1. Hull High School Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Paula Maxwell, Acting Principal, MMS
Michael Devine, Principal, HHS
Scott Sivo, Assistant Principal, HHS

2. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Agenda
Mission and Core Values of Hull High School
Program of Studies
Graduation Requirements
Sample Progressions
What Colleges Want
Expectations for Student Learning
Advisory
Co-Curricular Activities
Daily Schedule
Attendance
Freshmen Schedules
Pre-requisites and Waivers
Process
Questions
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

3. Mission of Hull High School
Hull High School is committed to academic excellence, personal responsibility, and the development of life-long learners within the global community.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

4. Core Values of Hull High School
Life-long Learning
A culture that develops essential skills and stimulates intellectual curiosity to promote life-long learning.  
Integrity
A culture that expects integrity and honorable behavior. 
Responsibility
A culture where students take responsibility for their academic progress, behavior, and wellness.
Creativity
A culture that provides a rigorous curriculum promoting creativity in all classrooms.
Citizenship 
A culture that encourages collaboration, respects diversity, and empowers students with the rights, privileges, and duties of citizenship.
Service
A culture that promotes service to others.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

5. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Program of Studies
The Program of Studies lists:
All courses offered at HHS
HHS academic policies
Just because it is listed in the P of S does not mean that the course will run.
We determine which courses will run based on request and staffing level.
The P of S can be found at:
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

6. Graduation Requirements
All students must earn a minimum of 140 credits in order to graduate.
All students must carry 42 credits per year (168 credits total).
All students must earn passing scores on the following MCAS exams:
Introduction to Physics – Grade 9
English / Language Arts – Grade 10
Mathematics – Grade 10
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

7. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Graduation Requirements
4-years of English
English 9, 10, 11, and 12
4-years of math
Algebra I
Algebra II
Geometry
Other
4-years of social studies
World History II
US History I*
US History II*
Government / Economics
* Or AP United States History
4-years of science
Introduction to Physics
Biology
Chemistry
Other
4-semester of wellness
Wellness 9
Wellness 10
Wellness 11
Wellness 12
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

8. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
English Progressions
GRADE 9 10 11 12 A
Honors English 9
Honors English 10
AP English Language
AP English Literature B
Honors English 11
Honors English 12 C
English 9
English 10
English 11
English 12
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

9. Math Progressions Grade 8 Course Selection 2011 GRADE 8 9 10 11 12
Honors Algebra I
H.Geometry &
Freshmen Math
Honors Algebra II
Honors Pre-Calculus
H/AP Calculus
Algebra I
Geometry &
Algebra II
Trigonometry
Pre-Algebra
Algebra I &
Geometry
Trigonometry or Topics in Mathematics
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

10. Social Studies Progressions
GRADE 9 10 11 12 A
(H) World History II
AP US History I
Economics/
Government
Other
Elective B
(CP) or (H) World History II
CP or Honors
US History I
US History II or
AP US History C
(CP) or (H)
World History II
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

11. Science Progressions Grade 8 Course Selection 2011 GRADE 9 10 11 12 A
Honors
Introductory
Physics
Biology
Chemistry & AP Science Course
Honors Physics &
AP Science B
Honors Chemistry & Science Elective
Physics & Science Elective C
Chemistry D
Science
Elective
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

12. Foreign Language Progressions
GRADE 8 9 10 11 12 A
French I
French II
French III
Honors French IV
Honors French V B C
Spanish I
Spanish II
Spanish III
Honors Spanish IV
Honors Spanish V/ AP Spanish D
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

13. Hull High School Expectations for Student Learning
A Hull High School student will:
will write effectively for a variety of purposes
will read actively and critically
will present information and ideas fluently and comfortably before an audience
will be a competent problem solver
will develop the knowledge and understanding necessary for informed citizenship, social action, and collaboration
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

14. Hull High School Expectations for Student Learning
will demonstrate a knowledge of world cultures
will understand and apply wellness skills
will utilize and evaluate creative skills
will use technology appropriately to acquire, integrate, evaluate, create, and impart information in a knowledge economy
During their time at Hull High School, all students must show that they meet or exceed these expectations.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

15. What Do the Colleges Want to See?
UMASS Amherst:
“You will also need to meet certain high school unit requirements (remember, these are minimums): Four years of English, three years of college preparatory mathematics (Algebra II is a minimum requirement), two years of the same foreign language, three years of science (including two with a laboratory component), two years of social science including one course in U.S. History, and two electives from the above areas, arts and humanities, or computer science.”
UMASS will recalculate the applicant’s GPA using ONLY the academic subjects.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

16. What Do the Colleges Want to See?
Harvard:
“There is no single academic path we expect all students to follow, but the strongest applicants take the most rigorous secondary school curricula available to them. An ideal four-year preparatory program includes four years of English, with extensive practice in writing; four years of math; four years of science: biology, chemistry, physics, and an advanced course in one of these subjects; three years of history, including American and European history; and four years of one foreign language.“
Harvard will recalculate the applicant’s GPA using ONLY the academic subjects.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

