9th Grade Course Registration for

Monticello High School

Burley MS School Counselor

Andrew Davis

Two Objectives

1. Share general high school information so that you and your child can make informed decisions about course requests for next year.
2. Show families how to make 9th grade course requests through Parent Portal.

Burley School Counseling Website

https://sites.google.com/k12albemarle.org/bmsschoolcounseling/8-9-transition

Transition timeline

• December 5, 2022: The portal opens for students and families at 8:30 AM to select courses
• Weeks of December 5 and 12, 2022: Ms. Fendley will visit 8th grade students in classrooms to make initial course selections
• January 3, 2023: The portal closes at 8:30 AM
• January 5 - March 17, 2023: Families and students will meet with their middle school counselor to finalize course requests. Contact Leslie Fendley at 434-295-5101 to schedule your child's meeting
• January 23, 2023: Community Lab School admission forms are due
• January 20th: AVID applications are due https://forms.gle/PosJJZM7JQtKSHgf8
• February 27 - March 10, 2023: Teacher comments on course selections will be entered into PowerSchool
• Week of March 13, 2023: Course verification letters will be sent home
• March 31, 2023: All class selections and changes must be entered into PowerSchool

Video from MoHS Counseling Dept:

Rising 9th Presentation 22-23.mp4

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Advanced diploma

Standard diploma

Verified credits

Both diploma types require 5

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• English (2)
• Mathematics (1)
• Laboratory Science (1)
• History/Social Science (1)

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Credit: 1 credit = 1 class

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Verified Credit = passed subject SOL

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HS credit courses at Burley

Algebra I - Does not count toward HS verified credits

Geometry - Does not count toward HS verified credits

Spanish I - 7th/8th Grade course

Spanish 2 -(Immersion students) Credit depends on how they do on the final assessment.

Schedule

You will sign up for 8 credits (with some exceptions).

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MHS and AHS use a block schedule. You will have each class every other day for the entire year (subject to change).

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Traditionally, all ACPS high schools have aligned their schedules. You will have A days and B days during the week and alternate A and B days on Fridays.

A Day

B Day

Recent Changes for ACPS

• Weighted Grades: Grades are no longer weighted; all courses will be worth the same total grade points. This change also applies to current middle school students who are taking high school credit courses.
• AP Limits: Freshmen are no longer able to take Advanced Placement (AP) classes. As of 2024/2025 students can take AP courses starting in the 10th grade, without a limit. Previously students could accumulate 9 AP’s, that limit has been removed
• Academies/Centers: Students who are interested in the high school academies (ESA, HMSA, MESA) will now apply in 9th grade to begin taking courses in 10th grade.

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A Note about Learning Communities

• ACPS offers specialized Learning Communities to high school students.
• Formerly the “academies,” these are now being offered beginning in 10th grade.
• All Learning Communities accept students on a lottery basis.
• The only 9th grade option other than AHS or MHS is the Community Lab School.
• Admission forms are due on January 23, 2023 at 5:00 PM
• Virtual information sessions will be held on December 15 from 2:00-3:00, January 19 from 10:00-11:00 and January 25 from 6:00-7:00 (IB Specific). You must register online.

Helpful tips

• Consider how your student is doing this year when choosing 9th grade classes
• The goal is for each student to be challenged appropriately
• Parent Portal is open from December 5 through January 3
• There is NO advantage to signing up early, so please be thoughtful about your selections and take your time
• You will have the opportunity to meet with Ms. Fendley to ask questions and finalize your course selections.

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Course levels and recommendations

• Teachers are not making initial recommendations to students
• Teachers will comment on student selections after they are made (Feb 27 - Mar 10)
• If you would like guidance on course level(s) for you or your child, please contact their teacher or speak with your counselor

Accessing Student/ParentPortal

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To select courses for each content area, click the pencil icon on the right of your screen.

Freshman seminar

• This is already selected for you.
• If you applied for the AVID 9 program and are accepted, Freshman Seminar will be replaced with AVID.

English 9

• While the course names are the same, the course numbers indicate the different levels.
• They no longer have “standard” level courses. Those courses are now titled “advanced”.
• The screen says you can select up to 3 courses but you want to chose 1 English class for 9^th grade.
• Do NOT select “Collab”, “ESOL” for any subject.

AD is for the advanced level

HO is for the honors level

History

Please note: there are no longer AP options for 9th graders in ACPS.

AD is for the advanced level

HO is for the honors level

Math

• The sequence of courses is Algebra 1 – Geometry – Algebra 2
• Algebra I – Part 1 will permit students to complete the Algebra I curriculum during both their 9^th and 10^th grade years.

Reminder, AD is for advanced level and HO is for the honors level

Science

• The typical science course sequence is Earth Science – Biology – Chemistry – Physics

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World language

• Students are not required to take a world language; however, the minimum requirement for an advanced diploma is 3 years of one language or 4 total years, consisting of 2 years each of 2 different languages.

Health/PE

• Students are required to take Health and PE for their diploma.
• Virtual Health/PE is completed independently during the regular school year. Students must be well organized, have the time, and can complete this course without direction from a teacher.
• Summer Health/PE are options for 3 week sessions each at $250 each. You cannot miss more than 1 day.

VI designates virtual health/PE

Electives (3 pages)

• Students who applied to AVID should not select AVID on this page.
• Zero period courses: Marching Band and Jazz Band
• Afterschool Electives: Improv/Comedy and Basics Tech Theater (2^nd Semester)

Students taking a world language have space to take 1 elective.

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Students who are not taking a world language can take 2 electives.

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Students who are taking virtual health/PE can add one additional elective.

Review and submit

• You should have 8 credit hours, unless you are taking summer or virtual health/PE or a zero period class.

• After you make your selections, click “submit”

Future Transition Events

• May 2023 (date TBD): High school counselors will visit 8th grade students at BMS to discuss high school transition
• May 2023 (date TBD): The STAMP test will be administered to Spanish Immersion students and high school course placement will be discussed
• August 10 - 11, 2023 (tentative dates): Save the date for the 9th grade summer academy at AHS or MHS

Questions?

BMS Contact Information

Administrators:

• Kasaundra Blount, Principal
• Michael Combs, Assistant Principal
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• School Counselor - 8th grade:

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Brigette Sears,School Counselor ( A-J)

Andrew Davis , School Counselor (K-Z)

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