Program of Studies – 9th Grade Course

Selection2012-2013

Loudoun County High School

Picking next years courses…

• Take your course selection seriously. • Our goal is to get an accurate count

of the classes you want to take so we make sure we offer those classes next year.

• The Program of Studies can be found on-line at the LCHS Guidance website.

General InformationPage 1 of Program of Studies

• Course Selection Changes: Students are expected to select their courses and to adhere to their selections.

• Subject Load: Student are expected to be enrolled in seven credit subjects.

• Dropping Subjects: Student should pay close attention to timelines for dropping a course.

Activity & Athletic ParticipationPage 1 of Program of Studies

In order to be eligible to participate in any Virginia High School League competition, a student must be currently enrolled in five subjects for credit or the equivalent, and have passed five subjects for credit or the equivalent the pervious semester. If a passed course is being repeated, that course may not be counted as one of the five subjects for credit.

Students who are planning to participate in Division I and II interscholastic sports in college should see their school counselor and/or athletic directors to learn about NCAA regluations.

Grade PromotionPage 2 of Program of Studies

A student must have earned the minimum number of credits listed below to be promoted to the next grade.

A student’s grade level is not subject to change during the school year.

Grade 10 5 creditsGrade 11 11 creditsGrade 12 Student must be

scheduled to meet all graduation

requirements by June

Credits EarnedPage 3 of Program of Studies

• A standard unit of credit is earned by passing a course with a minimum of 140 clock hours of instruction.

• A verified unit of credit is earned by passing a course and its related end-of-course Standards of Learning test where an end-of-course test is required.

Know your diploma options

In Virginia, diploma options available to all students:• Advanced Studies Diploma• Advanced Technical Diploma

• Standard Diploma• Standard Technical Diploma

Standard DiplomaAcademic Areas Credits SOL Verified

Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 3 1

Mathematics 3 1

Laboratory Science 3 1

Health and Physical Education 2

Foreign Language, Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education

2

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Electives (Must include 2 sequential electives.)

4

Student Selected Verified Credit

0 1

Total 22 6

Fine Art or Career and Technical

EducationThe course you take to meet this graduation

requirement must come from one of the following areas:

Art, Drama, Newspaper Journalism, Music,

Agriculture, Business, Family & Consumer

Science, Health Occupations, Marketing,

Trade & Industrial Education, and Technology Education.

Standard DiplomaAcademic Areas Credits SOL Verified

Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 3 1

Mathematics 3 1

Laboratory Science 3 1

Health and Physical Education 2

Foreign Language, Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education

2

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Electives (Must include 2 sequential electives.)

4

Student Selected Verified Credit

0 1

Total 22 6

Sequential Electives • Students must complete two (2) sequential

electives for a Standard Diploma.

• Examples of courses that satisfy this requirement: Foreign Language (2 years of same language)Art I & Art IITechnology Education I & Technology Education 2Drama I & Drama IIBand (for two years)Keyboarding/Advanced Keyboarding & Computer Info. SystemsCourses at Monroe Technology Center

• Many other possibilities --- see a counselor for details!

Standard DiplomaAcademic Areas Credits SOL Verified

Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 3 1

Mathematics 3 1

Laboratory Science 3 1

Health and Physical Education 2

Foreign Language, Fine Arts or Career and Technical Education

2

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Electives (Must include 2 sequential electives.)

4

Student Selected Verified Credit

0 1

Total 22 6

Standard Technical Diploma

Academic Areas Credits SOL Verified Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 3 1

Mathematics 3 1

Laboratory Science 3 1

Fine Arts or Foreign Language 1

Health and Physical Education 2

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Career and Technical Education 4

Elective 1

Student Selected Verified Credit 0 1

Total 22 6

Advanced Studies Diploma

Academic Areas Credits SOL Verified Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 4 2

Mathematics 4 2

Science 4 2

Foreign Language 3 or 4

Health and Physical Education 2

Fine or Career and Technical Education

1

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Electives 3

Student Selected Verified Credit

0 1

Total 26 9

Advanced Technical DiplomaAcademic Areas Credits SOL Verified

Credits

English 4 2

Social Studies 4 2

Mathematics 4 2

Lab Science 4 2

Foreign Language 3 or 4

Health and Physical Education 2

Economics and Personal Finance

1

Fine/Practical Art or Career and Technical Education

1

Career and Technical Education 3

Student Selected Verified Credit

0 1

Total 26 9

Which diploma is right for me?

• Choose the most challenging courses in which you can get mostly A’s and B’s.(This gives you a strong high school transcript and a solid grade point average)

• Aim for the highest diploma you think you can achieve.(You can always “back off” later, but it’s difficult to catch up once you are behind in course work)

• Take “core classes” every year.(English, social studies, math, science; and for competitive college admissions, foreign language)

What Colleges Expect• Strong academic record

– Students who have completed the most challenging course of study appropriate for their abilities, including a rigorous senior year schedule

– Improvement over the high school years– Solid standardized test performance (SAT & ACT)

• Extracurricular, Athletic, and Community Involvement– Colleges are seeking well-rounded students who

demonstrate a variety of interests and a connection to the world around them

– “Quality vs. Quantity”• Well-prepared application package – required

demographic forms, essays/personal statements, and teacher/counselor recommendations– Stress the importance of your son or daughter

getting to know his/her teachers/counselors in high school

Levels of Classes

Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level courses that students complete while in high school. These courses allow students to develop the reading, writing, critical thinking, organizational, and analytical skills needed for college. They also require a substantial investment of student effort and time.

• In May of each year, students take AP exams for these courses. Colleges may award college credit for completion of these AP courses if students earn a qualifying score on the exam.

Levels of ClassesPage 11 of Program of Studies

• Honors – Course content is rapidly paced with additional depth. Lessons are often designed to be complex, abstract, and open ended.

• Academic – Course content and expected student performance require additional reading and writing at a rigorous level.

Teacher Recommendations

• By now your teachers should have talked to you about their recommendations on what course you should take next year.

• Please consider their recommendation when selecting your courses.

English 9

Honors or Academic

Advanced Functions and

Modeling

Mathematical Analysis

Advanced Functions and

Modeling

Electives: Computer Math or AP Statistics

Advanced Algebra/ Pre-

Calculus

Functions, Algebra, and Data Analysis

Algebra I

Algebra II/Trig

Algebra II

Geometry

Functions, Algebra, and Data Analysis

Algebra II

Geometry

Mathematics Progression

Algebra 1 Part 1

Earth Science

Honors or Academic

World History/Geography I

Pre AP or Academic

Health/Physical Education

• Students must complete two years of Health and Physical Education. These courses are normally completed in grades 9 and 10.

• The Driver’s Education curriculum is taught as a part of Health/PE 10.

• Advanced PE is offered as an elective in grades 11 & 12

Electives

• Students can register for 7 classes only, this will leave you 2 elective choices.

• If you choose a foreign language you will have only 1 other elective choice.

Foreign Language

• Spanish, French, German, and Latin are offered through the Advanced Placement (AP) level in Loudoun County.

• American Sign Language – 3 years• Most four-year colleges require that

you have a minimum of two (2) years of high school study of a foreign language.

Choose your electives now!

Log on to Family Connections

• At this time please log on to your computers and go to http://connection.naviance.com/jlsimpson

• You will be prompted to enter a username and password. Use the same username that you use to login to Simpson computers. Use your student id number for your password. You should have a welcome statement on the screen when you have successfully completed the process.

• Click on About Me• Then click on Class of 2016 LCHS - Course

Request Survey(In the left hand column under Surveys to Take)