Communications Arts High School

EXPECTATIONS FOR YOUR SENIOR YEAR

Mr. Guerrero: AP Economics & Government  1 semester course for grades  1 semester course in regards to attendance  AP Course and expectations  Significant amounts of reading and taking notes outside of class  Be ready to actively participate in class discussion  A general awareness of the news is a must

Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish

 Available Resources  Tutoring  CD Tutoring program 

Salon de Sabios

 Computer Lab

Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish

 eClassroom  Study Suggestions sheet  Online resources, especially www.classzone.com

 supplies – notebook, folder

Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish

 Spanish IV AP and the AP Exam  Why take it? ○ You can get a minor without taking a course in college depending on the college you go to  Homework/Workload  Will have homework every day  Some practice or studying 30 minutes each night even if specific homework is not assigned

Mrs. Ochoa: Spanish

 Skills for Success  Time management  Organization; Balancing school and extra-curricular  Asking for help when needed  Academic integrity  Absences/tardies

Mrs. Davern: English IV

Objectives of the course:  To study British and world literature and to cover the curriculum specified in TEKS.

 To prepare for the AP Literature and Composition Test in May.

 This course is taught as a college level English class and, as such, includes a challenging workload, especially outside reading. ○ Be prepared to schedule reading into your free time and to receive frequent writing assignments.

Mrs. Davern: English IV

 Turnitin.com

Summer Reading Assignment: Part One 

Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes

by Edith Hamilton

 core knowledge for AP Lit. students  reading it first and carefully will help students understand many allusions found in the literature we read  please highlight important information in the text

Summer Reading Assignment: Part One  Writing Assignment for Mythology  NOTE: Write all assignments in a new Mead Composition Book (this is a supply requirement for the class)  take detailed notes. See the handout for specific instructions

Summer Reading Assignment: Part Two  The Inferno by Dante Alighieri (trans. John Ciardi) ○ the first part of The Divine Comedy, which follows Dante as he explores Hell, Purgatory, and Paradise.

○ Inferno: Dante and his guide Virgil explore the different levels of Hell.

Writing Assignment for Inferno

○

See the handout for details

 annotation  bring your copy of the novel to class every day until the summer unit is complete.  essays and tests will occur during the first two weeks of school.  Failure to complete the either assignment will be detrimental to your first six weeks grade.

Acquiring the Texts

 The school has a few copies of Mythology and The Inferno, but I encourage you to purchase your own copies so that you can annotate and mark in them.  Both books can be found relatively cheaply in paperback at both regular and used books bookstores as well as online.  In addition, having your own copy of any AP recommended/studied text allows you to review it before the AP test and remind yourself of characters, setting, etc.

English IV AP—

Supplies  Two (2) 100 page, sewn composition book         Blue/Black pens & highlighters Loose leaf paper A pocket folder/binder 5x8 lined index cards—extra large cards 1 large glue stick Flash drive Planner Novels

English IV Novels

 Things Fall Apart, Chinua Achebe  The Great Gatsby, F. Scott Fitzgerald  Jane Eyre, Charlotte Bronte  Hamlet, William Shakespeare (Folgers ed.)  A choice Modern novel—from a list  A choice 19 th century novel—from a list

Mrs. Malik: AP/Dual Credit

 AP vs. Dual Credit  Expectations: homework outside of class  AP tests are given in May  Students can receive college credit depending on their score  Each university awards its own credit; there isn’t a standard score/grade equivalency

Mrs. Malik: AP/Dual Credit

 Grades earned in dual credit become part of the PERMANENT ACADEMIC RECORD and will be recorded on BOTH the high school AND college transcripts  Dropping a course-responsible for drop date  Failing & possible consequences with later financial aid  Failing and reflection on transcript and GPA

BENEFITS OF ENROLLING IN DUAL CREDIT COURSES:      Classes are taught by ComArts teachers and are held at the high school.

Offers FREE tuition for two courses, 6- 8 hours of college credit each year.

Saves parents & students considerable amounts of college costs.

Shortens the length of time to complete a degree Allowed access to NSV and ACCD services such as the library

DUAL CREDIT COURSES: (some also offered as Pre-AP & AP)  MATH: Pre-Calculus, Calculus AB/ BC, Statistics, College Algebra  SCIENCE: Biology, Environmental Science  English 3 and English 4  Spanish 3

FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT COURSES (cont.)  Students must attend their Dual Credit class regularly and may be withdrawn for lack of attendance and/or lack of progress.

 Students who make a D or an F in a Dual Credit class will not be allowed to continue in the Dual Credit program.

FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT COURSES (cont.)  Students are responsible for knowing and adhering to the drop deadlines for withdrawal on the Alamo Colleges Academic calendar (should his/her grade fall below a C).

 Students must maintain a GPA of 2.0 and remain in good standing to continue in the Dual Credit Program.

FACTS ABOUT DUAL CREDIT COURSES (cont.)   If a student plagiarizes a paper or colludes or cheats in any dual credit class, the student will be subject to the discipline policies and procedures of the college; severe cases may result in failure of the course and suspension from the dual credit program.

