Senior Internship
Senior Project

• The Child Study Team (CST)
• The Planning and Placement Team (PPT)

• Study Skills/Resource Room Program
• Content Courses
• Collaborative Classes
• Special Needs

MISSION STATEMENT

Through intellectual, physical and creative challenges, Montville High School will provide opportunities for students to realize their full potential. In order to achieve this goal, students will acquire skills that foster critical and creative thinking, effective communication and responsible citizenship.

Expectations for Student Learning

Academic Expectations

Students will:

• Write effectively for a variety of purposes.
• Read with comprehension and critical insight.
• Speak, listen and observe actively and effectively.
• Evaluate, interpret and utilize data.
• Convey ideas, feelings and information through the creative process.
• Demonstrate research skills.
• Demonstrate an understanding of various forms of technology.

Civic and Social Expectations

Students will:

• Understand an individual’s rights, roles and responsibilities in a community.
• Exhibit awareness of and respect for individual and cultural differences.
• Function as a positive participant in a group.
• Maintain physical well-being.
• Exhibit appropriate standards of behavior.
• Practice time management strategies.

Revised: May 24, 2004

ADMINISTRATION

COURSE/CREDIT REQUIREMENTS

All seniors are required to take a minimum of six (6) credits and MUST accumulate 5 credits in their senior year in order to graduate.

All students in Grades 9 - 11 are required to take 7 courses per semester. This includes physical education, which is equal to ½ credit each year, accumulative to two full credits at the end of four years.

All courses that meet on a regular basis, and for the full year, are given one credit. Courses meeting for one half the school year receive one-half credit.

All students are required to pass 24 credits for graduation.

In addition, all students must participate in all portions of the Connecticut Academic Performance Test (CAPT) and demonstrate achievement of basic skills in English, Mathematics, Science, and Social Studies.

A student who is repeating a course for which she/he has already received credit will be granted no additional credit for successful repetition of the course, unless specifically allowed by school policy for certain courses.

PROMOTION AND RETENTION POLICY

• To be classified sophomore, a student needs a minimum of 6 credits.
• To be classified a junior; a student needs a minimum of 12 credits.
• To be classified a senior; a student needs a minimum of 18 credits.

Students who have not attained the minimum requirements for grade placement may have their placement changed by gaining appropriate credits through attendance in summer school (according to Policy 016 Summer School).

DUE PROCESS AND APPEALS

The final decision as to placement, promotion and retention shall reside with the principal after consultation with staff. Should the parents disagree with the principal’s decision, written notice of the rejection shall be given to the principal
within 10 days of the original decision to retain. If further appeals are desired, the same procedure with the same time
frame is to be followed for appeals to the superintendent of schools, and the Montville Board of Education.

REPORTING OF GRADES

Report cards are issued quarterly. Progress reports are given to students mid-quarter.

Parents and students are urged to contact the teacher and/or counselor for conferences whenever it seems advisable.

The grading system is as follows:

HONOR ROLL

Honor Roll is based on a Quarter Grade Point Average. For Honor Roll purposes only, all courses will be weighted for calculation of a Quarter Grade Point Average.

WEIGHTING OF COURSES FOR
GRADE POINT AVERAGE AND RANK IN CLASS

Core academic courses are weighted for GPA and rank in class. These include all core academic courses under the following areas: English, Mathematics, Science, Social Studies, World Language, and any Advanced Placement (AP), UCONN Early College Experience (ECE) or honors course. All other courses (electives) will be unweighted.

Core academic courses are divided into four levels:

POINT VALUE TABLE

1. The student must meet with the teacher whose class he/she wishes to withdraw from to discuss the class change. It may also be appropriate to discuss the change with the teacher of the class the student may be entering.
   
2. The student must meet with his/her counselor to discuss change options as well as course and credit status.
   
3. A Request for Schedule Change form must be obtained from the teacher, filled out, and signed.
   
4. A parental conference with student, teacher, and counselor may be required.
   
5. The Request for Schedule Change form is returned completed to the counselor for final review and processing.
   
6. Schedule changes will go into effect for each student when he/she receives a copy of the new schedule. Students should not begin attending their new classes until they have received their new schedule.
   
