Preparing for High School and Beyond
Academies by Campus
ABS (Academy of Biomedical Sciences) at
Byron Nelson High School
AMAT at Northwest High School
BME (Academy of Business Management & Entrepreneurship) at
Eaton High School
Collegiate Academy at Steele Accelerated High School
Cosmetology Academy at Steele Accelerated High School
Culinary Arts & Hospitality Academy at Byron Nelson High
School
STEM Academy at Northwest High School
Business and
Industry
STEM
Public
Service
The Texas HB 5 Graduation Requirements
The Pieces to the Puzzle
The Graduation Plans
beginning with the Class of 2012

Your Personal Graduation Plan will
focus your area of study toward your
interests.

Your graduation plan will include a
foundation curriculum PLUS a field of
interest, your ENDORSEMENT.
Again…
What is an ENDORSEMENT?
A coherent sequence of electives in a
specific area of interest.
These electives may be taken through an
academy or through a specified Career
Pathway.
Your Endorsement Plan Your Puzzle
 Must
 19

include 26 credits for graduation
½ CORE credits (including required electives)
6 ½ elective credits geared towards
your ENDORSEMENT
7 classes X 4 years = opportunity for 28 credits
(plus any credits earned in middle school)
There are FIVE Endorsements
 STEM
 Public
Services
 Business
 Arts
and Industry
and Humanities
 Multidisciplinary
Studies
ENDORSEMENT Details

You must specify in writing the
endorsement you intend to earn upon
entering Grade 9.

You may select more than one
endorsement.
Endorsement Commitment
Requires Student and Parent Signature
Your
Endorsement
can be changed
as long as
there is still
time to
complete a
new
Endorsement!
Business and
Industry
STEM
Public
Service
What will your ENDORSEMENT be?
Keep in mind your possible college
choices, majors, and/or career goals.
Endorsement by Academy
ABS (Academy of Biomedical Sciences) =
Public Service Endorsement
AMAT = Business & Industry Endorsement
BME (Academy of Business Management & Entrepreneurship) =
Business & Industry Endorsement
Collegiate Academy = Multidisciplinary Endorsement
Cosmetology Academy = Public Service Endorsement
Culinary Arts & Hospitality Academy =
Business & Industry Endorsement
STEM Academy = STEM Endorsement
STEM
STEM ENDORSEMENT
Students who choose a STEM
endorsement will need to take a coherent
sequence of credits in a specific area of
interest and Algebra 2, Chemistry, and
Physics. Options may include:
 STEM/Engineering
 Additional Science
 Additional Math
 Computer Science
STEM
options
Business and Industry
Endorsement

Students who choose a Business and Industry
endorsement will need to take a coherent sequence
of credits in a specific area of interest:
Business & Industry:
Ag, Food, and Natural Resources
NISD Culinary Arts and Hospitality
Academy (BNHS only)
Architecture and Construction
Information Technology & Technology
Application
Arts, Audio/Video Tech. & Comm.
(NISD AMAT Academy at NHS)
Debate, Newspaper, or Yearbook
Business Management &
Administration, Finance, & Marketing
Business &
Industry
options
Business &
Industry
more
options
Public Service Endorsement

Students who choose a Public Service
endorsement will need to take a
coherent sequence of credits in a
specific area of interest:
-
Education and Training
Health Science
Human Services
NISD ABS Academy (BNHS only)
NISD Cosmetology Academy (SAHS only)
Public
Service
options
Arts
& Humanities

Arts and Humanities
Endorsement
Students who choose an Arts and
Humanities endorsement will need to
take a coherent sequence of credits in
a specific area of interest:
- Additional Social Studies
- Fine Arts
- Additional World Languages
Arts &
Humanities
options
Multidisciplinary Endorsement

Complete four credits from each core area
(English, math, science, and social studies). Must
include English 4 and Physics and/or Chemistry

Complete four AP or dual credit (college) credits
from the following departments: English, math,
science, social studies, LOTE, and/or fine arts.

Complete four advanced courses from within one
endorsement or among multiple endorsements
(*Denotes advanced applicable CTE courses.)
Multidisciplinary
options
The Foundation with an
Endorsement Requirements









English Language Arts – 4 credits
Math – 4 credits
Social Studies – 3 credits
Science – 4 credits
*Languages Other Than English (LOTE) – 2 credits (same language)
*Fine Art – 1 credit
*Physical Education – 1 credit
*Speech – ½ credit
Electives – 6½ credits (dependent upon endorsement)
*Credits in Languages Other Than English, Speech, Fine Arts, or PE may
be acquired by various courses noted in the High School Course Selection
Guide.
Distinguished Plan
Requirements

Must meet all the requirements for an
endorsement

Math – 4th math must include Algebra 2
Examples –


Algebra 1, Geometry, Advanced Math, Algebra 2
Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2, an Advanced Math
Completing the 9th grade year
of your PGP
The Freshman Core
Four Pieces to your Puzzle!




English – Regular, PreAP, or GT
Math – Algebra 1 or PreAP Algebra 1
Geometry or PreAP Geometry
Science – IPC, Biology, or PreAP Biology
(PreAP Physics for STEM academy students)
Social Studies –
World Geography – Regular or PreAP
World History – Regular or PreAP
Human Geography – AP or AP/GT
Benefits of PreAP/AP

College admissions – Colleges look for
students who have completed rigorous
coursework (PreAP, AP, Dual Credit).

