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Volume 2 | September 1, 2020
HIGH SCHOOL PROGRAMS NEWSLETTER
Welcome to Fall Semester at ACC
Dear Family,

It's been a year like never before, but we are still here to ensure that your student has an opportunity to create a bright future and gain a quality education. Even during the best of times college processes can be confusing, but we are here to help!

Remember that you are your student's most important resource! 
It doesn’t matter whether or not you went to college (although it’s never too late)! What your student needs most is your encouragement, your recognition of the value of their college work, and your belief in their ability to succeed. I know this because not only do I supervise advising and student success for high school students taking ACC classes, but I am also a proud Riverbat mom whose two sons have benefitted from ACC programs. My oldest, now a junior at the University of Texas at Austin, earned his Associate’s Degree in Business Administration from ACC in Spring ’20. My youngest discovered his life’s passion during a Game Development camp held at ACC in partnership with our Continuing Education division. ACC truly has something for everyone!

As both a staffer and a fellow Riverbat parent, I want to thank you for your commitment to your student and their work at ACC.

Dr. Melissa Biegert
Director, High School Programs Advising & Completion
Office of College & High School Relations
Austin Community College
First Day Tips for Your ACC Student
Keep Updated on COVID-19
Visit ACC’s COVID-19 Informational website for the latest updates about how ACC is responding to COVID-19 and details about fall classes and new health and safety measures.
Save These Dates
 Census Day
Wednesday, September 9
(for 16 week classes)

Fall Graduation Applications Due Friday, October 2

All 2020 Payment Deadlines
What to Know About Census Day
The Census, or state reporting deadline, for the 16 week teaching session (August 24 - December 13) is Wednesday, September 9th.
The Census deadline is the date by which ACC faculty must certify their class rosters and denote whether a student has been in attendance or not. This is an important deadline as it can have some serious implications for students:

  • Being counted as “in attendance” typically means that the student has attended regular class meetings, logged into Blackboard (BB access is visible to faculty!), completed a class-specific orientation, communicated with their instructor via ACCmail, and/or submitted an assignment.
  • A student that a faculty member deems to have not been in attendance is automatically dropped from the course.
  • Students that are marked as “attended” by their instructor remain on the roster for the duration of the teaching session and will receive a letter grade at the end of the course (unless they opt to withdraw from the course by the published withdrawal deadline). 
  • For students, the Census deadline is their last opportunity to officially drop a course without receiving either a grade or a “W.”

Important Reminder for Dual Credit program students:
Dropping a course after the Add/Drop Schedule Change period (i.e. the first two calendar days of the teaching session) through the Census deadline does not result in any academic penalty, but it will lead to the loss of one of their dual credit tuition waivers.
Leveraging SAS for Success
Dr. Lauren Sebel, Director, Student Accessibility Services shares the most common questions about receiving disability approved accommodations as a dual enrolled student.
If a student has a diagnosed disability and has an IEP at the High School what do they need to do to get accommodations from ACC?
In order to use accommodations for your dual enrolled classes the student must apply for accommodations through the Student Accessibility Services office and provide their instructor with an ACC letter of approved accommodations.

Do the accommodations listed in the student’s IEP automatically apply to college classes?
No. It is important to remember that the IEP does not continue to college. At the high school there may be supports and services provided that go beyond reasonable accommodation and would not be appropriate at the college level. Find more information about reasonable accommodations at ACC

What is the process for obtaining accommodations in dual credit courses?
Complete the application at Apply for SAS Services and Accommodations. For additional questions please contact SASApplication@austincc.edu. Please remember Family Educational Rights and Privacy (FERPA) guidelines apply to all students who attend a school beyond the high school level. Though we understand that parents play a very important role in their student’s success FERPA prohibits ACC staff from sharing information with anyone other than the ACC student.
Quick Guide to Common Questions
Beyond Dual Credit
Your student may be taking dual credit courses now, but we also offer a host of other programs for which they might be eligible. Check out these featured programs!
The work you put in today in ACC’s High School Career Programs can lead to great employment opportunities in the not-so-distant future. Career Academies help you gain the workforce certificates employers seek for high-demand fields. You can get even more credit by participating in our Articulated Credit Program, which awards college credit for some high school classes. Career Programs
Learning should be fun, and college should be an exciting path for any student who works hard. Upward Bound is a program that is designed to transform your high school experience by exploring, participating, and discovering the opportunities that await you beyond high school. Upward Bound
Austin Community College provides students with a fast-track program to become career ready through our Career Academies. Career Academies are a partnership between ACC and employers to increase hiring for high-demand technical jobs. Enroll in a Career Academy and complete the short list of courses to earn entry-level certification recognized by employers. After earning your certificate, you can seek entry-level employment and continue at Austin Community College to complete your education toward an associate degree. Career Academies
Articulation is a planned process linking high school and college courses to assist students in making a smooth transition from one level of education to another without experiencing delays or duplication in learning.
Approved Articulated Credit programs have articulation agreements, which are signed documents that indicate the specific responsibilities of the high school, college, and student. The agreements also include outlines of a Recommended High School Graduation Plan and a two-year associate degree or technical certificate.
ACCTech articulated courses are high school courses that contain the same course content as an equivalent college course, and for which a student is eligible for college credit once requirements are met. Articulated HS Courses
This newsletter is produced by the Office of College and High School Relations at Austin Community College. Send feedback to collegenow@austincc.edu.

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