Courses are generally transferable, but it is not the responsibility of the college to ensure that the dual credit course is transferable to the college/university the student plans to attend.

Mrs. Malik: Independent Study Mentorship (ISM)  Independent Study Mentorship with the key word being

independent

 Major goal is to promote independent learning and being responsible for themselves.

Mrs. Malik: Independent Study Mentorship (ISM)  Responsible for finding own mentor  Mrs. Malik can provide possible names  Responsible for own transportation  Must be professional and courteous as you are representing the school and the program

Mrs. Malik: Independent Study Mentorship (ISM)  Select a topic that you are truly interested in.

You will be researching it in depth for a full year.

 Topic must require post secondary education.

 Blocking with English once the 2nd six weeks starts  Speeches every six weeks  Research paper on topic

Mrs. Malik: Independent Study Mentorship (ISM)  Meetings and attendance  Allowed to go during ISM period ON ISM days  Mrs. Malik cannot excuse an absence or tardy for another class due to a meeting  Meetings are due the 3 rd and 5 th six weeks (2 per six weeks). Monday of each  Students may have additional meetings.

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 1st Six Weeks: college prep: resumes, applications, reading a degree plan  Apply Texas  We will begin in class so that teacher can help  REMEMBER passwords and social security #  FAFSA  Entrance Exams-SAT & ACT

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 Letters of Recommendation  Give teachers at least a week to write them  Provide recipient information and a copy of your resume that we will write in ISM class

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 Deadlines/Admissions  Deadlines are very important  “Received by” vs. “Postmarked by”  Early Decision is binding if accepted.

 Early Action-usually November deadline; turn everything in early and university sends decision early  Deadlines includes ALL components ○ E.g., for a college application, it will include all of the required components such as the actual application, essay, transcript and letters of recommendation (if required)

Mrs. Malik: College Admissions

 Regular Decision:  application due dates are much later and most acceptance letters are sent out around March 1st  Rolling Admissions:  applications are reviewed as they are received and letters are sent out once a decision has been made  If you have questions about an application or your status, CALL the university. Check your status regularly.

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 Transcripts  At Taft  May order and pick up before school, after school and at lunch only  Can take up to a week  May want to order a couple to have on hand  Forms can be found in Mrs. Malik’s room or front office  Parent Consent form only one time (if under 18); forms can be found in Mrs. Malik’s room or front office

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 NW Vista  Mrs. Malik will show the students how to log into ACES and how to order a transcript online

Mrs. Malik: College Prep

 Final documentation for College  In May, we will discuss making a folder/portfolio to take to college orientation  Students will be given an order form for their final CAHS transcript and will be shown how to order the Vista transcript for the college they will be attending

Mrs. Whitus: Electives

 Yearbook  Advanced Video  Digital Graphics & Animation

Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items

 Yearbook  $70, price will increase to $75 in the Spring  Senior ads ○ Order in the Spring ○ Prices range from $70-$250 (quarter page-full page)

Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items

 Senior pictures     Must take by December 1 for inclusion in yearbook No cost for yearbook senior picture Yearbook senior picture must be taken by Prestige, but you DO NOT have to buy any pictures from them ○ ○  two dates here at school in the Fall: Saturday, September 21  Retakes Saturday, November 4 or set up appointment at their studio: 690-1476 Picture packages from Prestige: $100-$600

Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items

   Class ring   Order from Josten’s in the Fall Range of prices from $100-$1000 Prom    $50-$65; price of ticket increases as it gets closer tux rentals: $100-$250 dresses: $200-$400 Senior Banquet  Free for students, $25 for each guest

Mrs. Whitus: Nonacademic Items

  Graduation Expenses    Cap and gown ○ $25 Graduation Announcements ○ Order from Josten’s in the Fall ○ Packages vary from $75-$200 Parking at Alamodome: $10 Project Graduation   $55-$70 Ticket price goes up as year goes on

Summary of Nonacademic Expenses (based on 2011-12 costs)  Yearbook: $70-$75  Senior pictures: $0 - $600  Senior ad in yearbook: $70 - $250  Class ring: $100-1000  Graduation invitations: $75-200  Cap & gown: $25  Prom tickets: $50-$65  Senior Banquet: free for students, $25 per guest  Project Graduation: $55-70

Resources

     Eclassroom Each teacher offers tutoring—talk to your teachers!

Salon de Sabios  After school from 4:20-6:20 on Tuesdays and Thursdays   A place to study, use the computer lab, make up a test or quiz in the past, a Spanish teacher has been available every Thursday to help students Lunch Lab and Lunch Study Hall Students are expected to print homework assignments at home, not in the labs

Resources

 Go Center  See Mrs. Crowson for scholarship information before school or at lunch  She will also help to contact schools if there are questions that we cannot answer  She schedules college reps to speak throughout the year during lunch. Take advantage of this  Counselor  Planners

 QUESTIONS?