Middle school program planning guide



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MIDDLE SCHOOL

PROGRAM PLANNING GUIDE

2015-16

The Wake County Public School System Middle School Program is structured to respond to the unique and changing needs of adolescents. Middle school students complete a required core academic program of language arts, mathematics, social studies, science, and healthful living. Students also participate in an elective program that allows them to select courses from an array of offerings such as second languages, the arts, and career and technical education. The actual course selection varies by school and is often dependent on the availability of resources.

The following pages of this planning guide detail the Middle School Program. Questions about the program can be directed to personnel at each school.

Wake County Public School System Middle Schools



Apex MS

Carnage MS

Carroll MS

Centennial Campus MS

Daniels MS

Davis Drive MS

Dillard Drive MS

Durant Road MS

East Cary MS

East Garner MS

East Millbrook MS

East Wake MS

Fuquay-Varina MS

Heritage MS

Hilburn Academy

Holly Grove MS

Holly Ridge MS

Leesville Road MS

Ligon MS

Longview School

Lufkin Road MS

Martin MS

Mills Park MS

Mount Vernon School

Moore Square MS

North Garner MS

Reedy Creek MSRiver Oaks MS

Rolesville MS

Salem MS

Wake Forest MS

Wake Young Men’s Leadership

Wake Young Women’s Leadership

Wakefield MS

Wendell MS

West Cary MS

West Lake MS

West Millbrook MS

Zebulon MS





It is the policy of this school system not to discriminate in its admissions requirements, educational programs, activities, or employment policies in regard to sex, race, color, national origin, creed, or handicapping conditions.
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Last Updated: 02/3/15

TABLE OF CONTENTS
Section I. General Information
Middle School Programs 2

Middle School Career Competencies 3

Grading System 3

Students with Special Needs 4

Special Education Course Options 6

Service Delivery Options 7

English as a Second Language 7
Section II. Core Program Descriptions
Sixth Grade Program 8

Seventh Grade Program 12

Eighth Grade Program 15
Section III. Electives
Language Arts Electives 19

Mathematics Electives 19

Science Electives 20

Social Studies Electives 20

World Language Electives 21

Arts Electives 22

Career & Technical Education Electives 24
Section IV. Planning Your Future
Looking Ahead to the High School Program 27

High School Courses Taken at Middle School 29


Section V. Testing 33
Section IV. Course Codes 34



THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM 4

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER COMPETENCIES 5

GRADING SYSTEM 5

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS 7

SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSE OPTIONS 10

SERVICE DELIVERY OPTIONS 11

SIXTH GRADE CORE PROGRAM 12

SEVENTH GRADE CORE PROGRAM 16

EIGHTH GRADE CORE PROGRAM 19

MATHEMATICS ELECTIVES 23

SCIENCE ELECTIVES 24

SOCIAL STUDIES ELECTIVES 24

ARTS EDUCATION ELECTIVES 26

Theatre Arts 28

Dance 28

CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATION ELECTIVES 29



LOOKING AHEAD TO THE HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAM 33

Section I: General Information
THE MIDDLE SCHOOL PROGRAM
The Middle School Program provides students with opportunities to question and explore, to achieve and succeed, to belong and participate, and to think and create. Typically, middle schools are organized into interdisciplinary teacher teams in which two to five teachers assume joint responsibility for the instructional program of a given group of students. This organization offers advantages for students, teachers, and parents. For example, while the population of a middle school may be 1,200 students, a sixth grader may be on a team of 50 to 145 students. The teachers on the team, therefore, are able to better personalize instruction to meet the needs of their students.
Essential to students’ growth during the middle school years is the development of positive character traits. Listed below are character traits that our school system believes are an important part of every child’s education. Whenever possible and appropriate for the grade level, teachers incorporate character education in their lessons and classroom activities.
Courage:

  • Having the determination to do the right thing even when others do not

  • Having the strength to follow your conscience rather than the crowd

  • Attempting difficult things that are worthwhile

Good Judgment:

  • Choosing worthy goals and setting proper priorities

  • Thinking through the consequences of your actions

  • Basing decisions on practical wisdom and good sense

Integrity:

  • Having the inner strength to be truthful, trustworthy, and honest in all things

  • Acting justly and honorably

Kindness:

  • Being considerate, courteous, helpful, and understanding of others

  • Showing care, compassion, friendship, and generosity

  • Treating others as you would like to be treated

Perseverance:

  • Being persistent in pursuit of worthy objectives in spite of difficulty, opposition, or discouragement

  • Exhibiting patience and having the fortitude to try again when confronted with delays, mistakes, or failures

Respect:

  • Showing high regard for authority, for other people, for self, for property, and for country

  • Understanding that all people have value as human beings

Responsibility:

  • Being dependable in carrying out obligations and duties

  • Showing reliability and consistency in words and conduct

  • Being committed to active involvement in your community

Self-Discipline:

