Kingwood High School Welcomes Parents of the Class of 2021

Communication/ Information Email- provides the quickest response Helpful websites: KHS Counselor website Humble ISD Course Guide Humble ISD Graduation Plan website

Planning for High School and Beyond

HISD Course Guide (available on the KHS website & through Bridges) Graduation Requirements Grade Point Equivalencies GPA Explanation Award of Credit Recommended Course Placement Course Descriptions

End-of-Course Exam Requirements Algebra I Biology English I English II US History

What’s a credit? High school students earn a half-credit for successful completion of each course each semester. Semester average must be 70% or better. Students may earn credit if the year-end average is 70% or better. Attendance matters! Students who fail to be in class 90% of the time may lose credit for the course. 26 credits are required for graduation. Before building your course plan, it’s important to understand the requirements for a high school diploma. When you earn a semester average of 70 or higher, you will complete a ½ credit toward your graduation plan.

Graduation Requirements Students in the class of 2018 and beyond will be on the Foundation High School Program (FHSP). All students will choose an endorsement. Each Endorsement requires a series of courses. Most of these courses have a required sequence. Students may earn more than one Endorsement. See your Planning Guide for specific Endorsement requirements.

? What is an endorsement? An endorsement is a broad area of study It’s a bit like a college major So what is an endorsement, anyway? An endorsement is a broad area of study, a little bit like a college major, but much more broad. An endorsement sets a student apart. Did you know that while students who are in the top 10 percent of their graduating class are eligible for automatic admission to any public university in Texas, except for the University of Texas, that admission to a university does not guarantee acceptance into a particular college of study or department? Many of these departments have very competitive admissions requirements. When college admissions counselors look at the application of a student with an endorsement, they will see a student who is not only prepared to succeed at the postsecondary level, but who has a clear vision of what he or she wants to accomplish in school and in life!

FHSP + Distinguished Level of Achievement To earn the distinguished level of achievement, students must complete: The FHSP An endorsement Algebra II Students completing the distinguished level will be eligible for college admission under the Top 10% automatic admissions provision.

Why are students being guided to choose a career pathway? Students with career goals are 16% more likely to graduate from high school. Students who participate in CTE courses are 30% more likely to complete high school. Students with well-defined career goals are more likely to persist in college. Students with well-defined career goals are more likely to attain jobs in their chosen career field after college. There are a number of very good reasons why students need to plan for a career pathway. First, Students with career goals are 16% more likely to graduate from high school. In addition, students who participate in Career and Technical courses are 30% more likely to complete high school. Students with well-defined career goals are also more likely to persist in college. Finally, and maybe most important for parents, students with well-defined career goals are more likely to attain jobs in their chosen career field after college!

Why choose so early? Having a plan early allows the opportunity to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in Humble ISD. Choosing a path early does not “lock” students in to that path. They can change their mind! Exploring options early gives students a chance to figure out what they like and what they don’t. Did you know that Humble ISD offers courses in all 16 of the national career clusters? Students in Humble have the opportunity to study everything from floral design to rocket science! Having a plan early allows our students to take advantage of all the opportunities that exist in Humble ISD. It’s important that students and their parents understand that choosing a path early does not lock a student into that path. Students can and will change their minds! That’s where the campus counselor can help. He or she will be there to help students navigate the career exploration process. Besides, exploring options early gives students the chance to figure out what they like and what they don’t like. And parents, unlike college, these courses are either free or have a small materials fee!

How will colleges view the new graduation requirements? Because the new graduation requirements have recently been developed, no one knows exactly how the new requirements will affect college admissions. Therefore, it is VERY important for parents and students to check the specific admission requirements for any college a student may be interested in attending.

English Graduation Requirements Recommendations: Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals. The 4th English should be a bridge between high school and post-secondary goals. Humble ISD recommends taking a college-level course at least by senior year for those students planning on going to college. English I (EOC) English II (EOC) And now for the general high school requirements. The 4 credits in English include English 1, 2, and 3. You may choose from on-level or PreAP for English 1 and 2. 11th graders have the option of on-level English 3 or AP English 3. If a student takes AP English 3, he or she may take the AP exam at the end of the year and depending on the score, may earn college credit. A senior can take on-level English 4 OR AP English 4 OR Dual Credit English 4, which counts for high school honors grade points and earns 6 college credit hours in ENGL 1301 and ENGL 1302. English III Additional English

