LEBANON HIGH SCHOOL
2020 - 2021 COURSE SELECTION GUIDE 1 Table of Contents
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Table of Contents 2
High School Administration and School Counselors 3
Course Selection Introduction and Overview 4
Principal’s Welcome 5 Keystone Exams Performance Levels and Pennsylvania Academic Standards 6
Graduation Requirements 6
Grading Scale and GPA Calculation 7
Career Portfolio 8
NCAA Eligibility Center 11 Specialized Programs 16
Career and Technology Program (LHS/CTC) 17
Curriculum Schedule by Grade Level 23
Electives by Grade Level 24
Course Descriptions: English 29
Humanities 37
Social Studies 39
Science 44
Mathematics 50 Computer Science 54
Business, Computer, and Information Technology 55
World Language 56
Physical Education 58
Health 59 Art 60
Music 62
Family and Consumer Science 65
Technical Education and Communication 66
English Language Development Program 68
Special Education Program 69
Weighted Courses 70
2 Lebanon High School Administration
William A. Giovino Principal
David M. Bentz Assistant Principal School Management & Safety
Robert A. Nordall, Jr. Assistant Principal Assessment Coordinator
Samuel S. Elias Athletic Director
Lebanon High School Counselors
Karl D. Liedtka K-12 Coordinator of Counseling Programs Career Development & Scholarship Coordinator student last names A-C
Kathryn Kline Grove Career & Technology Center & ASVAB/Military Liaison student Last names D-L
Naomi Hernandez-Fields Advanced Placement Coordinator student Last Names M-Ri
Stephanie T. Hock Dual Enrollment Coordinator student last names Ro-Z
3 Course Selection Introduction & Overview
Trimester System Introduction Lebanon High School is on a trimester system of scheduling. Each trimester is composed of 60 academic days (12 academic weeks) and concludes with final exam testing for each course. Under the trimester plan, students will schedule five courses lasting 62 minutes, for each of the three trimesters. During the course of the year, a student can earn 7.5 credits toward graduation. Most classes are one or two trimesters in length, although 9th Grade English and Algebra 1 courses meet for all three trimesters and have a credit value of 1.5 credits. Period 3 is an extended block of time that includes lunch periods and academic courses. For classes during this period, students will have a 64-minute class, 35-minute lunch, and a 40-minute seminar period. Some exceptions are: (1) Music performance courses (Band, Concert Choir, Orchestra, and associated advanced levels) meet for the entire year and are offered over Period 3. The various scheduling options for music courses over Period 3 are: • One music course only – Students who enroll in one music course will earn 0.5 credit per course each trimester (1.5 total credits for the year). • Two music courses – Students who enroll in two music classes will earn 0.75 credit per course (1.5 total credits for the year). • Three music courses – Students who enroll in three music classes will earn 1.5 total credits for the year resulting from the combination of the three courses. (2) Journalism,Yearbook, Wildlife & Fisheries, and Manufacturing Production are courses offered during Seminar (with teacher and counselor approval) for the entire year. (3) Students enrolled in half-day CTC programs will enroll in three LHS courses per trimester and the remainder of the day will be their CTC course work. Half-day CTC programs have a credit value of 4.0 for the year resulting in students earning 8.5 total credits for the academic year. Course Selection Overview Selecting courses for next year is very important. Selecting proper courses provides an opportunity for students to enroll in courses that prepare them for future goals, whether they include post-secondary education, military service, or immediate entry into the workforce. Planning should be a cooperative effort and students are encouraged to discuss options with counselors, teachers, and their parents before making final selections. Lebanon High School offers the following course levels with the associated requirements for enrollment: • CIHS/Dual Enrollment/Advanced Placement – Students enrolling in these courses should have a minimum of a “B” average in the prior core area in the Honors level course or an “A” average in an Academic level core course plus meet all prerequisites. These courses have weighted GPA value and are of the most demanding rigor to prepare students for intense college level academic work. • Honor – Students enrolling in these courses should have a minimum of a “A” average in the prior core area in the Academic level course plus meet all prerequisites. These courses have weighted GPA value and include very demanding rigor to prepare students for college level academic work. • Academic – Students enrolling in Academic level courses should have a minimum of a “B” average in the prior core area Academic level course or “B” average in a general level core course plus meet all prerequisites. These courses are of strong rigor intended to prepare students for college level academic work. • Courses without Honors, Advanced Placement, or Academic labels are available to all students. These courses focus on Common Core Standards and preparation for success on the Keystone Exams, where applicable. Students will complete a course selection worksheet that identifies the 7.5 credits of coursework desired for the next school year (or more credits if enrolling in a unique Period 3 course). Students must also list 4 alternative courses in the event one of the primary selections does not fit into their schedule. The course selection worksheets must be completed and returned to the LHS Counseling Department by the due date. Failure to complete the course selection process will result in the student’s counselor selecting courses with no option of changing the schedule. Please take the course selection process seriously. After students select their courses and total number of students selecting each course calculated, decisions are made about which courses are offered and the number of sections in the master schedule. For this reason, courses with too few students selecting them (a minimum of 10 students is the standard to offer a course) may not be offered. In addition, the number of sections of each course is based upon the number of students selecting each course. Therefore, counselors will not change schedules after next school year begins. Select what you really would like to take! Finally, success on the Keystone Exams is a focus of LHS academics. Students who do not earn Proficient or Advanced scores on Keystone Exams will be required to enroll in specific courses to prepare for future success with retaking Keystone Exams. These courses will take priority over any selections made by students on their course selection worksheet. Please discuss your course options with parents, counselors, and teachers. This is your chance to have a say in your education and your future!
