LNW Academic Planning Handbook 2023-24

Welcome to Northwest High School, home of the Falcons!

Lincoln Northwest is committed to cultivating an environment where all students feel safe and supported, respected and valued, and are encouraged to boldly chase their dreams This starts with a strengths-based, student-centered focus on high school graduation planning and conversations intentionally designed to help each student prepare for their future

This Academic Planning Handbook has been developed to provide important information to assist students and families in making wise, informed decisions concerning programs and course choices throughout your high school years Your school counselors and other Northwest faculty provide invaluable insight and guidance in this decision-making processes The Academic Planning Handbook is a general reference guide only This is not a comprehensive statement of all Lincoln Northwest policies and procedures that may be applicable in a given circumstance Please review the LNW Student Handbook and LPS Important Information booklet for additional information about school/district policies, both of which can be found on the LPS website (https://wwwlps org/about/important/)

If you or your child have questions about the information in this handbook, please contact your student’s Northwest school counselor. We’re here to help!

Pass

Dady

Kate Smith Amanda Foreman Registrar/Counseling Assistant Bookkeeper/Counseling Assistant

The Falcon Flights at Lincoln Northwest

Our Falcon Flight approach takes the viable and engaging curriculum provided for all LPS students to the next level by embedding key principles of career-readiness throughout all four years of high school. To aid in creating their Flight Plan, Northwest students are provided with a variety of opportunities to identify their personal strengths, explore career pathways that engage these strengths, and participate in work-based learning experiences to further enhance their classroom studies. In doing so, LNW graduates not only exceed rigorous curriculum standards, but are also equipped with the skills necessary to guide the next steps of their journey.

We know that “what’s next” takes many forms -- and we value the unique path each student will take

We also know:

■ Since the early 2000s, a “college-for-all” theme has taken hold in education, and “college” has been much too narrowly defined as a 2- or 4-year institution

■ Subsequently, requirements to earn a high school diploma have been created while looking through a “one-size-fits-all” lens

Furthermore:

■ On average, 52% of LPS high school graduates enroll in a 4-year college immediately after high school; however, only 33% of all US jobs require that level of education

■ Only 40% of these LPS graduates who choose the 4-year university path will finish their degree within 6 years

■ The cost of attending college has continued to skyrocket In 2019, Nebraskans carried a total of $7.1 billion in student loan debt.

■ The COVID-19 pandemic has had a significant impact on economic projections and the workforce outlook.

We believe a change is needed.

Falcon Flight -- a community-wide effort to provide better educational and career readiness outcomes for students -- is our solution Visit the Falcon Flights section of this planning guide for more detailed information about each Flight Plan (coming soon!)

LPS Graduation Requirements

Graduation from Lincoln Public Schools will require the accumulation of 245 credit hours in grades 9-12, subject to the following per LPS Board Policy 6222 Within the 245 credit expectation for graduation from high school, certain areas of study totaling 182 5 credit hours will be required of students, as outlined below The remaining 62 5 credits are considered elective and can be earned by taking and passing any course

In addition to accumulating the required number of credit hours, students will also be required to demonstrate that they have necessary reading and writing skills Demonstrations and standards for successful completion of these skill areas will be developed Per LPS Board Policy, demonstrations may be completed in a particular class and/or independent of a class

Scheduling & Grading Considerations

At Northwest, students in all grade levels are encouraged to enroll in four academic blocks each quarter so they may benefit from a full array of academic and enrichment experiences. Students in 9th grade must have a full schedule of four academic blocks each quarter. With parent/guardian permission, eligible students in 10th grade may apply to be a teacher assistant in place of one academic block each semester. With parent/guardian permission, eligible students in 11th and 12th grade may apply for teacher assistantship or may request a reduced schedule. Please visit the Northwest Counseling Center website for complete details, eligibility requirements, and applications.

