TABLE OF CONTENTS
Principal's Message . . . . .
2
Board of Education/Region #10 Personnel . . 3
How to Use This Book . . . . .
4
Requirements for Graduation . . . . 4
Minimum Guidelines for Future Schooling . . 6
Level Placement of Students . . . . 6
Advanced Placement Courses . . . . 6
UCONN Early College Experience . . . 7
Elective Courses . . . . .
7
Course Registration Procedure . . . . 7
Honor Roll . . . . . .
7
Grading System . . . . .
8
Notice of Non-Discrimination . . . . 8
Advanced Placement Enrollment Agreement . . 9
Portfolio Course Agreement . . . . 10
Lewis S. Mills Statement of Purpose . . .
11
Student/School Expectations . . . . 11
Art . . . . . . . 12
Business and Finance Technology . . .
13
English . . . . . .
15
Family and Consumer Sciences . . .
18
Mathematics . . . . . .
19
Music . . . . . . . 21
Science . . . . . .
22
Social
Studies . . . . . . 25
Technology Education . . . . .
27
Theater . . . . . .
28
Wellness/Physical Education/Health . . .
29
World Languages . . . . .
30
Special Programs/Courses . . . . 33
Independent Study; Work Experience; Job
Shadowing;
Senior
Internships, Service Learning; Peer Facilitator;
American
Sign Language; Reading Services .
33 - 34
Trinity,
Northwestern
Virtual High School . . .
.
. 35
Greater
Regional Vocational-Technical Program . . 36
Student Support Services . . . . 37
Guidance Department . . . . 37
Health Services . . . . .
37
Library Media Services . . . . 37
Computer Laboratory . . . . 37
Special Services . . . . . 37
Student Assistance Model . . . . 38
Accreditation Statement . . . . 39
Phone
860-673-0423 / FAX 860-673-9128
Karissa L. Niehoff,
Principal Pamela Lazaroski, Supervisor of
Peter Bogen, Assistant
Principal Student Services
and Vocational Programs
PRINCIPAL'S MESSAGE
Dear
Student:
This Program
of Studies is designed to provide you with appropriate
information for the selection of your courses for the 2007-2008 school year at
The Lewis Mills faculty is continuing to develop programs to meet the needs of all of our students-college or technical school bound, as well as those headed for immediate employment. These programs are created based on input from a variety of professionals. Therefore, the course selection process should not be restricted to the use of this publication. Information from your teachers, counselor, and department coordinators should also be sought before the actual selection of courses. Your interests, abilities, past performance, goals and objectives for the future are also important factors. We encourage you to plan a challenging academic experience for next year!
Your thoughtful
and careful attention to the course selection process will help to develop the
best schedule possible for you and for our school. Accurate course selection data helps us to
make decisions regarding the number of sections of each course to schedule,
teaching assignments, and the placement of courses in the school schedule. It
is very difficult to accommodate changes after teaching assignments and
budgetary decisions have been made.
Therefore, the only changes considered after submission of course
selection materials will be those necessary due to present course failures,
scheduling conflicts, or the cancellation of courses due to insufficient
enrollment or available faculty to teach the course.
In choosing your
classes for the next year, please think about your short term and long term
goals and what you hope to achieve during your high school career. Subjects offered at Lewis S. Mills should
enable you to pursue specific areas of interest as well as to develop a
knowledge and skill base to lead you successfully into the future. Best of luck!
