STEAM AcademyClass of 2021

9th Grade Advisement

Objective and Outcomes

• Objective for Today:• To discuss all the components of the schedule to help you make

decisions to get your perfect schedule for next year

• Outcomes for Today:• A completed schedule including alternate electives for next

school year – to be used when we meet students one-on-one for advisement the week of March 19

Items for Reference

• Transcript

• Schedule Template – to be completed today

• Electives Worksheet

Sample Transcript

Sample Transcript

Schedule Template

Pursue your interests

There is always a tendency for competition that causes students to pick classes based on quality points only.

Find what you love and pursue it to the greatest depth possible. This will look strong to colleges.

Pursue your interests

Our encouragement to all students is the following:

Pick your coursework and your extracurricular activities based on your passions. Do what you love. Don’t pick courses because they are popular. Don’t pick courses because you think they will make you look better on a college application. Don’t pick courses just to keep up with some arbitrary standard that you think has been set by fellow students. Pursue your passions and the things that are most exciting and appealing to you. When you pursue your passions, everything else will fall into place. You will enjoy your educational experience more because you are pursuing your passions. You will look strong to colleges because you are pursuing your passions. You will make an impact on those around you because you are pursuing your passions.

When selecting the level of courses you are going to take, pick the most rigorous courses in which you are confident that you can be successful. Make sure as you consider this rigor that you take into consideration your overall course load. You may be able to be very successful in 4 AP courses if they were taken one at a time, but if all 4 are taken in the same semester, it may affect how much time you can devote to each, which then affects your overall performance in the class. Be realistic about your own abilities, the time you have available, and how much energy you are willing and able to devote to a course.

I know the above ideas may be easier said than done, but we believe they are in line with a positive experience here at Wheeler, as well as preparing each student for the next level of their education. We are here to support you as you make these decisions. Please reach out to your teachers and our staff if you have questions.

Work Ethic

Consider overall load (8 courses all together)

Can student manage this level of work?

Has student demonstrated this level of work in the past (not just verbally but by their actions)

Balance

We will do our best to balance the courses between semesters (different for each student)

Advocate for yourself in terms of balance

Sometimes balance is not feasible - can lead to hard choices

AP Courses

Require significant time and significant work ethic - taught at a college level

At the beginning of the semester, grades are often extremely low (F’s, D’s). They often come up over the course of the semester, but there is no guarantee, so be proactive and talk to the teacher if you receive low grades.

Earn a full quality point (5.0)

AVID

Rigor

Three main considerations1. Colleges look heavily at rigor for admission

• More rigor = more college opportunities

2. Certain scholarships look exclusively at GPA• Less rigor = easier to maintain higher GPA• Hope rigor requirements

3. Preparation for College• More rigor = better preparation for college rigor

Students and families must carefully consider all three factors when deciding what level of rigor to pursue

Hope Rigor Requirements• For the High School Graduating Class of 2017 and beyond, a student must earn a

minimum of four full credits from the academic rigor course categories listed below prior to graduating from high school.

1. Advanced math, such as advanced algebra and trigonometry, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution

2. Advanced science, such as chemistry, physics, biology II, taken at the high school, or an equivalent or higher course taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution

3. Foreign language courses taken at the high school, or taken for degree level credit at an Eligible Postsecondary Institution; or

4. Advanced Placement, International Baccalaureate or Dual Credit Enrollment courses in Core subjects.

Development of Schedules

Advisement selections

Teacher Recommendations/Registration (info may be viewable on Synergy now)

Teacher recommendations overrule advisement selections -waivers must be completed to take a course not recommended by the teacher (waiver not encouraged - teacher recs are there for a reason based on previous experiences and past performance)

Opportunities for changes

Window for the time during which schedule changes can occur is defined by Wheeler HS

Course requests – must be finalized in May – no changes to courses made after that time

Schedule – corrections if major issues (like significant imbalance) can be requested in late July (for both semesters) and again in October (spring semester issues only)

Process designed to minimize students missing class at start of semester

GPA/Class Rank

Colleges have told us they evaluate students based on the following criteria:1.Rigor of coursework2.Standardized test scores3.GPA4.Pursuit of passions/leadership/extracurricular