Class Drop/Add/Change Policy

During the first two days of the quarter, students may drop/add/change classes without any change to their permanent record (transcript), if needed. Please see the “Schedule Changes” section below for approved criteria. Unless extenuating circumstances exist, no new classes will be added after day two of each quarter. Parent/guardian permission is required for any class dropped after day two of the quarter as well. The LPS District policy regarding grading for students who drop a class will be followed:

● If a student withdraws from a semester or quarter class during weeks one through three of the class, no notation goes on their cumulative record (transcript).

● If a student withdraws during weeks four through five of a semester class (completed in one quarter at Northwest), or weeks four through eleven of a traditional semester class (“skinny” class at Northwest), a “W” (withdraw) will be placed on the student’s record

● If a student withdraws during weeks six through nine of a semester class (completed in one quarter at Northwest), or weeks twelve through eighteen of a traditional semester class (“skinny” class at Northwest), an “F” will be placed on the student record unless approval is granted for either a “W” or an “INC” to be placed on the student record.

Schedule Change Requests

Students receive access to their school schedule in mid-July and should carefully review classes for the entire year at this time. Schedule changes after the start of the school year should be avoided whenever possible. Schedules will only updated for one of the four reasons listed here.

Students may request a schedule change for the following reasons:

● The schedule is incomplete (do not at least have four classes scheduled each quarter).

● A class on the schedule has already been taken and passed.

● A prerequisite has not been met (i.e. scheduled for Spanish 3 but have not passed Spanish 2).

● To change levels (i.e. move from a regular course to Diff/AP, or vice versa).

● To add an elective class that aligns with post-secondary interests

Schedule changes will not be made for the following reasons:

● Preference for a different teacher.

● Preference for the same class during a different block or quarter.

● Preference to be in a class with friends

● Preference for a specific lunch time

Satisfactory/Unsatisfactory Grading (Pass/Fail)

A mark of S (Satisfactory) or U (Unsatisfactory) can be recorded on the transcript when specifically requested in writing by the student and with approval from the student’s parent/guardian and school counselor. Students in all grades can opt to receive an S/U mark rather than the standard letter grade for any class, and this decision can be reversed any time prior to the end of the grading period for the requested class. Students may not request S/U marks for more than 30 credits during their high school career.

Requests must be received by the beginning of week 6 of the quarter in which the class is taken, or by the beginning of week 12 of a traditional semester class (“skinny” class at Northwest).

Students earn full credit for classes taken as S/U when a mark of S is earned However, these are not considered graded credits; therefore, they are not included when calculating GPA and do not count toward the minimum credit requirement to maintain academic eligibility (30 graded credits per semester)

Academic Honors

Effective for the class of 2021, the Laude Latin model will be used to recognize academic excellence at the conclusion of a student’s high school career Students will work to compete against the criterion for academic honors – rather than other students A student’s cumulative weighted GPA will be used to determine the level of honor on a student’s high school transcript and for academic recognition at commencement exercises The following three levels of academic honors will be used:

Honor Roll

To qualify for the honor roll, a student must have earned a GPA of 3.50 or higher while enrolled in a minimum of 30 graded credits during a traditional semester (Q1 and Q2, or Q3 and Q4). Credit earned in classes taken for S/U marks will not be included when computing the honor roll. This includes student assistants and work experience Four categories of academic achievement will be recognized on the honor roll:

1 Honor Roll: Students with a weighted GPA of 3 5 to 3 749 on a 5 0 weighted scale

2 Honor Roll with Distinction: Students with a weighted GPA of 3 750 to 3 999 on a 5 00 weighted scale

3 Honor Roll with High Distinction: Students with a weighted GPA of 4 000 to 4 249 on a 5 00 weighted scale

4 Honor Roll with Highest Distinction: Students with a weighted GPA of 4 250 and above on a 5 00 weighted scale

Academic Letter & Pin

Students having a weighted GPA of 4 00 or higher in two consecutive semesters will earn an academic letter This honor is based on individual semester GPA, not the cumulative GPA Students who complete two additional consecutive semesters at this level will receive an academic pin

At Northwest, Quarter 1 and Quarter 2 grades are combined in the Semester 1 GPA, and Quarter 3 and Quarter 4 grades make up the Semester 2 GPA This GPA is not recorded in Synergy

Student/ParentVUE. Please contact your school counselor if you wish to obtain your semester-specific GPA Students can find their cumulative GPA under the Course History tab in Student/ParentVUE

Graduation Honors

A student’s final cumulative GPA will be used to determine the level of honor on the high school transcript, diploma, and for academic recognition at commencement exercises. Graduation honors will be determined following the second to last quarter of high school, and the student is required to graduate by the end of the next quarter. The following three levels of academic honors will be used:

1. SUMMA CUM LAUDE “with highest distinction”: Students with a cumulative weighted GPA of 4.250 and above on a 5.00 weighted scale.

