+ Culver City Middle School Honors & Acceleration

+ Agenda Honors ELA Math Pathways and Placement Choosing Honors or Accelerated Foreign Language options Bio Honors for next year’s 8 th graders

+ Purpose To provide challenging opportunities Allow students to grow in the area(s) that they have talents, gifts or interests Promote independence, high school and post secondary readiness In some cases, to move ahead with HS course completion

+ English Language Arts Honors, (formerly Scholars) at every grade in ELA Students must complete summer assignments due first week of school Open access to students who are committed to the challenge This is a one year commitment

+ Honors or not? Is ELA the child’s strength? Difference between honors and regular What else is the child balancing? Year-long commitment

+ Math Placements 1. Students are taking an end of year assessment to inform placements 2. Based on assessment and progress throughout the year, teachers will make recommendations and communicate with parents 3. If recommendation is different than what students/parents expect, conversation with counselor and teacher should take place in order to reach consensus 4. Parents and students must sign Academic Commitment form which places the student in the course for the entire school year

+ 6 th grade Math Options Math 6 Accelerated 6 (means 6 th and half of 7 th grade Common Core Math)

+ 7 th grade Math Options Math 7 Accelerated 7 (means 7 th and half of 8 th grade Common Core Math) For students who have done exceptionally well in Math 6

+ 8 th grade Math Options Math 8—This is the state recommended level for 8 th graders—students in Math 7 go to Math 8 Algebra 1—this is for students in Accel. 7

+ Math Pathways

+ How do I know which is the best pathway for my child??? Test to inform families-taken at the end of the year (new students at beginning of the year) Talk to the current teacher Try to think long term and not push students if it is not their strength

+ Other opportunities for acceleration Foreign language Science

+ Foreign Language 7 th or 8 th graders can take a one semester Spanish or Japanese class to prepare for 7 th grade—highly recommended 8 th graders can take HS level Spanish I or Japanese I This allows them to move to Level II with successful completion of B or better (students will be assessed at the end of the course for HS placement) Fulfills the E requirement on A-G requirements for college admissions Earn 10 HS credits, transcripted

+ SCIENCE 8 th grade option: Biology Honors at CCHS Taken on the CCHS campus (this means there are HS students in the class with 8 th graders) Course is everyday (on CCHS bell schedule), HW everyday This is a student who is highly committed to at least an hour or two each night of HW

+ Bio H continued…. This is for a very select group of students who meet criteria 7 th grade teacher recommendation, all As in Science grades 6/7 a 3.75 overall GPA Concurrent enrollment in at least Algebra Has a propensity to problem solve, strong work ethic, resilience and a general inquiry based framework towards Biology Replaces their 8 th grade Science course HS level, 10 credits transcripted

+ DROP POLICY ON HS LEVEL COURSES (Bio H, Japanese & Spanish I) Changes can be made the first week of school— this require coordination with the HS if it is Bio H Start at the MS with the counselor and the counselor will then work with the HS In weeks 2-20, students who drop a HS level course (even if taken on the MS campus) students will receive a F/Drop on the transcript—COLLEGES WILL SEE THIS Changes will only be able if there are alternate courses available