[BHS Etree] INCOMING FAMILIES: Next steps for incoming 9th grade students

Tue Feb 22 19:38:06 PST 2011

PLEASE do not reply to this email, contact Janet Huseby jhuseby at pacbell.net 

Over the next four weeks all incoming 9th students (both currently enrolled
in King, Longfellow and Willard AND new to the Berkeley Unified School
District) will indicate their elective choices and small learning community
preferences for the 2011-2012 school year.  After students input their
choices, a hard copy of their requests will be mailed home to parents for
final approval.  Below I have done my best to summarize the process as well
as answer as many questions as possible. 

1. Course catalogs were distributed at the Information Night on Feb. 2. They
are available at the Front Desk. Copies will be available at the parent
meetings and are also available online at:
http://www.bhs.berkeley.net/index.php?page=course-catalog. 

2. Small school preferences.  Students must rank at least two, and may rank
as many as six, small learning communities. Academic Choice and Berkeley
International High School-the two larger programs-must  be ranked even if a
student is only interested in one of the small schools.  If a student is
only interested in the two larger programs, they will only rank the two
larger programs. 

3. Foreign language. Berkeley High offers French, Kiswahili, Latin,
Mandarin, and  Spanish. Students will be asked to input their choice of a
foreign language. If they indicated any level other than beginning, they
will be required to take a placement test. The test will take place at 10
a.m. on April 23 in Portable 5. A make up will be offered on August 23 at 10
a.m. in Portable 5.  Please contact Daniel Roose at
(Daniel_roose at berkeley.k12.ca.us ) to reserve a place. 

4. Math.  Students will sign up for 9th grade math.  All students will take
a placement test in late April.  Students currently enrolled in King,
Longfellow or Willard will take the math placement test in their math
classes at Longfellow, Willard, or King. New-to-BUSD students will take the
test the same week after school at one of the BUSD middle schools.  If any
student is interested in an honors level they will be asked to take an
additional placement test after school at the middle school sites on one of
three days offered during the week of April 18-22. The dates and locations
of the placement tests have not yet been finalized. As soon as they are, we
will announce on the etree. 

In addition, we will be asking current math teachers of students from non
BUSD schools to submit a short online placement recommendation. Current math
teachers of BUSD students will do the same. This is a new system and has not
yet been set up.  Again, as soon as it is, we will announce details online.

5. Electives.  All students will make elective choices as part of the
scheduling process.  Once placed in a particular learning community,
electives may need to be adjusted based on the course offerings in that
community. All students have six periods. All will sign up for English, a
math, and history. Under elective they will indicate science, foreign
language, physical education, and visual and performing arts.  For each
period the student will be asked to fill in a first and a second choice.

6. Catalog Abbreviations explained. AP stands for Advanced Placement. An
Advanced Placement class is considered college level. Some BIHS classes are
designated SL and HL. These distinctions are associated with IB specific
classes for junior and senior years only.  In general, SL means that the
class meets the course of one year, while HL generally means that it is a
two year course.  The exception would be the Physics HL class which is a one
year only class.  I understand that the names seem to be redundant, however
they are written to match what is in the computer system.  Both SL and HL
classes receive the distinction from the UC system as being advanced classes
or equivalent to AP. 

7. King, Longfellow, and Willard students.  A BHS Administrator and
counselor will go to each middle school site to meet with parents for a
short presentation and to answer questions.  These meetings are for parents
from BUSD middle schools only.  During the school days following the parent
meeting, BHS counselors will go to the middle schools to help students input
course and learning community requests.  Student requests will be mailed
home in hard copy for final  parental approval. All corrections must be
returned promptly.  

Parent meetings will take place from 6 to 7 p.m.  on the following nights:

Longfellow, March 1

Willard, March 8

King, March 15

8. New to BUSD students who have completed the enrollment process by
February 17 will make course requests in the BHS Library from 6-8 p.m. on
three different dates:

February 28 (Last Name A-L)

March 7 (Last Name M-Z).

March 14 There will be one makeup session.

Please bring your confirmation of enrollment and a copy of your transcript.
A transcript can be helpful so that we can refer to it that evening, but it
is not absolutely necessary.  If you cannot make your assigned night, we
will accommodate you in one of the three sessions, but please try to attend
during your allotted time.  An administrator will make a short presentation
and answer questions.  Then a counselor will take students to one of three
computer labs to sign up for classes. Parents and guardians will remain in
the library.  At that time, the adults will be asked to hand in a self
addressed envelope (with the student's name-not the parent name) so we may
mail home a hard copy of the choices their student has made. Envelopes will
be provided.  Any corrections must be returned promptly.

9. Missed Deadline. Students who are new to BUSD but miss the February 17
enrollment deadline may enroll at the Admissions Office after March 21.
Another lottery run will take place for these students and they will be
placed in a learning community based on space available.  Course requests
will be taken for these students starting in late April and will be done by
appointment with the counselor.

10. BHS etree. Berkeley High has a listserve which posts the Student Daily
Bulletin, College Advisor's Bulletin, news and volunteer opportunities.  The
parent-run effort works closely with the administration in order to insure
accuracy.  To subscribe to the BHS etree please send an email to
bhs-request at lmi.net   with one word only in the subject line: subscribe.  

11. Still puzzled? If you have any questions about this process, please
contact Janet Huseby our Volunteer Coordinator at jhuseby at pacbell.net 

Janet Huseby

BHS Volunteer Coordinator

jhuseby at pacbell.net

_________________

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