Student Handbook: 2009-2010

addendum to the West Bloomfield

School District Student Handbook
Oakland Early College is an Early College High School, serving Oakland
County students in grades 9-13. It represents an ongoing partnership
between West Bloomfield School District and Oakland Community
College. The school is located on Oakland Community College’s
Orchard Ridge campus.

Administration

Gary Weisserman, Head of School

oec@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us
(248) 522-3542

Michelle Campbell, Counselor and Social Worker

campbell@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us
(248) 522-3543

Core Faculty

Ronna Bordoley, Social Studies

bordoley@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Rebecca Chan, English and Social Studies

chan@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Kyle Heffelbower, Math

heffelbower@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Lisa Maddalena, Science

maddalena@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Nicole Stewart, Science

stewart@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Tony Warner, English

warner@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Staff

Jenny Lane, Administrative Assistant

lane@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us
 School Contact Information

Oakland Early College

27055 Orchard Lake Road
Farmington Hills, MI, 48334-4579

Main office (248) 522-3540

SkypeIn number (during the summer): (248) 686-1632 (1OEC)

West Bloomfield School District Board of Education

Jeffrey Stewart, President

stewartj@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Nelson Hersh, Vice President

hersh@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Beth Borson, Secretary

borson@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

David Einstandig, Treasurer

einstandigd@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Barb DeMarco, Trustee

demarco@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Bruce Tobin, Trustee

tobin@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Melanie Torbert, Trustee

torbert@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

West Bloomfield Central Administration

Dr. JoAnn Andrees, Superintendent

andrees@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Dr. Kendra Hearn, Assistant Superintendent for Instruction

hearn@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us

Oakland Community College-Orchard Ridge

Dr. Jacqueline Shadko, President

jashadko@oaklandcc.edu
Welcome from the Head of School
Greetings for the 2009-2010 Academic Year
Gary Weisserman, Head of School
Dear Student,
Greetings, and welcome !or welcome back" to OEC!
If this is your first term at Oakland Early College, let me begin
by welcoming you to our family. You're in for an exciting, en#
riching experience. You now attend one of the most innovative,
exciting schools in the United States, a real learning community
in every sense of the term. We're delighted to have you join us,
and look forward to our upcoming journey together.
If you're a returning student, welcome back! It seems like just
last week that we wound up the 2008#2009 school year with
our honors convocation and year#end picnic. To be perfectly
honest, it seems like just yesterday that our school opened its
doors for the very first time. It’s hard to remember, but not too
long ago, OEC was nothing but a series of meetings, a wacky
idea, chutzpah, an idealistic notion that we could create, from
whole cloth, an entirely new kind of school. And today, here we
are, ready to graduate our first cohort of students at the end of
this year.
Our success is a reflection of you, of your pioneering spirit, and
of your determination to succeed. We are tremendously proud
of you and what you have accomplished, and look forward to
continuing to grow together.
On behalf of the entire OEC faculty, please accept my best
wishes for a terrific 2009#2010 academic year. Go Cougars!
Warmest regards,
Gary Weisserman
Head of School
Oakland Early College
 Oakland Early College Student Handbook
Introduction

What is Oakland Early College?

Oakland Early College (OEC) is an Early College High School serving

students throughout Oakland County. It represents an extraordinary
partnership between the West Bloomfield School District and Oakland
Community College's Orchard Ridge campus. OEC students (grades 9-
13) attend high school on OCC's campus, and engage in an exciting
college-preparatory curriculum taught by teachers from award-winning
West Bloomfield School District.

Like most Early College High Schools, OEC seeks to bridge the gap
between high school and college. To that end, dual enrollment
opportunities are a core feature of every student’s experience at OEC.
Our goal is for each student to graduate with a high school diploma,
innovative educational and professional experiences, and up to 60
transferable college credits towards their undergraduate degree,
and/or an Associate Degree from Oakland Community College.

Students at OEC are encouraged to select specific areas of academic

focus, and to work towards Associate Degrees and/or other programs
of study in areas of study including (but not limited to):

• Liberal Arts;
• Fine and Performing Arts; and
• Business and Entrepreneurship.

OEC is committed to helping increase post-secondary access and

opportunities for Oakland County students, and to improving the
quality of education available to young people who may not have
found their niche--or appropriate educational and personal
opportunities--in larger, more traditional high schools.

OEC is, by design, a small high school. At full implementation, OEC is

“capped” at a total of 300 students. Grades 9-13 are generally
“capped” at 60 or so students each.

Oakland Early College Graduates Will:

• Be thoughtful, productive, and responsible members of their

communities, and of the larger world around them;
• Be confident, self-directed, and enthusiastic lifelong learners;
• Have the ability to express themselves clearly and self-
confidently, both orally and in writing;
• Be literate in multiple domains, including literature,
mathematics, science, business, technology, and the arts;
• Be able to think adventurously and well, and to tackle with
enthusiasm ambiguous problems with unclear solutions;
• Be able to seek out, and use responsibly, different kinds of
information from a variety of sources;
• Be able to cooperate with others, and to see the world as it may
be seen by others;
• Make strides in at least four broad areas of scholarship:
engineering (the mastery of tools); knowledge building (making
useful intellectual contributions to a learning community);
artistic expression (the cultivation of aesthetic sensibilities); and
civic engagement (addressing important social issues and
engaging in meaningful public and private discourse).
• Possess high self-esteem as a learner and a person;
• Take on intellectual risks enthusiastically and appropriately;
• Be ready to navigate the world in civic life, higher education, and
the workplace.
 Oakland Early College Student Handbook
Rights and Responsibilities

Oakland Early College students are expected to abide by the Student

Code of Conduct of West Bloomfield School District, and by community
standards established by Oakland Community College.

Speech

Every student has the right to express his or her opinion, either
verbally or symbolically, as long as he or she does not disrupt the
educational process.

Oakland Early College will make every effort to provide appropriate

opportunities for free speech and student expression.

