Matthew Phythian, Principal

Rebecca Staines, School Counselor

Jamie Arredondo, World Language Department

Rachel Leon, Team Leader and English Teacher

And beyond….

Tonight’s Agenda

• 8th Grade Schedule

• 8th Grade Grading Scale

• 8th Grade Electives and Related

Arts Choices

• 8th Grade SPED and ESOL

Options

• Technology Pilot

• Volunteers for Mentor program

with ID Population

• 8th Grade Math Courses

• 8th Grade Language Arts

• 8th Grade World Language

• 8th Grade Science and Social

Studies

• Standard vs Advance Diploma

• Specialty Programs

• Stumbling Blocks

• Student Expectations

• Bringing It All Together

Vocabulary

• Transcript - Record of student’s grades, courses, grade point average, and ranking in class

• Unit of Credit - Based on a minimum of 140 clock hours of instruction

• SOL Test - End-of-Course tests which are required by Virginia Department of Education

• Verified Credit (V) - 140 hours of clock instruction, successful completion of course requirements and achievement of a passing score on the SOL test for students taking:

• NHI – Not Handed In

• NE – No Evidence

Vocabulary cont’d

8th Grade Schedule

Core Schedule A• Advisory 8:10 – 8:24 (14)

❖ 1 8:24 – 9:16 (52)

❖ 2/3 9:19 – 10:37 (78)

❖ 4 10:40 – 11:35 (55)

❖Lunch 11:35 – 12:05 (30)

❖ 5 12:08 - 1:01(53)

❖ 6 1:04 -1:57 (53)

❖ 7 2:00 – 2:55 (55)

Core Schedule B• Advisory 8:10 – 8:24 (14)

❖ 1 8:24 – 9:16 (52)

❖ 2/3 9:19 – 10:37 (78)

❖ 4 10:40 – 11:35 (55)

❖ 5 11:38 – 12:10 (32)

❖ Lunch 12:10- 12:40 (30)

❖ 5 12:42-1:02 (20)

❖ 6 1:04 -1:57 (53)

❖ 7 2:00 – 2:55 (55)

Change to High School

Grading System

Eighth grade students are graded on a

high school grading system

Example of 6th & 7th grade scale

100 = A

NHI = F

_________

Final Grade = C

Example of 8th grade

scale

100 = A

NHI = 0

____________

Final Grade = 50%= F

A = 90-100

B+ = 87- 89

B = 80 - 86

C+ = 77-79

C = 70 - 76

D+ = 67- 69

D = 60 - 66

F = 0 - 59

8th Grade Music or

Related Arts Choices

Music or Related Arts?

* Music – Advanced Music * Related Arts

* Band * FACS

* Chorus * Art

* Orchestra * Tech Ed

✓PE is a required course

8th Grade SPED Options

• SPED Opportunities

• Small Group Instruction

• Inclusion Classes

• Case Manager Assignment

• Interdisciplinary Course

• Students who have small group Language Arts will

complete this course in lieu of World Language

8th Grade ESOL Program

• ESOL Opportunities

• Case Manager Assignment

• Academic Literacy class for Levels 1 & 2

• Language Arts classes for all levels

• Inclusion class for Level 4

• ESOL and Core content collaboration

8th grade Pilot of 1 to 1

Technology

• Authentic and frequent technology integration in the

classroom.

• Access to information, curriculum, online textbooks

• Improved Achievement in writing

• Decrease the achievement gap. Students will have access

to online programs for all subjects.

• Increase responsibility and improve digital citizenship.

• Teachers are going through training and will have

professional development.

• Students can work on goal setting and organization.

Volunteers needed for

Mentor / Buddy Program/Special

Olympics Basketball

• Students help with the Intellectually Disabled Student

Population

• Inclusion Model

• Criteria – Students who have a desire to help others

• 10 – 15 Student Volunteers

• Completed through Related Arts

• Special Olympics is for volunteer hours for NJHS

20 students needed: Coaches, players,

advertisement, etc.

Bull Run Middle School

Math Courses

• Pre-Algebra: traditional math class for eighth graders• If a student takes Pre-Algebra in 8th grade, they still may receive

an Advanced Studies Diploma in high school

• Pre AP Algebra I:• Pre-requisite = Pre-Algebra/Ext. Math 7 & Pass or Pass

Advanced 8th grade Math SOL

• Pre AP Geometry:• Pre-requisite = Algebra I & Pass or Pass Advanced Algebra I

SOL

❖ Only students who took Algebra I in 7th grade meet this pre-

requisite

Standard Diploma

Math Sequence

• 9th grade Algebra I (Part 1)

• 10th grade Algebra I (Part II) (V)

• 11th grade Geometry (V)

• 12th grade Algebra II (V)

• Verified credit needed for one Math course and completion of three Math courses for a Standard Diploma

Advanced Studies Diploma

Math Sequence

Sequence for Traditional 8th Grade Pre-Algebra Student:

