Middle School College Exploration
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The first step is to think about what you like and what type of person you are - do you like math? science? English? the keyboarding class you're taking this year? Do you prefer doing things by yourself or do you prefer working with people? Do you like working outside or would you prefer an office job? Are you good with numbers? Do you like paperwork?
Talk with family members, friends, and people in the community about the jobs they're doing. Do any of their jobs interest you?
- Job shadow someone who is currently working in the career(s) which sounds interesting to you.
- Research what type of educational background or training is necessary to work in your chosen area(s).
- Begin Researching Colleges. You'll find that there are many colleges out there.
GO CENTERS HIGHLIGHTS
GO Centers have proven to be a successful resource for students and their families because of their accessibility and usage on high school and middle school campuses, throughout the community and college/universities campuses. GO Center Partners include colleges and universities, college advisors and community organizations. Throughout strong collaboration and coordination GO Centers are increasing the impact for more students accessing and going to college.
CLICK HERE for Middle School Programming OPPORTUNITIES
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Education GO Get It Week
Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½±’s Education: Go Get It Week is generally held in September. This great educational week is aligned with the date of the Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± City-wide College Night program. All campuses are asked (elementary, middle school and high school) to participate in providing activities and programs to students and parents during this week focused on the various topics highlighting post-secondary educational opportunities.
College Colors Day
College Colors Day is an annual celebration dedicated to promote the traditions and spirit that make the college experience great by encouraging people across America to wear apparel of their favorite college or university throughout the day.
Achieve Texas Program
Achieve Texas is an education initiative designed to prepare all students for a lifetime of success. It allows ALL students to achieve excellence by preparing them for secondary and postsecondary opportunities, career preparation and advancement, meaningful work, and active citizenship. It is a system designed to help students (and their parents) make wise education choices. It is based on the belief that the curricula of the 21st century should combine rigorous academics with relevant career education. When schools integrate academic and technical education, students can see the “usefulness” of what they are learning. The system also facilitates a seamless transition from secondary to postsecondary opportunities.
Career Interest Inventory
An interest inventory is a self assessment tool, used in career planning, that assesses one's likes and dislikes of a variety of activities, objects, and types of persons; the premise is that people in the same career (and satisfied in that career) have similar interests.
Six Year Plans
Six-year plans were completed for 7th/8th grade and high school students. The six year plans are aligned with the Academic Learning Plans and are in compliance with state guidelines.
Middle School College Expo
The MS College Expo program provides 8th grade students and parents an opportunity to visit with college and university representatives to discuss post-secondary plans. Bus transportation is also provided for students to the event from their school campus.
Scholarship Bulletin – Middle School
Monthly scholarship bulletins are distributed to students/parents and posted on the district’s website. The scholarship bulletins list scholarship opportunities for all levels (elementary, middle school and high school). Local scholarship information is also included in the scholarship bulletins.
Academic / Post-Secondary & Career Planning – Campus Level Activities/Programs & Guidance Lessons
Campus level programs/activities and Guidance Lessons focused on Academic/ Post-Secondary Planning, Career Education, Financial Aid and Scholarship information are provided each month to students and parents by school counselors at all levels (elementary, middle school, high school). Many campuses provide College Week and/or Career Days each year for the students.
AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination)
The mission of AVID, Advancement Via Individual Determination, is to ensure that all students, and most especially the least served students who are in the middle will: succeed in rigorous curriculum, complete a rigorous college preparatory path, enter mainstream activities of the school, and become educated and responsible participants and leaders in a democratic society. AVID elective teachers support these students in socializing intelligence as they focus on academic rigor.
Summer PSAT/SAT Course
The Summer PSAT/SAT course offered at various high school sites addresses the basic concepts necessary for success on the PSAT/NMSQT and SAT college readiness assessments. Among Critical reading, mathematics reasoning, and test-taking, essay/writing skills and vocabulary enhancement are course tools; in addition, needs of students of different ages and ability levels will be addressed. Students are provided with released official PSAT and/or SAT score results for the purpose of guiding progress. This summer course is offered to any student entering (rising 9th graders) or enrolled in a high school.