The right to expression does not include the right to engage in

personal attacks, to falsely accuse another person, to engage in
indecent behavior, to engage in libel or slander, to knowingly spread
false information, or to take any action not generally protected as free
speech. Similarly, student conduct that includes such actions as:
distribution of unauthorized printed materials, disruptions of the
education process, making false reports, indecent or obscene behavior,
sexual harassment, threatening or intimidating acts, or unauthorized
petitions and/or protest may result in disciplinary action by Oakland
Early College.

Press

School-sponsored publications: In a school community, students

involved in student publications shall convey information with
accuracy, insight, and responsibility to community standards. Such
publications shall operate in accordance with the First Amendment,
which guarantees freedom of the press. The responsibility and
authority for decisions based on these standards shall be vested with
the Head of School, or to whomever he or she delegates this authority.

Unsponsored publications: Students who edit, publish, and/or

distribute (or seek to distribute) unsponsored publications (either
handwritten, electronic, printed, or duplicated) must assume
responsibility for the content of such publication, and may be
restricted or prohibited from distribution by the Head of School, if the
Head of School determines that the material is libelous, obscene,
illegal, or would threaten to disrupt the educational process. The
display or distribution of written materials which would subject a
student to discipline includes, but is not limited to, materials
determined to be:

• Causing a material and substantial interference to the

educational environment;
• Obscene to minors, or containing indecent or vulgar language;
• Defamatory or libelous;
• Invasive of another person’s privacy;
• Offensive to a person’s race, religion, ethnicity or gender;
• Encouraging illegal activity, or violations of school rules.

Assembly

Students have the right to assemble peacefully. There is an

appropriate time and place for the expression of opinions and beliefs,
such as OEC town meetings. Conducting and/or participating in
demonstrations which interfere with the operation of the school or
classroom in inappropriate. Behavior that results in the disturbance of
the educational process, includes unauthorized protest, or violates any
of the previously mentioned standards may result in disciplinary
action.

Personal Appearance

Students have the right to determine their pattern of dress and

grooming, provided that such dress and grooming do not interfere with
the health and safety of themselves or others, and do not interfere
with the educational process.

Students whose course of study takes them into the workplace or

other professional environment are expected to abide by appropriate
community standards for dress and appearance.

Student Activities

Students have the right to participate in school activities regardless of

race, gender, color, creed, religion, sexual orientation, or national
origin. Students may not be denied participation in any activity for
any reasons other than those established by state, county, and school
eligibility requirements legitimately related to the purpose of the
activity.
Privacy

It is the responsibility of the school to protect its students’ privacy.

Disclosure of information from student permanent records should
serve legitimate educational purposes.

Access to permanent student records is available, in consultation with

school officials, to authorized school personnel, to the student’s parent
or legal guardian, and to students who have reached the age of
majority.

Access to transcripts of permanent student records may be available to

persons or agencies outside the school with the consent of the
student, if of the age of majority, or with the consent of the student’s
parents, or legal guardians, or by court order or subpoena.

Student records will be compiled, preserved, and accessed in

conformity with state and federal statutes, and in compliance with
WBSD policies.

Parental/Guardian Information

Oakland Early College actively encourages family involvement in our

educational community. Every effort will be given to involve parents
and guardians in appropriate school activity.

Regular contact between parents and OEC high school teachers is

strongly encouraged. Open houses, conferences, telephone and email
contact, and other forums will be provided to facilitate appropriate
communication between our staff and faculty and our students’
families.

However, please note that the dual enrollment opportunities provided

in partnership with Oakland Community College involves a different set
of rules regarding parental contact. The requirements of FERPA
(Family Right and Privacy Act), and of faculty governance at Oakland
Community College, prohibits direct contact between parents and
college instructors in most academic situations.

Additionally, it is the philosophy of Oakland Early College that learning

to “navigate” college by oneself—including self-advocacy—is an
important skill in determining students’ long-term academic success in
post-secondary education. Parents and guardians wishing to inquire
about their students’ progress at the college level should contact OEC
counselors and administrators.

OEC students and/or their families will be required to provide FERPA

waivers to allow regular communication and transfer of student
information between OCC and OEC/WBSD.

Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and College Records

Oakland Community College, in compliance with the Family Education

Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) law, is responsible for protecting and
maintaining the privacy of student records and judiciously evaluating
requests for release of information from those records. FERPA affords
students certain rights with respect to their education records. The
following is Oakland Community College’s FERPA policy:

The Family Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) of 1974 was established to
protect the privacy of student educational records.

Only certain employees of Oakland Community College, acting

individually or collectively in the educational interest of the student,
are allowed access to educational records.

When the collection of personally identifiable information is specifically

authorized by federal law, any data collected by such officials shall be
protected in a manner which will not permit the personal identification
of students by other than those officials, and this personally
identifiable data shall be destroyed when no longer needed.

Except as allowed and required by law, no personally identifiable

information from a student's educational record will be disclosed to
any third party (which includes parent, spouse or other students) by
an official or employee of the college without prior written consent of
the student.

Release of Directory Information

The college has designated certain student information to be "public"

or "directory" information, and at its discretion, may release directory
information without prior written consent of the student. Directory
information is defined as; name, home address, telephone number,
place of birth, curriculum, dates of attendance, degrees, certificates
and awards received, last educational institution attended, high school
attended, participation in recognized activities and sports, and weight
and height of members of athletic teams.

Students may request that all items identified as directory information,

except their names, be withheld and considered restricted information.
To withhold public, or directory information, written notification must
be received in any campus Enrollment Services Office or the Office of
the Registrar, prior to the end of the normal office hours of the final
day of Schedule Adjustment for the semester or session in which the
withholding is to begin. Once a student has requested the withholding
of directory information, the request will be honored until they file a
request to reinstate the permission to release directory information.

Right of Review

Under FERPA, students have the right to review and inspect the
education records maintained by Oakland Community College. The
college follows a procedure which provides the student the opportunity
to challenge information deemed inaccurate, misleading, or otherwise
in violation of that student's privacy or other rights and to request an
amendment to the offending record.

