Parent Information Night Melissa Middle School Honors Program 2016-17
MMS Excellence = Your support - Our commitment – Their effort
Brief History of the MMS Honor’s Program <2013 – open placement in Honors Classes 2013 - placement became criteria based More rigor/challenge 2 Criteria > STAAR and Classroom performance Science determined by Math scores; Social Studies determined by Reading scores
2014 - “test in” or 3rd option was added to the performance criteria for Honors Placement 2015 - 6th Grade was added to the campus Honors not included in the curriculum for evaluative purposes
2016 - Curriculum Enrichment (CE) classes were added to the 6th grade instead of Honors. 2017> – Honor’s Program for 6th grade will be implemented. Science/Social Studies will have independent criteria. The Process: parent feedback > comparison groups > campus leadership > MMS Parent Advisory Committee (MMSPAC)
Significant Modifications – MMS Honors Honors classes made available for 6th graders in two core areas – Reading & Math Reading and Math are tested each year; To take Alg. I in 8th grade, students will benefit greatly from 6th Honors Curriculum 7th Grade STAAR; There is no qualifying STAAR data for Social Studies from 5th grade – 6th grade is the first time curriculum has been taught as a stand alone class; A lighter Honors load allows 6th graders to adapt to the new culture and expectations of secondary school – introducing the concept of Honors
Science & Social Studies - independent placement criteria 7th & 8th Grade Science & Social Studies will have two qualifying options as opposed to three (non-existent data from STAAR at the 6th Grade level) Increasing the class average criteria (option 2) from 90% to 94%.
2017 - Criteria for Honors Placement cont. Science (7th-8th) – 1 of 2 options satisfied: 1. Top 20% - cumulative average of nine-weeks exams (4) 2. Top 30% - cumulative average of nine-weeks exams (4) AND minimum of 94% end of year class average. There exist only two options due to there being no 6th/7th grade Science STAAR exam
2017 - Criteria for Honors Placement cont. Social Studies (7th-8th) – 1 of 2 options satisfied: 1. Top 20% - cumulative average of nine-weeks exams (4) 2. Top 30% - cumulative average of nine-weeks exams (4) AND minimum of 94% end of year class average. There exist only two options due to there being no 6th/7th grade Social Studies STAAR exam
2017 - Criteria for Honors Placement Reading/ELAR (6th – 8th) - 1 of 3 options satisfied: 1. Level III Advanced Score on STAAR 5th grade – 87% 6th grade – 88% 7th grade – 86% 2. Minimum of 80% on STAAR AND 94% end of year class average 3. Minimum of 90% on the California Test (test in)
2017 - Criteria for Honors Placement cont. Math (6th) – 1 of 3 options satisfied: 1. Level III Advanced score (86%) on 5th grade STAAR 2. Minimum of 80% on 5th grade STAAR AND 94% on end of year class avg. 3. Level III Advanced score on 5th grade End of Year exam (proctored at MMS)
Math (7th) – 1 of 3 options satisfied: 1. Minimum of 86% on 6th grade STAAR (Level III Advanced is 81%) 2. Minimum of 80% on 6th grade STAAR AND 94% on end of year class avg. 3. Minimum of 86% on 6th grade End of Year exam Math (8th – Alg. I) – 1 of 2 options satisfied: 1. Successfully completed MMS 7th grade Honors Curriculum 2. Minimum of 86% on 7th grade STAAR AND 80% on 8th grade End of Year exam
Timeline for Placement & Notification 6th Grade ELAR/Math – Placement letter will be placed in final report card. 7th & 8th Grade Core Areas – Placement letter will be mailed once STAAR results have been received End of June at the very latest Only students who have qualified for Honors will receive a letter. Students will be automatically scheduled in Honors classes in which they have qualified. • To opt out of Honors, parents must notify Mr. Miller in writing prior to school beginning
No letter = no scheduling or placement into Honors Classes • Test In (Option 3) for ELAR and Math will be August 1-3 at MMS • Parents must sign up to reserve a testing spot – sign up sheet on the MMS Website http://www.melissaisd.org/schools/melissa-middle-school/
MMS Contacts Reading/ELAR Alex Eichel –
[email protected]
Math/Alg. I Carisa Weaver –
[email protected]
Science Amanda Hardy –
[email protected]
Social Studies Brandon Dunn –
[email protected]
Scheduling Marcus Eckert, Asst. Principal –
[email protected]
Academic Dean Nancy Perdomo –
[email protected]