PROGRAM INFORMATION

Credits

All students have the opportunity to earn 28 credits during their four years of high school. Students must earn 26 credits in order to meet the credit requirement for graduation. Satisfactory completion of the work required in any course will entitle a student to the credits listed for that course, as indicated on the pages describing the course offerings in each subject.

Additionally credits toward a Nipmuc Regional High School diploma can be earned by successful completion of courses taken in dual enrollment programs or pre-approved "off-campus" courses. 

• Endorsed Courses (College or High School): Some courses offered outside Nipmuc are officially endorsed by the school. These courses are automatically approved for students. Families are responsible for tuition and fees. Once completed, the course and grade will appear on the student’s Nipmuc transcript and count towards credit and GPA.

• Independent Courses (With Prior Approval): Students may also take courses (college-level or high school-level) that are not on Nipmuc’s endorsed list. To have these courses count on the Nipmuc transcript, they must be approved before enrollment. Approval requires input from the department chair, school counselor, and principal. Once completed, the course and grade will appear on the student’s Nipmuc transcript and count towards credit and GPA.

• Independent Courses (Without Prior Approval): If a student completes a course through another institution without prior approval, the transcript will be kept on file as an attachment to the Nipmuc transcript and will not count towards credit and GPA.

Credits for courses that have been failed can be earned through successful completion of approved courses at an accredited summer school with the following stipulations:

• Students must complete all their work due to the teacher and have a minimum of a 58 average for the year or teacher approval in order to attend summer school.

• The student must attain a 70 or better in the summer school program in order to earn a passing grade of 65 at Nipmuc Regional High School.

• Upon successful completion of an approved summer school course, a numerical grade of 65 for the course will be recorded on the student’s permanent academic record. At the same time the actual summer school grade will be recorded on the student’s permanent academic record as a separate item. 

• Any exceptions to this summer school regulation may be granted only after consultation with an administrator, the classroom teacher, and the school counselor.

Promotion 

Promotion is based upon the accumulation of credits during the year. The following  minimum requirements must be satisfied to progress to subsequent grades. 

• For entrance to Grade 10 6 credits 

• For entrance to Grade 11 12 credits

• For entrance to Grade 12 19 credits

Graduation Requirements

Course Requirements:

• English 4 credits

• Mathematics 3 credits

• Science 3 credits

• History 3 credits (WEx, US 1, US 2)

• Phys. Ed. 1 credit

Credit Requirements:

• 26 Total Credits (out of a possible 28)

Levels of Academic Rigor

• Advanced Placement (AP) is a program of college-level courses and exams that give high  school students the opportunity to receive advanced placement and/or credit in college.  This program represents the most rigorous academic program available at Nipmuc  Regional. Additional summer work prior to the start of class in August may be required.  The fee for the AP test which is taken in the spring will be collected during the first few  weeks of school. 

• Honors courses are designed to prepare diligent students for competitive four-year  colleges. Honors courses require substantial reading, homework, and analytical skills. 

• College-Post Secondary (CPS) courses are designed for students who desire to enter two or four year colleges as well as technical/vocational schools. 

Honor Roll

At the end of each marking period, an honor roll will be completed and published of those  students who have successfully met the following academic requirements. 

• Numerical grade of 80 or better in all subjects

• No incompletes at the end of the marking period without administrative approval. 

• After school courses (drama, stage band, chorus, etc.) do not count toward honor roll. 

When all of the above requirements have been met, a student will achieve: 

• High Honors: If the overall average in all subjects in Item a is 90 or better. 

• Honors: If the overall average in all subjects in Item a is between 85 and 90. 

• Honorable Mention: If the overall average in all subjects in Item a is between 80 and 84. 

GPA

Grade Point Average (GPA) is a numerical summary of your academic performance at Nipmuc. We use a 4.0 weighted scale to ensure that students are recognized for both the rigor of their coursework and their performance in class.

The GPA is determined by two main factors:

• The Numerical Grade: Your final grade for a course (expressed on a scale of 0–100) is converted into a point value on a 4.0 scale.

• The Course Level: Each course is assigned a level: College Post Secondary (CPS), Honors, or Advanced Placement (AP). To reflect the increased challenge of advanced courses, Honors and AP classes are assigned additional "weight" (extra points) in the calculation.

The Weighted Advantage

Because of the extra weight added for Honors and AP levels, it is possible for students to achieve a GPA higher than 4.0. However, the 4.0 remains the standard for excellence across all levels and students in CPS courses can also earn 4.0 points by achieving top numerical grades in their coursework. This system encourages students to challenge themselves with advanced coursework, ensuring that their GPA reflects the level of academic rigor.

GPA Calculation & Timing

• GPA is officially recalculated at the end of each semester.

• Only courses that have reached completion and resulted in a final numerical grade (0–100) are included in the GPA calculation. Current courses that are mid-progress do not factor into the cumulative GPA until the final mark is recorded.

Independent Study/Teaching Assistant Positions

Independent study courses may be available for juniors and seniors looking to design a course in an area of particular interest. To do so, the student must first have met with a faculty member willing to oversee and mentor the student and the course. A course syllabus, desired outcomes, and assessments to be used must be presented in writing by the student and teacher to the principal for approval. Courses must be submitted no later than June 1 for a fall or yearlong course and no later than December 31 for a spring semester course. Level and credit will be determined at the time of approval. Additionally, juniors and seniors who wish to serve as Teaching Assistants must have a teacher recommendation submitted in PowerSchool.