MESSAGE FROM THE PRINCIPAL

Dear TCHS Tiger Student,

This guide has been prepared to familiarize you with curricular opportunities at Triton Central High School. It will explain available courses, course sequence, graduation requirements, athletic eligibility, grading policies, and other matters pertaining to curriculum.

Each spring, Triton Central High School students must make extremely important choices about the courses they will take the following year. Students, you are the most important factor in this selection. Although teachers, counselors, and parents may advise you, it is you personally who is ultimately responsible for correct and wise choices. For that reason, you must study this guide carefully and give thoughtful consideration to your future goals. The best general advice is to select those subjects that interest you, understanding that all students must master an academic core of courses in order to graduate and pursue post-secondary and/or work opportunities.

While this handbook was current at the time of printing, we are constantly evaluating additional programming that we might offer to you. Any new offerings or other changes will be communicated through the Guidance Office.

Mr. Cary Chandler, Principal

Index

· Mission/Vision . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3

· Policy Notification . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5

· Guidance Program . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 6

· Schedule Changes . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7

· Academic Awards . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

· National Honor Society. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8

· Grading . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

· Credit Recovery . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9

· Graduation/……………………. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10

· Athletic Eligibility . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11

· Post Secondary/Dual College Credits . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12

· Diploma Tracks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14

· Career Clusters and Pathways . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18

· 9th Grade Requirements and Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20

· 10th Grade Requirements and Electives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 21

· 11th Grade Requirements and Electives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 23

· 12th Grade Requirements and Electives. . . . . . . . . . . . . . 25

· Course Descriptions Alphabetical by Dept. . . . . . . . . . . . 28

· Career Center Programs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 57

Northwestern Consolidated School Corporation

Our Mission

Northwestern Consolidated School District of Shelby County, in cooperation with the home and community, is committed to fostering a culture of excellence where all students are provided opportunities to acquire and apply knowledge, skills and values to succeed and become responsible contributors to society.

Our Vision

Continuous improvement toward excellence.

Triton Central High School

Vision

TCHS will be a premier Indiana school by implementing research driven best practices in a collaborative, technology-focused culture designed to cause student learning and promote success.

Mission

TCHS daily creates a culture of continuous improvement of 21st Century Skills within a collaborative climate where every student has the opportunity for success.

We commit our resources and abilities to helping students succeed.

Triton Central High School Song

We’ll sing the Triton War Song,

We’ll give a fighting cry,

We’ll fight a Tiger’s battle,

Tigers ever do or die,

And in the glow of the victory firelight,

History cannot deny,

To add a page or two for the Tiger fighting crew,

Beneath the Hoosier Sky!

At Triton Central High School we believe . . .

· Students learn best in a safe, secure, and supportive environment.

· All students are encouraged to strive for their highest potential both academically and socially.

· Teachers must maintain high expectations for their students.

· Students learn best when education is a team effort—parents, community, school, and students.

· The primary objective of any high school teacher is preparing students for their lives in society. We teach life-skills so that they become productive members of society.

· Education is an on-going, life-long process.

· Students are expected to take the initiative for their own education.

· The attendance policy will impact positively the education of the students

· Everyone deserves to be treated with respect and dignity.

· Classroom instruction is student-centered and active.

Triton Central High School students will:

· Be scientifically literate and concerned.

· Develop mathematical reasoning, problem solving, critical thinking, and computational skills.

· Assess how people, events, and decisions from the past influence the present and the future.

· Communicate effectively through reading, writing, and speaking.

· Become good listeners and independent, critical, and creative thinkers.

· Understand human growth and development, the functions of the body, and lifelong value of physical fitness.

· Appreciate the contributions of the arts to the human experience.

· Demonstrate an awareness of computer technology applications in various subject areas, in fields of work, and in daily life.

· Understand and use effective techniques for communicating, problem solving and decision making within small groups.

· Demonstrate an appreciation of the value and dignity of work.

· Develop the attitudes and skills of an informed, responsible, citizenry.

· Demonstrate pride in America and its heritage.

· Behave in accordance with the law and school rules.

· Develop an awareness of the need for planning.

· Take responsibility for their education and develop skills and knowledge to become lifelong learners.

Policy Notification Statement

· It is the policy of the Northwestern Consolidated School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, including limited English proficiency, age or disability in its educational programs or employment policies as required by the Indiana Civil Rights Act (IC 22-9-1), IC 20-8,1-2m Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Equal Pay Act of 1973, Title IX (1972 Educational Amendments), and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. It is the policy of Northwestern Consolidated School District to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from racial harassment. It is also the policy of Northwestern Consolidated School District to maintain a learning and working environment that is free from sexual harassment.

· Any employee, parent/guardian of a student enrolled in the Northwestern Consolidated School District, or student eighteen years of age or older may file a grievance if he/she believes there has been a civil rights violation of any of the above policies.

