1. TOPS TECH & TOPS UNIVERSITY DIPLOMAS

2. How do you choose your diploma?
TOPS University
Good choice for students planning to go straight to a 4 year university after high school.
TOPS Technical
Good choice for students who are planning to go to community or technical college, or go straight to work after high school.

3. Things to think about… GPA Math Progress
Admission requirements differ, but a GPA below a 2.0 severely limits a student’s possibilities with regard to 4 year college immediately after high school. Students may have to earn credits at a community college in order to transfer to a 4 year school.
Math Progress
If a student is at the end of their sophomore year, and has not passed a whole credit of Algebra I, it is unlikely that the student will complete the TOPS University math requirements in time to graduate with the class.

4. Things to know! Both are High School Diplomas
Some differences in requirements
Tops Technical has pathways: Your pathway is the area of career classes you have selected (CNA, Auto Tech, etc.) if you are on TOPS Technical
Neither diploma guarantees eligibility for TOPS scholarship funding

5. More things to know!
Diploma type must be decided NO LATER than the end of sophomore year.
Diploma type is noted on the student’s Individual Graduation Plan (IGP)
In addition to earning credits for classes, you must also pass the credentialing tests for your pathway in order to graduate if you are on TOPS TECH.
This is in addition to the LEAP 2025 tests that everyone has to pass in order to graduate

6. HOW TO READ YOUR TRANSCRIPT
Credit Parts
Part A and Part B make the whole credit for the class
You need whole credits for graduation requirements.
You only earn credit for the part you pass, you have to retake the part you failed
Consider this when selecting classes
It’s important to look at:
PART A Semester 1
PART B Semester 2

7. HOW TO READ YOUR TRANSCRIPT
Today we will look at:
What you need to pass to graduate!
While counselors will help you schedule your classes, and double check that you are taking the right things, it is the student’s and parent’s responsibility to know this information, as well.
It is extremely important for students and parents to track when students have not passed whole and parts of classes.
Classes that will work with any pathway
Classes that can be taken as electives

8. Being in the right grade doesn’t mean graduating on time.

9. Requirements for Each Diploma
TOPS TECH: 23 Credits
TOPS UNIVERSITY: 24 CREDITS
4 English
4 Math
2 Science
2 Social Studies
2 PE/Health or ROTC I & II
1 Career Education Class
8 Career Classes
Also pass credentials for selected pathway
4 English
4 Math
4 Science
4 Social Studies
2 PE/Health or ROTC I & II
1 Art
2 Foreign Language
3 Electives

10. ENGLISH CLASSES You need full credits for: You need full credits for:
TOPS TECH
TOPS UNIVERSITY
You need full credits for:
English I
English II
English III or Business English
English IV or Technical Writing
You need full credits for:
English I
English II
English III or AP English III
English IV

11. MATH CLASSES 4 Math Credits 4 Math Credits Algebra I Geometry
TOPS TECH
TOPS UNIVERSITY
4 Math Credits
Algebra I (MUST PASS)
You also need any of the following three classes in addition to Algebra I:
Math Essentials
Financial Math
Algebra II
Geometry
Business Math
4 Math Credits
Algebra I
Geometry
Algebra II
Algebra III or higher math
Math Essentials, Financial Literacy, and Business Math do not count as a math credit for this Diploma type.

12. SCIENCE CLASSES 2 SCIENCE CREDITS 4 SCIENCE CREDITS TOPS TECH
TOPS UNIVERSITY
2 SCIENCE CREDITS
Biology (MUST PASS)
Physical Science or Environmental Science
4 SCIENCE CREDITS
Biology
Chemistry
PLUS 2 Additional Science
Physical Science
Environmental Science
Biology II
Physics

13. SOCIAL STUDIES 2 SOCIAL STUDIES CREDITS 4 SOCIAL STUDIES CREDITS
TOPS TECH
TOPS UNIVERSITY
2 SOCIAL STUDIES CREDITS
US History
Government
4 SOCIAL STUDIES CREDITS
US History
World History
World Geography
Government

14. Same requirements, regardless of Diploma type
PE & HEALTH
Same requirements, regardless of Diploma type
1.5 PE CREDITS + HEALTH
PE I (Whole Credit)
PE II (Half Credit
Health (Half Credit)
JROTC I & II
JROTC I
JROTC II
Must have both JROTC I and II, cannot mix ROTC credits with PE OR