Students may file a complaint with the U.S. Department of Education

concerning the alleged failure of OCC to comply with the requirements
of FERPA. A copy of the college's policy is available at the Enrollment
Services Office of the Auburn Hills, Highland Lakes, Orchard Ridge and
Royal Oak campuses. The college policy may also be obtained at:

Office of the Registrar

Bee Administration Center
2480 Opdyke Road
Bloomfield Hills, MI 48304-2266
Phone: 248.341.2186

Students wishing to review records under the auspices of FERPA must

initiate the process at this same address.

Family contact

As of the 2009-2010 academic year, OEC will be implementing a new

support system designed to increase regular communication between
families and faculty. Your student's Focus teacher is your child's
advisor and advocate, and generally speaking, should be the teacher
who knows your student best. As such, your student’s Focus teacher
will serve as the first point of regular contact between students and
their families. You will hear more about this system at the beginning
of the school year.

Portfolios

Beginning in the 2009-2010 academic year, each student enrolled in

college courses is expected to maintain an online portfolio of all college
work and supplemental instruction. Students are expected to
participate at least once each week in supplemental instruction.
Please see your Focus teacher for more information.

Students’ online portfolios can be found at

http://portfolio.oaklandearlycollege.org/.

Parents are strongly encouraged to login regularly to their student’s

college portfolio to ensure regular progress.

Report cards

Beginning with the Winter 2009 semester, high school report cards will
be available exclusively through Edline. Families are asked to sign up
for Edline by no later than the third week of the school year.

College report cards and transcripts will remain available through the
OCC website and registrar’s office.

Attendance policy

We expect our students to be at school, on time, every day. If, for

some reason, your student will not be attending school on a given day,
please contact the office and your student’s Focus teacher as soon as
possible to let us know.

Students who are absent repeatedly, or who are tardy repeatedly, may
be required to perform community service, or to fulfill additional
academic requirements.

Excessive tardies or absences will be reported first to a student’s Focus

teacher, who will make contact with that student’s teacher.

Upon review by the Head of School and Focus teacher, students who
are absent from a high school course more than eight (8) times in a
semester may be removed from that class, or may lose credit for that
class. Exceptions may be made for absences due to documented
medical reasons; or for absences due to participation in academic or
co-curricular programs which are approved by the Head of School or
his or her designee; or for other reasons deemed appropriate following
a hearing with the Head of School or his or her designee by the
student and his or her parent or guardian.

Students who lose credit in a course due to excessive absences will be

placed on academic probation. Students who lose credit in more than
one course may have their admission to OEC revoked, pending a
hearing with the Head of School and/or his or her designee.

Grades and academic standing

Oakland Early College expects its students to pursue, and achieve,

academic excellence.

Students who fail a high school class will be placed on academic

probation for the following semester, and may be required to
participate in credit recovery programs, or additional educational
enhancement opportunities. Students who are eligible for dual
enrollment, but who fail a high school class, must receive explicit
permission from the Head of School and/or his or her designee to
dually enroll the following semester.

Students who fail more than one high school class in a given semester,
or who fail another high school class while on academic probation, may
have their admission to OEC revoked, pending a hearing with the Head
of School and/or his or her designee. Additionally, students who
cannot demonstrate adequate progress towards their degree(s) may
have their admission to OEC revoked, pending a hearing with the Head
of School and/or his or her designee.

As part of their Academic Portfolio, students enrolled in college courses

will be required to seek regular supplementary instruction (tutoring, SI
support, visitations during office hours, participation in drop-in labs,
etc.) if available.

All students are required, as part of their continued admission to

Oakland Early College, to maintain a minimum semester grade point
average of 2.0 or higher at both OEC and OCC. Students who do not
maintain a 2.0 average or higher will be placed on academic probation
for the following semesters. Students on academic probation who do
not maintain a 2.0 average or higher may have their admission to OEC
revoked, pending a hearing with the Head of School and/or his or her
designee.

Students on academic probation, or who fail high school classes, may

not be permitted to register for college courses the following semester
without approval from the Head of School or his designee. Students
on academic probation may be required to present their case before a
review board before being permitted to register for college courses.

Students MUST meet with a counselor or other appropriate

administrator, as well as with an OCC counselor, prior to registering
for classes.

Academic content

Because Oakland Early College is a “hybrid” high school and college

program, students may take coursework addressing complex and/or
mature themes. Academic content, particularly at the college level,
may include books with mature themes, or movies with “R” ratings.

Parental concerns about mature, difficult and/or complex content

should be addressed to the Head of School and/or his designee prior to
academic scheduling.

As students will have access to college resources, students may have

unrestricted access to unfiltered internet content. However, all
students are required to abide by the WBSD code of conduct, OCC
community standards, and OCC's TAUR (Technology Appropriate Use
Regulations) policy regarding technology usage. For more information
about TAUR, please see http://www.oaklandcc.edu/taur/.

School calendar, hours, and school closings

In general, Oakland Early College follows the Oakland Community

College academic calendar. A copy of the school calendar is available
on the school website.

In the event of inclement weather, Oakland Early College will remain

open unless classes are cancelled at Oakland Community
College. If West Bloomfield School District is closed, but Oakland
Community College is open, OEC will remain open.

High school classes at OEC begin at 8:10 AM. The end time for each
student’s day varies based on his or her college schedule.
The proposed high school schedule for the 2009-2010 academic year is
as follows:

BLOCK TIME

1 8:10-9:10
2 9:15-10:15
3 10:20-11:20
4 A (Focus or Lunch) 11:25-11:55
4B 12:00-1:00
4 C (Focus or Lunch) 1:05-1:35
5 1:40-2:40
6 2:45-3:45
7 Dual enrollment

As college courses meet throughout the day, students may enroll in

courses at non-traditional times (including evening classes).

For most 9th and 10th graders, their daily schedule primarily consists of
high school courses. For these students, campus is “closed” between
the hours of 8:20 AM and 2:40 PM, and students may not leave the
OCC campus without parental permission. For students who are
taking a predominantly “mixed” schedule of high school and dual
enrollment courses, including most 11th, 12th and 13th graders,
students are required to be on campus until their last high school class
of the day, provided they are in good academic standing and are in
consistent attendance in their college courses.

