How To Get A College Degree In North Carolina

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1 HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS FAQ s High School Options - Quick Glance: pg 1 International Baccalaureate Program: pg 2 Health Sciences Academy: pg 3 Phoenix STEM Academy: pg 4 Rockingham Early College High: pg 5 Public Safety Academy: pg 6 Advanced Placement (AP) Courses: pg 7-8

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3 What is the International Baccalaureate Diploma Program? The IB Program is a two-year, college preparatory, international curriculum for academically motivated students. It has been designed to address the intellectual, social, emotional and physical well-being of students. Who is the program designed for? IB is designed for highly motivated students who seek the challenge of a well-rounded, liberal arts and international curriculum. In what grades are IB classes offered? IB classes are taught in the 11 th & 12 th grade with recommended classes in 9 th & 10 th grade as preparation for the IB program. What is IB s curriculum focus? The IB curriculum offers courses in humanities and the sciences. Diploma candidates must select courses from each of the six IB areas: English, second language, mathematics, sciences, history and electives. What are the benefits of earning an IB Diploma? The IB Diploma equips students with skills and attitudes necessary for success in higher education and employment. The goal is to provide the students with opportunities that will enable them to develop the ability to make sound judgments, wise decisions and respect others in the global community. How is the IB Program different from the College Board Advanced Placement Program (AP)? Diploma candidates must select courses from each of the six IB subject groups. Diploma candidates also participate in Theory of Knowledge courses, write and Extended Essay (EE) of, words after research on a topic of their choice, and participate in 150 Creativity, Action and Service (CAS) hours during their junior and senior year. Do students have to take all IB classes? No, students can take individual IB classes as a certificate candidate instead of a Diploma candidate. How is athletic participation handled in this program? Students are eligible to participate in athletics at Reidsville High School. How many students are admitted into the program? The IB Program will admit 70 students for the school year. Is transportation provided to the primary site of the program? Transportation will be provided to/from select drop off sites across the district. REIDSVILLE HIGH I I 2

4 Why should a student come to the Morehead High School Health Sciences Academy? 1. If a student has a desire to pursue a medically related career. 2. If a student wants to hear guest speakers from all medical disciplines sharing about their particular profession. 3. If a student wants opportunities for clinical rotations and internships before going to college. 4. If a student wants an advantage for admission and/or conditional acceptance to many medical programs in-state and out-of-state. 5. If a student wants the solid college preparatory program with a unique way to learn about his/her own medical health. 6. If a student wants opportunities for scholarships, career exploration and college planning. Is the Health Science Academy a Gifted and Talented Academy only? The Health Science Academy is for any student who is motivated and willing to work hard. Students enrolled in the Health Science Academy take regular, honors, and AP courses. Are extracurricular activities encouraged? Every college preparatory program recommends involvement in extracurricular activities. It demonstrates well-roundedness and the ability to be a team player. Every student in the academy is afforded the same opportunities for participation in sport, the arts and community service. How is athletic participation handled in this program? Students are eligible to participate in athletics at Morehead High School. How many students are admitted into the program? The Health Sciences Academy will admit 40 students for the school year. Is transportation provided to the primary site of the program? Transportation will be provided to/from select drop off sites across the district. 3 MOREHEAD HIGH I I

