1. Elko Middle Rising 6 th Grade Scheduling Process Tips/Guidelines for Recommendations Important Dates

2. Online Recommendations English Math Science Social Studies Reading/Strategies for Comprehension Success Health and PE SOAR Special self-contained courses (Social Skills, Learning Strategies, etc.) ESL

3. Electives Students will select electives with the help of parents. There are no teacher recommendations necessary for 6 th grade electives. All elective courses must be selected online through PowerSchool. Art 6, Band, Chorus, and Strings are all full-year classes, so students need to understand that selecting any of these courses is a full-year commitment. There are also additional fees associated with our music classes, for uniforms and instrument rentals, trips, etc. It can get expensive.

4. Electives Exploratory Classes – if students wish to take exploratory, they will need to select “Exploratory.” Parents/students will not select specific courses for exploratory. Students will be assigned to these courses later in the spring, based on offerings that are available at that time. All exploratory options are 9-weeks in length and will likely include courses such as Art, Teen Living, Business Computers, Technology, Drama, etc.; however, final decisions about course offerings won’t be make until later in the spring, based on teacher compliment.

5. Gifted Enrichment ONLY For all students who are identified for gifted services in HCPS Students who are identified in either language arts, math, or BOTH Students need to be strong in reading, since this class takes the place of reading in their schedule; however, it is NOT a reading class! Please DO NOT recommend students who are not identified as gifted.

6. Reading Support Strategies for Comprehension Success (1186K) is an option for general education students only. It is designed for students who are reading below grade level and need extra support in reading. These students will be assigned to a full- year reading class (14 or less students). This class is our reading intervention for 6 th graders. - RTI

7. Reading Support Students with IEP’s are not eligible for Strategies for Comprehension Success. If students with IEP’s need extra support in reading, please recommend them to take a reading class with an exceptional education teacher: –1106I (Collaborative Reading 6) –1177 (self-contained SLD) –7805 (MD) –7805Q (Autism)

8. Math Support Please recommend students for Math Improvement 6 (9847SK), if they need extra support in math (for students who are working below grade level in math). Students will be placed with a Math teacher for the year, for this extra-help class. This is our math intervention for 6 th graders -- RTI.

9. SOAR All students will take some form of SOAR, unless a student’s IEP indicates that he/she would benefit from a smaller class with an exceptional education teacher (Learning Strategies or Social Skills). The SOAR class provides students with extra help beyond the content review, study time, as well as focused attention on developing study skills and organizational skills. Students regularly organize their notebooks and create study tools to help them prepare for quizzes and tests. Students stay with the same teacher all year. 5 th Grade Teachers – please recommend students for SOAR 9845SK, unless they are being recommended for Math Improvement, Learning Strategies, or Social Skills.

10. Learning Strategies/ Social Skills/Daily Living Skills Learning Strategies (7926K) - designed for students with IEP’s who need a smaller class during SOAR time. This class offers students the opportunity to receive more one-on-one help with organization, test-taking strategies, as well as other academic skills Social Skills (7816) - Smaller class designed for students with emotional disturbance or autism. (7816Q is for students with Autism) Daily Living Skills (7895) - for students who are identified as MD ALL courses need to be recommended in PowerSchool

11. Math Courses Math Course 1 will prepare students to follow a pathway to Algebra I by 8 th grade, if students successfully complete the classes and pass the required SOL’s for Course 1 and Course 2. Students currently enrolled in Accelerated Math 5/6 should be recommended for Accelerated Math 6/7 (3115K). Accelerated Math 6/7 will put students on a pathway to Algebra I in 7 th grade and Geometry in 8 th grade. Students in regular Math 5 must be enrolled in Math Course 1, as they cannot skip content in math.

12. Advanced Life Science Taking Advanced Life Science in 6 th grade prepares students to take Earth Science (high school credit course) during their 8 th grade year. The Physical Science SOL, which is usually taken in 8 th grade, is a cumulative SOL. If students take the accelerated pathway in science and are not successful in one of the courses, they will end up needing to repeat something down the road.