2 MAGNA CUM LAUDE “with great distinction”: Students with a cumulative weighted GPA of 4 000 to 4 249 on a 5 00 weighted scale

3 CUM LAUDE “with distinction”: Students with a cumulative weighted GPA of 3 750 to 3 999 on a 5 00 weighted scale

Academic Enrichment Opportunities

Weighted Grades

Weighted grades are letter grades that are assigned a numerical advantage when calculating a grade point average, or GPA Weighted grading systems give students a numerical advantage for grades earned in higher‐level courses or more rigorous learning experiences, such as honors courses or Advanced Placement courses The purpose of having weighted grades is to encourage students to enroll in the most rigorous academic courses in order to maximize preparation for their post‐secondary education In addition, with a weighted GPA students can potentially be more competitive when applying for college scholarships and admission

Dual Credit

Dual credit classes give students the opportunity to take rigorous college-level classes that can also be counted toward requirements for LPS high school graduation, as well as eligibility for athletic and/or academic honors. Available options vary each academic year. Please connect with Northwest school counselor, Brooke Sharpe, who serves as the LPS Dual Credit Point of Contact at Northwest, if you have any questions about this opportunity.

Advanced Placement (AP)

CollegeBoard’s Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college-level classes in a wide variety of subjects that students can complete at LNW These courses offer challenging coursework to give students an idea of what college courses are like, and are taught by highly qualified LNW teachers, providing an excellent transition to this level of rigor AP courses allow students to earn LPS credit along with the option of earning college credit (if the student achieves a qualifying score on the corresponding subject-specific AP exam) All AP classes are weighted Class offerings are subject to change each academic year For more information on the AP program, please visit https://apstudents collegeboard org/.

Current Advanced Placement courses at LNW:

AP Computer Science Principles

AP Calculus BC

AP Human Geography

AP Language and Composition

Dual Enrollment (DE)

AP Literature and Composition

AP Psychology

AP US History

AP Modern World History

Certain classes taken at LNW are also available as dual enrollment options Students in these courses may choose to dual enroll with a participating local college to earn LPS credit along with college credit through successful completion of the course Class availability is dependent on teacher qualification and choice to participate, making this subject to change each academic year Not all dual enrollment courses are weighted

Current dual enrollment courses at LNW:

AP Language and Composition (Deschaine)

AP Literature and Composition (Needham)

AP Calculus BC (Sims)

Precalculus (Anderson)

Bryan College of Health Sciences Focus Program

Through hands-on, immersive experiences and dual-credit classes, the BCHS focus program at Northwest will prepare students for a variety of careers in the medical field. Juniors and seniors will be able to enroll in these dual-credit courses to earn early college credit. Labs and classrooms for this focus program are located within our school building, and students are provided with optional opportunities to take additional courses online or at Bryan College Please visit the focus program website at https://healthsciences lps org/ to learn more or apply for the program Students planning to participate in both years of the focus program should apply during 1st semester of their sophomore year

Work Experience

Students who are employed during their time at Northwest may be eligible to earn elective credit for their work experience Students must be at least 16 years old to be considered Please see connect with your Northwest school counselor if you have questions about this opportunity

Athletics and Activities Eligibility

Students wishing to be eligible for participation in athletics or activities at Northwest must have passed 20 credits the semester prior to the season of participation Students in grades 9-11 must also be enrolled in a minimum of 15 credits during the season in which they are participants to maintain eligibility Seniors in good academic standing maintain their eligibility when enrolled in a minimum of 10 credits during the season in which they participate, and must also pass 20 credits the semester prior to participation

