It is important to make thoughtful decisions when requesting courses so that your schedule is the right fit for you.  With all class changes, the expectation is that the students have a conversation with their parents/guardians, school counselor, teacher of the course being dropped or added, and in some cases, the department leader and/or administrator to understand the impact of the change.  

If you drop a full-year course within the first 20 days of the commencement of the course, or by the 10th day of a half-year course, nothing will appear on your report card or transcript.  If you drop a half-year course after the 10th day, a “W” for withdrawn will appear on your permanent transcript. You must use the add/drop form to facilitate the change.  Your grade from your current class will carry over to your new class when it is the same academic discipline/course.  

If you drop a full-year course after the first 20 days of the commencement of the course, a “W” for withdrawn will appear on your permanent transcript.  The department chair and administrator must sign the add/drop form when the change happens the 20th day or after.  Your grade from your current class will carry over to your new class when it is the same academic discipline/course.  

Reminder:  Students must carry 6.5 credits each year. You must continue to attend the course for which you are scheduled until you are issued a new schedule by your counselor.  The new schedule is your official “ticket” into the new course or study hall.  If a course cannot be added, in some cases, a course may not be dropped.  Any variation in this policy requires administrative approval.

Academic Grade

Each teacher is required to announce at the beginning of the year how grades are computed.  You may ask teachers to clarify grading procedures at any time during the course.  

Weighted Grade  Point  Average (GPA)

1. Marks for all graded subjects for which credit is awarded (whether passed or failed) are used in computing GPA.  However, “Pass/Fail” courses are not computed in GPA.

2. GPA is determined at the end of each school year.

3. Each ability level has its own weighting factor in computing GPA.  The weighting factor is described below.

Honor Roll and GPA  

While actual grades do not change per course, 5 points are added to Advanced Placement courses' grades and 2 points are added to honors courses’ grades in calculating the quarterly honor roll average and overall GPA on the transcript.

Honor rolls are posted and publicized at the conclusion of each marking period.  Honor roll categories are based on the following classifications:

First Honors 90 or higher average

Second Honors 85-89 average

If you pass a course but lose credit due to excessive absences based on the attendance policy, the course will not count toward required graduation credits or distribution requirements.

Students who take and pass courses at the middle school, which are also taught at the high school grade level (currently Algebra , Spanish C, Spanish D, French C, and French D), will continue in sequence.  Transcripts will reflect the completion of these courses at the middle school.  Middle school grades will not be included in computation of students' cumulative average.  Students may opt out of reporting middle school grades and credits on their high school transcript.  A single (1.0) graduation credit will be granted to students for math and world language coursework successfully completed in grades 7 and 8 if the student also meets the proficiency standard on the Algebra end of course assessment and the FLST (Farmington Language Standards Test).  These credits will count toward the 25-credit graduation distribution requirements in these content areas.

If you need to take a summer school class to make up for losing a credit during the school year and that class is offered through Farmington’s High School's summer school program (managed by Farmington's Continuing Education), you must take that class at Farmington High School.  If Farmington’s summer school program does not offer the summer school course you need, please see your school counselor for the list of approved summer school programs, and obtain an administrator’s approval prior to enrolling.

On occasion, students may request to take a course outside of Farmington High.  The following guidelines will determine external credit eligibility toward a Farmington diploma.  Credit towards graduation can be obtained in alternate ways.  In addition to classes taken on campus, credits earned at the following programs affiliated with Farmington High are examples of credits that may be applied to a Farmington diploma:

• Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts

• Bristol Technical Education Center

Below are the descriptions of some of the most popular methods:

College Level Courses

Students may enroll in college level courses, but the credit will not be applied toward graduation requirements or added to the high school transcript. Students may elect to send the college transcript to other colleges or universities as a part of their college application.

Independent Study Programs

Recognizing that certain types of learning experiences are most effectively realized when students are allowed to work independently of formal classroom instruction, FHS offers an independent study program.  This program is open to ALL students.  In order to participate, you must find a teacher-sponsor who will help you develop an activity which may serve as an alternate to, part of, or all of a course in which you are currently enrolled.  This proposal is submitted to Ms. Kapcinski for approval within the first 10 days of each semester.  Credit is awarded based on successful demonstration of the learning standards documented in the contract.  This credit cannot be part of the 6.5course credits required to be a full-time student at Farmington High School nor can it fulfill a distribution requirement and it is not factored into the GPA.  

Online Courses

An online course will be treated as an independent study course.  An online course cannot count towards the 25 credits for graduation nor in the distribution requirements.  An online course will not be counted in the GPA.  Further, if we offer the course as a core requirement, the student must take that course by the FHS teacher.  An online course cannot substitute for a graduation requirement taught by a Connecticut certified teacher.  If you would like this course to appear as an Independent Study credit on your transcript, the course must be approved by Ms. Kapcinski prior to enrollment.  