13. Social Studies Taking Social Studies 6/Civics Accelerated prepares students to take World History during their 8 th grade year (if they successfully complete this class and Social Studies 7/Economics Accelerated) World History is a HS-credit course and it is highly recommended by many of our specialty centers in high school.

14. Exceptional Education Classes Teachers should only recommend collaborative classes for students with IEP’s. If a teacher feels a general education student can benefit from being in a collaborative class, please attach a note the student’s request letter, before it is returned to Elko. We will do our best to hand-schedule these students according to their needs.

15. English Classes English 6: 1109 (regular English 6) Collaborative English 6: 1109I Self-contained English: 1109E (SLD students only) Functional English 6: 7801 (students with multiple disabilities) Functional English 6: 7801Q (students with autism)

16. Math Classes Math Course 1: 3110 (regular Math 6) Collaborative Math 6: 3110I Self-contained Math 6: 3110E (SLD students only) Functional Math 6: 7802 (students with multiple disabilities) Functional Math 6: 7802Q (students with autism)

17. Science Classes Science 6: 4105 (regular Science 6) Collaborative Science 6: 4105I Functional Science 6: 7804 (students with multiple disabilities) Functional Science 6: 7804Q (students with autism)

18. Social Studies Classes Social Studies 6: 2354 (regular SS 6) Collaborative Social Studies 6: 2354I Functional Social Studies 6: 7803 (students with multiple disabilities) Functional Social Studies 6: 7803Q (students with autism)

19. Reading Classes Reading 6: 1106 (regular Reading 6) Collaborative Reading 6: 1106I Self-contained Reading 6: 1177 (SLD students only) Functional Reading 6: 7805 (students with multiple disabilities) Functional Reading 6: 7805Q (students with autism)

20. Changes to Recommendations? If teachers wish to change a recommendation later in the year, please complete a change of recommendation form and forward it to Elko (making sure the parent has signed off on it). We would like to receive recommendations by April 29 th, in order for us to finalize our schedule by the end of the year.

21. Parent Overrides If a parent requests that his/her child be given an opportunity to take an advanced class, teachers can make the recommendation; however, students CANNOT be moved to Accelerated Math 6/7 without meeting the required criteria. Teachers are encouraged to make recommendations on behalf of students that allow for opportunity; however, students will not be allowed to skip content. Parent override forms are due by March 18 th, to guarantee placement in the course. All other override requests will be considered until April 29 th, and will only be honored if space remains in the course.

22. Requests for Course Changes If a parent wishes to change an academic class that lowers the level OR requests an elective class change, they can submit a note to Elko with either of these requests. Elective changes will be honored if space remains in the class. All changes must be submitted by the last day of school (June 17 th ).

23. The Scheduling Process Elementary schools work during the window for PowerSchool within the county timeline – begins January 20 th Counselors/Teachers – Please make sure that all students have been recommended for a total of 8 classes before the window opens for parents. After the window closes for parents (February 19 th ), please be sure to simulate the parent window and select 8 classes for students whose parents do not complete the process. This will ensure that all students are assigned to classes in our database and that our course data will be accurate as we plan for creating course sections and work through teacher compliment challenges. The best way to make sure every student has what they need is to check each student’s course recommendation page.

24. The Scheduling Process Teachers … please be pay close attention to the course numbers on our course information sheet. These are the only courses you should recommend for our rising 6 th graders. A missing letter or wrong set of numbers will prevent parents from seeing your recommendation for a course. In addition, that course won’t be added to our database for the student. It’s very easy to recommend the wrong course because you will unfortunately see every course that is offered across the county for middle and high school students. Counselors … please plan to print student course lists and send to Elko, once all courses have been accepted/selected by parents (or your staff); these can be on white paper (deadline for all courses to be entered online is March 4 th ; deadline for us to receive request letters is March 18 th, but you can send them sooner than this, if you have them back). We want them with or without a parent signature! You may send these forms on the Pony.

25. The Scheduling Process Please encourage parents to consult with elementary teachers regarding their recommendations We are happy to answer general questions when necessary, however elementary teachers know students best

26. Questions??? Feel free to contact me at 328-4111, or through email (tbmizelle@henrico.k12.va.us) if you have questions.tbmizelle@henrico.k12.va.us Thanks for your hard work!