Stratford High School 2013-2014 8 th Grade Orientation

1. Stratford High School2013-20148th Grade Orientation

2. STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL ADMINISTRATION Joseph M. Corso, Jr., PrincipalJoseph Crapanzano, Assistant PrincipalAnthony DeAngelo, AP / Social Studies DHMichael Hults, Assistant Principal

3. REQUIRED COURSES FOR FRESHMEN English 1 World Studies Science Mathematics Physical Education & Health 2 Electives Advisory Program

4. High School Graduation Requirements • English 4 credits • Mathematics 3 credits • Science 2 credits • Social Studies 3 credits • Arts and Vocational Education 1 credit • Health and Physical Education 2.1 credits • Electives 5.9 credits Total Required Credits 21

5. High School Graduation State Test Requirements Old = CAPT New = SBAC WWW.SMARTERBALANCED.ORG

6. Attendance Policy • Twenty Absence Limit: No student may receive credit for a full-year course after having been absent from that course more than 20 class periods • Ten Absence Limit: No student may receive credit for a semester course after having been absent more than 10 class periods

7. The Stratford High School Counseling Department Alyce Borgersen Thomas Colucci Amy Connelly Kathryn Mascia Patricia Morrissey Students will be assigned a counselor in ninth grade. They will keep the same counselor for all four years of high school.

8. The Stratford High School Counseling Department The Stratford High School Counseling Department provides a comprehensive program of services designed to facilitate student development in three major areas: • Academic • Career & College • Personal/Social

9. Opportunities to Earn College Credit • Advanced Placement courses • UCONN Early College Experience • Gateway Community College Career Pathways • University of New Haven Project Lead the Way

10. Post-Graduate Information 2011-2013 83% of graduates were college bound Remaining 17% entered the military, employment or trade school

11. College Acceptances 2011-2013 • Harvard • Cornell • Brown • Johns Hopkins • Smith • Vassar • Bucknell • Tufts • Rensselaer • United States Naval Academy • UCONN • University of Pennsylvania • Boston University • Boston College • Villanova • University of Virginia • Syracuse

12. Science at Stratford High School The true sign of intelligence is not knowledge but imagination. Albert Einstein

13. Science is best learned by doing! • Stratford offers an inquiry based, relevant curriculum where asking question, exploring answers and working together is at the heart of what we teach • Students in all grade levels design experiments, make observations, record their thoughts and create exciting conclusions to further their own learning • Stratford High School offers Advanced Placement (AP) and ECE (UCONN credit) in Physics, Chemistry and Biology • We also have exciting electives for juniors and seniors • Forensic Science • Physiology • Environmental Science • Biodiversity

14. Sequence of science courses • Four year course of study: 9th grade 10th grade 11th grade 12th grade Studies in Science Biology Chemistry Physics Honors Biology Honors Chemistry AP Chem or AP/ECE Physics 2 AP/ECE Physics 1 Electives

15. Science Careers STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math)

16. Put Science in YOUR future at SHS! IMAGINE YOUR FUTURE NOW!

17. Great Students+ Great Teachers= SHS MATH DEPT

18. Math Teacher or Class Advisor or Coach or Director or SHS Spectator Fan or Math Team Advisor? Our teachers care for our kids inside and outside the classroom!

19. Math Course Offerings • Integrated Mathematics • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 Algebra 1 • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 Geometry • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 Algebra 2 • Honors and Level 1 Pre-Calculus

20. College Ready • Honors Calculus • Advanced Placement Calculus • Advanced Placement Statistics • College Aptitude Readiness in Math (SAT)

21. Additional Electives • College Algebra • Trigonometry • Accounting

22. We Teach Using the CCSM http://vimeo.com/51933492 • Rigor • Coherence • Focus • Perseverance • Intensity • Fluency • Application

23. STRATFORD HIGH SCHOOL 8TH GRADE ORIENTATION SOCIAL STUDIES DEPARTMENT

24. Stratford High School Social Studies Department Ms. Cristina Alves Mr. Robert Baird Mr. T.J. Cavaliere Mr. Brennan Fraczek Ms. Katherine Mack Mrs. Kerith Miller Mr. Nicholas Ruck Mr. Todd Stolze Mr. Gregory Tonzola Mr. Tony De Angelo ~ Assist. Principal/Dept. Chairman

25. Each student at SHS is required to complete 3 credits in Social Studies to meet graduation requirements.

26. Each student entering SHS follows a prescribed course of study. The next few slidesillustrate the sequence.

27. Grade 9 World Studies Honors, L1, L2 Grade 12 Foreign Policy Grade 12 Psychology Grade 12 The American Economy Grade 10 Civics Honors, L1, L2 Grade 12 The American Experience Honors Grade 12 Sociology Grade 11 US History AP, L1, L2 Grade 12 Honors Foreign Policy  UCONN—CREDIT

28. Analytical skills, among others, are taught as part of Social Studies education

29. English Language Arts at Stratford High • Required for four years • Heterogeneous 9th grade with an honors component for honors credit • Up to two sections of AP courses available for students • ECE credit available for students in AP • Voted the most popular department in last year’s Yearbook