Seal of Biliteracy 

For students who have studied and attained proficiency in English and one or more other languages, Farmington Public Schools will award students the Seal of Biliteracy. Please see your school counselor for additional information. 

Transfer students

Students new to FHS will have transfer credits listed on the Farmington transcript. The FHS grade point average (GPA) will be computed based solely on the student’s work at Farmington High School.

Farmington High School provides opportunities for students to take rigorous college-level courses, and the option to potentially earn college-credit while in high school.  Credit is earned based on successful completion of the program’s course criteria at a recognized level of achievement.  The ability to transfer the earned college credits to all universities and colleges varies depending upon the receiving school.  It is recommended that students research the viability of the transfer credits transferring to the post-secondary universities in which they are interested. Students are encouraged to discuss these options with their teachers and their school counselor prior to enrolling.  Our programs and partnerships include the following:

College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) Program

FHS offers 22 AP courses across all departments for students entering grades 10-12.  Some AP courses have prerequisites that must be met in order for a student to enroll.  Students enrolled in AP courses are expected to participate in the culminating AP course exam, which is administered through the College Board in May.  FHS facilitates an AP exam registration process each fall, as there is a fee for taking the AP exam.  

University of Connecticut’s Early College Experience Program (ECE)

UConn Early College Experience (UConn ECE) provides academically motivated students with the opportunity to take university courses while in high school. These challenging courses allow students to preview college work, build confidence in their readiness for college, and earn college credits that provide both an academic and a financial head start on a college degree and other postsecondary opportunities. UConn ECE Instructors are high school teachers certified by the University. UConn ECE Instructors foster independent learning, creativity, and critical thinking - all important for success in college and careers.  Farmington High School offers UConn ECE courses in several disciplines. To support rigorous learning, University of Connecticut academic resources, including library and online classroom access, are available to all UConn ECE Students. 

The Early College Experience (ECE) program through the University of Connecticut affords students the opportunity to take one course for both high school and UCONN college credit. Courses where ECE is offered are ECE optional for all students enrolled in the course.  Students who enroll in Farmington High School’s dual-enrollment course and choose the ECE option must complete the ECE application process and pay the associated tuition/fees. Students who earn a C or better in the ECE course based on UCONN’s performance criteria will earn college credit from UCONN, which will be posted on their University of Connecticut transcript. 

Tunxis Community College Dual Enrollment (TCC)

The dual enrollment program through Tunxis Community College provides students taking designated courses the opportunity to enroll in the TCC course and potentially earn both college credit from TCC and high school credit from FHS.  Students taking designated TCC dual enrollment courses at FHS must register and complete the TCC application process.   Students who do register and meet TCC’s performance criteria for success will receive college credit from TCC, which will be posted on a Tunxis Community College transcript.

Students may audit courses with the permission of Ms. Kapcinski.  Students enrolled in a course can switch to an audit only within the first 10 days of the start of the course.  Audited courses will not count as part of the 6.5 credit load requirement

Students auditing courses are expected to follow the attendance, class work, testing, and behavior policies prescribed for the class.  Their status is the same as that for all other students, except they do not receive credit for their work.  Once a student elects to audit a course, this status will not be changed because of academic performance.

Farmington High School offers courses for students with Individual Education Plans (IEP) and for English Learners (EL). Placement in support courses is based upon individual student needs and the decision of the student’s educational team. 

Half-Day Program – The district’s responsibility for funding tuition for the half-day program is under review.

The Greater Hartford Academy of the Arts is an inter-district magnet high school that offers a half-day program for students throughout the Greater Hartford area. For more than 30 years, the Arts Academy has focused on developing the fullest academic and artistic potential in all students, encouraging them to be creative, engaged citizens, and preparing them to pursue careers in the arts.

Students in grades 9 through 12 can enroll in the program at the Academy of the Arts.  The program is held at the Learning Corridor campus located at 15 Vernon Street, adjacent to Trinity College in Hartford.

For further information, visit the Academy of the Arts website.

The programs at Bristol Technical Educational Center (BTEC) prepare students for entry level employment or for higher education through theoretical and hands on experiences to serve the needs of business and industry.  Students complete their academic and Physical Education requirement through their sending high school and the technology classes at BTEC. Applications are available here. Students enrolled at BTEC earn a diploma from their local high school. BTEC also has a post-secondary program. 

Monday – Friday Full-Day Program                                                            Grades 11, 12

FAHS is an individualized alternative educational program that provides students with a small school setting and individualized instruction that align to the mission and vision of FHS. FAHS is a two-year alternative learning option wherein students study the core academics and engage in vocational, technological and job readiness skills.

Enrollment in FAHS requires an application, an interview and parental consent.