+Culver City Middle School Honors &

Acceleration 2015-16

+Agenda

n  Honors ELA

n  Math Pathways and Placement

n  Choosing Honors or Accelerated

n  Foreign Language options

n  Bio Honors for next year’s 8th graders

+Purpose

n  To provide challenging opportunities

n  Allow students to grow in the area(s) that they have talents, gifts or interests

n  Promote independence, high school and post secondary readiness

n In some cases, to move ahead with HS course completion

+English Language Arts

n  Honors, (formerly Scholars) at every grade in ELA

n  Students must complete summer assignments due first week of school

n Open access to students who are committed to the challenge n  This is a one year commitment

+

Honors or not?

•  Is ELA the child’s strength?

•  Difference between honors and regular

•  What else is the child balancing?

•  Year-long commitment

+Math Placements 1.  Students are taking an end of year assessment to

inform placements

2.  Based on assessment and progress throughout the year, teachers will make recommendations and communicate with parents

3.  If recommendation is different than what students/parents expect, conversation with counselor and teacher should take place in order to reach consensus

4.  Parents and students must sign Academic Commitment form which places the student in the course for the entire school year

+6th grade Math Options

n  Math 6

n  Accelerated 6 (means 6th and half of 7th grade Common Core Math)

+7th grade Math Options

n  Math 7

n  Accelerated 7 (means 7th and half of 8th grade Common Core Math)

n For students who have done exceptionally well in Math 6

+8th grade Math Options

n  Math 8—This is the state recommended level for 8th graders—students in Math 7 go to Math 8

n  Algebra 1—this is for students in Accel. 7

+Math Pathways

+How do I know which is the best pathway for my child???

n  Test to inform families-taken at the end of the year (new students at beginning of the year)

n  Talk to the current teacher

n  Try to think long term and not push students if it is not their strength

+Other opportunities for acceleration

n  Foreign language

n  Science

+Foreign Language

n 7th or 8th graders can take a one semester Spanish or Japanese class to prepare for 7th grade—highly recommended

n 8th graders can take HS level Spanish I or Japanese I n This allows them to move to Level II with successful

completion of B or better (students will be assessed at the end of the course for HS placement)

n Fulfills the E requirement on A-G requirements for college admissions

n Earn 10 HS credits, transcripted

+SCIENCE

n 8th grade option: Biology Honors at CCHS n Taken on the CCHS campus (this means there

are HS students in the class with 8th graders) n Course is everyday (on CCHS bell

schedule), HW everyday n This is a student who is highly committed to at

least an hour or two each night of HW

+Bio H continued….

n This is for a very select group of students who meet criteria n 7th grade teacher recommendation, n  all As in Science grades 6/7 n a 3.75 overall GPA n Concurrent enrollment in at least Algebra n Has a propensity to problem solve, strong

work ethic, resilience and a general inquiry based framework towards Biology

n Replaces their 8th grade Science course n HS level, 10 credits transcripted

+DROP POLICY ON HS LEVEL COURSES (Bio H, Japanese & Spanish I)

n Changes can be made the first week of school—this require coordination with the HS if it is Bio H n  Start at the MS with the counselor and the counselor will

then work with the HS

n In weeks 2-20, students who drop a HS level course (even if taken on the MS campus) students will receive a F/Drop on the transcript—COLLEGES WILL SEE THIS n  Changes will only be able if there are alternate courses

available