2018-2019 Middle School Course Guide

68 Pages·2017·1.75 MB·English

1
Cover Art provided by:
Melissa Hernandez-Castellanos
Timber Creek High School

2
KELLER INDEPENDENT SCHOOL DISTRICT

____________________________________________________________________
350 KELLER PARKW AY
KELLER, TEXAS 762 48
PHONE: 817 - 744 - 1000
FAX: 817 - 741 - 3547

Parents and Students,

The information presented in this course guide booklet will assist you in mak ing course selections
that will meet your personal needs for the future as well as meet high school graduation requirements.
Please take some time to review the information in this booklet before course selections are made for
next year.

It is very impo rtant to make course selections carefully. Teacher assignments are based on student
course requests made in the spring. The school reserves the right to cancel any course if a minimum
student requirement is not met or if certified staff is not available to teach the course.

Please feel free to contact the Campus Counseling Center if there are any questions concerning
courses, graduation requirements, scheduling, etc. Students are urged to discuss their course choices
with their parents prior to course s election. The counseling staff will inform, monitor and advise
students and parents regarding graduation requirements, but it is the ultimate responsibility of the
student along with parent approval to select courses that are required under the appropri ate
graduation plan.

Sincerely,
Keller ISD Curriculum and Instruction
3
Vision
KISD – an exceptional district in which to learn, work and live.
Mission Statement
The community of Keller ISD wil l educate our students to achieve their highest
standards of performance by engaging them in exceptional opportunities.
Assurance of Non-Discrimination
Keller ISD does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sex, disability, or
age in providing education services, activities, and programs, including vocational programs, and also
provides equal access to the Boy Scouts and other designated youth groups, in accordance with Title VI of
the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended; Title IX of the Educational Amendments of 1972; Section 504 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended; Age Discrimination Act of 1975; Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act; and the Boy Scouts of America Equal Access Act.
The following district staff members have been designated to coordinate compliance with these legal
requirements:
* Title IX Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of sex:
Penny Benz
Assistant Superintendent for Human Resources
350 Keller Parkway, Keller, TX 76248
[phone]

* Section 504 Coordinator, for concerns regarding discrimination on the basis of disability:
Sara Koprowski
Executive Director of Student Intervention
350 Keller Parkway, Keller, TX 76248
[phone]

* All other concerns regarding discrimination:
Dr. Rick Westfall
Superintendent
350 Keller Parkway, Keller, TX 76248
[phone]
All complaints shall be handled through established channels and procedures beginning with the building
principal, followed by appeal to the appropriate central administration contact, and finally the board of
trustees, in accordance with Policy FNG.
If you need the assistance of the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) of the Department of Education, the address
of the OCR Regional Office that covers Texas is:
Dallas Office
Office for Civil Rights, U.S. Department of Education
1999 Bryan Street, Suite 1620
Dallas, TX 75201-6810
Telephone: [phone]
Facsimile: [phone] Email:
PORTRAIT OF A GRADUATE

A Keller Independent School District graduate will be expected to:

Demonstrate success in college or further study and for employment in a global
society
• Initiate independent learning

• Understand world issues and current events
• Understand and use effective learning techniques to acquire and apply knowledge

Demonstrate social awareness
• Develop and maintain positive relationships
• Know and appreciate cultural and linguistic diversity
• Exhibit an appreciation of the arts and humanities

• Commitment to service

Exhibit strong personal qualities
• Identify personal goals
• Demonstrate value of self
• Understand and engage in activities that promote intellectual, physical, and emotional balance
• Demonstrate integrity and take personal responsibility

Communicate effectively
• Express ideas and information confidently and effectively in a variety of modes of communication
• Work in collaboration with others

Use technology as a tool
• Select appropriate tools and procedures

• Use technology to access, analyze, organize, and process information

Exhibit critical thinking and problem solving
• Explore ideas and issues for understanding
• Draw well-reasoned conclusions and solutions
• Analyze and evaluate thinking with a view to improve it

5
Table of Contents

Middle School Directory .................................................................................................................7
General Information ......................................................................................................................8
Schedule Change Process ...............................................................................................................9
Middle School Athletics ............................................................................................................... 10
State Assessment Middle School .................................................................................................. 11
High School Personal Graduation Plans ......................................................................................... 13
Keller ISD High School Graduation Plan ......................................................................................... 13
Arts and Humanities Endorsement ............................................................................................... 15
Business and Industy .................................................................................................................... 18
Public Services Endorsement ........................................................................................................ 24
Science, Technology, Engineering, Math (STEM) Endorsement ...................................................... 28
Terminology ................................................................................................................................ 30
Grade 7 ............................................................................................................................... 32
English Language Arts .................................................................................................................. 32
Mathematics ............................................................................................................................... 33
Science ........................................................................................................................................ 34
Social Studies ............................................................................................................................... 35
Physical Education ....................................................................................................................... 36
Full-Year Electives ........................................................................................................................ 38
Semester Electives ....................................................................................................................... 40
STEM Grade 7 .............................................................................................................................. 41
Grade 8 ............................................................................................................................... 42
English Language Arts .................................................................................................................. 42
Mathematics ............................................................................................................................... 43
Science ........................................................................................................................................ 44
Social Studies ............................................................................................................................... 45
Physical Education ....................................................................................................................... 47
Full-Year Electives ........................................................................................................................ 49
Semester Electives ....................................................................................................................... 54
STEM Grade 8 .............................................................................................................................. 58
th
8 Grade Course Offerings for High School Credit .................................................................... 59
Special Education ......................................................................................................................... 60
Middle School Planning Grid ........................................................................................................ 67

