10th Grade Capistrano Unified (Mission Viejo, Lake Forest: credit, houses, transfer)

[Havnfun]

Is there anyone here that has a student in the 10th grade. We are planning on moving to Mission Viejo from Canada this summer. We have a son who is currently in the 10th grade. I don't think he will have any trouble transfering his grades to the US for most of his classes but I am concerned about social studies. Can anyone tell me what the curriculum is for 10th grade social?

Thank you.

Dawn

[LivingLikeAGradStudent]

Standard sophomore social studies class in California is world history, geography and culture.

[missionhome]

Hi, I live in Mission Viejo's Capistrano Unified portion and my two sons currently attend high school at Capistrano Valley High (which serves the CUSD portion of Mission Viejo) and my daughter will be joining them next year as a freshman. Your son would be attending their school when you move here so I can give you all the inside scoop on the school

My oldest son is a junior so went through the 10th grade curriculum last year. At CVHS, the guidance department tries to create a "path" for students and a plan for their entire 4 years at the school. In history there are two paths, one is called academic (the non-advanced one) and the other is called accelerated (the advanced, more rigorous one). Both paths prepare students for minimum college requirements.

10th grade Social Science:
World History/ Cultures (Academic)
AP European History (Accelerated)

The World History class is taken either freshman year by "accelerated" students or in 10th grade by students on the "academic" preparatory path. The class covers World History studying Western and non- Western civilizations and emphasizes European culture.

AP European History is the advanced history for sophomore students and is considered a college level class. The test is considered the most difficult of all the social science classes that are part of the AP Program. AP stands for Advanced Placement and students in these classes prepare for the rigorous AP Exams given nation wide on a date in May. The tests are scored out of 5 and a score of 3 or higher can earn students credit in college. The class requires regular reading of a college level text book that has over 1,500 pages. Students also regularly practice essays and document based questions where they respond to a series of historical documents and must make a conclusion from them. Homework is usually just reading, but if you son falls behind in the reading schedule, it is difficult to get back on task. The content in this class begins at the Renaissance and concludes at the Cold War all with a European emphasis.



Also, since your son will be Canadian, I would also recommend our school's International Baccalaureate Program once your son becomes an eleventh grader. Ask your son's guidance counselor about possibly being in the class. My son is in the class and it is taught at an international standard, as opposed to a US standard like the AP classes are. I like it because it encourages critical thinking as opposed to just memorization of a billion terms like AP classes. You are probably familiar with IB since it is very popular in Canada, so that may be an option for your son after 10th grade year. There are 7 kids from Canada in my son's IB class and it also allows them to have the opportunity to return to Canada with a IB Diploma that certifies them as internationally qualified in education, as opposed to just qualified in America. Many IB students go to prestigious universities around the world and it is much easier to get into a school in a foreign nation when you have an internationally regonized diploma, as opposed to just a American diploma.

I think you should be in regular contact with the guidance department at the school and they will be more than happy to answer your questions (although probably after Thursday as they are busy administering the California High School Exit Exams to all sophomore students today and tomorrow). Also, it may be worth a flight out to set up a schedule, tour the school, and get a feel for everything before the school year starts.

CVHS guidance website: Guidance

CVHS website: cvhs.com

[Havnfun]

Originally Posted by missionhome

Hi, I live in Mission Viejo's Capistrano Unified portion and my two sons currently attend high school at Capistrano Valley High (which serves the CUSD portion of Mission Viejo) and my daughter will be joining them next year as a freshman. Your son would be attending their school when you move here so I can give you all the inside scoop on the school

My oldest son is a junior so went through the 10th grade curriculum last year. At CVHS, the guidance department tries to create a "path" for students and a plan for their entire 4 years at the school. In history there are two paths, one is called academic (the non-advanced one) and the other is called accelerated (the advanced, more rigorous one). Both paths prepare students for minimum college requirements.

10th grade Social Science:
World History/ Cultures (Academic)
AP European History (Accelerated)

The World History class is taken either freshman year by "accelerated" students or in 10th grade by students on the "academic" preparatory path. The class covers World History studying Western and non- Western civilizations and emphasizes European culture.

AP European History is the advanced history for sophomore students and is considered a college level class. The test is considered the most difficult of all the social science classes that are part of the AP Program. AP stands for Advanced Placement and students in these classes prepare for the rigorous AP Exams given nation wide on a date in May. The tests are scored out of 5 and a score of 3 or higher can earn students credit in college. The class requires regular reading of a college level text book that has over 1,500 pages. Students also regularly practice essays and document based questions where they respond to a series of historical documents and must make a conclusion from them. Homework is usually just reading, but if you son falls behind in the reading schedule, it is difficult to get back on task. The content in this class begins at the Renaissance and concludes at the Cold War all with a European emphasis.



