Pathways to Excellence

St. Charles High Schools are committed to keeping open every door possible for our students after graduation.  More importantly, we are working to ensure that students and parents feel confident our graduates can step through those doors and perform successfully.

Many resources for academic support for students are available. Some of these resources include the following: Literacy Block, Extended Math classes, Applied Studies, the Math Lab, the Writing Center, and a wide variety of tutorials. Opportunities for students to move through academic pathways are available.

Most District 303 students will go on to a post-secondary college experience after high school.  A significant number of students apply and perform well at highly competitive colleges.  Our students who choose to go into the workforce, technical certification, or military careers also pursue the higher levels of training and opportunities those avenues offer them.

We encourage and offer support to students to take advantage of the most challenging curriculum at which they can succeed. Please look carefully at what Standard, Honors, and Advanced Placement Pathways offer in each curricular area and choose courses that prepare you to take advantage of  post-secondary opportunities.

Standard

St. Charles High Schools actively work to ensure every student receives a curriculum that provides high quality assignments and assessments over the significant concepts within each content area.

Our teachers collaborate to refine lessons and increase support so that students in standard classes find higher-level learning experiences to be engaging and achievable. Teachers work to identify key standards within each course and create common   assessments that identify when students still need assistance.

We assure students and families that quality teaching and learning are at the foundation of all we do. Critical thinking, reading, and writing are fundamental to every standard pathway course. Standard courses are designed to ensure all students meet Illinois Learning Standards.  

 Honors

The honors pathway challenges students to extend their learning into content concepts that require more independent investigation and autonomous learning inside and outside of the classroom. As a result, students earning a grade of C or better receive an additional 1.0 point when determining grade point average. 

Advanced Placement

The Advanced Placement pathway opens doors to competitive colleges and universities and honors programs. More importantly, completing a successful AP experience can better prepare students for college and post-secondary success. St. Charles High Schools offer a wide variety of Advanced Placement courses.

College admissions offices recognize that an honors curriculum and district-written assessments for honors courses may vary from state to state, and even from district to district. Because the AP curriculum and accompanying exam represent a nationally  standardized program, many admissions offices, particularly at competitive colleges, show preference for students who have successfully completed an Advanced Placement curriculum.

While there are many advantages of having Advanced Placement courses on a student’s transcript, students are cautioned about   enrolling in too many AP courses within any semester:

▪ Time demands from juggling multiple AP courses should be considered carefully.

▪ A well-balanced transcript that includes high-level electives which enrich a student’s experience are also important in the college admissions process.

AP students can expect to devote considerable time on their own outside of class in preparation for Advanced Placement assignments and assessments. This may include required summer assignments.

Advanced Placement courses offer high school students an opportunity to study college-level material while still enrolled in high school.  All students who enroll in Advanced Placement courses are required to take the Advanced Placement exam in May.  By participating in the Advanced Placement examination program, students may receive advanced placement, credit, or both for a specific college or university. College Board has an AP Credit Policy Search webpage to see if Advanced Placement credit is accepted.  If your specific college or university isn’t listed, you are encouraged to contact the school directly. 

Advanced Placement Exams Benefit Students

• • • • District 303 requires students to take the Advanced Placement  Exam because of the inherent benefits:

      • ▪  Students challenge themselves at the highest academic level.

      • ▪Students position themselves to be competitively marketable when applying to their first choice universities or colleges.

      • ▪ Depending on the university policy, a score of 3, 4, or 5 may be awarded college credit. Some students and families elect to apply this credit, allowing them to save money and/or to move into more advanced levels as a freshman in college.

AP Capstone Diploma

Students who take AP Seminar and AP Research and score a 3 or higher on those AP Exams will receive the AP Seminar and Research Certificate from the College Board. Students who take AP Seminar and AP Research and score a 3 or higher on those AP Exams and four other AP Exams at any point throughout high school will receive the AP Capstone Diploma from the College Board.  For more information on these recognitions, please see Appendix. 

ADVANCED PLACEMENT COURSES

The following Advanced Placement courses are offered at St. Charles High Schools and anticipated fees are based on 24-25 costs: 

ADDITIONAL COURSE FEES

The following courses are offered at St. Charles High Schools and have fees associated with them.  These include anticipated costs based on the 24-25 school year: