WELCOME
Tri-Valley High School Students
INTRODUCTION
This curriculum guide has been developed to furnish students and parents with some of the information that will be necessary for them to select an appropriate high school schedule. Since the needs of each student vary, it is important that you supplement this information by talking with teachers, counselors, or administrators. Our broad and varied curriculum offers many opportunities for students at Tri-Valley. We want to work with both parents and students to select the curriculum of instruction that will best serve the needs of each individual student. If you have any questions concerning this booklet and the scheduling process, please Student Services at 754-2941 for assistance.
Chad Shawger Tammy Hanby Tom Crowley
Principal School Counselor School Counselor
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION – CLASS OF 2019
PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS
The number of credits needed to move from one grade level to another will be:
To be a freshmansuccessful completion of 8th grade
To be a sophomorefive (5) credits earned
To be a juniorten (10) credits earned
To be a seniorfifteen (15) credits earned
To be a graduatetwenty (20) credits earned and pass all five parts of the 10th grade Ohio Graduation Test (OGT).
A student may be assigned to the next higher grade when lacking one or fewer credits needed for promotion if the guidance counselors recommend and the principal approves.
COURSE FEES
Courses that have fees are noted. Fees are subject to change when there are price increases from publishers or suppliers. Student transcripts will be withheld for non-payment of fees. Families who are unable to pay school fees in full are urged to contact the high school office to arrange a payment plan.
SCHEDULE CHANGES
Schedule Change Policy and information:
1)Students will have two (2) weeks, from the beginning of the year, to request a schedule change for full year courses.
2)Students will have two (2) weeks, from the beginning of the semester, for semester long courses.
3)Schedule changes can often not be honored due to teacher unit allocation and class size reduction.
4)Any changes made after those deadlines will be made at the discretion of the teacher, administrators and student services:
- For required courses omitted from the student’s schedule.
- To best suit the needs of the student.
Any student who drops a course after the SECOND WEEK of school may have to carry a failing grade for the year in the course. It is the teacher’s discretion to determine whether or not the student will receive a Withdraw Fail (WF) or a Withdraw (WD). Both items are reflected on the student’s transcript, the Withdraw Fail (WF) negatively impacts a student’s grade point average by counting as an “F”, Withdraw (WD) does not impact the overall grade point average. Any appeals with the teacher’s decision may be submitted to the head principal in writing.
STUDENTS WITH CREDIT DEFICIENCIES
Students can earn credits by tutoring, independent study, correspondence, summer school, or on-line courses.
Students should consult the Student Services for more information. The school principal gives final approval before make-up programs begin.
State standards are very specific concerning alternative educational programs, and any student seeking this means of credit completion must check with the Tri-Valley High School guidance office before enrolling, or their credits could be denied.
If a student repeats a course in the traditional classroom setting to get a better grade (this includes failing past courses) then the new grade will completely take the place of the old grade and the old one will be erased. If a student repeats a course via an on-linemethod, then both grades will remain on the transcript and thus both will be calculated into the GPA.
ELIGIBILITY
Students who participate in co-curricular activities at Tri-Valley High School are required to maintain academic eligibility as determined by the State of Ohio and the Tri-Valley Board of Education. Eligibility to participate requires a student to be passing a minimum of five (5) credits of course work during the preceding nine weeks’ grading period. This means the last nine weeks of the preceding school year (Spring) determines Fall eligibility. Eligibility is not based upon semester grades, final year-end grades, or summer course work. In addition to passing the necessary courses each nine weeks, students are urged to enroll in enough full credit courses to avoid losing their eligibility. Eligibility for participation in co-curricular and extra-curricular activities of the Tri-Valley School District, which are not governed by state athletic rules, are determined each nine weeks using earned grades (GPA) and not by the number of attempted credits.
TRI-VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL HONOR ROLL
Three separate honor rolls are developed each nine week grading period. These are:
4.00 or all A’s……………………………………..”Merit” Honor Roll
3.50 - 3.99…………………………………………”Principal’s” Honor Roll
3.00 - 3.49…………………………………………”Honor” Honor Roll
To be eligible for consideration for Tri-Valley academic awards, including the annual academic banquet and the quarterly honor roll, students need to be enrolled and attempting to complete a minimum of three (3.5) high school credits or courses or the college equivalent each quarter or semester. Grades that include a + or a - will not affect the calculation for the honor roll. Grades of D, F, U, or I will prevent a student from being on the honor roll. All graded courses are considered for the honor roll.
To be eligible for an Academic Honor Letter students must maintain a 3.75 GPA for an average of any three grading periods during the current school year.
EDUCATIONAL OPTIONS/CREDIT FLEXIBILITY
The Board of Education recognizes the need to provide alternative means by which students achieve the goals of the District.
The Superintendent shall prepare a plan of educational options for use in meeting special needs. Such options may include, but not be limited to, distance learning, on-line coursework, tutorial programs, independent study, correspondence courses, educational travel, mentorship programs, summer school, early college entrance, etc.
