High School Scheduling

How to navigate block scheduling to fit in a music ensemble

Main Ideas

• What Colleges are looking for….• What about AP?• Scheduling music….A/B classes• What’s up with the Orchestra?• Questions?

What Colleges are looking for….

• All around academic – music is academic at the high school

• Extra activities/involved in everything• Focused and excelling in 1 area• Well Rounded• Something that sets you apart from the mass

• Different strokes for different folks– Colleges– Majors

What about AP?

• What’s involved with an AP course– Time commitment– Test

• College Credit…..MAYBE• Use peers to help decided which AP classes to

take• Standard Diploma vs. Scholars Diploma

Required Graduation Credit Distribution – Class of 2015

Beginning with the Class of 2015 Subject

Standard Diploma

MBIT/Standard Diploma

Scholar’s Diploma

English 4.0 4.0 4.0 Mathematics 4.0 4.0 4.0 Science 3.00 3.00 4.00 Social Studies 4.00 4.00 4.00 World Lang. 2.00 Electives 10.75 11.75 8.75 PE/Health 1.0 .5 1.0 Performance Assessment

1.00 1.00 1.00

Total Credits 27.75 28.25 28.75

A minimum of one credit per year is required in English and Social Studies. Please refer to the graph in the subject section of this guide for the courses that will meet these yearly requirements.

The Scholar’s Diploma requires a cumulative 3.2 GPA. Credits must be earned in at least three Advanced Placement Courses.

Electives include all subject areas. When a requirement in a specific area has been satisfied, any additional courses taken in that subject area will apply toward the Elective credit requirement. For example, if a student completed 4 credits in science the last course taken applies to the Elective requirement.

Sample 10th Grade Schedule

Orchestra

Semester 1 Semester 2

English

Math

Science

Foreign Language

Social StudiesOrchestra/BandOrchestra/BandOrchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

Wellness/FitnessWellness/Fitness

ElectiveElective

Elective Elective

Sample 10th Grade Schedule w/AP

• Orchestra

English

Science

Math

AP SOCIAL STUDIES

Foreign Language

Orchestra/Band Orchestra/Band Orchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

Wellness/Fitness Wellness/Fitness

Elective

Elective Elective

11 Grade Sample Schedule

• Orchestra

AP Enviro.

AP ENGLISH

AP CALC A/B

FOREIGN LANGUAGEOrchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

Orchestra/Band

Elective

Social Studies

Elective Elective

Elective

11 Grade Sample Schedule

• Orchestra

AP ENGLISH

AP MUSIC

AP Science

Social Studies

Foreign LanguageOrchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

Orchestra/Band

Elective

Elective Elective

Elective

12 Grade Sample Schedule

• Orchestra

AP CALC B/C

AP Chem

AP Macro

Orchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

English

Orchestra/Band Orchestra/Band

Elective

Elective

Early Release/Late Arrival

Early Release/Late Arrival

Early Release/Late Arrival

Early Release/Late Arrival

Elective Elective Elective Elective

Scheduling music….A/B classes

• Plan Ahead!• Music Electives:

– Orchestra, Chorus, Band– Music theory - A/B– Music technology - A/B– Jazz Lab – A/B– AP Music Theory – not offered A/B– “Music Value Block”

• Orchestra/Wellness/Fitness/ elective*

*changes from year to year

What’s up with the Orchestra?

• We perform 3 concerts and 1 recital• Skills we work on

– Shifting– Different bow techniques– Dynamics– Playing in different Musical styles

• Clinics– Have a professional work with students– Barrage– Mark Wood– Darol Anger– David Kim / Kim Fisher– StringFever

What’s up with the Orchestra?

• Rehearsals– Afterschool/Evening Rehearsals

• Orchestra community– Get togethers/Picnic– Class with grades 10-12

• Trips– Philadelphia Orchestra– 3-4 day trip

• Past trips were to: Chicago, NYC, Boston,Washington DC, San Diego, Disney

Whatever you choose to do –

DO YOUR BEST!

Questions?

We’d love to see you in orchestra next year as we continue to grow and expand the string program!

Email: jdivasto@cbsd.org