The Head of School, or his or her designee, reserves the right to

revoke “open campus” privileges for students if he or she believes it is
interfering with a student’s academic or personal development and
growth, or if the privilege is being materially abused, or for safety
reasons.

Use of campus resources

Upon dual enrollment, OEC students also become students of Oakland

Community College. As such, students are encouraged to use OCC
resources, including participation in appropriate student life activities
and campus events.
However, the Head of School and his or her designee retains the right
to prohibit participation in activities deemed inappropriate for minors
or high school students. Additionally, inappropriate use of campus
resources may result in disciplinary action, or revocation of access.

Lunch Periods

9th and 10th graders have a specific time of day reserved for lunchtime,
usually in a 30 minute block. Students are encouraged to eat in
campus facilities as appropriate: in commons areas, in the student
center in the J building, in the café, or in classrooms.

Students who are substantially engaged in college coursework,

including 11th, 12th, and 13th graders, are encouraged to schedule
adequate time to eat during their academic day.

Students may bring their own lunch, or purchase lunch from the
facilities at Orchard Ridge when available. In all cases, students are
expected to clean up after themselves, to be mindful of other college
students, and to be respectful of the campus community.

College tuition and fees

West Bloomfield School District will pay the full cost of registration and
tuition at Oakland Community College for appropriate college
coursework approved for that student by the school.

West Bloomfield School District may not pay for additional or

unapproved coursework, remediative coursework, or courses taken
when OEC is not in session.

West Bloomfield School District will pay for required college textbooks
for approved courses, up to the total amount per credit to be
announced that year. Students are required to check whether OEC
already owns these books before purchasing, and to purchase
inexpensive (used and/or softcover textbooks) when available.
Purchased textbooks become the property of West Bloomfield School
District, and must be returned to the school, or appropriate fees will be
charged.

West Bloomfield School District will not pay for consumable materials,
such as art supplies, film, or uniforms, or for unusual equipment costs
such as musical instruments, computers, or cameras. Non-trivial lab
fees may be referred to students or their families. Students may
purchase optional college textbooks at their own cost.

Additionally, West Bloomfield School District will not pay for

supplementary academic materials (notebooks, pens and pencils,
etc.).

Please note that students who drop or add college courses without
approval from OEC may be required to reimburse the school for tuition
and fees. Students who habitually fail courses, or do not attend
courses regularly and fail as a result, may be required to reimburse
the school for tuition and fees. Students who do not receive approval
for OCC courses, or do not meet with an OEC counselor AND an OCC
counselor prior to registering, may be required to reimburse the school
for tuition and fees.

Addenda to the Student Code of Conduct

Oakland Early College students are expected to abide by the Student

Code of Conduct of West Bloomfield School District, and by community
standards established by Oakland Community College.

Additionally, the following provisions are in effect:

Zero-tolerance policy. Fighting, bullying, gang activity, willful

intimidation or harassment, harassment and/or assault, the use and/or
possession of illicit substances including drugs or alcohol, serious
misuse of technology, the willful destruction of campus or school
property, or the commission of any serious crime and/or misdemeanor
or activities that substantially disrupt the educational process, are
strictly prohibited at OEC, and will result in immediate suspension,
closure of college coursework, and recommendation for advancement
to Step 12 in the student code of conduct to the West Bloomfield
School District Board of Education.

Use of cellphones and laptops. For safety and communications

purposes, students are encouraged to have a cellphone in their
possession. However, they are not to be used during class except in
the case of emergency. Inappropriate use of cellphones will result in
confiscation or other punitive action.

Students are welcome to bring laptops to OEC, and to use them in an

academically appropriate manner. However, they are only to be used
during class with instructor permission, and students are expected to
abide by OCC and WBSD standards regarding appropriate technology
usage. OEC students may be required to sign and abide by
appropriate use policy statements.

High school course offerings:

High school courses offered in the 2000-2010 academic year include

(but are not limited to) the following:

13th SEMINAR (13)

13th seminar is a required program for all OEC students. Generally

taken during Grade 13, 13th seminar is a supervised, reflective
capstone activity focusing on an area of study about which the student
is extraordinarily passionate. Capstone activities may include
successful completion of a seminar course; an approved internship,
externship or co-op experience; an approved study abroad or travel-
based program; an approved service learning or research project; or
other approved academic and/or professional activities.

ADVANCED DRAMA (SEM) 10, 11, 12

Advanced Drama extends the learning performed in Drama into the

real world, through live, video, and web-based performance, with
emphasis frequently given to video production.

ALGEBRA 2 (YR) 11, 12

Algebra 2 continues with the study of Algebra, paying special attention

to functional analysis and problem solving. Geometry continues to be
studied and reinforced, while transcendental functions (exponential,
logarithmic and trigonometric) continue to be explored and developed
through real-life phenomena. Trigonometry has a much greater place
in this course as trigonometric ratios, the Law of Sines and the Law of
Cosines continue to be utilized. This demanding course also integrates
preparation for the major assessments (i.e., ACT, SAT, MEAP) within
the constructs of the curriculum.

CHEMISTRY (YR) 10, 11, 12

This course is designed for students who do not intend to major in

science in college. It begins with a study of fundamental concepts of
chemistry as an experimental science. The metric system will be
reviewed. Also studied are classification of matter, properties of
liquids and the solution process, quantitative relationships, acids,
bases and salts, development of the properties of gases, liquids,
solids, stoichiometry, atomic structure and chemical bonding.

CIVICS (SEM) 10, 11, 12

To participate effectively, American citizens need intellectual and

participatory skills, as well as knowledge about their government and
society.

Acquisition of civic knowledge and skills makes possible a reasoned

commitment to those fundamental values and principles essential to
the preservation and improvement of American Constitutional
democracy. Citizenship requires the use of knowledge to think and act
in a reasoned manner. The intellectual and participatory skills
component of civic education enables students to learn how, when,
and where to apply civic knowledge in the many and varied roles of
citizens. These skills help citizens identify, describe, explain, and
analyze information and arguments as well as evaluate, take, and
defend positions on public policies. Participatory skills enable citizens
to monitor and influence public and civic life by working with others,
clearly articulating ideas and interests, building coalitions, seeking
consensus, negotiating compromise, and managing conflict.