Sincerely,
Karissa L. Niehoff
Principal
Regional School District
No. 10
BOARD
OF EDUCATION
Beth Duffy,
Chairperson
Joseph Arcuri Raymond Sikora
Catherine
Bergstrom Jayne Stocker
Barbara Gilbert Karen
Sullivan-Shepard, Secretary
Paul Omichinski,
Treasurer Peter Turner, Vice Chairperson
Elaine Schiavone
CENTRAL
OFFICE ADMINISTRATION
Paula
Schwartz, Superintendent
Michael A. Landry,
Assistant Superintendent; Title IX Coordinator
Linda J. Carabis,
Director of Special Services;
David Lenihan, Director of Business and Facilities
Management
SCHOOL
ADMINISTRATION
Karissa
L. Niehoff, Principal
Peter
Bogen, Assistant Principal
Pamela Lazaroski, Supervisor
of Student Services and Vocational Programs
David Keepin, Dean of Students
DEPARTMENT
COORDINATORS
Gina
Gadue, Language Arts (K-12)
Pamela Lazaroski, Guidance (K-12)
John
A. Deeb, Fine Arts (K-12)
Edward Dorgan, Social Studies (K-12)
Phyllis
Jones, Wellness (K-12)
Andrew Komar, Science (K-12)
Pamela Lazaroski, Career and Technical Education (K-12),
Virtual High School Coordinator
Alyce Barlowski, Mathematics (K-12)
Elizabeth
Lapman, World Language (K-12)
David Tanner,
Athletic Director (9-12)
Thomas
Grant, Special Education (9-12)
Tiffany
C. Davis
Sanita E. Gingras
J. Patrick Howley
Alfred McGunnigle
TELEPHONE
NUMBER
FAX
- 860-673-9128
Guidance Department Fax:
860-673-9668
www.Region10ct.org
The purpose of the Program of Studies
is to help students and parents choose the courses best suited to a particular
student's educational goals and career plans. Within each department area
(e.g., Art, Business Technology, Mathematics, etc.) you will find all the
courses described in terms of content and difficulty. Hopefully, this will help
you to choose wisely. A student's future progress and success depend to a large
extent on the decisions that are made now.
Before planning a high school program, each student should consider
carefully the following questions:
1. What strengths
and weaknesses do my school grades show up to now?
2. What are my
strengths and weaknesses as indicated by standardized tests of aptitude,
achievement, and interest?
(Please see your counselor for an explanation of test scores.)
3. What are my chief
interests?
4. What general area
of work would I like to enter when I complete my education? Will this require further education beyond high school?
5. If I plan to
continue my education, for what type of school shall I prepare? What are the admission requirements?
6. If no further
schooling is planned, what courses in high school will be most valuable to me
in attaining my goal?
7. What
co-curricular activities do I enjoy?
What out-of-school commitments do I have?
All students should start thinking about a definite goal
and organize their high school programs around this goal. Since ideas and opinions change, however, students
should try to take a variety of courses to prepare themselves in several
areas. Teachers, parents, guidance
counselors, and the school administrators can all help in answering questions
about future plans. Programs should be
planned carefully. Everyone is
encouraged to take advantage of the interest, training, and experience of the
faculty as well as the excellent facilities of the school.
If you need further assistance in using this book or if you
have any questions, please feel free to call the school at 860-673-0423.
REQUIREMENTS FOR GRADUATION
* The Board of
Education has established basic graduation criteria according to Public Act
10-66.
(1) Students must pass English 9,
English 10, and American Literature.
(2) One of the Science credits must
be Biology.
(3) One of the Social Studies credits must be United States
History
(4) This course is taken in the 11th
or 12th grade.
(5) Students must meet the District
Performance Standards, as listed on Page 5.
The
following table indicates the total number of credits and required courses
necessary for graduation. All students should confer with their guidance
counselor to make sure they are on track to graduate with their class.
Required Credits
(1)English 4
Math 3
(2)Science 3
(3)Social Studies 3
Wellness/Physical Education/Health
2.5
Self-Defense or First Aid/CPR 0.125
Arts/Vocational Education
1
Civics/American Government .5
Electives
TOTAL CREDITS 22
The students entering 12th grade (Class of 2008)
are to register for 5˝ credits plus Physical Education for the entire
year. All other students and grades are
to register for six (6) courses plus Wellness/Physical Education for each
semester. Students who graduate in three (3) or three and one-half (3˝) years
in accordance with the Board of Education Policies, must pass three (3) or
three and one-half (3˝) years of Wellness/Physical Education.
