Planning

Your

8th

Grade

Year

Looking Ahead to Next Year

• More Elective Choices than last year
• More Activities
• More Opportunities

Required Classes

• Language Arts
• Math
• Science
• United States History

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= 4 out of 8 total classes

AAC

• Higher rigor compared to Academic
• Challenging
• Offered in LA, Science, History and Math.
• Contract must be signed by Parent & Student
• 70% or higher must be maintained at each 9 week report card

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AAC Algebra 1 & AAC Geometry

• High School Credit Courses
• Eligible to enroll in Algebra I AAC if successfully completed G7 AAC Math
• Eligible to enroll in Geometry if successfully completed Algebra I AAC

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Art 1 AAC

• 1 Fine Arts Credit for high school
• All students interested in taking the course must complete and submit an art portfolio
• More specific information regarding portfolio requirements and due dates will be announced in March-April

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Office Aide

• Students who wish to serve as an aide in the main office, attendance office, counselor’s office, or library must complete an application!

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• The application will include a place for the elective to drop.

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• Applications will be available in all counselor offices on January 27!

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• Applications are due Friday, February 13 by 4PM to the counselor’s office.

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• Aide positions have limited availability and are not guaranteed!

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• All students must complete their course selection sheet WITHOUT adding aide!

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Health Fitness/Athletics

• Students are required to have 4 semesters of PE/Athletics in Middle School
• If students have not met this requirement, then they will be required to enroll in PE or Athletics

Health Fitness Options:

• PE 7/8 (offered both semesters)
• Semester 1 Athletics: *Volleyball - Girls

*Football - Boys

• Semester 2 Athletics: Track & Field and Cross Country - Girls, Boys
• Off Campus Health Fitness: MUST complete application

*Participation is required to be in the Athletic period

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Spring Branch Middle School

Athletics 2026-27

Athletics Coaching Staff 2025-26

Chenique Whitney

Campus Athletic Coordinator

Basketball, Track and Cross Country

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Scott Singletary

Asst. Athletic Coordinator

Football, Basketball and Track

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Dara Baker

Volleyball, Basketball and Track

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Jordan Bass

Football

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Frederick Brooks

Football and Basketball

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Eliza Dixon

Volleyball

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Jorge Florido

Football and Basketball

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Nathan Freberg

Football, Basketball and Soccer

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Ashleigh Garrett

Volleyball

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Jennifer Gomez

Volleyball

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Samantha Green

Volleyball, Basketball and Soccer

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Akeem Perkins

Volleyball, Basketball, Track and Soccer

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Corbin Redd

Football

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Kristian Scott

Volleyball

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Jennifer Taylor

Volleyball, Track and Cross Country

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Athena Varcados

Volleyball, Track and Soccer

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Subject to change

Sports

Fall

Volleyball - No cut

Football - No cut

*Basketball - Cut

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Spring

*Basketball - Cut

Track - No cut

**Soccer - Cut

**Cross Country - No cut

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*Students not participating in football/volleyball, but plan to tryout for basketball, should choose Health Fitness as an elective for Fall semester

**Students can participate in both soccer and cross country if they wish (occur at same time). Students selecting Athletics for the Spring semester are participating in basketball, track and/or cross country. Students that ONLY plan to tryout for soccer should select Health Fitness as an elective for the Spring semester.

Required UIL Participation Paperwork

• ALL paperwork MUST be completed in order to participate in Athletics. There will be no exceptions.
• ALL paperwork is due by Monday, May 18, 2026
• Physical Evaluation
• *Rank One Electronic Forms – www.rankonesport.com
• The Safety Video will NOT be completed on Rank One. This will be viewed during Athletics with the coaches.

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*Rank One electronic forms will be available for the 2026-27 school year on May 1, 2026

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Physical Evaluation

• All athletes must have a current hard copy on file with the coaches.
• In order to align with the SBISD high schools, all physicals MUST be dated no earlier than April 1, 2026.
• SBISD/Memorial Hermann will offer low cost physicals in April/May 2026. Notification of the official date will be coming soon.