The civics content will engage students in thinking critically about civic
life, politics, government and social justice. Students will study the
origins and foundations of the American political system. They will
understand how the Constitution functions to embody the purposes,
values and principles of American constitutional democracy. Students
will further examine the relationship of the United States to other
nations and its role in world affairs. They will also explore the roles of
citizens in American society. In addition students will acquire skills to
help them as citizens identify, describe, explain, and analyze
information and arguments as well as evaluate, take and defend
positions on public policies.

The acquisition of knowledge and skills and the development of civic

values take place within a variety of contexts. Those of home, school,
community, state, nation, and the world are especially important in
civic education. Beyond mere knowledge or participation skills, these
reflect the core democratic values and include becoming an
independent member of society; respecting individual worth and
human dignity; assuming the personal, political, and economic
responsibilities of a citizen; accepting the legitimate decisions of the
majority while protecting the rights of the minority; participating in
civic affairs in an informed, thoughtful, and effective manner; and
promoting the healthy and lawful functioning of American
constitutional democracy in the wake of promoting social justice.
Together, these skills constitute the primary arenas in which citizens
acquire the ability to put their knowledge and skills into practice.

DRAMA (SEM) 10, 11

Beginning Drama has three main objectives. The first is to make

students feel confidentand comfortable when speaking, interviewing,
presenting or performing in front of large or small groups. The second
is to give students a basic knowledge of the literature, methods and
technology of the theater and the third is to allow students to apply
relevant knowledge,prior learning and experience of the real world.

Areas covered are interpersonal communications, perception, speech

and various forms of group and individual presentations. Class
participation is heavily weighted in grading, written work is the other
emphasis. Written report, activity sheets for each performance and a
journal.

ELA 10 (YR) 10

As mandated by the Michigan Merit Curriculum for English Language

Arts 11, students will add to the list of various genre of classic and
contemporary narrative and informational texts that will be read and
analyzed through high school with a special focus on world literature
and ACT Success.

ELA 11 (YR) 11

This thematically approached writing based course will allow students

to refine their writing and vocabulary skills while developing their
independent thinking and reasoning skills through the analysis of
American literary classics and historical events. Writing experiences
include logical structure of a persuasive paper with textual evidence
and valid sources, paragraphs with five or more sentences, formal
expository and creative writing. Activities may include video creations,
oral presentations and field trips. Attention will be given to
preparation for the SAT, ACT and High School MEAP examinations.

ECONOMICS (SEM) 10, 11, 12

Understanding economics and obtaining economic literacy is becoming
essential for citizens in our national and integrated (globalized) world
economy. Increasingly, productive members of society must be able to
identify, analyze, and evaluate the causes and consequences of
individual economic decisions and public policy including issues raised
by constraints imposed by scarcity, how economies and markets work,
and the benefits and costs of economic interaction and
interdependence. Such literacy includes analysis, reasoning, problem
solving, and decision making that helps people function as consumers,
producers, savers, investors, and responsible citizens.

Students will understand how economies function and how to apply the
concepts and principles of economics to their lives as individuals and
as citizens. Understanding and applying these concepts and principles
should help students make sense of daily events and enable them to
analyze, investigate and develop practical thinking about economic
challenges and public policies. Students will learn to use their minds to
think critically about globalization so they may be prepared for
responsible citizenship, further learning, and productive employment in
our Nation’s global economy.

The economics content involves individual and household choices,

personal finance issues, business and entrepreneurial decisions and
public policy. Students analyze and study economic concepts and
principles in three contextual areas: individual and household context,
a business context, and a government or public context and focused
around four content areas: The Market Economy; The National
Economy; the International Economy and Personal Finance.

FOCUS (all grades)

Focus is a “homeroom” based course required of all students each

year. Focus teachers serve as their students’ mentors, advisors, and
advocates. Course goals include team building, community service
activities, reflective academic preparation, and more.

GEOMETRY (YR) 10, 11

Geometry is a model Geometry course with continued reinforcement of

algebra. In this challenging course, students continue with their
examination of quadratic functions via translational geometry.
Boolean algebra prepares students for the classic geometry topics of
parallel lines, triangle congruence and similarity, which will be
developed by the students in the form of proof. Finally, trigonometry
and special right triangles are explored both symbolically and through
real-life models.

PHYSICS (YR) 10, 11, 12

This challenging course offers students a hands-on experience of the

elegance, importance and applicability of physics principles. Students
will use the central concepts of physics (along with basic algebra skills)
to solve real-life problems. We also explore the physics of commonly
encountered phenomena such as bicycles, radios, stereo speakers, cell
phones, cars, lights, eyeglasses, tape players, ocean waves, and more.
After this course, students will be able to apply physics concepts to all
parts of their lives, and be conversant in the most basic and
fundamental rules that govern our universe.

SCIENCE AND POPULAR CULTURE (SEM) 10, 11

Students in Science and Popular Culture explore foundational scientific

and mathematic concepts through the lens of popular culture. Special
attention is given to debunking pseudo-scientific theories implicit in
comic books, literature, film, and television. Emphasis is given to
specific academic domains, including, but not limited to, physics and
mathematics.

SOAR (SEM) 10, 11

SOAR, which stands for Student Organization, Academics, and

Research, is a course designed to help students attain crucial academic
skills in various content areas. Special attention is given to
organizational, study, and research skills necessary for collegiate
success. COMPASS Odyssey is used as a central component of this
course.

WORLD HISTORY (YR) 10, 11, 12

World History takes a global and comparative approach to studying the

world and its past to develop greater understanding of the
development of worldwide events, processes, and interactions among
the world’s people, cultures, societies, and environment. The course is
organized within historical eras and on different geographic scales.
That is, within each era, students will work at three interconnected
spatial scales: the global, interregional and regional. Just as a
photographer uses multiple lenses—close-up, wide-angle, and zoom—
to tell pictorial stories, students will study the world’s history and
geography through several different lenses to understand the world
more completely.