6
Middle School Directory

F O S S I L H I L L M I D D L E S C H O O L
3821 Staghorn Cir Phone: [phone]
Ft Worth, TX 76137 Fax: [phone]
Mascot: Wildcat
Jennifer Gonzales, Principal
School Colors: Black & Gold

H I L L W O O D M I D D L E S C H O O L
8 2 5 0 P a r k w o o d H i l l B l v d P h o n e : - 7841-437 3 5 0
F t W o r t h , T X 7 6 1 3 7 F a x : -78 41-473 4 3 8
M a s c o t : H u s k y
K a t h l e e n E c k e r t , P r i n c i p a l
S c h o o l C o l o r s : N a v y & G o l d

I N D I A N S P R I N G S ME I DS DC LH O O L
3 0 5 B u r s e y R d . P h o n e : - 7841-437 2 0 0
F t W o r t h 7, 6T2X4 8 F a x : -78 41-473 2 3 8
M a s c oEt :a g l e
S a n d y T r, o Pu rditn c i p a l
S c h o o l C oMl oarrso: o n & G o l d

K E L L E R M I D D L E S C H O O L
3 0 0 N C o Al l ve eg ne u e P h o n e : - 7841-427 9 0 0
K e l l e r , T X 7 6 2 4 8 F a x : -78 41-472 9 3 8
M a s c o t : C o m a n c h e
S a n d r a C h a p a , P r i n c i p a l
S c h o o l C o l o r s : B&l u We ,h Bi tlea c k

T I M B E R V I E W M I D D LH EO OS L C
1 0 3 0 O0 l d D e n t o n R d . P h o n e : - 7841-427 6 0 0
K e l l e r , T X 7 6 2 4 4 F a x : -78 41-472 6 3 8
M a s c o t : H a w k
C a r r i e J a c k s o n , P r i n c i p a l
S c h o o l C o l o r s : P u r p l e & B l a c k

T R I N I T Y S P R I N G S LME I DS DC H O O L
3 5 5 0 K e-Hl li ec rk s R d . P h o n e : - 7841-437 5 0 0
F o r t W o r t h , T X 7 6 2 4 4 F a x :8 1 -77 4 -43 5 3 8
M a s c o t : T i t a n
J u s t i n B ,a rPr reitnt c i p a l
S c h o o l C o l o r s, : B Gl a r&cek eGno l d

V I S T A R I D GM EI D D L E S C H O O L
3 2 0 1 T h o m Rpds .o n P h o n e : - 7841-387 4 0 0
F o r t W o r t h , T X 7 6 1 7 7 F a x : -78 41-378 4 3 8
M a s c oLt :i o n
C h e l s e a A,l lPi rs ionnc i p a l
S c h o o l C oRl oe r d&s : G o l d

7
General Information

Pre-AP Courses: The Keller Independent School District secondary schools offer students the
opportunity to participate in Pre-AP courses so that they may better prepare themselves for college.
Because these classes are similar to college level classes, students are challenged to be more disciplined,
structured, and to perform at a higher academic level.

The AP (Advanced Placement) Program is administered by the College Board of New York. It allows
students to participate in college level courses and possibly earn college credit while still attending high
school. Secondary schools and colleges cooperate in this program to give students the opportunity to
show mastery in college level courses by taking Advanced Placement (AP) Exams in May of each school
year.

The Pre-AP Program (available in middle school) is the complementary preparatory program that is
th
designed to provide students with the necessary skills to be successful in AP courses, beginning in 9
grade. In KISD, these skills together with the Texas Essential Knowledge and Skills (TEKS) comprise
the syllabi for Pre-AP courses.

High School Credit and GPA: Keller ISD approved a new GPA and Rank policy for the Class of
2023 and beyond. The GPA and Rank for the Class of 2023 and beyond will include:
 Ranking of the Top 10%.
st
 Final Ranking will occur at the end of the 1 semester of the senior year.
 Graduated Course Grading System.
 Academic level courses will have a maximum GPA of 4.0
 Pre-AP and Dual Credit courses will have a maximum GPA of 4.5
 AP courses will have a maximum GPA of 5.0
 Courses used for GPA calculation will include the following 17 courses/16 credits
required by the state of Texas for graduation:
 English 1, English 2, English 3, English 4
 Algebra 1, Geometry, Algebra 2
 Biology, Chemistry, Physics
 World Geography, World History, U.S. History, Government, and Economics
 World Language 1, World Language 2
th
 High School courses taken prior to entering 9 grade will be included in the GPA
calculation.
State Required Courses for Graduation Included in the GPA Calculation taken in middle school will count
in the GPA calculation.

