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ACADEMIC PROGRESS REPORT
At the mid-point of each grading quarter, an academic progress report will be sent to parents of secondary students who are achieving at a level of 65% or below or are in danger of failing. Reports will be a standard form which will be completed by the subject teacher and a copy will be on file in the office.
GRADING POLICY
All grades assigned at the 7-12 grade levels shall be in percentage form. All courses will be graded in the percentage format and will be used in calculating the student’s grade point average, class rank, and all honors considerations. The following scale will be published on each report as an indicator of student performance within a grade range:
100-92% = Excellent
91-83% = Above Average
82-74% = Average
73-65% = Below Average
64% and below = Failing
A grade range of 45% to 100% will be established for the first three marking periods and for the first marking period of a semester course. There will be no floor during the final marking period or the final examination with a grade range from 0% to 100%. For each year-long course, each of the four marking period grades will be calculated at 22.5% of the total year-end grade with the final examination grade making up the remaining 10% in a student’s final transcript and used in all calculations of Grade Point Average and Class Rank. For semester courses, each grade will constitute 45% of the total grade, with the final examination again constituting 10% of the final grade. In instances where final examinations are not required for a course, the weight of each marking period grade within the total will be adjusted equally.
Any student who elects to take courses at another educational institution or institution of higher learning will be given credit for the course work completed but the grades will not be factored into the student’s cumulative average, or be counted toward any class ranking, or graduation.
VALEDICTORIAN AND SALUTATORIAN
A Valedictorian and Salutatorian will be recognized at graduation. One Valedictorian and one Salutatorian will be selected from each class on the basis of their accumulated grade point average beginning in 9 th grade up to and including the mid-point of the fourth grading period of their 12 th grade year. To be eligible, students must complete both their 11 th and 12 th grade years at the Forest Area School District and pass a minimum of 6 credits per year.
WEIGHTED CORE COURSES
Six academic courses will carry an additional .1 multiplier because of their academic rigor. Specifically, these courses are Physics, Chemistry, Algebra III & Trigonometry, Introduction to Calculus & Analytic Geometry, and any third and/or fourth level foreign languages. This multiplier, or weight will only be given upon the final percentage grade obtained at the conclusion of the course.
GRADING PERIODS
The pupil’s report card will be issued every nine (9) weeks during the school year.
INCOMPLETE GRADE
The “I” grade is given when a student fails to complete his/her work due to legitimate reasons. The “I” grade must be made up within 15 school days after the student’s return to school, or it will change to a failing grade.
HONOR ROLL
For Honor Roll recognition, a student’s overall average for each quarter grading period must be as follows:
Highest Honors = 100 to 97 overall average
High Honors = 96.9 to 92 overall average
Honors = 91.9 to 85 overall average
(No grade below 74%)
All grades obtained will be averaged to determine honors standing; no student failing any course will be considered. Vo-Tech grades will be recorded at their given value – recognizing and honoring the Vo-tech’s failure point of 69%.
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
A student must successfully complete the following credits in grades 9, 10, 11, and 12 to be graduated from high school.
In order to matriculate in to the next grade level, a student must acquire the following number of credits at the end of the specified grade level.
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Grade 9 ~ 6.4
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Total credits earned 9-12 in order to graduate = 24
ADDITIONALLY, students must satisfactorily complete their final senior project as required by Chapter 4 regulations and the Forest Area School District |
Grade 10 ~ 12.8
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Grade 11 ~ 19.2
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Grade 12 ~ 24
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Minimum of credits earned by academic discipline in order to graduate.
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Language Arts/English ~ 4
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Mathematics ~ 3
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Science ~ 3
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Social Studies ~ 3
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(4 Recommended)
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Arts or Humanities (or both) ~ 2
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Includes art, music, family & consumer science, industrial arts, additional math, social studies, or science, and community service. (Community service may not total more than one full credit.)
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Physical Education ~ 1.5
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Based upon one-quarter credit for Physical Education each year and one-half credit for health. Vo-Tech students may be waived from one-quarter credit of phys ed (at the discretion of the building principal) if it is not possible to schedule.
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Electives ~ 7.5
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These credits include all courses beyond the two required in the arts & Humanities area and any additional credits taken in computer, business, etc.
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PROMOTION REQUIREMENTS
The “Guiding Philosophy” in reference to progress and promotion for the schools of the Forest Area School District is to encourage each student to achieve his/her maximum potential while in attendance in the school district. To reach this goal the administration, faculty and staff members of the school district will assist every student without partiality as much as possible without endangering the learning processes of the other members of the student’s group.
Promotion to the next educational level will be based on the student’s ability to profit most from experiences at that level. Factors to be considered in cases where retention at the same grade level is a possibility are:
- Achievement of the student in academic subject.
- Attendance record of the student.
- Ability of the student to do school work as reflected by a standardized test of mental ability.
- Attitudes of the student toward the school, the faculty, and his/her peer group.
- Sociological or psychological factors resulting from the student’s home life or community relationships that would influence his/her level of educational achievement.
- Age and size of the student in comparison to the age of the group he/she will enter.
