High School Course Description Guide BOARD OF EDUCATION EUCLID CITY SCHOOLS PHILOSOPHY Kathy DeAngelis We believe that every student has dignity and Steve Johnson Jr. importance, that every student can learn with Angela Lisy appropriate instruction, and that every student Donna Sudar has the potential for growth and development Tisha R. Thomas towards responsible citizenship. EUCLID HIGH SCHOOL MISSION STATEMENT The mission of Euclid High School is to nurture the cognitive, physical, social, and emotional development of its students, by providing high quality curriculum and instruction in a positive learning environment. Our mission is to educate and graduate students with the knowledge, skills, and attitudes necessary to become productive, informed citizens of a diverse society. NONDISCRIMINATION POLICY The Euclid City School District affirms that no person shall, on the basis of sex, race, color, national origin, handicap, family or marital status be excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subjected to discrimination under any educational program or activity conducted under its auspices. Questions for requests for information should be directed to: Euclid City Schools Board of Education 651 E. 222nd Street Euclid, OH 44123 216-261-2900 2 Euclid Schools Course Description Guide CURRICULUM AND INSTRUCTION AT EUCLID HIGH SCHOOL At Euclid High School, we are proud to offer an extensive selection of courses that include college preparatory, career-technical, college-credit plus, and electives in various fields of interest. ACADEMIC HONESTY POLICY This policy is designed to promote the Euclid City School District’s high standards of scholarship and create a safe learning environment. All students of the Euclid City Schools are dedicated to the pursuit of knowledge, committed to learning, and understand that cheating in any from make true scholarship and learning impossible. The faculty of Euclid High School is committed to teaching student to become ethical users of information and ideas. This agreement represents the Euclid community’s dedication to: 1. Maintaining personal integrity by internalizing and living the Honesty Policy 2. Maintaining the integrity of the learning community by helping others live by the Honesty Policy. A successful Honesty Policy depends on the mutual confidence and trust among students, teachers, parent and administrative staff. The responsibilities of each party include the following: Student Responsibilities: Students are expected to submit authentic, original work that follows the instructions and deadlines set by the teacher. Students who are having difficulty are expected to seek help and ask questions of appropriate sources, such as their teacher, a librarian, etc. Students are to follow the style (MLA, APA, etc.) as directed by their teacher, including citing sources correctly and accurately. Teacher Responsibilities: Teachers are to provide detailed assignment instructions as well as rubrics and guidelines for the completion of a project or paper, and they will offer clarity regarding the acceptable amount of help from peers or other adults. Teachers are responsible for assisting students who are having difficulty locating, evaluating, and citing information and for assisting students in managing deadlines, formatting, and composing. They may also conference with students as needed. Parent/Guardian Responsibilities: Parent/Guardian support in the development of children’s ethical development is crucial to student’s long-term success. Parents/ Guardians should encourage their children to take advantage of the extra resources available, including study circles, the tutoring offered in school, and teacher conferences. To encourage early intervention, parents/guardians should contact the teacher whenever they suspect that their child is experiencing difficulty in a class. If a child is caught cheating or plagiarizing, parents should keep in mind that this is a learning experience and should help the child accept the consequences of his or her actions. Euclid Schools Course Description Guide 3 The Honesty Policy upholds the following beliefs: • All members of the Euclid Community have valuable ideas and should present them with their own voice and writing, not those of others. • It is okay to say “no” when asked to help another student cheat. • Cheating and plagiarism prevents students from showing what they know, hindering further success. Examples of cheating are: • Copying from another’s test • Using unauthorized study aids in place of reading an assigned text • Allowing another to copy one’s own work • Taking another’s information from online, in text or in person, and presenting it as his/her own • Using a cheat sheet or “crib” sheet. Plagiarism is defined as: • Submitting another’s ideas or words, in whole or in part, whether intentionally or not, from a print or non-print source, and representing those ideas or words as one’s own. • Paraphrasing another’s ideas or words without crediting the source. • Deliberately and/or consistently submitting papers or projects without proper documentation and/or citations. Any individual violation of the Honesty Policy compromises each member of the community; therefore, the entire community has a deep-rooted investment in the honesty of every person in the Euclid City School District. Students are duty-bound to take action to stop any violation of the Honesty Policy, including speaking directly to the offender and/or speaking privately to a teacher. Not taking action implies that the student-witness approves of the inappropriate behavior. Living in a manner that is consistent with this Policy will produce an atmosphere of trust, freedom, and integrity that distinguishes Euclid High School as a school of academic excellence and strong values. 4 Euclid Schools Course Description Guide POLICY FOR STUDENTS WITH DISABILITIES The Euclid City School District believes that all teachers are responsible for all of our students, regardless of label, location, or department. Teachers gain knowledge through observations, assessments, and families, about their students to provide the best educational placement. By choosing lessons, materials, and learning objectives that will best help each individual grow, teachers are able to maximize growth in all students, ranging from our highest achievers to those who need additional supports for success. This level of individualized instruction allows for the inclusion of nearly all students, in mainstream courses, supported by intervention specialists that co-plan and co-teach with subject areas teachers. We believe that providing professional support, to teams, co-planning and co-serving will be essential to effective co-teaching environments in order to improve student achievement. Effective, timely, and proactive communication of data and performance is vital to the achievement of all students. The Euclid City School District accepts all students, who live within our city limits, and is committed to providing an education for each student within its diverse population. Families and their students will collaborate with case managers, counselors, and administrators to develop a learning plan to meet individual student needs, interests, and post-secondary goals. The Euclid City School District provides a continuum of special education and related services, for students. The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) protects the rights of students with disabilities and the rights of their parents. For more information on policies for students with disabilities please view our website at http://www.euclidschools.org, under the PARENTS tab, and then, STUDENT SERVICES tab. Euclid Schools Course Description Guide 5 GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS FOR THE CLASS OF 2018 AND BEYOND The Ohio legislature has established three pathways for students to meet their state testing requirement for graduation. They are: 1. Earn 18 out of 35 points on seven end-of-course state tests. Students can earn up to five points on each test and need a minimum of four points in math, four points in English language arts and six points across science and social studies. 2. Industry-recognized credential and score on workforce readiness test: Earn an industry-recognized credential or a group of credentials totaling 12 points and earn the required score on the WorkKeys test. Ohio pays for you to take the test one time. 3. Students can earn a remediation-free score in mathematics and English language arts on either the ACT or SAT. COURSE LEVELS College Prep - courses will increase the emphasis on concepts and critical thinking and prepare students for higher education pathways. Honors - courses contain more challenging content and demand a higher standard of student achievement. These classes are rigorous and fast-paced. Honors courses have prerequisites and typically students have previously been enrolled in honors courses in the Middle School. Advanced Placement - courses (AP Courses) are college level courses that prepare students to take Advanced Placement Exams and possibly earn college credit. These courses are also rigorous and fast-paced and demand a higher standard of student achievement. College Credit Plus - (CCP) courses allows qualified students to earn college credit concurrently with high school credit here at Euclid High School. Courses are free of charge as long as the student passes the course. If the student fails a CCP course, the student is required to pay the per credit hour cost for the course. In the event