MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM GUIDE

2024-2025

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM GUIDE

This program guide is published annually by the South San Francisco Unified School District. It includes information about middle school courses available to students enrolled in the South San Francisco Unified School District. Additional information about programs and high school are included for future planning. Students and families are encouraged to review the information in this guide and consult with their school counselor for additional guidance in selecting the appropriate courses.

SUPERINTENDENT

Dr. Shawnterra Moore

BOARD OF TRUSTEES

Amanda Anthony

Chailin Hsieh

Daina R. Lujan 

Patricia A. Murray

Mina A. Richardson

The South San Francisco Unified School District is committed to equal opportunity and does not discriminate in any program or activity on the basis of sex, race, ethnic background, national origin, religion, sexual orientation or disability in accordance with provisions of Title VI and Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1973, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and California Government Code 5 12940. Any inquiries regarding this nondiscrimination policy or the filing of a discrimination complaint may be directed to:

J. Marwan Hannon

Assistant Superintendent Human Resources and Student Services

District Officer for Section 504 and Title IX

Phone: (650) 877-8725

If you are having a problem reading this brochure, call (650) 877-8709 and help will be provided.

(Si usted está teniendo un problema al leer este folleto, se proporcionarán llamada (650) 877-8709 y ayuda.)

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT

South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) engaged in a two-year process of community engagement as part of our process for development of a new strategic plan. Based on what we heard from our community — about the lived reality today and the aspirations for tomorrow — we redefined our north stars as a district: our mission, graduate profile, and core values.

MISSION STATEMENT

In partnership with our community, South San Francisco Unified School District (SSFUSD) will provide exceptional instruction, engaging experiences, and equitable and accessible opportunities and resources to further support our diverse student body so that students are equipped to learn, thrive, navigate their future with purpose, and impact their community.

CORE VALUES

We C.A.R.E.

As we work toward this vision, we commit to operating in alignment with these values:

• Community is our strength. We recognize that our success relies on collective agency. Thus, we empower students and staff to set growth goals and actively involve families in the educational journey. We value everyone's voice, and we ensure that perspectives are heard and respected in decision-making processes. By fostering a sense of purpose and engagement, we enable all members of our community to feel empowered and inspired.
• Authentic relationships matter. We value authenticity and provide an environment where people can be their true selves. We acknowledge and respect different cultures and identities, and also strive to build cultural competence within our community.  We recognize that relationships are crucial for growth and belonging. We foster empathy, mentorship, connection, a sense of belonging, love, and care within our community.
• Resilience propels us forward.  We believe that students, staff, and families must cultivate resilience and perseverance. Holding ourselves accountable, we practice continuous improvement, maintain positive attitudes, and nurture a growth mindset. We understand the significance of experiencing both comfort and productive struggle as we navigate change in the face of adversity. We learn from mistakes and embrace imperfection.
• Equity is our north star. We have an unwavering belief in our students' potential to learn and excel, and we hold all students to high expectations. We recognize the importance of adapting to their individual needs, acknowledging that a one-size-fits-all approach falls short. We continually analyze and reflect on our systems to identify and break down barriers that hinder our ability to support all students. We remain flexible and take calculated risks in pursuit of excellence, particularly in addressing the needs of our most marginalized students.

PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE

If we are successful, our students will leave their time in SSFUSD prepared to:

As an educational community united in our commitment to equity, we work together to ensure that every graduate has the essential academic and social-emotional skills, knowledge, and habits to:

MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM GUIDE 2024 - 2025

TABLE OF CONTENTS

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM        6

6th Grade Program        7

7th Grade Program        7

8th Grade Program        7

Elective Courses        8

Academic and Interdisciplinary Electives        8

Visual and Performing Arts        8

Career Technical Education        9

English Language Development        10

Special Education        10

RESOURCE APPENDIX        11

Extended Learning Opportunities Program        11

High School Program        11

SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO UNIFIED SCHOOL DISTRICT MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM

Middle school is a time of development and exploration. The middle school curriculum program is designed to guide and support students in their academic and socioemotional development as they gain more independence and become self-directed learners. As students begin their secondary program in SSFUSD, they will have opportunities to explore their interests through elective courses in addition to the core academic program. Middle school courses are aligned to California state standards and District standards.

