POTOMAC FALLSHIGH SCHOOL

PRESENTS

WELCOME!Class of 2015!

Introduction, Graduation Requirements,

Scheduling

The PFHS Administration

• Ms. Janice Koslowski• Mr. Jarvis Weeks (9th Grade and 12th A-L)• Mr. Douglas Fulton (10th Grade and Special

Education)• Mr. Kirk Dolson (11th Grade and 12th M-Z)

Upcoming Events for Rising 9th Grade Students and Parents

• March 7th and 8th through Spring Break-Freshman Scheduling

• April 15th-Activities Fair for Freshman• July 15th and August 15th-Freshman Summer

Institutes• August 24th 6:30 p.m.-Freshman Parent

Orientation• August 25th 9:00 a.m.-1 p.m.-Freshman/Transfer

orientation

The PFHS School Counseling Department is…

The Counselors:• Mr. Timothy Pitkewicz• Mr. Richard Bader• Mrs. Donna Kelly• Mrs. Rae Ann Paolozzi• Mrs. Amy Burgess• Mrs. Dawn Faust

Support Staff:

• Ms. Lisa Torick• Mrs. Toni Cicirelli• Ms. Silvia Lamb• Mrs. Stacey Thomas, Career Center Assistant• Mr. Peter Kim, Testing Coordinator (SOL testing)

DIPLOMA TYPESRead the 2011 Program of

Studies!

• Advanced Studies• Advanced Technical • Standard• Standard Technical• Others as determined through

Individualized Educational Plan

Advanced Studies DiplomaEach unit is 140 clock hours of

instruction• Four units of English• Four units of Math• Four units of Lab Science• Four units of Social Science• One unit of Economics (.5) and Personal

Finance (.5)• One unit of Fine Arts or Career and Technical• Three or Four units of Foreign Language• Two units of Health and PE (PE 9 and 10)• Three or more units of Electives

Advanced Technical DiplomaEach unit is 140 clock hours of

instruction• Four units of English• Four units of Math• Four units of Lab Science• Four units of Social Science• One unit of Economics (.5) and Personal

Finance (.5) • One unit of Fine Art or Career and Technical• Three or Four units of Foreign Language• Two units of Health and PE (PE 9 and 10)• Three or more units of Career and Technical

Electives

Standard DiplomaEach unit is 140 Clock Hours of Instruction

• Four units of English• Three units of Math• Three units of Lab Science• Three units of Social Science• Two units of Health and PE (PE 9 and 10)• One unit of Economics (.5) and Personal

Finance (.5)• One Fine or Practical Art• Six units of electives (two must be sequential)

Standard Technical DiplomaEach unit is 140 Clock Hours of Instruction

• Four units of English• Three units of Math• Three units of Lab Science• Three units of Social Science• Two units of Health and PE (PE 9 and 10)• One unit of Economics (.5) and Personal

Finance (.5)• One Fine or Practical Art or Foreign Language• 4 or more units of Career and Technical

Electives• 1 unit of electives

VERIFIED UNITS OFCREDIT REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE ADVANCED DIPLOMA• A VERIFIED UNIT OF CREDIT IS A PASSED

COURSE WITH THE CORRESPONDING PASSED STANDARDS OF LEARNING TEST

• 2 VERIFIED CREDITS IN ENGLISH (TAKEN IN GRADE 11)

• 2 VERIFIED CREDITS IN MATH• 2 VERIFIED CREDITS IN LAB SCIENCE• 2 VERIFIED CREDITS IN SOCIAL SCIENCE• 1 STUDENT SELECTED

VERIFIED UNITS OFCREDIT REQUIREMENTS

FOR THE STANDARD DIPLOMA

• 2 UNITS IN ENGLISH (TAKEN IN GRADE 11)• 1 UNIT IN MATH• 1 UNIT IN LAB SCIENCE• 1 UNIT IN SOCIAL SCIENCE• 1 STUDENT SELECTED TEST

A TYPICAL FRESHMAN SCHEDULE!• ENGLISH 9 (Academic, Honors)• WORLD HISTORY 1 (Academic, Pre-Advanced

Placement)• **MATH (Algebra 1, Geometry, Functions, Algebra 2)• EARTH SCIENCE (Academic, Honors)• HEALTH/PE 9• **FOREIGN LANGUAGE• ELECTIVE (Review diploma type)_• FLEX (8TH PERIOD)**Expunging?

ELECTIVE CHOICES• ART 1• ENSEMBLE, GUITAR, CHORUS• THEATER ARTS 1 AND JOURNALISM• CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION

COURSES• BUSINESS COURSES

ART DEPARTMENT PICTURES FOR YOUR VIEWING ENJOYMENT!

FRESHMAN MAY TAKE ART 1 ONLY:

The course includes drawing, painting, printmaking, sculpture, graphic design, ceramics, and textiles, photography, and computer graphics.

