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CVA Student Handbook—Academics
XIII. Academics
Student Evaluation Procedures
Five-Week Notices
At the mid point of each 10-week marking period, all students receive a written report of status. The five-week notices are mailed directly to the home from the school. If your parents receive a letter indicating that you are doing unsatisfactory work, they should contact your teacher to find out what can be done to correct this situation.
Report Cards
Report cards are distributed every ten weeks to notify students and parents of a student’s progress. The grades are printed and mailed home. The cards are property of the students and are not returned to the school. The final report card in June will also be mailed home.
Honors
Honor Roll
To be eligible for Honor Roll, students must earn an 85 average for the marking period. For High Honor Roll a 90 average is required. For Principal Honor Roll, students must earn a 95 average. Grades are not rounded; i.e. an 84.9 average does not make the honor roll. All credit bearing courses, except Physical Education, are counted for honor roll. These honor rolls are posted in the high school and are published on the district website. Also, students must be taking three classes in order to be on Honor Roll.
Academic Honor C
The Academic Honor C is an academic award given to those students who have maintained an overall average of 90 or above during the previous academic school year. Students in grades 9-12 are eligible.
Doubling Policy
“Doubling” is defined as taking two required courses at the same time when the child has failed the course the previous year. Students can only be considered for doubling in English and Social Studies. Students will be permitted to “double” only upon the recommendation of the counselor and teacher with the approval of the principal and permission of the parent. This decision will be based, in part, on the initiative of the student in their attempts to correct the deficiency (i.e. tutoring; summer school, after school help, etc.).
College Level Courses Taken by High School Students
Approval by home school is required prior to enrollment.
Students will be awarded a number grade and a 1/2 unit of credit for a semester-long college course if it is required for high school graduation. This information will be recorded on the student’s high school transcript. A number grade will be assigned.
A+ = 98
A = 95
A- = 92
B+ = 88
B = 85
B- = 82
C+ = 78
C- = 75
C = 72
D = 65
Grades will not be used for honor roll or Academic Honor C purposes. Final grades earned in the course will be used to figure final rank and average for graduation. It is the responsibility of the student to submit their grade to the guidance office.
Other courses taken will be recorded as letter grades, and 1/2 unit of credit will be awarded, but grades earned will not be used to determine rank and average of honor roll. These courses will be recorded as a letter grade on the student’s permanent record card.
Students are encouraged to take college level courses when appropriate. Credits earned may be recognized by other colleges and the enrichment of one’s program will be looked at favorably by college admissions personnel.
See your guidance counselor for the form called Application for College Credit.
Class Rank and Average Policy
A student’s rank and average are determined by using all credit-bearing courses taken during grades 9, 10, 11, first through third quarters grade 12, and any credit-bearing courses in grade 7 and 8 which are granted numerical grades. Final school grade (F.S.G.) will be used to calculate the high school class rank and average. Full one-credit courses count twice as much as one-half credit courses.
If a student repeats a course during the full academic year, then the highest final school grade will be used.
If a student repeats a course during the summer session, then the summer school grading policy is in effect.
If a student is permitted to “double” as defined in the Student Planner, then the grade used for class rank is the average of the previous final school grade for the course and the final school grade from the twenty-week double session.
Graduation Requirements
Course Requirements For Graduation
Course | Credits |
|---|---|
English | 4 |
Social Studies | 4 |
Math | 3 |
Science | 3 |
LOTE | 1 |
Health | .5 |
Art/Music | 1 |
Electives | 3.5 |
Physical Education | 2 |
Total Units | 22 |
Graduation Testing Requirements/Pathways
Diploma Type | Assessments |
|---|---|
Regents | 5 required Regents exams(1) with a score of 65 or better as follows:
|
Regents with Honors | 5 required Regents exams(1) with a score of 90 or better as follows:
|
Regents with Advanced Designation | 8 Assessments (Any one of the following pathways below)
In addition a student must pass either a locally developed Checkpoint B LOTE* examination or complete a 5 unit sequence in the Arts or CTE. In addition, a student complete a 5-unit sequence in the arts or CTE must eam an additional 2 LOTE credits or a 5-unit sequence in the arts or CTE For a Regents with Advanced Designation with Honors with a computed average score of 90 or better - no more than 2 Department approved alternatives may be substituted and will not count in the computed average. |
** May substitute 5 credits of Art, Music or career and technical courses
Students identified as having handicapping conditions may be exempt from the second language requirement for the Regents diploma if the students I.E.P. states that the requirement is not appropriate.
All students’ grades 9-12 are required to carry 6 credits each school year, not including Physical Education.
Dropping Course Procedure
If a student wishes to drop a course once this year begins, the student and their parents must discuss this with both the teacher and counselor. Students are allowed to change courses until the end of the first full week of school each semester. Once the drop period passes at the start of the school year, a student may not add or drop a course until the midyear point. Once that period passes at the second semester, a student MUST complete the course. If a student changes courses at the midyear, his report card will be marked DP (Drop Passing) or DF (Drop Failing). Scheduling changes are made on the recommendation of the teacher in consultation with the student, parent and/or counselor.
Other Information
Students scoring below passing on required Regents Exams will be scheduled for Academic Intervention Service (AIS).
A student may follow an alternative high school equivalency education program toward a high school equivalency diploma or return to a local diploma option.
A student with a handicapping condition as defined by New York State Law and the Committee on Special Education (CSE) may be awarded a local certificate as delineated on that student’s IEP. Whenever possible, a handicapped student is given every opportunity to earn a regular school diploma.
Students, based on recommendations from classroom teachers and guidance counselors, may accelerate in their eighth grade year in one or more areas. Areas of acceleration are: music, art, Regents mathematics, Regents science, social studies, English and second language.
"Credit by examination” as defined by New York State, is a privilege designated for exceptional students. Please see your counselor for information.
Foreign Exchange Students may not be eligible to earn Regents diplomas.