Math Graduation Requirements Recommendations: Choose challenging math courses that will prepare you for your career goals. The 4th math course should be a bridge between high school and post-secondary goals. Humble ISD recommends taking a college-level course at least by senior year for those students planning on going to college. Algebra I (EOC) Geometry The high school math sequence starts with Algebra 1. After Algebra 1, students choose from on-level Geometry or Geometry PreAP, THEN they take Algebra 2, either on-level or PreAP. After Algebra 2, it’s important to consider your career pathway and choose the math that will be most useful for your future. Humble ISD recommends a college level math course after Algebra 2 for those students planning on attending college. Algebra 2 and 1 additional credit

Science Graduation Requirements Recommendations: Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals. Students may take either IPC or Biology their freshman year. Biology (EOC) 1 credit lab-based course Laboratory-based Courses: IPC Chemistry AP Chemistry *IB Chemistry- not at KHS Physics Principles of Physics AP Physics *IB Physics- not at KHS 2 additional credits Note: Students may not take IPC after taking Chemistry or Physics.

U.S. Government and Economics Recommendations: Humble ISD recommends four years of social studies beginning with World Geography. Choose a challenging level of rigor that prepares you for your career goals. If students/parents wish to “skip” a year of social studies, Humble ISD recommends skipping the freshman year. Social Studies Graduation Requirements World History or World Geography U.S. History (EOC) U.S. Government and Economics Note: All students are required to take US History in the junior year.

OTHER Graduation Requirements 2 Credits LOTE Recommendation: Humble ISD recommends beginning your foreign language requirement in your sophomore year unless you’ve already begun foreign language in middle school. 1 Credit Physical Ed. 1 Credit Fine Art Total of 26 Credits

Endorsements Arts & Humanities Business & Industry Public Service Science, Technology, Engineering and Math Multi-Disciplinary *Student may earn multiple endorsements

How can parents help? Partner with counselors & teachers. Ask questions!!! Learn more –visit the Humble ISD & Bridges websites frequently. View your child’s goals, interest & values inventories, and more on www.bridges.com! After the field trip to KHS, help your child choose an endorsement

Timeline for course selection process Students will visit KHS to view course options: CMS- Nov. 30 RMS- Nov. 16 Students will choose an endorsement through guidance with their middle school counselors (November/December).

Timeline for course selection process KHS Counselors work with students on 4-year plans @: CMS: Jan, 4, 5, 6 RMS: Jan. 9, 10 Students meet with KHS Counselors about 4-year plans & courses @: CMS: Jan. 31, Feb. 1, 2 RMS: Jan. 25, 26, 27 *4-year plans will be “locked” after individual meetings. Schedule changes can be submitted through course verification sheets after this time.

We have Choices! Choices Planner is the career exploration & high school & college planning service for HISD students & parents. Course registration is now completed through Choices Planner.

4 year course plans in Bridges www.bridges.com Portfolio name: humble + 6 digit ID (Ex: humble123456) Password: 6 digit ID (Ex: 123456)

1st 2nd 1. Take the Cluster Finder assessment to decide which Career Cluster fits your interests 2. Build your high school Course Plan with courses that match that Career Cluster

Is my student locked into this cluster and these courses? No. Students will look at “next year’s courses” each spring while in high school. They will need to be sure to take the required courses for their endorsement.

Pre AP Courses Pre AP courses are designed for students who show a high level of interest in and/or commitment to English, World Geography, Algebra, Biology, etc. Pre AP courses are designed to teach students the skills necessary to be successful in junior and senior level AP courses. Pre AP students will learn the same content as level classes but will move faster in order to go more in depth.

Success in Pre AP/AP requires students who: Have excellent attendance. Catching up in a Pre AP class can be very difficult. Have a history of completing assignments accurately and on time. Are capable of success with challenging material presented at a faster pace. Possess strong organizational and time management skills. Have a strong ability to work independently and/or provide leadership in groups. Are willing to take assignments beyond basic requirements. Are able to prioritize and balance commitments both in and out of school. *Weigh the number of advanced courses with extracurricular and family commitments.

Homework Expectations Level classes: 30 minutes per class per night Pre AP classes: 45 minutes per class per night

Changes? Course verification sheets will be sent home in the spring semester. Change requests may be turned in to current counselor with parent signature.