The attendance law states that students must have 90% attendance in a high school courses in order to
receive credit in a given course in order to meet the state’s attendance law of course credit.

Credit Denied Due to Attendance: Students will be notified in a timely manner by assistant
principals that course credit has been denied due to absences. Credit denied for absences may be earned
through the last day of the following grading period. Assistant principals must submit “earned credit”
rd
forms to data processing by the 3 school day after the last earned credit date.

8
Final Exam Make-Up Procedure: Students must contact each teacher whose exam will be missed
prior to the absence with the exception of emergencies such as personal illness or the death of a family
member. No exams will be given early.

Fine Arts: Band, art, theater, and choir class lists will be submitted to the counseling center office
manager by the instructors.

Schedule Change Process

Keller ISD strives to provide the highest quality education while working to be responsive to students’
needs. The participation and commitment of parents and students during registration and scheduling is a
major component in reaching this goal.

Master schedules are developed in the spring prior to the upcoming year. Selections during registration
determine how many teachers and sections will be needed for a course. The process allows
administrators to plan to hire for optimum academic strength.

When students are permitted to randomly change schedules, classes become overcrowded. As a result, all
students are affected. Even the most effective planning is compromised. Very seldom does a one course
change affect only one course. Careful selections benefit everyone. Thank you for being a crucial part of
our educational team as we work together for academic excellence.

Registration
 Parent and student informational meetings will be held during spring registration.
th
 Students will be guided through course selection during online registration. For incoming 7
grade students, Home Access Center will be open to register for classes from February 1 through
th
February 21. For incoming 8 grade students, Home Access Center will be open for students to
register from January 25 through February 23.
 Students who do not register online will have a schedule arranged for them according to their
academic needs and/or graduation plan.

Add/Drop Date
 Registration changes may not be made after March 30, 2018.
 Only schedule changes pertaining to middle school requirements and/or computer errors will be
addressed during the following school year.
 A student who does not register by March 30, 2018 will not be eligible for a schedule change.

SAVE Committee Process
 The SAVE Committee is chaired by the counselor and is composed of the student, the
parent/guardian, the teacher whose class the student is requesting to exit, and the assistant
principal.
 Schedule changes that are requested after the add/drop date and that affect athletics, choir, band,
and high school credit classes only will be addressed through the SAVE Committee process.
 Schedule change requests for elective classes will not be considered.

9
To request a SAVE Committee, a student and parent must:

1. Conference with the teacher about the course

2. Complete a SAVE Committee request form

A student can request a SAVE Committee until

Six weeks from the first day of the class for semester course

Twelve weeks from the first day of the class for a year-long course
Every effort is made to “SAVE” a student’s schedule.

Middle School Athletics

Sixth Grade Students will be made aware of the importance of completing the necessary paperwork for
entry into seventh grade athletics. Paperwork including physical forms will be distributed and collected
through the intermediate school physical education department the first week of April with a due date of
the first week of May. A list of students indicating an interest in athletics on their registration form will
be maintained by the middle school counseling office manager and shared with the athletic coordinator.
At the due date, students with incomplete paperwork will be notified by the middle school athletic
coordinators and informed that they will not be in athletics if the paperwork is not completed by the last
day of school. A list of students with completed paperwork will be provided to the middle school
counseling office manager by the middle school athletic coordinator by the last day of school. After the
rd
deadline, students will not be added to athletics except through the SAVE Committee process in the 3
week of school.

Seventh Grade Students will be made aware of the importance of completing the necessary paperwork
for entry into eighth grade athletics. Registration forms must have the appropriate middle school athletic
coordinator’s signature. A list of students with signed registration forms will be maintained by the middle
school counseling office manager and shared with the athletic coordinators. Additionally, medical history
forms will be distributed through the physical education department and the athletic coordinators the first
week of April with a due date of the first week of May. At the due date, students with incomplete
paperwork will be notified by the middle school athletic coordinators and informed that they will not be
in athletics if the paperwork is not complete by the last day of school. A list of students with completed
paperwork will be provided to the middle school counseling office manager by the middle school athletic
coordinators by the last day of school.

Athletic Registration Information: Athletic concerns may always be addressed to the Athletic
Director for a final decision. Computer errors will always be promptly addressed at the campus level.
Removal of students from athletics for issues of concern will occur at the end of a grading period when
possible.

New students will be permitted to enroll in athletics and will follow the 15-day UIL rule for time
permitted to obtain a physical. Annual UIL physicals are required for all students participating in one
or more sports.

10