5 What is the STEM Academy? STEM is an acronym for science, technology, engineering and mathematics, areas that have been identified as critical for future economic growth. The Phoenix STEM Academy is designed to increase student achievement by engaging and exposing students to innovative science, technology, and math instruction. Each course will provide a rigorous, well-rounded education with technology integrated across the curriculum. Is STEM a Gifted and Talented Academy only? No, STEM attracts students from diverse social and academic backgrounds. All students at STEM take regular, honors, and AP courses because we believe all students, regardless of background, can achieve at a high academic level when provided a supportive environment. There is no preference given to any applicants based upon prior academic performance or program participation. What should I expect from the Phoenix STEM Academy? Students will be engaged through a hands-on, problem bases focus. These real-world applications will make learning relevant to student s lives. The curricular program for the academy will help students prepare for the challenges of the 21 st Century. Students will complete four years of high school mathematics, technology, and science, and participate in STEM related extracurricular activities. The academy will build a college-going culture, with the purpose of providing our students with the skills necessary in the 21 st Century. Are extracurricular activities encouraged? Every college preparatory program recommends involvement in extracurricular activities. It demonstrates well-roundedness and the ability to be a team player. Every student in the academy is afforded the same opportunities for participation in sport, the arts and community service. One of our main goals in creating the Phoenix STEM Academy is that students in the Academy will still be able to participate in a variety of other programs. Is there support for students? The Phoenix STEM Academy will create a system of academic support and mentoring to allow motivated students to have access to the most challenging learning opportunities while assuring that success is within their reach. Students will be expected to take responsibility for their learning and take advantage of support opportunities. How is athletic participation handled in this program? Students are eligible to participate in athletics at McMichael High School. How many students are admitted into the program? The Phoenix STEM Academy will admit 40 students for the school year. Is transportation provided to the primary site of the program? Transportation will be provided to/from select drop off sites across the district. MCMICHAEL HIGH I I 4

6 What is the application procedure? Students must complete the application and interview with representatives from RECHS. A lottery is used to determine final selection. Applications will be accepted through March 28, Students will be advised of selection by June 13, Does RECHS follow the traditional calendar for Rockingham County Schools? Students attending RECHS follow a calendar specifically aligned with Rockingham Community College with additional student days built in to meet high school attendance requirements. What are the benefits of participating in this program? Students benefit from early exposure to the challenges and rewards of college. Support from the high school faculty helps students learn to successfully navigate the college experiences. Earning college transfer credits or a degree gives students an advantage when they transition to the university level. Do early college high school students pay college tuition to get credit for college courses? Early college high school courses, including college-level courses taken at Rockingham Community College, are free to students. Is RECHS only for students who are identified as academically gifted? RECHS is for any students who doesn t mind a challenge, who is willing to work hard and persevere, and who likes to meet new people and experience new things, all while getting started on a college education for free. What electives are offered? Currently, Spanish 1 and 2 are offered as high school courses. All other elective courses are college courses. How is athletic participation handled in this program? Students are eligible to participate in athletics at their zonal high school based on their residence. How many students are admitted into the program? RECHS will admit 100 students for the school year. Is transportation provided to the primary site of the program? Currently, transportation is provided to 9 th and 10 th grade students. Transportation is provided from select drop-off points. 5 ROCKINGHAM EARLY COLLEGE HIGH I x 2605 I

7 What is the Public Safety Academy? This academy will prepare students with the skills necessary for hire as a Fire Fighter or Emergency Medical Technician after graduation. The Academy is also designed to prepare students for continued study in the area of Fire Science. Students who enroll in the Academy should be prepared to enroll in a college program. Fire Science Program that will afford them the ability to assume a position as an officer within a Fire Department. Students who complete the program will be able to obtain approximately 90% of the training necessary to receive the Fire Fighter 1 & 2 Certification. Rockingham County Schools has partnered with Rockingham Community College as well as the fire departments within Rockingham County in this endeavor. Students will be able to obtain the remaining skills necessary for certification at RCC once they reach the age of eighteen. Students in the program will also have the opportunity to participate in Emergency Medical Technology classes aligned to the EMT basic certification available from the NC Office of Emergency Medical Services. There is a two course sequence required to meet the mandatory hours of training. Students will also have the opportunity to take Health Science classes to prepare for the EMT sequence. Will my student have the necessary credentials to be hired as a fireman when he/she graduates? The vast majority of the training will be finished upon graduation from the program however there are a few field experiences that we cannot replicate on campus. Rockingham Community College offers a program over the summer that will fulfill the remaining few weeks of study that is necessary for certification. Furthermore, Rockingham County is in need of civic minded young people within the community to take on the role of volunteer firemen. What electives will be offered? Public Safety, Fire Fighting Technology I & II & III, EMT I & II, Health Science I & II. What if my child is interested in attending a Four Year College upon Graduation? Careers within the area of fire protection exist that require a four-year degree. The University of North Carolina at Charlotte offers a Bachelor s Degree in Fire Protection Engineering. How is athletic participation handled in this program? Students are eligible to participate in athletics at Rockingham County High School. How many students are admitted into the program? The Public Safety Academy will admit 30 students for the school year. Will transportation be provided to the primary sire of the program? Transportation will be provided to/from select drop off sites across the district. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY HIGH I I 6

