James M. Steele
Accelerated High School
Northwest ISD
Parent/Student Information
Do you fit in at SAHS?
• You live in Northwest ISD.
• You’re at least 15 years old and have completed
at least one year of high school.
• You have your career goals lined up already.
• You are motivated, independent, and
responsible.
• You have at least six credits, or you need credits
to catch up .
• You have personal roadblocks that are slowing
down your graduation plans.
• You aren’t scared of hard work when the
rewards are great!
Do you fit in at SAHS?
• You are willing to work towards a
rewarding future.
• You aren’t into the social aspects that a
traditional high school offers.
• You are ready for new challenges!
• You want to earn college credit while still
in high school.
• You want to earn high school credit at a
faster pace.
• You want to graduate on time or even a
year early.
What does SAHS look like?
• College environment
• No extracurricular activities (although
clubs may be offered in the future)
• Regular school times
• Six or seven period day
• Twelve week semester length
(trimesters)
• One and ½ semesters in a standard
school year
• Possible acceleration of credits at a “two
for one” pace
What does SAHS look like?
• Courses delivered in classroom setting
and virtual setting
• Limited number of electives
• Possible CATE/Co-Op availability
• High levels of independent and
interdependent learning
• Possible loss of credit for transfer from
SAHS to another campus
• Students are responsible for all required
state testing (TAKS, End of Course)
Dual Credit College Requirements
• 3.0 GPA
• College Placement Exam (TAKS, THEA,
COMPASS, AccuPlacer)
• College level coursework
• Writing-intensive
• Taught face-to-face or online by
approved college faculty
• Certain requirements to be accepted by
other colleges or universities in Texas
Possible Course Sequence – Accelerated High School
 Required High School Academic Program
Subject
8
English (4)
Alg 1
 College Core  Potential Additional College Coursework
9
Year 1-1
Year 1-2
Year 1-3
Year 2-1
Year 2-2
Year 2-3
English 1
English IIA
English IIB
English IIIA
English IIIB
English IV1031*
English IV1302*
Geometry
Algebra IIA
Algebra IIB
College Algebra
1314*
Elem.
Statistics
*1342
Intro Calculus
2413
Economics
2305*
Biology
Chemistry A
Chemistry B
Physics A
Physics B
Phys 1401* or
Chem 1411*
Phys 1402* or
Chem 1412*
World
Geography
World History
A
World History
B
US History A1301*
US History B1302*
American
Govt. A2305*
American /
State Govt. B2306
Spanish 1
Spanish II2312
(Humanities)
PHEd 1338
(2)
Art
Appreciation
1301
Speech 1321
Intro to
BusinessBUSG1301
Personal
Finance
BUSG1301
BCIS IBCIS1305
Acct 2301
Acct 1303
Acct1304
ECON2302
Math (4)
Science (4)
Social Studies
(4)
Languages (2)
Electives (6)
Fine Arts (1)
PE (1)
Possible
Electives
Art1
PE
*NCTC
Online
SAHS Enrollment
Things to consider…
• No extracurricular activities (although
clubs may be offered in the future)
• Limited number of electives
• High levels of independent and
interdependent learning (be motivated!)
• Possible loss of credit for transfer from
SAHS to another campus
Early College
Things to consider…
• Check the Texas Common Course
Numbering System to make sure the
credit transfers to the college of your
choice
• Fees associated with college courses
• High level of student maturity and
responsibility-these are college classes
• Significant outside assignments likely
Frequently Asked Questions:
• Can I turn work in anytime I want to?
No, this is not a “self-paced” campus. In fact,
because our semesters are only 12 weeks
long, you HAVE to get your work done on time!
• Do I have to take a college class here?
No, but we’ll work with you to get accepted if
that’s what you want to do.
• What if I need to work during the school day?
School hours for 2010-11 are the same as other
district high schools.
• Can I get into a college class if I am behind on
credits?
We will work with you through tutoring and test
practice sessions before you apply.
Frequently Asked Questions:
• What if I want to go back to my old school?
You will need to withdraw from Steele and reenroll at another campus. Be aware that
because of our accelerated schedule, there
can be issues with credits on other
campuses.
• What kind of school rules are there?
Steele AHS follows the NISD Student Code
of Conduct. Because of our accelerated
learning environment, students shall act as
college/career ready adults.
• How do I apply to earn college classes?
We will help each student (and parent!)
through the application process.
Frequently Asked Questions:
• What if my attendance is not all that great?
Consistent attendance is imperative at
Steele because of our shorter semesters.
We will move quickly, so you can get behind
very fast!
• Will we have netbooks?
Absolutely; they’ll be a necessity at Steele.
• Will I work on a computer all day long?
No, only some of our classes are web-based.
We also offer traditional classrooms and dual
credit opportunities.
Frequently Asked Questions:
• Do I have to wait for June to graduate?
At this time, we will have the
graduation ceremony in June.
• I don’t have a car. Will there be transportation
provided?
Yes!
• Will I have homework?
Yes! And you’ll have to do it! That’s how
we’ll be able to move quickly.
• If I withdraw, can I come back?
Students may reapply, but priority will be
given to students who are first-time
enrollees.
Timeline
January– Applications accepted
February– Administrative review of applications
March– Student/parent interviews begin
May- All students notified
Summer- Student registration conferences, orientations