FRESHMAN COURSE REGISTRATION INFORMATION

Transcription

1 HOLY GHOST PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2429 BRISTOL PIKE BENSALEM, PENNSYLVANIA (215) FAX (215) FRESHMAN COURSE REGISTRATION INFORMATION Holy Ghost Preparatory School offers students a wealth of educational experiences within the context of a liberal arts and sciences curriculum. For the freshman year, the curriculum includes six core courses with required co-curricular offerings, as well as some optional offerings. FRESHMEN CORE CURRICULUM The six core course areas with their respective course choices are listed below: ENGLISH INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE 2 SEMESTERS AND COMPOSITION OR INTRODUCTION TO LITERATURE AND COMPOSITION HONORS FOREIGN FIRST YEAR OF THREE 2 SEMESTERS LANGUAGE YEARS OF THE SAME LANGUAGE MATH* ALGEBRA I OR 2 SEMESTERS INTERMEDIATE ALGEBRA OR **ALL STUDENTS SHOULD TAKE** ALGEBRA II HONORS **HGP PLACEMENT TEST** *All incoming students need a Texas Instruments TI-83 or TI-84 Graphing Calculator (plus or silver editions acceptable) for use in mathematics classes. A Texas Instruments TI-89 calculator is NOT ACCEPTABLE for use in any mathematics class. RELIGION CHURCH HISTORY 1 SEMESTER FUNDAMENTALS OF CATHOLICISM 1 SEMESTER SCIENCE BIOLOGY OR 2 SEMESTERS BIOLOGY HONORS SOCIAL WORLD HISTORY 2 SEMESTERS STUDIES AND CULTURE I COURSE PLACEMENT AND HONORS CONSIDERATIONS All students must take the Math Placement Test on Monday, April 7, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in the school dining hall. Students will be placed into math and science honors courses based upon their scores on this placement test, their entrance test scores, their elementary school grades and elementary standardized test scores. Any student not taking this placement test will be ineligible for placement into a freshman math honors course, a freshman science honors course, or any other advanced math or science course. Please arrive promptly, park in the fieldhouse parking lot, and enter through the courtyard doors. No calculators may be used. Please bring a #2 pencil. ---OVER PLEASE---

2 There are two sections to the Math Placement Test. The first section covers the basics of Algebra I. We realize that some of the topics covered on this test may be taught to your son later in his eighth grade math course. As all students are taking the test at the same time, however, this should not be a concern. The second section is much more difficult. For your son s reference, a student who has had a full year of algebra may feel comfortable on the first section, but may be able to complete almost no problems in the second section. Only those who can demonstrate competency in more difficult Algebra topics should take this second section. This second section helps our teachers to best customize the curriculum for highly qualified students. A student s performance on this second section is not indicative of whether the student should be placed into an honors section. The total time required to take the Math Placement Test is approximately an hour and a half. A placement test in a foreign language is appropriate only for those students who have taken the equivalent of a full year (approximately 200 minutes per week) of the same foreign language. Students and parents should note that advanced placement in foreign language is extremely rare. For those students interested in taking a Foreign Language Placement Test, those tests will be administered on Tuesday, April 8, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in Cornwells Hall. If for some reason a student cannot make one of these testing dates, a makeup placement test date for any test missed will be held on Thursday, April 10, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in Cornwells Hall. Students should check in at the Main Office. Please call our main office at to confirm which test you will need your son to take on this makeup date. If your son cannot make the Monday, April 7 math testing date, he may take the math placement test on this makeup date. We would appreciate you making every effort to make the above testing dates to ensure the smooth scheduling of all the incoming freshman class. Freshmen who exhibit special skills in English, math and/or science may be placed into an honors course, which progresses at an accelerated pace. Scores from each placement test, the entrance test, other standardized test scores, and a student's elementary school grades are primary measures used for placement into these courses. Admission into these courses is limited and only those approved by the Placement Committee are accepted. FINE ARTS REQUIREMENT In addition to the six core courses, all freshmen must elect to study either Introduction to Studio Art, Introduction to Drama, or one of our other Fine Arts Department offerings. Parental permission and subsequent approval of the instructor are required for Instrumental Music. CO-CURRICULAR COURSES As an important part of our liberal arts and sciences curriculum, all students are required to participate in our co-curricular program. Students will be automatically registered for a Guidance(Advisory) class with the freshman guidance counselor. Also, all freshmen will be scheduled for two-semesters of Information Literacy. These courses will be automatically assigned. Students may register for optional computer science offerings on the course selection form. FOREIGN LANGUAGE SELECTION Please consult the informational letter included concerning foreign language selection. Please note that we ask for first, second, and third choices for foreign language study. Please make sure you include these on the form. Every effort will be made to accommodate student choices consistent with our need to offer a range of high-quality curricular programs.

