Transition+to+EHS

The topics listed (in alphabetical order) are briefly explained below in the same order. Scroll to the item of interest to you, and hopefully, your questions will be answered!
 * __ CLASS OF 2014 INFORMATION __**


 * TOPICS:**
 * **ATHLETICS AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL**
 * **CLUBS AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL**
 * **CLUSTERS AND PATHWAYS**
 * **COMPLETER PROGRA​MS**
 * **EXAMS**
 * **GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS**
 * **HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS**
 * **HOW TO ACCESS THE STUDENT EDUCATION PLANNING GUIDE ONLINE**
 * **HOW TO EARN A CREDIT**
 * **LUNCH AT EHS**
 * **PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH**
 * **POST-GRADUATION GOAL/CAREER GOAL**
 * **PROMOTION CRITERIA**
 * **TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION**


 * __ATHLETICS AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL__**

//__Spring:__// Baseball, Softball, Tennis*, Track & Field*, Lacrosse*

 * boys and girls

Students must meet eligibility requirements to participate in athletics. First time 9th graders are eligible for fall sports. However, when interims are issued, any 9th grader with 2 failing interims is ineligible. After that, report cards determine eligibility. If you have a failing grade on your report card, you are ineligible until you receive another report card with no failing grades. There are no exceptions to the athletic eligibility rules. For more specific information, see the Student Education Planning Guide, page 25.

Fall athletics begin practicing on August 15. Prior to that, teams have organizational meetings. Check the EHS website for information about specific times, dates, and locations of fall sports organizational meetings. All students must have a physical exam report on file before he/she can practice with a sports team. A physical is good for one school year. Free physicals will be given at Elkton High School in early June. Check the website for the specific date and time.

For winter and spring athletics, organizational meetings and sign-ups will be announced at school. Another good reason to listen to those announcements!


 * __CLUBS AT ELKTON HIGH SCHOOL__**


 * Drama Club
 * FBLA (Future Business Leaders of America)
 * Environmental Club
 * Key Club
 * National Honor Society
 * Student Council
 * Yearbook
 * Gay/Straight Alliance
 * Band (must audition)
 * Concert Choir (must audition)
 * Steppers (must audition)
 * Bowling Club
 * Allied Sports Club
 * Fellowship of Christian Athletes
 * Best Buddies Club

These are the currently active clubs at Elkton High School. A few clubs meet during the school day; others meet after school. Some clubs have special requirements. Information about clubs and how to join will be given during school announcements, so be sure to listen carefully!


 * __CLUSTERS AND PATHWAYS__**

You will be asked to choose a cluster and a pathway at the end of your 9th grade year. Part of your Freshman Seminar course will be devoted to assisting you in making this choice. Your choice is not cast in stone!! You can change your cluster and pathway at any time, according to your interests. Your cluster and pathway choice will determine your pathway required courses and pathway options courses. (See pathway charts in the Student Education Planning Guide. Specific pages are noted in the Graduation Requirements section). If you take two pathway required courses for one pathway, and then change your pathway, you do not need to take additional pathway required courses. The remainder of your pathway choices should reflect your new pathway, but you do not have to backtrack. On the registration sheet, you are asked to check your tentative cluster choice. Feel free to check more than one.


