Cabarrus County Schools

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Cabarrus County Schools

• Academically/Intellectually
• Gifted Orientation
• to High School

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High School Classes

• Each class taken in high school is factored into
  the students GPA (grade point average)
  starting with 9th grade classes.
• The grade a student makes in each class is given
  an equivalent GPA (the grading scale is on the
  back of the student handbook).
• Advanced / Honors courses receive a single (1)
  additional quality point in a students GPA.
• Advanced Placement courses receive two (2)
  additional quality points. AP- Advanced
  Placement (college level course taught in high
  school) students must take the required EOC test
  and / or the AP Exam or Teachers Exam.

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Honor Roll

• Honor Roll is calculated at the end of each
  grading period and is based upon a students
  non-weighted numerical average.
• The A Honor Roll is a 3.68 average
• The B Honor Roll is a 2.68 average

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Class Rank

• Class rank is based upon the converted 4.0
  weighted scale. The grade in each class is given
  a 4.0 weighted scale and ALL classes are averaged
  together to determine GPA and class rank.
  Quality points for weighted courses are included
  in determining GPA points and class rank as
  appropriate.
• GPA and class rank start in 9th Grade and are
  recalculated at the end of each semester.

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North Carolina Academic Scholars Program

• Students who complete the State Board of
  Education requirements for a challenging high
  school program will be named North Carolina
  Academic Scholars. To achieve this honor,
  students must complete the required Course of
  Study and have an unweighted GPA of 3.5 or above.
  A seal of recognition is affixed to the diploma
  at graduation.

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North Carolina Academic ScholarRequirements

• 4 English / Language Arts (I, II, III, IV)
• 4 Mathematics (Alg. I, Alg. II, Geometry,
  and a higher level math course)
• 3 Science (physical science, Biology, and
  Earth / Environmental)
• 2 Foreign Language (two credits-same language)
• 1 Healthful living
• 1 Career and Technical Education
• 1 Arts Education
• 5 Elective Credits (two must be advanced
  level courses)

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Marshalls and Honor Graduates

• Cabarrus County Schools select 15 juniors with
  the highest academic averages to serve as
  Graduation Marshalls.
• Honor graduates are classified as
• Summa Cum Laude (4.320)
• Magna Cum Laude (4.0-4.319)
• Cum Laude (3.68-3.999)
• GPAs are NOT rounded up

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Should I Take Honors Classes?

• Clues to your honors potential
• Are you a strong student? You have to have
  achieved a B or better in an Honors Class (AIG)
  or have an A average in regular classes.
• Do you do more than the minimum amount of work
  required?
• Do you look for challenges outside of class?
• Are you always prepared?
• Are you prepared to complete a 3-5 page paper in
  each Honors class?

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Purpose of Honors Courses

• The purposes of honors courses are to provide
  the opportunity for advanced work, promote
  rigorous academic study, practical application,
  and transfer of knowledge and skills.
• The intent of honors is not to provide a means to
  attract students to enroll in classes in order to
  receive the additional credit afforded honors
  courses, but offer challenging, higher level
  courses for students who aspire to an advanced
  level of learning.
• NC DPI, Honors Standards

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Characteristics of Honors Courses

• Risk-taking on the part of student and teacher
• Distinguished by a difference in the quality of
  the work expected, not merely an increase in
  quantity
• Material should be covered in greater complexity,
  novelty, acceleration, or pacing and reflect a
  defensible differentiated curriculum
• Honors courses extend beyond the traditional
  curriculum in both breadth and depth of study, as
  well as provide problem-seeking and problem
  solving opportunities for learning.
• NC DPI, Honors Standards

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Advanced Placement Courses (AP)

• Advanced Placement courses are for highly
  motivated and prepared students who seek college
  credit based on the yearly Advanced Placement
  Test administered by the College Board. Students
  are expected to complete extra reading, writing
  and project assignments outside of the classroom.

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Benefits of AP

• College Credit- Each college has its own policy
  about college credits for earning AP credit. You
  can save time and money by starting college with
  AP credits.
• GPA- A student receives 2 extra quality points
  for completing AP classes. You can boost your
  GPA to 4.0 or above with the extra points from
  AP.
• Admission to college- The rigor of your classes
  during high school is one of the factors reviewed
  by colleges during the admission process.

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Advanced Placement

• CMHS offers a variety of AP classes usually
  during the Junior and Senior
• Year
• AP English Language
• AP English Literature
• AP Statistics
• AP Calculus AB
• AP Calculus BC
• AP Biology (year long)
• AP Chemistry (year long)
• AP Physics (year long)
• AP European History
• AP US History
• AP Spanish V
• AP Art V

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Competitive College Applicants

• AP courses On average 2 6 courses, varies by
  individual university
• GPA Class Rank are very important
• Foreign Language 2 years (minimum), on average
  3-4 years.
• SAT Varies by individual university, average
  range, 1100 1350 (verbal math)

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Programs Offered

• As part of the AIG program, students will hear
  about a few opportunities throughout high school
  (listen for announcements from the guidance
  office)
• NC Governors School -- rising Juniors and
  Seniors
• Summer Ventures -- rising Juniors and Seniors
• SPEC -- Freshmen
• NCSSM (North Carolina School for Science and
  Math) -- sophomores

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Program Descriptions

• Governors School is a six week long program for
  students nominated by their teachers.
• Summer Ventures is a statewide, cost-free program
  for AIG North Carolina residents who may pursue
  careers in science and math.
• SPEC (Southern Piedmont Education Consortium) is
  a program where students will get a taste of
  college-level academic work and campus life
  during an intense one-week period.
• NCSSM (North Carolina School for Science and
  Math) is the worlds first public, residential
  high school for juniors and seniors that provides
  a specialized curriculum in the areas of math,
  science and technology.

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• CCS is committed to providing appropriate
  educational experiences for students identified
  as academically/intellectually gifted.
• Schools must partner with parents and the
  community to provide these students with
  differentiated learning experiences.

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Lets hear from our departments

• English Mrs. Paula Poorman
• Mrs. Kari Cooper
• Math Mrs. Tracy Bridgers
• Science Mrs. Cathy Lowder
• Social Studies Ms. LaToya Berry

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• Questions Answers