1. Welcome to AP/Honors Night!
Oak Mountain High School
January 29, 2013
April Brand, AP Coordinator

2. What is Advanced Placement?
Advanced Placement (AP) is a program run by the College Board, a non-profit group made up of member schools.
OMHS is a member of the College Board.
Students earn an extra quality point on their GPA with successful completion of an AP course.
OMHS plans to offer 18 AP courses in

3. AP Courses Offered at OMHS
Math
Calculus AB
Calculus BC
Statistics
Science
Environmental Science
Chemistry
Biology
Physics B
Physics C
English
Literature
Language
Social Studies
Government & Politics
Macroeconomics
US History
European History
Art
Studio Art: Drawing
Studio Art: 2D-Design
Foreign Language
Latin: Vergil
Spanish Language
French Language

4. AP Expectations
AP coursework is usually more challenging and time consuming than non-AP coursework.
AP courses are college-level courses taught in high school.
Students should expect more work to be completed on their own time (outside of class).
AP coursework is usually more thought provoking and intellectually stimulating than non-AP coursework.
Students may find that AP coursework is more interesting because it challenges them to think in different ways than traditional high school courses.

5. AP Expectations
Once enrolled in an AP course, students will be expected to stay in the course.
Students will not be allowed to drop the course once they begin.
Our focus is on students learning the material.
Success in AP courses comes with hard work and perseverance.

6. AP Requirements
All students enrolled in AP courses must take the AP Exam for each course in which they are enrolled.
Exam fees for 2013 Exams are $89.
These fees are due in late February/early March.
What happens if a student does not take an AP Exam?
They lose the extra quality point.
They must take the teacher’s final exam in the course.

7. Should I Take AP Courses?
Benefits of Taking AP
Drawbacks of Taking AP
More challenging coursework
Potential for college credit
College-level work in smaller class settings with more nurturing teachers
Possibility of a higher GPA
Students who take AP tend to have higher college graduation rates than those who do not take AP.
More challenging coursework
More outside work expected of students
More stress and/or frustration over difficult work
Faster pace of instruction
Potential for lower overall grades than what could be earned in regular classes

8. What is “Honors” at OMHS?
Honors courses prepare students to take AP courses at OMHS.
Honors courses have similar requirements and expectations as AP courses.
More challenging coursework
Faster pace of instruction
Preparation for college-level work
Honors courses receive .5 quality points extra towards the GPA.

9. Honors Courses Offered at OMHS
Math
Geometry Honors
Algebra II with Trigonometry Honors
Precalculus Honors
Science
Chemistry Honors
Biology Honors
English
Honors English 9
Honors English 10
Social Studies
World History Honors
US History to 1877 Honors
Foreign Language
Spanish III and IV Honors
French III and IV Honors
German III and IV Honors
Latin III Honors

10. Once in Honors, Always in Honors?
Students can move from honors to regular from year to year.
Students are not “locked in” to the honors curriculum if they begin in honors.
Students are not “locked out” of honors if they begin in regular.
It is strongly recommended that students take honors before taking AP, but it is not required.
Once students are in honors/AP, they are expected to stay in honors/AP throughout the rest of the year.

11. How do I sign up for AP and honors classes?
Choose the appropriate course on the course selection sheet.
Get the appropriate teacher to initial the course selection sheet.
EX: Current math teacher initials next to the AP/honors math choice.
If the teacher will NOT provide initials, and you still want your child to take the course, get a “Parent Override” letter from the counselors.
“Parent Override” means that you acknowledge that the teacher does NOT endorse the course choice.

12. What’s Next? Meet & Greet
Meet our AP and Honors teachers in the cafeteria immediately following this program.
The Meet & Greet will end at 7:00pm.
If you choose AP, you will receive the Advanced Placement Program – Program Agreement
Required by Shelby County Schools
Return with your Pre-Registration Packet in Mid-February.

13. Contact Us for More Information!
April Brand
Assistant Principal and AP Coordinator
Grade-level guidance counselors
Ms. Holder (L-Z – Juniors and Seniors)
Mr. Deavers (A-K – Juniors and Seniors)
Ms. Payne (Sophomores)
Ms. Wade (Freshmen)