 * __COMPLETER PROGRAMS__**

There are 22 different completer programs from which you can choose. You must have a completer program in order to graduate. Many students graduate with two completer programs, and some even graduate with three! Nine of these completer programs are offered at Elkton High School. The other 13 are offered at Cecil County School of Technology. If you choose a CCST program, you must apply to the program in February of your 10th grade year. If you are accepted, you will attend the program for most of the day in your second semester of 11th grade and first semester of 12th grade. The exception to this is the Cosmetology program – you will also attend CCST during the first semester of 11th grade in this program. Here are the 22 completer programs: On the registration sheet, you are asked to check your tentative completer program choice. Feel free to check as many as interest you.
 * World language – two or more credits of the same language. Choices: French, German, Spanish, and ESOL (English as a Second Language). This program is for any student who plans to attend college or become eligible to for Division I or II college athletics.
 * Advanced Technology – two credits. Here are the courses you can choose: CADD I, CADD II, Construction/Manufacturing Technology, Energy & Power Transportation Technology. For course descriptions, see the Student Education Planning Guide. This program could be for a student planning to attend a technical school after graduation.
 * Career and Technology Education (CTE) Programs (see page 67 in the Student Education Planning Guide for more program information, and look for specific course descriptions also in the Guide):
 * At Elkton High:
 * Finance & Accounting – This program is for students hoping to study business, finance or accounting in college, or for students who want to get an entry level job in this field immediately after high school.
 * Office Administration – This program is for students hoping to study business in college, or for students who want to get an entry level job in this field immediately after high school.
 * Oracle Academy – This program is for students interested in computer programming.
 * Pre-Engineering (Project Lead the Way) – This program is for students planning to study engineering in college.
 * ProStart – This program is for students who want to work in the food service industry.
 * Teacher Academy – This program is for students who want to become teachers or teachers’ aides.
 * Career Research & Development – This program is for students hoping to find employment during high school. Students in this program only take classes during the morning of their senior year.
 * At Cecil County School of Technology (For course descriptions, see the Student Education Planning Guide):
 * Allied Health I & II
 * Automotive Technology I & II
 * Computer/Electronic Technology I & II
 * Construction Trades I & II
 * Cosmetology I & II
 * Culinary Arts I & II
 * Electrical Trades I & II
 * Fire Science/Emergency Medical Services I & II
 * Heavy Industrial Maintenance I & II
 * HVAC & Plumbing Technology I & II
 * Natural Resources I & II
 * Webmaster Technology I & II
 * Welding & Metals Technology I & II


 * __EXAMS__**

At the end of each semester, there will be a week of exams. In January, you will have final exams for your semester courses, and a midterm exam for your yearlong course. In June, you will have final exams for all of your courses. On your report card, there is a separate column for your exam grades. Exams count as 20% of your final course grade, so it’s important to study for them. For more information on the high school grading policy, go to [|www.ccps.org], click on “Grading and Reporting” in the menu on the left, and then click on “High School.”


 * __GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS__**

· English – 4 credits: English 9 or Honors English 9 English 10 or Honors English 10 English 11, Honors English 11, or AP English 11 English 12, Honors English 12, or AP English 12

· Social Studies – 4 credits: Government or Honors Government World History or Honors World History U. S. History, Honors U. S. History, or AP U. S. History Contemporary World Studies

· Science – 3 credits: One must be Biology or Honors Biology

· Math – 4 credits: One must be Algebra I or Algebra IB Carnegie One must be Geometry or Honors Geometry Students must take math every year in high school. Middle school math credits do not count as part of the high school requirement.

· Physical Education – 1 credit: Personal Fitness Cross Training

· Health – 1 credit: Health I & Health II

· Fine Arts – 1 credit: Art, Music, or Theatre

· Basic Technology – 1 credit: Foundations of Technology for ½ or 1 credit Introduction to Design & Presentation for ½ credit Intro to Engineering (Pre-requisite: Algebra I) Principles of Englineering (Pre-requisite: Algebra I)

· Pathway Requirements – 2 credits: See requirements for your pathway in the Student Education Planning Guide: Arts & Communications: pages 5-9 Business, Finance & Marketing: pages 10-13 Health & Human Services: pages 14-17 Science, Engineering & Technology: pages 18-22

· Pathway Option – 5 credits: See requirements for your pathway in the Student Education Planning Guide. Pages are listed above.

· Your Pathway Options/Requirements must include a Completer Program.

· You must pass High School Assessments in Algebra, Government, Biology, and English.

· You must complete a Service Learning Project in grades 6, 7, 8, and 9.

· You must attend high school for four years, unless you are granted a waiver by the superintendent to attend college early.


 * __HIGH SCHOOL ASSESSMENTS__**

You must pass assessments in Algebra, Biology, Government and English. You will take the Algebra assessment at the end of Algebra I or Algebra IB Carnegie. English will be taken at the end of your English 10 course. Biology and Government will be taken at the end of those courses. If you don’t pass the assessment, you will be given opportunities for extra help before you retake the exam. High School Assessments are given in January and May.