Doctor MUST completely fill out the information. MUST have a date. Stamp if available.

Questions answered with “yes” MUST be explained

Rank One

• www.rankonesport.com – Electronic forms
• Consent to Treat and Insurance
• Private Insurance – Upload the front and back of the health insurance card to the website
• School Insurance – There is a $25 fee. Student-athletes can pay with cash, check (payable to SBISD) or the fee can be paid on the My School Bucks app
• Both – Upload the health insurance card to the website AND pay the $25 fee
• Special Medical Information
• Special Medical Info. Issue
• Everyone will NOT fill this out
• Required if you have epi-pen, asthma or diabetic needs
• UIL Forms Signature Page
• Rank One will NOT be available until May 2026

(Notifications will be sent out)

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Athletics 2026-27 Expectations

• Athletes will be expected to wear the SBMS athletics uniform for class and practices (Health Fitness uniform is acceptable). Uniforms will be on sale when school begins.
• Athletes will be expected to use a combination lock. Everyone will be issued a locker to store their belongings in the locker room.
• During the season, athletes will be expected to attend all practices and games. Some sports have games on a Saturday.
• All athletes will be expected to workout when not in season.
• All athletes will be expected to abide by all the Athletics rules. Violation of some of these rules may result in having to sit out of games or even be removed from the team/class.

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*All rules and expectations will be reviewed with athletes when school starts

Contact Information

Girls Athletics

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Chenique Whitney

chenique.whitney@springbranchisd.com

(713)251-4455

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Boys Athletics

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Scott Singletary

robert.singletary@springbranchisd.com

(713)251-4456

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Example

Go to next slide to see how to fill out this section of form

Example

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do I have to be in Athletics if I am on a sports team?
• Yes, teams practice during the athletic period so you would need to be scheduled for that class
• What do I mark if I am in Off Campus Health Fitness?
• Students should select the Athletics option on their course selection sheet. Counselors will go in and update schedules once the list of approved students has been sent for Off Campus Health Fitness
• What do I mark if I am currently in 7th grade but I am taking Algebra I AAC?
• You would select Geometry for your math class
• Am I able to participate in Off Campus Health Fitness and take Athletics or PE?
• No, you cannot be dual enrolled in Off Campus Health Fitness and the Athletic period. Students also cannot be dual enrolled in Off Campus Health Fitness and Health Fitness (regular PE)

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Frequently Asked Questions

• If a student wants to continue to the next level in a fine arts class (art, band, choir, orchestra) what should they pick?
• Students can select to continue with the fine arts program they started in 6th or 7th grade by selecting the option on the course selection sheet. Directors will then place them into ensembles
• What should I do if I do not want to play football or volleyball in the fall, but I want to do track or soccer in the spring?
• Students should select PE on their course selection for the first semester and then choose Athletics for second semester. If you only want to do soccer, select PE for spring (noted as 9123BB)
• Do high school credit classes that I take in middle school affect my high school GPA?
• High school credits that are taken in middle school do not affect a student's high school GPA but do appear on their high school transcript
• How do I know if a class gives me high school credit?
• All courses where a student can earn high school credits has been noted on the course selection sheet

Frequently Asked Questions

• How many foreign language credits do I need to graduate high school?
• Students must take and pass 2 years of the same foreign language to graduate. 8th grade students are also eligible to take a Credit By Exam to fulfill the foreign language requirement. The first time they are eligible to take a foreign language CBE is Fall 2026
• If I signed up for French at MHS, how does transportation work?
• Students will need to be dropped off at MHS by a parent or guardian in the morning for MHS 1st period, but a bus will bring them back to SBMS
• If I want to change one of my course selection choices before May 1st who do I talk to?
• Any changes need to be made with the grade level counselor, Ms. Kossar.
• I want to take Art 1 AAC, how do I get in the class?
• All students wanting to take Art 1 AAC must complete and submit a digital art portfolio application to be considered for the course. More specific information and details will be coming

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What’s Next?

Talk about it with your parents!

Complete your course selection sheet

Turn it into your Science Teacher by February 6th!!