week point and
at semester
What are the advantages of Pre-AP/AP courses?
Better preparation for college
Students may receive college credit in high school, saving
both time and money
Colleges and universities look favorably on students who
have completed this course work
PAP/AP Six-Weeks Commitment
► Students who sign up for a PAP/AP class will be
required to stay the entire first six weeks. At the
close of the first six weeks, students who wish to
drop will meet with their teacher, parent and
counselor to discuss the move. The grade the
student has at the end of the six weeks will go with
the student to the new class.
► Following the close of the first six weeks, students
will not be allowed to drop the course until second
term begins.
High School Schedule
► Known as an A-B block schedule
► 8 total classes
► A Day = 4 classes; B Day = the other 4 classes
► 30-minute lunch is based on student’s 3rd period
class
► School begins at 9:00 a.m. and ends at 4:10 p.m.
► Each class is 90 minutes with 5 minutes between
each class
Block Schedule
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
A Day B Day A Day B Day A Day
Periods 1-4
Periods1-4
Periods 1-4 Periods 1-4
Periods 1-4
B Day A Day B Day A Day B Day
Periods 1-4
Periods 1-4
Periods 1-4
Periods 1-4 Periods 1-4
Saturday
Typical Schedule for a Student in
P.E. Class
A Day
1st period:
Algebra I
B Day
1st period:
Biology
2nd period:
English I
2nd period:
3rd period:
Art I
3rd period:
4th period:
PE
Health/Speech
World
Geography
4th period: Spanish I
Typical Schedule for a Student
in Band or Athletics Every Day
A Day
1st period:
Algebra I
B Day
1st period:
Biology
2nd period:
English I
2nd period:
3rd period:
Spanish I
3rd period:
4th period: Athletics
or Band
Health/Speech
World
Geography
4th period: Athletics or
Band
9th Grade English
► English I OR PAP English I
● PAP English I requires Summer Reading
● Check the website in May for book titles
9th Grade Math
► Students who are taking 8th grade math will take
Algebra 1 or PAP Algebra 1.
► Students who complete Algebra 1 or PAP Algebra
1 in the 8th grade will take Geometry or PAP
Geometry.
► Students who are taking Geometry this year will
take Algebra 2 or PAP Algebra 2.
9th Grade Science
► IPC (Integrated Physics and Chemistry), Biology,
PAP Biology, Physics, or AP Physics 1
9th Grade Social Studies
► World Geography or AP Human Geography
Spanish in Middle School
► Students who have successfully
completed the two-year Spanish program
in 7th and 8th grades have Spanish 1 credit
and will take Spanish 2 or PAP Spanish 2 to
satisfy the two-year requirement for
graduation
Ways to Meet P.E. Credit
► Take PE class:
● Personal Fitness
● Aerobics
● Team/Individual
● Weightlifting
● Adventure/Outdoor
► Make an athletic
team (football,
volleyball, soccer, etc.)
► Make Color Guard
(fall PE credit only)
► Make Drill Team
► March in the Band(fall PE credit only)
► Make Cheerleading
► Be an Athletic
Trainer (+ Sports
Medicine and application)
► Take Dance I (course
cannot be taken with
athletics)
Athletic Try-Outs
► All students are free to sign up for any athletic class
they wish, but they must make the team in order to stay
in the class. PE teaches how to play various sports, but
the athletic teams in high school are competitive and
require you to already know how to play.
► Try-outs typically occur the first two weeks of each
semester.
► Those not making the team will be moved to P.E. and
to elective classes that are STILL OPEN.
Athletics
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
♦
Football
Basketball
Swimming
Volleyball
Soccer
Tennis
Golf
Softball
Wrestling
Track/Cross
Country
♦ Trainer
♦ Baseball
Only one sport will
appear on the
schedule - the sport
that starts first.
BAND
► Band is a double-blocked class; band director
must approve a student wanting to single-block.
► Fall band is marching band.