Prior approval of the Superintendent shall be required before a student participates in one (1) of the available educational options.
Student performance shall be evaluated as either pass or fail, or by awarding letter grades.
Any student who would like to participate in one of the approved options shall complete the EDUCATIONAL OPTION APPLICATION (Form 1270 F1)and submit it to the principal by August 30th for an educational option to be pursued beginning in the first semester, and by January 1st for an educational option to be pursued beginning in the second semester.
The application shall describe the option to be pursued, list the requirements for successful completion, identify the individual who will be evaluating the student’s completed work, and specify the deadline by which the work must be submitted. The principal shall approve or disapprove an application to participate in an approved education option.
Educational option/credit flexibility – experiences or activities which may be provided in accordance with Board policy to supplement the regular school program scheduled for students. Such options may include:
- “Correspondence course” – systematic instruction by mail or electronic media between a student and instructor in accordance with Board policy.
- “Educational travel” – an educational activity involving travel in accordance with Board policy under the direction of a person approved by the Board and parent.
- “Independent study” – an educational activity involving advanced or in-depth work by an individual student under the direction of a certified member of the school staff in accordance with Board policy.
- “Mentor program” – an educational activity including advanced or in-depth work by an individual student in accordance with Board policy under the direction of a non-certificated individual. Mentors shall be individuals selected in accordance with Board criteria and subject to parent approval.
- “Tutorial program” – an educational activity involving work by an individual student under the direction of a licensed teacher in accordance with Board policy.
- “Flex Out’ Option – Student’s may flex out of a course taking and passing an exam to earn credit in lieu of taking the course. There will be an $80.00 fee for taking a standardized course exam. Students may attempt to take this exam twice. There will be no penalty for attempting to take this exam, other than having to take the actual course in a classroom setting to obtain credit. If a student earns a “passing” score, that will be the grade used on the transcript.
TRI-VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL COLLEGE CREDIT PLUS OPTIONS
Eligibility is based on the College Credit Plus (CCP) guidelines and the individual post-secondary institutions. Please visit the below link for commonly asked questions:
ENROLLMENT
A.By April 1, of each year, a student or his/her parent must complete and submit the CCP Intent to Participate form. This signifies the student’s intent to participate in the program for the following school year.
B.Failure to meet this deadline may exclude the student from the program for that school year unless the superintendent grants a waiver. The student or his/her parent may withdraw participation at any time upon written notification to the high school administration and counseling offices.
TRI-VALLEY HIGH SCHOOL - PROPER COURSE SELECTION IS IMPORTANT
The number one priority for students is their education. Therefore, the student and guardians/parents should study this course description guide together. The information in this booklet is designed to help the student (1) prepare a program of study for the high school years, (2) meet course requirements leading to graduation, (3) choose appropriate courses by using the course descriptions in the guidebook, (4) select courses for the upcoming school year, and (5) guide long range planning.
Parents should assist their child with selecting courses and sign the registration form. It is important that the selection procedure be considered carefully so that problems and frustrations do not occur later.
Students should try to determine their course of study for all four years. This can serve as a guide to help them make important decisions, achieve goals for their future, and excel in the job market.
No more than one Study Hall is advised.
RECOMMENDED COLLEGE PREPARATORY CURRICULUM
The faculty of Tri-Valley High School strongly recommends that students preparing for college complete the following curriculum. Variations may be required for specific college entrance requirements and/or due to the student’s interests, abilities and career objectives.
NINTH GRADETENTH GRADE
English 9 (CP)English 10 (CP)
Algebra 1 or Algebra 2Algebra 2 or Geometry
Foreign LanguageForeign Language
Physical Science or Biology Biology or Chemistry
World StudiesPhysical Education
Physical Education/HealthU.S. History
ElectivesElectives
ELEVENTH GRADETWELFTH GRADE
English 11 (CP)English 12 (CP) or AP Literature
Geometry or Pre-CalcU.S. Government
Chemistry or AP ChemistryAdv. Math or AP Calculus
Foreign LanguagePhysics
AP US HistoryForeign Language
ElectivesElectives
COLLEGE CORE CURRICULUM
Recommended by Ohio Board of Regents and the State-Assisted Universities:
4 credits in English
4 credits in Mathematics (Algebra I, Algebra II, & Geometry)
3 credits in Science (1 physical and 1 life science required)
3 credits in Social Studies
3 credits in Foreign Language
1 credit in Visual/Performing Arts (art, music, design)
NOTE: One unit of visual or performing arts (courses in art or music) is required for unconditional acceptance to most state colleges and universities in Ohio. Check with the colleges to determine the courses they will accept for this credit.
Students planning to attend college should take advantage of college preparatory courses whenever possible. These courses are valuable and will assist you to succeed in college. Many unsuccessful college students did not take the basic college preparatory courses in high school that serve as a basis for success in college level work.
For admission to many highly SELECTIVE colleges and universities, advanced placement courses may be extremely important in gaining admission.
