Frequently Asked Questions about Scheduling for Freshman Year
General Information
How is the school year structured at CHS?
The academic year has two semesters. Each semester is divided into two quarters.
How is the day structured at Carmel High School and how many classes does a freshman take?
Carmel High School is on a Block 8 schedule. Students are scheduled for eight class periods, with four of the periods meeting on Blue Day for ninety minutes each and the other four periods meeting on Gold Day for ninety minutes each. Blue Days and Gold Days alternate throughout the school year. CHS students take seven classes each semester and also have a Student Resource Time (SRT) which meets during second period on Gold Day.
How do I help my student determine what classes to take during ninth grade?
The Carmel High School Program of Studies includes information about various diplomas available to students in Indiana and the requirements necessary to earn those diplomas is available on the CHS website at This diploma information can be found on the first few pages. The Program of Studies includes course descriptions of every course offered at CHS. Carefully reviewing the diploma requirements as well as the course information is a good starting place. Your student also received a Scheduling Worksheet with course placement recommendations, specific to your student, based on the courses he or she is taking in eighth grade.
Whatelective courses are available to ninth graders?
The complete list of courses open to ninth graders is included in the scheduling packet. Descriptions of the content of all of the courses can be found in the CHS Program of Studies.
Are there any courses that every ninth grader at Carmel High School is required to take?
Every freshman must take full-year courses in English, math, science and social studies. There are various levels and course choices in each of the academic areas. Most students take P.E. either in the summer prior to freshman year or during freshman year. Many also take a world language and an elective, although none of these courses are required for ninth graders.
Are there deadlines for registering for summer school?
There is one option for summer school for CHS students. Students may enroll in summer school by taking PE I through the Central Indiana Educational Service Center’s Indiana Online Academy. The deadline for registration for P.E. I is March 1st.Information about summer school can be found on the last page of the CHS Program of Studies which your students received just after semester break.
English/Language Arts
What courses are available to meet the full-year English course requirement?
Freshmen may take English 9 or Honors English 9. Honors English 9 is also available “blocked” with World History. All of these courses are based on the Indiana Academic Standards and fulfill the Indiana Core 40 and Academic or Technical Honors diploma requirements.
My student has needed extra support in Language Arts during middle school. What similar support is available in ninth grade?
Students who do not pass the English/Language Arts portion of the eighth grade ISTEP+ test will be required toenroll inLanguage Arts Lab. These courses are designed to further develop students reading skillsand increase students’ potential for success on the Indiana Graduation Qualifying Exam/End of Course Assessment (GQE) in English 10. Students must pass the GQEas well as meet diploma requirementsin order to graduate from high school. Language Arts Lab is a forty-five minute class which is paired with a forty-five minute Algebra lab course (for students who also need extra support in math) or a forty-five minute supported study hall.
How do I determine which of these English courses is right for my student?
Each student’s Scheduling Worksheet has the recommended placement listed in the top left hand column. The recommended English course is based on the student’s eighth grade Language Arts class.
Mathematics
What math courses should my student take?
There are several math courses available to ninth graders: Algebra I with Cognitive Tutor, Algebra I, Geometry, Honors Geometry, Algebra II, Honors Algebra II, and Honors Pre-calculus. When your student meets with a Freshman Center counselor to review your student’s course choices, the counselor will help in selecting the appropriate math course based on your student’s eighth grade math course and his or her performance this year. Students’ math course placements will be finalized at the end of eighth grade based on the individual student’s final exam grade, the second semester math grade, and eighth grade ISTEP+ scores. Students schedules will be adjusted if necessary in June.
Math has been somewhat challenging and difficult for my student. What support is available to help ninth graders be successful in Algebra?
Students who do not pass the mathematics portion of the eighth grade ISTEP+ or who earn low fourth quarter grades in their eighth grade math course will be placed in a full year Algebra lab. Students taking Algebra I will have a forty-five-minute Algebra lab class paired with either a forty-five-minute Language Arts Lab (for extra support in English 9, if needed) or a forty-five minute supported study hall in addition to their Algebra I class.Students needing more support may be scheduled into Algebra 1 cognitive tutor and will have Algebra every day for 90 minutes. This courseis designed to help students be successful in Algebra and increase their potential for success in passing state required assessments for graduation.