DIPLOMA – SPECIAL
PROVISIONS
In order to obtain a Lewis S. Mills diploma, a student must
earn credits in the normal academic program or may attend an alternate school
as determined by the Region #10 Planning and Placement Team, and meet the
following criteria:
Students attending Bristol Technical School, or other
alternative programs, and not earning credits towards graduation through
equivalent academic programming at Lewis S. Mills, will be eligible for a
Region #10 Diploma. Students must earn
the required number of credits, in the specified disciplines, and must
demonstrate proficiency standards in mathematics and language arts as per Board
of Education policy.
DISTRICT
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
Language Arts and
Mathematics Performance Standards
a)
Language
Arts: Students shall, prior to the completion
of their senior year, produce an essay that is focused, organized, elaborated,
and edited for standard English conventions.
b)
Math: Within the content of the course in which the
student is enrolled, he/she will satisfactorily complete multi-step mathematical
problems, which require demonstration of basic math operations including
fractions or decimals. The student will
be provided with any required formulas and may use a calculator in completing
the task. The student shall also explain
in writing either how he/she arrived at each answer or justify each answer in
writing.
a) Students must demonstrate
completion of the district performance standard in Language Arts by meeting at
least one of the following criteria:
§
Score
in band 3 or higher on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (Note:
Scoring in band 3 or higher on Reading Across the Disciplines or Writing
Across the Disciplines will be accepted for Language Arts.)
§
Achieve
a score equivalent to the national average on the SAT II in writing.
§
Meet
the district performance standard in Language Arts as evidenced through
performance on district assessments administered in the junior year.
§
Pass
a writing course in the senior year with a C or better.
b) Students must demonstrate
completion of the district performance standard in Mathematics by meeting at
least one of the following criteria:
§
Score
in band 3 or higher on the Connecticut Academic Performance Test.
§
Achieve
a score equivalent to the national average on the SAT II in mathematics.
§
Meet
the district performance standard in Mathematics as evidenced through
performance on district assessments administered in the junior year.
§
Pass
a mathematics course in the senior year with a C or better.
According to Board policy, students may graduate after three years or in January of their fourth year provided they have met all graduation requirements, have maintained a "B" average, and have the approval of the high school principal. A student who plans to graduate early must submit a completed application to his/her guidance counselor before the beginning of second semester of junior year. See a counselor for an application.
ADMISSION TO COLLEGE
Schools vary in the high school subjects required for
admission. Since there are many kinds of
post-high school training, the following list of requirements should serve as a
guideline. Students and their parents
are urged to consult their counselor so that the proper courses will be
selected. By planning early, all individuals will be sure that they have
completed all necessary requirements for the schools they want to attend.
MINIMUM
GUIDELINES FOR FUTURE SCHOOLING
1. Four-year colleges
English 4 years
Mathematics 3
years (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)
Science 3 years, with at least one
laboratory science
Language 2
years minimum of one language at the high school level;
3 to 4 years of one language at the high school level
is recommended
Social Studies 3
years
A student planning to go to
college after high school should consult the catalogs of the colleges under
consideration for specific requirements.
2. Engineering colleges
English 4
years
Mathematics 4 years (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra
II, and FST (Functions, Statistics, and Trigonometry) or Pre-Calculus)
Science 3 to 4 years
Social Studies 3
years
3. Two-year technical colleges
English 4
years
Mathematics 3
years (Algebra I and/or Geometry); Algebra II is recommended
Science 3 years
Social Studies 3
years
4. Nursing schools - four-year programs
English 4
years
Mathematics 3
years (Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II)
Science 3 to 4 years with Biology and
Chemistry; The University of Connecticut also recommends Physics
Social Studies 3
years
5. Two-year colleges - terminal and
transfer programs
Terminal programs include child development,
administrative assistant, dental hygiene, medical technology, merchandising and
retailing, recreation leadership, forestry, fine arts, business administration,
accounting, etc. Requirements for these
programs depend on the individual college's policies.
Transfer
programs are also available at these colleges and cover such areas as art, business
administration, liberal arts, etc.
6. Art schools - usually students are
required to submit a portfolio of original art work.
LEVEL PLACEMENT OF STUDENTS
Students should select their courses with attention to their goals and aspirations, previous preparation, achievement level to date, standardized testing data, and motivation. Teachers will make recommendations about courses and leveling based on their work with the student. If a student wishes to register for a course not recommended by his/her teacher, the parent signature at the bottom of the course selection form will serve as a waiver in this process.