General Remarks

• All SSFUSD middle school students will take 7 classes.
• All core courses are year-long. Some elective courses are semester-long.

• Middle school courses do not count toward high school graduation requirements. However, Math and World Language courses taken in middle school will be used to determine placement in 9th grade courses and may be considered toward meeting college eligibility requirements:

• Students who successfully complete Algebra 1 in middle school will take Geometry or Geometry Honors in 9th grade.
• Students who successfully complete both Spanish 1A and Spanish 1B will take Spanish 2 or Spanish for Native Speakers in 9th grade.

• Physical Education is a core course and a state requirement. SSFUSD students will take the state Physical Fitness test (FitnessGram) in 7th grade.

• Students in English Language Development and/or Special Education programs may be placed into specialized courses aligned to grade-level standards as determined by school staff and case managers.

SSFUSD is committed to making equitable access a guiding principle for all programs.

6th Grade Program

During this first year of middle school, SSFUSD 6th graders will become accustomed to a 7-period bell schedule. All students will take the Academic Writing 6th grade course, specifically designed to help students transition to middle school with a focus on academic skills including organization, communication, and digital literacy and citizenship. Students who are not in band will take the 6th grade elective wheel.

Academic Writing 6

This course is designed to prepare sixth graders for the writing and thinking rigors of secondary school. With a focus on understanding the three main writing genres (informational, argumentation, and narrative), students will be taught to understand prompts and requirements for a writing task, the revising and editing process, and work with teachers and peers to assess and improve writing. The skills learned in this class support writing across all coursework in middle school, high school, and beyond.

6th Grade Elective Wheel

During the 6th grade year, students will take 4 quarter-long elective courses. This format allows students to explore their interests and develop skills in a range of courses in preparation for 7th and 8th grade, when they will select their semester- or year-long elective courses. Course offerings are determined by campus based on student interest and staffing.

7th Grade Program

For the 7th grade year, students will select 2 year-long/4 semester-long elective courses. Course offerings are determined by campus based on student interest and staffing.

8th Grade Program

For the 8th grade year, students will select 2 year-long/4 semester-long elective courses. In addition to Elective Courses listed below, students may select Algebra 1 as an elective (second) math course. Course offerings are determined by campus based on student interest and staffing.

Elective Courses

Elective courses provide enriching learning experiences for students to apply academic knowledge and skills and to explore their interests. Course offerings may vary by campus based on student interest and staffing. Schools may also limit course enrollments by grade level based on staffing and section availability.

Academic and Interdisciplinary Electives

Algebra 1 (year-long) - 8th grade only

The course is aligned with the Common Core State Standards for Algebra 1.  Topics include signed numbers and properties of real numbers, equations, inequalities, functions, lines, systems of equations and inequalities, polynomials and exponents, factoring, quadratic functions, rational functions and equations, and radical functions and equations. Students who successfully complete this course will enroll in Geometry/Geometry Honors in 9th grade.

Culture Keepers (year)

Course description pending Board approval. Culture Keepers are a cross-section of students who act as helpers and active listeners for their fellow students, and promote a positive school culture. The course curriculum focuses on student engagement and positive relationships.

Financial Literacy (semester)

The goal of this course is to guide students in building a strong foundation in logical thinking and problem solving that will enable them to make good decisions concerning matters of money and finance in their daily lives. Students will use technology that will allow them to present the skills and knowledge they gain from this course and apply them to real-life situations. Students are introduced to such everyday life skills as examining money decisions Americans make, including budgeting and long-term planning, debt management, and savings.

Leadership (year)

The leadership class is designed to facilitate the Student Government program. The class is intended to provide time for Associated Student Body (ASB) members to accomplish their goals and duties as representatives of the student body. Students develop their leadership skills in long and short term goal setting, time management/organization, communication, school and community service, interpersonal relations, problem-solving, team building, and evaluation and reflection. Leadership has two goals: one, increase the positive school culture through academic and social events, and two, help students enrolled in the class become more effective leaders.

