Paul Laurence Dunbar High School COURSE DIRECTORY 2021

PREPARATION FOR COLLEGE ADMISSION9th-10th Grade1)Follow the recommended Pre-College Curriculum course selections.2)Use search tools to identify interests, investigate careers and colleges.3)Begin a college search:a.Visit the college fair in October.b.Use college search engines on the internet (visit the PLD website under guidance for links).c.Visit college representatives when they visit the College and Career Center.4)Maintain a high Grade Point Average.5)Investigate summer programs for underclassmen.6)Become involved in community service projects and volunteer opportunities or have a summer job.7)Take the PSAT during 9th or 10th grade as a practice.11th Grade1)In October, take PSAT/NMSQT if interested in qualifying for competitive scholarships.2)In the fall, take the ACT/SAT for the first time. The ACT will be administered by the state to juniors freeof charge as part of state testing in March.3)Continue to investigate careers, schools, and scholarships using search tools.4)Continue your college search:a)Visit the college fair in October.b)Use college search engines on the internet (visit the PLD website under guidance for links).c)Visit college representatives when they visit the College and Career Center.5)During the school year:a)Attend the Junior College Night in the fall.b)Create a list of colleges interested in attending.c)Visit the college websites to learn admission requirements and procedures.d)Determine cost.6)In January/spring, see your counselor for more information about:a)High school courses to take during your senior year.b)Summer Enrichment/College Credit Programs for juniors.c)Early decision vs. early action vs. regular admissions.7)In the summer:a)Take the ACT/SAT again if desired; all college admissions testing should be completed by Octoberof your senior year!b)Be involved in summer programs, volunteer opportunities, community service projects, or have ajob.c)Make initial college visits if the opportunity arises.d) Make your final college list! You should know exactly where you intend to apply before schoolstarts in August of your senior year.12th Grade1)Carry a full academic load throughout the entire year. Final admission to some colleges is dependenton maintaining a strong academic standing and full course schedule throughout the 12th grade. KEESmoney is also dependent upon the number of credits earned during the senior year.2)August-Decembera)Finalize college applications by December 1 (check deadlines). Admission requirements to collegesand universities vary, but typical criteria include cumulative GPA, rigor of courses, extracurricularactivities, community service, and recommendations. Some schools require an interview and/or aresponse to essay questions on the application.b)Search and apply for scholarships. Many competitive scholarships have early deadlines.c)Attend sessions with college representatives.d)Obtain information regarding the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) from theCollege and Career Center. FAFSA will be available October 1.e)Attend the Financial Aid Workshop.3)December-Aprila)Maintain your grades; colleges will receive your final transcript and can revoke admission or placeyou on academic probation.b)Continue to apply for scholarships.c)Make final college visits, if needed, to assist determining final admissions choice.d)Apply for housing.e)Schedule orientation meetings with your college.Page 3

BLOCK ROTATIONPaul Laurence Dunbar operates on a 4 x 4 alternating day rotating class schedule.DEFINITION OF TERMSAdvanced Placement Courses - An Advanced Placement (AP) Course is a course taught usingguidelines approved by The College Board with the expectation that students taking the AdvancedPlacement Test will possibly earn college credit.Advanced Courses - Some course sections are taught at an advanced level. (See information belowregarding quality points.)Required Courses - Required courses are those specific courses required for graduation by the StateBoard of Education.Elective Courses - Courses in which the student’s choice can be exercised but which may count towardgraduation are called “electives.”Credit - One unit of credit is awarded for the satisfactory completion of one year of work in a regularcourse. All courses receive ½ credit per semester.Dual Credit- Students are dually enrolled in a college course and can earn a high school credit as wellas a college credit for a class.Quality Points - The following quality points are awarded and used in determining Grade Point Average(G.P.A.): A 4 B 3 C 2 D 1 F 0. For KEES purposes, only AP and Dual Creditcourses receive an extra quality point.Identification and PlacementPlacement of students in Advanced or Advanced Placement (AP) courses is based on student/parentchoice and/or counselor/teacher recommendations. Recommendations are based on test scores and pastacademic performance, which help predict students’ success in advanced courses. AP courses require aone-year commitment and phase level changes are not available once a student has requested placementinto these courses. Summer assignments are required of most Advanced, AP, Dual Credit, and MSTCcourses.Differentiated Services for Students with DisabilitiesFor students with educational disabilities, an Admission and Release Committee (ARC) will determinethe placement in which a student will receive content instruction. Schools extend and modify curriculato enable students with disabilities to participate and progress in the general curriculum. Furtherinformation is available through the Achievement and Compliance Coach.ELIGIBILITY PHILOSOPHY AND POLICY FOR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIESThe Fayette County Public Schools provide a wide variety of stimulating and worthwhile extracurricularactivities which are intended to enrich and extend the educational experiences of students. Students areurged to take an active part in as many extracurricular activities as their time, interest and ability willpermit. Parents should guide their child (children) in maintaining high standards of scholarship,attendance and conduct which are expected of all students who take part in such activities. Representingone’s school in extra-curricular activities is a privilege and with this privilege, there are academicrequirements. Students should be aware of individual school SBDM policies which define eligibility andparticipation requirements for extra-curricular activities. Each school has the authority to set higherstandards for eligibility.GRADING/REPORTINGHigh schools are on a semester system (18) weeks and grades are reported every six weeks. Midtermreports are available online through the portal only (see below). Final semester report cards will bemailed home. All courses at Dunbar are graded using a Standards Based approach, approved yearly asa waiver to the standard FCPS grading scale. The only exceptions to this grading scale are Dual Creditcourses, which must use the college grading scale, and courses taken at the technical centers, which willuse the center’s grading scale. Each teacher is required to state clearly in each class the evaluation criteriaand procedure for determining student grades. For more details regarding Standards Based Grading,please refer to the PLD website under the Academics section.Page 4

