Welcome! Note: I am in Room 4314 again this year. (AHS Home) (FCS Home)

Email: nicholsonl@fultonschools.org

Class calendar: Schoology.com and log in as apcspahs@gmail.com with password APCSPCalendar for generic access.

Assignments: Each student has his/her own Schoology login. There is almost no excuse for not being able to log in to get to tasks.

Late work policy: 4% off per school day late

Completed work is submitted per the Schoology instruction for the assignments. This varies. Feel free to email with questions.

RISE: Lunch B on Tuesdays. Make arrangements in advance. Don't plan on me just being there if you don't.

For an "emergency" (e.g. weather) Digital Learning Day, click on the file Image below (or copy link) and follow the directions.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZPoLOOC_WxwkNnjhF3TzGk7VdJoRZoMeQLsaZLnB340/edit?usp=sharing

For the April 21 and May 19 Digital Learning Days, please see middle and right documents below or refer to Schoology as usual.

This is the home page of Mr. Lee Nicholson (Mr. Nick). I am one of the four AHS Career and Technology Education Business and Computer Science teachers teaching computer courses in the school.

Computer knowledge is critical to professional success, and I applaud you for your willingness to invest in yourself to improve your computer-related skills! Even if you don't want to focus on computers full time as a career, a solid background can help you be much more effective and successful in almost any profession. College professors and organizational managers alike all expect you to know the basics of computer use. If you don't have one of these classes on your schedule, you really need to find a way to fit our introductory course (Intro to Digital Tech) or AP Computer Science Principles into your schedule before you graduate from AHS!

If you are thinking that you might be interested in computers, try to look at information technology as a way to help solve many of tomorrow's toughest problems, to use your creative talents, and to have a pleasant and balanced work-life career. Human resources surveys indicate that computer professions are solidly over-represented in the top ten "most satisfied and happiest" of all careers in the US. You should also know that the demand for computer and information professionals remains at all-time highs in the United States. The predicted shortfall between supply and demand in the US is predicted to be over 1 Million by 2020. Not only that, recent Georgia Tech IT 4 year degree graduates averaged starting salaries over $60K and Computer Science Engineering graduates averaged over $80K.

I will teach the following course in the 2019-20 school year: AP Computer Science Principles: Periods 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 and 6. We have about 165 students taking the course this year.

I also co-sponsor the FBLA (join here) in the school as a volunteer position, and I am very interested in helping students create successful technology projects for FBLA. I will sponsor the the National Technical Honor Society as well.

We had several first or second places at the state level in the Georgia Technology Fair in 2019 and many good finishes at the county level. We need to pick it back up in the Media Festival and CodeQuest arenas. We had many teams move on to Nationals and place very high in FBLA -- and have plans in place for many submissions to the various competitions this year.

Location: Room 4314 -- which is on the top floor in the hall with lots of Science and Math teachers.

Email for parent correspondence: nicholsonl@fultonschools.org

Phone: 404-909-3315

Internet access to most assignments and grades:

Please use Infinite Campus.

Schoology Once your student has their account set up, I will have parent access accounts that I can distribute upon request. Parents can send me an email and I will get you the code for your student. You can, preferably, just ask your student to show you his/her Schoology account, of course.

CodeHS.com

Code.org

CodeAvengers.com

For most assignments submitted digitally:

1. Schoology -- accounts were set up in early August.

2. Gmail leebnicholson@gmail.com. In the subject, please include:

• Course and period (e.g. APCSPP1)
• Last name (e.g. Nicholson)
• Assignment (e.g. Survey)

3. AP Digital Portfolio: There are two major projects at the end of the year that need to be uploaded to College Board. One project has three parts and the other has two. This turned out to be a major effort last year due to the logistics of correctly uploading, and I hope it goes more smoothly this year!

Paper Assignments:

There are a very few handouts for this class and students will be required to hand this work in. Although it may seem odd for a computer class, the handouts are a good way to capture small group teamwork. Students need to be good at making sure their names are on their papers and making sure they do the work in class so they can hand it in when they leave.

Parents and Guardians:

Please email me when you have a specific question about where we are. I will respond to almost every email within 24 business hours with an individualized response if you have a question. Please use a good subject name so I will be sure to notice your email if it is important.

Your student will be totally informed regarding current assignments and activities. Their ownership of the responsibility for listening, taking notes, and remembering to do assignments is a key survival skill for college, the workplace, and successful personal lives -- probably one of the top three things they need to take away from their education in high school. While I believe that I am clear (and, actually, very repetitive) about assignments, the responsibility for them to know and ask rests with the student.

I will be using Schoology this year due to the large numbers of students signed up for AP CSP. Almost every assignments will be available there. Your student really needs his/her own access to Infinite Campus to be on an equal footing with other students. I will keep this updated -- but project grading is very time-consuming and I sometimes delay grading to allow more time for completion.

Thank you,

Lee Nicholson