Welcome!

Rising 8th & 9th Grade Course Selection and Registration

2020-2021

Course Selection At-a-Glance• During February✔ Counselors meet with students at MBJH in large groups

to discuss course selection process. Students receive course selection forms in AO.

• Students/Parents enter course requests online:✔ 8th: Portal open from February 10-February 28✔ 9th: Portal open from February 11-February 28

• Paper Copy of Course Selection Forms Due✔ to History teachers by February 28th

• During March✔ Counselors meet with students individually through

history classes to review requests in the portal and on course selection form

Course Selection At-a-Glance• Students receive a copy of their

course requests✔ In April to review and make corrections if

necessary• Students may make a course request

change through May 1st.✔ Parents will email grade level counselor

to make a course request change• Students will receive a TENTATIVE

schedule at onsite registration July 29/30✔ Students can request a schedule

change at registration. (Form will be online/$25 fee)

Course Placement

• Parent Placement Option for Biology and History:

• If you would like to Parent Place your student in biology or history, please complete the parent placement form found on the MBJH website.

• English Parent Placement will be completed once recommendations have been made. Parents will then complete the Parent Placement Form found on the MBJH Website.

Recommendations are based on student data and teacher experiences

working with the students over the course of the school year.

8th 9th

• English or Adv English

• Math 8 (currently called PreAlg 8) or Accelerated Math 8or Accelerated Math 8 Math Team

• World History I or Adv World History I

• Science 8

• PE

• 2 electives - (8th graders are encouraged to take Career Prep A)

COURSEOPTIONS

• English or Adv English

• Geometry or Advanced Geometry or Adv Geometry/Team

• World History II or Adv World History II

• Biology or Adv Biology

• 3 electives - (9th graders are strongly encouraged to take Health, Career Prep A and Career Prep B)

English Course Placement

❖ *Currently, every student is placed in regular English for the next grade level. Teachers will make a recommendation as to which English class they think would be most beneficial for each student’s learning and continued growth. This recommendation will be based on two factors:1. The teacher’s observations and analysis of student work and growth from

August to present

2. A student portfolio that demonstrates a student’s proficiency, desire, and ownership and includes writing samples, quarter and semester grades, Global Scholars’ scores, and a self-evaluation

• *Recommendations will be emailed home after April 19. If you agree with the recommendation, you don’t need to do anything; the school counselors will update the course selection form. If you would like to parent place, which is a process for overriding the teacher’s recommendation and signing into the Advanced English course at the next grade level, you are required to complete the parent placement form before May 31st.

8th 9th

• English 8 or• English 8

Advanced* Both have summer reading requirements* Recommendation

EnglishLanguage

Arts

• English 9 or• English 9

Advanced* Both have summer reading requirements* Recommendation

8th 9th

• World History Ior

• AdvancedWorld History I*

* Recommendation

SocialStudies

• World History IIor

• *AdvancedWorld History II

* Recommendation

8th 9th

• Science 8 –Physical Science

Science

• Biologyor

• AdvancedBiology *

* Recommendation

8th 9th

• Math 8 (PreAlg 8)• Accelerated Math 8

(must have completed Accelerated Math 7)

Mathematics

• Geometry • Advanced Geometry

(must have completed Algebra I)

8th 9th

• PE Boys/Girls (required)

Note: A zero period/early PE class may be requested. This allows for additional electives during the school day. Zero Period PE meets at 7:10 every day.

PhysicalEducation

• PE Athletics: This is ONLY for Varsity and possibly JV sports other than footballCoaches will provide the JH a list of athletes that will ride the 2:20 bus

• PE Weight Training2nd semester Football players planning to play in 10th grade

Note:9th Grade Football Players will ride the 3:10 bus to the HS for practice and PE Football is not a part of their schedule

8th 9th

• French I or Advanced French I*

• Latin I or Latin IB• Spanish I or Spanish IB

* Recommendation

ForeignLanguage

• French I or French II or *Adv French II

• Latin I or Latin II or Adv Latin II*

• Spanish I or Spanish II or Adv Spanish II*

* Recommendation

Note: Foreign Language classes are considered academic electives and involve homework, quizzes, tests, and semester exam

All Foreign Language classes taken in 8th grade will count for a high school credit, the grade will go on your high school transcript and it will count towards your high school grade point average.

