8^th grade to 9^th grade �Course Information Night

January 16, 2025

6:00 PM

Ashland High School Little Theater

AHS Counseling Staff

Juliet Thomas (Letters A-G) juthomas@goarrows.org

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Heath Grissinger (Letters H-O) hegrissi@goarrows.org

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Linda Hodapp (Letters P-Z) lihodapp@goarrows.org

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Ruth Anne Deppen – Guidance Secretary rudeppen@goarrows.org

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Nikki Gibbons-Bigelow – School Liaison nigibbon@goarrows.org

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All applications and scheduling information can be found on the guidance website

https://sites.google.com/goarrows.org/ahsguidanceoffice/home

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Program of Studies Booklet

• Contains:
• Course descriptions
• Information on Graduation Awards (2/15 at 6pm)
• Information on Graduation Requirements
• Information on Educational Opportunities
• Information for Potential College Athletes
• National Honor Society
• Course Planning

Program of Studies Booklet

• Online on guidance website
• https://sites.google.com/goarrows.org/ahsguidanceoffice/home

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• Available through Ashland High School App
• Apple/Google store
• Found in documents or quicklinks > guidance

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• Paper copies available on request

Minimum Requirements for Graduation (3 parts)

• Part One: Earn 21 credits
• 4 credits of English
• 4 credits of Math
• 3 credits of Science
• 3 credits of Social Studies
• ½ credit of Health
• ½ credit of P.E. (2 semester classes)
• 2 semesters of fine or performing art in grades 7-12
• ½ credit of Financial Literacy

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*NEW* Graduation Pathway

Part Two: Showing Competency

–Students must demonstrate competency on ELA II and Algebra

End of Course Exams by scoring a 684.

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–Students that cannot demonstrate competency must use one of

the following three options:

1. Career Readiness through a Career Center Credentialed Program

2. College Credit Plus (earn credit in non-remedial math or English)

3. Military enlistment

*NEW* Graduation Pathway

Part Three: Demonstrate Readiness by earning two seals, one of

which must be State-Defined

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Important Information

• Ohio College Recommendations
• 4 credits of College Prep English
• 4 credits of Math
• Prefer Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II
• 3 credits of Science (2 lab sciences)
• 3 credits of Social Studies
• 2 credits of Foreign Language
• 1 credit of Fine/Performing Arts

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Honors Diploma Requirements

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Other Considerations

• Students need a minimum of six courses per semester

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• Students need to pass 5 credits each 9 weeks and have at least a 1.5 GPA in order to be eligible for extracurricular activities

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High School Credit

Each full year class = 1 credit

Each semester (half year) course = ½ credit

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Two exceptions to the rule

• Any P.E. class = ¼ credit
• 3 hour College Credit Plus Class = 1 credit

College Credit Plus

• What is it?
• A chance for AHS students to earn college credit while taking courses at the high school through partner colleges.

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• Can a student take the class for just high school credit?
• Sometimes. Many CCP courses on the registration form have both a CCP and non-CCP option. To take the course for high school credit only, circle the non-CCP option.

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• CCP Information Presentation:
• Wednesday, January 15th at 6pm in the Little Theater
• Will be posted to AHS Guidance website

Registration Form

Top Half is for contact info and a blank schedule to help parents/students organize courses

Bob Smith Jason and Jennifer Smith

419-651-6666 jaandjesmith@gmail.com

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Jennifer Smith

Registration Form

Bottom Half is where students circle the classes they want to take their Freshman year

Spanish 1

Info Tech

9^th Grade Courses: �English

4 Credits Required for Graduation

• Full Year Required Courses
• English 9

OR

• Honors English 9

Honors English 9

–English teacher recommendation

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–Online writing prompt

–This can be found on the AHS Guidance website

–Due to us by Friday, March 7th

–Notified of acceptance in mid-May

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Honors English 9 Application�(Found on Guidance Website)

Elective Courses: �English

Semester Courses

Digital Media: Twisted Truth in True Crime Reporting – ½ credit

Can lead to Storied Media with instructor approval and then to school newspaper the following year

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Storied Media - ½ credit

This course will help fine tune your writing skills to help prepare you for the Panorama or Yearbook.

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Dramatics – ½ credit

Students should have an interest in theater.  Students will do interpretive excerpts of narrative prose, poetry, oratory, and plays.

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Reading Intervention

Teacher Recommendation: Students will use Scholastic's Read 180 program to improve their reading skills through class work, small group work, individualized computer time, and independent reading.