Journalism (semester)

This course introduces students to the field of journalism. This class includes news gathering techniques, press law and ethics, new trends in journalism, methods of printing, different types of news writing, photography, layout and design, and advertising. The course covers the first steps of newsgathering to the final stages of production.

Spanish 1A and 1B (year, 2 year sequence)

A beginning course in the study of grammar, vocabulary, and conversational skills, taken over two years (Spanish 1A and Spanish 1B).  The development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills is emphasized.  An introduction to the respective country’s history and culture is included. Students who successfully complete Spanish 1B in 8th grade will be placed into Spanish 2 or Spanish for Native Speakers in 9th grade.

Speech (semester)

This course will develop and improve public speaking, argumentative, and critical thinking skills in communication settings. Students will prepare and deliver speeches and participate in several in class debates and forums on current topics. Techniques will be taught to control speech anxiety, and structure and organize information to present to a variety of audiences. As such, the fundamentals of physical and vocal delivery skills, use of language and gesturing, as well as listening skills will be learned.

World Cultures (semester)

This course is designed to give Middle School students a deeper understanding of how & why the World's various cultures formed, developed, connected through trade, travel & have for thousands of years, been uniquely influenced by each other. Through students bringing their own cultural diversity along varied units of study, this elective class strives to not only supplement traditional Social Studies courses but also creates & expands new educational opportunities such as expansive group project opportunities & developing middle school students ability to connect the world with our personal cultural experiences, bridging the gap between local, regional, national & international.

Yearbook (year)

This class is responsible for the production of the school yearbook. Students are instructed in basic journalistic skills in the areas of layout, design, writing, business, and photography.

Visual and Performing Arts

Art (semester)

A general survey course covering work in principles and elements of design in a variety of art media. Reading and writing are a required part of the course.

Drama (semester)

Study and exercise in the basic elements of drama, this course includes both performance technique and audience responsibility. Areas of study include pantomime, improvisation, voice and diction, dialects, and acting styles.

Advanced Band (year)

The student’s proficiency on the instrument must be great enough to insure active band participation. Band activities include concerts and assemblies. Students are encouraged to participate in as many of these groups as possible. By performing, students gain self-confidence, a sense of teamwork, and responsibility. Attendance at all performances is required.

Beginning Band (year)

For the student with some previous musical instrument experience, beginning band is a course to develop musical literacy and performance skills.

Intermediate Band (year)

Students will continue to develop their musical literacy and performance skills in this course. Band activities include concerts and assemblies. Students are encouraged to participate in as many of these groups as possible. By performing, students gain self-confidence, a sense of teamwork, and responsibility. Attendance at all performances is required.

Mariachi Band (year)

Course description pending Board approval. Students will develop their musical literacy and performance skills with an emphasis on traditional Mariachi music.

Music Appreciation (semester)

A survey music course where students will develop musical literacy and explore different music types.

Career Technical Education

PLTW Design and Modeling (semester, to be taken with Automation and Robotics in the first semester)

In this semester-long course, students learn and utilize methods for communicating design

ideas through sketches, solid models, and mathematical models. Students will understand how models can be simulated to represent an authentic situation and generate data for further analysis and observations.

PLTW Automation and Robotics  (semester, to be taken with Design and Modeling in the second semester)

In this semester-long course, students use the VEX Robotics® platform to design, build, and program real-world objects such as traffic lights, toll booths, and robotic arms

PLTW App Creators (semester, to be taken with Computer Science for Innovators and Makers or Medical Detectives in the second semester)

In this semester-long course, students working in teams identify a personal or community problem of

interest to them that can be solved with a mobile app solution. The problem can address issues such as health and wellness, the environment, school culture, emergency preparedness, education, community service, etc.

