Clear Creek High School Home of the Wildcats Principal: Jamey Majewski

2305 East Main Street Associate Principal: David Drake League City, TX 77573 Dean of Instruction: Ellen Akers Phone 281.284.1700 Assistant Principals: Campus webpage: clearcreekhs.ccisd.net Rupert Jaso, Janice Butcher, Ashley Orr, and Perry Johnson

Frequently Asked Questions for Incoming 9th graders about the Pre-AP and AP programs

1. What are Pre-AP classes?

Pre-AP course curriculum is an enriched, accelerated program based on introducing and developing

College Board strategies. Compared to regular classes, Pre-AP courses expect a greater retention

and application of prior knowledge, as well as a deeper understanding of the course topics. Pre-AP

courses teach the skills necessary for success in AP courses and students should expect extensive

reading and writing assignments. Enrolling in a Pre-AP course is highly recommended for students

who wish to take Advanced Placement (AP) courses in the future.

2. What Pre-AP classes can I take in 9th grade?

The following classes are offered: English I, Biology, Chemistry (if you took Biology in 8th grade),

Algebra I, Geometry, Spanish, German, and French. Social studies in CCISD will no longer offer Pre-

AP courses as an option, only regular level or AP level courses. So as a 9th grader your options will

be World Geography or AP Human Geography.

3. Do I have to take all Pre-AP classes? No, of course not! The name of the game is to get you to take courses that will challenge you and you will be successful in. You should build your schedule based on your academic strengths, your interests, and what type of extra-curricular activities you are planning to be involved in. Time management is a critical skill for success in high school, not matter what classes you choose to take.

4. What is an AP class and what are the benefits of taking one? Advanced Placement (AP) is a nationally certified program run by the College Board which offers college level courses at high school. These courses are offered in many subject areas including English, Social Studies, Math, Science, some foreign languages, and art. AP courses can help you gain skills and study habits that you will need to be successful in college. You'll improve your writing, problem-solving, time-management skills, and learn how to stay focused on your work and goals. Research shows that AP courses help students graduate from college in four years and qualify for scholarships. It's less about taking the easy classes and earning an "A" than it is about showing colleges that you're willing to take a challenging class. To find out more about AP courses, go to the College Board’s website: https://apstudent.collegeboard.org/home

5. Do I automatically earn college credit by taking an AP class?

AP classes provide you the opportunity to earn both high school and college credit at the same time.

However, just taking the class does not give you college credit; you have to take and pass the AP

exam, which you pay to take. Every student in the country takes the same AP test on the same day

in May. AP exams are scored on a scale from 1 to 5. If a student scores a 3 or higher, colleges can

award you credit for that course; a 1 or 2 on the exam will not earn you any college credit.

Taking the AP class is free, but each AP exam you take will cost around $90.

6. What AP classes can I take in 9th grade?

As a 9th grader you can take AP Human Geography, which we call AP Hug for short. Just think, if you

take this class and pass the AP exam in May, you could have 3 hours of COLLEGE CREDIT as a 9th

grader!

7. What can I expect in an AP class?

You will be using a college textbook, readings, and vocabulary. There will be long-term projects,

tests and typically fewer daily grades. Homework can take up to an hour a night, every night.

Remember, this is a college course, and you will have to do college level work if you are going to be

prepared to take the AP exam in May to earn that college credit.

8. What is the difference in a Level 1 and Level 2 weighted course?

Level 1 courses are weighted on the 6.0 scale. Pre-AP courses, AP courses, and Advanced Academic

(AA) courses are all Level 1 weighted.

Level 2 courses are weighted on the 5.0 scale. Regular level courses are weighted on the 5.0 scale.

Below are a few examples of semester grades and what your GPA would be in a Level 1 and Level 2

class.

9. Once I register for courses, can I make changes?

Students are advised to make their course selection carefully and thoughtfully during the

registration period. Get advice from your teachers, consider your school-life balance, and be

realistic about your academic skills. The master schedule will be developed from your course

request and openings in any other sections will be limited. We realize there could be mistakes in

student schedules, so there will be a short window in April/May to correct these mistakes.

10. Can I level down from a Pre-AP or AP class into Regular if I am not successful?

At the 3 week mark during the 1st nine weeks, students can level down from a Pre-AP level class into

a regular class if a student is making below a 70. At the end of the 1st 9 weeks, after report cards,

students have one final opportunity to level down into regular level classes. Class level changes are

offered on a limited basis. A class change is also dependent on space availability.

11. What is the most important consideration in creating my 9th grade schedule?

While graduation requirements are important, remember you have four years to fulfill these

requirements. The key component in creating a successful academic transition to high school is

proper placement in classes and balance. It is also important to consider your skills (academic and

personal), your talents and interests. Another thing to consider is what extra-curricular activities

you will be involved in and how much time will they take in addition to your coursework.