The content of the course is organized by Era: Era’s 1-3 Foundations,

8,000 BCE – 300CE, Era 4 Expanding and Intensified Hemispheric
Interactions, 300 to 1500CE, Era 5 The Emergence of the First Global
Age, 15th to 18th Centuries, Era 6 An Age of Global Revolutions, 18th
Century to 1914, Era 7 Global Crisis and Achievement, 1900 to 1945,
Era 8 The Cold War and its Aftermath: The 20th Century Since 1945 –
Contemporary Global Issues. Throughout each era, students will focus
on five large historical and geographic patterns which include:

• The causes, consequences, and patterns of changes in human

governance systems and changes over time.
• The causes, consequences, and patterns of interactions among
societies and regions, including trade, war, diplomacy, and
international institutions.
• The impact of demographic, technological, environmental, and
economic changes on people, their culture, and their
environment.
• Causes, consequences, and patterns of cultural, intellectual,
religious and social changes across the world, and among and
within societies. 5. The relationship between the environment
and global and regional developments in population, settlement,
economy, and politics.

As students study World History, they will learn about the human
experience over time and space. They will encounter powerful and
sometimes conflicting ideas while learning about people and events in
different places and times. Students will investigate our diverse and
common traditions, and work to understand the complex interactions
among various environmental, human and social forces which have
influenced and continue to influence us as human beings.

Learning about a world that we can traverse in hours and

communicate across within minutes is now essential for every
individual, thus understanding the world’s peoples, cultures, and
societies and the story of our past.

Please note that OEC will offer additional courses over time, and an
addendum to course selections will be provided as soon as possible.

Graduation requirements
Graduation requirements for Oakland Early College shall be as follows:

Board of Education, Revision, policy 5127

Oakland Early College

POLICY dated: May 11, 2009

Oakland Early College (OEC) is an Early College High School

representing an ongoing partnership between the West Bloomfield
School District and Oakland Community College's Orchard Ridge
campus. OEC students (grades 9-13) attend high school on OCC's
campus, and engage in an exciting college-preparatory curriculum
taught by teachers from award-winning West Bloomfield Public
Schools. A core element of OEC is dual enrollment in coursework at
OCC. Students graduate with a high school diploma, innovative
educational and professional experiences, and up to 60 transferable
college credits or an Associate Degree in the field of their choice.

Policy submitted:

Rules and Regulations:

Graduation requirements shall be as follows:

Mandatory Testing

In order to satisfy the requirements for graduation, every student

must take all state-mandated tests at the grade level mandated unless
excluded under the guidelines established by the Michigan State
Department of Education. However, a student will not be denied
graduation on this basis if the student was not enrolled in the West
Bloomfield School District when the test was offered. Further, special
exceptions may be granted by the superintendent upon a showing of
extraordinary circumstances.

Core high school credit requirements

Summary of minimum requirements

• 4 Math, including Algebra I, Geometry, Algebra II, and a senior-

level math course taken at the college;
• 4 ELA, including one taken at the college;
 • 3 Science, including Biology and either Chemistry or Physics;
• 3 Social Studies, including .5 Civics, .5 Economics, U.S. History,
and World History
• .5 Physical Education
• .5 Health Education
• 1 Arts
• 2 World Language
• 2.5 Life or Academic Skills (prorated)
• 2 Capstone/Related Experiences
• 1 Online Learning Experience (minimum 16 hours)
• 30 college credits

As noted below, college coursework can be taken to meet high school

graduation requirements.

Specific requirements

Consistent with the Michigan Department of Education’s Michigan Merit

Curriculum, a core transcript consisting of the following coursework, or
their equivalencies (see below), is required of all students at Oakland
Early College. These core credit requirements are in addition to
college and related requirements described below.

Mathematics:

Students must demonstrate proficiency, and complete four credits of

mathematics, in Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra II; and must
successfully complete an approved, transferable college math course,
to be completed in the student’s fourth or fifth year.

English Language Arts:

Students must demonstrate proficiency, and complete four credits of

ELA instruction, in ELA 9, ELA 10, ELA 11, or equivalent coursework,
and either ELA 12 or two semesters of approved college English
courses (such as English 1510 and 1520), as deemed administratively
appropriate by the Head of School or designee.

Science:

Students must demonstrate proficiency, and complete three credits of

science instruction, including a course in Biology, and a course in
either Physics or Chemistry, at the high school level. A college course
may be substituted for one of the required high school courses, as
deemed administratively appropriate by the Head of School or
designee. Students must successfully complete at least one
transferable college course in science prior to graduating.

Social studies:

Students must demonstrate proficiency, and complete three credits of

social studies instruction, including .5 credit in Civics, .5 credit in
Economics, 1.0 credit in American History and Geography, and 1.0
credit in World History and Geography. A college-level course covering
equivalent topics may be substituted for any of the above courses with
administrative approval.

Physical education and health:

Students must successfully complete one course in physical education

for a minimum of .5 high school credits, and one course in a health-
related area for a minimum of .5 high school credits, or equivalent
courses at the college level as deemed administratively appropriate.

Visual, performing and applied arts:

Students must complete 1 credit in visual, performing, or applied arts,

or an equivalent course at the college level, as deemed
administratively appropriate. Students must successfully complete at
least one course in visual, performing, or applied arts at the college
level.

Online learning experience:

An online course, or an online experience that is integrated into

regular coursework comprising a minimum of 16 hours of online
learning-related activities, must be taken by all students at the high
school or college prior to graduation.

World language:

Proficiency to level two in a world language at the college level, or

proficiency to level one in two different world languages at the college
level, is required of all students, for a total of 2 high school credits.

Minimum college coursework requirements

A minimum of 30 college credits towards a college degree program
shall be required for graduation from OEC.

College coursework must be approved at the high school and college

levels to be counted towards graduation requirements. Credits taken
at the student’s expense during Summer II may be counted towards
high school graduation requirements pending administrative approval.

Students must be in good standing at both OEC and OCC to be granted

a diploma.

