1. Course Selection for Rising Juniors
October 10 and 12, 2017

2. Lamar Academic Advisors2
Advanced
Academics
Courses 3
Advanced
Academics Courses
Special
Populations
Cain
Stokes
Mosby
Raibon
Ervin/Eng
Sydow
Harrison
Lamar Academic Advisors

3. Annual Cycle: Course Requests, Verifications, and Schedule Change Requests
October 10th Grade Course Selection
November 9th Grade Course Selection
December/January 8th Grade Course Selection
February 11th Grade Course Selection
March Course Requests are Entered
March Course Verification 1 is sent home and returned with any change requests
April Course Verification 2 is sent home and returned with any change requests
May Course Verification 3 is sent home and returned with any change requests
June/July Schedule is mailed home with instructions re how to request change in August
August Advisors host in person Schedule Change Requests the week before school starts
Course Selection
Last Chance/Wrong Class
Requests Entered
In person Schedule Change Requests
ADVISOR
Course Verifications
and Written Change Requests

4. VERY IMPORTANT Students are given 5 opportunities to select courses.
Consequently, after August Schedule Change Week,
no schedule change request will be considered.
Once school starts,
the only schedule changes that will be made are those
initiated by Administration.
No request to change classes, teachers, or periods will be considered.
There are no mid-year/2nd semester schedule changes.

5. How do I know which courses my student needs?
You are not alone.
Academic Advisors review each student’s path and plan before we meet every year.
We bring along a Course Request Worksheet which we have already largely completed taking into account graduation requirements, transfer requirements, path, plan, and student interest.
Ideally, any choice left to the student is one that will not adversely impact graduation.

6. Academic Advisors prepare and send home
our Course Request Worksheet and
Supporting Documents
every year.
9th – 10th Grade
Course Request Worksheet
In the annual path and plan review, Academic Advisors give each student a document package to bring home for parent review. Expect a document package to come home, every year.
This annual document package includes the Course Request Worksheet that your Academic Advisor has completed with your student, a list of course offerings, your student’s current schedule, and transcript.
Please check your student’s backpack.

7. Academic Advisors’ Parent Education Series
In a perfect world, students would share with their parents the information we convey when we meet to review their path and plan and select courses for next year, but... we are parents and we know that does not happen.
So, as we work our way through each grade level, Academic Advisors host Parent Education Seminars.
Seminars are offered in the evenings, during the same month we meet with grade level students.
This way, we are able to present to parents the same information we share with students.

8. IB Programs in 11th and 12th Grades
In 11th and 12th years, any student may pursue the IB diploma.
Students enrolled in CATE (CC/CA/CH/CE) pathways may choose
to earn either the IB diploma or the IB Career-related certificate.
Public universities in Texas, Colorado, California, and Florida give a minimum of 24 hours of credit to IB diploma recipients attending state colleges. Lamar graduates have received as many as 52 hours of credit based on their scores on the IB diploma SL and HL exams.

9. Full IB Diploma
Two-year combination of IBDP classes in 6 subject areas Advisors ask all 10th graders if their intent is to pursue the IB diploma A two year course plan for junior and senior year will be built by your 10th grader and advisor.

10. Add PDP or IB classes Already successful in any PDP class?
Your choice to add other PDP class(es)
No review – add to course selection sheet
Not in any PDP and want to be?
Sign up on your course selection sheet and complete an advanced academics assessment form.
Submit form to Advanced Academics Office.

11. Graduation Requirements
4 credits of English 4 credits of Math 4 credits of Social Studies 4 credits of Science 2 credits of a language other than English

12. Graduation Requirements
1 credit of PE or equivalent
1 credit in Fine Arts
.5 credit in Health
5.5 credits of Electives
26 credits total

13. Graduation Requirements
4 credits of math
Algebra 1 & 2, Geometry and a fourth math
Fourth Math: Precalculus or
Advanced Quantative Reasoning (Application of concepts in Algebra & Geometry)

14. Graduation Requirements
4 credits of science
Biology, Chemistry, Physics, and a fourth science
Fourth Science: IB Environmental Science, Biology, Chemistry, or Physics
Anatomy, Aquatic Science(Recommended)

15. How many selections do I actually make?SS SS
Transfer students take their required transfer elective, and choose 2 electives/year.
Zoned students choose 3 electives/year.
All students must devote at least one full year elective to PE and at least one full year elective to Fine Art.
IB diploma candidates must test in 3 HL and 3 SL level courses. Must get to Math SL.
Zoned/BO
PBM
BIM SS

17. What colleges want…
Above all, they look for a strong record in difficult classes
Continued rigor through senior year
An improving transcript rather than one in decline
Improved communication skills especially writing
Involvement in outside activities
Better for strong record with low scores than vice versa. Finish strong 17 17

18. Course Recommendations for College
Take as much as you can:
MATH
SCIENCE
LANGUAGE OTHER THAN ENGLISH
Drop PIB/IB language for regular 18

19. Make an ACT/SAT plan
The free LHS each April during junior (start preparing now)
Access Khan Academy for free online SAT prep (khanacademy.org)

20. You can find us on the Lamar homepage, too!
Click here

22. Tutoring Supervised Library hours: 6:30 am – 6:30 pm
Teachers tutor in academic subjects:
Monday – Friday :30 – 8:10am
Monday – Thursday 3:45 – 6:30 pm

23. Questions?