8th 9th

• Art Foundations• Intro to Art *

* Prerequisite: Art Foundations

• Exploratory Media Arts

VisualArts

• Art I-(Entry level art for 9th grade)

• Art II* *Prerequisite: Art I

• Media Arts I(Application required for Broadcast News Team)

8th 9th

• Band• Beginning Band• Symphonic Band

• Choir• Choir • Honors Choir * * Prerequisite Choir, Glee Club or audition

• Intro to Drama

PerformingArts

• Band• Beginning Band• Symphonic Band

• Choir• Choir • Honors Choir ** Prerequisite Choir, Glee Club or audition

• Theater Arts I- Students will ride the 2:20 bus to the Hs

8th

Career Preparedness ANote: Career Preparedness A/B are part of the graduation requirements. CPA may be taken in the 8th grade for credit.

Project Lead the Way Courses: These courses may only be taken once in 7th and 8th grade.

• Design and Modeling• Automation and Robotics • App Creators • Innovators and Makers• Energy and The Environment• Program Robotics Team

Career Tech8th Grade

9th

Career Tech9th Grade

Project Lead The Way courses:• Foundations of Engineering -(Design & Modeling)

• Engineering Robotics

• Program Robotics Team*

Prerequisite Design and Modeling

• App Creators• Computer Science Discovery • Energy and Environment

• Innovators and Makers

Career Prep Courses• Career Preparedness A

• Career Preparedness B

Note: Career Preparedness A/B are part of the graduation requirements. CPA may have been taken in the 8th grade for credit. Both courses are also offered in summer school.

8th 9th

• Creative Writing• Reading 7/8• Yearbook/Journalism• Intro to Speech and

Debate JH• Speech and Debate

Team** Prerequisite: Intro to Speech and Debate

Other Electives

• Creative Writing• Writing enhancement• Reading • Yearbook/Journalism• Health ✔ Graduation Requirement

• Speech and Debate team * Prerequisite: Into to Speech and Debate

and application

9th

AP Elective9th Grade

AP Human Geography• This is an elective course in

addition to World History.

What is AP Human Geography?� Global population trends

� Cultures, religions, languages and ethnicities of the world

� Political organizations, power structures and conflicts in the world

� Global agricultural and development trends

� Urbanization and industrialization patterns

Why AP ? ?✔ Academic Challenge✔ Strong Subject Interest✔ Build portfolio for selective, competitive college

admission

Contact: Lisa Lewis lewisa@mtnbrook.k12.al.us

Instructional Support ClassesNote: ALL students receive additional academic support during the Academic Opportunities (AO) period.

Instructional Support classes by recommendation only

Academic SkillsAssistance in academic, organizational, and time management skills and addresses the academic needs of the student.

Resource LabRemediation of academic material in the student’s course content areas per a student’s IEP

Math SkillsRe-teaching math concepts through additional research-based strategies and programs, to close the gap on these specific deficits and move out of the intervention.

Reading SkillsReading support class designed to develop reading skills, with an emphasis on reading comprehension across all content.

8th 9th

• 4 Core Classes

• 1 PE Elective

• 2 Additional Electives- 2 year

- 1 year / 2 semester

- 4 semester

If taking zero period PE then 3 electives are allowed.

RECAP

• 4 Core Classes

• 3 Additional Electives- 3 year

- 2 year / 2 semester

- 1 year / 4 semester

- 6 semester

Que, John

Geometry English 9 Biology World History II Adv.

Intro Speech/Debate Choir JH

App Creators Journalism/Yearbook

Susie QueSusie Que 555-555-5555

Susieque@fakeemail.com

ALTERNATE ELECTIVES

These choices must be different than the choices listed at the top!

Course SelectionThe Course Selection Form will be given to students to take home to complete.

1. Complete Course Selection Online at:http://www.mtnbrook.k12.al.us/mbjh

CLASS LINKUser Name:Password: SpartanXXXX!

• Rising 8th and 9th grade students and parents will be able to enter course requests in Chalkable between February 10th – February 28.

2. Please complete the course selection form, enter courses online using Chalkable and RETURN the form to History teacher by February 28th • List 4 alternate electives - REQUIRED• Sign the form and include an email address and phone number in the space

at the bottom of the sheet.

Casey Lancaster, Class of 2025 Counselor

lancasterc@mtnbrook.k12.al.us

Reminders

Jana Lee, Class of 2024 Counselor

leej@mtnbrook.k12.al.us

• Read your Course Selection Directions very carefully.

• The Course Selection Guide is also available on the MBJH website.

• Additional KEY Dates:✔ May 1st: Deadline for course request changes✔ July 29th-August 11th: Schedule changes: $25

fee to change schedule