Course Selection
As you select your courses from the online Curriculum Coursebook, please know you do not need to make selections alone! Your advisor, teachers, and the College Counseling Office are here to assist you in the selection of your academic plan of study. While your advisor and others are ready to help in making decisions concerning the number and difficulty of courses you might take, ultimately the decisions are up to you if you are deciding between recommended courses. You are responsible for your own program and performance.
Course Recommendations
Department recommendations for the following year are made in late January/early February and shared with students. These recommendations are based on factors that include, but are not limited to: classroom performance, ability to work independently, preparation for and participation in class, and standardized test scores, where appropriate. A recommendation means that a student may take that course, not that he/she must take it. After final assessments, recommendations may be reviewed and amended. Students in ninth grade and their families are notified of these recommendations in late spring. Upperclassmen are aware of their recommendations prior to course sign up in early March. Our goal is to make sure you are in the appropriate course of study based on your abilities, interests, strengths, and weaknesses.
Enrollment Against Recommendations
To request enrollment in a course against recommendation, a student must contact the course teacher and the Department Chair to schedule a conversation. After this meeting occurs, if the student and family still wish to change his/her/their course of study, they must submit a written request to the Department Chair and Head of Upper School, stating his/her/their reasons for the request. In submitting the request, students and their families must indicate that they understand that: sectioning and staffing decisions will be based on the number of students recommended for the course; students may not be able to change courses; and teachers are not required to provide unlimited extra help to students in courses elected against recommendation. Enrollment is not automatic. Students who end the year on Academic Probation may not request any course against recommendation. The Department Chair and Head of Upper School will make the final decision regarding a student’s placement.
Honors and Advanced Courses
Honors and advanced courses are accelerated courses for qualified students who have shown exceptional ability and who work well independently. Honors and advanced designation indicates one or more of the following about a course as compared to a standard course or offerings at that grade-level: it moves more quickly, covers more topics or delves more deeply into subject matter, and/or requires a greater level of inquiry. Honors and advanced courses require students to produce more creative and extensive individual work. Placement in honors and advanced courses is not appropriate for all students, and a manageable course load is important. Students are recommended for honors and advanced courses after meeting specific academic prerequisites.
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