Post on 28-Oct-2021
8th Grade Parent Night Belmont High School
February 28, 2019
Welcome Parents of the class of 2023
A little about tonight….
● Principal: Tom Brow ● Asst. Principals: Dan O’Brien, Lisa Hurtubise, & Mike Bruno ● School Resource Officer: Melissa O’Connor ● BHS Directors: Deb McDevitt (Social Studies), Patty Soliozy
(Math), Elizabeth Baker (Science), Arto Asadoorian (Visual and Performing Arts), Lindsey Rinder (English), Colleen Foley (Foreign Language), Jim Davis (Athletics/Physical Education/Wellness), Rosa Innis(METCO)
● Special Education Lead: Mike Bruno ● Guidance Dept. Head: Jim Brown
Names to know
Guidance Department ● Mr. Jim Brown, Lead Counselor ● Ms. Stacie Ross ● Mr. Matthew Ruane ● Ms. Brittney King ● Ms. Jessica Truslow ● Ms. Sherri Turner
Guidance Support •Course scheduling •Support for seeking academic help with teachers •Navigation through graduation requirements •Support and referral around emotional support/mental health needs. •Post-secondary/Future Planning This is all done through individual and small group meetings.
Special Education Department Services provided to students with: ● An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) ● A 504 Plan ● A District Curriculum Accommodation
Plan (DCAP/ICAP)
Grade Based Learning Centers ● Direct special education instruction, support, and case management ● Skill development, academic support, organization, self-advocacy,
understanding of disabilities
Campus Program ● Focus on students with social and emotional challenges ● Coordination of program development with school psychologists and
outside service providers
All Children Experience Success (ACES) ● Focus on students with Autism Spectrum and Social Communication
Disabilities ● Social pragmatic skill development in coordination with district Speech
and Language Pathologist
Special Education Programs
If your student is currently receiving services:
● Contact your child's special education liaison or guidance counselor
● Ensure there is a plan in place for your child as they transition to the high school
If your child does not receive services, but experiences difficulty at BHS:
● Communicate your concerns to teachers and guidance counselor
● If appropriate, the guidance counselor will refer your child to a Student Review Team (SRT)
● Student may receive classroom accommodations, direct supports, or be referred for an evaluation
Tips for Parents
IPADs ● All Grade 9 students will configure an iPad in
June to use in all of his or her classes in the fall.
● Students will pick up their iPad at Freshmen
orientation in late August.
Technology
Join the BHS ListServ www.belmont.k12.ma.us =>For Families =>Email sign up 2019-2020 School Calendar Building Project Info https://www.belmont-ma.gov/belmont-high-school-building-project Course Selection Process
Other Helpful Information:
6:30 - 8:00pm
Breakouts
15 Minute Breakouts with Directors 6:40 - 6:55 Session 1 7:00 - 7:15 Session 2 7:20 - 7:35 Session 3 7:40 - 7:55 Session 4
Student/Parent Discussion Panel (8:00 - 8:30pm)
Program for the Evening
Life at BHS through student eyes
DISCUSSION PANEL
THANK YOU
Good Evening & Welcome, Parents of 8th Graders
Director of Science an d
T echn ology/E n gin eer in g
L iz B ak er 6 17- 9 9 3- 59 75
ebak er @ belm on t.k 12.m a.us
Dir ector of M athem atics
P atty Sol ioz y 6 17- 9 9 3- 59 6 5
ps ol ioz y@ belm on t.k 12.m a.us
Tonight’s Information
●9 th gr ade cour s es ●P r ogr es s ion of Cour s es
●R ecom m en dation pr oces s
MATHEMATICS What are the math options f or m y daughter or s on at
B elm on t H igh School?
Mathematics The Universal Language Four years of math required for
gr aduation
Cor e cour s es : Algebr a 1, Geom etr y , Algebr a 2
Grade 9 Math Courses
●Col lege P r ep Algebr a 1 ( # 4 0 2) ●Col lege P r ep Geom etr y ( # 4 10 )
● H on or s Geom etr y ( # 4 0 6 )
Teacher Recommendation is the Best Predictor of Proper Placement
Based on: ● M ath P er f or m an ce:
● R epor t Car d Gr ades ● Cum ulative T es ts ● M CAS/P AR CC Scor es
● Study Sk i l ls & H abits ● Atti tude T owar d L ear n in g ● I n depen dence of E f f or t
Math Contests Math Team ● H ighly Com petitive ● F un , E x citin g an d Social ● On e M eetin g per W eek
Am er ican M athem atics Com petition s ● AM C 10 /12 ● AI M E - Am er ican I n vitation al M athem atics E x am ● USAM O- Un ited States of Am er ica M ath Olym piad
Contact Information
Patty Soliozy Dir ector of M athem atics
6 17- 9 9 3- 59 6 5
ps ol ioz y@ belm on t.k 12.m a.us
SCIENCE What are the science options
f or m y daughter or s on at B elm on t H igh School?
4 year s of Scien ce r equir ed f or
gr aduation
SCIENCE Four years of science required for graduation
A Sequen ce f or the 21s t Cen tur y : P hys ics , Chem is tr y , B iology
W hy P hys ics F i r s t ? ● Con ten t bui lds on pr evious cour s e
● Syn er gis tic with algebr a ● Con cr ete Abs tr act
Grade 9 Science Course
●Col lege P r ep P hys ics ( # 50 4 ) or
●H on or s P hys ics ( # 50 3)
Grade 9 Grade 10 Grade 11 Grade 12
- Physics (CP/H ) - Chemistry (CP/H)
- Biology (CP/H) - Biology (AP)
Required Elective
Elective Courses * denotes not offered in ‘19-’20
-Intro to Robotics (H) -Design and 3D
Printing (H) - Physics (AP) - Intro to Computer
Science (H)
- Intro to Robotics (H) - Physics (AP) -Design and 3D Printing (H) - Intro to Computer Science
(H) - Computer Science A (AP)
- Chemistry (AP) - Physics (AP) - Biology (AP) - Environmental Science (AP) - Computer Science A (AP) - Intro to Computer Science (H) - Zoology (CP) - Anatomy and Physiology (H) - Neurobiology (H) - Disease, Forensics and Technology (CP) - Intro to Robotics (H) - Design and 3D Printing (H) - Science Ethics (CP/H) - Astronomy (CP)*
Which Level Is Most Appropriate ? Teacher recommendation continues to be the best pr edictor of pr oper placem en t.
B as ed on : ● Scien ce per f or m an ce ● M ath per f or m an ce ● Study an d wor k s k i l ls & habits ● I n depen dence of ef f or t
Extra-curricular activities: ●Coding Club ●Engineering and Design Club ●Science Team ●Women in Science ●Robotics ●Science Experiment Club ●Environmental Club ●Garden Club
Contact Information
Elizabeth Baker Dir ector of Scien ce an d T echn ology/E n gin eer in g
6 17- 9 9 3- 59 75 ebak er @ belm on t.k 12.m a.us
Social Studies Department Deborah McDevitt 617-993-5985 dmcdevitt@belmont.k12.ma.us
Good Evening & Welcome! Foreign Language Department Colleen Foley 617-993-5955 cfoley@belmont.k12.ma.us
Foreign Language Program
Belmont High School Colleen Foley
cfoley@belmont.k12.ma.us 617-993-5955
Foreign Language Department 6 -12
Our goal is for our students to be effective communicators of the language they study.
Students will develop increasing proficiency in the language they study and as they progress through the sequence of courses.
- Modern languages: interpretive, interpersonal, presentational - Latin: interpretive, some interpersonal, some presentational
CMS Foreign Language Program ■ 6th - 8th grade in Chinese, French, Latin, or Spanish
■ Students commit to studying the same language for all three years at CMS
■ Students begin to develop their foundational skills: - Modern languages: communication skills; interpersonal, interpretive, and
presentational, cultural exploration
- Latin: some communication, building vocabulary and grammar foundation, historical studies, translation
*Goal at end of 8th grade is to be at the Novice High Proficiency Level
BHS Foreign Language Program
■ Graduation requirement: 2 years
■ More than 2 years is encouraged!
■ Every language → options for 4 years
■ Heritage speakers can take advanced levels → placement test required
■ Mixed grade levels in classes (depends on starting point)
Choices at BHS ■ Begin a new language. - Chinese 1 - French 1 - Latin 1 - Spanish 1
Choices at BHS ■ Continue studying the same language. - Chinese 2 CP/ 2 Honors - French 2 CP/ 2 Honors - Latin 2 CP/ 2 Honors - Spanish 2 CP/ 2 Honors (or Spanish 1B)
*If continuing with the language they studied at CMS, the students will expand upon and further develop the communication skills they developed in grades 6-8 and work to increase their proficiency in the language.
This language options form will be sent home with students in their foreign language class tomorrow.
Looking for thoughts and
input from students and families.
