Academic Planning

Important Dates

 Event 

  Date and Time 

 Location 

Academic Planning Night
(Course Information)
For Rising 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Parents

TBD

  • Rising 6th Grade: Auditorium

  • Rising 7th Grade: Media Center / Library

  • Rising 8th Grade: Room 227

Middle School Information Session
For Rising 6th, 7th, 8th Grade Parents

TBD

 Media Center
Library

IB Information Night
For Rising 9th Grade Parents

TBD

 WASHINGTON-LEE

 Auditorium

Yorktown Academic Planning Night

For Rising 9th Grade Parents
High School Information Sessions Dates

TBD

YORKTOWN

 Auditorium

 

Thomas Jefferson High School for Science and Technology

Representatives from TJHSST will be coming to WMS on Thursday, September 20th at 8:30 to present information on the High School. Our 8th grade students have been invited to attend and there will be limited space for parents to join us as well. The presentation will provide information on the High School, its programs and its competitive application process. Applications are available online beginning mid to late September for 8th graders.  Please see their website admissions page  for more information.

TJ – Important Dates
TJ – Steps

Arlington Tech

Arlington Tech is a rigorous, project-based learning, high school program that prepares students to succeed in college and in the workplace through collaborative problem solving.
Arlington Tech Information -English
Arlington Tech Information -Spanish

 ASPIRE2EXCELLENCE

APS has now created an academic planning roadmap and student companion documents to assist students and families with academic planning.  The academic planning roadmap has essential information that will help students and families when planning for coursework now and in the future.  Please access these resources on the APS Aspire2Excellence site.Click on the NEW Academic Planning Map to learn about “Building a path to college and career opportunities.”

ELEMENTARY TO MIDDLE SCHOOL TRANSITION

Middle School Orientation

All 5th grade students will visit Williamsburg Middle School on April 23 or 24, 2020 .  They have the opportunity to hear from the principal, counselors, and current students about a typical day for 6th graders.  They hear about different courses and electives and take a tour of the school building.

TRANSITION TO GRADE 6  Q & A

Following are frequently asked questions about the transition to middle school and the sixth grade. We hope they will be helpful to you. Please don’t hesitate to contact Williamsburg Counseling Department at 703-228-5450

  1. What does my child’s day look like in 6th grade?
    • The middle school day begins  7:50 am. and finishes at 2:24.
    • There are 5 core classes, Physical Education/Health, and one elective
  2. What are the core classes?
    • Core consists of English, Math, American Studies, Science and Reading or a semester of Reading and a semester of Transitional Spanish.
  3. Does PE meet everyday?
    • PE meets for three quarters and one quarter of Health instruction.
  4. What are the choices for the elective period?
    • The elective period can be filled with instrumental music or an exploratory rotation that may include visual arts, theatre arts, technology education, family and consumer science, computer keyboarding applications, Latin, and chorus. Please see the middle school Program of Studies pages 13-17 for descriptions of these classes. Additional options are described in these pages but are not offered at Williamsburg.
  5. How are students placed in core classes?
    • English, Science, Social Studies , and Reading are heterogeneously grouped.  The Gifted Talented Coordinator at  Williamsburg will work with teachers to differentiate in the classroom for those students who need extra challenge.
    • Math placements are based on the scores earned on the 5th grade end of the year assessment and 5th grade SOL, as well as information from 5th grade teachers.   6th graders can be placed in Math 6 (6th grade curriculum) or Math 7 for 6th graders (pre-Algebra curriculum)..
  6. I understand my student will be assigned to a team. How are those team assignments made?
    • We have four teams at Williamsburg. The teams are heterogeneous and randomly assigned. All  Math are available on each of the four teams.
  7. My child is in the FLES (Foreign Language in the Elementary School) program. How will my child continue the study of Spanish in 6th grade?
    • Students who have been in the FLES program may continue their study of Spanish by choosing one semester of Reading and one semester of Transitional Spanish. The two classes will meet during core time and students will still have an elective period.
    • Students in Spanish Immersion may also select the Reading/Transitional Spanish option. Other students may be considered for the program based on performance on a proficiency test.
  8. Is there Extended Day in middle school?
    • There is a program administered by the Extended Day office at the Ed Center called Check-In. Students in the program can “check in” with staff and then go to after school activities, work with a teacher or go to the Media Center until 3:30 when they return to Check-In. Check-In closes at 6:00 pm.
  9. What sports activities are available?
    • Students can participate in both interscholastic and intramural sports. A physical completed within a year is required to try out for an interscholastic sport. To participate, a student must have a physical completed after May 1 of the current year. The physical form is must be completed before the student participates.
    • Intramural sports do not require a physical to participate.
  10. What other after school activities are there?
    • There are many clubs and organizations that meet after school, everything from Model UN to art to an International Foods Club. Not all clubs meet every week so students should listen to announcements in the morning. After school activities are also posted on the WMS website.
  11. How do parents stay informed of after school activities and other school events?
    • The Williamsburg website is the best source for up to date information. On it you will see Upcoming Events and a link to calendars for the rest of the year. The morning announcements are also posted. There are shortcuts to teachers through email,  and links to Emergency Announcements, APS Talk .
  12. In elementary school we had Friday folders. How do I know how my child is doing?
    • Each team has its own procedures for keeping you informed on a weekly basis. There is also an electronic grade book that parents can access at any time.
    • Teachers can be contacted via email or phone.
    • Just as in elementary school, we do two conferences a year, one in October and another in March. Team conferences can be scheduled at any time through the team leader or the counselor.
  13. What are the homework expectations in 6th grade?
    • We follow the county’s guidelines on homework, about 20 minutes per core class plus a half an hour of reading. Not every subject has homework every night.
  14. My child has an IEP. How are special education services delivered in middle school?
    • We offer a continuum of services for students with IEP’s. Students whose goals and accommodations/modifications can be met in a general education classroom receive support in the identified areas by special education staff which includes both teachers and classroom assistants. Students whose goals and accommodations/modifications are best met in smaller settings receive the same grade level curriculum taught by a highly qualified special education teacher. Depending on the size of the class, a classroom assistant may also be assigned to the class.
    • Williamsburg staff participates in transition IEP meetings at the elementary schools. Please direct questions about special education to Janae Rittenhouse, Director of Counseling Services at janae.rittenhouse@apsva.us.