Students with higher level courses are
generally more prepared for college level
work.
Are you taking the most rigorous courses that
you are capable of right now?
College Credit for AP Courses
Students can earn college credits early
through AP courses if you make
qualifying scores on the AP exams in May
(in high school). Highest score possible
is a 5. Typically, students need to make
a 3,4, or 5 to receive any college credit.
Credit awarded varies depending on the
college/university and may also depend
on the student’s major.
Dual Credit (College Courses)
Dual credit courses give students the
opportunity to earn college credit while still
in high school. Typically, a student must be
a junior or senior who possesses a minimum
of a 3.0 GPA (un-weighted).
Northwest ISD will offer 31 dual credit
courses for the 2015-16 school year.
Hint: Keep your GPA at a 3.0 or higher, and
this opportunity will be available to you!
Languages (LOTE) – same language
Two credits = Two Pieces of your Puzzle
Spanish
French
ASL
German
Chinese
One Credit = One Piece of the Puzzle
Dance
F
I
N
E
A
R
T
S
Choir
Band
Theatre
r
Orchestra
Digital
Arts &
Animation
Drill Team
AP Music
Theory
Floral
Design
Physical Education
One Credit = One Piece of Your Puzzle
Aerobic Fitness - .5 – 1.0 credit
(also earned through Dance 1)
 Individual Sports / Team Sports - .5 -1.0
credit
 Strength & Tone - .5 – 1.0
 Outdoor Education - .5
 PE substitution credit through Band,
Cheerleading, and Drill Team

Sports Offered
Basketball
 Volleyball
 Swimming
 Diving
 Soccer
 Golf*
 Track

*requires try-outs first in
the 2015-16 school year
Cross Country
 Tennis
 Baseball*
 Softball
 Football
 Wrestling
 Athletic Trainer

If Choosing a Sport…



If you play more than one sport, select
the sport that occurs first in the school
year.
If you enter another sport in the school
year, your counselor will change your
schedule reflecting your next sport.
You must be enrolled in athletics in middle
school or have approval from the middle
school coach to enter the requested sport.
Electives and Your
Endorsement
Remember: Your other elective(s) will be
aligned with your endorsement(s) each year,
your field of study.
 STEM

Public Services

Business and Industry

Arts and Humanities

Multidisciplinary Studies
Performance
Acknowledgements
Students may earn performance
acknowledgments for outstanding performance
in the following areas:





Dual credit courses
Bilingualism and bi-literacy
AP testing
ACT – Plan, PSAT, SAT, or ACT
Earning a nationally or internationally recognized
business or industry certification or license
* See NISD Course Selection Guide for more detailed
information.
Diploma & Transcript
Endorsements and Performance
Acknowledgements will be printed on
diplomas and transcripts.
Automatic College Admission
Students in the top 10%* of their
graduating class are eligible for
automatic admission to any public
university in Texas.
 To be eligible for this automatic
admission, students entering high
school in 2014-15 must complete the
new Distinguished plan.

UT Austin – top 7% currently
Class Ranking

Class Ranking will include grades earned in courses
under the following headings: English, Math,
Science, Social Studies, and Languages other than
English.

The Grade Point Average (GPA) used to determine
class rank only is calculated on a weighted scale.
Advanced Placement (AP) = up to 7 points
PreAP = up to 6 points
Regular = up to 5 points
Eligibility for Financial Aid
All students applying to college will be
encouraged to complete the Free
Application for Federal Student Aid
(FAFSA) during the spring of their
SENIOR year.
Even if financial aid is not needed, some
scholarships require the completion of
the FAFSA.
As You Complete YOUR Puzzle
6
credits = Sophomore
 13
credits = Junior
 19
credits = Senior
Remember, 26 credits to graduate!
Required STAAR Tests
 Algebra
1
 English 1
 English 2
 US History
 Biology
The Course Guide &
Deadline For Any Changes

The most up-to-date Course Selection
Handbook can be found on the District
website at www.nisdtx.org.

You may also make changes to your plan
(once submitted) by completing a change
form through your middle school counselor.
Any changes are due by June 5, 2015.
Due Date
The completed Endorsement
Commitment and the Personal
Graduation Plan for the 9th grade year
must be returned by _____________.
With counselor guidance, you will be
entering your plan for the 9th grade year
through the Home Access Center (HAC).
Viewing the Plan later in the
Home Access Center
Start by clicking on the Classes icon.
Viewing the Plan later in the
Home Access Center
Then, you will choose the Career Plan tab.
Viewing the Plan later in the
Home Access Center
The Completion of the PGP
The completion of the Personal
Graduation Plan (PGP) plan (10th-12th
grades) will involve the high school
counselor, the parent, and the student
during the student’s 9th grade year.
Be on the lookout for the PGP meeting in
the 9th grade year!
8th Grade Parent Presentations
January 20th at 6pm – Chisholm
January 22nd at 8:30am – Pike
January 22nd at 6pm – Tidwell
January 27th at 6pm – Pike
January 27th at 6:30pm – Medlin
February 2nd at 6pm – Wilson