Looking for college credit? This is the first opportunity to take an AP course. Sophomores are eligible.  AP courses demonstrate rigor on your college applications, and they help your GPA by multiplying your grades by 1.1.  A higher weighted average GPA also drives up your CLASS RANK.

Why Computer Science? Computer Science jobs are the fastest-growing section of the STEM economy, and are projected to make up 70% of all new STEM work in the next decade. The need for professionals with coding skills can be found in every size business, in every industry, in every state in the union.  A business races to build AI agents of every sort, the need is only growing for even more people with foundational understandings of concepts in coding, data, telecommunications and security. The need is driven by businesses’ desire to produce AI agents and mobile apps and leverage near-ubiquitous wireless Internet to build out the Internet of Things (IoT). 

Handbook Description: AP Computer Science Principles is a college course that provides students with an opportunity to explore the type of work done by many STEM professionals under the broad umbrella of Computer Science.  

Students build socially useful mobile apps and work through activities designed to improve their creativity, technical writing and teamwork. 

Topics Include: 

• Coding - with emphasis on project management of socially useful mobile apps for a defined customer 

• The Internet - how it is physically built and the protocols that make it work 

• Cybersecurity - including cryptography methods, common hacks, MFA and core topics in defense against the dark arts 

• Data - binary math, data storage and transmission protocols, data visualization of publicly available big data 

• Ethics - exploring the big questions of the Information Age 

Who should take this course?  AP CS Principles is an excellent choice for any college-bound student. STEM enthusiasts will find that it offers a great foundation for classes they will be required to take in college. Artists will love the creativity. Future lawyers will love the logic and the technical writing. Future project managers will love the teamwork and iterative approach to getting great things done.  Most students will love the opportunity to check off a college gen-ed requirement. After building this foundation in the bredth of computer science topics, those seeking additional instruction in coding might enjoy taking a deep dive into algorithms and data encapsulation in AP CSA (Java), described in the math department. 

AP Exam: 30% based on a student developed APP that is done in advance and 70% Multiple Choice on exam day in mid-May. 

NOTE: The fee for the AP exam is determined by the College Board and is the responsibility of the family. If a college offers credit for AP exams, they typically award 3 credits for a passing grade on the APCS Principles exam. 

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Sample Projects

Handbook Description: Business Law opens the door to the types of situations you will face in your future. Know your rights. What rights do you have in school? Can they really search your locker? What happens when you buy a car? What happens in a courtroom? Whether you are planning a legal career or just have common legal questions, this is the course for you. You will take a trip to the Dutchess County Courthouse to witness real court cases as they unfold. Business Law is a great foundation to other business courses, including Business Ownership, Sports & Entertainment Law. 

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Student Endorsement Video

Handbook Description: Business Ownership is a survey course designed around the idea of running a small business. You get a taste of entrepreneurship through the different business disciplines: economics, marketing, and sales, accounting and finance, human resources, contract law, patents, and trademarks. You work in teams to develop skills in the use of spreadsheets and graphics software using the computer. In addition, you receive coaching on public speaking. In the culminating project, you pitch your ideas for a themed restaurant in a format similar to the hit TV show Shark Tank. 

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Handbook Description: College and Career Planning is one of our required courses for the CTE pathway. It is designed to give you the big picture of where your life might go in the future. You take personality and interest tests to help you make an informed decision about a good field to pursue. You look at colleges and student funding, and you plan a budget for your first shot at living on your own. You explore the basics of employment law and consider the differences in working in different types of organizations: the military, government agencies, big business, small business, entrepreneurial endeavors, and trade unions. You consider the management styles you are most likely to encounter in different working environments. Finally, you set personal, professional, and financial goals for your 60-year-old self. 

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Student Endorsement Video

Handbook Description:  College Virtual Enterprise I is not your typical high school class. This college-level course, offered in conjunction with SUNY Farmingdale, offers a unique opportunity that allows students to understand and implement all aspects of a successful business. You will run a virtual business that actually sells products or services to other virtual businesses around the world. You can participate in the areas of Administration, Accounting/Finance, Marketing, Sales/Purchasing, Web Design, and Human Resources. You will participate in competitions, such as business plan, website, human resources, advertising, etc. You and your team determine the nature of your business, its products and services, its management and structure, and learn the daily operations of a business under the guidance of a consultant. Your “employment” in the simulated business will allow you to experience, in a simulated business environment, all facets of being a valuable employee in a firm. Additionally, you as an employee in the simulated firm will earn a virtual ‘salary’ that will be managed through a yearlong exercise in personal finance.

