7th Grade Course Selection Overview—2019
William Diamond Middle School
The course selection and team placement process for the 2019-2020 school year is about to begin! Please note the following about how this process will unfold:
1) Math course recommendations: Your child’s math teacher will enter a recommendation into Aspen. This recommendation will be visible to you through the online Aspen student portal on May 17. CLICK HERE to read how math placement works.
Math Offerings: The Math department offers two levels of courses for seventh graders: Mathematics 7 and Mathematics 7 Math Honors. Placement in math courses is based on grade-level common assessments (e.g., unit-based tests and comprehensive tests) and teacher recommendation. Please see our online Program of Studies for a thorough description of these course offerings.
2) Online Course Registration: Course registration will occur online at home through the Aspen student portal from May 18-24. We will provide your student with a handout that includes his or her password to access the student portal and directions for navigating the course selection process. To prepare for registration, parents and students should review the Program of Studies (available online) and the following list of courses.
3) Parents complete the Student Information Form: Please return the enclosed questionnaire to your child’s homeroom teacher by Friday, May 24. We will use this information as we create teams for next year and as your child’s new teachers get to know your child. Please do NOT make requests for specific teams or teachers. Also note that we typically do NOT honor friend requests unless there are extenuating circumstances. We will provide a hard copy of this form on May 18, the day we give your child his or her Aspen portal account login information.
4) Course Registration Verification: We will print and mail home course registration confirmation sheets, listing the courses your student has selected for next year. If the course list is correct, you don’t need to do anything. If changes need to be made, please mark the changes, sign the form and send it back to us by June 5.
5) Final placement decisions: In early August, we make a number of adjustments to student schedules, especially as we use MCAS scores, final grades, and additional teacher and parental input for those students who may benefit from our intervention programs.
6) Team Placement: In late August, we will announce team placement via the Aspen Portal.
7) Student Schedules: Students will receive their schedules on the first day of school.
Thank you in advance for helping us with the course selection process. With your input and the input of your child’s teachers, we hope to create learning environments in which all students are challenged and supported as they grow academically, socially, and emotionally.