Northwest High School: Opportunities for Excellence

1. Northwest High School:Opportunities for Excellence “All for one and one for all” Incoming 9th Grade Parent Meeting

2. Administrative Team • Mrs. Lance Dempsey, Principal The Men in Black • Mr. Matthew Niper, Assistant Principal Grade 9 • Mr. Matt Paushter, Assistant Principal Grade 10 • Mr. Tim Britton, Assistant Principal Grade 11 • Mr. John Robertson, Assistant Principal Grade 12

3. Instructional Leadership Team • Mr. Mike Bednarcik, Health & PE Resource Teacher • Dr. Suzanne Borenzweig, Career & Technology Ed. Resource Teacher and Ulysses Signature Coordinator • Ms. Berdett Coleman, Special Education (ED) Resource Teacher • Ms. Aimee Conway, Mathematics Resource Teacher • Ms. Lona Crist, World Languages Resource Teacher • Ms. Theresa Dethlefsen, Resource Counselor • Ms. Karen Guthro, Special Education (LAD) Resource Teacher • Ms. Cindy Kruglak, English Resource Teacher • Mr. Rob Smith, Social Studies Resource Teacher • Mr. Rich Menendez, Science Resource Teacher • Ms. Lorrie Moten, Fine Arts Resource Teacher

4. Parent Organization Leaders Ms. Pattrice Park PTSA President Ms. Dena Nicholas Booster Club President

5. Outcomes • Meet members of the Northwest HS Leadership Team • Learn about our outstanding academic programs • Know and understand the MCPS high school graduation requirements • Acquire information about 9th grade registration • Ask questions about the transition from middle school to high school • Obtain detailed information about course offerings in selected academic departments

6. Welcome to Northwest! • 2057 students and 215 staff members • Outstanding academic programs including: • 22 Advanced Placement classes to give students the opportunity to earn college credit in high school • Dozens of elective courses for students to explore wide-ranging interests • Ulysses Signature Program • 3 academy programs • Amazing facilities • Northwest Class of 2012 earned over 11 million dollars in scholarships! • 7 classes each day with one lunch period! • New classes each semester • Over 90 extracurricular opportunities (including clubs and sports) • Theme: “All for One & One for All”

7. MCPS Highlights Northwest

8. MCPS Highlights Northwest

9. Percent Enrollment in Honors/AP Courses

10. Enrollment in AP Courses

11. Academies • Academy of Biotechnology • Visit the breakout session for more information • Academy of Commercial & Fine Art • Visit Visual Arts breakout session for more information • National Academy of Finance • Visit the breakout session for more information

12. Contents of Folder LEFT SIDE • Ulysses Signature Program Brochure • Academy Information • Meeting Evaluation • Extracurricular Activity List RIGHT SIDE • Agenda • Copy of Tonight’s PowerPoint Presentation • Articulation Information Booklet • Sample Registration Card

13. Grades & Credits

14. Grades & Credits • Students take 7 classes each semester. • Each class is worth ½ credit, and a student must pass the class (with a grade of A, B, C, or D) to receive the credit. • A student should earn 7 credits each year (3.5 credits per semester) if he/she passes all of his/her classes.

15. Grade Point Average (GPA) • Students receive a GPA each quarter and semester in addition to a cumulative GPA. • The cumulative GPA is based only on the semester GPAs. • Students also receive a weighted GPA and an unweighted GPA. For Honors and AP classes, a student receives an additional GPA point for earning an A, B, or C.

16. Calculating a Student’s GPA • To calculate unweighted GPA: • Multiply each A by 4 • Multiply each B by 3 • Multiply each C by 2 • Multiply each D by 1 • Multiply each E by 0 • Add all of the results, and divide by the total number of classes. • To calculate weighted GPA: • Honors and AP courses 5 for each A 4 for each B 3 for each C 1 for each D 0 for each E

17. Eligibility • To participate in extracurricular activities, students must maintain, at all times, a 2.0 GPA with no more than one E. • All 9th grade students are automatically eligible at the beginning of the school year.

