And, every mcps high school has a parent night for incoming 9th ninth-grade parents. Attend, and ask more questions there.

And, every MCPS HS has a parent night for incoming 9th graders. Attend, and ask more questions there.

My 9th grader is doing PE and orchestra this year and will do the tech credit later.

Matter & Energy doesn't exist anymore. The new three core courses are Bio-Chem-Physics, with most high school teaching them in that order (at least one is doing Physics-Chem-Bio). Goal is completion of all three by 11th, when students will take the new Maryland Integrated Science (MISA) test. Depending on the school, they might let you double up science courses (typically 10th or 11th grade) to fit more advanced ones in 11th and 12th.

Definitely check your particular high school's web site, usually on the Counseling page. They should have info there about the course registration process, and maybe even a 9th grade registration form showing you the options that school will offer. If there's not info on the web site, you can email the resource counselor or the 9th grade counselor.

9th grade parent here.

At our MS, each of the 8th grade teachers made a recommendation for what kids should take and parents made the final call. The challenge is that the teachers gave the recommendation directly to the kid so as a parent, it was a lot of Q&A to figure out what the situation was.

One important consideration-- the typical 'sequence' of courses varies somewhat across MCPS schools. For instance, at our school, high achieving science students take chem in year 1 and both bio and AP physics in year 2. The MS science teacher told as much to the kid-- I didn't really understand why but went along with it (and am glad that we did, because at the time I didn't know that kids could skip Honors bio and go straight to AP bio as a sophomore-- so this sequence opens up an option you wouldn't have if taking bio as freshman).

At our school, the really BIG question was Honors US History or AP US History. A LOT of kids who had signed up for AP and transferred back to Honors in the first 6 weeks because of the AP workload--so many wanted to transfer out that they had a very hard time finding Honors courses to put them into so kids were sort of racing to the counselor's office. (And a lot--I think about 25% of freshman class-- stayed in AP).

But different high schools have different sequences (many recommend AP US Govt in freshman year, which I understand to have a much lower time commitment). So while DCUM can help you sort through options once you know what they are, make sure you are hearing what the options are from the MS teachers/counselors.

Anonymous wrote:Your kid doesn't have to take PE freshman year. Mine is taking it this year as a sophomore because he wanted to take both biology and chemistry last year.

I would get your high school's course catalog as well as the MCPS graduation requirements and sit down with your student and sketch out a rough progression. This doesn't commit your kid, obviously, but it can give you an idea of evening out the workload.

Last year, for example, my kid (who is in an honors program) took six academic classes and band. This year, he's taking five academic classes, band, and PE. Two of his classes are AP, and he's in honors English, precalc, and a foreign language. It's good for him to have the PE course to help balance out his heavy academic load, especially as he plays a varsity sport that requires a significant time commitment throughout the school year.

He took health as the 3-week online/face-to-face course over this last summer, because that frees him up to take another full-year class during the year rather than balance out with a one-semester class. He is considering getting his tech ed class done over a summer as well, or else deferring it to senior year as an easy class to balance out the load then.

Depends on the school re your gym recommendation. At our high school, 9th graders are encouraged to take gym freshman year and it was really fun for my daughter who had a bunch of friends in the class as they were all freshmen.

Your kid doesn't have to take PE freshman year. Mine is taking it this year as a sophomore because he wanted to take both biology and chemistry last year.

I would get your high school's course catalog as well as the MCPS graduation requirements and sit down with your student and sketch out a rough progression. This doesn't commit your kid, obviously, but it can give you an idea of evening out the workload.

Last year, for example, my kid (who is in an honors program) took six academic classes and band. This year, he's taking five academic classes, band, and PE. Two of his classes are AP, and he's in honors English, precalc, and a foreign language. It's good for him to have the PE course to help balance out his heavy academic load, especially as he plays a varsity sport that requires a significant time commitment throughout the school year.

He took health as the 3-week online/face-to-face course over this last summer, because that frees him up to take another full-year class during the year rather than balance out with a one-semester class. He is considering getting his tech ed class done over a summer as well, or else deferring it to senior year as an easy class to balance out the load then.

Freshman classes:
1)Honors English 9
2)Next level of math
3)Usually biology, some kids not ready for it and take matter and energy, others are sometimes recommended for physics based on math level
4)Honors US History, AP US History if they are prepared to take a busy workload college course as a freshman
5)Whether or not you are continuing in foreign language
6 and 7)PE and/or art credit and/or tech credit (2 of these)

Anonymous wrote:Thanks. English, math, science, social studies, and what is the fifth standard class?

foreign language

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:MS teachers give recommendations. Most Freshman take PE and either the art or tech elective (+ the 5 standard subjects). Some HSs allow an AP class for freshman others do not. You can always contact their HS counselor to try to do something different though.

Yes. This is how it is.

But be aware that you do not need to follow exactly the recommendation of the counselor -- either high or lower. Outside of the two electives PP described, the other classes do not have that much variability.

Honors English 9
Honors US History or high achiever might do AP NSL or AP World
Honors Biology (at least at our school) Kid can move "up" to Physics or "down" to Matter and Energy -- or really High Achiever could go directly to AP
Honors Algebra 2 (or whatever next math after 8th, might be Geometry or PreCalc)
Language -- whatever level after MS

Obviously if you kid is not Honors level then adjust to non-honors but I think this is the schedule for about 60-75% of kids in 9th

Thanks. English, math, science, social studies, and what is the fifth standard class?

Anonymous wrote:MS teachers give recommendations. Most Freshman take PE and either the art or tech elective (+ the 5 standard subjects). Some HSs allow an AP class for freshman others do not. You can always contact their HS counselor to try to do something different though.

Yes. This is how it is.

MS teachers give recommendations. Most Freshman take PE and either the art or tech elective (+ the 5 standard subjects). Some HSs allow an AP class for freshman others do not. You can always contact their HS counselor to try to do something different though.

How are HS courses chosen in 9th grade? Does the school determine most of them similar to MS, or is it mostly up to the student? Side info: FWIW we have a very high achieving 8th grader.