It will be due back to their
foreign language teacher by Friday, March 8.
Recommendations Teachers recommend the course that best matches the student’s current proficiency level in the language and learning needs.
The recommendation is based on the teacher’s knowledge of your student from classroom experience, demonstrated proficiency level with the language, engagement with material, and performance on assessments This is the best indicator of your student’s proper placement in ninth grade.
The recommendation will be for one of the following:
■ 1st year course- college prep ■ 2nd year course- college prep ■ 2nd year course- honors
Honors or College Prep ■ Mastery of Previously learned material:
- Students entering level 2 honors classes are expected to have mastered
material learned in 6th, 7th, and 8th grades and to move forward using the previously learned topics in their work. They are solidly at the Novice High proficiency level and show some of the Intermediate Low skills.
- The level 2 college prep classes spend some time at the beginning of the year reviewing key material from the introductory level. There is more explicit grammar instruction and multiple opportunities for practice. These students would benefit from extra time to meet the outcomes of the Novice High proficiency level before moving toward the Intermediate Low proficiency level.
Honors or College Prep ■ Pacing and Independence:
- Honors classes move at a quicker pace. Students are expected to be able to
work with new material as it is presented and incorporate the material into their work.
- In the college prep classes the material may be presented more than once and students receive more support as they work to include material into their work.
Honors or College Prep ■ Target Language in Modern Language Classes:
- In the 2 Honors classes the target language is used almost exclusively by the teacher. Students are expected to also use the target language to communicate in class. The majority of the resources used to facilitate grammar instruction are authentic language resources.
- In the 2 college prep classes, although the target language is primarily used by the teacher, the immersion experience is more slowly introduced as the year progresses and expectations for student use of the language increase over time. The students work with many authentic resources as well, but there are other supports in place to help students access these resources.
Fulfilling the Three-Year Requirement: ● World History ● American History ● Modern World History
Social Studies and Community Service
Content: ● Non-Western History from 200 to 1500 C.E. ● China, India, Islam, Africa, Byzantine Empire, Russia ● Investigate the impact of religion, geography, art,
politics and economics on the various civilizations ● Medieval Europe, Renaissance, Reformation Skills: Reading, Research, and Writing
Grade 9: World History College Prep or Honors
● Nightly homework (approximately 30 minutes)
● Clear objectives, guiding questions and key terms provided for all units
● Assessments: projects, tests, open response questions, essays and the thesis
Expectations:
● 40 hours required for graduation, to be completed over 4 years of high school
● Presidential Awards
Community Service Requirement
A WRITER…THINKS OF LANGUAGE PARTLY AS A
SYSTEM, PARTLY AS A LIVING THING OVER WHICH ONE HAS CONTROL, BUT MOSTLY AS AGENCY - AS AN ACT WITH CONSEQUENCES. --TONI MORRISON’S NOBEL PRIZE LECTURE,
1993
English Department
�What to Expect:
● More independent work, especially at the honors level ● Longer, multi-part compositions: literary analysis ● More challenging syntax and diction in text ● More complex themes
�How you can help:
● Ask your child what work s/he has to accomplish and help him or her plan out how it will get done
● Encourage your child to read and write, and talk with him or her about what s/he is reading and writing
The 8th/9th Transition
�College Prep: ● More scaffolding and teacher support ● �More instructional time spent on the reading and
writing processes
Honors:
● �Greater responsibility for independent learning ● �Most reading and writing done outside of class ● �More challenging texts
English 9: Two Levels
● �Genre studies: short story, novel, poem & play ● �Coming of age & the loss of innocence ● �Lord of the Flies & Romeo and Juliet ● �Descriptive writing and literary analysis
Grade 9
�Creative Writing CP/H ¡Read mentor texts
¡Workshop original writing
¡“Finish” pieces to submit to publications, contests, and college admissions.
�Making Social Change CP/H ¡Want to think globally? Start by acting locally!
÷Research a problem
÷Brainstorm solutions
÷Hold a public hearing
÷Make a proposal to town government
10th-12th: Electives
● �Global Literature and Moral Action: American Born Chinese, Macbeth, A Thousand Splendid Suns, Slaughterhouse-Five
● �Persuasive/Argumentative Writing ● �MCAS preparation
Grade 10
● �American Literature: the Transcendentalists, slave narratives, Dickinson, Whitman, Twain, Fitzgerald, Hurston, Miller, Wilson
● �Personal/reflective writing ● �Literary research paper ● �Preparation for senior thesis
Grade 11
● �AP English 12 Honors ● �English 12 Honors ● �English 12 CP� ● �Literary research ● Synthesis
Senior thesis required in all courses. All students read Hamlet, No Exit, and The Things They Carried.