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9^th Grade Courses: �Social Studies

3 Credits Required for Graduation

• World History
• Honors World History

9^th Grade Courses: �Science

3 Credits Required for Graduation

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• Physical Science

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• Advanced Biology
• May enroll based on placement test scores

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• Qualifying to skip Physical Science does not grant credit

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• Ashland Middle School Test is February 4th

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• Ashland Christian School & St. Edward School test dates arranged with school

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• Notified by end of March if they have placed into Advanced Biology

9^th Grade Courses: �Math

4 Credits Required for Graduation

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• Algebra I
• Traditional math following Pre-Algebra

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• Algebra Intervention
• Designed to help students who will struggle with Algebra.
• Recommendation required, taken at the same time as Algebra I

• Geometry
• Prerequisite of Honors Algebra I

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• Honors Geometry
• Follow sequence; advanced program; leads to AP Calculus
• Prerequisite of Honors Algebra I

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• Honors Algebra II
• Follow sequence; advanced program; leads to AP Calculus
• Prerequisite of Honors Geometry

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9^th Grade Courses: �Physical Education

½ credit of P.E. is required for graduation

½ credit of Health is required for graduation

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• Physical Education II
• Co-ed semester course
• ¼ credit (students need two courses)

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• Health
• Semester course
• ½ credit

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ASHLAND CITY SCHOOLS PHYSICAL EDUCATION WAIVER

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Students who participate in two seasons of district-sponsored high school interscholastic athletics, marching band or cheerleading shall not be required to complete any physical education course as a condition to graduate. (An athletic season is defined by the rules and bylaws of the Ohio High School Athletic Association). Partial credit will not be granted.

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In order to be eligible to graduate, a high school student who is excused from the physical education requirement must still complete instruction in 6.5 electives.

ASHLAND CITY SCHOOLS PHYSICAL EDUCATION GRADUATION REQUIREMENT WAIVER

Please indicate on your registration sheet if you are planning on using the PE waiver in lieu of taking PE classes.

ELIGIBLE ACTIVITIES:

FALL WINTER SPRING

Football Girls Basketball Baseball

Girls Volleyball Boys Basketball Softball

Boys Cross Country Wrestling Boys Track

Girls Cross Country Cheerleading Girls Track

Boys Soccer Boys Swimming/Diving Boys Tennis

Girls Soccer Girls Swimming/Diving Sing & Swing

Girls Tennis Gymnastics

Cheerleading Competition Cheerleading

Marching Band Bowling

Boys Golf

Girls Golf

Sweeties

Summer Course Offerings

Summer school information will not be finalized until April. When applications are available we will make an announcement and put all information on our Guidance website.

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World Languages

• AHS currently offers:
• French
• Spanish

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• It is recommended that students have a C or better in previous English and math courses before pursuing a world language.

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• World Language is not a graduation requirement
• Ohio Colleges recommend at least 2 years of a world language
• Three years of one world language or two years of two world languages are required for the Honors Diploma upon graduation.
• Ashland High School does offer 6 hours of college credit for those students completing Spanish V or French V

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Elective Courses: �Agriculture / FFA

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• Agriculture & Horticulture
• Agricultural Food and Natural Resources (full year)
• Focus on plant life cycle, plant protection & diseases, soil & plant management
• Responsibilities outside classroom

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Elective Courses: �Technology

• Technology
• Information Technology
• Students will learn safety, security, and ethical issues in computing and social networking. Students will also learn about input/output systems, computer hardware and operating systems, and office applications

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Elective Courses: �Exercise Science

• Exercise Science
• Nutrition and Wellness
• Students will increase their knowledge of comprehensive health and wellness. Students will discuss the relationship between physical fitness, performance, injury prevention, and nutritional intake.

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https://6442a94b92fd9.site123.me/

Elective Courses: �Family and Consumer Science (FCS)

Foods and Careers

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Principles of Food:

Preparing different foods, using kitchen equipment, food safety and sanitation, menu planning, famous chefs, and food allergies and preparing food

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Transitions and Careers:

Career planning, managing money, small cooking unit, social media, work ethics (ethical debate), decision making (critical thinking skills), and teen issues & values

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Elective Courses: Music

• Music Theory (semester class)
• Open by referral from a music teacher
• This is not an entry level course

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• Intro to Music Technology (semester class)
• Will use programs like Garageband/Pro Tools
• Will learn about and create: Cinematic Scoring, Podcast Backgrounds, Mashups
• Will also learn basic music harmony & theory

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• Introduction to Guitar (semester class)
• All that is required is a working guitar
• No need for prior musical experience

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Elective Courses: �Visual Art

2-D Foundations

Semester Course

3-D Foundations

Semester Course

Sculpture

Ceramics

Drawing

Printmaking

Painting

Ashland High School’s Art program is divided into two separate pathways

3-D Foundations: Which includes Sculpture, Ceramics, and Crafts

2-D Foundations: Which includes Drawing, Painting, and Printmaking

Each track consists of a semester Foundations Course. After completing the foundations course, students are able to take more specialized courses

Elective Courses: �Visual & Media Art

Digital Media Production

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• Full year course

• You will be making video announcements and learning to

do all sorts of audio and video productions.

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Other Important Information

• All scheduling information can be found on the Guidance website

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• Registration sheets are due in English classes on January 24th

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• Changes to schedule requests can be made with 8^th grade counselor in February and March

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• Any changes to requests after March should be made with student’s high school counselor

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• Scheduling Presentation webcast also available online at:

https://sites.google.com/goarrows.org/ahsguidanceoffice/home