7. If a course change/request is denied, the student/parent has the right to appeal.

Course change/withdrawal after the first ten classes (the first five classes for semester courses) will not be considered and will result in a grade of “F” for the course, except for extreme situations.

The purpose of summer school is to provide Montville High School students an opportunity to make up required courses that were failed when taken during the school year. The school currently offers courses for grades 9-12 in U.S. History, World Civilizations, Coordinated Science 1 & 2, Algebra 1, English 9 & 10, Life Writing, Contemporary Poetry, Civics & Computer Applications.

Students may wish to retake courses if they need to strengthen skills in order to meet prerequisites for the next course in sequence. No additional credit will be awarded in cases where the student has already earned the credit. There will be a fee for attending summer school.

The fee for summer school, for 2007:

• For one course: $260
• For two courses: $490
• Half Credit Course: $130

(Middle School summer school tuition: $155 for one course and $285 for two courses.)

The student must have at least 120 days in attendance and must not have dropped the course during the school year.

Students may attend summer school in another community or school. To receive credit in Montville, such programs must have the prior approval of the principal and meet the requirements of attendance.

Students can earn a maximum of two credits per year in summer school.

• Download MHS Summer School 2007 Brochure
  • Microsoft Word Document
  • Adobe PDF

The purpose of the Diploma of Academic Distinction is to recognize excellence in overall academic achievement within a stipulated core of studies.

Based on a minimum of 24 credits for graduation, a Diploma of Academic Distinction will be offered to those students who meet the following criteria.

• Must be in the top 15% of the graduating class.
  
• Must have completed the following core studies:
  
  • 4 English
  • 3 Mathematics
  • 3 Social Studies
  • 3 Science
  • 2 World Language
  • 2 Physical Education
  • 1 Arts/Vocational
  • ½ Computer Applications
  • ½ Health
    
• Must have received no grade lower than a C (73) in any weighted course or examination during the four years of
  high school.
  
• Must have maintained an overall academic average of B (83) for all course work and examinations combined.

(Montville Board of Education Policy # 042, Adopted 6/85)

UNIVERSITY OF CONNECTICUT
EARLY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE (ECE)

UConn Early College Experience (ECE) provides academically motivated students the opportunity to take university courses while still in high school. These challenging courses allow students to preview college work, build confidence in their readiness for college, and earn college credits that provide both an academic and a financial head-start on a college degree.

ECE instructors, who are certified as adjunct professors by UConn faculty, create a classroom environment fostering independent learning, creativity and critical thinking – all pivotal for success in college. To support rigorous learning, University of Connecticut library resources are also available to students.

ECE students must successfully complete the course with a grade of C or better in order to receive university credit. University credits are highly transferable to other universities.

Students are charged a $25 per credit fee in the fall. For additional information visit: www.ece.uconn.edu.

Montville High School offers ECE courses in the following disciplines:

Course	#	Grade
ECE American Studies	181	12
ECE Biology	545	11 or 12
ECE Calculus	470	12
ECE Human Development & Family Studies	850	11 or 12
ECE Maritime Studies	185	12
ECE Modern Europe	352	12
ECE Senior English	140	12
ECE Spanish 5	260	12

The Advanced Placement (AP) program is an intensive program of college-level courses and examinations sponsored by the College Board. Through the AP program at Montville High School, students can complete college-level studies during high school, strengthen their high school academic experience, and gain support in receiving credit or placement during their freshman year of college.

Enrollment in the Advanced Placement program at Montville High School is an important decision that students and parents must make. Although teachers will make recommendations, final decision will rest with the student.

Students are required to pay half the cost of each AP Exam, per Board Policy. [In 2007-2008 the exam cost $80.00; students paid $40.00 per AP Exam.]