18. Graduation Requirements

19. Graduation Requirements3 Categories • Credits • Student Service Learning (SSL) Hours • High School Assessments

20. Graduation Requirements 22 credits total • 4 credits of English • 4 credits of math (including one credit in algebra 1 and one credit in geometry) • 3 credits of science (including 1 credit of biology and 1 credit of physical science)

21. Graduation Requirements • 3 credits of social studies • 1 credit in US History • 1 credit in National-State-Local (NSL) Government • 1 credit in Modern World History • 1 credit of fine arts • 1 credit of physical education • ½ credit of health education • 1 credit of technology education

22. Graduation Requirements • Program Completer • Option 1: 2 credits in foreign language • Option 2: 2 credits of advanced technology education • Option 3: 3-9 credits in a state-approved career and technology program

23. Student Service Learning (SSL) • 75 SSL hours are required • Activities have to be approved • SSL hours earned in middle school count toward the total • School Coordinator: Mrs. McCarthy-Redd, Counselor

24. High School Assessments(HSAs) Four Exams • Algebra I • Biology • English 10 • NSL Government (Pilot)

25. Registration Process

26. Distribution of Registration Materials Earlier Today: • Roberto Clemente MS – Thursday, January 24 • Lakelands Park MS – Thursday, January 24 Tomorrow: • Kingsview MS – Friday, January 25 Registration materials include: • A registration form with 9th grade course offerings on the back • MCPS Course Bulletin • An application for participation in the Ulysses Signature Program • Information about an academy program

27. Registration Forms • Students select 7 classes for each semester. • Recommendations made by middle school teachers are listed on the registration form. • If you would like for your child to be enrolled in a course that has not been recommended, please write a note indicating that and attach it to the registration form. Due Thursday, January 31st at RCMS and LPMS Due Wednesday, February 6that KMS

28. Articulation Booklet • Page 2 - Important Dates Wednesday, May 22– 7:00 pm in the NWHS Auditorium Incoming 9th Grade Parent Meeting & Activity Fair Friday, June 14 – 7:25 am in the NWHS Auditorium Incoming 9th Grade Student Orientation • Page 3 – Staff Member Contact List • Page 4 – Counseling Dept. Contact Info. • Page 5 – Grade 9 Course Offerings • Pages 6-19 – Departmental Information

29. The Ulysses Signature Program Mrs. Lance Dempsey, Principal Dr. Suzanne Borenzweig, Coordinator

30. The Ulysses Signature Program • A four-year program, admission by application only • A small learning community • A creative, dynamic approach to learning across the academic disciplines

31. The Ulysses Signature Program • An opportunity to engage in real-world research • A practicum for authentic presentation skills • A home in your home school

32. Ulysses Program Expectations • Genuine interest in research and research projects • Commitment to four-year program • Willingness to explore MCPS curriculum with Ulysses approach • Emerging independence • Respectful community member • Active community participant • Recommended for honors or AP: English, History, and Science

34. Ulysses Program Course Sequence Grades 9 & 10 Grades 11 & 12 Signature Honors or AP Modern World History Signature AP Bio Advanced Research* Senior Research Project* • Signature Honors English 9 & 10 • Signature Honors Physics 9, Biology & Chemistry • Signature Honors US History or AP US History • Signature Honors NSL Government or AP Government

35. Ulysses Science Course Sequence Two Science Pathways Physics RecommendationBiology Recommendation Grade 9: Honors Physics Honors Biology; HSA Grade 10: Honors Chemistry Honors Chemistry Grade 11: AP Biology; 3 on AP Honors Physics or AP Class Grade 12: AP Science of choiceAP Science of choice

36. Ulysses Biology Fall Semester Spring Semester Inquiry Project on student designed, implemented, and analyzed scientific experiment • Research Paper on invasive species; pill bug project Ulysses Biology Night Tuesday, April 30, 2013

38. Holocaust Memorial Museum National Museum of the American Indian National Geographic Society Maryland Science Center Baltimore Aquarium Koshland Science Museum Lansburgh Theatre Corcoran Gallery of Art Library of Congress National Archives Hillwood Museum National Zoo Folger Shakespeare Library and Theatre Field Trips!

39. Grade 11 • Advanced Research Through Technology • Research Methods • Annotated Bibliography • Literature Review • Final Project in Research Design

41. Grade 12 • Senior Research Project Class • Project Requirements • Mentor • Oral Presentation • Exhibition • Ulysses Fair • Portfolio

42. Colleges/Universities • Amherst College • Barnard College • Brown University • Bucknell University • Colgate University • Columbia University • Cornell University • Dartmouth College • Fashion Institute of Technology • MIT • New York University • Rhode Island School of Design • Stanford University • New York University • University of Michigan • University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill • University of Southern California, School of Architecture • University of Virginia • Yale University

43. Application Process • Recommended for honors: English, History, and Science • Application due February 15, 2013 • Essay • 2 teacher recommendations

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