What is the due date for the course sheet? February 9
What's a higher level, honors, or AP? And what's the difference between AP and Honors? Advanced Placement (or in some cases IB) is the highest level of a course. The difference is that AP is a nationwide college curriculum. Often taking an honors class in freshman/sophomore year prepares you for AP (such as taking Honors English in sophomore year in preparation for taking AP English in junior year).
When will we get our schedules? I noticed some classes have summer homework. Students receive their schedules on the first day of school but if you sign up for a class with summer work then go ahead and do it even though you have yet to receive a schedule.
How do you know how many credits you have earned? You can check the student portal or a counselor can run a transcript for you.
What if you are leaving next year for a different high school? Do you still do all of these forms? If you are meant to come to Anderson but plan to move or apply to another school please do fill out the course selection form for us (then you can show your new school your selections too).
When will we take our TSI and what exactly is that? The TSI is a college benchmark test (Language Arts & Mathematics) that must be taken and passed before you can take an Austin Community College class. Most students take it in junior year.
What is the zero hour class Scholars? It is a class focused on the Arts & Humanities which can be taken in junior or senior year.
If we plan on playing a sport and doing athletics do we put that in one of the three elective spots? Yes
If I would like to do engineering and architecture would I sign up for STEM or CTE? And I did first year of Engineering this year, so would I sign up for the next level, of that course? Yes, sign up for the next level. Our Engineering classes are considered CTE classes but for endorsement purposes they are STEM. If I'm currently taking a Language Other Than English class in middle school, can I pick a new LOTE class to start at Anderson? Are we able to change languages? Yes, absolutely. You may start a new language or continue with the one you are in. It is your choice.
How hard will high school be compared to middle school? High school comes with some increased responsibilities and a somewhat bigger workload. But, as long as you stay on top of your assignments, stay organized, and do all the work all of the time then you should get used to it quite quickly! For class recommendations, do we ask our teachers, or do they decide who they will recommend? You should ask your teachers. How do we know whether to take World Geography Honors or AP Human Geography? Do both rate on 5.0 scale? Both are on the 5.0 scale; AP is the most rigorous and is based on the national AP curriculum.
Will there be a G/MAPS exemption test? Yes, This assessment is currently scheduled to be offered in-person in the Anderson cafeteria at the following times: Tuesday May 10th 4:45 – 6:00 pm; Thursday May 12th 4:45 – 6:00 pm
Is there any consequence to starting a new/different language in high school? Not at all. Many students start a new language freshman year. What does it mean “double blocked” when it comes to sports? It means the class takes up two periods (one on A day and one on B day).
How do we get on the email distribution list from Ms Grote and Mr Horwood? If you are coming in from an AISD feeder school we automatically will use your email on file. If you are from out of district/private schools please fill out the survey on the counseling website and we will use that contact info. Do the 8th grade teachers have to write a recommendation or can we consult them and then choose level? Consult with teachers- written recommendations are not required. Are grades for high school credit received in middle school honors classes transferred into high school GPA on a 5.0 scale? That depends on the level of the middle school class. If the class is considered honors in your middle school (or if its course number has an H in it) then it will count as a 5.0 class. Do they also do freshman orientation in GMAPS? Yes
On the Anderson Course Selection Form for the Student Email, are we meant to provide their AISD email address or their personal email address (such as gmail)? Personal email is the preferred method since we can send a confirmation to that email. How will freshman get the orientation info if they are exempt from GMAPS and are in an elective class instead? We recommend they check in with their alpha counselor and keep a close eye on emails & BLEND. For core classes, which is higher, AP or Honors or IB? AP or IB is the most rigorous level of any subject. Hello! I am an 8th grader at Murchison Middle School. Do I need to register to go to Anderson? Or do I just need to fill out the course selection and I will be good? You are automatically projected to come to Anderson so you can fill out the course selection sheet (but there are still some registration forms your parents will need to complete for our registrars office before the school year starts)
What if I want to play two sports, like baseball and soccer? Am I able to play both? Yes, if the seasons donʼt conflict or if you make arrangements with the coach. But you can only have one sport in your schedule at any one time so you may not have the practice period for one of them in your school day
If I am currently in Advanced Chinese (3B), do I take AP Chinese 4 next year? It will be Chinese 4 unless you have made arrangements with our Chinese teacher to take AP Chinese
When are the sports teams tryouts? Please check the Anderson website or contact the coach
Iʼm testing out of a language (Japanese). Do I not have to take language classes anymore through high school? For graduation requirements you must have two years of LOTE so as long as you test out of two yearʼs worth of language then you will not need to sign up for any more.
Is it required to take a fine arts during freshman year? No, you can take your Fine Art requirement any time during the 4 years of high school.
Will the Zero Hour classes count as High school credit? Yes
Do I need a recommendation for every honors class that I want to take? We do suggest discussing it with your current teacher but a recommendation is not mandatory for every honors class
Are you done with language credits if you are taking Spanish 2 right now? Yes since if you have Spanish 2 credit our registrar can assist you getting the Spanish 1 credit too