· Any such grievance must be filed in writing within a reasonable period of time after the alleged violation occurred. The grievance must fully state the facts of the alleged violation and the remedy that is being sought. Forms to be used by any person making report of civil rights misconduct as defined in our Civil Rights policy are available in the Triton Central High School office as well as the administrative office for Northwestern Consolidated School District.

· Inquiries regarding compliance as well as grievance procedures with Title IX, Section 504, or the Americans with Disabilities Act should be directed to the Superintendent’s Office of the Northwestern Consolidated School District, Fairland, IN, or the Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education, Washington, DC.

· For additional information concerning Title IX and the Section 504’s, please contact the Northwestern Consolidated School District office at 4920 West 600 North, Fairland, IN 46126 (317-835-7461).

2


Triton Central High School

Guidance Program

· The counselor and social worker at Triton Central High School will promote the physical, social, emotional, and academic growth of our students. Our goal is to facilitate their high school experience and to help them prepare to be well-adjusted adults in their future life endeavors.

· We attempt to prevent as well as remediate problems. We try to foster better communication between the students, staff and parents.

· Counseling and Guidance at Triton Central High School is done with students, parents, and teachers. Students can request counseling or be referred by parent/teacher/friend, etc. When necessary, we make referrals to other counseling agencies or to those in private practice. Counselors help in the following ways:

· Listen

· Provide assistance for personal problems

· Provide information on careers

· Provide college and technical school guidance

· Provide financial aid and scholarship guidance

· Do group testing and interpret results

· Meet with students to make course selections

· Handle attendance referrals

· Check credits and graduation requirements and keep permanent records

· Make schedule changes and adjustments as needed

· Advertise job openings available

· Advertise summer programs

· Sponsor college and military representatives throughout the year

· Coordinate referrals to outside agencies

· Meet with parents and school staff

· Talk with students having academic problems

· Assist with student tutoring

GRADE LEVEL CLASSIFICATION

Each student in grades 9 through 12 is classified as a freshman, sophomore, junior, or senior. The status or classification of a student is based upon the total credits earned plus semesters attended. Classification is made at the start of a school year.

· Freshman 0-9 Credits

· Sophomore10-20 credits + 2 semesters

· Junior 21-29 credits + 4 semesters

· Senior 30+ credits + 6 semesters

Definitions

· CREDIT is earned by the satisfactory completion of a semester’s work. One credit is given for each class per semester.

· PREREQUISITE is a course or grade level that must be completed before certain other courses may be taken. All course and grade level course prerequisites must be followed.

· SEMESTER—Our school year is divided into two 18-week semesters.

· GRADING PERIOD is nine weeks, two per semester.

· DEFICIENCY REPORT—Grades are continually available through out the year on Power School. Please contact the guidance department if you have question on how to access grades.

An Explanation of Comparative Achievement Symbols

· “I” INCOMPLETE—The pupil has been granted additional time to complete required work before a permanent letter grade is determined.

· MID-SEMESTER INCOMPLETE—An incomplete grade may be given at mid-semester without office permission.

· SEMESTER INCOMPLETE—An incomplete grade may be given at the end of a semester only with permission from the principal or assistant principal.

· “WP” WITHDRAWN/PASSING—Printed on the permanent record label and not used in GPA computation.

· “WF” WITHDRAWN/FAILING—Printed on the permanent record label and used in GPA computation.

· AUDIT—Not fused in GPA computation, no credit.

· “NC” No Credit—Given to students who do not meet attendance requirements.

· A—Excellent

· B—Good

· C—Average

· D—Fair

· F—Failed

Repeating A Course

-Students may retake a course.

-The student shall receive the higher percentage grade on their transcript for graduation requirements.

-Both grades will remain on the transcript, only the highest grade will count towards credit and be figured into the cumulative GPA.

Schedule Changes

· We want to build the best possible schedule for you. We can do that if you will communicate with us before the next semester begins.

· CHANGES FOR THE NEXT SCHOOL YEAR OR FIRST SEMESTER ARE PERMITTED:

· Until the first of May

· This is the last time for changes for first semester.

· **The only exceptions are stated below**

· Schedules will automatically be corrected for missed prerequisites.

· No schedule changes during registration. Please make all changes prior to registration.

· CHANGES FOR THE SECOND SEMESTER ARE PERMITTED:

· In December when you receive your second semester course selections in Homeroom, changes must be made before Christmas Break

· This is the last time for changes for second semester.

· **The only exceptions are stated below.**

**EXCEPTIONS**

· Students adding a class because they failed it

· Students missing a class on their schedule due to a scheduling conflict

· Students recommended for a class change by a teacher

· Students adding a class because they are trying to upgrade their schedule

· NOTE: These exceptions are only permitted if requested classes are not closed. We strongly recommend careful planning BEFORE the semester begins, as we do not guarantee the above exceptions.