• Inglemoor High School: An International Baccalaureate (IB) Program in our Own Backyard by Guest Authors Laura Main and Taryn Oestreich
• 6 Period Day Schedule Coming to Jackson High School
• Top 10 Public High Schools in the Greater Seattle Area
• May 2004 National AP Exam Registration
• Financial Assistance for AP Exams for Washington State High School Students
• PE Credit for School or Community Sports or Dance Participation Proposal
• AP/IB Boosters Open Meetings
• Summer Academic Programs
• Black History Month Article from the College Board
• District Hosted Parent Meeting to Answer Questions Regarding the JHS Schedule Change on Wednesday Night 2/25/04

6 Period Day Schedule Coming to Jackson High School

All Jackson High School Parents/Guardians received a letter dated 2/12/04 from Dr. Carol Whitehead, Superintendent of the Everett School District. The letter describes the decision that Jackson High School, starting September 2004, will no longer be on the accelerated 4x4 schedule and its English/History combo courses will be separated.

We applaud this Everett School District decision. With these 2 important changes the following will be possible:

1) Class sizes should be 20% smaller (just like at Cascade HS and Everett HS).

2) More students can take AP classes and earn their own effective scholarships in the range of $300 to $3000 for each AP course depending on the colleges (community colleges or 4 year colleges) that they choose to attend. AP courses should not have to all be offered during 4^th period as was done this school year.

3) Students who struggle in one or more courses should be able to have at least one of the 6 periods be a study period where they can get additional coursework help. This will just be 1/6 of their in-class time per semester instead of 1/4 on the accelerated 4x4. They should have ample time to complete required courses.

4) Students can take up to 12 semester length courses a year. Lots of choices.

5) The JHS catalog can become thicker and richer with more courses at all levels. The accelerated 4x4 (with the larger class size requirement) limited the selection.

6) All students should have more flexibility in their schedules.

7) With the separation of English and History, only teachers with endorsements in one or both subjects should teach those courses.

8) A senior can take AP World History. Currently only sophomores can.

9) Math scores will rise since math courses can now truly cover a year's worth of material since students will have enough in-class time (165 hours on a 6 period day schedule instead of 127 hours on the accelerated 4x4) and enough calendar time (36 weeks instead of 18 weeks) to absorb the material.

10) Students will learn world languages better since they will have enough in-class time and won't have huge gaps (8-13 months) between sequential courses.

11) Rock N Roll students (students interested in music but not necessarily school band) will be able to take the Music Technology course. Currently only school band and school choir students can take that course.

12) The dismal JHS graduation rate (62%) should climb since there can be more levels of courses where students who need it can catch up.

We do hope that one of the modified 6 period day schedules is implemented instead of the straight 6.

High School	Reputation Rating	Schedule Type	# of AP Courses	# of AP Classes	# of IB Courses	# of IB Classes
Mercer Island (Mercer Island)	4.42	Modified 7	10	17
Bainbridge (Bainbridge Island)	4.23	Modified 6	8	10
International School (Bellevue)	4.17	Modified 7	8	10
Newport (Bellevue)	4.00	Modified 7	26	48
International Community School (Lake Washington)	4.00	Modified 6	4	6
Garfield (Seattle)	3.91	Modified 6	13	40
Inglemoor (Northshore)	3.90	Modified 6	1	1	30	59
Shorewood (Shoreline)	3.88	Modified 6	7	10
Bellevue (Bellevue)	3.85	Straight 6	20	38
Skyline (Sammamish)	3.77	Straight 6			18	28
Woodinville (Northshore)	3.75	Modified 6	10	16

http://www.apibboosters.org/TopHighSchools.html

Everett School District students need to register for the May National AP Exams by March 18^th, 2004. Materials are being distributed to each high school the week of 2/23/2004. The cost for each exam is $82.

$82.00	Cost for taking one AP Examination in May 2004.
-22.00	The College Board will reduce fees for qualified low-income students.
-8.00	The school/school district must waive the $8.00 fee it normally receives for administration.
-47.00	A federal grant managed through the OSPI will reimburse The College Board $47.00 for each exam for qualified students.
=5.00	The student pays $5.00 for each exam.

See the following link and your high school counselor for eligibility.

http://www.k12.wa.us/AdvancedPlacement/default.aspx

Many high school students enjoy school and/or community sports. Unfortunately some of these students have trouble with academics and are often forced to quit their sports activity. Please comment on the following proposal. The Kamiak High School course catalog clearly states that student participation in directed sports can be substituted for required PE credit. This policy does not exist at the Everett School District. It seems common sense to permit student athletes the option of using one of their 6 periods as a study period to study, work on homework, or get extra help with their academics while their after school physical activity is counted as their PE requirement. A semester length Health Course can also be added to round out their modified schedule. Let us know what you think of this proposal.

AP/IB Boosters welcomes members and non-members to join us on one or more of our biweekly Saturday morning coffee meetings. We discuss our upcoming newsletter and action plans to help promote and improve academics in our community schools. Our next meeting is on March 6^th, 2004 at Tully's Coffee Shop on Murphy's Corner. Our meetings and other pertinent meetings are listed at the following:

http://www.apibboosters.org/CalendarMeetings.html

On February 10, 2004 we cosponsored the UW Summer Programs for Middle School Students event at Heatherwood Middle School.

http://www.apibboosters.org/events/UWMSSummerPrograms.html

Thanks again to Principal Gelderman, Heatherwood PTA President Teresa Hatlands, and Heatherwood staff for making this event possible.

We have started adding summer academic programs on our events list including the UW programs and programs from WSU.

http://www.apibboosters.org/events/Events.html

The following is an excerpt from the College Board.

http://apcentral.collegeboard.com

"In honor of Black History Month, we have interviewed two professors of color who have been closely involved with the Advanced Placement Program. Professor Slaughter, from Alabama A & M, serves as a faculty reader for the AP American Government Exam; Professor Hale, from Xavier, runs AP and Pre-AP Summer Institutes (week-long training programs for AP teachers). In these interviews, the professors describe the value of their AP experience, talk about the special value of AP for minority students and teachers, and explain how faculty of color can make a difference."

"Dr. Rosalind Pijeaux Hale

From your perspective as chair of an Education Department, what role does AP play in the lives of teachers of color?

As Chair of the Division of Education at Xavier University of Louisiana, I feel AP plays an important role in the careers of teachers of color. I use the word "careers" instead of "lives" because I think being introduced to the possibility of becoming an AP teacher can extend a teacher's career. Classroom teachers of color can become burned out before teachers from other ethnic groups because often they are not encouraged to teach upper-level courses. When they are introduced to the AP Program, these teachers soon realize that they have skills that may not have been tapped by their school principals. They begin to request that AP courses be included in the curriculum and that they teach them! This training can enhance their teaching careers because they may remain in the teaching profession longer."

"Ronald L. Slaughter, Ph.D.

In your view, do AP courses play a special role in the lives of students of color?

Oftentimes students of color may not be in the best academic situation or may not have the opportunity to prove that they can compete with the best students across the country. AP courses provide these students with the opportunity to challenge themselves and to measure themselves against others across the globe. Students can take the courses, develop their skills, and maybe just as importantly, the confidence of knowing that they can succeed in a challenging academic environment."

Jackson HS Commons at 7 PM. A chance for parents to receive answers to questions about the impact the schedule change and the reduction of block classes will have on their student.

Summary of Academic Events

http://www.apibboosters.org/events/Events.html

Thank you,

Executive Board