TOPS High School Newsletter

Hello TOPS Families,

I hope you had a restful break and that students are ready to finish the semester strong!

I want to remind you that the semester lock date is December 19th at 11:59pm. The semester ends on December 21st. The semester will not carry over until January, so please work hard and finish this semester strong.

I want to remind students that attendance to live CC sessions is vital at this time of year. You are missing so much wonderful and interactive teaching, reviews, important information, and many opportunities for extra credit and bonus points when you miss.

We are here to support you. Please contact teachers, advisors, and/or me if you need anything and if you need support or help. We are here to assist.

Thank you,

Becky Finka

TOPS HS Principal

December 3-6: Many Teachers Out of Office for STAAR EOC Testing

December 7: Virtual Outing for Hour of Code from 10am-12pm

December 10-14: Interim Assessment Week

December 17-19: Final Exams

December 19: Assignments Lock at 11:59pm

December 21: Last Day of Semester 1 (half day for teachers and students)

Final exams will be December 17th-19th. Final exam exemptions are as follows:

1. 90 or higher in the course
2. No attendance letters or emails
3. If you have an interim in the course, you must complete it by December 13th at 11:59 pm

Teachers will notify students of their exemptions on or before December 14th.

Interim Assessment week is coming December 10-14!

Interim Assessments must be completed by December 14th at 11:59 pm unless the student wants to be exempted from the final exam and meets all other exemption requirements. (please see Final Exams section for exemption requirements)

These are very important tests that show us what you have learned during the first semester. Do your best to show off what you have learned! These tests will be awarded a grade in your courses. Remember that these tests are required.

TSI Information

All 10th through 12th grades will participate in the online TSI assessments. This is an online test that will be completed in your home that will measure college readiness.

• 12th Grade Testing Window: December 1-15
• 10th-11th Grade Testing Window: March 1-15

As a webcam will be needed for testing, if you have not completed this webcam survey that was emailed previously, please complete this survey by clicking on this link:

https://tinyurl.com/webcam-TSI-Assessment

Students can prepare through the TSI curriculum in USA Test Prep. Seniors need to be focused on preparing now since the testing window is approaching.

If students qualify for exemption they can email their scores to ccmr@texasonlineprep.org

To be exempt, you must have taken any of the following tests and scored as listed below:

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• ACT: 23 Composite and a 19 on the English and a 19 on the Math
• SAT: A minimum score of 480 on the EBRW section and/or a minimum score of 530 on the math section.

TSI passing scores:

• Math-351
• Reading-350

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Other Possible Exemptions:

• Score of 3 on AP Exam
• Score of 4 on IB Exam
• Associate’s Degree
• Industry-based certification
• Completed IEP and workforce readiness
• Enlisted in US Armed Forces
• CTE coursework completion and at least 1 credit in an IBC aligned course

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K12 offers a wide variety of online clubs to help your student have fun learning with other students who share similar passions and pursuits. These clubs are offered typically two times a month, and last one hour. Browse our 2018–2019 club listings, and register for your favorite clubs today!

TOPS High School Principal

Rebecca Finka is entering her 19th year in education. She comes to TOPS from Houston ISD where she held various secondary roles including Middle School and High School Teacher, Lead Teacher, Curriculum Specialist, Assistant Principal, Dean of Instruction, and Dean of Students. Her biggest goals are student success, teacher support, and parent engagement. She is passionate about educating the whole student and preparing them for college and career opportunities. She holds a Bachelor of Science degree from the University of Houston-Downtown and a Master of Science degree from the University of Houston-Clear Lake. She is a native Texan and lives in the Houston area with her family.

Email: rfinka@texasonlineprep.org
Website: tops.k12.com/
Phone: 281.542.3237
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/becky.finka
Twitter: @finkatops