Academic Guidelines and Procedures

The academic school year at The Academy is divided into two semesters of two quarters each. Ends of Quarters are:

End of First Quarter - October 24, 2008

End of Second Quarter - December 23, 2008

End of Third Quarter - March 13, 2009

End of Fourth Quarter - May 22, 2009

Progress Reports are sent home with students at the end of each interim grading period. Report Cards will be mailed after every quarter. Reviewing grades with your child regularly can often alleviate problems later. The dates for distribution are:

First Interim - September 26, 2008

First Quarter - October 24, 2008

Second Interim - November 21, 2008

Second Quarter/1st Semester - December 23, 2008

Third Interim - February 13, 2009

Third Quarter - March 13, 2009

Fourth Interim - April 24, 2009

Fourth Quarter/ 2nd Semester - May 22, 2009

Academic Requirements

The normal academic requirements for students in grades 9-11 consists of the core subjects: English, Math, History, Science, Spanish, including Health and Physical Education. Seniors will take a full academic schedule; four of their classes must be core classes: English, Math, History, and Science. This pattern ensures optimum flexibility for breadth and depth of study, both of which are necessary for sound comprehensive college preparation.

College Classes

Students will be allowed to take classes at Mountain State University as early as the summer of their tenth grade year. They must have the Dean's recommendation to take classes. Juniors and seniors may be enrolled in one or more classes at the University every semester. They will be advised by the Dean's office of which classes they can and cannot take. Students are only allowed to take the general education requirements without special permission from the Dean. Classes taken at the university will count as elective credits for the Academy, some of which are weighted classes. These classes will not show on a report card, but will show on a transcript.

Diploma Requirements

Units awarded for courses in Grades 9-12

• English: 4 units
• Fine Arts: 1 unit
• Language: 2 years of one language
• Mathematics: 4 units (Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, plus one Higher Math)
• Health: 1 unit
• Physical Education/Fitness: 2 units (sports count as 1/2 credit per sport)
• Sciences: 4 units (Physical Science, Biology, Chemistry):
• Social Sciences: 4 units (World History, Modern World History, American History, Democracy)
• Electives: 3 units

Students need 25 credits to graduate

Below is a list of core classes that every student must take and pass with a C or better while attending The Academy.

Information Technology Competency Requirement

As part of our college preparatory mission, The Academy expects its graduates to demonstrate a working competence with Information Technology. All students must show proficiency in collecting and analyzing relevant information via the Internet, access web pages for assignments, course syllabi, and use email systems for communication. To ensure this proficiency, all students will take the University computer applications classes prior to graduating.

Planning Considerations

• English is required in all grades. A student with a final average below C- is required to repeat English
• Mathematics is required in all grades.
• At least two years of one language is required. Many colleges require more than two years of a language; therefore, we encourage additional study.
• Four sciences are required: Physical Science, Biology, and Chemistry plus one elective Science their senior year: Physics and Anatomy
• World History, Modern World History, American History, and Democracy are required.
• At least one credit in Fine Arts is required. This includes: Music, Dance, or Art.
• Two credits of Physical Education/Fitness are required. Students earn 1/2 credit for every sport they play in an academic year.
• Health is required for one year, typically grade 9.

To qualify for re-enrollment and promotion to the next grade, a student must earn college-certifying grades of C - or better in all core courses. Successful completion of a course requires taking the semester examination. In some cases, failure in a single course may be made up during the summer, but each student's academic status is evaluated individually with respect to re-enrollment.

Grading Scale

The Academy honors the following grading scale:

The Academy will not report on a report card or transcript a student's average. Teachers may, at the request of the parent provide the average separate from any official report. The Dean's Office will only certify grades based on the ranking system.

Ranking

Beginning in the ninth grade, class rank is determined by a weighted Grade Point Average (GPA). For ranking purposes, college courses are assigned an intermediate or a maximum weight respectively. Therefore, students taking courses at the University are compensated for the additional work and difficulty involved in their programs.

Academic Honors

The Academy recognizes a student's academic achievement in a number of ways. One of these is the designation of First and Second Honors. Students qualify for this recognition based upon semester averages according to the following criteria: