PTHS Counseling Office Newsletter
February 2026
1. 2026-2027 Course Selections
2. Upcoming Scheduling Dates
3. The Course Description Booklet
4. Where to Start?
5. Understanding Course Levels
- Advanced Placement (AP)
- Community College of Beaver County (CCBC)
6. Courses with Applications
7. Western Area Career and Technology Center (WACTC)
8. New Student Enrollment
9. Scholarship and Financial Aid Resources
10. PTHS Counseling Office
The Course Description Book (CDB) is an invaluable resource to assist students in learning more about courses that best meet their academic goals and further their exploration of career interests. Students and families will find recommended course progressions, course descriptions, application forms, and dual enrollment opportunities.
As you start to think about courses for the next school year consider the following:
- The high school schedule contains 9-periods in the day.
- Select at least one required course from each core subject area: Math, Science, English, and Social Studies. Each subject area has a section in the Course Description Book identifying course progression and information about each course. Make sure to account for two periods if enrolling into a lab science.
- Add a lunch period to your schedule.
- Determine whether or not to enroll in a world language: Beyond the benefits of studying a world language, it is recommended to have 2-3 years of the same language on the high school transcript for college admissions.
- Consider the graduation requirements: Have you taken Personal Wellness and two semesters of PE? Have you taken one of the required technology courses: Media I, Intro to Stem, Tech Applications, or AP Computer Science Principles?
- Review elective courses in the Course Description Book: This is a great opportunity to explore interests.
- Alternate Electives: beyond the 9-period day select alternative options in the event the courses your select are unavailable.
Remember that your teachers and school counselor are great resources to discuss your options.
College in High School (CHS) courses enable Peters Township High School teachers to partner with local universities to offer college-level courses. CHS courses provide high school students the opportunity to earn college credits and receive a grade on a university transcript for courses successfully completed and taught at Peters Township High School. In many cases, students may transfer these credits to other universities.
Students enrolling in the CHS courses will be required to pay a nominal fee to the universities for each course. Peters Township High School has concurrent enrollment agreements with several colleges and universities including Point Park University, Carlow University, La Roche University and the University of Pittsburgh.
CHS Courses offered at PTHS
- CHS Computer Programming & Java
- CHS Anatomy & Physiology
- CHS Marketing
- CHS Media TV Pro
- AP/CHS French
- AP/CHS German
- AP/CHS Spanish
- CHS CADD*
- CHS Manufacturing Engineering*
*Pending School Board and university partnership approval
The Advanced Placement (AP) Program is sponsored by the College Board and allows students to take college-level courses during high school. PTHS offers 21 courses in math, science, English, social studies, world language, and music. There is an option to take the comprehensive exam given during a two-week period in May, where there is a potential to earn college credit. The exam is scored on a five-point scale 5 (extremely well-qualified), 4 (well-qualified), 3 (qualified), 2 (possibly qualified), and 1 (no recommendation). Students are strongly encouraged to take the AP exam at the conclusion of the course, must register to do so, and assume the related costs. Most AP exams contain both multiple-choice questions and free-response questions that require essay writing, problem solving, and other skills. Students who complete the AP Exam are exempt from the course final exam.
In partnership with the Community College of Beaver County, students in grades 11 and 12 have the opportunity to earn up to 28 college credits in conjunction with earning a high school diploma. CCBC offers set curriculum on the in-person campus or virtually. PTHS Students often take the online courses through CCBC in the morning and then attend PTHS in the afternoon for their core classes. All costs associated with colleges courses or online courses including by not limited to tuition, transportation, related materials and supplies are the responsibility of the student and family. Contact the counseling office for more information.
Aviation Academy: The CCBC Aviation Academy program provides exploration into Professional Pilot, Air Traffic Control, and Unmanned Aerial Vehicles career paths.
Business Academy: The CCBC Business Academy helps students explore innovation, strategy, and leadership while preparing for careers in entrepreneurship, marketing, finance, and management.
Criminal Justice Academy: The CCBC Criminal Justice Academy provides hands-on experience in classrooms, mock crime scenes, and other real-world environments to prepare students for careers in law enforcement.
Education Academy: The CCBC Education Academy provides students with skills to prepare developmentally appropriate lessons for a future career in teaching. Students choose between Pre-K-4th Grade Education or Secondary Education.
Health Academy: The CCBC Health Academy provides students opportunities to explore careers in nursing, practical nursing, radiologic technology, physical therapy, respiratory therapy, nurse practitioner, physician assistant, nurse anesthetist and more.
If you are interested in participating in the following elective courses:
- Anatomy and Physiology Mentorship
- Business Operations I, II, III
- Media TV Production III, IV, V, VI
- Media Yearbook III, IV, V
- Partners in Physical Education (PE)
You must complete the following steps:
- Meet all prerequisite courses to the course before filling out the application.
- Completed the course application in its entirety (including any essays that must be completed and submitted with the application).
- Submit the application and all corresponding pieces to the Counseling Office by March 12, 2026.
Applications can be found in the Course Description Booklet linked with the corresponding course. The Course Description Booklet can be found on the high school counseling website under Course Scheduling.
Students in grades 10, 11, and 12 who wish to obtain training in selected occupational fields may enroll in one of the programs at Western Area Career & Technology Center (WACTC). Upon successful completion of the course, required hours, earned proficiency on certification exams, and graduation, students are eligible for employment. Some students choose to pursue further education upon successful completion of the program.
There is an application for WACTC that must be completed prior to admission. This online application is available on the WACTC website. Students will be awarded three credits per year upon successful completion of the course.
Programs offered at WACTC include Automotive Mechanics, Automation and Robotics Engineering Technology, Carpentry, Collision Repair Technology, Cosmetology, Culinary Arts and Baking, Electrical Occupations, Health Assistant, Heating, Ventilation and Air Conditioning, Machine Shop, Masonry, Networking, Welding, and Rehabilitation Aide/Sports Medicine.
The online portal is now open for any new student that would like to attend the Peters Township School District for the 2026-2027 school year. To complete the enrollment process, please complete the following steps:
- Navigate to the Peters Township School District Website
- Select New Student Enrollment under the 'District' Tab
- Complete your registration through the PowerSchool Registration Portal
- Ensure the correct year is selected (2026/2027).
- Review the New Student Registration Checklist for documents that are required in the registration process.
- Review the Health Packet information.
- After completing the registration portal, a PTHS staff member will reach out to you for your next steps.
- Submit course selections to the high school counseling office by March 12th. All selections can be sent to Mrs. Lisa Gobbie, gobbiel@pt-sd.org, 724-941-6250 x8007.
The Peters Township High School Counseling Office welcomes you and your child to attend the PTHS evening course selection scheduling presentation for incoming freshman for the 2025-2026 school year on February 25th from 6:00 pm to 8:00 pm. Information will include graduation requirements, high school curriculum, and the general scheduling process.