BY KAREN SUROS
Summer may seem far away, but it looks like the 2019-2020 school year is on the heels of Cooper City High School students as they begin deciding what their schedules will look like next year. Course selection cards were distributed during study hall throughout this week. Along with them came an abundance of information on their content.
Course selection forms are color-coded according to grade level, and each color offers a different set of options. Forms are unique to the individual and contain their student information at the top. Below are their options for core classes organized under English, mathematics, social studies and science. Students are to mark an “X” by their preferred course and receive their teacher’s signature to signal approval.
“Both are rigorous courses, both give two extra bonus points towards your GPA and both have a test at the end. AP is a national test and Cambridge is a test based on the class you’re taking.”
The back of the form offers a vast variety of elective courses. Students who wish to take an AP or AICE Cambridge course as an elective must obtain a teacher signature. Both a student and parent signature are necessary to complete the course selection card. Forms are due back to study hall teachers on Thursday, January 31 (A day) and Friday, February 1 (B day).
Students may notice a new addition to their course selection card, the Cambridge AICE Program. The Advanced International Certificate of Education (AICE) is an international diploma that students can earn through an advanced academic curriculum and assessment program written and administered by a non-profit department (Cambridge International Examinations) of the University of Cambridge, located in England. This is the program’s first year at CCHS, and it will include the following courses: AICE Thinking Skills, AICE Sociology, AICE Marine Science, AICE Media Studies and AICE English General Paper. Although it is not listed as an option on the course selection cards, AICE European History will also be offered to students with the code 21093710.
“[AICE European History] is much more targeted in content, so the teacher can be the deliverer of content but also [the] facilitator of the student’s own development,” AP World History teacher Peggy Wilfong said. “I’m excited to learn how to teach it, I’m excited to teach it and I’m excited that our students have a whole [new] way to be educated.”
Course selection forms will begin to be processed next week, once they are turned in. Afterward, guidance counselors will begin to meet with students individually to finalize schedules.
Guidance counselors are also visiting study halls to speak to students as a group to elaborate on the information present. Taking certain classes are a graduation requirement. Additionally, personalization is a mandated course that cannot be replaced by another class.
“Cambridge and AP [courses] are very similar,” 10th and 11th Grade Guidance Counselor Maritza Baez-Valldeperas said. “Both are rigorous courses, both give two extra bonus points towards your GPA and both have a test at the end. AP is a national test and Cambridge is a test based on the class you’re taking.”
Course selection forms will begin to be processed next week, once they are turned in. Afterward, guidance counselors will begin to meet with students individually to finalize schedules.
“The counselors will meet one-on-one with each student to go over the course selection sheet to make sure that they’re selecting the appropriate courses for academic growth, as well as personal interest,” Guidance Director Ronald Ziccardi said. “Basically, the counselors plan on getting everything done by March 8, before spring break.”
Naturally, course selection forms are subject to alterations as circumstances change. Students are recommended to fill out these sheets in pencil so that nothing is permanent.
Photo by Carly Cuoco