  • Demonstrating hard work and commitment to purpose

  • Regulating yourself for improvement and restraining from inappropriate behaviors

  • Being in proper control of your words, actions, impulses, and desires

  • Choosing abstinence from premarital sex, the use of drugs, alcohol, tobacco, and other harmful substances and unhealthy behaviors

  • Doing your best in all situations

MIDDLE SCHOOL CAREER COMPETENCIES
The emphasis at the middle school level for career development is on the awareness and refinement of knowledge as it relates to the experience of simulated work tasks. Middle school is the time to discover abilities and interests and to begin to formulate educational and career plans.
The following National Career Development competencies for middle school students represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities students need in order to cope effectively with daily life, to make the transition to the next level of education, and to develop an educational plan to ensure their academic growth and development (National Occupational Information Coordinating Committee—NOICC).
SELF-KNOWLEDGE

Competency 1: Knowledge of the influence of a positive self-concept

Competency 2: Skills to interact with others

Competency 3: Knowledge of the importance of growth and change


EDUCATIONAL AND OCCUPATIONAL PLANNING

Competency 4: Knowledge of the benefits of educational achievement to career opportunities

Competency 5: Understanding the relationship between work and learning

Competency 6: Skills to locate, understand and use career information

Competency 7: Knowledge of skills necessary to seek and obtain jobs
CAREER PLANNING

Competency 8: Understanding how work relates to the needs and functions of the economy and society

Competency 9: Skills to make decisions

Competency 10: Knowledge of the interrelationships of life roles

Competency 11: Knowledge of different occupations and changing male/female roles

Competency 12: Understanding the process of career planning


Middle school counselors, Career Development Coordinators and teachers will work with students using the basic competencies that represent the knowledge, skills, and abilities students need to cope effectively with daily life, to make the transition to the next level of education and to develop an educational plan which will ensure academic development in the 21st century.

GRADING SYSTEM


LETTER GRADES – Note: The grading scale below is pending changes to Policy 5520 R&P in spring 2015.

Students earn letter grades of A, B, C, D, or F on their report cards. They may also be assigned a grade of "I" for "Incomplete" if, because of an emergency, they do not complete work by the end of the grading period. The "Incomplete" becomes an "F" if work is not finished by an assigned time. Letter grades have the following numerical values:


A = 90 - 100

B = 80 – 89

C = 70 – 79

D = 60 – 69

F = less than 60

FF = failed for violation of attendance policy


Performance on the End-of-Course test will count as 25% of the final grade for students enrolled in Common Core Math I or any other high school credit course that requires an EOC. Students enrolled in other high school credit courses will have an exam that counts 20% of the overall grade. Depending on the course, this may be a state, district, or teacher exam.
REPORT CARDS

Report cards are issued within a week following the end of each grading period. At the midpoint of the first and third reporting periods, all students receive interim reports to take home to parents. At the midpoint of the second and fourth reporting periods, students who are failing or whose grades have fallen a letter grade will again receive interim reports.


PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS

Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) policy (5530) requires grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics in order to be promoted to the next grade level in grades 6-8. To be promoted, students must meet test proficiency standards and receive a passing grade (D or better) in:



  • Language Arts,

  • Mathematics,

  • Social Studies or Science,

  • Half of all remaining courses taken.

In addition to academic performance requirements, students must meet the requirements of the WCPSS attendance policy. Failure to meet the requirements of the attendance policy may result in failure of a class and grade retention. Such students receive a grade of “FF.” North Carolina Law [1 15C-288(a)] mandates that the final decision regarding promotion or retention of students lies with the principal.

STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS


ACADEMICALLY OR INTELLECTUALLY GIFTED (AIG)

At the middle school level, screening and placement for the Academically or Intellectually Gifted program occur as appropriate and on an individual basis. Teachers and/or parents may nominate students for the AIG Program during the first or second semester screening window. Students may be identified for services in language arts, mathematics, or in both areas.


Students in the Wake County Public School System are identified using a state-approved model that includes not only aptitude and achievement test scores, but also other indicators of giftedness such as classroom behaviors, performance, interest, and motivation. Students who meet the criteria for AIG services are identified accordingly. Students who qualify for the AIG program are served through differentiation strategies designed to provide challenges and appropriate instruction in language arts classes and/or in mathematics courses.
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES

All Wake County Public School System middle schools provide services for students who require special education because of a disability. Federal and state laws govern eligibility for special education. Students who are suspected of having a disability are referred by their parents or by school personnel for screening and evaluation. Following the evaluation, a team of qualified individuals determines whether the student is eligible. A team, including the parent, develops for every eligible student an Individualized Educational Program (IEP), which identifies the student’s strengths and weaknesses and sets annual goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks. The IEP also identifies the appropriate services and least restrictive placement which are required to meet the individual needs of the student.


