What Should High School Graduates in Missouri Know and Be Able to Do? 3

TABLE OF CONTENTS

What Should High School Graduates In Missouri Know And Be Able To Do? 3

Arcadia Valley R-2 School District Graduation Goals 3

General Information

Ø  Honors Program Graduation Requirements 5

Ø  Valedictorian and Salutatorian 5

Ø  Tech Prep Program Graduation Requirements 5

Ø  Constitution Tests 5

Ø  A+ Program – Goals and Benefits 5

Ø  Advanced Placement (AP) Classes 6

Ø  College 6

Ø  ITV Classes 6

Ø  NCAA 6

Ø  Tech Prep 2+2 Program 6

Ø  Tech Prep One Hour Classes 6

Ø  Weighted Classes 6

Ø  Planning Your Program 7

Ø  Schedule Changes and Dropping Courses 7

Ø  Repetition of Classes 7

Ø  Enrollment Details 7

Ø  Part-time and Early Out 7

Ø  Changes! 7

Ø  Dual Enrollment with Mineral Area College 8

Career Paths – A Way to Look at Course Selection 9

What Are The Six Career Paths, Career Clusters and Pathways…………………………………………………..10

1.  Arts and Communications Career Paths & Model Schedule …………………………………………..13

2.  Business, Management, and Technology Career Paths & Model Schedule ………………….. 15

3.  Health Services Career Paths & Model Schedule … ……..17

4.  Human Services Career Paths & Model Schedule 20

5.  Industrial & Engineering Technology Career Paths & Model Schedule 22

6.  Natural Resources Career Paths & Model Schedule 24

o  College Prep Model Schedule 26

Ø  SHORT OF CREDITS? DON’T QUIT SCHOOL. HERE’S HELP! 27

o  Counselor 27

o  Correspondence Courses 27

o  East Missouri Action Agency 27

o  Independent Study 27

o  Summer School 27

o  Tutoring 27

Course Offerings 28

Course Descriptions

Ø  Language Arts 32

Ø  Mathematics 35

Ø  Science 37

Ø  Social Studies 38

Ø  Fine Arts 40

Ø  Foreign Language 41

Ø  Physical Education & Health 42

Ø  Practical Arts - Family and Consumer Science 42

Ø  Practical Arts - Industrial Arts 44

Ø  Practical Arts – Career Tech 44

Ø  Other Programs and Courses …………………………………………………………………………………………50

What Should High School Graduates In Missouri Know And Be Able To Do?

All Missourians are eager to ensure that graduates of Missouri’s public schools have the knowledge, skills and competencies essential to leading productive, fulfilling and successful lives as they continue their education, enter the workforce and assume their civic responsibilities. Master teachers, parents and policy-makers from around the state met together to create the Missouri academic standards, "The Show-Me Standards.” These standards (73 in all) are intended to define what students should learn by the time they graduate from high school. 33 performance standards and 40 knowledge standards are integrated in kindergarten through 12th grade classes. These standards build a solid foundation of knowledge and skills and the ability to apply their knowledge and skills to the kinds of problems and decisions they will likely encounter after they graduate. Arcadia Valley School District uses all of these standards in their curriculum and has adopted the performance standards as graduation goals.

Arcadia Valley R-2 School District Graduation Goals

“The Show-Me Performance Standards”

Goal 1 - Students in Arcadia Valley R-2 Schools will acquire the knowledge and skills to gather, analyze, and apply information and ideas.

Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:

1. develop questions and ideas to initiate and refine research
2. conduct research to answer questions and evaluate information and ideas
3. design and conduct field and laboratory investigations to study nature and society
4. use technological tools and other resources to locate, select and organize information
5. comprehend and evaluate written, visual and oral presentations and works
6. discover and evaluate patterns and relationships in information, ideas and structures
7. evaluate the accuracy of information and the reliability of its sources
8. organize data, information and ideas into useful forms (including charts, graphs, outlines) for analysis or presentation
9. identify, analyze and compare the institutions, traditions and art forms of past and present societies
10. apply acquired information, ideas and skills to different contexts as students, workers, citizens and consumers

Goal 2 - Students in Arcadia Valley R-2 School District will acquire the knowledge and skills to communicate effectively within and beyond the classroom.

Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:

1. plan and make written, oral and visual presentations for a variety of purposes and audiences
2. review and revise communications to improve accuracy and clarity
3. exchange information, questions and ideas while recognizing the perspectives or others
4. present perceptions and ideas regarding works of the arts, humanities and sciences
5. perform or produce works in the fine and practical arts
6. apply communication techniques to the job search and to the workplace
7. use technological tools to exchange information and ideas

Goal 3 - Students in Arcadia Valley R-2 School District will acquire the knowledge and skills to recognize and solve problems.

Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:

1. identify problems and define their scope and elements
2. develop and apply strategies based on one’s own experience in preventing or solving problems
3. develop and apply strategies based on one’s own experience in preventing or solving problems
4. evaluate the processes used in recognizing and solving problems
5. reason inductively from a set of specific facts and deductively from general problems
6. examine problems and proposed solutions from multiple perspectives
7. evaluate the extent to which a strategy addresses the problem
8. assess costs, benefits and other consequences of proposed solutions

Goal 4 - Students in Arcadia Valley R-2 School District will acquire the knowledge and skills to make decisions and act as responsible members of society.

Students will demonstrate within and integrate across all content areas the ability to:

1. explain reasoning and identify information used to support decisions
2. understand and apply the rights and responsibilities of citizenship in Missouri and the United States
3. analyze the duties and responsibilities of individuals in societies
4. recognize and practice honesty and integrity in academic work and in the workplace
5. develop, monitor and revise plans of actions to meet deadlines and accomplish goals
6. identify tasks that require a coordinated effort and work with others to complete those tasks
7. identify and apply practices that preserve and enhance the safety and health of self and others
8. explore, prepare for and seek educational and job opportunities.

Arcadia Valley High School will establish an educational environment

conducive to the needs of all students. The district will provide varied

opportunities to increase skills, broaden knowledge and develop work

habits necessary to successfully:

1. Seek and maintain employment,
2. Further education through a trade or technical school, and/or
3. Attend an academic college or university

A.V. is where every tiger earns its stripes!!!!!

GENERAL INFORMATION

7

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

Listed below are the minimum graduation requirements for Arcadia Valley High School. All students should become familiar with these requirements.

HONORS PROGRAM: (24 credits)

4 units of English (Honors English 1,2,3,&4)

4 units of Mathematics (Alg 1 & above)

3 units of Science (Phys. Science, Bio. & 1 more Honors Science class)

3 units of Social Studies (American History, Personal Finance, Government, and at least .5 unit of a social studies class other than psychology/sociology)

1 unit of Practical Arts (0.5 unit of Computer Applications)

1 unit of Fine Arts

1 unit of Physical Education

0.5 unit of Health

6.5 electives

VALEDICTORIAN & SALUTATORIAN

Special recognition for students completing this course of study will be made on their diplomas and transcripts. To be eligible for Valedictorian or Salutatorian, a student must graduate with Honors. Also, the student must be enrolled within the school district prior to and continuously following the 10th school day of the student's junior year. College classes and correspondence classes do not count towards the Honors Program.

TECH-PREP PROGRAM: (24 credits)

4 units of English (College-prep English 1,2,3, and one other)

3 units of Math

3 units of Science

3 units of Social Studies (American History, Personal Finance, Government, & at least .5 unit of a social studies class other than Psychology/Sociology)

1 unit of Practical Arts (0.5 unit of Computer Applications)

1 unit of Fine Arts

1 unit of Physical Education

0.5 unit of Health

7.5 electives (Six hours will be strongly recommended in a specified core area. This specified area would include the Career Tech block or an approved career path.)

CONSTITUTION TESTS

All students are required by law to pass State and Federal Constitution Tests before diplomas can be awarded.

A+ PROGRAM

A+ Goals

1.  All students will graduate from high school.

2.  All students will complete a selection of high school studies that is challenging and for which there are identified learner expectations.

3.  All students will proceed from high school to a college or postsecondary vocational or technical school or high wage job with work place skill development opportunities.

