Moon Valley High School Excelling A

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1 Moon Valley High School Excelling A Advanced Placement Program Information Night

2 Our Administration Craig Mussi Principal Kris Willis Asst. Principal Student Services Eddie Lopez Asst. Principal Operations & Res. Nathan Kleve Asst. Principal Attend/Discipline

3 About Our School Six years as an Excelling school Rated A by the AZ Dept. of Education Featured in U.S. News and World Report A population of approximately 1500 students Over 70 different clubs, sports, and activities A wide variety of elective programs A focus on 9 th grade transition Small Learning Communities

4 About Our School Highly qualified and trained teachers Award-winning Fine Arts programs A focus on technology and literacy A personal connection with parents, students, and the community A learning system emphasizing student achievement and preparedness for college

5 Rigor/Relevance Framework R I High C Student Thinks Compare/Contrast Debate Experiment D Student Thinks & Works Project-Based Learning Internships Presentations/Exhibitions G O R A Teacher Works Memorization Guided Practice Games B Student Works Community Service Demonstration Simulation/Role Playing Low High Apply knowledge in one discipline RELEVANCE Apply knowledge to real-world situations

6 College graduates vs. high school only According to the Census Bureau, over an adult's working life, high school graduates earn an average of $1.2 million; associate's degree holders earn about $1.6 million; and bachelor's degree holders earn about $2.1 million (Day and Newburger, 2002) After 20 yrs After 40 years high school AA degree Bachleors

7 The Advanced Placement Program The Advanced Placement Program offers students the opportunity to take rigorous courses during their high school years in order to gain college credits as well as prepare them for the challenges of higher education. Honors classes prepare students for this experience.

8 HONORS CLASSES English, Math, Foreign Language, Science Many require completion of a summer assignment or project Require extra time at home for homework and studying Indicators that students are prepared for AP classes

9 Student Selection Student selection for the Honors/AP program is based on the following: 1. Student grades and performance 2. Performance on state mandated tests 3. Performance on placement exams 4. Teacher recommendation 5. Parent and student desire

10 Typical Honors/AP Track Freshman Year: Honors English 1-2 Honors Algebra 1/Geometry Honors Biology Physical Education Spanish 1-2, French 1-2, or Elective Elective of your choice Sophomore Year: Honors English 3-4 Honors Algebra 2 Honors Chemistry Honors World History Spanish 3-4, French 3-4, or Elective Elective of your choice

11 Typical Honors/AP Track Junior Year: Honors English 5-6 Honors Pre-Calculus AP Biology AP US History Honors Spanish 5-6, Honors French 5-6, or Elective Elective of your choice Senior Year: AP English AP Calculus AP Physics AP Government AP Spanish, AP French, or Elective Elective of your choice

12 The Benefits of the Advanced Placement Program Provides students with a head start on college Assists students in obtaining college admission Allows students the opportunity to earn college credits May enable placement in upper-level courses in college

13 The Benefits of the Advanced Placement Program Allows students to Fulfill a foreign language requirement Save money on college Earn academic scholarships and awards Experience college-level exams Increase chance for success

14 Why Take AP Classes? College credit can allow you to move into upper-level college courses sooner, pursue a double major, and gain time to study and travel abroad. As a freshman, I was able to skip general ed requirements and head straight into the higher-level classes I wanted to take. Taking AP exams literally saved me semesters of time. Brent Wiese, University of Iowa

15 Why Take AP Classes? A U.S. Department of Education study found that the strongest predictor of college graduation is something students do before they ever go to college: Participate in rigorous, college-level courses in high school and AP courses in particular. Clifford Adelman, Answers in the Tool Box: Academic Intensity, Attendance Patterns, and Bachelor s Degree Attainment (1999), U.S. Department of Education.

16 Save money If you earn a qualifying grade on an AP Exam, you can receive credit for the equivalent course at thousands of colleges and universities: I took AP throughout high school because it was the most interesting and well-taught program offered. When I reached college, I realized that I had accumulated a year s worth of credits. I graduated from Michigan s undergraduate business school a full year early, saving $30,000 and a year s time. Nikki Baker, University of Michigan

17 Standing Out in the Admission Process One of the best standard predictors of academic success at Harvard is performance on Advanced Placement Examinations. William R. Fitzsimmons Dean of Admissions Harvard University

18 Cost of Taking AP Courses There is an $87 fee for each AP Exam, which the College Board uses to: 1) develop, print, ship, and score the exams 2) subsidize teacher training 3) develop classroom resources 4) support educational initiatives GUHSD covers the cost of this exam.