15. ART & FOREIGN LANGUAGE: TOPS UNIVERSITY ONLY
1 Art Credit
Fine Arts Survey, Art I, Music (Performance), Basic Technical Drafting
2 Credits of Same Foreign Language
Spanish I and Spanish II
French I and French II
3 Electives
Any additional classes that do not fulfill the requirements mentioned are considered electives

16. ELECTIVES TOPS UNIVERSITY ONLY
Most students will graduate with more than 24 credits
Students may take electives in the career pathways
Students on TOPS TECH will take priority over TOPS University students in the credentialing classes

17. CAREER EDUCATION: TOPS TECH ONLY
1 Career Education Credit
Journey to Careers (no longer offered at Salmen)
JAG I
Education for Careers
Basic Career Readiness
Advanced Career Readiness

18. 8 Additional Career Classes: TOPS TECH ONLY
Select classes for your chosen pathway*:
Auto Tech
Certified Nursing Assistant
Emergency Medical Technician
Carpentry
Drafting
Culinary
Business Administration
Hospitality
Public Service
*MUST ALSO PASS CERTIFICATION TESTS FOR SELECTED PATHWAY

19. 8 Additional Career Classes: TOPS TECH ONLY
Salmen offers classes that work with any pathway,
such as:
Intro to Business Computer Applications
Business Computer Applications
Principles of Business
Entrepreneurship (Prerequisite: Prin of Bus)
First Responder
Customer Service
JROTC III
JROTC IV
Law Studies
Speech I
Speech II
Financial Literacy (may not also use as a math)

20. STUDENT SCHEDULING
Schedule cards and IGPs will be distributed to students in the coming weeks
Information Meetings with students
Students will turn in schedule cards, along with signed IGPs at lunch
Schedule cards will NOT be accepted unless the signed IGP is attached and the student’s name is on the schedule card
Schedule cards must be filled out completely.
9, 10, 11—select 7 classes
12—select at least 5 classes for short day. Note whether you would like short day or if you plan to take a full day of classes.
The IGP must be signed by BOTH parent and student for all years in high school.

21. What happens if you don’t turn in a completed schedule card?
You will be scheduled into classes based on what you have already passed and what you still need to take.
Students will be scheduled according to TOPS University requirements, regardless of progress. This may delay graduation.
Counselors cannot “put” you on a pathway or diploma track. Everyone starts on Tops University. In order for a student to be on TOPS Technical, scheduling information must be completed.
You will not be scheduled into any Honors or AP classes.
Electives or additional career classes will be chosen for you by your counselor based on what is available after everyone who turned in a card is scheduled.
Counselors will refer back to whether or not you turned in a schedule card when making changes in August. Students who do not turn in a completed card are less likely to receive schedule changes after school starts.

22. Advanced Placement Classes
Students are encouraged to take at least one Advanced Placement (AP) class while in high school.
AP classes on a transcript are weighted credits (A=5, B=4, C=3, D=1, F=0).
AP classes show colleges that the student has chosen a more rigorous class and may be better prepared for college level work.
Colleges such as LSU and Tulane, who do not have defined admissions requirements, are looking at applications to see if high school students are challenging themselves in their coursework.
The cost for an AP class is a deposit of $40; Salmen tries to fundraise the remaining fees to cover the costs of the tests ($94, $54 for students eligible for free/reduced lunch).
After the first week of class in August, students cannot drop AP classes, even if they fail for the semester.
AP CLASSES OFFERED—
AP Government (sophomores)
AP English III (juniors)
AP US History (juniors)
AP Biology II (seniors)
AP World History (seniors)

23. DUAL ENROLLMENT CLASSES
Students who select Dual Enrollment classes (marked “DE” on schedule card) cannot drop those classes once the Spring deadline for scheduling has passed.
If students need to drop Dual Enrollment classes after the scheduling deadline, they will be required to pay the Dual Enrollment college tuition back to the district.

24. QUESTIONS??? Morris: 9th and 10th grades All Students
Moses: 11th and 12th grades,
A to K
McKinley: 11th and 12th grades,
L to Z