Advanced Placement Night
All pyramids hold an information meeting for parents/guardians in January/February. This meeting will include a presentation about what students' ReadiStep scores mean, how best to use them, college readiness opportunities offered by Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± such as PSAT preparatory sessions, summer courses, Programs of Choice, Pre-AP/AP programs, and Dual Credit; and an introduction to the professionals at our campuses who are available to help guide and assist students and parents in preparation for high school, college, and career. High School Programs of Choice Coordinators and Counselors will be available after the meeting to answer all student and parent questions. For more information about AP Nights, please contact your high school's Program of Choice Coordinator.
University Interscholastic League (UIL) Academics
The UIL offers the most comprehensive literary and academic competition in the nation, with 23 high school events and 19 elementary and junior high events. These activities, which exist to complement the academic curriculum, are designed to motivate students as they acquire higher levels of knowledge, to encourage students to confront issues of importance, and to provide students with the opportunity to demonstrate mastery of specific skills. Students are challenged to think critically, exhibiting much more than knowledge and comprehension.
FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± Advanced, Accelerated, and Innovative Learning offers programs such as University Interscholastic League Academic Contests which provide opportunities for students on each campus to engage in creative and academically challenging activities.
FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± students have enjoyed successfully competing in elementary UIL contests for several years. It is a goal of our district to provide opportunities for all students and to increase school and student participation. All contest events are in subject areas that are already taught, and subject matter of the tests is embedded in the curriculum, and are based upon the TEKS.
- Art (6,7,8)
- Calculator Applications (6,7,8)
- Dictionary Skills (6, 7, 8)
- Editorial Writing ( 7, 8)
- Impromptu Speaking (7, 8)
- Listening (6, 7, 8)
- Maps, Graphs, and Charts (6, 7, 8)
- Mathematics (6, 7, 8)
- Modern Oratory (6, 7, 8)
- Music Memory (6)
- Number Sense (6, 7, 8)
- Oral Reading (6, 7, 8)
- Ready Writing (6, 7, 8)
- Science (7, 8)
- Social Studies (6, 7, 8)
- Spelling (6, 7, 8)
Whiz Quiz
Whiz Quiz, coined “The Sport of Knowledge” has provided an opportunity for FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± Middle School and High School students to compete with other students by using their knowledge to answer challenging questions covering a variety of subject areas. Teams of students work together throughout the fall semester and at the end of the season at the semi-final and final match, winning teams will be declared the district third, second and champion teams.
Invention Convention program
Invention Convention is an annual contest for students in Kindergarten through 7th grade who use their creativity to create a prototype invention that will make their lives easier. Young FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± inventors have been improving our lives with their inventions and innovations for more than twenty years. The district contest will be held in January. Adjudicators will select winners to be recognized at a special celebration in the FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± board room.
Spelling Bee program
FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± students in first through eighth grades begin participation at their campus to participate in the school spelling bee. The school spelling bees are generally in mid-January. School winners advance to the six FWÏã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± Area Spelling Bees in mid-February. The six district winners of the Area Spelling Bees, advance to the Regional Spelling Bee at TCU in the spring and each who advances has his or her photo appear in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram, a co-sponsor of the Regional Spelling Bee. The regional winner, advances to the National Scripps Spelling Bee in Washington D.C.
Programs of Choice
Young students also have the opportunity to become more engaged learners through Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± Programs of Choice. They are offered at several elementary and middle schools across the District. Students receive a full range of learning experiences along with a more intensive curriculum in such fields as math, science, communications, art and foreign language. Exciting and educational electives spark children’s imaginations, give them ownership of their education and begin teaching them lifelong skills for success.
Advanced Placement College Board Administration
Advanced Placement courses are offered at 14 high school sites, where annual College Board administrations occur in May. Programs of Choice Coordinators at each high school site serve as test coordinators. Advanced Placement teachers ensure that each course fits the framework of a college course. The AP Audit, conducted for the first time in 2007, has provided each Advanced Placement teacher in Ïã¸ÛÁùºÏ²ÊÖ±²¥¿ª½± the opportunity to review his/her current content by comparing what he/she teaches to college level requirements provided with a professional syllabus according to College Board guidelines, students are assured they will receive instruction equal to a college course while still in a supportive high school environment.
