Honors/AVID Parent Night

Benefits of the Honors Program:

• Competitive classroom environment

• Challenging curriculum• Gateway to high school honors• Higher-level thinking• Fosters academic & personal

growth

Honors Expectations/Responsib

ilities • 7th and 8th grade honors is a performance based program

• English Honors students will read a required summer reading list

• Approximately 60-90 minutes of homework per night

• 7th grade honors covers both 7th grade & 8th grade standards!

Summer Reading Program

• Students will be required to read 2 books– 1 fiction– 1 non-fiction– Students are responsible for obtaining

the books– More information will be in the

acceptance letter

Entrance to honors is determined by a

matrix composed of multiple measures:

• CST Score of Proficient or Advanced

• Report Card• Work Habits• Honors Assessment

About the VMS Honors Program

• The Honors program is a “linked” program.– If a student is in Math Honors they are

also in Science Honors– If a student is in English Honors they

are also in Social Studies Honors• Students can be in Math/Science and/or English/Social Studies.

Honors Assessments

• Saturday, March 29th @ 9 a.m. at VMS in library

• Tuesday, April 1st @ 6:00 p.m. at VMS in library

• This assessment will be required for:– All 6th grade students interested in being in

Honors. This includes current GATE students.– Any student that wants to transfer from regular 7th

grade to Honors 8th grade

Notification• Notification of acceptance/denial in

the form of a letter will be sent home mid-May.

• Please note: April/May 2012 CST scores could affect placement.

What is AVID? AVID is:

AdvancementViaIndividualDetermination

Key Components and Benefits

• Organization • Study Skills• Reading, Writing,

Inquiry, Collaboration

• Tutorials• Service• College & Career

exploration

• Binder Checks• Planners• Progress checks• Contracts• Cornell Notes• Graphic organizers• Test Preparation• Tutorials

Expectations• Earn C’s or higher in all academic

course work• Learn and model successful classroom

behaviors• Be accountable for practicing strategies• Utilize the tutorial sessions• Complete a community service project• Complete college & career projects

Application Process/Requirements• Teacher recommendations

• Student essay• Interview• Student/Parent Agreement• Decent grades • Solid CST scores• Student interest and desire

Notification• Teacher recommendations are

made by mid March• Applications and interviews are

due by mid April (when possible)• Notification letters will go out early

May

More Information• AVID is a national program with a

wonderful website www.AVID.org • You can also contact Becky

Sausker at sausker.becky@lusd.org

• Please stop by the table in the MPR as well