OnRamps Newsletter
August 2019
Welcome Back!
Welcome to the 2019-2020 school year! We are so happy to you joining us in our work with OnRamps courses.
Entering into this school year, the office of College and Career Readiness has undergone a name change to Advanced Learning Services. The office of Advanced Learning Services includes not only topics that are college and career related but also the Advanced Learning Program and Services (formerly known as GT or Advanced Academic Studies), and the Advancement Via Individual Determination (AVID) departments.
Meet our Advanced Learning team members and discover more about what we do to support you and our students by visiting http://bit.ly/2z2AVwx.
It is an exciting time for our students and Advanced Learning Services will be there to help support you and our students in this work. To assist with communication to our OnRamps teachers, the Advanced Learning Services office will provide newsletters throughout the school year. We look forward to having you join us in this journey during the 2019-2020 school year!
Elizabeth Swaner
Executive Director of Advanced Learning Services
OnRamps Teachers 2019-2020
English Rhetoric
Berkner- Joe George and Talyna Neff
LHHS- David Wood
PHS- Cynthia Gatlin and Robyn Lewis
RHS- Colleen Noble
Pre-Cal
Berkner- Marcia Grissom
LHHS- Don Tatum
PHS- Tobi Brooks and Anna Saleh
RHS- Chad Gilliland
Algebra 2
Berkner- Michal Grissom
PHS- Amanda Braddy
LHHS- Jasper Chan
RHS- Danny Jacobs
Stastics
Berkner- John Gregson
Physics
Berkner- Paula Rilling
LHHS- Bill Darden
PHS- Doug Morrison
RHS- Lars Londont
Geoscience
RHS- Trey Pearce
Computer Science
PHS- Mario Cage
Arts and Entertainment
PHS- John Zacana
US History
Berkner- Tracy Miller-Cook
LHHS- Heather Puebla
PHS- Kevin Starnes
RHS- Chris Draper
OnRamps Changes for 2019-2020
Last spring, UT made us aware that beginning in the fall of 2019 they would begin charging a tuition fee to students who participate in OnRamps dual enrollment courses. The RISD Board of Trustees is committed to OnRamps courses and they have provided the funding for RISD students to continue to take these courses in 2019-2020 at no cost to them or their families.
Students in OnRamps courses will still have the opportunity to accept or deny the college credit they earned in their class at the end of the college portion of their high school course. (We are confirming if the opportunity for pass/fail credit will still be available in 2019-2020.) Most students are taking an OnRamps course that offers just one semester of college credit during their full year high school course. (See OnRamps timelines to learn more http://bit.ly/2MaHg1h.)
- Each OnRamps course will costs $149 per college semester or $99 per college semester for students eligible for free or reduced lunch.
- Per UT mandate, all students must commit to remaining in their OnRamps course by Monday, September 16.
- RISD WILL COVER THE COST of tuition for students who are enrolled in OnRamps courses on the September 16 deadline.
Beginning in the 2019-20 school year, new state requirements are being implemented for OnRamps courses to be used as a part of a student's or a campus's College and Career Military Ready indicator. A student must be taking their OnRamps course for college credit BUT they do have the option to deny the credit and not have it appear on their college transcript at the end of the college semester.
OnRamps Student Course Contracts
RISD encourages ALL students to enroll in available OnRamps classes to enhance their academic experiences. RISD strongly believes that OnRamps courses provide enhanced academic opportunities for students that will assist them in future college-level courses whether they be AP, OnRamps, or Dual Credit. Any RISD student may enroll in as many OnRamps classes as his or her schedule permits.
To assist our students and their families in understanding the rigors and expectations of OnRamps classes, the District requires that students complete an OnRamps contract. Using this link, you will be able to access the OnRamps contracts for the 2019-2020 school year. Please print and make as many copies of this contract as you will need for your students. http://bit.ly/2yT0nEA
All OnRamps contracts should be completed and returned to OnRamps teachers to keep on file for the 2019-2020 school year. At the end of the school year, OnRamps teachers should destroy all 2019-2020 contract copies.
OnRamps Drop Timeline
Due to UT mandating that students must commit to being in their OnRamps courses by Monday, September 16, we have had to adjust our drop timeline for OnRamps courses at the beginning of the school year.
New Drop Timeline:
September 4 – September 9, 2020: Window to drop an OnRamps course for the fall semester. This allows the counselors the opportunity to have all schedule changes completed by Friday, September 13. Your campus counselors will have the forms which students and their families will complete to drop an OnRamps course.
OnRamps PLI Certificates
Over the summer you attended an UT OnRamps training. Hopefully you are in the process of obtaining your completed certificate from UT. When you receive the certificate, please complete the following by September 30, 2019:
- Copy 1- to Carolyn Crise, Advanced Learning Services office, PDC B236, for us to submit to leave and travel. Your reimbursement cannot be processed until we have the certificate to submit along with the paperwork.
- Copy 2 – to True North Logic as an external request for you to request your chosen PD hour options for 19-20.
Advanced Learning Services
Email: ccr@g.risd.org
Website: www.risd.org
Location: 701 West Belt Line Road, Richardson, TX, USA
Phone: 469-593-0248
Twitter: @risdccr