AP/Honors

Parent Night

March 2, 2015

Congratulations SCHS

SCHS named AP Challenge

School!

*Means we have student

enrollment less than 900 but

have students taking AP tests

in all four core areas.

SCHS named AP Access and

Support School!

*Means we have at least 30

percents of our AP exams

taken by students who are

African American and/or

Hispanic AND 30 percent of

ALL AP exams earning scores

of 3 or higher.

Schedule for tonight

1) General information from SCHS

administration and counselors

2) Rotations to hear from the different teachers

by grade level

3) Light refreshments served by FCCLA and

advisor Carol Ayers

4) Question and answer session

Before you leave!

*After the third or fourth session tonight please make sure

you complete the “AP/Honors Parent Night Information

Form” using a computer in the 400 computer lab. Your

student will receive tea one day at lunch for attendance

tonight.

Before you leave!

After the third or fourth session tonight please make sure

you complete the survey using a computer in the 400

computer lab.

Do you know your lingo?

Honors vs Advanced Placement (AP)

*Honors or Accelerated are the courses that

lead up to AP. No college credit earned.

(Flowcharts coming up to help)

*Honors tests are created by local high school

teachers.

*AP Spring tests are regulated by College

Board. Colleges require scores of 3 or 4 or 5 to

receive college credit.

Valedictorian/Salutatorian

To be eligible for valedictorian and/or

salutatorian a student must have taken at least

3 AP classes and/or 3 approved academic

college courses and 6 Honors classes by

graduation.

Explanation of weighting grades

SCHS weights grades for Honors and AP for

internal purposes only: honor graduate, class

rank, Valedictorian/Salutatorian

● AP: final grade x 1.10

● Honors: final grade x 1.05

Numbers in

parentheses

are weights

for SCHS

only.

English

Math

Numbers in

parentheses

are weights

for SCHS

only.

Social Studies

OR OR

The second option will ONLY be offered if there are enough

students for 10th grade AP US and 10th grade Honors US.

Numbers in

parentheses

are weights

for SCHS

only.

Science

Guidance slide: Sample Grade Calculation

CLASS TRANSCRIPT GRADE GRADE FOR

CLASS RANK

Honors 10th Lit 93 93x1.05=97.65

Honors Geom 88 88x1.05=92.4

Honors Chem 96 96x1.05=100.8

AP US History 84 84x1.10=92.4

Average 90.25 95.75

Conversation with Candy Sheppard

More benefits of AP!

1) College level course for whole year rather

than a semester.

2) College level course taught by a local high

school teacher.

3) Rigorous level course to better prepare a

student for college level work.

4) Learn time management skills needed for

college.

2014 SCHS Graduate

“College has lot more of class work

than most high school classes, that

is why it is important to partake in

AP Level classes. Even AP classes

do not have the stress and work that

most college classes have. Having

the background in AP Chemistry and

AP Calculus helped me to easily

recognize the concepts when I saw

them again in college.”

More benefits of AP if college credit earned:

5) May be able to take lighter loads in college.

6) May be able to earn double major in a

similar amount of time.

7) May be able to finish college in less time.

EVEN if a student doesn’t earn college

credit while in high school...

* College level course taught by a local high

school teacher.

* Rigorous level course to better prepare a

student for college level work.

* Learn time management skills needed for

college.

How does SCHS compare?

2014 Data

SCHS Georgia

National

Calculus 90% 48%

49%

Chemistry 67% 51%

48%

US History 52% 51%

51%

Govt. 78% 46%

45%

Biology 25% 57%

50%

English 20% 49%

56%

Conversation with Mary Clare

Things parents can do to help their children

be successful:

1) Communicate with teachers and

administration.

2) Realize grades may be lower in these

courses.

3) Encourage your child and help with stress

levels.

Parent Overrides

*For 10th,11th and 12th Honors and AP

courses students will be recommended by

teachers.

*If a student is not recommended, the parent

can meet with counselor and/or administrator to

override that decision.

*If space permits the student would be placed

in the requested class.

Getting out of Honors or AP class

*If the parents and student wish for a student to

get out of a class AFTER classes are formed,

the principal has to give permission.

● 10 days after the first day of school

● At the beginning of the second semester

● Sometimes there is not a comparable class

for the student to move into (ex AP Biology)

Rotation Schedule

You will be given a rotation schedule. You will stay in each

session about 10 minutes. If a course doesn’t apply to your

child then you can stop by room 408 and talk to a

counselor about PSAT,ACT, SAT, HOPE, class rank, etc...

Closing comments

1) Q&A

2) After the four rotations there will be time for

you to go back and talk to individual

teachers.

3) Please make sure to complete the online

information form AND the online survey.

4) We will make an announcement at end of

the evening about the drawings!

Need more info on AP courses? ★ Visit the following websites:

https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/exploreap/what-it-takes

★ Want to see statistics?

○ http://www.dodea.edu/Curriculum/AP/why.cfm

○ http://news.stanford.edu/news/2013/april/advanced-

placement-courses-032213.html

★ Download and Print the 2008 Study on the benefits of AP

Courses from the College Board, too!

http://professionals.collegeboard.com/profdownload/ap-exam-

promo-flyer-2009.pdf