High School Planning Meeting
Dobyns-Bennett High School Cheat Sheet Terminology and Helpful Links
General planning:
4/6 year plan: A student’s personalized academic plan for high school coursework. Also allows for students to prepare for post-graduation plans.
9th grade registration card: Hard copy form that identifies a student’s top 8 choices and 3 alternates for coursework during freshman year.
DB Excel: Online and blended learning high school offered by Kingsport City Schools. Courses are offered at Clinchfield Street location.
Terms to know:
Graduation requirements: A specific combination of classes required to receive a high school diploma
Curriculum requirements: Specific courses required within a department in order to meet the graduation requirements of that department
Credit: Acknowledgement of a student’s completion of a course with a passing grade
Grade Point Average (GPA): A numerical average based on points awarded to each letter grade a student earns for a completed course. *See the DB course catalog for grade/point correlations
Weighted GPA: An adjusted point value attributed to letter grades when a student takes an honors/advanced course
Course Catalog: Full collection of educational information related to high school. Includes course descriptions, as well as information re: graduation requirements, testing, GPA, etc.
Course Description: Information pertaining to individual classes, including topic, expectations, when offered, and prerequisites.
Prerequisite: Courses or items that are required before a student will be permitted to enroll in a course
Elective: Classes chosen by the student based on interest rather than requirement
Alternate courses: Course choices that will be utilized to complete a students schedule should there be a course conflict in their top 8 choices.
Sequence/Flowchart: Recommended and/or required path of course work based on student’s previously completed courses. Designed to build an appropriate flow of learning.
Schedules:
Block classes: Classes offered 90 minutes per day for 90 days (one semester)
Singleton classes: Classes offered 50 minutes per day for 180 days (All year) - Must be paired with another singleton class
Block classes and Singleton classes are arranged in one of four possible configurations to create a student’s schedule to form a total of 8 classes. *See course catalog for example layouts.
Course Information:
Levels of Courses:
General/College Prep: Grade level appropriate curriculum. Awards general GPA points.
Honors: Advanced course addressing the designed curriculum. Reading and writing intensive. Awards weighted GPA points.
Pre-AP: Advanced course addressing the designed curriculum. Reading and writing intensive. Designed to lead student in to AP level courses. Awards weighted GPA points.
Advanced Placement (AP): Advanced course addressing the designed curriculum. Reading and writing intensive. Awards weighted GPA points. Opportunity to receive college credit based on scores on the AP exam.
Dual Enrollment: Complete college admission requirements. Receive college level instruction within the high school. Receive college credit upon successful completion of course. Awards weighted GPA points.
Online: Course completed through an online platform. Best for organized, responsible, and self-disciplined students. May require some in person meetings. GPA points awarded dependent upon the course.
Elective focus: A combination of 3 related courses within an identified area of study. Designed to promote a student’s personal interests and support post-graduation goals.
Elective focus programs of study:
Fine Arts: Area of courses designed to expose students to artistic opportunities
Fine art areas: Band, Orchestra, Chorus, Theatre, Visual Arts, General Music
Career & Technical Education (CTE): Courses that provide students an opportunity to explore practical applications of various career options. Support students in gaining exposure to possible career fields
See course catalog for variety of CTE programs offered
STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering, & Math): Courses that focus on these identified areas and an applied approach to learning
Humanities (Social Studies, Foreign Language, & English): Courses related to studying human culture
Reserve Officer Training Core (ROTC): Courses that introduce students history and knowledge of military. Identifies with Air Force branch. Also builds teamwork and leadership skills. Students are not required to enroll in military by participating in the program.
Advanced Placement: See definition above
Career Cluster: A group of courses that are related and strongly identified with a career area requiring like skills and characteristics.
World Language: Two courses required in the same language in the same year to meet graduation requirements
Languages offered: French, Spanish, German, Latin, Chinese
Online Programs:
Naviance: Company that supports the online platform for college, career, and personal exploration
Family Connection: Online platform designed to house an individual students information as they explore and prepare for college and/or careers. This will be the location of students’ working 4/6 year plan
Google Classroom: Online platform used to share information and assignments. Requires student login and code to join classroom
College and Career:
EPSO (Early Postsecondary Opportunities): A course and/or exam that allows a student to gain postsecondary credit while still in high school. EPSOs prepare students to take full advantage of the TN Promise scholarship and succeed in education and training after high school.
To view EPSO areas, please visit https://www.tn.gov/education/early-postsecondary.html
College Readiness: Level of preparedness to be successful in a college setting. Addresses academics, personal understanding, and life and social skills needed for success at the college level.
Career Academy: Combination of courses designed to prepare a student for employment in specified areas upon graduation. Completion may potentially lead to receiving a certificate and a pathway to completing an Associate’s degree through Northeast State Community College.
End of Course Testing: TNReady test used to assess a student’s learning at the conclusion of many academic courses
ACT: National college entrance exam that must be completed by all students for graduation.
FAFSA: Form to be completed annually as a student’s application for eligibility to receive financial aid in order to complete graduate courses
Dual Enrollment: College course which is taken on DB campus
Helpful Links:
DB Excel: https://dbexcel.k12k.com/
Course Catalog: http://cc.dobyns-bennett.com/mobile/index.html
Counseling: https://dbhs.k12k.com/apps/pages/index.jsp?uREC_ID=345534&type=d&pREC_ID=753571
Family Connection (Naviance): - http://connection.naviance.com/seviermiddle
Requires student login - Same as computer login
Google Classroom:
Requires student login