Independence High School
Home of the Knights
Class of 2019
Registration for Sophomore Classes
Freshman, registration for next
year’s classes will be beginning
soon!
The IHS counselors will be meeting with
you February 12th- 18th.
Here is some information for you in order
to prepare! 
Academic & Course Catalog
The Academic & Course Catalogs are online! You can find the complete
2016-17 Academic Guide and Course Catalog online on the Frisco ISD
website at:
How Many Credits are
Required to Graduate?
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.
Next year, as a
sophomore, you
must must take 8
classes.
Freshman
Graduation Plans- What Credits are
PLEASE
required to graduate
REVIEW:
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 (Pre-req: Medical Terminology)
Professional Communications
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, IED, + possible additions
Electives (Endorsements) 4
Total
26
*ASL does not meet all college admissions
requirements.
**Chinese is online and ASL may be online.
Freshman must also earn an Endorsement during high
school (by taking classes in one (or more) of these
areas:
Arts & Humanities
Business & Industry
Political Science, World Languages, Cultural
Studies, Literature, History, Fine Arts
Information Technology, Finance, Architecture,
Ag Science
Endorsements continued
Public Services
Doctor, Nurse, Criminal Investigator, Law Clerk,
Teacher, Athletic Trainer
STEM
Science, Technology, Engineering, Mathematics
All IHS students will earn a Multi-Disciplinary
endorsement by taking the 4 core classes each year.
Additional endorsements will be earned simply by
the classes you take in high school.
What counts as an
elective credit?
•Any course taken that is not on the
required list of classes, is an elective.
•This includes extra math,
science, technology, etc.
courses.
What’s Different About AP Courses?
•AP courses provide COLLEGE-LEVEL curriculum.
•Requires more independent work outside of
class
•Take the same 3-hour AP exam at the same
specified time in May as other students across
the nation
•AP Exam scores range from 1 - 5
•Students scoring a 3, 4, or 5 may be eligible for
college credit
Should I Sign Up for On-Level or
Pre-AP/AP in a Subject?
•Pre-AP/AP provides additional weight points
and colleges like to see these on your transcript
if you do well.
•Consult with your teachers in that subject area;
they know your abilities and study habits best.
•Talk with your counselor and your parents.
•Pre-AP/AP schedule changes only allowed
after first six-weeks grading cycle and at
semester.
New for 2016-17
AP CAPSTONE Program
•AP Capstone is a two year sequence of coursesAP Seminar and AP Research.
•AP Seminar will be offered in 2016-17 for any
10th-12th grader.
• AP Seminar focuses on college-level analysis,
writing, and research skills.
•This class will count as an additional Social
Studies credit.
•For more information, make plans to attend the
AP Capstone information night on:
January 20th at 6:00 pm in the IHS auditorium
Class Rank
•Class Rank is used for College Admission
purposes.
•Rank is computed by Grade Point Average.
•Junior rank determines college admissions.
•Pre-AP, AP and college courses receive
additional grade points.
•No points earned for failed classes.
•Refer to the Academic Guide for GPA
guidelines.
•Class rank for 9th graders will be posted to
Family Connection in mid-February—make sure
that your email address is current in Family
Connection!
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.
AP/PAP
Dual
Credit
Regular
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
A Rank Example
(Use Your Semester Grades to calculate)
On-level English – 89 = 3.9 grade points
Pre-AP W. Geog – 88 = 4.8 grade points
Algebra 1 – 68 = 0 grade points
On-level Biology – 79 = 2.9 grade points
Add the grade points: 3.9 + 4.8 + 0 + 2.9 = 11.6
Divide 11.6 by 4 = 2.9 GPA
What Counts in College Admissions?
Source: NACAC Admission Trends Survey 2011
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
(end of junior year) are automatically
accepted into Texas public colleges. (UT
Austin is now top 8%)
Promotion to
th
10
Grade
•To become a sophomore, you
must have at least 6 total credits at
the end of this year!
Plan Carefully
•Some classes have prerequisites. Consult
the course catalog and plan your schedule
carefully.
•Example of a prerequisite:
•You must take Medical Terminology
before you can take Health Science I.
•Pay attention to what you must first take in
order to get to your ultimate goal.
•This is very important for CTE classes!
Programs Needing Applications or
Teacher Approval at IHS:
Teacher Approval or
Audition:
Band
Orchestra
Choir
Athletics
Applications:
Music Theory
Athletic Trainer
Broadcast 2 & 3
Yearbook 2 & 3
Partner’s PE
Teen Leadership 2
Off Campus PE –
Contact Sally Turner
at district
**All applications can be
picked up in the counseling
office starting February 1st!
Interested in Student Congress?
•Do not sign up for Student Congress
on your course verification sheet
(when you meet with the counselors
in February).
•There will be an application process
later in April for next year’s Student
Congress!
Schedule Changes
•No elective changes, including
alternates, will be made after April 15,
2016.
•Only approved program changes (in or
out of athletics, band, etc.) can be made
the first two weeks of the new
semester.
•PAP and AP students must complete
the first six-weeks grade cycle before a
change to on-level will be considered.
Thinking of Summer
School???
•The following courses are typically offered in
summer school for advancement:
•Business Information Mgmt (1 credit)
•Digital & Interactive Media (1 credit)
•Health (.5 credit)
•Professional Communications (.5 credit)
•Medical Terminology (.5 credit)
•IPC (Integrated Physics & Chemistry) (1
credit)
Summer school registration information is available on the FISD
website in late April.
**Can take up to 1 full credit in summer school. Summer school
grades do NOT count into GPA.**
Career Planner in HAC
•Want to update your courses before you meet
with your counselor in February?
•Starting January 15th, IHS students can update
courses in Home Access under the “Class” icon by
selecting the “Career Planner” tab.
Career Planner in HAC
•This is an assignment you will complete on your
own, if you choose. Login to Home Access and
modify your 4-year plan to reflect your new
courses for the upcoming year(s).
•This online function will close January 24th. The
counselors will meet with you in February to
review your selections and make any needed
changes.
Dates to Remember
•Jan. 15th-24th- Career Planner turned on in HAC for
students to update 4 year plan if they choose to
•February 12th- 18th – Counselors will meet individually
with all freshman
•February 24th- all course verification forms due back to
the IHS counseling office
***If you do not turn in your course verification sheet, we
will choose classes for you.
***Complete the alternate classes or we choose those for
you! Alternates that end up on your schedule next year
cannot be changed!
IHS Counselors
 Heather Holmes (A-B)
 holmesh@friscoisd.org
 Rosalyn Greer (C – J)
 greerr@friscoisd.org
 Katie Puente (K-Q)
 puentek@friscoisd.org
 Jason Wooden (R-Z)
 woodenj@friscoisd.org
We look
forward to
seeing you
in a few
weeks for
registration!