The Road to High School

So Many Options and Potential Obstacles!

Areas of difficulty for 9th grade students:

• Change in educational environment

(larger building size, new people, new routines)

• More independence and responsibility on students

(At times giving the perception the staff is less nurturing)

• Heavier Workload (homework, athletics, performances, etc.)

(resulting in time management and organization struggles)

What You Can Do to HelpWhat You Can Do to Help

• Be involved.Be involved. - Online Grade access- Online Grade access - Email communication with teachers- Email communication with teachers

• Encourage your student toEncourage your student to use some type of planner or organizer. use some type of planner or organizer.

• Encourage your student toEncourage your student to find a way to get connected at school. find a way to get connected at school. (athletics, fine arts, UIL academics, clubs, etc.)(athletics, fine arts, UIL academics, clubs, etc.)

Extra Curricular Activities and ClubsExtra Curricular Activities and Clubs

Art ClubArt Club Business Professionals ofBusiness Professionals ofBandBand America (BPA) America (BPA)OrchestraOrchestra Drill Team (Bobcat Dazzlers)Drill Team (Bobcat Dazzlers)Color GuardColor Guard Family, Career and CommunityFamily, Career and CommunityCheerleadingCheerleading Leaders of America (FCCLA) Leaders of America (FCCLA) ChoirChoir Fellowship of Christian AthletesFellowship of Christian AthletesAthletics Athletics (FCA) (FCA) French ClubFrench Club Future Farmers of America (FFA)Future Farmers of America (FFA)German Club German Club Health Occupation Students ofHealth Occupation Students ofSpanish Club Spanish Club America (HOSA) America (HOSA)Student Council Student Council National Honor Society (NHS)National Honor Society (NHS)Link Leaders Link Leaders Newspaper (Bobcat Insider)Newspaper (Bobcat Insider)Interact Club Interact Club Speech and DebateSpeech and DebateJROTC Club JROTC Club Student Athletic TrainersStudent Athletic TrainersSTUCO STUCO UIL Academic EventsUIL Academic EventsSkateboarding Club Skateboarding Club Yearbook (The Territory)Yearbook (The Territory)Key ClubKey Club TheaterTheater

Things You Need to Know:Things You Need to Know:

Schedule change proceduresSchedule change procedures

- Changes can be made the- Changes can be made the first first ten days of schoolten days of school

- Level changes (Out of - Level changes (Out of Pre-AP Pre-AP into Regular) into Regular) are are onlyonly made at made at the endthe end of each six week periodof each six week periodafter the beginning ofafter the beginning of schoolschool

Where to Start?

Keep the End in Mind!

College?

Career?

Fields of

Study?

Destination:High School Graduation!

Requirements: 26 credits

4X4 - Four of each: English, Math, Science, and Social Studies

7 classes x 4 years = opportunity for 28 credits

plus any credits earned in middle school

26 miles to Graduation

Earning CreditsEarning Credits Full year courses can be averaged to gain full Full year courses can be averaged to gain full

creditcredit

Example – English I:Example – English I:

Semester One Semester Two Avg. Semester One Semester Two Avg.

65 75 7065 75 70

1.01.0 credit is granted credit is granted Poor attendance can cost you

credits!

Two Major Routes

R D

RecommendedDistinguished

The PlansThe Plans

116.0 core6.0 core

11.0 PE.0 PE

11.O Fine Art.O Fine Art

2.0 World Lang.2.0 World Lang.

0.5 Comm. Appl.0.5 Comm. Appl.

5.5 electives5.5 electives

26.0 credits26.0 credits

116.0 core6.0 core

11.0 PE.0 PE

11.O Fine Art.O Fine Art

3.0 World Lang.3.0 World Lang.

0.5 Comm. Appl.0.5 Comm. Appl.

4.5 electives4.5 electives

26.0 credits26.0 credits

RecommendedRecommended DistinguishedDistinguished

The Distinguished Achievement Plan The Distinguished Achievement Plan also Requires . . .also Requires . . .