MIDDLE TO HIGH SCHOOL TRANSITION EVENTS

Yorktown High School

2020 – 2021 Academic Planning and scheduling at Yorktown High School

Date TBD

  • Talk to teachers and counselors.
  • Learn about course selections for the next school year.
  • Listen to an AP panel discussion.
  • Check out graduation requirements.

This is a great opportunity to gather more information that will assist you in determining the most appropriate course selection for the 2015-2016 school year.

If you have additional questions, please contact Mark Rooks, Director of Counseling at Yorktown at mark.rooks@apsva.us or 703-228-5363.

Check out the academic plan worksheet that students filled out with their counselors – Academic Planning form

Washington-Lee High School

 IB (INTERNATIONAL BACCALAUREATE) INFORMATION SESSION

Date TBD

Information for rising 9th and 10th grade applicants (W-L Pre-IB)

Application Process
Each student who wishes to participate in W-L’s Pre-IB program must submit a Pre-IB application.  The Pre-IB application, cumulative transcript, and APS pupil transfer application (transfer applicants only) are due to the W-L IB office TBD.

  • Pre-IB application for rising 9th and 10th graders
  • APS High School Information Sessions for transfer families: A parent must attend a high school information session at both the neighborhood school and desired school. The application must be signed by both principals.  The application is submitted to the desired school.
PRE- IB APPLICATION COMPONENTS:All components must be received by TBD to be considered.
  1. APS School Options Application (link will become available 11/6/17)
  2. Cumulative transcript (must include 6th, 7th, and 1st quarter of 8th grade). Upload in School Options Application.
  3. Short essay to be completed by student (200 words or less). PROMPT:  “What do you see as the greatest challenge(s) of high school?  How do you expect to meet this challenge?”
  4. Signature acknowledgement page:  student and parent

Prerequisites for W-L Pre-IB

  • Algebra I or higher in 8th grade or Geometry or higher in 9th grade
  • Spanish II, French II, Arabic II, Chinese II or Latin I in 8th grade OR Spanish III, French III, Arabic III, Chinese III or Latin II in 9th grade
  • A’s and B’s in English and History
  • A’s and B’s in all subjects
  • Short answer/essay questions

Selection Process

An admissions committee scores each student’s application using a rubric which incorporates the above mentioned prerequisites and the student’s short-answer/essay and ranks applicants according to score. Any student that scores an 11 or higher, out of a possible 15 points, is deemed qualified for acceptance. If the applicant is a rising 9th grader, the admissions committee will only review final grades for 6th and 7th, and first quarter grades for 8th grade.  Rising 10th grade applicants will have their final grades reviewed for 6th through 9th, plus first quarter grades for 10th grade.

The School Board caps the number of program transfers (Pre-IB and IB Diploma) each year.  Number of transfers for the 2018-2019 school year will be announced by School Board in the November of 2017 based on November enrollment projections. If the number of qualified transfers exceeds the number of available transfer positions, a random, double-blind lottery will be conducted by the Superintendent’s Office to determine which students are selected.  The remaining students will be placed on a waiting list of alternates to be considered in the event that a student who is offered a position in the program chooses not to accept.  As space becomes available, admission will be offered to students on the waiting list in the order established by the lottery. When a student on the waiting list is eligible to fill a vacancy in an existing class, the family will be contacted and invited to enroll their child. Individual applicants will be notified in writing in February, 2018.