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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]Those who are saying that offering classes outside of the school day for credit is unique to Westfield are 100% wrong.

My DD has been taking a choir class for credit at another FCPS school for 3 years and there are definitely plenty of others who offer before or after school courses for credit.

When it comes to the fine arts, its the only way many students can take the classes that they want with the few electives that they have at their disposal.  It also allows kids to go more in depth with their fine arts education - for instance, taking both choir and show choir, marching band and jazz band, etc.[/quote]

Those are not supposed to be for credit.

[/quote]

How do you know?  Seems like you're just mad because you don't have the opportunity.[/quote]

Because the 0.5 advanced coursework honors bump was created to give a boost to the top level audition ensemble at each FCPS high school.

It was not created to reward club participation in after school activities, and was only for the in achool advanced music classes taken during the day, with tests and written requirements in a set curriculum, such as music theory, and which participates in the yearly state assessment each spring with pre approved music selections and sight reading evalution.

The 0.5 bump is an honors curriculum bump for the advanced coursework of the most advanced music classes.  One choir class, one orchestra class and one band class per high school.

It is not for show choir, jazz ensemble or marching band, just like math students don't get a GPA bump for matheletes and student council kids don't get a 0.5 GPA boost in their history classes and theater kids don't get an academic boost for performing in the musical.

That 0.5 boost was hard fought by the music teachers and approved to specifically recognize the advanced music curriculum,  not to give a bonus for club participation or prrformances.

If Westfield was using that academic bimp to boost after school club participation,  then they were not following policy and should be reigned back.[/quote]

Where do you get the idea that the before school/after school music classes in question receive a .5 GPA boost???  They don't.  Just a regular old 4.0 class. And at our FCPS high school, that class is held to exactly the same standards as other performing classes for credit that meet during the day.  There is attendance taken, in-class assessments, grading, and mandatory participation in county-wide assessment performances and school concerts.  Why shouldn't they get credit for it - it's not an elective club where you can choose to show up or not and no option to quit half way through the school year or take some time off.[/quote]

Nope.

You are wrong.

FCPS does not award half credits for any classes, and certainly not for after school activities.[/quote]

Not sure what WHS specifically awards but this is a quote from the announcement post on page 1:

Our administration at Westfield has decided to eliminate six after-school and before-school music classes. This decision was made due to what they perceive as a lack of equity in these classes, particularly because we earn 0.5 credits for specific courses.

This lead to the believe that WHS was awarding a .5 for certain music classes[/quote]

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