Semester Grade

GPA Level 1 course

GPA Level 2 course

100 6.0 5.0

95 5.5 4.5 85 4.5 3.5

75 3.5 2.5

12. Who will be my counselor at Creek?

All 9th graders at Creek share the same counselor, Mrs. Gailey. When you become a sophomore,

your counselor will be assigned by alpha split. If you have any questions, Mrs. Gailey can be reached

at kgailey@ccisd.net

13. What is a GPA and what is it used for?

GPA stands for Grade Point Average and it’s the average of all of the final grades in the classes

you’ve taken. Every semester, you are issued final grades on your report card and those are

averaged with all of the final grades you receive all the way through your senior year.

Your class rank will be based upon your grade point average. It is determined by dividing the total

number of grade points earned by the total number of semester units attempted, resulting in a

maximum grade point average of 6.0. GPA’s are also used in scholarship decisions, as committees

decide to whom they’ll award scholarship money. For these reasons, it’s important to get the best

possible grades, which will result in the best possible GPA for you.

14. What is a transcript?

A transcript is a record of the 9th, 10th, 11th & 12th grade classes you’ve taken, the final grades

you’ve earned, your cumulative GPA, and your class rank. The moment you enter high school you

have your very own transcript. Your transcript lists every class attempted and the grade received for

each course. All of those grades are averaged after each semester, resulting in a new cumulative

GPA. You will see cumulative with GPA a lot and it just means that the GPA is not just based on one

semester, it’s based on all of the semesters you’ve completed. This is a very important document to

college/university admissions offices, as transcripts are reviewed if you apply for admission as a

senior.

15. When do my grades start “counting” for my college applications?

It is important for you to know that 9th grade is not a “practice year” when it comes to grades. In

other words, your freshman grades count just as much as the grades you earn as a junior or senior,

and college admissions officers will see all of those grades on your high school transcript. All high

school grades are factored into your Cumulative GPA. You send out your transcript from the end of

junior year to colleges. Please remember that your GPA starts now and will follow you all through

high school. If you start out earning poor grades you’ll have a low 9th grade GPA and that means a

more difficult time bringing it up.

16. What STAAR exams will I have to take in high school?

The STAAR exams that you will need to take and pass in order to graduate from high school are:

English I, English II, Biology, Algebra I, and US History. If you took Biology or Algebra I in 8th grade

and passed the STAAR test, you will not have to retake them in 9th grade.

17. I want to make sure I’m ready for college. How do I decide what classes to take?

The best advice... Challenge yourself to take the toughest classes in which you can be successful.

You’ll be better prepared for success in college and many colleges consider the difficulty of an

applicant’s high school curriculum in making admission decisions. A number of courses are

required— for instance, certain courses in math, science, language arts, and social studies— and

that each class has several options or levels (regular, Pre-AP or AP). Talk to your parents, your

teachers, and your counselor about which option best suits your academic strengths and prepares

you for the courses you’ll take in college.

18. How can I make sure I’ll do well in my classes?

Your teachers, your counselor, and your family will all be behind you and encouraging you to do

your best work from the first day, but a lot of your success in high school depends on you! Talk to

your teachers, we really are here to help and want you to succeed. Establish an open line of

communication with your teacher with your CCISD email address. This is a great way to contact

your teacher for questions about homework, projects, or to let them know you are going to be

absent and find out what you are going to be missing.

Go to tutorials to get clarification when you don’t understand. This is not a bad thing! We can’t help

you until we know what you don’t know. Do not wait until the last minute to get help, be proactive.

19. What are some things that I can do at home?

Be organized, and keep up with homework assignments and projects. Study class lecture notes to

review what was taught in class, even when you do not have assigned homework in a subject. Begin

studying for a test several days ahead, so you have time to review the material and retain it. This

includes making time to study, work on projects, or do homework on weekends and during holiday

breaks.

20. If I am not doing well in a course, what should I do?

There are many ways to get help, all you have to do is ask! The first step is to speak with your

classroom teacher and set up a time before or after school for extra help from your teacher. Creek

has mandatory tutorial times every Tuesday and Thursday from 2:30-3:15. In addition we also have

an extended tutorial program run by content specific teachers. This program runs until 4:30 and has

bus transportation provided.

21. How can I find a private tutor?

The best place to start is to contact your teacher for that specific content area. Many times they will

have a contact list of people who tutor that they will be happy to share with you.

22. How important is it to be involved in extracurricular activities, such as clubs, sports, band, or

volunteer projects?

We like to say we are “Uniquely Creek” and that there is something for everyone here. We have

many different ways for you to be involved on campus. We recommend that all students participate

in one or more extracurricular activity and/or community service opportunities while in high school.

Students who are involved in activities feel more connected to the school and their community. You

can learn a lot about life, possible careers and your own strengths and weaknesses when you

volunteer. Also, colleges and scholarship committees frequently request information on

extracurricular participation and demonstrated leadership while in high school. Volunteer work is

also a great way to make a difference in the community.