Successful completion of college coursework will demonstrate

proficiency at the high school level for the purposes of granting high
school credit. Translation of college credits to high school credits will
be determined on a course-by-course basis by the Head of School or
designee.

Other requirements

Students are required to earn a minimum of .5 high school credits in

Life and Academic Skills courses at the high school level (including
Focus, approved research project, or internship, or similar
coursework), for each year in which they are eligible to be enrolled in
OEC, beginning with their first semester of enrollment. Students
enrolling at OEC mid-year shall have their Life and Academic Skills
course requirements pro-rated appropriately.

Additionally, students must take at least one approved Life and

Academic Skills course (such as Orientation to College, Career
Counseling, or Academic Support Center courses) at the college prior
to graduation. Qualifying courses shall be approved by the Head of
School or their designee.

With administrative approval, a college Life and Academic Skills course

may be substituted for a high school Life and Academic Skills course.

Students must enroll in at least one high school course each semester
they are enrolled at OEC.

Additionally, students must fulfill at least TWO of the following

requirements prior to graduation:

• Completion of an approved Capstone Activity during grade 13.

(Capstone Activities may include successful completion of a
 seminar course; an approved internship, externship or co-op
experience; an approved study abroad or travel-based program;
an approved service learning or research project; or other
approved academic and/or professional activities); or
• Completion of a career and/or professional portfolio, and
successful presentation of the portfolio, including an exit
interview; or
• Proficiency to Levels 1 and 2 on the state proficiency exam in all
content areas.

High school placement

Placement into high school courses may be determined by placement

exams as appropriate, as determined by the Head of School or
designee.

Credit granted from other institutions

Online and/or correspondence-based high school courses taken

through accredited entities authorized by the Head of School or
designee shall be accepted for credit, provided the student has
successfully passed the course, and earned a score of 75% or higher
on OEC’s credit assessment exam, as appropriate.

Online and/or correspondence-based high school courses taken

through unauthorized entities shall be accepted for credit, provided the
student ahs passed the course, and earned a score of 90% or higher
on OEC’s credit assessment exam, as appropriate.

Credit structure

Because OEC follows a unique calendar modeled off the college

calendar, the following credit structure shall be in place, unless
otherwise noted, for high school courses:

When on a high school trimester:

Year long high school courses shall be worth 1.0 credits. For the
purpose of transfer and translation, students earn credit in the
following fashion: 0.4 credits earned during Fall trimester, 0.4 credits
earned during Winter trimester, 0.2 credits earned during Summer I
trimester.
Trimester-long high school courses shall be worth 0.4 credits, if taken
during Fall or Winter trimester. Trimester-long high school courses
taken during Summer I shall count for 0.2 credits unless otherwise
noted in the course schedule or syllabus.

Focus courses, and other Life and Academic Skills courses, shall be
counted as 0.5 credits for a full-year course, unless otherwise noted.
For the purpose of transfer and translation, students earn credit in the
following fashion: 0.2 earned during Fall trimester, 0.2 earned during
Winter trimester, 0.1 earned during Summer I trimester.

With administrative approval, passing grades in trimester-long college

courses worth three or more credits, and/or representing appropriate
proficiency in that subject area, may be counted as a full high school
credit.

When on a high school semester:

Year long high school courses shall be worth 1.0 credits. For the
purpose of transfer and translation, students earn credit in the
following fashion: 0.5 credits earned during Fall trimester, 0.5 credits
earned during Winter trimester.

Trimester-long high school courses shall be worth 0.5 credits, unless

otherwise noted in the course schedule or syllabus.

Focus courses, and other Life and Academic Skills courses, shall be
counted as 0.5 credits for a full-year course, unless otherwise noted.
For the purpose of transfer and translation, students earn credit in the
following fashion: 0.25 earned during Fall trimester and 0.25 earned
during Winter trimester.

With administrative approval, passing grades in trimester-long college

courses worth three or more credits, and/or representing appropriate
proficiency in that subject area, may be counted as a full high school
credit.

Determination of Credit and Grades for High School

In accordance with SB 1427, 2006, PA 623, students must

demonstrate competency in the High School Content Expectations to
earn credit. Competency must be based in part, according to State
law, on an assessment of the content expectations. Minimally,
assessments developed as a part of the Michigan Department of
Education’s Secondary Credit Assessment System (SCAS) will be used
to determine the granting of credit. The administration may add
locally developed assessment items. The same assessment will be
used to grant credit for courses included in the Michigan Merit
Curriculum, regardless of the district’s course title.

Students who meet a threshold of 90% on the assessment for a high

school course will be granted credit for the course whether or not they
sit for the course and whether or not they earn a “passing” grade in
the course, including those who meet the threshold by testing out.

Students who meet a threshold of 90% on the assessment for a high

school course and who sit for the course, will be granted credit and
their transcripts will document the grade earned in the course.

Students who sit for a high school course and receive a failing grade or
“F” in the course, must pass the assessment at a threshold of at least
90% to be granted credit. The students’ transcript will reflect the
grade earned.

Students who sit for a high school course and earn a passing grade of
“D” or higher, must pass the assessment at a threshold of at least
60% to be granted credit.

If a student passes a high school course but fails the course’s

assessment, he or she can re-take the assessment to earn credit. The
students’ transcript will reflect the grade earned.

Course grades can only by changed by re-taking the course, or by

teacher discretion. In the event a course is retaken, the new grade
shall be reflected in the student’s grade point average, and the
previous grade shall be denoted an R.

Exceptions

The Superintendent, Head of School, or designee, can make

modifications of requirements for a student in compliance with the
State law regarding Personal Curriculum Modification Plans.

Parents or legal guardians must request a Personal Curriculum

Modification Plan in accordance with State law.

Records
It shall be the responsibility of the Administration to maintain a record
system that will adequately provide the information necessary to
assure that this policy is enforced.

It is the policy of the West Bloomfield School District that no person

shall, on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, age, height,
weight, religion, marital status, disability or sexual orientation, be
excluded from participation in, be denied the benefits of, or be subject
to discrimination in employment or any of its programs or activities.

