Academics
CURRICULUM MAPS
Learning in middle school is about building skills and developing the resources to be successful in middle school, high school, and beyond. Below are the curriculum maps for each grade level.
Grade 6
First Quarter - 6th Grade Curriculum Map
Second Quarter - 6th Grade Curriculum Map
Grade 7
First Quarter - 7th Grade Curriculum Map
Second Quarter - 7th Grade Curriculum Map
Grade 8
First Quarter - 8th Grade Curriculum Map
Second Quarter - 8th Grade Curriculum Map
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
The Middle School Program provides students with opportunities to question and explore, to achieve and succeed, to belong and participate, and to think and create.
Middle schools are organized into interdisciplinary teacher teams in which two to five teachers assume joint responsibility for the instructional program of a given group of students. This organization offers advantages for students, teachers, and parents. For example, while the population of a middle school may be 1200 students, a sixth grader may be on a team of 50 to 145 students. The teachers on the team, therefore, are able to better personalize instruction to meet the needs of their students.
GRADING SYSTEM: Letter Grades
Students earn letter grades of A, B, C, D, or F on their report cards. They may also be assigned a grade of "I" for "Incomplete" if, because of an emergency, they do not complete work by the end of the grading period. The "Incomplete" becomes an "F" if work is not finished by an assigned time. Letter grades have the following numerical values:
A 93-100
B 85-92
C 77-84
D 70-76
F less than 70
FF failed for violation of attendance policy
Performance on the End-of-Course Algebra I and Geometry test counts as twenty-five percent (25%) of the final grade for students enrolled in those courses.
REPORT CARDS
Grading periods end mid-October, mid-January, late March, and early June, except for West Lake, Lufkin, Heritage and Durant Road North Garner, East Cary, East Wake, and Salem Year-Round Middle Schools, and Moore Square Museums Magnet and Centennial Campus Magnet, the two modified calendar middle schools. Report cards are issued within a week of these dates. At the midpoint of the first and third reporting periods, all students receive interim reports to take home to parents. At the midpoint of the second and fourth reporting periods, students who are failing or whose grades have fallen a letter grade will again receive interim reports.
PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS
North Carolina State Board of Education policy (NCAC6D.0304) requires that students demonstrate proficiency on North Carolina End-of-Grade and Writing Assessment tests in order to be considered for promotion to grade nine. In addition, Wake County Public School System (WCPSS) policy (5530) requires grade-level proficiency in reading and mathematics in grades six and seven. To be promoted, students must meet test proficiency standards and receive a passing grade (D or better) in:
- Language Arts,
- Mathematics,
- Social Studies or Science
- Half of all remaining courses taken.
Students who fail to achieve the required promotion standards may be: referred for participation in academic assistance programs, re-tested on EOG tests, and/or given a comprehensive review of academic performance prior to the final promotion/retention decision.
In addition to academic performance requirements, students must meet the requirements of the WCPSS attendance policy. Failure to meet the requirements of the attendance policy may result in failure of a class and grade retention. Such students receive a grade of “FF.” North Carolina Law [1 15C-288(a)] mandates that the final decision regarding promotion or retention of students lies with the principal.
STUDENTS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
ACADEMICALLY GIFTED (AG)
At the middle school level, screening and placement for the Academically Gifted program occur as appropriate and on an individual basis. Teachers and/or parents may nominate students for the AG Program during the first or second semester screening window. Students may be identified for services in language arts, mathematics, or in both areas.
Students in the Wake County Public School System are identified using a state-approved model that includes not only aptitude and achievement test scores, but also other indicators of giftedness such as classroom behaviors, performance, interest, and motivation. Students who meet the criteria for AG services are identified according to their level of need (moderate, strong, or very strong) for services. Students who qualify for the AG program are served through differentiation strategies designed to provide challenges and appropriate instruction in language arts classes and/or in mathematics courses.
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
All Wake County Public School System middle schools provide services for students who require special education because of a disability. Federal and state laws govern eligibility for special education. Students who are suspected of having a disability are referred by their parents or by school personnel for screening and evaluation. Following the evaluation, a team of qualified individuals determines whether the student is eligible. A team, including the parent, develops for every eligible student an Individualized Educational Program (IEP), which identifies the student’s strengths and weaknesses and sets annual goals and short-term objectives or benchmarks. The IEP also identifies the appropriate services and least restrictive placement which are required to meet the individual needs of the student.
The above is from the Middle School Planning Guide. To view the entire planning guide, please CLICK HERE. |
