Dear Gr. 8 Parents and Guardians,
The Gr. 8 teachers have completed the process of making recommendations for gr. 9 course levels. They are now posted in Power School.
Most gr. 9 students will be able to take one elective course. To choose an elective for your child, please follow these steps:
Choose 5 electives in order of preference. We will make every effort to schedule students in their first or second choice courses. Sometimes it is not possible due to other course conflicts but, in most cases, students will get their first or second choices.
- To choose electives (and World Language if you do not currently have one), click on the Class Registration link on the left once again
- Follow directions at top of screen to choose electives
World Languages
The Foreign Language teachers have made recommendations for the appropriate course students should take in the language sequence. If your child does not have a World Language class this year, we ask you to select a language for grade 9. Colleges generally require students to take two years of the same language in high school to be accepted into their schools. This is also a graduation requirement for AHS. (In some rare circumstances, the language requirement may need to be waived due to specific learning disabilities.) But we highly recommend that all students take the two years of a language to ensure that all college options are available to them upon graduation.
For some students, especially those with Language Based Learning Disabilities, learning a foreign language can be challenging. For these students, we recommend taking Latin Language and Culture IA (the following year, they would take Latin Language and Culture IB). This course teaches Latin at a slower, more manageable pace that makes it accessible to many students who struggle with languages. Another option is Mandarin I.
IF you have any specific questions about choosing a Foreign Language, please contact Catherine Ritz, the Director for World Languages (
critz@arlington.k12.ma.us). She will be able to assist you with this decision.
Students on IEP's and in need of other support classes, may not be able to fit in a language and an elective in grade 9. The Special Ed liasons and/or their guidance counselors will assist you and your child in making the decision that best meets the child's educational needs.
All special education courses and support services will be added to the schedule by the Special Ed staff later in the scheduling process.
For more information on any courses, programs, graduation requirements, etc.... please refer to the Program of Studies which is now posted on the AHS Home and Guidance pages.
Students not attending Arlington High School next year
If you are not sending your son or daughter to AHS next year, please email me or Carolyn Simmons (
csimmons@arlington.k12.ma.us) as soon as the decision has been made. The more accurate our numbers are early in the process, the better we are to make good scheduling decisions. You will also need to officiallly withdraw your child from the Ottoson at the end of the school year.
Course Recommendations
Grade 8 teacher have made recommendations that they feel best meet the needs of your child. Keep in mind that Grade 9 is a transition year and the academic demands are generally more rigorous at the high school. It is a good idea to consider the amount of work students will be asked to do in and out of school, their involvement in extra-curricular activities, and their need to have some down time. You also want to think about your child's motivation level and ability to take on more responsibility for their own learning and academic progress. Some students need time to adjust to high school expectations before taking on more challenging course loads. Students will have plenty of opportunities to take Honors and more challenging courses in higher grades. We are as concerned with the emotional well being of all students as we are with their academic success. Please consider all these factors and the unique needs of your child when making decisions about course loads at AHS.
If you do not agree with the recommendation, please have a conversation with your child's teacher and/or guidance counselor first. If after that conversation has taken place, you can request an override. You can do this by going to the Arlington High School Home Page. Within the next two days, there will be a link for gr 8 parents to request overrides for gr 9 courses. Directions will be listed with the links.
We look forward to welcoming your children and their families to the Arlington High School Community.
Mary
Mary Villano, Interim Principal
Arlington High School