A+ Benefits and Eligibility

Beginning with the Class of 2002, students may enroll in the A+ Program and strive for A+ certification at the time of graduation to receive up to two years of tuition to any Missouri community college or vocational/technical school. The requirements are:

·  Sign an A+ School Agreement;

·  Attend a designated A+ School for 3 consecutive years prior to graduation;

·  Graduate from high school with a GPA of 2.5 on a 4.0 scale (6.875 on an 11.0 scale);

·  Graduate with 95% rate of attendance;

·  Perform 50 hours of unpaid tutoring or mentoring;

·  Maintain a record of good citizenship and avoidance of the unlawful use of drugs;

·  Make a good faith effort to first secure all available federal postsecondary student financial assistance funds that do not require repayment;

·  Males must register with the Selective Service.

The funding for the A+ Program was moved to the MO Department of Higher Education at the end of August, 2010. That means MDHE is paying the community colleges and career/technical schools for the classes eligible A+ students are taking.

Beginning with the class of 2014, new eligibility requirements are being written. An education committee assembled by the governor’s office has composed a list of recommended student requirements that must go through an approval process before they are adopted. As soon as they are finalized, we will make students and parents aware of the changes.

Three Factors Impact Student Eligibility

1.  The student must meet all requirements.

2.  AVHS must maintain A+ designation.

3.  The state funding must be available.

ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES

AP classes are another way to offer college credit to the students. At the end of the class if a student wishes to earn college credit she/he will pay to take an exit test and must make a high enough score to qualify for college credit. Statistics and Calculus are AP classes.

COLLEGE

Students who plan to attend schools in the University of Missouri system are required to take two years of the same foreign language. This would include the University of Missouri at Kansas City, Rolla, St. Louis, and Columbia. Consult college catalogs for specific college requirements.

ITV CLASSES

Students who are juniors and seniors will have the opportunity to take classes through ITV that are offered by area high schools and Mineral Area College.

NCAA

Student/athletes who want to be eligible to play sports in NCAA Division I or II must satisfy certain course requirements, GPA requirements and ACT requirements. See the counselor or coach for more details.

TECH PREP 2+2 PROGRAM

Arcadia Valley Area Career-Tech and Mineral Area College offers free college credit through the following courses. Certain stipulations apply. See brochures for more details.

·  Automotive Collision (36 Hours)

·  Automotive Technology (36 Hours)

·  Building & Grounds Maintenance (24 Hours)

·  Business Technology (18 Hours)

·  Computer Repair (28 Hours)

·  Graphic Communications Technology (36) Hours)

·  Welding (36 Hours)

TECH PREP ONE HOUR CLASSES (FOR 11TH & 12TH GRADERS

Career Tech offers one-hour classes that are articulated through Mineral Area College for free college credit. They are Computer Networking/Cisco Academy, Desktop Publishing, and Business MCA. (Medical Terminology is not free.)

WEIGHTED CLASSES

The following classes are given 1.2 weight, which is 0.2 more weight than the standard weight of 1.0. This is to encourage and reward students who take more challenging courses. Weighted classes are indicated with an * and include:

·  American Political Systems I*

·  American Political Systems II*

·  Anatomy & Physiology*/Zoology*

·  AP Statistics*

·  Art History 1 & 11*

·  Advanced Business MCA (A & B)*

·  AP Calculus*

·  Chemistry*

·  College Algebra*

·  College Algebra*/Trigonometry* over ITV for dual credit

·  Computer Networking/Cisco*

·  Desktop Publishing*

·  Honors English 3*

·  Honors English 4*

·  ITV Advanced American History*

·  Medical Terminology*

·  Physics*

·  Public Speaking*

·  Trigonometry*

PLANNING YOUR PROGRAM

Careful consideration should go into developing each student’s schedule. All parties involved are asked to carefully read course descriptions before enrolling. This is very important because classes offered and the number of sections developed are based upon student requests. Requests for changes after a course has begun will be granted only if new special circumstances are present.

SCHEDULE CHANGES AND DROPPING COURSES

Students may request schedule changes for the coming year prior to the first day of school. After school begins, course changes will be made to correct errors, which directly affect graduation requirements, level changes deemed necessary by the teacher, or those deemed necessary by the administration.

REPETITION OF CLASSES

Students may not retake a class and get additional credit for it. However, it is sometimes advisable to take a class for non-credit. For example, a student who barely passes Algebra I may want to retake it in order to get into and be successful in Algebra II. The only exceptions to this rule are the performance classes which are Band, Jazz Band, Chorus, Choir, Physical Education and Weight Training. These classes may be retaken for credit.