• 9th grade - Algebra I (V)

• 10th grade - Geometry or Pre-AP Geometry (V)

• 11th grade - Algebra II or Pre-AP Algebra II/Trig (V)

• 12th grade - Advanced Math choice

• Verified credit needed for one Math course

• Completion of four Math courses at or above Algebra I

Advance Studies Diploma

Math Sequence cont’d

Sequence for 8th Grade Algebra I Student:

• 9th grade - Geometry or Pre-AP Geometry (V)

• 10th grade - Algebra II or Pre-AP Algebra II/Trig (V)

• 11th grade - Advanced Math choice

• 12th grade - Advanced Math choice

• Verified credit needed for one Math course and completion of four Math courses

Advance Studies Diploma

Math Sequence cont’d

Sequence for 8th Grade Geometry Student:

• 9th grade – Pre-AP Algebra II/Trig (V)

• 10th grade - Advanced Math choice

• 11th grade - Advanced Math choice

• 12th grade - Advanced Math choice

• Verified credit needed for one Math course and

completion of four Math courses

Language Arts

Extended LA

• One block of Ext LA

• One block of World

Language: French I or

Spanish I

• Successful completion

of either World

Language (B+ or

better) allows the

student to move to

the next level

Traditional LA

• One block of Traditional LA

• One block of Introduction to

World Language

Bull Run Middle School World Language

World Languages: Spanish I or French I (8th grade)

Currently taking Extended Language Arts

Daily attendance is crucial

Must be willing to speak out loud in front of

classmates

Have strong work and study habits

Oral practice daily for 20 minutes out side of class

Completion of all assignments on time

World Language

Assessments are performance-based and related to real-

world situations

4 assessments for each unit

Listening

Speaking

Reading

Writing

World Language

Sequence

9th Grade Option:

• 9th grade- World Language I

• 10th grade- World Language II

• 11th grade- World Language III

• 12th grade- World Language IV

(Pre-AP & AP Options available)

8th Grade Option:

• 8th grade- World Language I

• 9th grade- World Language II

• 10th grade- World Language III

• 11th grade- World Language IV

• 12th grade-World Language V

(Pre-AP & AP Options available)

World Language cont’d

• Standard diploma does not require a World Language but may

be taken as an elective

• Advanced Studies diploma requires three years of one

language or two years of a language plus two more years of

another language

• Colleges typically prefer three or more years of a World

Language

• Battlefield & Stonewall Jackson HS offer: French, Spanish, &

Latin

Science/Social Studies

• 8th grade-Physical Science (Basic Chemistry and Physics)

• 8th grades-Civics (Basic review of US Government and

Economic Principles)

• Both classes require a SOL end of Course test

Diploma Types

• Standard - 22 credits

• Advanced Studies - 26 credits

• Students with disabilities may be eligible to receive an

Applied Studies Diploma

Standard Diploma

• 4 English

• 3 Math

• 3 Social Studies

• 3 Science

• 2 PE

• 2 years of a sequence of electives in Arts, Careers, or Tech Ed

• 1 Economics & Personal Finance

• 4 Electives

• 22 credits total

• 5 verified credits

• No World Language required but can be used as an elective

Most four-year colleges are requiring 2-3 years of the same

World Language.

Advance Studies

Diploma

• 4 English

• 4 Math

• 4 Social Studies

• 4 Science

• 2 PE

• 1 Economics & Personal Finance

• 3 Electives

• 3 World Language or 2 + 2 World

Language

• 1 Fine Arts

• 26 credits total

• 5 verified credits

Specialty Programs

• Two county wide specialty program information sessions

– one on each end of the county

• Research each school and area of specialty

• Pay close attention to all application deadlines

• Check school websites for dates of their individual School

Information Nights

• Additional considerations – scholarships, afterschool

programs, clubs & activities

• Consider your transportation options

• For more information about specialty programs ... Please

visit the Bull Run Middle School Home Page; Counseling

and Student Services; High School Transition

Stumbling Blocks

• Lack of homework completion

• Lack of study skills

• Poor organizational skills

• Poor attendance

8th grade performance is the primary predictor of

high school success. Kids who do well in 8th grade

are 20 times more likely to graduate

Attendance and NHI‘s or NE’s are the biggest

stumbling blocks to on-time high school graduation

Student Expectations

• Daily checking of Parent Portal

• Weekly goal setting

• Understanding of numeric grading scale

• Daily practice of oral assignments in World Language

• Daily studying of Algebra or Geometry

Bringing It All Together!!!

• Change in grading scale

• Music or Related Arts

• Discussion of diploma type student will be seeking

• Research specialty programs and areas of interest

• Visit individual high school webpages

• Pay attention to deadlines

• Balance – school work, clubs, sports

Matthew Phythian, Principal

Rebecca Staines, School Counselor

Jamie Arredondo, World Language Department

Rachel Leon, Team Leader and English Teacher

And beyond….

Thank you for attending!