8 Advanced Placement (AP) Courses Rockingham County Schools offer a number of Advanced Placement (AP) courses. These courses are designed for students who are ready for the rigors of college level work and are willing to dedicate significant time outside of class to be academically successful at a high level. AP classes may require summer reading, after school or weekend labs and additional review sessions. AP courses are not limited to only juniors and seniors. Students are encouraged to begin AP courses as soon in their high school career as appropriate. For most AP subjects, there is no prerequisite course work. For some subjects, though, it is recommended that students have had some preliminary course work to be best prepared for the challenges of a particular AP course. The College Board discourages the creation of honors track prerequisites or other pipelines through which students must progress before they are allowed to enroll in AP. A student s individual motivation should inform enrollment decisions. For more information on specific course content and AP information, please consult the website of the College Board, Students are encouraged to take the most rigorous courses offered in their schools in preparation for AP courses. To be granted college credit, students must sign up and pay for the College Board s AP test for each AP course taken. College credit may be earned by attaining the required scores on the national AP exams. Students should consult with their chosen college to determine the test grade required to receive credit at that institution. Standards vary across the state and nation. Benefits of Enrolling in AP Classes AP courses provide a challenging college-level course and the opportunity to place out of an introductory college course, thus saving tuition money and/or allowing early graduation from college. Depending on the score a student makes and the policies of the college the student selects, the student may receive three or more semester hours of college credit for each test taken. AP students can take a wide variety of courses in multiple disciplines or concentrate on AP courses within a discipline(for instance, a strong science student could choose to concentrate on AP science courses and take regular or Honors courses in other disciplines). AP courses provide students with the opportunity to work with like-minded students who share an aptitude for learning and a willingness to apply themselves to hard work at academic, intellectual, and artistic interests. AP courses allow students to take challenging courses without hurting one s GPA. Advanced Placement courses are weighted two additional points. Students who do well in AP classes increase their chances of college success, and the College Board recognizes AP Scholar Designations and notifies both the high school and the college the students attends of these distinctions. 7 ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS I I

9 AP Course Offered The following courses are offered in our high schools within Rockingham County Schools: AP Biology (year long) AP Calculus AP English Language and Composition AP English Literature and Composition *Additional AP courses may be offered face to face or online through APEX learning and/or the NC Virtual Public School depending on student demand and interest. Information about specific AP courses can be found at: Exam Fees for Exam Fees for the have been waived. AP World History AP United States Government and Politics AP United States History Free Practice Exams In early fall, AP will publish new practice exams in 15 AP subjects. These are complete versions of the exams that were administered internationally in 2013 and feature a multiple-choice answer key, free response scoring guidelines, and a scoring worksheet. The practice exams will be posted in a secure location only accessible by AP Course Audit-authorized teachers. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS I I 8

10 HIGH SCHOOL OPTIONS ONLINE In compliance with Federal Law, Rockingham County Schools administers all education programs, employment activities and admissions without discrimination against any person on the basis of gender, race, color, religion, age or disability. ROCKINGHAM COUNTY SCHOOLS I 511 Harrington Highway I Eden, NC I I