Other information

Other school information, including the academic calendar, are

available on the school website at:

http://www.oaklandearlycollege.org/
 Oakland Early College Calendar
2009-2010 Academic Year
Tuesday, September 1 and Wednesday, Student orientation: mandatory for new
September 2, 2009 students and mentor students

September 29-October 1 OR CNS 1100 course for new students

October 6-October 8, 2009 1:00-6:00 PM, including lunch

Tuesday, September 8, 2009 Teachers Report (Professional

Development)

Wednesday, September 9, 2009 Student Instruction – Full Day

Tuesday, September 15, 2009 Parent Advisory Council Meeting

* Friday, September 18, 2009 Anticipated "Welcome Back" Kickoff

Dance

Wednesday, September 23, 2009 Late Start: Open House 6:30 – 7:30pm

Monday, September 28, 2009 Non-Membership Day (No School, Non-

Work Day)

Wednesday, October 7, 2009 Late Start

Progress reports posted to Edline

Wednesday, October 21, 2009 Late Start

Wedensday, November 11, 2009 Evening Parent Teacher Conferences, 5:00-

8:00 PM

Thursday, November 12, 2009 Professional development AM (Late Start)

2:00-8:00 P/T Conferences
5:00-6:00 Teacher Dinner Break

Tuesday, November 17, 2009 Parent Advisory Council Meeting

Wednesday, November 18, 2009 Progress reports posted to Edline

Wed. Nov. 25 – Fri. Nov. 27, 2009 Thanksgiving Recess

Wednesday, December 16, 2009 Progress reports posted to Edline

Monday, December 21, 2009 – Monday, Winter Recess

January 4, 2010
Wednesday, January 6, 2010 Late Start

Monday, January 18, 2010 MLK Day – No School; Non-Work Day

for Teachers

Thursday, January 21, 2010 Last day of first semester for HS

courses

Friday, January 22, 2010 Records Day – Optional Attendance for

Teachers

Monday, January 25, 2010 First day of second semester for HS courses

Friday, February 12, 2010 Professional Development – No

Students

Wednesday, February 17, 2010 Late Start

Wednesday, February 25, 2010 Progress reports posted to Edline

Monday, March 1 – Friday, March 5, 2010 Anticipated OCC Winter Break

Tuesday, March 9, 2010 Merit Exam

Parent Advisory Council Meeting

Wednesday, March 31, 2010 Late Start

Friday, April 2, 2010 Spring Recess

Wednesday, April 14, 2010 Late Start

Wednesday, April 21, 2010 Progress reports posted to Edline

Wednesday, April 28, 2010 Late Start

Friday, May 7, 2010 Professional Development (No Students)

Tuesday, May 12, 2010 Parent Advisory Council meeting

Progress reports posted to Edline

Monday, May 31, 2010 Memorial Day Recess

* Tuesday, June 1, 2010 Anticipated 13th grade graduation--final date

TBA

Wednesday, June 2, 2010 Late Start

* Thursday, June 3, 2010 Anticipated upperclassman prom--final date
TBA

Friday, June 18, 2010 Last Day for Students for HS classes – A.M.
Student Instruction
P.M. Records Day

Monday, June 21, 2010 Records Day (Teacher Attendance Optional)

Wednesday, June 29, 2010 Anticipated last day of college courses

 Oakland Early College
Oakland Early College !OEC" is a five#year Early College High School serving students
throughout Oakland County. It represents an extraordinary partnership between the West
Bloomfield School District and Oakland Community College's Orchard Ridge campus.
OEC students attend high school on OCC's campus and engage in an exciting college!
preparatory curriculum taught by teachers from award#winning West Bloomfield School Dis#
trict. Extensive, fully embedded dual enrollment is a defining feature of each student’s educa#
tional experience.

OEC students participate in an integrated sequence of high school and college courses during
grades 9#13. They graduate with their high school diplomas, innovative educational and professional
experiences in a small school environment, and up to 60 transferable college credits towards
their undergraduate degree and/or an Associate Degree from Oakland Community College##all at
no out!of!pocket cost to students and their families.

$ 1
 Why attend an Early Co!ege High School?
A substantial amount of research has been done on the nearly 150 Early College High Schools in the
United States. In sum, students who attend Early College High Schools:

• experience a meaningful secondary and post#secondary educational program in a small school

environment;

• have dramatically higher college graduation rates than the general student population, and
usually outperform traditional college students in college courses;

• earn up to two years of transferable college credit and/or their Associate Degree while still in
high school, thus ending up a year or more ahead of traditional high school students;

• receive substantial assistance in overcoming the economic, academic and cultural barriers fre#
quently encountered by traditional high school students in earning their college degrees.

About our students

Oakland Early College opened in 2008. Our initial cohort of students consisted of approximately
100 students, primarily in grades 10 !second year" and 11 !third year", as well as a handful of students
in grade 12 !fourth year". Our students come from all over Oakland County##from Milford to
Royal Oak, from Southfield to Oxford. They join us from public schools, private schools, parochial
schools and home schools. What they share in common is a desire for a rich educational experi!
ence that bridges the gap between K!12 and higher education.

In addition to engaging in a college preparatory curriculum in their high school classes, OEC stu#
dents succeed in literally hundreds of college courses at Oakland Community College,
ranging from Acting I to Yoga, from Mandarin Chinese to Calculus III. Additionally, they
participate in a wide range of high school and college activities, ranging from collegiate foren#
sics and theater to high school#based community service and student government activities. Our
students are fully embedded members of the college community and have access to a remarkable
array of college resources.

Oakland Early College will enroll approximately 150 students in the 2009#2010 academic year, pri#
marily in grades 10, 11 and 12. Our plan is to grow to a maximum of 300 students in grades 9#13 in
2010#2011.

Contact informatio"

For more information about Oakland Early College, to view sample student schedules, or to down#
load application information, visit http://www.oaklandearlycollege.org, or contact Head of
School Gary Weisserman at "248# 522!3540, or via email at oec@westbloomfield.k12.mi.us.

$ 2