Social Studies

Students Entering 9th Grade Social Studies

Dear Parent/Guardian:

The Duxbury Public School system believes in providing the best possible education for your son or daughter. To meet this goal, we offer two levels of history at Duxbury High School; Honors and College Preparatory (CP). Going into ninth grade, many considerations go into selecting levels for your current eighth-grader. When reflecting upon whether to place students in Honors or College Preparatory Social Studies courses, I will consider the following factors:

• Students' current grades 
• Department Benchmarks in Reading and Writing
• Student's motivation and effort over the course of the year
• English MCAS Scores (in conjunction with students' English teachers to aid in assessing reading and writing abilities)

Most incoming freshmen are placed in college preparatory classes. The difference between the honors and college preparatory levels of Social Studies has to do with the student's ability to analyze and synthesize historical concepts and themes, read and write critically, and a student's willingness to work independently. These skills are essential in determining the appropriate level. Level placements are reviewed each year as a matter of course. Movement from one level to another is relatively common, mainly as student ability develops. An important principle of the Social Studies program is that all students, regardless of level, share a common learning experience, and the overall objectives are the same.

My placement is based on months of working with your child in class and assessing your child's work. If you wish to override my decision, you should check with your child's guidance counselor. Consult the guidance office's website for more information. 

Thank you. I wish you and your child all the best as they prepare to make the transition to high school. If you have any questions regarding students' skills or placement for next year, please do not hesitate to contact me. 

Sincerely,

Mike Armandi

Social Studies Team A

Matt Hurlbut

Social Studies Team B

Lew Alberti

Curriculum Supervisor, 6-12