A student will be considered for retention at the same grade level in grades 7 or 8 if he/she has failed two or more major subjects or a combination of major and minor courses that add up to two credits. Also, a student who has missed twenty or more school days in a school year may be considered for retention at the same grade level.
A student will be retained in grade 9 until he/she has successfully completed 6.4 units of credit. He/she will be retained in grade 10 until he/she has successfully completed 12.8 credits, and in grade 11 until he/she has completed 19.2 credits. Students will not be seated in grade 12 until they are able to plan a schedule that will meet all the requirements for graduation.
The last month of school is extremely important in terms of achieving final grade standing for the year. Therefore, it is expected that our seniors provide the student body with the proper example. It is also expected that as soon-to-be graduates, they conduct themselves as individuals ready to enter into the adult world. For that reason, during the second semester of the academic year, should it be necessary to suspend a senior for a Level Three violation under the Forest Area School District discipline code, he/she may be excluded, at the discretion of the building administrator, from all extra-curricular activities for the remainder of the year. These activities may include all trips, open-period testing release, commencement, and all other school and senior activities.
The open-period final exam format, which has been adopted for the seniors, is a privilege and not mandated by policy. It is designed as a reward for deserving members of the senior class. Seniors must abide by all rules governing this privilege, as expressed by the building administrator, and must be on time and present for every scheduled final examination. Failure to report for a scheduled final exam or tardiness to a scheduled exam shall result in the student receiving a zero for the final exam, which comprises 10% of the student’s final grade. The building principal also has the discretion of assigning an incomplete to the student’s transcript until such time that the final examination is made-up, as scheduled by the building administrator. Failure to make-up the final exam shall result in no credit being awarded for the course and will likely jeopardize the student’s graduation status.
BACCALAUREATE AND COMMENCEMENT CEREMONIES
Ceremonies will be available to all qualified graduating seniors in good standing. Seniors choosing to participate in these ceremonies are required to attend all rehearsals unless previously excused by the principal. Requests to be excused from rehearsals must be presented in writing to the principal prior to the day of the requested absence. Requests to be excused from practice should be only for extraordinary reasons and not for routine business or employment. Seniors absent from scheduled rehearsals without prior approval will not be permitted to participate in Baccalaureate and/or Commencement ceremonies.
Attendance at these ceremonies is deemed a privilege and as such may be revoked for appropriate cause. If a student has earned a diploma but does not participate in commencement for whatever reason, he or she will be given the diploma any time after the next regular working day following commencement exercises.
SUMMER SCHOOL/CORRESPONDENCE COURSES
While there is no guarantee, it is possible that a summer school program may be offered. The program is designed for remedial work and the courses offered depend upon the greatest needs of the students and the availability of the staff. If the program is offered, it will provide an opportunity for the student to make up credit for courses failed. The school district reserves the right to limit the number of summer school/correspondence course credits that will be accepted toward graduation. A fee is charged to the student for each course taken in summer school or by correspondence. Students are expected to be in attendance for every summer school class unless given prior permission for absence by the administration. Any unexcused absence will result in a course failure. Students taking correspondence courses must have the courses pre-approved by the Guidance Counselor or Principal.
HOMEWORK POLICY
Homework at Forest Area Schools is an integral part of the learning process. As an integral part, homework reinforces good study habit, independence, self discipline and classroom learning.
Objectives:
- To improve skills in subject areas.
- To review content materials.
- To prepare for acquisition of new material.
- To teach good study habits.
- To develop organizational skills.
- To teach time management.
- To develop research skills.
- To stimulate initiative, self-direction, and self-discipline.
- To create a desire for self-improvement.
Responsibilities:
Teacher:
- To make the purpose of the assignment clear.
- To ensure assignments are relevant.
- To provide accurate and fair evaluation of assignments in a timely manner.
- To preview assignments, prior to introduction of new materials.
- To be aware of demands on the students’ time.
- To use homework as a learning tool, not a mode of discipline.
- To provide short-term and long-term assignments that require research and library skills.
- To notify parents if a student’s assignments are consistently late or incomplete.
Parents:
- To provide an area conducive to study.
- To help motivate the student to fulfill homework responsibility.
- To establish regular study time.
- To help develop a suitable study schedule.
- To cooperate with the teacher in reinforcing the value of homework.
Students:
- To complete all assignments in the allotted time frame.
- To make up all missed assignments.
- To be sure the assignment is understood before leaving school.
- To maintain good study habits.
- To budget time for short-term as well as long-term assignments.
- To communicate with parents and teachers concerning problems with assignments.
DRIVER EDUCATION
Driver Education roadwork is provided to students of the Forest Area School District on a priority basis as follows:
- Students getting or having permits. When you get your permit, immediately inform your Driver Education instructor and you will be scheduled as soon as possible.
- Second priority is given to students having licenses who wish roadwork for insurance reduction purposes. Preference will be given in order of highest grade first, i.e. 12 th, 11 th, etc.
DRUG FREE SCHOOL PROGRAM
All students at all grade levels will receive age-appropriate, developmentally based drug prevention instruction each year as part of their planned courses of study. Grades 7, 9, 10, and 12 will receive instruction for the prevention of substance abuse in their Physical Education classes. Grades 8 and 11 will receive this instruction in their Health classes, and various other classes throughout the curriculum.
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