Infinite Campus Parent Portal (Checking grades online)Use this tool to check your student’s grades online, check attendance, and see other reports such astranscripts. If you have been using the Parent Portal prior to Dunbar, your login credentials will remainthe same. If you do not have a Parent Portal account or have difficulties accessing your account, youmust use this link to create your account or get assistance with your account:https://apps2.fcps.net/ic-support/. We cannot help you at the school level with Parent Portal issues.Calculating Grade Point AverageStudents will have their GPA calculated each semester on a 4.0 system. We do not rank our students.The following system is used to determine GPA: Add the total quality points on the transcript for the grades received.(A 4; B 3; C 2, D 1, F 0). Divide by the total credits attempted.Credit RecoveryStudents who fail any semester of a course must make up that credit if it is required for graduation. Thereare several options for recovering credits, which are listed below with a description of each method. Thedamage of the “F” in the student’s GPA is completely repaired only if the student repeats the same phaselevel of the course that was failed. Typically, this means the student must repeat the same course duringthe regular school year. Otherwise, the recovered credit will be an additional course with a new gradethat is calculated in the GPA, but the original “F” will continue to be calculated in the GPA as well. Therecord of the grades must remain on the transcript so original grades are never removed.Credit Recovery Options: Repeat the course during the regular school year. If the exact same phase level is repeated,then the “F” from the original course is no longer calculated in the GPA. Repeat the course in E-school, which is managed by MLK Academy. This is a web-basedprogram from Jefferson County Public Schools. All coursework is done on the computerand students can complete this work from any computer that has internet access. Whenthe coursework is completed, students must report to MLK to take a final exam. E-schoolwill award the grade and will send that grade to PLD. Students have one semester tocomplete an e-school course (semesters are the same as regular school year semester).There is a fee for each semester course taken through E-school. To register for E-school,students must see their counselor to have the application completed. Students and theirparents are required to attend an orientation meeting scheduled by MLK. Repeat the course in Odysseyware, a web-based program that is managed by each highschool for their students. All coursework is done on the computer and students cancomplete this work from any computer that has internet access. When the coursework iscompleted, students must take a final exam, which will be administered in the counselingoffice. PLD will award the grade based upon the coursework and final exam.Odysseyware is free to PLD students. To register for Odysseyware, students must seetheir counselor.Outside Credit Information and OptionsStudents who wish to take additional courses or complete required courses outside of Dunbar for INITIALCREDIT may do so as long as it is completed through an accredited institution approved by the district.There are several options available for earning outside credit; however, the most common options arelisted below with a description of each method.Outside Credit Options: E-School: Please see description of E-School under Credit Recovery options above. Opportunity College through the Bluegrass Community and Technical College (BCTC):This option is open for juniors and seniors wishing to take college courses and earn highschool elective course credit at the same time. Tuition is typically half the cost of regularBCTC tuition. Students should see their counselor for more information. Non-Degree Status at a college: This option is open to juniors and seniors wishing to takecollege courses and earn high school elective course credit at the same time. Studentsshould see their counselor for more information.Page 5

KENTUCKY EDUCATIONAL EXCELLENCE SCHOLARSHIP (KEES)Kentucky high school students have a great opportunity to make theireducation pay with the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship(KEES). KEES is an exciting program administered by the Kentucky HigherEducation Assistance Authority (KHEAA). Students who try to get the mostfrom high school by studying hard and making good grades (C and above)can earn scholarships for post-secondary education including college, technical, or trade school. Thebetter students do in high school, the more they will earn toward scholarships. Students who continue tomake good grades in college can retain their scholarships. Research shows that students who completetheir post-secondary studies have a better opportunity to achieve their career goals and improve theirstandard of living. Education really does pay! For additional information and details regarding KEES,please visit the KHEAA website, under Parents and Students, at www.kheaa.com; the PLD website,under Guidance, at www.pld.fcps.net; or visit the College and Career Center. Students should registerwith KHEAA to have on-line access to their KEES account.OPPORTUNITY MIDDLE COLLEGEOpportunity Middle College is a partnership between Fayette County Public Schools and BluegrassCommunity Technical College (BCTC). Students have the opportunity to enroll in both college and highschool courses that are taught at BCTC and can earn both high school and college credit for these courses.Students attend school at BCTC. There is no cost for tuition or books for classes taken in this program.Students who will be a junior or senior next fall are eligible to apply. Students must submit ACT scoresalong with a high school transcript to verify that they can successfully complete the compacted andrigorous early college curriculum. Low socioeconomic and first-generation college students receivepriority in the selection process. Please see your high school counselor for an application and/or moreinformation.PERFORMANCE ASSESSMENTKentucky’s Accountability System is designed to provide in-depth information about the performanceof students, schools, districts and the state as a whole. Current performance assessments include thefollowing: KPREP Reading and Math tests, 10th grade KPREP On-Demand Writing and Science, 11th grade ACT, 10th and 11th grades Career & Technical Education End of Program Assessment (formerly KOSSA), for studentsgrades 10-12 in career pathways Industry Certification tests, administered through CTE classesAdditionally, students who take part in special programs are required to participate in additional CareerReadiness assessments or in ACCESS for ELLs. Students who are unable to participate in the standardassessment program due to moderate and significant disabilities participate in the Alternate KPREPProgram as designated in their IEPs.COLLEGE AND CAREER CENTERThe College and Career Center is a dedicated center to assist students on exploring career options,developing a career path and understanding how to be college or career ready at the time of graduation.The center hosts college representatives’ visits, business and industry representatives’ visits, guestspeakers from a variety of careers, military representatives’ visits, FAFSA days, and student collegeand business site visits.Students of all grade levels have access to the center throughout the school day and may scheduleappointments with Pam Bates, College and Career Coach. Parents may contact Ms. Bates by email atpamela.bates@fayette.kyschools.us to receive additional information about college resources.CAREER AND TECHNICAL EDUCATIONCareer and technical education is a wonderful opportunity for students to explore their career interestsand broaden their career options. Through the use of search tools, students may find that they haveparticular interests in the programs that are offered through the Fayette County Technical Centers andPLD Career pathways. Information regarding these programs start on page 7.Page 6

FAYETTE COUNTY TECHNICAL CENTERSFayette County students may earn four credits per school year and may attend a technical center class for asecond school year for training that is more advanced and an additional four credits. A variety of academiccourses is also available at the technical centers. Please see subject choice cards for available academicclasses. Listed below are the technical programs available at the Technical Centers; websites shown offerdetailed course descriptionsEastside Technical Center— https://www.fcps.net/Page/43Digital Design & Game DevelopmentThis pathway provides students with a thoroughunderstanding of techniques for designingadvanced 3D games and simulations. The coursewill cover 2D and 3D graphics, animation,character development, texturing, scripting,program design and coding, and game setup usingstate-of-the-art software development tools.Completing students will have developed the skillsnecessary to create 3D graphic and applicationsthat can be used for games and simulations.Automotive TechnologyStudents become knowledgeable in the varioussystems of automotive to develop skills introubleshooting. Performing preventivemaintenance, and servicing and repairingautomobiles. Areas of study are to ASE andindustry specification and including engines,electrical & electronic, brake systems, and steering& suspension.Diesel TechnologyStudents in diesel technology learn to repair andmaintain heavy trucks, heavy equipment and dieselengines. Students develop skills introubleshooting, preventative maintenance, repairand servicing of all vehicles and equipment thatutilizes diesel power. Instruction is focused onpreparing students for postsecondary opportunitiesor career placement within this high-tech, highdemand career field.Law Enforcement ServicesThis pathway prepares individuals to perform theduties of police and public security officers,including patrol and investigative activities, trafficcontrol, crowd control and public relations, witnessinterviewing, evidence collection andmanagement, basic crime prevention methods,weapon and equipment operation and maintenance,report preparation, communicating with the public,and other routine law enforcement responsibilities.Fire & Emergency Medical ServicesThis pathway is intended to prepare student toenter postsecondary programs that will lead to acareer in public service as a firefighter andemergency management technician. Course workincludes physical training, introduction tofirefighting equipment and use, fire behavior andcombustion, fire investigation, fire protectionsystem, and fire prevention.Cinematography & Video ProductionThis pathway prepares student to communicatedramatic information, ideas, moods and feelingsthrough the making and producing of videos andcinematographic expression. The pathwayincludes the theory of video, video technology an

Paul Laurence Dunbar High School . As we enter the new calendar year this month, the faculty and staff at Paul Laurence Dunbar High School have already been preparing for the new academic year. This course directory is intended to assist you as your family look