Level AP: The
Advanced Placement program is a cooperative educational endeavor between
secondary schools and colleges and universities. It gives high school students
exposure to college level material and responsibilities. AP level courses
follow the guidelines as put forth by the College Board. In addition to the
requirements determined by the high school, the student is required to take the
AP exam.
All courses at Lewis
S. Mills are rigorous, intellectually stimulating, challenging and provide rich
experiences
and excellent preparation for college study. While students will discover common factors
in both Level 1 and Level 2 courses relative to work, homework, projects,
tests, quizzes, etc., the main differences between the levels are the
following: in Level 1, homework
assignments tend to be longer and more comprehensive; the course itself is
faster-paced, more complex in material, and has more critical and extensive
reading and writing assignments; students enrolled in Level 1 courses soon
realize that more time, independent work, and self-motivation are expected and
required. In summary, courses at Level 1
are basically different in quantity of material and work from Level 2 courses,
not in quality of course content.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES
Students who wish to enroll
in Advanced Placement courses must sign an agreement committing to the rigorous
expectations and requirements of college level study. A parent’s signature is
also required on this agreement. Students who register for these courses must
take the Advanced Placement exam in May. Testing fees must be submitted to the
guidance office by October 6, 2006.
Students who register for two or more AP courses must have a
parent-student-counselor conference.
EARLY
COLLEGE EXPERIENCE
UConn Early College Experience (ECE) provides academically motivated
students the opportunity to take university courses while still in high
school. These challenging courses allow
students to preview college work, build confidence in their readiness for
college, and earn college credits that provide both an academic and a financial
head-start on a college degree.
ECE instructors, who are certified as adjunct professors by UConn
faculty, create a classroom environment fostering independent learning,
creativity and critical thinking – all pivotal for success in college.
ECE students must successfully complete the course with a grade of C or
better in order to receive university credit.
University credits are highly transferable to other universities.
Students are charged a $25 per credit fee in the fall. For additional information visit: www.ece.uconn.edu.
Elective
courses
Students who
enroll in the electives should realize that these courses have the same
expectations and standards of any other course offered at Lewis S. Mills. Students will be assigned homework papers,
research projects, take tests/quizzes and have a final exam. While the format of the expectations or
assessments may be different from the core courses, the rigor is the same.
PROCEDURE FOR COURSE REGISTRATION
All students will receive the Program of Studies
booklet plus other necessary registration materials (registration form, course
work sheet). Students should review
booklet contents before completion of their registration forms. Current teachers will review future course
offerings in their respective disciplines. Students are encouraged to consult
with teachers, counselors, department coordinators, and parents in planning
one’s program. Completed registration forms must be signed by both the
student and parents and returned to the Guidance Department by the posted
deadline. All course selections
are considered final after July 1. After
this time, course changes will be difficult to make and will be made only when
a course failure is made up during a summer session, or a school error has
occurred. Students who wish to make
a subject change for any other reason must get their parent's written
permission.
A course may be cancelled or
enrollment may be restricted due to the following: insufficient enrollment, limited facilities,
staffing considerations, and budget considerations.
Students with excellent academic records are placed on the
honor roll. This list is computed for grades in the first, second, third, and
fourth marking periods. To be placed on
the honor roll, a student must have attained the quality points in the chart
below with no C-, D, F, or I (Incomplete) grades. In order to determine eligibility for the
honor roll, the quality point average for each student is calculated by
multiplying the quality points of each grade by the number of potential credit units,
summing this product over all courses, and dividing the result by the total
number of potential credit units. Each student's computer report card average
is also figured by using the chart below.
Quality Point Average
High Honors-10 average Honors-9 average Honorable Mention-8 average
Quality
Points for Honor Roll
A+ = 12 B+ =
9 C+ = 6 D+ = 3
A =
11 B =
8 C =
5 D = 2
A- = 10
B- =
7 C-
= 4 D- = 1
Parents
having questions regarding calculations should call the Guidance Department.