How to use the curriculum guide

Part I: The Big Picture - Students learn best when they have an interest in the subject and can see connections among other disciplines.  This contextual understanding, interdisciplinary learning, and identifying of key concepts is the basis of MYP, the pedagogy by which all Poudre students are taught.  When a student enters PHS as a 9th grader, we want to provide direction to his/her 4-year journey based on the student’s interest.  Thus, we ask students to choose a pathway of interest to guide their learning.  Choosing a pathway is not the same as choosing a career path.  Rather, each pathway adopts an industry-theme to offer students a real-world content for better understand of the academic and technical foundation they will need to succeed in whatever postsecondary option they choose.  Within this pathway are students with similar interests that can share in their learning as a member of the pathway cohort.   The Pathway model transforms a students’ high school experience by bringing together strong academics, demanding technical education, and real world experience that helps students gain an advantage in their postsecondary lives.
 
Part II: Technical Core - A Technical Core is a key component of each pathway.  Academic course content is coordinated with and reinforces technical course content and vice versa.  This coordination helps students gain a greater depth of knowledge by seeing the connection between academic theories and real-world applications.
 
Part III: Academic Core & Electives - The Academic Core includes Language Arts, Math, Science, History and Foreign Language courses to prepare students to transition to their postsecondary lives, whether it be higher education or career.  Elective courses complement the Academic and Technical Core courses and are required for graduation.
 
Part IV: Graduation Requirements - The final part of this guide gives you an overview of all the subject areas needed to graduate and the corresponding credits within each area.  By design each pathway includes all necessary courses to meet his/her graduation requirements and ensures access to higher education.

Individualized Career & Academic Plans

Every student at Poudre High School will have an Individualized Career & Academic Plan (ICAP).  ICAP is a multi-year process that intentionally guides students and families in the exploration of career, academic and postsecondary opportunities.  With the support of adults, students develop the awareness, knowledge, attitudes and skills to create their own meaningful and powerful pathways to be career and college ready.
The ICAP begins in 9th grade and is reviewed annually.  It includes:
  • Career and college interest surveys
  • Written postsecondary and workforce goals
  • Scores on assessments
  • Experiences in service learning and/or work environments
  • Activities that establish connections between school-based instruction and the world of the work
  • An intentional sequence of courses that reflect progress towards the postsecondary goal
  • Academic progress
  • College applications