Any student who wants to participate in NCAA sports must register with the NCAA Eligibility Center. Student-athletes must graduate with a minimum GPA of 2 3 in select core coursework to meet eligibility requirements for NCAA Division I and II athletics Serious student-athletes are advised to visit the NCAA Eligibility Center website at https://web3 ncaa org/ecwr3/ to create a free profile account by the end of

their freshman year You will also want to notify your Northwest school counselor so we can ensure you’re receiving the best academic advisement to prepare you for your goals as a college athlete

Career Development - A Crucial Component of Falcon Flight

Career Development is the process by which students get to know their strengths and interests, learn how different jobs connect with those interests, explore careers in current labor markets, and build career planning and management skills to achieve their career goals. We all know the world of work has changed – a high school diploma alone no longer guarantees a decent living wage. However, one reality of today’s workforce that has remained the same is that everyone needs to develop employability and career skills for the workplace. A typical career path these days doesn’t necessarily follow the traditional course of high school, college, and long-term employment. Today, there are multiple pathways to rewarding careers; today, it’s common to anticipate several entrance and exit points among work and education and training throughout a lifetime

Career development skills equip students to take ownership in navigating their own career pathway. The Nebraska Career Development Model recognizes three stages of career development. Northwest school counselors provide the knowledge and opportunities for students to progress through each of these stages as part of our comprehensive school counseling program

Self-Awareness

Self-Awareness skills refer to students gaining the ability to identify their interests, skills and work values. Self-awareness includes understanding one’s own mastery level of career readiness (employability) skills This enhanced self-awareness paves the way to effectively explore careers and identify personal career goals with the best fit At Northwest, our students take part in Self-Awareness activities primarily in grades 9 and 10

Career Exploration

Career exploration skills consists of learning how to identify and analyze various career options in terms of what education, training, experience and competencies are required for success Exploration includes learning directly in workplaces to discover what it may be like to work in different occupations It also involves learning how to evaluate how well a career matches or fits one’s own interests, skills, strengths and work values Career Exploration begins once students have identified their interests, skills, and values For most students, this exploration is an ongoing process throughout the high school years (and often beyond!)

Career Planning and Management

Nearly all careers require training and education beyond high school Knowledge of a wide variety of post-secondary options is important for students and parents to realize All post-secondary college and career options have entrance requirements, application processes and financial aid or other cost considerations. Career planning and management is about identifying goals with the best-fit, then creating an action plan to accomplish those goals. All Northwest students begin the career planning and management stage by creating a 4-year graduation plan during Freshman year. This plan is be revisited and updated at least once each year as students prepare to request courses for the next school year.

This is an important tool that should reflect each student’s goals and should also be modified if goals change Students in grades 11-12 participate in additional career planning and management activities to prepare for their top potential career pathways

Career Development Resources

Every student meets with their Northwest school counselor, either individually or as part of small group, on a yearly basis to explore post-secondary options, including aspects of career development The following links are intended to supplement the work students as part of these grade-level meetings Families are encouraged to utilize these resources to assist students in planning their next steps after high school!

Nebraska Career Clusters – Experience virtual industry tours that provide a unique opportunity to get a glimpse inside Nebraska-based industries without leaving your home or classroom No account required

Roadtrip Nation – A place to explore interests and get careers, majors, and high school classes that match what they like to do Students log in with a CollegeBoard account (free to create)

Career Cruising – Self-exploration activities from this site are started by most LPS students in middle school, but access to resources and past assessment results continues throughout high school Students log in through the LPS Portal

Nebraska Career Connections – Similar to Career Cruising, NCC provides students with assessments to help identify strengths and interests, as well as how those connect with possible career pathways Students log in through the LPS Portal

NEworks – Nebraska Department of Labor website provides current job openings and labor market analysis facts, employment, wages and projections Also available as a smartphone app No account required to explore

EducationQuest’s Reality Check – Use Reality Check to discover which careers will allow you to afford your desired lifestyle No account required

The Falcon Flights

Coming Soon!