Advanced Placement continued:

During the 2008-2009 school year, the following Advanced Placement courses will be offered:

EXAM POLICY FOR ADVANCED PLACEMENT (AP)
&
UCONN EARLY COLLEGE EXPERIENCE (ECE)

• Students enrolled in a course that is only AP or ECE must register for and take the AP or ECE exam in that course.
  
• Students enrolling in a course that is both AP and ECE (AP/ECE) may choose either AP or ECE testing, or they may take both exams.
  
• Registration for ECE courses and completion of the separate UConn application form must be complete by the deadline of June 27, 2008. Students will be billed at the rate of $25 per credit by The University of Connecticut.
  
• For each AP course taken, a firm commitment to AP testing must be made and the student portion of the fee ($40) paid to Montville High School by September 19, 2008.
  
• No student will be denied AP testing or ECE course enrollment due to financial hardship.

Three Rivers Community College and Montville High School have formed a partnership to offer juniors and seniors up to 14 COLLEGE CREDITS. Students may enroll in the College Career Pathways (CCP) during their sophomore year.

College Career Pathways is a comprehensive program that requires the student to complete an English, Math, Science and Career component and enables them to earn college credit in high school while working towards their career goal.

Montville High School offers eight (8) College Career Pathways career clusters. The following is a list of the courses required to complete each cluster:

For further information, see your School Counselor.

SENIOR INTERNSHIP

SENIOR PROJECT

The senior project is an opportunity for students to explore a subject that is not generally included in the MHS program of studies. Topics range from technology to the arts, business, and nature. Students design their own project around an area of interest, a subject that may relate to future plans, something they are passionate about outside of school, or an area that they would like to learn more about. The senior project is based on the belief that people learn best through authentic hands-on experiences. This program merges individual interests with the world outside of the school building. In preparation for designing their project, students engage in many activities around topics that are essential to its development such as creativity, critical thinking, problem solving, communication, questioning, and metacognition (take the class to find out what that means). Once topics are selected, mentors are chosen by the students for their expertise in the subject and their ability to guide the student’s learning.

The projects can be written, produced, performed, or published in a variety of platforms such as a the design of a new product, the creation of a video, an original work of art, an anthology on a subject of interest, etc. At the conclusion of the project students will demonstrate their learning to a selected audience.

Two recommendation forms are required for acceptance into the program. Students can select teachers who will evaluate their skills as independent, self-motivated workers who can think critically, are curious, and have potential to be successful. In addition students’ prior records will be reviewed before acceptance to the program. Students must have a grade point average of 2.0 and must have met the credit requirements to be considered a senior at MHS.

CONNECTICUT ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE TEST
(CAPT)

PREPARING FOR
SCHOLASTIC APTITUDE TEST (SAT)
&
ACT ASSESSMENT

Mathematics: Algebra 1, Algebra 2, Geometry
English: Four years of College Prep English

ACT

The ACT assessment is a national college admission examination consisting of tests in English, Reading, Mathematics, and Science. Although most students take the SAT, many are increasingly taking the ACT in place of, or in addition, to the SAT. The ACT is accepted by most colleges and universities in the United States, but students should check with institutions they are applying to. The ACT is administered on five national test dates in test centers throughout Connecticut. Students should start taking the ACT in the Spring of their junior year. Students can register for and check the dates for the ACT by visiting: www.actstudent.org/index.html. MHS Reg. Code: 222929

The CST is a regular education staff meeting designed to systematically review the education program of a student who may be experiencing significant difficulty at Montville High School. The meeting is for discussion of concerns and proposal of strategies to alleviate the difficulties. Parents and students may be invited to attend. If the CST determines that all possible strategies and interventions within the regular education program have been tried unsuccessfully, the CST may decide to refer the student to a Planning and Placement Team (PPT) to determine eligibility for special education services.