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Will my credits transfer to my chosen college?  

Student Testimonial Video

Handbook Description:  Plug in your imagination for this ½ credit course in computer gaming. All types of students are encouraged to learn the basics of coding in a social and creative environment. Using drag and drop block code in Scratch, you will work individually and in teams to learn how to use loops, conditionals, variables, and functions to make games. You will even have a chance to use graphic software to design your own playing pieces and take a turn programming your own background music. This course is a great choice for anyone considering a career in Computer Science, Business Information Systems, or any STEM field. Most STEM majors require one or more courses in computer science. Students who have had exposure to coding in high school do significantly better in CS courses in college. By taking this in high school, you get to learn the basics of computational thinking in a low-stakes environment where the learning feels like fun. 

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Video:  Sample of Student Coding Projects  

                Student's Opinion of Computer Game Design (1)

                Student's Opinion of Computer Game Design (2)

Handbook Description:  Follow the money! Learn the language of money. Many consider accounting to be the best route to a successful career in business because accounting has always been considered the language and basic tool of every business. Learn to analyze, record, classify, summarize, and interpret accounting data for all types of businesses. Accounting is not a math course, but a study of money. We will discuss where it comes from, where it goes, and how much it has changed. If you are thinking of majoring or minoring in Business, a college accounting course is a requirement. Taking DCC Accounting will fulfill an accounting requirement, earning you four credits and giving you a head start on college. 

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Student Endorsement Video

Will my credits transfer to my chosen college?  

Handbook Description: The course emphasizes how economics affects you right now and provides insights into why all entrepreneurs want to come to America. Learn critical communication skills, including how to debate important economic topics that are valuable, regardless of your career path. You will even have the opportunity to learn how to make money in the stock market! 

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Will my credits transfer to my chosen college?  

Videos:
Why YOU Should Learn Economics
Why study economics?

Handbook Description: Ethics & Decision Making is the study of how to make decisions. Every day we are faced with numerous decisions. Some seem easy and some difficult. Every decision requires thought: but many times we think of our own short-term benefit. Students examine what they believe, and why they believe it, by actively participating in solution planning, debates, and case studies. Ethics & Decision Making focuses not on “right versus wrong”, but on thought development and the process of making a decision. Are we thinking of others? Our family? our school? Our community? Our environment? For today, and beyond? Elements of interest to students include, but are not limited to Personal Law, Consumer Rights, Individual Rights, Education, Medicine, Business Decisions, Animal Rights, Economics & Poverty, and the Environment.

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Student Testimonial / Thank You

Handbook Description: Does hearing the word math send shivers down your spine? Do you ever wonder how you will use the math taught in class? Your wondering days are over! This class will teach you what you need to know to master the financial challenges you will face after graduation. From calculating the cost of a car loan to determining which credit card gives you the best options, these topics are real-world, every day! Find out how much sales tax you need to pay before you make a purchase. Financial Math is the course that will help build your understanding of the mathematical practices to solve problems found in the real-world, including banking, finance, salary and income, payroll, loans, and insurance. For those not interested in taking Algebra 2, this course satisfies the 3rd year of Math required for graduation. 

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Handbook Description: This ½ credit course offers you the opportunity to improve your typing skills, and use Microsoft’s Suite of Office Products in a more sophisticated manner. You will begin the semester learning appropriate keyboarding skills before transitioning to the skills that will help you manage your own documents or a small office efficiently and effectively. Would you like to work quicker, faster, and smarter? Are you ready to stand out from the competition and shine as a student and a future employee? You will be formatting documents, spreadsheets, and workbooks including, headers, footers, picture formatting, inserting tables, cover pages, works cited lists. You will collaborate with other students and use the editing features of Word, Excel, and PowerPoint including, comments, spell and grammar check. You will write a resume and cover letter using templates. In Excel you will learn the basics by creating formulas to perform calculations, graphing, sorting, filtering, and conditional formatting. You will learn how to add sophistication to any presentation by creating master slides, adding animations and transitions. The goal of this course is to improve your skills in these applications and most importantly make them attractive and user-friendly. 