A combination of FOUR advanced measures:A combination of FOUR advanced measures:

-A score of three or above on an AP exam-A score of three or above on an AP exam

-National Merit Commendation based on PSAT score; -National Merit Commendation based on PSAT score; limited to one measure from this categorylimited to one measure from this category

-A grade of 3.0 (B) or higher on courses that count for -A grade of 3.0 (B) or higher on courses that count for college credit (dual credit or tech prep); limited to college credit (dual credit or tech prep); limited to one measure from this categoryone measure from this category

-Original research/project; limited to two measures from -Original research/project; limited to two measures from this categorythis category

The Freshman CoreThe Freshman Core

EnglishEnglish – – Regular, Pre-AP, or GTRegular, Pre-AP, or GT

MathMath – – Algebra I or Pre-AP Algebra IAlgebra I or Pre-AP Algebra I Geometry or Pre-AP GeometryGeometry or Pre-AP Geometry

ScienceScience – Biology or Pre-AP Biology – Biology or Pre-AP Biology

Social StudiesSocial Studies – World Geography – World Geography Regular, Pre-AP, or GTRegular, Pre-AP, or GT

Rigorous CourseworkRigorous CourseworkA student should select the mostA student should select the most

rigorous courses he/she isrigorous courses he/she is

capable of completing.capable of completing.

Colleges will look for rigor.Colleges will look for rigor.

Students with higher levelStudents with higher level

courses are generally morecourses are generally more

prepared for college level work.prepared for college level work.

(However, beware of overloading your student in (However, beware of overloading your student in the 9the 9thth grade year) grade year)

GPA & RankingGPA & Ranking

o The grade point average (GPA) used to The grade point average (GPA) used to determine class rank is calculated on a determine class rank is calculated on a weighted scale.weighted scale.

o Advanced Placement (AP) = up to 7 pointsAdvanced Placement (AP) = up to 7 pointso Pre-AP = up to 6 pointsPre-AP = up to 6 pointso Regular courses = up to 5 pointsRegular courses = up to 5 points

(This is referred to as the weighted GPA)(This is referred to as the weighted GPA)

Physical Education creditPhysical Education credit

PE courses listed on the course request PE courses listed on the course request form (excludes Health)form (excludes Health)

Band (fall semester) Band (fall semester)

Color Guard (fall semester)Color Guard (fall semester)

Cheerleading (fall semester)Cheerleading (fall semester)

Drill Team (fall semester)Drill Team (fall semester)

SportsSports

Sports offered…Sports offered…

~ Football~ Football

~ Volleyball~ Volleyball

~ Basketball~ Basketball

~ Soccer~ Soccer

~ Baseball /Softball~ Baseball /Softball

~ Wrestling~ Wrestling

~ Cross Country ~ Cross Country /Track/Track

~ Swimming /Diving~ Swimming /Diving

~ Golf~ Golf

~ Tennis~ Tennis

Fine ArtsFine ArtsArtArt

DanceDance

OrchestraOrchestra

BandBand

ChoirChoir

Theatre ArtsTheatre Arts

AP Art History (11AP Art History (11thth & 12 & 12thth))

AP Music TheoryAP Music Theory

Floral DesignFloral Design

World LanguagesWorld Languages

Spanish

German

French

Mandarin Chinese

ElectivesElectives

Students have four core classesStudents have four core classes

plus three electives each year. Asplus three electives each year. As

your student goes through eachyour student goes through each

year, keep this in mind and helpyear, keep this in mind and help

them plan accordingly.them plan accordingly.

* Consider required electives first and then * Consider required electives first and then interests interests

Pacing the Journey…

6 credits = Sophomore

13 credits = Junior

19 credits = Senior

And again…

26 credits to reach

the FINISH LINE!!!

Ways to gain extra miles…

Summer School

Correspondence Courses

Dual Credit

BNHS CounselorsBNHS Counselors

9th Grade – Paige Smith psmith04@nisdtx.org 817-

698-5600

10th Grade – Alicia Edwards aedwards@nisdtx.org 817-698-

5672

11th Grade – Mark Hard mhard@nisdtx.org 817-698-

5673

BNHS AdministrationBNHS Administration

Linda Parker – PrincipalLinda Parker – Principallparker@nisdtx.orglparker@nisdtx.org

817-698-5600817-698-5600

Jason Childress – 9Jason Childress – 9thth Grade Principal Grade Principal817-698-5600817-698-5600

jchildress@nisdtx.orgjchildress@nisdtx.org

Barry Fox – 10Barry Fox – 10thth Grade Principal Grade Principalbfox@nisdtx.orgbfox@nisdtx.org817-698-5607817-698-5607

Kathleen Eckert – Associate Principal/Kathleen Eckert – Associate Principal/1111thth Grade Grade

keckert@nisdtx.orgkeckert@nisdtx.org817-698-5604817-698-5604

Thank you for attending tonight and your Thank you for attending tonight and your involvement in your student’s educational involvement in your student’s educational

journey! journey!

We are excited to be partnering with you in We are excited to be partnering with you in this wonderful adventure.this wonderful adventure.