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
ENGLISH
English Electives:
002School Media Pulications
Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 1 year/1credit
This class provides the opportunity for students to explore the actual tools used in television, radio, the recording industry, and live event venues and gain hands-on experience while supporting school concerts, plays, dances, and other events. Assignments may include shooting and editing high definition video for school news programs. Running the school’s 32 channel audio board and 8 track digital recording systems for concerts, and creating computer controlled DMX light shows choreographed to music for school dances.
003Great Novels
Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 1 semester/1/2 credit
Great Novels is a course for students who enjoy reading both classical and contemporary works of fiction. Several novels will be read during the duration of this course. In addition to attendance and participation in classroom discussions, students will be responsible for completing journal entries and an individual project for each novel. Students will need to purchase some books.
Fee required
004Career Writing
Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 1 semester/1/2 credit
Emphasizing the learning of proper English, Technical Writing is a course that prepares one for professional and scholarly writing. One will learn proper grammatical sentence structures, how to compose a variety of sentence types, the essentiality of paragraph construction, and the development of composing fluid essays and/or professional documents that convey clarity of purpose by way of careful and precise word choice. Moreover, this course will also emphasize formal and proper methods of writing résumés, cover letters, and college-entrance essays, as well as analyzing, proofreading, and editing documents as a means of improving one’s technical writing and/or grammatical skills.
005Yearbook
Grade 9, 10, 11, 121 year/1 credit
The yearbook class obviously focuses on the production of the Tri-Valley Tartan. Each member is expected to sell business ads, take pictures, work fundraisers, participate in group activities, and create unique yearbook pages. Students must be creative, organized, outgoing, andpossess a lot of pride in their school. The yearbook classdocumentsmemories to be looked upon for years tocome.
006Journalism/Newspaper
Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 1semester/1/2 credit
Students who are interested in writing editorials, news articles, sports articles, reviews, blogs, etc. for the school newspaper should take this course. Anyone who has taken Journalism in the past is welcome to take Newspaper and be able to start right away in the fall working on the School Newspaper staff. Students who have never taken Journalism before are also welcome to take this course to develop their writing for a journalistic atmosphere. All opinions, viewpoints, perspectives, and talents are welcome to write for the newspaper.
English Core Courses:
011English 9
Grade 9 1 year/1credit
English 9 is a non-college intending course which examines the basic elements of language arts, grammar and usage, vocabulary development, composition, literature, interpersonal skills and public speaking. An emphasis on career exploration, goal setting, time management, organizational skills, and work ethic will provide the backdrop for this freshmen level course.
Fee required
012 English 9 CP (College Prep)
Grade 9 1 year/1 credit
College Preparatory English 9 examines the basic elements of language arts, grammar and usage, vocabulary development, composition, literature, interpersonal skills and public speaking. An emphasis on career exploration, goal setting, time management, organizational skills, and work ethic will provide the backdrop for this freshmen level course.
Fee Required
014English 9 Honors
Grade 9..... 1year/1 credit
Honors English 9 is a language arts course for the freshman who plans to attend college and who has demonstrated success in previous English courses. This course provides experience and enrichment in the following areas: grammar and usage, composition, vocabulary and literature. Final acceptance is contingent upon satisfactory completion of the summer reading and writing assignment packet.
Fee required
MATHEMATICS
Students may be required to pass end of course exams as mandated by the State of Ohio core curriculum.
Freshmen students are required to purchase a school selected scientific calculator
The calculator fee will be assessed in school fees.
215 Algebra 1
Grade 9, 101 year/1 credit
This is a required course that develops mathematics skills the students previously learned. This course covers first and second degree equations, systems of equations, powers and roots, products and factors, rational expressions, and other basic algebra topics.
Fee required
216 Algebra Bridge
Grade 9, 10, 11 1 year/1credit
This is a transition course designed to increase Algebra skills to better prepare students for Algebra II course work.
217Algebra 2
Grade 9 , 10, 11, 12 1 year/1 credit
This is a required course that further develops algebraic concepts and skills learned in Algebra 1. The course includes algebraic functions, quadratic algebra, polynomial functions, rational functions, exponential functions, logarithmic functions, matrices and an introduction to trigonometry.
Prerequisite: Algebra 1
2171 Algebra 2 (Honors)
Grade 9, 10, 11, 12 1 year/1 credit
This course is a more rigorous version of Algebra 2. Concepts will be taught more in depth and with more rigor than the regular Algebra 2 course.
SCIENCE
Science Electives:
Forensic Science Course Description
Grade 9 1semester/ 1/2 credit
Forensic is a 9th grade level, one semester hands-on investigative science and technology course which focuses on the sills and concepts behind crime scene investigation and forensic science. Topics of study include, but are not limited to crime scene and eyewitness basics, physical evidence, including DNA, blood evidence, chromatography, hair and fiber analysis, forensic entomology and anthropology, and arson investigation.
Prerequisite: Must currently be enrolled in a science course (Physical Science or Biology) with a “C” or better in previous science course.