xtraordinary EOpportunities Curriculum Guide 2021-2022 ® TOWNSHIP HIGH SCHOOL DISTRICT 211 UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION BLUE RIBBON SCHOOLS OF EXCELLENCE James B. Conant High School ALTERNATIVE SCHOOLS William Fremd High School District 211 North Campus Hoffman Estates High School Higgins Education Center Palatine High School Schaumburg High School Township High School District 211 Mission Statement Township High School District 211 serves the educational needs of the community inspiring all students to successfully contribute to the world. Township High School District 211 Board of Education Anna Klimkowicz, President Steven Rosenblum, Vice President Kimberly Cavill, Secretary Curtis Bradley Mark J. Cramer Peter Dombrowski Tim Mc Gowan Lisa Small, Superintendent If you require assistance while using a District 211 school, please contact the principal's office. For individuals who are deaf or hard of hearing, please access the following TTD/ TTY telephone number: (847) 755-6654. Superintendent’s Message Extraordinary Opportunities. Innovative Teaching. Exceptional Learning. Dr. Lisa Small The mission of Township High School District 211 is to serve the educational needs of the community – and thus to inspire all students to successfully contribute to the world. This mission is achieved through the many programs and services that we provide to our community, but perhaps none of these is more impactful than our comprehensive and rigorous curriculum. Our District value statements highlight the importance of “academic rigor” and “education and learning” by stating that we value “engaging curriculum built upon high-quality educational experiences to develop critical thinking” and “the continuous pursuit of knowledge, preparation, and readiness to pursue future endeavors.” Our rigorous and relevant District 211 academic curriculum provides teachers with an organized framework that enables them to continually monitor student progress toward the mastery of learning standards. The District 211 curriculum is operationalized by our carefully developed District 211 Critical Learning Standards, our high-quality classroom instructional methods, and our varied assessment methods – including formative assessments and our summative District-benchmark assessments. • Critical Learning Standards: Our District 211 Critical Learning Standards define both the knowledge and skills that students should know and be able to do in each of our District 211 courses. These standards, which were developed collaboratively by our teachers and administrators, form the foundation for the content and instructional methods utilized in our classrooms. Our Critical Learning Standards are directly connected to national and state learning standards, which are provided by the U.S. Department of Education, the Illinois State Board of Education, and various national educational organizations. Our standards represent what District 211 students must know and be able to do by the end of each school year in order to be prepared for the standards in the next grade level or course. Because of this structure, our standards are also vertically aligned, which means that our course sequences are purposefully structured and logically sequenced so that students are progressively learning the knowledge and skills that prepare them for more challenging work at each level. Our standards also allow for horizontal alignment, which means that the core concepts that students learn in a freshman biology course at Schaumburg High School are the same core concepts that students learn in freshman biology at James B. Conant High School and all other District 211 schools. Beginning this school year, the Illinois School Report Card will include college and career readiness indicators that were established by the Illinois State Board of Education. The college and career readiness indicators recognize the range of experiences a student can undergo to prepare for college and/or their future career. District 211 students can demonstrate the knowledge, skills, and competencies necessary for success through the completion of coursework, extracurriculars, and workplace experience. Our teachers and staff are committed to ensuring that our students succeed – specifically be providing exceptional educational opportunities that create a nearly seamless transition from high school to college. Two of these options include our Advanced Placement courses and our Dual Credit coursework: • Dual Credit Courses: Through a partnership with higher educational institutions – including Harper College, University of Illinois, College of DuPage, and others – District 211 offers students more than 60 dual credit courses. More than half of these courses are taught within District 211 schools by District 211 teachers who have earned the additional credentials required to teach at the collegiate level. While transfer of credits are at the discretion of the institution the student attends, many courses have an Illinois Articulation Initiative designation. This designation puts them in line with an agreement among more than 100 colleges and universities in Illinois that makes the courses transferable. • Advanced Placement Courses: Currently, more than 4,000 students throughout District 211 have enrolled in Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These students have the possibility to earn a variety of financial and academic advantages as they advance to a college or university that may include earned college credit for the courses. District 211 offers AP courses in more than 34 subject areas – including Art History, Studio Art, Music Theory, Biology, Chemistry, Physics, Environmental Studies, Calculus, Literature and Composition, Language and Composition, Spanish, German, French, U.S. History, European History, World History, Human Geography, Economics, Statistics, Psychology, U.S. Government and Politics, and Computer Science. As we navigate the world as it is today, with all its challenges, we continue to do everything that we can to prepare our students for their post- high school lives. We will continue to offer all of our students the same high-quality educational opportunities for which District 211 is known. Sincerely, Lisa Small Superintendent 2 Introduction This Curriculum Guide is designed to help students plan their programs of study from the variety of courses offered in Township High School District 211. Students should plan their high school programs with the help of their parents, counselors, and teachers. In this guide, each course is described by level of instruction, length of course, specific prerequisite, and credit value. Courses offered off-campus are so noted. In addition to the course descriptions, this guide provides information about graduation requirements, grading, student services, summer school, and other areas of interest. This Curriculum Guide is intended to assist students and parents in making educational decisions about high school programs. Course offerings are subject to enrollment and slight variations may occur from school to school. A student’s counselor is always the best source for the most up-to-date information regarding course selection. Table of Contents Page Page Student Services ..................................................... 4 Applied Technology .............................................. 11 Course Selection and Registration .......................... 4 Art ....................................................................... 18 Student Course Acceleration .................................. 4 Business Education ............................................... 22 Grading and Reporting .......................................... 5 English ................................................................. 26 General Grading Information ................................. 5 Family & Consumer Sciences ............................... 34 Requirements for Graduation ................................. 6 Mathematics ......................................................... 39 Music ................................................................... 45 Special Policies Regarding Credits .......................... 6 Driver Education .................................................. 48 Requirements for College Entrance ........................ 7 Health Education ................................................. 48 NCAA Eligibility for Student-Athletes ................... 8 Wellness ............................................................... 49 Elective Courses ..................................................... 9 Science ................................................................. 50 Dual Credit Program .............................................. 9 Social Studies ....................................................... 55 Course Placement................................................... 9 World Language ................................................... 60 Coding of Courses ................................................. 9 Non-Departmental Courses ................................. 64 Summer School .................................................... 10 Cooperative Education ......................................... 66 Alternative High School ....................................... 10 Off-Campus and Online Dual Credit Courses ..... 68 Evening Make-Up Courses ................................... 10 Career Clusters ..................................................... 73 3 Student Services Each school has a Student Services Department consisting of aid information