Wake County Public School System provides services for students according to the following continuum of alternative placements:


  1. Regular – 80% or more of the day with non-disabled peers

  2. Resource – 40% - 79% of the day with non-disabled peers

  3. Separate – 39% or less of the day with non-disabled peers

  4. Separate School

  5. Residential Facility

  6. Home/Hospital



Regular, resource, and separate placements on an academic curriculum are available in every WCPSS middle school. Course options may vary from school to school. Placements in an adapted curriculum may require a student to be assigned to a school different from the base school.





Special Education – General Curriculum

Standard Course of Study

Course Name

Course Code

Independent Study

96102Y0E

Curriculum Assistance 6

96102Y06G

Curriculum Assistance 7

96102Y07G

Curriculum Assistance 8

96102Y08G

Math Connections 6

20062Y0C6

Math Connections 7

20072Y0C7

Math Connections 8

20082Y0C8

Writing 6

10262Y0W6

Writing 7

10262Y0W7

Writing 8

10262Y0W8

Reading Decoding 6

10262Y0R6

Reading Decoding 7

10262Y0R7

Reading Decoding 8

10262Y0R8

Literacy Connections 6

10562Y0C6

Literacy Connections 7

10572Y0C7

Literacy Connections 8

10582Y0C8

Literacy Essentials 6

10562Y0E6

Literacy Essentials 7

10572Y0E7

Literacy Essentials 8

10582Y0E8

Math Essentials 6

20062Y0E6

Math Essentials 7

20072Y0E7

Math Essentials 8

20082Y0E8

Social Skills Essentials

96102Y0P

Social Competencies

96102Y0T

Essentials of Social Studies & Science

96102Y0U




Special Education – Extensions

NC Extensions Curriculum

Course Name

Course Code

Language Arts 6 Extended

1056AY0

Language Arts 7 Extended

1057AY0

Language Arts 8 Extended

1058AY0

Math 6 Extended

2006AY0

Math 7 Extended

2007AY0

Math 8 Extended

2008AY0

Science 6 Extended

3006AY0

Science 7 Extended

3007AY0

Science 8 Extended

3008AY0

Social Studies 6 Extended

4006AY0

Social Studies 7 Extended

4007AY0

Social Studies 8 Extended

4008AY0

World Awareness Extended

96102Y0W

Socialization Leisure Skills

96102Y0X

Adaptive Comp. Extended

96102Y0BB

Prevocational Skills Extend.

96102Y0CC

Employment Adjust. Extended

96102Y0R

Skills in Independent Living

96102Y0DD

Physical Education Extended

60262Y0

Functional Academics

96102Y0HH


SPECIAL EDUCATION COURSE OPTIONS
Literacy Connections

This course focuses on Common Core State Standards for students with reading levels ranging from approximately 2nd grade to beginning 4th grade level. The students receive intensive, explicit, and systematic instruction to remediate deficit areas in vocabulary, comprehension, and writing. The use of scaffolded instruction as well as supplemental and alternate text options enable students to access common core standards while addressing the literacy needs documented in the IEP. This class is recommended for sixth and seventh grades.


Literacy Essentials

The Literacy Essentials course is designed to intensively, explicitly, and systematically teach vocabulary, comprehension, and basic writing skills to the small population of students, with reading levels beginning at the first or second grade, who are unable to benefit from the Literacy Connections or ICR Language Arts class.


Decoding

Designed for students who exhibit specific decoding deficits as evidenced by diagnostic assessment and IEP goals, this course focuses on explicitly and systematically teaching reading skills ranging from phonemic awareness to morphological units. Students will receive specially designed instruction in alphabetic principle, specific phonic patterns, high frequency words, and an appreciation of morphemes. Fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension are also integrated into lessons. Pre-testing as well as ongoing assessments of students’ performance and growth determine placement and mastery.


Math Connections

This course is designed for students at least two grade levels below who are not making sufficient progress with a single ICR math or general education math class, and who are in need of explicit and systematic specialized math instruction and concrete support of developmental math skills to access grade level Common Core math standards. A focus on assessment, progress monitoring, and targeted instruction encourages the expected student behaviors associated with gaining math skills as identified by the Common Core standards of mathematical practice.


Math Essentials

This course focuses on explicit and systematic instruction in basic number sense and appropriate developmental Common Core math learning trajectories and is designed for the small population of students with emerging numeracy skills who are unable to access abstract concepts presented in general education math, including ICR math.


Curriculum Assistance

The Curriculum Assistance elective (CA) provides specialized instruction for students with disabilities who are enrolled in regular education classes. The four main components of CA are collaboration/communication between teacher, parent, and student, literacy and math specialized instruction/remediation, and study skills instruction. The student is taught to prioritize, organize, take notes, take tests, proofread, follow directions and use reference materials. Literacy and Math skills are taught using specially designed instruction based on students’ IEP goals.


Social Skills Essentials

This course is designed for concrete learners who need more foundational instruction in managing their behavior. Specialized instruction includes a focus on, but is not limited to, personal emotional knowledge, interpersonal relationships, conversational skills, and coping strategies.



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