Frequently Asked Questions about Scheduling for Freshman Year
How is the school year structured at CHS?
The academic year has two semesters. Each semester is divided into two quarters.
How is the day structured at Carmel High School and how many classes does a freshman take?
Carmel High School is on a Block 8 schedule. Students are scheduled for eight class periods, with four of the
periods meeting on Blue Day for ninety minutes each and the other four periods meeting on Gold Day for ninety
minutes each. Blue Days and Gold Days alternate throughout the school year. CHS students take seven classes
each semester and also have a Student Resource Time (SRT) which meets during second period on Gold Day.
How do I help my student determine what classes to take during ninth grade?
Each student receives a copy of the Carmel High School Program of Studies which includes information about
various diplomas available to students in Indiana and the requirements necessary to earn those diplomas. This
diploma information can be found on the first few pages. The Program of Studies includes course descriptions of
every course offered at CHS. Carefully reviewing the diploma requirements as well as the course information is a
good starting place. Your student also receives a Scheduling Worksheet with course placement recommendations,
specific to your student, based on the courses he or she is taking in eighth grade.
Are there any courses that every ninth grader at Carmel High School is required to take?
Every freshman must take full-year courses in English, math and science. There are various levels and course
choices in each of the academic areas. Most students also take social studies, P.E., world language and an elective,
although none of these courses are required for ninth graders.
What courses are available to meet the full-year English course requirement?
Freshmen may take English 9, Honors English 9, or Pre-IB Honors English 9/ Pre-IB Honors World History. Since
the Pre-IB Honors English 9 course is blocked with Pre-IB Honors World History, students choosing Pre-IB must
take both. All of these courses are based on the Indiana Academic Standards and fulfill the Indiana Core 40 and
Academic or Technical Honors diploma requirements.
My student has needed extra support in Language Arts during middle school. What similar support is
available in ninth grade?
Students who do not pass the English/Language Arts portion of the eighth grade ISTEP+ test will be required to
enroll in Language Arts Lab or Developmental Reading in ninth grade. These courses are designed to further
develop students reading skills and increase students’ potential for success on the Indiana Graduation Qualifying
Exam/End of Course Assessment (GQE) in English 10. Students must pass the GQE as well as meet diploma
requirements in order to graduate from high school. Language Arts Lab is a forty-five minute class which is paired
with a forty-five minute Algebra Enrichment course (for students who also need extra support in math) or a fortyfive minute supported study hall. Developmental Reading is a full ninety minute class period.
How do I determine which of these English courses is right for my student?
Each student’s Scheduling Worksheet has the recommended placement listed in the top left hand column. The
recommended English course is based on the student’s eighth grade Language Arts class. You can also refer to the
flow chart that outlines appropriate course choices for ninth grade based on the courses your student is currently
taking.
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What math courses should my student take?
There are several math courses available to ninth graders: Algebra I with Cognitive Tutor, Algebra I, Geometry,
Honors Geometry, Algebra II, Honors Algebra II, and Honors Precalculus. When your student meets with a
Freshman Center counselor to review your student’s course choices, the counselor will help in selecting the
appropriate math course based on your student’s eighth grade math course and his or her performance this year.
Students’ math course placements will be finalized at the end of eighth grade based on the individual student’s final
exam grade, the second semester math grade, and eighth grade ISTEP+ scores. If your student needs to have the
ninth grade math course adjusted to a different course, a CHS counselor will be contact you about the change in late
May or early June.
Math has been somewhat challenging and difficult for my student. What support is available to help ninth
graders be successful in Algebra?
Students who do not pass the mathematics portion of the eighth grade ISTEP+ or who earn low fourth quarter
grades in their eighth grade math course will be placed in a full year Algebra Enrichment class. This is a new
course is designed to help students be successful in Algebra I or Algebra I with Cognitive Tutor and increase their
potential for success on the Indiana Graduation Qualifying Exam/End of Course Assessment (GQE) taken during
Algebra I. Students must pass the GQE as well as meet diploma requirements in order to graduate from high
school. Students taking Algebra I with Cognitive Tutor will have a ninety minute period of Algebra Enrichment in
addition to their Algebra I class. Students taking Algebra I will have a forty-five minute Algebra Enrichment class
paired with either a forty-five minute Language Arts Lab (for extra support in English 9) or a forty-five minute
supported study hall in addition to their Algebra I class.
If my student is placed in Algebra Enrichment and/or Language Arts Lab, can I sign a waiver and opt out of
these support courses?
Students who are placed in either Algebra Enrichment or Language Arts Lab are required to take them and cannot
opt out.
What science courses are available to meet the requirement for a full-year of science?
All ninth graders take a full year of Biology, which is offered at various levels. Students may enroll in Biology,
Honors Biology, or Pre-IB Honors Biology. Your student’s Scheduling Worksheet has information about your
student’s recommended science course, which is based on your student’s eighth grade schedule of classes. You can
also refer to the flow chart that outlines appropriate course choices for ninth grade based on the courses your
student is currently taking.
There is a social studies course recommended for my student. Do all ninth graders enroll in social studies?
Almost all ninth graders take a full year of social studies, although some students defer taking a social studies
course until tenth grade to allow room for extra support courses in the freshman year. Students must take a full
year of world history or geography to meet Core 40 diploma requirements. Courses that can be used to meet this
requirement are Geography and History of the World, World History, Pre-IB Honors World History (blocked with
Pre-IB Honors English 9), or Advanced Placement World History. Careful review of the flow chart will provide
information about the criteria used to determine your student’s recommended placement.
Students often study a world language in high school. Should my student take a world language in ninth
grade?
Most students who are college-bound choose to study a world language while in high school. Some students will
defer beginning a world language until tenth or eleventh grade. Other students will go on to level II of the language
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studied in eighth grade or choose to enroll in level I of a different world language in ninth grade. To be eligible for
a Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma, students must earn 6 credits (3 full years) in one world language or 4
credits in each of two different world languages. Again, specific information about a student’s choices and
placement in world language can be found on the flow charts.
What if my student signs up for Level II of a world language and then has a grade of lower than B- in that
language at the end of eighth grade? Will that Level II course change?
Final level placements in language courses for students continuing with the same language will be determined at the
end of eighth grade based on students’ performance in the current class and the score earned on the final
assessment. If an adjustment to a student’s level placement is necessary because of the student’s middle school
second semester grade in his or her world language course, the student’s parents will be contacted by a CHS
counselor.
On the flow chart, I see that a student who has a B- or higher in the eighth grade world language course at
the end of second semester is recommended to go on to Level II of that language or begin at Level I of a
different language. My student is has a B- and wants to stay with the same language that he/she has been
studying but doesn’t think the level of mastery is good enough to be successful in Level II. Is it possible to
repeat Level I of the same language?
Students who have a second semester grade of B- or higher must go on to Level II or begin at Level I in a different
world language. Next year the student can decide whether or not to accept high school credit for the Level I
language course completed in middle school. If credit is accepted, the B- will be included on the high school
transcript. If credit is not accepted, he/she can still enroll in Level II, but the B- will not be included on the high
school transcript. Not accepting credit means he/she will need to take one or two additional world language courses
to meet Core 40 with Academic Honors requirements.
P.E. I and P.E. II are listed on the Scheduling Worksheet. What are the options in meeting this
requirement?
These are single semester courses required for a diploma, and they can be taken out of sequence. Some students
may choose to take one or both of these classes during Summer School, either during the summer prior to ninth
grade and/or the summer prior to tenth grade. Information about summer school can be found on the last page of
the CHS Program of Studies. Students may also earn credit in P.E. II by participating in the following alternative
activities: Marching Band, Ambassadors, Accents, Coquettes, Charisma, Cheerleading, or a Carmel High School
IHSAA sport. Students planning to earn credit in P.E. II by one of these alternate means should document their
intent by enrolling in P.E. II-Alt when entering their course requests.
How and when should my student take a course to fulfill the Health requirement?
Health or Interpersonal Relations are single semester courses that meet the diploma requirement for students to earn
a credit in health education. Although not required for the freshman year, many students choose one of these
courses for ninth grade to get this graduation requirement “out of the way.” Either of these courses can be used to
meet the health diploma requirement but since the content of the courses is similar, students may only take one or
the other, not both of the courses.
My student receives special services and has an Individualized Educational Plan. Will he/she be scheduled
into a Resource period?
The student’s Individualized Educational Plan determined by the case conference committee will specify whether a
resource period is to be included in a student’s schedule.
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My student is an English Language Learner and currently is in English as a New Language classes. Are
similar classes available at the high school?
Various levels of courses in English as a New Language are offered. Sheltered ENL sections of various core
academic classes are also available. The Freshman Center counselor will help your student select appropriate
courses.
Are there deadlines for registering for summer school? In addition to P.E. I and P.E. II, are there other
courses available to new ninth graders?
The deadline for summer school registration for P.E. is March 1. The only other summer school course available to
new ninth graders is Prealgebra, which is a non-credit course recommended for students who need extra math
preparation before enrolling in Algebra I in ninth grade.
What elective courses are available to ninth graders?
The complete list of courses open to ninth graders is included in the scheduling packet. Descriptions of the content
of all of the courses can be found in the CHS Program of Studies.
My student is interested in taking one or more Honors courses but is not recommended for any Honors
courses on the Scheduling Worksheet. Can he or she opt to take Honors courses anyway?
Students who have completed the required prerequisite course and are not placed into a desired course may take
that course if they and their parents sign a waiver acknowledging that the student does not meet the placement
criteria. Course waiver forms are available at the Carmel High School Counseling Office. Students who enroll in a
math course through the waiver process must take the course for the entire school year and may not elect to change
course levels. The student may be asked to take a proficiency test to determine whether or not the student possesses
the pre-requisite skills for success. If the school concludes the student’s performance is not satisfactory or the
student does not demonstrate academic progress in the course, the student may be moved to a different level or
course at any time with department chairperson’s approval.
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