► The band director and athletic coach must be
contacted if a student wants to participate in
both band and a sport.
Dance – Fine Arts & PE
► One year of Dance fulfills Fine Arts
requirement for 1 credit AND
► PE requirement for 1 credit
► Athletes cannot sign up for Dance 1
DGA – Fine Arts &
Technology
► One year of DGA fulfills Fine Arts
requirement for 1 credit AND
► Technology requirement for 1 credit
Programs Needing Applications or
Teacher Approval
Teacher Approval:
Band
Orchestra
Choir
Debate
Off Campus PE:
Contact Sally Turner
Applications:
Music Theory
Academic Decathlon
Athletic Trainer
Technical Theater
Partner’s PE
Back Up Classes
► Make sure and complete the alternate
electives on the verification form for your
current campus. These will be used if the
student’s first choice does not work.
► We will pick these FOR THE STUDENTS if
they don’t! And, they won’t be able to
change once school begins.
State Assessments
► 5 STAAR End-of-Course (EOC) Exams
● English I
● English II
● Algebra I
● Biology
● US History
Making a Schedule Change
► Your last opportunity to change an
elective is on or before:
May 9, 2014
► Only approved program changes (in or out of athletics,
band, etc) can be made the first two weeks of the new
semester.
► PAP/AP students must complete the first six-weeks grade
cycle before a change to on-level will be considered.
► Please see your current counselor at your current campus
in order to update any schedule requests!
How to Help Your Students…
► Encourage them to do their homework on the day
that it is assigned.
► Monitor their grades on Home Access but don’t make
it your homepage!
► Help them with organizational skills.
► Begin to shift responsibilities to them. Allow them an
opportunity to learn how to manage time and handle
difficult situations on their own.
“The most important thing that parents can teach
their children is how to get along without them.”
--Frank Clark
Family Connection
► Family Connection is a website run by the
counseling center to keep you and your student
informed of upcoming events and deadlines.
► College information, scholarship opportunities,
summer internship possibilities, career and
personality tests, SAT/ACT links, class rank.
Community Service
► Community service is not a requirement for
graduation, but it does enhance a college application.
► Students are responsible for finding and keeping up
with all hours earned.
► Students who earn 100 hours or more by April 1 of
graduating year will be recognized with a special cord at
graduation.
www.x2vol.com
Thinking of Summer
School???
► The following courses will be offered in summer
school for advancement:
● Business Information Mgmt (1 credit/2 terms)
● Digital Interactive Media (1 credit/2 terms)
● Health (.5 credit/1 term)
● Communication Applications (.5 credit/1 term)
● IPC (Integrated Physics & Chemistry)
(1 credit/2 terms)
● Medical Terminology (.5 credit/1 term)
**Can take up to 1 full credit in summer school. Counts in GPA
calculation for Freshman Entering HS Fall 2013**
Credit By Exams for
Acceleration
► Current 8th graders need to test prior to the
end of school this year to ensure that grades
are received in time for an accurate schedule at
schedule pickup.
► A student’s schedule will not change until
grades have been received.
► Grade does not count in GPA.
Reminders
► Elective choices cannot be changed after May 9, 2014. Be sure
the student’s choices and alternate choices on the verifications are
classes the student wants!
► Course verifications will be given to the students during our
individual student meetings at their current campus. Please sign
and return to your current school counselor as soon as possible.
► Don’t forget to list alternate choices! Your student’s schedule
may not work out as planned, and we prefer not to make that
choice!
Dates to Remember
► May 9, 2014 – Last Day for Elective Changes
► August 2014 - Schedule Pickup (Date TBD)
Balance – There are only 24
hours in a day! 
► Try not to overload yourself. We
do not recommend that a student
take all advanced-level classes, join
numerous activities (band, athletics,
student council…), and expect to be
successful in EVERYTHING.
► We all need some down time.
Consider your well-being and choose
carefully.
IHS Lead
Counselor
Heather Holmes
469-633-5914
holmesh@friscoisd.org