Grade 12
Don't you remember being young when language was magic without
meaning?
--Toni Morrison’s Nobel Prize Lecture, 1993
Students must earn 2 credits per year in Physical Education. Ninth graders must take Wellness (I) which will fulfill their Physical Education requirement for grade 9.
WELLNESS / PHYSICAL EDUCATION
oWellness (I) is a required course for all freshmen. The course will include classroom wellness activities and lab (Health and Physical Education).
WELLNESS I
oTopic 1 – The Rudiments of Health-Related Fitness: Improving Your Physical Fitness. oTopic 2 – An Introduction to the Wellness Concept. oTopic 3 – Serious Health Issues: Understanding and Assessing Personal Risk and Consequences. oTopic 4 – Total Wellness: Balancing Within the Hexagon of Wellness.
WELLNESS I
oBelmont High School offers ten (10) sports during the fall season. The fall 2019 practices begin on Friday August 16th for Football only, with all other fall sports anticipated to beginning on Thursday August 22nd .The regular season runs from September through October with most teams ending league competition in late October. Tournament qualifications for varsity teams could have teams participating into November. Football concludes its regular season on Thanksgiving Day.
2019 BHS FALL ATHLETICS
● Football V, JV & Frosh ● G Volleyball V, JV & Frosh ● B&G Soccer V, JV & Frosh ● B&G Cross Country V & JV ● G Swimming & Diving V & JV ● Field Hockey V, JV & Frosh ● Cheerleading V , JV ● Golf V
19 BHS FALL ATHLETICS
Jim Davis, CAA Director of Athletics / Physical Education
jdavis@belmont.k12.ma.us
Office phone # 617-993-5930
jdavis@belmont.k12.ma.us
Any Questions?
All students must complete a minimum of one full year of coursework in the Visual & Performing Arts in order to graduate. The vast majority of BHS students complete more than one year. ● Can be met by completing one full-year course, or two one-semester
electives.
● Participation in co-curricular activities or other work outside of school cannot take the place of enrollment in at least one year of VPA coursework at BHS.
Visual & Performing Arts
All Level 1 Visual Arts electives are open to students in Grade 9:
● Drawing & Painting 1 (5 credits) ● Photography 1 (5 credits) ● 3D Art 1 (5 credits) ● Animation 1 (2.5 Credits, one
semester) ● Digital Art 1 (2.5 Credits, one
semester)
A total of FIVE (5) credits in Visual & Performing Arts is required to meet the BHS Graduation Requirements
Visual Art
Performance-based ensembles
● BAND Symphonic Band 5 Credits (Honors)
● CHORUS Chorale 5 Credits (Honors)
● ORCHESTRA Concert Orchestra 5 Credits (Honors)
A total of FIVE (5) credits in Visual & Performing Arts is required to meet the BHS Graduation Requirements.
Music
Non-performance Music Electives: ● Electronic Music (2.5 Credits, one
semester) ● Guitar Lab (2.5
Credits, one semester) ● Music in Television & Film (2.5 Credits, one
semester) ● American Popular Music (2 5 Credits one
Music
Curricular electives in Theater Arts
● Acting 1 (2.5 Credits, one semester) A total of FIVE (5) credits in Visual & Performing Arts is required to meet the BHS Graduation Requirements.
Theater Arts
*Requires enrollment in a curricular music ensemble
● Marching Band & Color Guard - Sign up in May ○ Requires participation in Band Camp, one week prior to the start of school
● Basketball & Hockey Pep Band - sign up in the fall
● Jazz Ensemble – by audition in the fall
● Jazz Collective - no audition, sign up in the fall
● A Cappella Choirs – sign up in the fall
*Requires payment of the $275 Participation Fee for VPA After School Activities.
Co-curricular Activities*
BHS Performing Arts Company (PAC) ● Broadway Night ● Fall Play ● Spring Musical ● One Act Plays ● Improv
Students may sign up in the fall for the Performing Arts Company. *Requires payment of the $275 Participation Fee for FPA After School Activities.
Co-curricular Activities*
Arto Asadoorian, Director of Visual & Performing Arts aasadoorian@belmont.k12.ma.us
www.belmont.k12.ma.us/fpa
Follow the Dept. of Visual & Performing Arts on Facebook:
www.facebook.com/bpsvpa
Any Questions?