30. English Core Course Offerings • English 1 (Unleveled, Honor’s Option) • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 English 2 • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 English 3 • Honors, Level 1 and Level 2 English 4

31. English Alternatives for English Credit • Seniors may take courses other than English 4 for English credit: • American Experience: • Class taught in collaboration with Social Studies. • Honors credit • Survey course of American literature focused on the 20th Century to the present. • Combines the study of American government, literature, culture, art and music. • Visual Images: • Level 1 credit • Class uses literature as well as media to explore life themes. • Students explore and make connections among issues related to world and American visual images and literature. • AP/ECE Language and Literature • Students recommended by 11th grade teacher. • College credit • This course prepares students for the Advanced Placement examination in literature and in language. Students are expected to take the Advanced Placement tests offered by the College Board.

32. ELA Electivesfor Elective Credit • Creative Writing: • Available for students in grades 9-12 • Create a literary magazine, The Quill. • Upper grade students with experience are editors. • Yearbook: • Available for students in grades 10-12 • Create The Log • Upper grade students with experience will work on the business side as well as editors of the book.

33. World Language Study at SHS A 21st Century Essential!

34. With great enthusiasm and highest expectations, World Languages and ESOLWelcome you to Stratford High School Why study foreign and classical languages?"Foreign language instruction should be a part of every child’s education … it is a culture, a way of thinking…a perspective on the world… a language opens the mind to new possibilities... language is the study of life, literature, history, and thought…it is nothing less than the study of our world and ourselves."Former Secretary of Education, Rod Paige Stratford Public Schools fully agreed and: • Developed a FLES (Foreign Language in Elementary School) program to provide Spanish instruction to all K-6 students. • Joined an elite group (10%) of districts state-wide to offer a K-12 World Language Program for all students at each grade level. • Offered students an earlier start with the opportunity to achieve greater fluency in one or more languages.

35. Research has shown thatforeign language study: • Raises academic achievement • Improves standardized test scores. • Promotes creativity and higher order thinking skills. • Strengthens first language proficiency

36. Engenders positive attitudes toward cultural diversity. • Casts favorable light on college admissions. • Expands career opportunities in our increasingly competitive globalized society. • The list goes on…

37. How do we accomplish all of this? We begin with our WL Standards - the 5 C's: • Communication • Culture • Connections • Comparisons • Communities

38. And overlap them with the7 Cs of21st Century Learning Skills • Collection of Information • Collaboration • Communication • Creativity • Critical Thinking • Character • College • Career

39. World Languages Aligned to theCommon Core State Standards for ELA World Language & English Language Arts (ELA) focus upon: Reading, Writing, Speaking & Listening Interpersonal(speaking + listening or writing + reading)Interpretive(reading, listening, viewing) Presentational(writing, speaking, visually representing) Literary and Informational texts Writingtoexplain, persuade, andconvey. Ensuring that all students are college-, career-, and world-ready.

40. Interactive Break Let’s ‘rap’“Hello, how are you”in French • Quand je te vois, Je te dis “bonjour”, • Je t’appelle “mon ami(e), Salut, comment ça va?”

41. Our secondary curriculum offers sequential courses in Spanish, French, and Latin. • French and Spanish represent the 2nd and 3rd most influential modern languages in the world after English. • French is currently the #2 language of business communications world-wide. • Latin remains their ever-present foundational stone and source of abundant cognates and linguistic, historical, and cultural treasure

42. High School course levels typically run 1-5 with Honors sections in each language. • Advanced Placement and University of CT Early College Experience credit are available in French and Spanish 5. • 8th Grade students who successfully complete French or Spanish courses may elect level 2 French or Spanish courses or elect Latin 1 in 9th grade. • All courses feature modern texts with ample supporting instructional and technological resources. • Beginning in 2018, two years of world language study will be required by all graduates. This mandate will affect freshmen entering in 2014. • Students wishing to learn a language not available here may apply to a program affiliated with Yale University. See Guidance for details.

43. ESOL – English to Speakers of Other Languages • English Language Learners (ELLs) receive specialized English literacy instructional support from ESOL (English to Speakers of Other Languages) teachers/tutors in mainstream and resource classes where they receive individual/small group assistance and guidance. • At SHS, multileveled sheltered English & American History courses are also taught. For ELLs, English becomes their target language and they reap similar benefits as do English speakers studying a foreign language and culture.

44. Interactive Break Please join me in singing a little tune featuring a beginning French dialog: • J’entre dans la salle de classe, • Je regarde autour de moi, • Je vois les élèves et le professeur, • Je dis bonjour au professeur, • Je prends ma place.

45. Major Travel Opportunities! Authentic learning at its best! The World Language Department sponsors trips to Canada and abroad. Recent trips have included: • Italy and France in 2013 • Québec during Winter Carnival in 2012 • Paris, Barcelona, and Madrid in 2010 • Montréal in 2008 • Paris in 2007

46. Here’s proof!

49. Say “Fromage”!

50. The World Language/ESOL Department thanks you for your support and welcomes any questions or concerns. For a complete description of course offerings and contact information, please access our district's web site.