BUSINESS STRAND
The Business strand has three different choices from which students can choose: Business Ownership, Communication Graphics, and the Outback Entrepreneurship/Culinary Arts program. Although each program is business related, they each have their own specific focus. All three areas provide a rigorous curriculum in the classroom and complementary enrichment opportunities outside of the classroom for students. In the past Westside has partnered with PricewaterhouseCoopers, Annaloni’s Pizzaria, Junior Achievement, Genesys Works, Greater Houston Restaurant Association, Outback Steakhouse, Humitex, and many others
Business Ownership Program Information
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In the Business Ownership program students take a variety of business courses to give them the base knowledge needed to own and operate a company. In Business Ownership the students actually create a business from scratch. The students start by selling stock in order to have start up funds for the company. The company’s name, products or services, logo, and business processes are all up to the students. In addition to the class’s primary business, the class also operates a school store in the Commons before school and during lunch and competes each year in a city-wide Trade Fair competition. Students in this strand have the opportunity to earn their Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS Certification) and participate in University Interscholastic League (UIL) for Computer Applications. Many students in this strand also participate in Business Professionals of America (BPA). BPA is a national organization that allows students to refine their business skills through competitions, conferences, and fellowship.
Business Ownership Four Year Plan
Below is a sample 4 year plan for a student in the Business Ownership strand. The level of each course is dependent on the student’s individual skill level. College Preparatory, Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement, and Gifted and Talented Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement are available in all core courses. The courses shaded in grey are the Magnet courses for this strand.
English |
English 1 |
English 2 |
English 3 |
English 4 |
Math |
Alg 1 or Geom |
Geom or Alg 2 |
Alg 2 or Pre-Cal |
Pre-Cal or Calc |
History |
World Geography or Human Geo. |
World History |
U.S. History |
Eco/Gov’t |
Science |
Biology |
Chemistry |
Physics |
Advanced Science |
Magnet |
Technology Systems |
Business Computer Information Systems (BCIS) |
Business Ownership or International Business |
Internship or Business elective* |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Required electives* include: 0.5 health, 1.5 PE, 1.0 Communication Application, 2.0 world language (must be of same language), 1.0 fine arts
*Business electives include: Business electives include: Accounting Dual Credit, Accounting, Banking and Finance Dual Credit, Business Ownership, International Business
*These required electives are subject to change based on changes by the state of Texas and HISD.
Communication Graphics Program Information
Westside High School has a state of the art Mac Lab and print shop on-campus that is used in the Communication Graphics program. Students in this program become experts in Photoshop and learn how to use these skills to produce professional business documents. In the final year of the course, students work on actual projects for organizations on campus, other schools within HISD and various non-profit organizations around town. Students in this strand have the opportunity to earn their Microsoft Certified Application Specialist (MCAS Certification) and participate in UIL for Computer Applications.
Communication Graphics Four Year Plan
Below is a sample 4 year plan for a student in the Communication Graphics strand. The level of each course is dependent on the student’s individual skill level. College Preparatory, Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement, and Gifted and Talented Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement are available. The courses shaded in grey are the Magnet courses for this strand.
|
9th grade |
10th grade |
11th grade |
12th grade |
English |
English 1 |
English 2 |
English 3 |
English 4 |
Math |
Alg 1 or Geom |
Geom or Alg 2 |
Alg 2 or Pre-Cal |
Pre-Cal or Calc |
History |
World Geography or Human Geo. |
World History |
U.S. History |
Eco/Gov’t |
Science |
Biology |
Chemistry |
Physics |
Advanced Science |
Magnet |
Technology Systems |
Business Computer Information Systems (BCIS) |
Business Image Management & Multimedia (BIMM) |
Communication Graphics |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Required electives* include: 0.5 health, 1.5 PE, 1.0 Communication Application, 2.0 world language (must be of same language), 1.0 fine arts
*These required electives are subject to change based on changes by the state of Texas and HISD.
Outback Entrepreneurship/Culinary Arts Program Information
In the Outback program, students learn what it takes to own and operate a restaurant and catering company. Westside has an Outback Café on-campus where students learn everything from sanitation to knife skills on the culinary side and profit and loss statements to food costing on the business side. Students in this program run an on-campus restaurant that is open once a week, operate a catering company for special events, and compete in local and state culinary arts competitions. Through this course, students earn ServSafe, the Sanitation Managers Certificate. Students in this strand also participate in SkillsUSA, a national organization that helps students refine their skills and provides community service opportunities. Last year, Westside placed first at district in Food and Beverage, Culinary Arts, and Baking and Pastry and placed fourth at state in Food and Beverage and Culinary Arts. Each year the students save the profits made throughout the year and combine those funds with money donated by the Greater Houston Restaurant Association in order to award deserving seniors with college scholarship money.
Outback Entrepreneurship/Culinary Arts Four Year Plan
Below is a sample 4 year plan for a student in the Outback Entrepreneurship/Culinary Arts strand. The level of each course is dependent on the student’s individual skill level. College Preparatory, Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement, and Gifted and Talented Pre-Advanced Placement/Advanced Placement are available. The courses shaded in grey are the Magnet courses for this strand.
|
9th grade |
10th grade |
11th grade |
12th grade |
English |
English 1 |
English 2 |
English 3 |
English 4 |
Math |
Alg 1 or Geom |
Geom or Alg 2 |
Alg 2 or Pre-Cal |
Pre-Cal or Calc |
History |
World Geography or Human Geo. |
World History |
U.S. History |
Eco/Gov’t |
Science |
Biology |
Chemistry |
Physics |
Advanced Science |
Magnet |
Technology Systems |
Intro to Culinary Arts |
Culinary Arts I |
Culinary Arts II |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Culinary Arts I |
Culinary Arts II |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Elective |
Required electives* include: 0.5 health, 1.5 PE, 1.0 Communication Application, 2.0 world language (must be of same language), 1.0 fine arts
*These required electives are subject to change based on changes by the state of Texas and HISD.
Students, who complete the full program, will receive 1.0 PE equivalent credit through the Entrepreneurship/Culinary Arts program and only need an additional 0.5 PE credit.