PLTW Medical Detectives (semester, to be taken with App Creators in the first semester)

In this semester-long course, students play the role of real-life medical detectives as they collect and analyze medical data to diagnose disease. They solve medical mysteries through hands-on projects and labs, measure and interpret vital signs, dissect a sheep brain, investigate disease outbreaks, and explore how a breakdown within the human body can lead to dysfunction.

PLTW Computer Science for Innovators and Makers (semester, to be taken with App Creators in the first semester)

In this semester-long course, students design algorithms and use computational thinking practices to code and upload programs to microcontrollers that perform a variety of authentic tasks.  Students broaden their understanding of computer science concepts by creating meaningful applications such as wearable technology, interactive art, or mechanical devices.  

PLTW Energy and the Environment  (semester, to be taken with Science of Technology in the second semester)

In this semester-long course, students use tools such as the engineering design process, an

engineering notebook, and alternative energy modeling to invent and innovate. Students design and model alternative energy sources and evaluate options for reducing energy consumption.

PLTW Science of Technology  (semester, to be taken with Energy and the Environment in the first semester)

In this course, students explore how science impacts the technology of yesterday, today,

and the future. Students apply the concepts of physics, chemistry, and nanotechnology to STEM activities and projects, including making ice cream, cleaning up an oil spill, constructing Rube Goldberg machines, and discovering the properties of nanomaterials.

English Language Development

The English Language Development (ELD) program serves beginning and intermediate level English Learners (ELs) who are new to school in the United States.  The goal of the program is to enable students to communicate effectively in English for academic, social, and career success.  Students take one to three ELD classes a day and are eligible to take ELD classes with other EL students in the Social Studies, Math, and Science departments.  Students exit the ELD program as soon as they are able to succeed in mainstream English.  Most students exiting the program are still ELs; however, their level of English fluency is high enough for their success in mainstream English.

Special Education

The Individual Education Plan (IEP) will indicate the amount of time a student requires Specialized Academic Instruction (SAI) whether in the general education classroom or a separate setting. Students enrolled in the programs offered through the Department of Special Education will be assigned a Special Education case manager who works with the school counselors on student schedules and classes, implements the student’s IEP (Individualized Education Plan) and acts as the liaison for the student, parent, classroom teacher, administration, academic counselor and related service providers.  

Students may be referred for special education assessment by their parent/guardian, teacher or school counselor.  All requests for an evaluation are processed through the Student Study Team (SST). State eligibility criteria must be met for a student to receive special education services.  Placement services are determined by the IEP team.  All efforts are made to provide instruction in the least restrictive environment.

RESOURCE APPENDIX

The information provided in this section is for planning purposes and may be updated based on District initiatives. For more information, please refer to the District website (www.ssfusd.org).

Counseling Program

School Counselors are certified/licensed educators who improve student success for ALL students by implementing a comprehensive school counseling program. We work within the American Association of School Counselors (ASCA) standards and domains: academic, social-emotional, college & career. Together with our Wellness Counselors, our focus is on the whole child.

SSFUSD Counseling Vision Statement

The Counseling Departments in South San Francisco Unified School district empower students to become self-confident advocates, equipped with the knowledge and skills to access resources and navigate challenges. Through cultivating resilience, self-awareness, and coping strategies, our students become well-rounded individuals who advocate for themselves and others with empathy and kindness.

High School Program

Planning for high school begins in the spring of 8th grade, when high school counselors meet with 8th graders to select their courses for 9th grade. In 9th grade, most courses are required and students have choices for some electives. As students progress through high school, they will have more opportunities to choose their classes based on their interests and postsecondary goals.

High School Graduation Requirements 

(beginning with Class of 2025)

General Remarks

• A typical high school course load is 6 - 7 classes (60 - 70 credits per year). Each semester course is 5 credits; a year-long course is 10 credits. Students must earn a D or above to earn credit.
• Students may need to take additional courses beyond SSFUSD graduation requirements to meet college eligibility requirements.
• Honors and Advanced Placement courses are offered for high school students only.
• For more information about high school course programming, graduation requirements, and college planning, please refer to the High School information page on the District website.