19 Dual Enrollment Students have the opportunity to earn college credit while completing the high school requirement. Dual enrollment courses are offered through many AP classes. Many of our Career and Technical Ed classes also offer the opportunity to gain dual credit. Dual enrollment credits cost less because students do not pay for text books or lab fees.

20 Dual Enrollment Core Courses AP English 6 credits AP Government 6 credits Honors Pre-Calculus 5 credits College Algebra 4 credits AP Calculus (both AB & BC) AP Biology 8 credits Honors French 8 credits AP French 8 credits

21 What s the cost of taking a Dual Enrollment Course? Each credit costs $76. For a 3 credit course that would be $228. A 3 credit course normally costs about $228 plus books and lab fees. Financial assistance is available for those who qualify. Tuition waivers are available August 1 st on the Glendale & Gateway CC websites

22 Graduate Recognition Standard of Excellence seal on the diploma Top graduates speak at graduation and march at the front of the class Medallions and cords are awarded for academic achievements Honors and Awards ceremony honoring student accomplishments

23 Importance of the AIMS Test Graduation recognition Looks great on the transcript Opens up other scholarship possibilities Honors and Awards Pride in your school and community

24 ABOR AIMS Scholarship 3 Criteria to receive the scholarship: 1) 1 s and 2 s in all core classes 2) GPA of 3.5 or better 3) Exceed on all 3 AIMS exams Currently worth around $2,000/year or $8,000

25 Students must complete all 16 Core Competency Courses Core Courses Unit # 1 Unit # 2 Unit # 3 Unit # 4 Requirement Complete 4 units English Yes No 4 units Math Yes No 3 units Lab Science Yes No 2 units Social Science Yes No 2 units Foreign Language Yes No 1 unit Fine Arts Yes No

26 AP Classes and the ABOR Scholarship Students who do not exceed on all 3 exams can still get the scholarship. By passing 2 AP exams and exceeding on 2 AIMS Tests, students can still gain the scholarship.

27 Earn academic scholarships or awards Some of the most competitive scholarship awards value AP Exam grades: Having the AP Exam grade can make the difference when it comes down to awarding precious scholarship dollars. Edwina Harris Hamby, Dean of Admission Fisk University

28 Why should I take the AP class? Stand out in the admissions process Earn academic scholarships and awards Experience a college-level test and coursework Save money Be a step ahead Increased chance for success

29 Commitment Letter received is an agreement form Please check the courses and make any changes AP exams are paid for ahead of time By signing this form you are making a commitment to remain in and pass the class for the school year. Dropping the class is not an option.

30 Student Thoughts My honors classes have challenged me by pushing my limits and helping me discover my otherwise unknown capabilities. - Tania Chairez Because of my honors classes, I have had many opportunities to make myself successful in school. I have been exposed to a variety of thinking strategies and methods for analyzing material. It has taught me to always try to achieve my highest potential. - Now Bahar Alam

31 Student Thoughts Getting involved at Moon Valley really gave me the character I needed to achieve my goals. - Kat Wardian Moon Valley provided me with the necessary tools to earn a scholarship to Harvard. - Blaise Deal

32 SAT and ACT Upcoming Tests: SAT: Saturday, June 2 ( Deadline May 8, 2012 or May 22nd with late fees ACT: Saturday, June 9 ( May 4, 2012 or May 18 th with late fees Prep Courses Available:

33 Thank You for Attending! Questions? Visit us at: Moonvalley.guhsdaz.org

ADVANCED AND HONORS DIPLOMAS (BEGINNING WITH THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2013)

ADVANCED AND HONORS DIPLOMAS (BEGINNING WITH THE GRADUATING CLASS OF 2013) A student in the Glendale Union High School District may pursue a Glendale Union High School District ADVANCED DIPLOMA or HONORS