17. What Do the Colleges Want to See?
Boston College:
“While specific courses are not required, the Undergraduate Admission Office recommends that students pursue a strong college preparatory program including four units of English, mathematics, foreign language, laboratory science, and social science. The Committee on Admission also looks at the rigor of your high school program. Students challenging themselves with Honors, AP, IB, and/or college-level courses tend to be more competitive in the admission process.”
BC will recalculate the applicant’s GPA using ONLY the academic subjects.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

18. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Advisory
Each student will be assigned to an advisory.
Students meet with their advisory once each week for 30 minutes.
This time is used for informational and educational meetings.
The focus of advisory is to develop community and to address the social and emotional needs of the students.
Advisory groups are developed and assigned by the MMS and HHS staff.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

19. Co-Curricular Activities
HHS offers co-curricular programs in:
Athletics
Drama
Music
Anime
Mock Trial
PHI (Community Involvement)
TALK (Diversity Issues)
Yearbook
Student Government
National Honor Society
All students are encouraged to participate in one or more co-curricular opportunities.
Research shows that students who are connected to their school in clubs, teams or activities have greater success in school.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

20. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Daily Schedule
School starts at 7:25am
All 7 classes meet daily
Each class is approx. 50 minutes
3 minutes passing time between each class
24 minute lunch
School ends at 2:00pm
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

21. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Attendance
Credit for courses is awarded on a semester (half-year) basis. Any student who has more than 8 total unexcused absences during a semester will be denied half of the stated credits for that course, unless the student earns back those days through his/her participation in an administrator-approved credit recovery program.
Family vacations are not considered excused absences. Teachers will not be required to provide work prior to a student leaving for vacation. The student will be required to make up all missed work upon his/her return to school.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

22. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Credit Recovery
When a student accumulates more than 8 absences during a semester, the student’s parent/guardian will be notified by mail. The student may appeal this denial of credit to the Attendance Review Board or directly to the principal. Credit recovery programs may include (but are not limited to): community service, internship, increased course work, “borrowing” days from another semester. In cases of internships and community service, one hour of internship or service will equal one hour of absence.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

23. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Tardy Policies
Students who miss more than 15 minutes of a class due to tardiness will be considered absent from that class. More than eight (8) absences per semester will lead to loss of credit for the course.
Students must be in their first period class by 7:35 a.m. and must remain in school for the entire school day in order to participate in or attend any co-curricular activity for that day. An administrator’s pre-approval will waive any penalties. Students who spend a class period in the nurse’s office will not be eligible to participate or attend any co-curricular or school events that day.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

24. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Freshman Schedule
English 9 (CP or Honors)
Geometry or Algebra I (CP or Honors)
Introductory Physics (CP or Honors)
World History II (CP or Honors)
Freshman Writing - ½ Year (non-leveled)
Freshman Math – ½ Year (non-leveled)
Foreign Language (non-leveled)
French I
Spanish I
Wellness 9 – ½ Year
Elective – ½ Year
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

25. Freshman Writing and Math
Required of all freshmen
5-week cycles
Math:
Focus on MCAS and/or PSAT / SAT preparation
Writing:
Focus on persuasive and analytical writing
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

26. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Electives
Massachusetts requires that all students take physical education / wellness each year in school.
All freshman are required to take Wellness 9.
Wellness is a one-semester course.
Freshmen will take Wellness 9 during 1st or 2nd semester.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

27. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Electives
All freshmen considering college in the future should take a foreign language class.
Freshmen will have the opportunity to take a one-semester elective during their freshman year, unless they choose not to take a foreign language class – then they would take 3 electives.
Then, the student will have the opportunity to take 3 one-semester electives.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

28. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Pre-requisites
In order to take Honors-level classes, students must:
Earn an B or better in their grade 8 class in that subject area
This is based on the final grade for the year
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

29. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Pre-requisites
Grade 8 to Honors =
B or better
CP to Honors =
A- or better
Honors to Honors =
Honors to AP =
CP to AP =
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

30. Pre-requisite Waiver Request
Students who do not meet the pre-requisite for a course may request a waiver.
Waiver found on the high school webpage.
Waivers are due on: June 1, 2011
No waivers received after the deadline will be considered.
Students who currently meet the pre-requisites but do not after term 4 will be mailed a letter and a waiver request at the end of June.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

31. Pre-requisite Waiver Request
Waiver decisions will be based upon:
Discussions with Mrs. Maxwell
Student essay
Space limitations
If a student is granted a waiver he/she has until the term 1 progress reports are issued to drop the class.
After this time, the student will be committed to the class for the ENTIRE year.
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

32. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Process
April 1
This information will be presented to all grade 8 students
April 7:
Students and MMS teachers will discuss and fill out course selection forms
Student will bring form home for discussions with parents/guardians and signature
April 8
Course selection forms due back to the MMS office
April 27:
Waiver Requests Due
Step-up Day
May 6
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

33. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011
Final Points
Schedules will be mailed at some point during May.
I will not consider any requests based on teacher preference.
You will receive several letters from me this summer with more details about the opening of school in August.
Only 152 days until your son or daughter starts high school!
Only 1368 days until your son or daughter graduates from high school!
MAKE THE MOST OF IT!!!
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011

34. Grade 8 Course Selection 2011?
Grade 8 Course Selection 2011