International Business Academy   

                               Creating Future Global Business Leaders

 

Frequently Asked Questions about being in the Business Academy:

 

1. Can I participate in Band or Athletics and be in the IBA? Yes, the 7 period schedule will accommodate one elective period for band or athletics, besides the one period you will have for an IBA class. Approximately one third of our students participate in another elective such as band, orchestra, choir, theatre or athletics. We encourage you to be apart of the various organizations at NSHS.

 

2. Can I participate in Band and Cheerleading and be in the IBA?

No, it is not possible to be in three electives… like band, cheerleading and IBA. You will want to be active and make contributions in any organization you are apart of, so choose what you really like and do well in those activities. Your studies will take a lot more time in high school than you had to devote in middle school. As you get further in high school it will be impossible to schedule that many electives due to the “four cores all four years” requirement in the seven period school day.

 

3. What is the “four core all four years”? It is a plan that was voted on by the State of Texas Legislature for freshmen entering high school to take English, Math, Science and History all four years of high school. This new plan really hasn’t affected the IBA students, as they have traditionally taken these courses all four years due to their college of choice entrance requirements. This plan has affected the elective options instead.

 

4. If I get accepted into the IBA and decide to drop the Academy in a year or two, am I allowed to stay at NSHS, even though it is not my “zoned” high school? No, you will not be able to stay at Newman Smith if you drop the IBA.  You will return to your “zoned high school campus” if you drop the academy. It is always a good idea to make a commitment to stay with any program that you apply to and are accepted into.  Since our freshmen class size is limited, less than 3% of all 8th grade students are accepted in the Academy.  It is a select group of students and you will be taking a spot that another student that would have liked to be accepted in to.

 

5. When do I begin taking dual credit courses?  After you complete your sophomore year of high school and have turned 16 years old you may apply to Brookhaven College and begin taking dual credit courses.  In the IBA sophomore year we take a field trip over to Brookhaven to get you familiar with the campus, learn about the application process and meet the Admissions Counselor. You also can gain dual credit by taking AP courses, by taking the AP exam and scoring a 3 or better on the exam.  You can gain as many as 28 dual credits by taking classes at Brookhaven and with your AP coursework. (refer to the IBA course list for dual credit options).

 

6. Do I have to pay for the classes that I take at Brookhaven College? When are the classes offered? Is transportation provided to the Brookhaven campus?  No, the tuition is free of charge to CFBISD students; however you will pay for your textbooks. You will take these classes in the evening during the school year and in the summer there are a variety of times the courses are offered. You will need to provide your own transportation to and from the Brookhaven campus.

 

7. Do you have to complete community service hours for Business Academy requirements?  Yes, 10 hours per year. You may count up to 5 hours per year for service that you might do in the summertime.  The remaining 5 hours will be completed during the school year.  We offer community service opportunities for the academy students.

 

8. Do you have to take a foreign language for an IBA requirement?  Yes, it is required that you take 3 years of a foreign language. There are 5 verbal languages for you to choose from! If you take a foreign language in middle school, 7th and 8th grade, you count those two years as one year of high school language credit. So you will complete two years of a language in high school.

 

9. How often do the IBA classes go on field trips? On the average, we take two trips per semester. However, if we have guest speakers and students miss some classes due to the speaker, we would have one field trip for the semester! It is a class requirement for your particular IBA class, so it is required that you attend all field trips.  It is important that the IBA student has good attendance due to academy field trip days out of class. You are always responsible for any class work that you miss in your other classes.

 

10. Are there any certain requirements for dressing up if attending an IBA field trip? Yes, as an incoming freshmen to the IBA program you will be given a Polo shirt with the IBA insignia monogrammed on it; you will be expected to wear this shirt with khakis and nice dress shoes, on all field trips and most guest speaker engagements.

 

10. What are the requirements for grades and staying in the IBA? It is required to maintain a passing grade in all course work by the end of each semester; the student will be placed on probation with the expectation of the grade to be brought up to passing at the end of the year. The director and principal will consider extenuating circumstances.  All IBA students must take at least one Pre-AP or AP course per year.

 

Kathi Long, Director

International Business Academy 972-968-5287, longka@cfbisd.edu

Newman Smith High School