If my student is placed in Algebra Lab and/or Language Arts Lab, can I sign a waiver and opt out of these support courses?
Students who are placed in either Algebra lab or Language Arts Lab are required to take them and cannot opt out.
Science/ & Social Studies
What science courses are available to meet the requirement for a full-year of science?
All ninth graders take a full year of Biology, which is offered at various levels. Students may enroll in Biology or Honors Biology. Your student’s Scheduling Worksheet has information about your student’s recommended science course, which is based on your student’s eighth grade schedule of classes.
There is a social studies course recommended for my student. Does my student have to take the recommended social studies course?
All ninth graders take a full year of social studies. Students must take a full year of world history or geography to meet Core 40 diploma requirements. Courses that can be used to meet this requirement are Geography and History of the World, World History, or Advanced Placement World History. The teacher and/or high school counselor can recommend placement in these classes.
World Language
Students often study a world language in high school. Should my student take a world language in ninth grade?
Most students who are college-bound choose to study a world language while in high school. Most colleges require at least two years of the same language to meet minimum admission requirements. Some students will defer beginning a world language until tenth or eleventh grade. Other students will go on to Level II of the language studied in eighth grade or choose to enroll in Level I of a different world language in ninth grade. To be eligible for a Core 40 with Academic Honors diploma, students must earn 6 credits (3 full years) in one world language or 4 credits in each of two different world languages.
What if my student signs up for Level II of a world language and then has a composite score less than 80% in that language at the end of eighth grade? Will that Level II course change?
Final level placements in language courses for students continuing with the same language will be determined at the end of eighth grade based on their performance in the current class and the score earned on the final assessment. The composite score is comprised of the student’s Q1 or Q2 grade (40%), the student’s Q3 or Q4 grade (40%), and the student’s performance on the placement exam given at the end of Q3 or Q4 (20%). To move on to level II, it is recommended that a student scores an 80% or higher on the final exam.
Physical Education & Health
P.E. I and P.E. II are listed on the Scheduling Worksheet. What are the options in meeting this requirement?
These are single semester courses required for a diploma, and they can be taken out of sequence. Some students may choose to take one or both of these classes during Summer School, either during the summer prior to ninth grade and/or the summer prior to tenth grade. Information about summer school can be found on the last page of the CHS Program of Studies. Students may also earn credit in P.E. IIby participating in the following alternative activities: Marching Band, Ambassadors, Accents, Coquettes, Charisma, Cheerleading, or a Carmel High School IHSAA sport. Students planning to earn credit in P.E. II by one of these alternate means should document their intent by enrolling in P.E. II-Alt when entering their course requests.
How and when should my student take a course to fulfill the Health requirement?
Health or Interpersonal Relations are single semester courses that meet the diploma requirement for students to earn a credit in health education. Although not required for the freshman year, many students choose one of these courses for ninth grade to get this graduation requirement “out of the way.” Either of these courses can be used to meet the health diploma requirement but since the content of the courses is similar, studentsmay only take one or the other, not both of the courses.
Special Education English as a New Language
My student receives special services and has an Individualized Educational Plan. Will he/she be scheduled into a Resource period?
The student’s Individualized Educational Plan determined by the case conference committee will specify whether a resource period is to be included in a student’s schedule.
English as a New Language
My student is an English Language Learner and currently is in English as a New Language classes. Are similar classes available at the high school?
Various levels of courses in English as a New Languageas well as sheltered ENL sections of some core academic classes are also available. The Freshman Center counselor will help your studentselect appropriate courses.
Honors
My student is interested in taking one or more Honors courses but is not recommended for any Honors courses on the Scheduling Worksheet. What are his/her options?
A student who would like to try an honors class but was not recommended for one should have a conversation with the Freshman Center counselor during their individual meeting.
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