There are three levels of public schooling in the USA: elementary (K-5 or K-6), middle/junior high (6-8 or 7-8), and high school (9-12). Students graduate from each level, often with ceremonies, photographs, and gifts. Schools provide required textbooks while students supply other materials. Schools offer extracurricular activities and punishments like detention for infractions. Elementary students remain in one classroom, middle schools have periods/teachers for each subject, and high schools have more flexibility and special events like prom. Some are homeschooled or drop out, pursuing a GED later.

1. A Brief Introduction to K-12 Public Schooling in the USA

2. There are three levels of schooling: Elementary: K-5 or K-6 (ages 5-11) Middle School or Junior High Grades 6-8 or 7and 8 (ages 11-14) High School grades 9-12 (ages 14-18)

3. Graduations People graduate from: Kindergarten Elementary Middle/Junior High School High School Graduation Characteristics: Many people receive flowers and cards after graduation (normally High School) Usually there are parties after graduation (from Middle or High School) People can buy special graduation photographs (Middle & High School) People buy Year Books that cover all the years (Middle & High School) People sign those year books People usually go out to dinner or lunch if they don’t have a party People often receive graduation gifts or gift cards Ceremonies last about two hours

4. A Few General Characteristics Supplies: -The student does not buy required text books -If the student loses a text book, he/she may not receive a diploma when it’s time to graduate -Around the beginning of the school year school supplies are very inexpensive (school supplies are one of the few things that are cheaper in comparison to Latin American countries) Extra Curricular Activities: - In Middle and High school there are extra activities that can be selected as electives during school time and extra activities after school There are a great range of activities. After School one can choose: cheerleading, sports (must pay), drama club, cultural/language clubs, debate clubs, chess etc Punishment: -If a student continually doesn’t do homework this can result in going to the principle's office -Principle’s office doesn’t usually happen in high school. The student usually gets detention, detention happens in all levels (the person stays after school doing nothing or boring work) - Students who commit serious offenses (subjective) get suspended; they are permanently prohibited from returning to their school (they must find a new school to attend)

5. Elementary school -Students stay in the same classroom all day, sometimes during the last year they have a class or two with a different teacher to prepare them for middle school, high school, and college -They do leave class for classes like art, music, and physical education -They usually have physical education (phys ed., gym) twice a week -Students only study English grammar until about the third grade -Students have recess; a time here they play in the playground -Students can buy or bring their own lunch (in all levels of schooling) -In all levels (middle and high school too) there is a teacher lounge, for teachers to eat lunch and have personal time -Usually there is a no gum rule and a no hat rule for many elementary school

6. Middle School/(Junior High) Students have different teachers for each subject Students have lockers to store their things in (in elementary they don’t go to different classrooms, so they keep supplies in their desks) Students learn more advanced math and get put into different math levels Students are required to take a foreign language (usually starting in the 7th grade), there are exceptions for students with learning disabilities Students are usually required to chose an elective or two during the school year They begin to have tech/vocational activities (Home economics, woodworking, etc) - Vending machines appear, usually with lots of bad food and soda

7. High School Like middle school, they have different teachers and the schedule is divided into periods or blocks Students have “free periods,” in some schools upper classmen (11th and 12th grade) can leave the school during these periods. In other schools they have assigned study hall Students design their own schedules, but must have certain classes for each year Grades are also called Freshman-9th, 10th-Sophomore, 11th-Junior, 12th-senior There is a special dance called the junior prom for Juniors (11th grade) and the prom for the 12 grade: students spend a lot of money and dress fancy and typically many people want to lose their virginity if they haven’t done so already Seniors usually have graduation a few days after the prom and finish school much earlier than all other grades

8. Other Homeschooling Some parents chose to teach their kids at home instead of traditional public or private school -They feel that students are learning to conform, rather than getting a well-rounded education -This is controversial, people stereotype that they are either super intelligent or their parents are causing them to be socially retarded or backward -Many districts are starting to reject homeschooling -Often parents aren’t required to have special credentials to teach their children Dropping Out At a certain age students have the choice to leave school (drop out) The age depends on the state you live in Often students who drop out, later return to school and get a lesser valued degree called a GED (general educational diploma) -they can still go to college/ university with this diploma

9. Questions???