4 Principal’s Welcome to the 2020-2021 School Year
Dear Parents & Students:
As Principal of Lebanon High School, I want to welcome you to the course selection process. This is a very important time in your child’s life and course selection can help your child plan for the future. The staff at Lebanon High has planned a comprehensive process to enable the family to connect the student’s career aspirations with his/her academic courses. Accurate course selection is imperative to ensure the student with every advantage for a successful career. School counselors, teachers, and administrators will provide assistance in the course selection process. As required by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, our courses meet academic standards as defined by the state and assessed by the Pennsylvania Keystone Exams.
Please take note of important information listed below: • Students who have not demonstrated proficiency on Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Literature, or Biology may be required to take additional classes in these areas until proficiency is met. • Counselors, teachers and administrators will assist students and parents through the process.
The Process… • Counselors will provide materials and information with regard to course selection. • English, Social Studies, Mathematics and Science teachers will provide direction and recommendations to every student of the next course to take. • The counselor will work with the student to narrow and choose career goal oriented courses. • Students may request a schedule change prior to the first day of school and for a career adjustment change only.
Before you choose a course… • A PREREQUISITE is either a class that must be passed prior to scheduling a class or some other requirement that must be met in order to qualify to take a course. • Students may take more than one course in a specific discipline. • Students may retake a class for grade improvement only. A duplicate credit will not be given and the higher grade will be recorded on an official transcript. • Students who are college bound are advised to select subjects that will furnish the necessary languages, social studies, sciences, and mathematics to enable them to meet the requirements of the college of their admittance. Since entrance requirements vary among higher learning institutions, students are urged to go beyond the minimum graduation requirements, especially with their elective selections. • College in the High School (CIHS), Dual Enrollment, Advanced Placement (A.P.), Honors and Academic courses are highly recommended for those planning to pursue post-secondary education. • Counselors are available throughout the summer. Please call the counseling office to schedule an appointment.
The most important skill that your child can leave LHS with is a goal for the future and a plan to achieve that goal. Like you, we want our students to have a successful and productive life. Earning a diploma from Lebanon High School is the first step in achieving any goals.
We look forward to hearing from you during the course selection process.
Sincerely,
William A. Giovino Principal Lebanon High School
5 Keystone exams performance levels & Pennsylvania academic standards
In order to graduate from a public high school in Pennsylvania, a student must meet specific requirements established by the Local Education Agency (Lebanon School District and LCCTC) in which she/he is enrolled. These local requirements include graduation requirements mandated by the Commonwealth to guarantee that a Pennsylvania diploma reflects the knowledge and skills that our graduating students need to be successful in college and the workplace in an increasingly complex and challenging economy. In addition to the Lebanon School District requirements, all students will be required to demonstrate proficiency on the Keystone Exams in Algebra 1, Literature, and Biology (or an Advanced Placement Exam in the related content area.) Out-of-state transfer students who have passed other states’ assessments may be deemed proficient provided they meet Pennsylvania Commonwealth Guidelines. Proficiency on additional Keystone Exams in English Composition and Civics & Government may also be required as early as 2019.
Based on students' middle school PSSA results, Keystone Exam proficiency levels, and/or local Assessment scores, students in grades 9, 10 & 11 not achieving a level of Proficient (satisfactory) or Advanced (superior) may be required to take additional subject-specific courses until they demonstrate proficiency.