3 HOLY GHOST PREPARATORY SCHOOL 2429 BRISTOL PIKE BENSALEM, PENNSYLVANIA (215) FAX (215) FOREIGN LANGUAGE SELECTION INFORMATION FROM THE FOREIGN LANGUAGE DEPARTMENT As you prepare to enter Holy Ghost Prep next August, you are faced with many choices. Among the many important decisions you must make is your choice of which foreign language or languages to study. In order to help you to reach a decision, we have compiled this information for you. Holy Ghost Prep Academic Policy requires students to enroll in a language as a freshman and to pursue that language for a three-year sequence. Foreign language study strengthens one's knowledge of the structure of English, augments vocabulary, gives insight into other cultures and civilizations, and prepares a person to function more effectively in our increasingly diverse nation and world. Too often a student chooses the foreign language he will study based on the erroneous notion that one language is easier or harder than another or that one language is more useful than another. All languages involve the study of grammatical structure and vocabulary. All modern language study emphasizes mastery of the four skills of listening, speaking, reading and writing. Students should choose a language judiciously. To choose a language for the wrong reason is to ignore the realities of the modern world: that in the European Community, which has become one of the most powerful economic forces in the world, a major language of doing business is French and that many graduate school programs require a reading knowledge of this language; that an increasing number of citizens of our own country are Spanish speaking; that the foundation of the civilization in which we function was laid by a people whose Latin language may no longer be spoken but which is an outstanding means to a deeper understanding of how language, especially English, works and which is excellent preparation for advanced study in many fields. Additionally, the languages we teach at Holy Ghost Prep may be part of a student's own background and heritage. These ideas should suggest that a student needs to consider the language he will study very carefully and choose a language that reflects his own ambitions, goals and heritage. With this in mind, we believe that one should have as a goal to learn more than one language and that a great place to begin that process is in high school. We hope that these thoughts have been helpful to you. If you are not sure what language you would like to study or which would be most helpful to you in your future plans, you may call the school to arrange a conference with a member of the Foreign Language Department. Most of all we welcome you to Holy Ghost Prep and look forward to meeting you in the Fall.

4 FRESHMAN COURSE SELECTION FORM PLACEMENT OR HONORS CONSIDERATION: If you would like your son to be considered for honors course placement or placement into some other course to recognize work accomplished, he must take a placement test in April in the School Dining Hall. Check those placement tests below that apply. MATH PLACEMENT TEST: To best address the needs of your son in mathematics and science, we expect all students to take a math placement test on Monday, April 7, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm in our school dining hall. If for some reason your son will not take this test, please check the space below and comment on the reverse. My son will NOT take a math placement test on Monday, April 7, at 3:30pm in the school dining hall. I understand that my son will be placed into Algebra I and not have any opportunities for honors math or science. FOREIGN LANGUAGE PLACEMENT TEST: If you would like your son to be considered for placement into the second year of a language, he must take a language placement test. Please note that advanced placement in foreign languages is very rare. Place an "X" in the space provided below if your son will take a language placement test on Tuesday, April 8, from 3:30pm to 5:00pm. My son will take a language placement test in SPANISH, FRENCH, LATIN (circle one). FOREIGN LANGUAGE PREFERENCE: Place a "1" in the space next to your son's first choice of a foreign language. Place a "2" in the space next to your son's second choice and a "3" next to his third choice. If your son is currently taking a foreign language, please note that below. Read the information with regard to language choice provided in the accompanying letter. We try to keep class size small to maximize verbal proficiency in a foreign language and will do our best to accommodate your son s first selection. Please indicate preference: LATIN FRENCH SPANISH We will do our best to place your son according to the extent of his previous experience with a language. Currently taking a foreign language? Yes No Language # days per week # years FINE ARTS REQUIREMENT: Your son must either take Introduction to Studio Art, Introduction to Drama, or one of our Fine Arts Department offerings to fulfill our Fine Arts requirement. Place an "X" in the space provided below to denote which course your son will take to fulfill his Fine Arts Requirement. Note that Instrumental Music and Chorus and Music Theory are seventh courses meeting each day of the cycle, while the others are co-curricular courses that meet less often. Your son may also elect to take more than one of these offerings. If your son would like to take more than one course please indicate his first choice in the event of a conflict. The number of days per 8-day cycle each course meets is included after the course title in (parentheses). INSTRUMENTAL CHORUS AND MUSIC**(7) MUSIC THEORY (7) INTRODUCTION INTRODUCTION TO STUDIO ART (1) TO DRAMA (3) INTRODUCTION TO INTERMEDIATE GUITAR GUITAR (1) GUITAR (1) ENSEMBLE (1) **If you wish your son to be considered for instrumental music as a seventh course, please tell us what instrument(s) your son can play, how many years he has played, and any other information which you believe may be useful. Please use the space provided on the reverse side of this sheet to provide this information. OPTIONAL COURSES: If you would like to be scheduled for an optional computer science course (if available), please place an "X" next to the appropriate course below. (Please refer to the Online Program of Studies for course descriptions.) WEB PAGE DESIGN WITH JAVA INTERACTIVE WEB PAGE PROGRAMMING SIGNATURE OF PARENT(S)/GUARDIAN(S): PRINTED NAME OF PARENT(S)/GUARDIAN(S): PRINTED NAME OF STUDENT FOR OFFICIAL RECORDS: PLEASE COMPLETE THIS FORM, SIGN AND RETURN NO LATER THAN MARCH 31, 2014

5 INSTRUMENTAL MUSIC INFORMATION (complete only if you want your son to take Instrumental Music and be in the band) INSTRUMENT YEARS PLAYED OTHER COMMENTS: