SOPHOMORE GUIDE TO JUNIOR COURSES

Junior Honors classes are available in English, Math, U.S. History and Physics; A.P. classes are available
in English and in U.S. History, and, as an elective, in A.P. Computer Science.

Admission to honors and A.P. classes is competitive. This means that that there is not a specific grade
needed for admission. Instead, admission is granted to the top students who apply until the number of
places is filled. The fewer the number of seats available, the more competitive admission becomes.

In English there are 30 A.P. places and 75 Honors places.

In Social Studies there are 90 A.P. places and 110 Honors places.

In Math there may be up to 70 places available in Algebra 2/ Pre Calculus, the junior Math Honors course. This
class meets eight times a cycle in the fall semester, which will limit students ability to take elective courses
(which meet at the same time as the extra Math classes). See Electives section for more information.
Sophomores currently in Algebra 2/ Trigonometry must request the Pre-Calculus Honors course.

In Science, there may be up to 210 places available in Honors Physics, a full year, lab based Physics course
which culminates in the Physics Regents. Students who seek an additional Science Regents may take Earth
Science, even if they took it in middle school. Students who want Physics but are not eligible for Honors
Physics or do not want the pressure of a Physics Regents may take the standard, one-semester Physics course,
along with either Environmental Science or Anatomy and Physiology to fill out their Science requirement.

There are 35 places available in Spanish 3 Honors.

Admission to honors and A.P. classes is based on a students average in the subject for the first half of
sophomore year and on teacher recommendations. Once honors and A.P. classes are full, no other
students can be considered. The decision of the Administration and the academic Department Chair is
final; student applications cannot be reconsidered if grades improve during the spring semester. Nor
can Regents grades be taken into account, as these grades are reported after a students schedule has
been set. A.P. and Honors students do consistently good work.

Students will receive a list of courses they have been scheduled for during the last week of school in
June and a full schedule in September. Neither students nor parents may request specific teachers.
Such requests cannot be honored because of the complexity of aligning each students schedule with
the Master Schedule.

Sophomores who apply for Honors or A.P. courses as juniors and are not admitted should improve
their grades in junior year so that they become eligible for advanced senior courses. Prerequisites for
these courses are listed in the course catalog.

Juniors have the opportunity to take .5 credits or 1.0 credit of optional elective courses, during
alternating first and last periods, which, for juniors, are usually free periods. Some of these courses
(Chorus, A.P. Computer Science, Geology, the two Art courses) enable students to pursue interests
outside the curriculum; others (Participation in Government, Constitutional Law, Economics, Personal
Finance, Public Speaking) allow students to satisfy senior requirements in junior year so that their
senior schedule can accommodate more electives, including A.P. courses. See next page for details.
JUNIOR ELECTIVES

Juniors may take one semester or a full year of elective courses to pursue their own academic interests or to
satisfy senior year requirements. NO JUNIOR ELECTIVES ARE REQUIRED; ALL ELECTIVES ARE OPTIONAL. If you
feel your junior schedule is challenging enough, you do not have to choose anything extra. You may prefer to
keep your free periods instead. However, if you register for a junior elective, you are required to take to and
may not drop the course once you have been scheduled.

If a course you request is cancelled due to lack of enrollment, you may replace it with another course or to
drop it entirely. If a course you requested is oversubscribed, admission will be based on grades in that subject
as of the first semester of sophomore year. Remember you will have the opportunity to take any of these
courses in senior year.

Courses with 0 credits are not graded but appear on your transcript and are seen by colleges you apply to.

COURSE TITLE CREDITS DURATION FREQUENCY

A.P. Computer Science 1.0 Full Year Days 1-6

[May not be taken with any other elective course. Limited enrollment, only 30 places available.]

Chorus 0 Full Year Day 2 and either 1 or 4 or 6

[Admission by audition arranged by Mr. Sheehan; meets twice per cycle. Days depending on vocal range. Ma
be taken with no other courses except Science Research or Mindfulness Meditation.]

Two Dimensional Art 0.5 Fall Semester Days 1-6

[Admission only by approval of Ms. Burke. Permission Form available in General Office. May not be taken with
Constitutional Law or Algebra 2/ Pre-Calculus.]

Painting 0.5 Spring Semester Days 1-6

[Admission only by approval of Ms. Burke. Permission Form available in General Office. May not be taken with
Participation in Government or Mindfulness Meditation.]

Science Research 0.5 Full Year Days 1, 3, 5 plus one day TBA
[Sophomore Science Research required; Admission by arrangement with Ms. Mallia or Mr. Nadeau. May be
taken with no other course except Chorus. Open to students in Algebra 2/ Pre-Calculus.]

Environmental Science 0.5 One Semester Days 1-6

Geology 0.5 One Semester Days 1-6

[This course has a Scholars Course designation and carries the honors 1.05 weight when computed in your
average.]

Participation in Government 0.5 Spring Only Days 1-6

[May not be taken with Constitutional Law, Painting, or Mindfulness Meditation; limited enrollment, only 35
places available.]

Constitutional Law 0.5 Fall Only Days 1-6

[May not be taken with Participation in Government; limited enrollment, only 35 places available.]
Economics 0.5 One Semester Days 1-6
[May not be taken with Personal Finance; 75 places available.]

Personal Finance 0.5 One Semester Days 1-6

[May not be taken with Economics; 75 places available.]

Public Speaking 0.5 One Semester Days 1-6

[Limited enrollment; 60 places available.]

Mindfulness Meditation 0.0 Spring Only Days 3, 5 (tentative)

[May not be taken with Participation in Government, Science Research, or Painting.]

IMPORTANT: Students may not request courses whose meeting times conflict with one another. For example,
a student electing a full year course like A.P. Computer Science, cannot choose any other electives. Students in
Chorus may take Science Research or Mindfulness Meditation, but no other courses. Students in Science
research may take Chorus, but no other course. Students in Algebra 2/ Pre-Calculus are excluded from
Constitutional Law, Chorus, and Two Dimensional Drawing, since their extra Math periods are on Days 4 and 6
in the fall semester (though they can take a one-semester course in the spring). They are limited to 0.5
elective credits.