Graduation Requirements In order to graduate from Lebanon High School a student must satisfy the following requirements:
1. Each student will select a minimum of 7.5 credits each school year. 2. Each student will be enrolled for a minimum of four years. Refer to policy #217 regarding early graduation. The formal graduation ceremony and recognition will take place at the end of the academic year. 3. Each student will earn at least 26.0 credits during his/her years of attendance at LHS. 4. All students must pass the following to meet the minimum graduation requirement: English 4.0 Credits Social Studies 3.0 Credits Mathematics 3.0 Credits Science 3.0 Credits Physical Education 2.0 Credits Health 1.0 Credit *Humanities 2.0 Credits ^Pathways to Success 0.5 Credit Electives (Credits of choice) 7.5 Credits TOTAL CREDITS 26.0 Credits (minimum)
^ This requirement can be met by passing one of the following courses: Computer Technology, Computer Applications, Academic Computer Programming, Pathways to Success
5. * “The Humanities course as a graduation requirement may be waived, but under the certain conditions listed below. One reason for this change will be to allow students to take advantage of more honors and advanced placement courses. The second reason for this change occurs when a student wishes to take an honors/advanced placement course in another discipline and may not be able to take the Humanities course due to a scheduling conflict, the Humanities requirement may be waived at the discretion of the principal or his/her designee.” (District Policy #217)
Courses that would count in lieu of the humanities course are: ★ Advanced levels of World Language ★ Advanced levels of Art: Art 3, Advanced Placement Art Studio ★ Advanced Graphic/Visual Communications ★ Advanced Placement courses ★ Any CIHS, Honors, Advanced Placement, or Dual Enrollment course approved by the administration ★ Reading, Writing & Rock ‘N’ Roll, Film as Art, or an advanced level music course ★ Career Technology Center Courses or Community Based Education experiences
**** Students who are substituting the Humanities course must be enrolling in an Honors, Advanced Placement, Dual Enrollment course or approved substitute listed above. ****
6 Grading System Non-weighted GPA
Many post-secondary schools will request a grade point average (GPA) based on a 4.0 scale. They do this because schools weight courses differently, and some scales exceed 4.0. Trimester courses yield 45% per marking period and 10% for the final. If a college requests that the GPA be based on the 4.0 scale, the computation is made using final grades from all coursework and implementing the following scales:
Achievement Level Letter Grade Numerical Average Grade Point Equivalent A+ 97 - 100 4.3 Excellent A 93 – 96 4.0 A- 90 – 92 3.7 B+ 87 – 89 3.3 Good B 83 – 86 3.0 B- 80 – 82 2.7 C+ 77 – 79 2.3 Average C 73 – 76 2.0 C- 70 – 72 1.7 D+ 67 – 69 1.3 Poor D 63 – 66 1.0 D- 60 – 62 0.7 Failure F ≤ 59 0.00
Weighted QPA / Class Rank Weighted quality point average (QPA) is based on a point scale that exceeds 4.0. Core (English, Math, Science, and Social Studies) and world language courses in grades 9-12 are "weighted" and receive quality points based on course difficulty. Course weightings will be maintained on a four-level system (1.0, 1.1, 1.2, and 1.4). College courses and AP courses will be weighted at 1.4, Honors courses will be weighted at 1.2 and Academic courses will be weighted at 1.1. Once QPA is determined, this information is used to rank students. Beginning in grade nine, the student receives a QPA and class rank at the completion of each year.
Course Levels Weighted Value General 1.0 Academic / Advanced Performing Art 1.1 Honors 1.2 Advanced Placement (AP) 1.4 Dual Enrollment / College in the HS 1.4
7 6. All students must successfully complete a Career Development Portfolio as a requirement for graduation. The Portfolio is the culmination of career development activities completed over the four years of high school concluding in a written Career Plan. Students identify their future career pathway in response to research and activities as defined by the Lebanon High School administration.
“In addition to the required coursework and successful completion of the Keystone Exams, or any approved alternative, students in the Class of 2018 and beyond will develop a school-to-career transition plan and
CAREER PORTFOLIO REQUIREMENTS
GRADE 9 Written Career Plan — FINAL ASSESSMENT One of the following must be identified by the student as the final career Learning Styles Inventory pathway after graduation: Career Clusters Four-year college (bachelor degree) College Exploration - Level 1 School ______Finding-A-Job (Career Acquisition) Major ______Academic & Employment Resume - Level 1 Two-year college/technical school/community college (associate degree or Annual Reflection & Survey transfer) School ______GRADE 10 Major ______Career Interest Profiler (Holland) Apprenticeship program College Exploration - Level 2 Program ______Academic & Employment Resume - Level 2 Certificate/diploma program or Job Corps Interview Lesson - Level 1 School/location ______Annual Reflection & Survey Program ______Military Branch ______GRADE 11 Report Date ______Academic & Employment Resume - Level 3 Workforce entry College Exploration - Level 3 Employer ______Interview Lesson - Level 2 Start Date ______Financial Aid - Level 1 Career Development Experience Do What You Are (MBTI) One or more of the following must be completed: Standardized Aptitude Assessment Career & Technology Center (CTC) program (one or more required grade 10 or 11) Career Shadow Experience/Interview ASVAB, PSAT, SAT, ACT, Career Scope (CTC) Internship/Community Based Education/WorkExperience Annual Reflection & Survey Community Service/Volunteerism LHS Peer Tutoring Program Journal reaction to experience (in Naviance portfolio) and packet GRADE 12 associated with experience must be completed College Exploration - Level 4 Career/College Enrichment Experience Strengths Explorer Assessment One of the following (or approved alternative) must be completed: Academic & Employment Resume - Level 4 College tour Interview Lesson & Mock Interviews - Level 3 College fair Financial Aid Seminar - Level 2 Summer enrichment camp (e.g. Rotary Camp, Camp Cadet, PFEW) Written Career Plan Meeting with a military recruiter
In order to graduate from high school on time and take advantage of opportunities offered through the Lebanon County Career & Technology Center and Community Based Experiences, students must earn a minimum of 6.5 credits each year.
8 The Career Exploration Process
Career Exploration is a continual process that requires gathering information about yourself and information about careers. Whether you are just beginning to think about a career, or have a good idea of where you are heading, make sure you engage in self-assessment, career research, and experiences that enhance your skills and build upon your strengths.
Think of career planning in three steps. These steps include:
Step One: Understanding Yourself and Self-Assessment. Knowing about yourself is the basis of career decision-making. What are your interests, skills, your values? What is important to you about your work? What are your personal traits and characteristics?
Step Two: Gathering Information about Careers. Learning about the careers, types of jobs, educational requirements, and job functions are important in understanding the careers that fit your interests and goals.
Step Three: Integration. This step requires you to take what you know about yourself and piece it together with the reality of the work world. You begin to evaluate career options that are practical for you.
Career/Life Career decisions will include more than considering which job to take after graduation. Your career is the value of all the work and experiences you develop over time. In making career decisions, the work you choose to pursue will have a direct impact on the way you live your life. Your values, interests, past experiences, and lifestyle choices are all part of career development.
Developing an Action Plan Planning is an essential component of the process that requires setting goals about work and lifestyle and developing specific objectives that will help you meet them. Regardless of where you are in the planning process---from completely unsure to having somewhat of an idea---you will need to set goals and set strategies to move forward in the process. Gathering information will help you establish clear goals and objectives. Many sources of career information and support are available to help you along.
Making Career Decisions Your career plan will not be the result of one decision, but rather a series of decisions throughout your lifetime. You will go through the steps in career planning several times because as you continue to grow and develop as a person, your interests, skills, and values will change. The Job market will also continually change. so, “process” implies a dynamic aspect of reflation and knowledge to develop satisfying and successful career and life plans. Don’t be alarmed if you feel uncertain about career plans – now is the time to explore, question, and wonder.
Reprinted from Cornell University’s office of Career Development. Career Exploration Guide: Understanding the world and your place in it.
9 Career Exploration Quiz
Read each item and decide whether it is true of false
1.____Career testing will tell me what career is right for me. 2.____There is perfect career for me. 3.____I’ll pursue whatever career is in demand. 4.____If I make the wrong decision, I’ll be stuck forever. 5.____I know everything I need to know about the career of my choice. 6.____I don’t need to be concerned about making career choices until my Junior year.
Generally, all of the above items are false, and can be seen as career myths. Before you consider exploring careers, it is important to identify these myths that could block informer decision-making.
MYTH: Career testing with tell me what career is right for me. FACT: No test will tell you which career is right for you of what career you should follow. Career assessment results can be useful in gathering information about you and relating it to career types. Test results often help you to put information in order so you can verify of challenge your ideas. These assessments are tools; the decision is yours.
MYTH: There is a perfect career for me. FACT: No single career is the perfect one for you. There are many careers that have the potential to meet your career goals, and several ways to find a meaningful career path. Career choice often requires the willingness to balance disadvantages with advantages and to make choices between several alternatives.
MYTH: I’ll pursue whatever career is in demand. FACT: Knowing what is hot in the job market is important information, but not the only information you need to make a decision. Without knowing about your own interests and skills, you may choose a career that is available, but may learn that it isn’t the right fit for you.
MYTH: If I make the wrong decision, I’ll be stuck forever. FACT: Fear of making a wrong decision can prevent you from making any decision. Career choices are never permanent. Few people head into one career and stay there for their whole working lives. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics estimates that the average age worker will change careers five times during a work like.
MYTH: I know everything I need to know about the career of my choice. FACT: Your knowledge may be incomplete. Understanding careers requires exploration, experience, and knowledge. The world of work is continually changing, and acquiring a variety of skills and apply to a variety of settings, will prepare you for a dynamic job market.
Reprinted from Cornell University’s Office of Career Development. Career Exploration Guide: Understanding the world and your place in it.
10 NCAA Eligibility Center Overview Students with the athletic potential and desire to compete at the Division I or Division II collegiate level must qualify via the NCAA Eligibility Center. As a general rule of thumb, students must take Academic or Honors level courses in all core areas in order for grades to count toward minimum qualifying standards. Only core courses (plus World Language and Humanities) count in GPA calculation to qualify. In addition, minimum SAT or ACT scores must be achieved based on the intended divisional level of collegiate competition. Resources & Code Information ✴ www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.org = official site for the NCAA Eligibility Center (formerly referred to as the NCAA Clearinghouse) – you must register at this website to qualify for Division I or Division II college athletics (can begin this process in 11th grade) – can also download a list of approved NCAA courses for LHS at this site ✴ 9999 = NCAA Eligibility Center code for submitting your SAT score (must be sent directly via the College Board) ✴ 392195 = CEEB code for Lebanon High School (will permit you to view LHS approved courses with the NCAA Clearinghouse & for SAT/ACT registration) NCAA Eligibility – Frequently Asked Questions What is the NCAA Eligibility Center? The NCAA Eligibility Center is division of the NCAA that performs academic record evaluations to determine if a prospective student-athlete is eligible to participate at an NCAA Division I or II college as a freshman student-athlete. Who needs to be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center? All freshman and two-year college transfers who do not have an associate degree and would like to participate in any sport at an NCAA member institution (Division I or II) must register for the academic portion of the Eligibility Center. If I have never registered and/or never been certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center, what is my NCAA qualification status? If you have never registered with the NCAA Eligibility Center or were never certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center, you are considered to be a non-qualifier and must meet non-qualifier transfer requirements should you decide to attend a junior college. How do I register with the NCAA Eligibility Center? The registration process is completed online by visiting www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.org. After your junior year, visit the above website and complete the Student Release Form (SRF) online and pay the registration fee ($70 for domestic and $120 for international students). Fees may be paid online by providing a credit or debit card number or by sending a check or money order to the Eligibility Center. Please visit the Eligibility Center website for detailed payment instructions. To complete the registration process, print a copy of your completed registration form and both Copy 1 and Copy 2 of the transcript release form. Sign the transcript release forms and give both to you high school counselor. You can obtain a copy of the "NCAA Guide for the College Bound Student-Athlete" at the Eligibility Center website that contains more detailed instructions of the Eligibility Center registration process. How can I find out if I am enrolled in approved core courses that will meet NCAA eligibility requirements? You may view your high school's list of NCAA-approved core courses by visiting www.ncaaeligibilitycenter.org and selecting “List of Approved Core Courses” on the “General Information page” or by referring to the LHS course selection guide. Complete details on NCAA, NJCAA, and NAIA eligibility and processes can be found in the LHS Guide to Advising the College Bound Athlete. How can I arrange for my test scores to be sent directly from the SAT or ACT testing agency to the NCAA Eligibility Center? When you register to take the ACT or SAT, mark code 9999 so that the testing agency will send your scores to the Eligibility Center. Test scores MUST be reported to the Eligibility Center directly from SAT or ACT. The Eligibility Center will not accept test scores reported on high school transcripts. Once certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center, what is the difference between a qualifier and a non-qualifier?
Qualifier = Eligible for athletically related financial aid, practice and competition during your first year of enrollment at a NCAA member institution. You have 5 years to play 4 seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year.
Non-qualifier = Ineligible for athletically-related financial aid, practice and competition during your first year at a NCAA member institution. You have 4 years to play 3 seasons in your sport if you maintain your eligibility from year to year (note that Non- qualifiers have the ability to gain back a year of eligibility if you complete at least 80 percent of your degree prior to the beginning of the fifth year of college). 11 NCAA Eligibility DIVISION I Quick Reference Guide
NCAA ELIGIBILITY CENTER QUICK REFERENCE GUIDE
NCAA Division I Initial-Eligibility Requirements Core Courses: (16)