 * __HOW TO ACCESS THE STUDENT EDUCATION PLANNING GUIDE ONLINE__**

Go to [|www.ccps.org]. In the menu on the right, click on “Student Education Planning Guide.” To locate specific pages, click on “pdf, 2.09 MB” to download the entire guide. Or you can follow the directions on this screen to select categories of interest to you.


 * __HOW TO EARN A CREDIT__**

If you pass an 80-minute long semester course with a grade of D or better, you earn 1 credit. If you pass a 45-minute yearlong course with a grade of D or better, you earn 1 credit. If you pass an 80-minute marking period course with a grade of D or better, you earn ½ credit.


 * __LUNCH AT EHS__**

Lunch is served during the fourth period each day. There are 4 lunch shifts – A, B, C, and D – each lasting 25 minutes. Your lunch shift is determined by the location in the building of the teacher you have for 4th period. There will be students from all grades on each lunch shift. For more information about the school lunch program, go to [|www.ccps.org], click on Departments, and click on Food Services.


 * __PHYSICAL EDUCATION & HEALTH__**

All students must earn a full credit in physical education and a full credit in health in order to graduate. Ninth graders take Personal Fitness and Health I for a half-credit each. Students wear black shorts and white or gray t-shirts for physical education classes. For course descriptions, see the Student Education Planning Guide.


 * __POST-GRADUATION GOAL/CAREER GOAL__**

You will be asked often about your post-graduation goal and your career goal. I can almost hear you saying – “Post-graduation??? Career??? I’m not even out of 8th grade yet!” Don’t let the questions stress you out! You may change your mind about your post-graduation goal and your career goal a hundred times while you’re in high school – and that’s okay. It’s also okay for your answer to be “undecided.” In fact, the average college student changes his or her major (that’s the field they study) three times. And as technology expands, adults change careers much more now than they did in the fairly recent past. The reasons I ask so much: in order to get somewhere, you need to know where you are going so you can take the appropriate path to get there. If your direction changes, you can adjust for that. I just want to know that you are THINKING about the future, and exploring different possibilities. I also don’t want you to get to your senior year with regrets about anything you have or haven’t done in high school. And finally, occasionally opportunities arise for small numbers of students who are interested in a certain career to participate in a program related to that career. If I know where your interests lie, I can be on the lookout for those opportunities. So when I ask for your goals, just tell me what they are today, and if you change them tomorrow, no big deal!


 * __PROMOTION CRITERIA__**

Unlike elementary and middle school, promotion to the next grade in high school depends on three things: 1) your year in high school, 2) the total number of credits you have earned, and 3) the number of core credits (math, English, social studies, and science) you have earned. All students are considered for promotion at the end of each school year. Students who have been retained while in high school are also considered for promotion at the mid-point of each school year. First time 9th grade students must earn at least 5 credits (including at least 2 core credits) in order to move on to 10th grade. For more information on promotion criteria, see page 25 of the Student Education Planning Guide.


 * __THE SCHEDULE AT EHS__**

We have a ten-period day at EHS for ninth graders. All other grades have 5 periods. Periods 1(1-2), 2(3-4), 4(7-8), and 5(9-10) are 80 minutes long. Period 3(5-6) is 45-minutes long. Usually, the 80-minute long classes last one semester (two marking periods, or 18 weeks). At the end of the semester (third week in January), these classes end, and students begin 4 new classes for the second semester. The 45-minute class usually lasts all year long. This schedule gives students an opportunity to earn 9 credits each year in high school. See the “Credits” section for more information. Lunch is served during the fourth period.


 * __TECHNOLOGY EDUCATION__**

All students must earn a full credit in basic technology, and this is usually taken in 9th grade. All students may choose Foundations of Technology for one credit, or Foundations of Technology and Introduction to Design & Presentation for a half-credit each. Students who have completed Algebra I in middle school may also choose Introduction to Engineering Design or Principles of Engineering, both full credit courses. For course descriptions, see the Student Education Planning Guide.