Students at Orchard Park Middle School have numerous opportunities to enrich and challenge themselves by taking a variety of courses. Accelerated courses offer students the advantage of earning high school credit while still attending the Middle School. This credit is given upon the student's successful completion of the course and Regents exam, where applicable.

The general criteria for consideration in accelerated courses may include excellent attendance, high grades in all subjects, a strong work ethic, scores in the upper 10% on standardized tests, a level of maturity that indicates a dedication and commitment to the subject, and recommendations from subject area and base teachers.

 

At the bottom of the page is a brochure that outlines and describes key information regarding accelerated course offerings available to selected 8th grade students at OPMS. Please contact the Counseling Center with questions.

 

The Common Core Math Standards generated a Grade 7 curriculum that does not cover all preliminary topics needed for the Grade 8 accelerated course, Algebra I. So OPMS created an Accelerated Grade 7 course, which covers Grade 7 and half of the Grade 8 curriculum. The Grade 8 Accelerated course (Algebra I) includes the other half of the Grade 8 curriculum as well as the Algebra I curriculum.

 

 

 

Part of the District's comprehensive academic program includes Advanced World History 9 and English 9 Honors for freshmen at the High School.

 

Final recommendations will be based on the following criteria:

• Performance in Social Studies 8 or English 8 as compared to their peers with the same teacher.

 

Honors English 9 is the first step in a four-year accelerated English sequence at the high school. The course follows New York State's Common Core Learning Standards, ensuring that students are ready to take the English language Arts Regents Exam at the end of junior year. It also prepares them for the two A.P. exams in English (the Language and Composition Exam and the Literature and Composition Exam) that they will take before graduating, if they remain in the honors program. Honors English 9 is suitable for students who have already demonstrated a high level of skill in English at the middle school. They should be analytical readers, effective writers, and articulate participants in seminar discussions; they should be curious, enthusiastic about books and ideas, disciplined, organized, mature for their age, willing to work hard, and eager to be challenged.

 

Advanced 9 World History is the first year in a two year course geared to the above average student, who is highly motivated towards the study of World History. In addition to covering the Regents Global History syllabus, students will be expected to master advanced Afro-EuroAsian primary readings, essay writing as well as independently interpret and analyze historical world events. The course will be organized chronologically. Beginning with global prehistory in ninth grade, students will cover major historical topics mandated by the College Board and will conclude with the 15th Century C.E. Interested students should take serious consideration of course requirements prior to enrollment. This course will not align with the Regents’ classes at grade level until the end of the second year. Furthermore, students must be able to take independent notes from class lectures and actively participate in seminar discussions. Students must have a pre-existing high level of reading and writing skills prior to the start of class.