Welcome to 6th grade! It is Course Selection Time! Your future starts now! Make sure that you introduce yourself and any other school personnel at the beginning of the presentation – This will be the first impression that the parents and students have of you and your school!

What does the future hold for ME Middle school is when they begin to explore interests and get to make choices on classes. Mention Career Cruising and how they will begin to explore their interests and what courses lead to those careers.

With good planning, your next three years can prepare you for success! Take the path that challenges you to your maximum! Take courses that are difficult but stretch your learning! Success comes from hard work and learning from mistakes.

What are your options? Each core course is offered at two levels – Regular Pre-Advanced Placement What is the difference? What iF I am a GT student? Explain the difference – PreAP goes deeper, stretches and challenges students to do their best. Don’t say it is just more work!!!

What is Pre-AP? The Pre-Advanced Placement courses are designed to challenge students with rigorous course work in order to prepare them to take Advanced Placement Courses in high school. Taking advanced placement courses in high school can lead to college credit! All GT students are served through the Pre-AP classes. All attempts are made to group as many GT Students in a class as possible. Explain that PreAP courses lead to Advanced Placement classes in high school and that at the end of the AP course they can take a test that if they score a 3 or above on will give them college credit. You could graduate with 36 plus college credits just by taking available AP courses. That means that one year of college is done! Could save parents as much as $30,000 depending on the College or University attended.

Pre-AP IS… Pre-AP IS NOT… for all students. limited to a certain student group. structured to introduce, scaffold, and reinforce skills. expecting students to arrive with all skills at a proficient level. preparation for all students to choose increasingly rigorous courses. a track. to equip students for college and career readiness with 21st century skills expecting students to already be prepared for college and career success. for intentional development of critical thinking skills and habits of mind necessary for success in AP courses. a course that discriminately makes content, products, and processes more complex and/or inaccessible to any student group. a course that requires teachers to differentiate by adding depth and complexity to content area according to the student’s readiness interest and learning profile. a course that automatically meets students’ needs because of its title. differentiated according to students’ needs. Just faster, more work, or tied to a different book. PreAP offers students the opportunity to take a more rigorous course that covers material at a quicker pace. Students are encouraged to take at least one Pre-AP course. Most middle school students are able to take multiple courses at the Pre-AP level. PreAP is how we serve our GT students. To remain in the GT program they must take at least one PreAP course each year.

Pre-AP Math – 4 years of math curriculum covered in three years Pre-AP Math – 4 years of math curriculum covered in three years. May show readiness for Pre-AP math at the start of any school year. Mastery of Pre-AP math in 6th and 7th grade leads to Pre-AP Algebra I in 8th grade. See page 4 in course guide for flow map showing math paths. Make sure to explain and ask for questions about the new math paths. I would recommend having a math teacher that understand this process at the presentation to answer questions!

6th Course Selection All 6th graders take: English Language Arts – regular or Pre-AP Literature - regular or Pre-AP (If a student takes regular English Language arts, he/she will also take regular Literature) Math - regular or Pre-AP Social Studies PE ( LIFE TIME FITNESS OR Pre-Athletics ) Science Advisory Elective Explain that if they take PreAP ELA they also must sign up for PreAP Literature. Have a coach explain the PE/Pre-Athletics program and how that works. Someone should explain the Advisory program on your campus.

6th grade electives Band Girls choir Boys choir Theatre Exploratory (one semester of art and one semester of music) Have a representative from Band, Choir and Theatre explain the tryout process (if there is one) and the impact that UIL no pass no play has on these courses. They need to sell their program! You need to explain the Exploratory program on your campus.

Do your very best on the STAAR test this spring! Students who fail any part of the STAAR test or measure “High Risk” on screeners may lose their elective choice and be placed in an accelerated Reading or Math Class. Explain that the state requires us to offer tutorials to help each student be successful on the STAAR assessment. That this could happen each year if they aren’t successful so to work really hard and do their best!

Taking challenging courses every year, setting scheduled times to do homework and to read leads to success! You can’t learn to do a trick like this if you never get on a bike!

Always have a backup plan! Plans will change as you grow up, be flexible and always have a backup plan.

Schedules! When do I get my schedule? Students receive an official schedule on the first day of school. If you student receives a schedule you think is not correct please email the counselors. Phone calls are welcome too. However, emails are faster.

Middle School students Study time should be something students do every night of the week. If you ask a middle school student if they have homework, they most likely will say “NO”! If they really don’t have homework here are things to do during study time - Read 15 minutes – some students may need to read out loud Organize Binder (Binders go home everyday) Finish any incomplete assignment Repack backpack and set in place for tomorrow Correct Papers Study notes Check Grades Explain the importance of having a set routine

How to check grades on your phone: Login: ID # (lunch number) and Dob: 08/16/2002

Camp ??? Aug. ??? Students get a tour of the building Dress code what not to wear Presentation Meet the teachers Learn about lockers

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