Students in grades 8-11 should use the Curriculum Guide to outline or revise a four year plan in accordance with Graduation requirements and to select courses for the 2006-2007 school year which fit in this plan. Students should:

• Review the Curriculum Guide. Pay special attention to the Course Sequence page.
• Consult with parents, teachers, and counselors to select courses.
• Fill out worksheet with guidance counselor being sure that in grades 9-12 each student selects at least 7 credits.
• Fill out elective course request form.

For assistance contact your guidance counselor.

NOTE: Included in the Curriculum Guide are complete listings of courses by department. These course descriptions provide an overview of all course offerings in grades 8 through 12. They also identify the amount of credit a course is worth. Prerequisites are provided for a clear understanding of the appropriateness of each course for the students. Under regulations of the PA Department of Education, credits earned in grades 9-12 will count toward graduation.

Students are encouraged to be careful and thorough in their selection of courses. The process of selecting courses involves the consideration of many issues. Parent/student requests for placement will be considered in the scheduling process but the final decision will involve all elements in a placement decision, including standardized test scores, teacher recommendations, and prerequisites for particular courses. All students are expected to continue in and complete the courses selected. Within our block schedule, scheduling is done for the entire year. Students are required to take a minimum of 3.5 courses each semester. If students fail a course during the first semester, there is no guarantee that the same course can be taken again during the second semester the same school year. There are times when a change in a student's schedule is necessary. However, this can only be accomplished within the confines of classroom space, graduation requirements, appropriate course level, and scheduling considerations.

Each student is required to request the proper number of elective credits as described on the Elective Course Request Form contained within this booklet.

The master schedule is like a jigsaw puzzle; sometimes the pieces fit and sometimes they do not. Some combinations of courses simply will not work. Students who are in doubt as to whether courses will schedule should talk with their counselor and be prepared to be flexible if contacted about a course conflict. It is important to understand that the master schedule and teacher assignments change from year to year; therefore, students should avoid making decisions about their future schedule based upon the current master schedule.

It is unlikely that a student will have success in a course if they earn a "D" in a prerequisite. This trend is especially true to mathematics, foreign language, business courses, and other sequential "skill subjects".

Courses taken at the Eastern Center for Arts & Technology in Willow Grove are considered part of the high school program. Four credit courses are primarily offered to 11th and 12th grade students and are recommended as a two year sequence for students, except for Allied Health which is now a one year program. Tenth grade students are also eligible for certain programs. Thirteen different classes are available. A co-op work program is available to second year vocational students in incorporating on-site experiences with classroom learning.

STUDENT SCHEDULING CHECKLIST

• Review Curriculum Guide
• Talk with Counselor
• Talk with Parents
• Talk with Teachers
• Check Prerequisites
• Select Courses