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Handbook Description:  This is a course for creative people. This ½ credit course is offered in the spring after the prerequisite Computer Game Design. It uses drag and drop blocks to code, but moves from games into business applications. MIT App Inventor offers more sophisticated logic and gives you the chance to use mobile features like GPS, the accelerometer, text messaging, and voice recognition in your apps. This course is a great choice for anyone considering a career in Computer Science, Business Information Systems, or any STEM field. Most STEM majors require one or more courses in computer science. Students who have had exposure to coding in high school do significantly better in CS courses in college. By taking this course in high school, you get to learn the basics of computational thinking in a low stakes environment where the learning feels like fun. Bring your creativity to make it beautiful, make it sing, make it dance, and maybe even make some money. 

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Handbook Description: Every adult should have a basic grasp of finances! As you prepare to navigate through life and manage all of the challenges and opportunities that come your way, this course is a must-have to help prepare you to be an educated consumer. Topics covered will include building an emergency fund, budgeting, goal setting, paying for college, avoiding debt, purchasing insurance, investing and retirement planning, to name just a few. Students will have the opportunity to earn W!se Certification to demonstrate their financial literacy. This course is one of the core courses for the CTE pathway. 

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Student Endorsement Video

Handbook Description: Do you like to prove a point? Are you the person who enjoys defending others? Maybe you are a huge sports fan, but do not consider yourself an athlete. Or perhaps you’d prefer to explore how the law impacts the Entertainment industry. No problem! This course will explore how the law impacts sports and entertainment. Find out what power the NCAA has over student-athletes and why players are in a union. Learn why individuals in the movie, television, music, or theater industries need to know about the law. You will study legal cases related to these industries. You will have the opportunity to review areas of law that include contracts, labor law, collective bargaining, discrimination, employment, crimes, constitutional and common law, discrimination, securities, copyright infringement, the right of privacy, libel, slander, defamation, advertising, tax, plus many more. See how you can feed your interest to work in the Sports or Entertainment industry from the legal side. 

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Handbook Description: Do you know how much money is generated in the Sports & Entertainment Industries, and the economic impact they have on the local, state, national, and global economies? You will learn how to stay “plugged-in” to current marketing trends that are constantly shifting to the latest platforms, and how consumers, particularly younger viewers, watch sports and entertainment today. Examine how sports and entertainment fans are demanding a much more engaging and realistically immersive experience than ever before! Why is it important for marketers to address the challenge that younger “millennial” audiences are watching sports and entertainment on new platforms, particularly social networks? Why are marketers allowing fans to have an insider’s view and be closer to the action than ever before? 

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Student Endorsement Video

Handbook Description: Work-Based Learning, also known as Business Co-Op, is one of the core courses for the CTE pathway. Want to work while receiving high school credit? Is exploring a career something that interests you for your possible future vocation? Want to make more informed decisions about your goals in life and what education is necessary to reach those goals? Workbased learning will give you the opportunity to reflect on what you have learned through your business courses, apply it in a real-world setting and see how it affects your thinking about jobs and careers, as well as apply it through real-life work experiences. You can take this course as a junior and senior to earn up to two credits, too! Students are required to be employed, and submit reflective journals and copies of their pay stubs to the Work-Based Learning supervisor. 

Introduction to Work-Based Learning

Student Agreement and Responsibilities

Welcome Letter for Employer

Teacher Website

Handbook Description: If you are a senior and have not taken a business elective but are interested in earning one credit while working, consider Diversified Work-Based Learning (Diversified Co-Op)! Gain valuable work experience that can launch your career. Not sure what your career plan is after high school? The work experience combined with online classroom activities will allow you to connect what you are learning in the classroom to the skills required for success in today’s workplace. You will earn one credit toward graduation too! Students must complete assignments virtually to help prepare them for employment. Students are required to be employed, and submit reflective journals and copies of their pay stubs to the supervisor. 

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