Academic Planning & Course Options

Choosing classes is an exciting part of middle school! At Indian Land Middle School, students build a strong academic foundation while exploring interests, discovering strengths, and preparing for high school.

Core Classes

All students take four core classes each year:

• English Language Arts (ELA)

• Math

• Science

• Social Studies

These courses provide the foundation for students' academic growth and learning.

Encore Classes: Explore Your Interests!

In addition to their four core classes, students take two encore (elective) classes each semester, for a total of four encore classes during the school year.

Encore classes give students opportunities to explore interests and develop new skills outside of their core academic subjects.

Encore options include:

• Arts & Performance: Piano, Chorus, Band, Theatre, Digital Art, Media Arts, Visual Arts

• Career & Life Skills: Financial Literacy, Family and Consumer Science

• STEM & Technology: STEM Horticulture, STEM Engineering, STEM Health Science, Fundamentals of Computing

• Other Options: Spanish, Middle School 101, P.E., ProTeam

A few things to know:

• Physical Education (P.E.) is required every year through freshman year of high school.

• Band and Chorus are the only encore courses that run for the entire school year.

• Encore offerings and availability may vary.

Pre-AP/Honors Courses

Indian Land Middle School offers Pre-AP/Honors opportunities in Math and English Language Arts.

These courses are designed for students who demonstrate strong abilities in the subject area. The curriculum provides opportunities to deepen understanding, strengthen critical and analytical thinking, and develop reasoning and decision-making skills. In our district, these courses help prepare students for Advanced Placement (AP) coursework in high school.

What courses are available?

7th Grade

• Pre-AP Math

• Pre-AP English Language Arts (ELA)

8th Grade

• Geometry Honors/Pre-AP

• English I Honors/Pre-AP

How do students qualify?

Students may qualify in one of two ways:

Option 1: Gifted and Talented (GT) Identification

Students identified as Gifted and Talented (GT) are automatically placed in the applicable Pre-AP/Honors courses.

Option 2: Teacher Recommendation or Parent Request

Students may also qualify through a teacher recommendation or parent request, based on a combination of the previous school year's academic performance and standardized test scores.

Important Information About High School Credit

Some middle school courses carry high school credit and become part of your student's high school transcript.

At ILMS, these include:

• Geometry

• English I

• Fundamentals of Computing

These courses offer students an opportunity to earn high school credit while still in middle school.

Please remember: Students do not have to take these courses in middle school to stay on track for high school. If you are unsure whether your student is ready for the added responsibility of a high school credit-bearing course, choosing not to take it in middle school will not put your student behind in high school.

Questions About Course Options?

We encourage families to talk with their students about their interests, strengths, and readiness for different courses. If you have questions about course placement or available options, please contact the appropriate school counselor for guidance.