Also, since your son will be Canadian, I would also recommend our school's International Baccalaureate Program once your son becomes an eleventh grader. Ask your son's guidance counselor about possibly being in the class. My son is in the class and it is taught at an international standard, as opposed to a US standard like the AP classes are. I like it because it encourages critical thinking as opposed to just memorization of a billion terms like AP classes. You are probably familiar with IB since it is very popular in Canada, so that may be an option for your son after 10th grade year. There are 7 kids from Canada in my son's IB class and it also allows them to have the opportunity to return to Canada with a IB Diploma that certifies them as internationally qualified in education, as opposed to just qualified in America. Many IB students go to prestigious universities around the world and it is much easier to get into a school in a foreign nation when you have an internationally regonized diploma, as opposed to just a American diploma.

I think you should be in regular contact with the guidance department at the school and they will be more than happy to answer your questions (although probably after Thursday as they are busy administering the California High School Exit Exams to all sophomore students today and tomorrow). Also, it may be worth a flight out to set up a schedule, tour the school, and get a feel for everything before the school year starts.

CVHS guidance website: Guidance

CVHS website: cvhs.com

Thank you so much missionhome, great information. My son currently attends an IB high school here in Calgary, he is not in any IB classes though. I am not sure he is a strong enough learner for the IB program.

I will be in California in May so I am going to meet with with school to get some information on registration and classes, etc. We will be back in July to look for a house and my son will be with me at that time so hopefully we can actually get him registered and then our plan is to move by the middle of August.

Now we just have to sell two houses, two cars and two motorcycles by August!

Dawn

[missionhome]

Ok, that is great that you are coming out in May to arrange everything. Smart planning!

Just know that if you are choosing Capistrano Unified, that you can only buy a home in July in the boundaries of Mission Viejo in that school district. CUSD has most of the newer developments that are very popular so you should be fine finding a home in these boundaries which make up about 50% of the city. If you choose to buy a home in the other 50% that attend Saddleback Valley Unified's high schools then you need to make plans with their schools and get registration info there.

Just wanted to be sure you knew all of Mission Viejo isn't in one school district so you don't plan everything out, buy a house, and then find out it goes to another school!

Good luck and hopefully we'll see you around town when you move out and join the CVHS community

[Havnfun]

Originally Posted by missionhome

Ok, that is great that you are coming out in May to arrange everything. Smart planning!

Just know that if you are choosing Capistrano Unified, that you can only buy a home in July in the boundaries of Mission Viejo in that school district. CUSD has most of the newer developments that are very popular so you should be fine finding a home in these boundaries which make up about 50% of the city. If you choose to buy a home in the other 50% that attend Saddleback Valley Unified's high schools then you need to make plans with their schools and get registration info there.

Just wanted to be sure you knew all of Mission Viejo isn't in one school district so you don't plan everything out, buy a house, and then find out it goes to another school!

Good luck and hopefully we'll see you around town when you move out and join the CVHS community

We are focusing on Pacific Hills and the area south off of Felipe (don't know what the area is called) as I know this area goes to Capistrano Valley. We originally were looking at an area that attended Trabuco High but when we were out in October I decided I liked the other area better.

[missionhome]

Those are two good areas to move. Pacific Hills is a great community and the location is perfect. I bet you are looking at Calafia south of Felipe since it has a similar look as Pacific Hills. Both are great neighborhoods and my kids have a lot of friends in both neighborhoods. Your son should be able to get to know the neighborhood high schoolers over the summer after you move in and at least know some people once he starts at school in the fall.

I agree on the Trabuco Hills decision. It is a nice school that performs well, but the neighborhoods are sort of "odd" ones that don't have a good community feel to me. The school is also like the "forgotten" Mission Viejo high school because most students there live in Lake Forest or Rancho Santa Margarita so you never see many Trabuco kids around town.

[Charles]

Dana Point Times - CUSD Grad Rates Top Among State s Large Districts (http://www.danapointtimes.com/view/full_story/10698454/article-CUSD-Grad-Rates-Top-Among-State-s-Large-Districts?instance=DP-eye_on_sc - broken link)

[Charles]

San Clemente Times - Capistrano Unified Moves Ahead with Fees Policy (http://www.sanclementetimes.com/view/full_story/13515106/article-Capistrano-Unified-Moves-Ahead-with-Fees-Policy?instance=eye_on_sc - broken link)