THE PLANNING AND PLACEMENT TEAM (PPT)

The PPT, under Connecticut State Law, ensures that any student requiring special education and related services receives such services. PPT meetings are initiated and conducted for the purpose of developing, reviewing, and revising the Individual Education Plan (IEP) for a student with an identified disability or condition that qualifies for special education services. The PPT may, among other tasks, determine if an evaluation is needed for students referred by the CST, ensure that appropriate evaluation is carried out, determine eligibility for special education services, develop or revise the IEP, or determine when special education services are no longer needed. Detailed information on the PPT and the PPT process is available in the School Counseling Office.

ELL PROGRAM (English Language Learners)

The goal of the ELL Program is to address the language, academic and social needs of the students who speak a language other than English and were raised in a different cultural environment. In order to facilitate the process of language acquisition, specific outcomes have been identified in the curriculum, to meet the needs of the LEP (Limited English Proficient) students. Typically, ELL students attend all regular classes with an additional period for ELL English instruction. Accommodations are made as necessary until English proficiency is attained.

• High school program planning
• Monitoring and supporting academic progress
• Individual and group counseling
• College planning and career development
• Facilitating or providing access to information or resources
• Communicting with parents, teachers, and community services
• Providing counseling-related classroom support
• Developing and supporting partnerships with local and regional colleges and universities

The Department of School Counseling publishes the Counseling and Career News two or three times a month. This important newsletter, available in the Career Resource Center, the School Counseling office, the Main Office, the Media Center, contains information on testing dates, scholarships, career and college guest speakers, and more. The Counseling & Career News is also available on-line at: www.montvilleschools.org/highschool/, click on "Newsletters".

The Career Resource Center, located next to the School Counseling office, contains a wide variety of up-to-date information on colleges and careers, and includes an extensive computer system with information on colleges and vocational schools, military service, financial aid, and career interest inventories. Students wishing to use the Career Resource Center during school hours must secure a pass from their study hall teacher. The Center is staffed from 8:00 AM to 3:00 PM daily.

The department is open from 7:30 AM – 3 PM daily. Counselors can be reached at 848-1285 (fax: 848-8067), or by email (example: tphillips@montvilleschools.org). Visit our web site at: www.montvilleschools.org/highschool/Guidance/index.htm

Counselor assignments are by the first letter of the last name, as follows:

STUDY SKILLS/RESOURCE ROOM PROGRAM

This program is open to any special education student. The resource program has two goals:

1. Provide special education students with support and supplementary instruction for their regular education courses. The resource teacher acts as a liaison with regular education teachers to determine how students are performing in class and find out what material is covered and what projects and assignments are due.
   
2. Through the study skills section of the resource room, students are provided with instruction on basic study skills and organizational strategies that enable them to become successful, independent learners in school. Students receive ½ credit for Study Skills.

CONTENT COURSES

Special Education courses are offered in English, Mathematics, Social Studies and Science for Special Education students who, because of their disability, would not be successful in specific academic areas in regular courses. These courses attempt to teach the concepts contained in the regular education curriculum as closely as possible. However, modifications are made to the curriculum.

COLLABORATIVE CLASSES

Collaborative classes consisting of both regular and special education teachers are offered in English, Mathematics, Science and Social Studies. The regular education teacher teaches the primary scope and sequence of the content. The special education teacher is responsible for implementing necessary modifications and strategies that best suit individual needs. A joint effort is made in delivering instruction and promoting a positive learning experience for all students.

SPECIAL NEEDS

This program provides academic instruction for basic skills in reading, math and social skills that prepare these students to become functioning members of society. This program also includes an adaptive Physical Education class. In addition, students who are involved in this program are provided with specific vocational training to help prepare them for work once they graduate from high school.

SCHOOL WIDE ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS

Students at Montville High School are regularly assessed on their achievement of the school wide academic expectations as stated in the MHS Mission (see page 2).

Every course in the high school assesses students, using school wide rubrics, on their work toward meeting these expectations. These rubrics can be found on the MHS web site. The tables on the following pages contain references to the expectations that are taught and assessed in each course. Those references are listed below.

COURSES-AT-A-GLANCE