ENSEMBLE, CHORUS AND GUITAR• ENSEMBLE 1 OR 2 (BASED ON AUDITION)• CHORUS, MEN’S, WOMEN’S SHOW CHOIR,

PANTHERA (BASED ON AUDITION)• BEGINNING, INTERMEDIATE AND

ADVANCED LEVELS OFFERED (BASED ON AUDITION AND TEACHER RECOMMENDATION)

• STRINGS (AUDITION)• MUSIC APPRECATION: Students will

explore music throughout the ages and how it relates to history.

• MUSIC THEORY: Students will learn about the language of music. This course is designed for students who are planning on pursuing music in college. No performance is required.

THEATER ARTS 1 AND JOURNALISM• Both courses are intro courses.• Journalism prepares you for

newspaper and yearbook classes and how to write objectively

• You do not need to be enrolled in Theater Arts 1 to audition, but it might help!

• Theater Arts I: Students survey the technical and performing art of theater, including improvisation, mime, basic acting, the history of the theater, stage settings, costuming, make up, and lighting.

CAREER AND TECHNICAL COURSES

• INDEPENDENT LIVING– how to make a budget, let yourself in the house and be independent!

• LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT—public speaking, community leadership, politics!

• FASHION DESIGN—wardrobe, color analysis, and the business of designing fashions!

• INTRODUCTION TO BUSINESS AND MARKETING—marketing, advertising and fun!

• CHOICES—exploring the stuff teens deal with daily!• GOURMET FOODS—learn to cook, clean, measure

and impress!• HUMAN DEVELOPMENT—what do small children

need now to be productive healthy teens later?• APPLIED TECHNOLOGY—tools of the trade and how

to use them!

BUSINESS COURSES• KEYBOARDING,

ADVANCED KEYBOARDING .5 credit

• COMPUTER APPLICATIONS (YOU MAY ONLY TAKE THIS IF YOU PASS THE KEYBOARDING EXAM! SEE KEYBOARDING TEACHER FOR DETAILS!)

WHAT IS CAMPUS?• An academic and college preparation program designed to

meet the specific needs of students from historically under-represented populations in higher education and prospective first-generation college students attending LCPS high schools

• Seeks to support and encourage students who demonstrate ability to achieve academic success and college admission

• Serves over 450 students countywide

• Admission to and success in college are among the goals of the program.

How CAMPUS Supports You!• Academic enrichment and support (Mandatory

CAMPUS class and/or meetings)• 2-Day Summer Seminar• College and university visits• College and scholarship preparation• Community service projects and activities• Leadership development

Application Process• Majority of applicants are selected from rising

9th grade applicant pool.• Applications are available through LCPS

website and middle school Counseling offices. • Application deadline is March 18th! Late

applications will not be accepted• Mr. Pitkewicz will be at RBMS to discuss

CAMPUS w/interested students! Date is TBD.

EXPUNGING HIGH SCHOOL CREDITED COURSES TAKEN IN

MIDDLE SCHOOL…

• REVIEW ALL MATERIALS SENT HOME WITH THE LAST REPORT CARD

• FILL OUT EXPUNGEMENT FORM AND RETURN TO THE PFHS COUNSELING OFFICE NO LATER THAN MID-JULY

• SUMMER BEFORE THE FRESHMAN YEAR IS THE ONLY OPPORTUNITY TO EXPUNGE!

COURSE CHANGES

• 3RD QUARTER REPORT CARDS WILL ALSO INCLUDE COURSE REQUEST LETTER WITH TEACHER-RECOMMENDED COURSES

• AFTER 4TH QUARTER REPORT CARDS ARE SENT HOME, YOU HAVE ABOUT ONE WEEK TO VERIFY THE COURSE REQUESTS.

• NO CHANGES WILL BE GRANTED AFTER FRIDAY, JULY 1ST, 2011!

• REVIEW COURSE REQUESTS AND THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES CAREFULLY!

WORDS OF WISDOM FORINCOMING FRESHMAN AND THEIR

PARENTS…• KEEP IN CONTACT WITH TEACHERS• GET INVOLVED• GET TO KNOW THE MAIN OFFICE AND

COUNSELING STAFF• READ THE NEWSLETTER AND REVIEW THE

PFHS WEBSITE OFTEN

Academic vs. Honors Science…• Both Honors and Academic courses have the

same curriculum and SOL’s. The labs and tests in the Honors ask higher order questions.

• The primary difference is that Honors science students are actively involved in a research project over the course of two years.

• Students develop their own research project in the Honors Earth Science course and finish carrying out their project in Honors Biology.

Honors Science Course Load…• Students that take these Honors courses should

want to do research, they want to explore and develop ideas outside of class time.

• Several items that need to be stressed: the research component adds hours of extra work outside of class time, represents 25% of the student’s grade, and follows strict deadlines.

• We want to make sure that all parents and students understand the commitment the Honors courses require for student success.