Waiver Process

Dual Enrollment

• Opportunity to take courses at local colleges to earn both college and high school credit

• Set up an appointment to speak with your counselor if interested

Resources

• www.wheelerhigh.com under Academics and Counseling tabs

Advisement Course Selection

ScienceMathSocial StudiesEnglish

Foreign LanguageCareer/TechHealth/BPEElectives

STEAM Academy Science Course Sequence

9th – H Biology and H Chemistry

10th – H Physics or AP Physics and Science Elective

11th – AP Computer Science Principles and AP Seminar

12th – AP Research

Science Course Placement Rubric

Honors AP Post-AP

95 or better in on-level course

80 or better in Honors course

90 or better in Honors course

85 or better in Magnet course

**Note: Some AP science courses require a summer packet

80 or better in AP Course

STEAM Academy 10th Grade Science Elective options

Magnet Biochemistry

Honors Anatomy

Honors Forensic Science

Astronomy

Earth Systems

AP Env Science

AP Biology

AP Chemistry

Math Course SelectionNeed Algebra 1Need GeometryNeed Algebra 2Need 4th math

Math Course Placement Rubric

Honors AP Post-AP Support95 or better in on-level course

80 or better in Honors course

70-84 in Accelerated course

**Note: Summer math packet required

85 or better in Accelerated course for AP Calc

80 or better in Accelerated course for AP Stat

**Note: Summer math packet required

80 or better in AP Course

Below 74 in a one-semester course

Taking a previous Support course

Math courses to consider

• Geometry• Algebra II• Pre-Calculus

Social Studies Course Selection

Need World HistoryNeed US HistoryNeed Government (1/2 credit)Need Economics (1/2 credit)

Social Studies Course Selection

• World History• Honors World History• AP World History

• AP Psychology (elective)• AP European History (elective)

• Consider overall course load, work ethic, and interest to determine if CP, Honors, or AP is a best fit

Social Studies Course Placement Rubric

Honors AP

95 or better in on-level course

80-94 in Honors course

92 or higher in Honors course (85 or higher for AP Psych and AP European History)

85 or higher in AP course

**Note: Some AP social studies courses require a summer packet

English Course Selection

Need 9th Lit (usually in 9th grade)Need American Lit (usually in 11th grade)Need 3rd English courseNeed 4th English course

English Course Selection

• World Lit

• Honors World Lit

English Course Placement Rubric

Honors AP

90 or better in on-level course and 85 or better on EOC

80 or better in Honors course and 85 or better on EOC

90 or better in Honors course and 92 or better on EOC

Foreign Language Course Selection

French, Latin, Spanish, Chinese

Need two courses in the same language at Wheeler to maximize your college application

85 or higher needed to move to Honors for Level III or higher

Not required to receive High School Diploma

Career/Technology Course Selection

Pathway completion

Career Interest

Skill Development

Career/Technology Pathways

• ROTC• Video Productions• Agriculture/Horticulture• Digital Technology/Computer science• Drafting/Architecture• Electronics• Engineering• Healthcare Science• Culinary Arts

• **Strongly considering a Marketing pathway (would include fashion and sports marketing)

AP Computer Science Principles

• Info from Mr. Kent:• Learn to make apps for your phone• No computer programming experience necessary• Easiest AP class offered by College Board• Very little, if any, homework• Opportunities to learn additional languages (Java Script and/or Python) in

addition to the primary language for the class, App Inventor• For the motivated student

Fine Arts Course Selection

•Visual Arts•Band•Orchestra•Chorus•Acting•Technical Theater

• Prerequisites are critical – see course catalogue

Health/BPE Course Selection

• Need Health/BPE to graduate

• Most took it in 9th grade

PE Electives

• Consider overall balance

• Consider personal interest

• Consider rigor

Electives

Consider your interests and look through the list of electives on the course registration document.

Next Steps

• Students will complete an individual advisement with a counselor or scheduler the week of March 19

• You may leave the Electives Worksheet with me if you like; I recommend taking a picture for your records. **Make sure names are on them**

Preparing for College

• Already heard from Ms. Moudgal

• College Planning Institute – March 20 at 6:30 pm – Surviving the College Process Finacially