Academic Policies
AP Course Load
Students in 10th grade may be permitted to take the following AP courses if they meet the prerequisite requirements or specific program selection criteria (American Studies). Please note that it is not possible for a 10th grade student to take more than 2 AP courses in their schedule.
AP Capstone Seminar American Studies English (application program)
U.S. History 1 AP (note the AP exam for this course is taken after the completion of U.S. History II AP)
Principles of Computer Science AP
Computer Science AP (if student meets the prerequisite requirement of Computer Programming Honors in 9th grade)
Students in 11th and 12th grade are permitted to take a maximum of 5 AP classes. Students enrolled in RAHP are permitted to take 5 AP classes in addition to AP RAHP Seminar or AP RAHP Research.
AP Self Study
Students are welcome but not encouraged to take self-study options for AP courses. AP courses require extreme rigor and are best taken in a standard classroom environment at Ridgewood High School.
Any student taking the self-study option will be afforded the opportunity to take the AP exam at Ridgewood HS for AP courses offered for that student's grade level. For example, a 10th grade student would not be able to self-study for Statistics AP because that course is not offered to 10th grade students. 9th grade students are not eligible for AP courses or exams. Please understand the self-study option will not count for high school credit or appear on the transcript.
AP World Language Self-Study Courses Not Offered at RHS
Students who would like to take the self-study option in an AP World Language course that is not offered at RHS, will have the opportunity to do so every other year beginning in 2021. These courses include Japanese, Chinese, German and Italian.
Appeal Process for Teacher Recommendations
Each year, teachers at Ridgewood High School make recommendations for student placements for the next school year. After spending the last six months with students in the classroom of their particular subject, teachers use observations of student skills, assessment achievement, student organization, preparation, work ethic, and student feedback on their goals as information to use when making their recommendation.
In total, our teachers at RHS make approximately 14,000 class recommendations for our 1,800 students; the first step in building a master schedule. Our teachers make recommendations with their students’ academic path, mental health, and balance in mind. The goal of the teacher recommendation is to ensure our students are best placed in a setting where they are challenged, grow, and are successful.
Rationale for the Teacher Recommendation Appeal Process
We do understand that a student may wish to enroll in a course other than the one recommended. To ensure that each student makes the best decision and receives feedback from the appropriate people, we have the Teacher Recommendation Appeal Process designed to have our educators at RHS work collaboratively with students and parents to help each of our students be appropriately scheduled in September. This process is an important growth moment for our students as they journey through Ridgewood High School. Our teachers, counselors, supervisors, administrators, and parents are able to collaborate with the student to make a decision on what is best for their future. This is at the heart of the reason we have a teacher recommendation appeal process.
Steps of the Teacher Recommendation Appeal Process
Step 1: Review your teacher recommendations and finalize your schedule in Skyward by March 1. Conversations on specific recommendations with your teachers should take place in January and February.
Step 2: See your school counselor in person in the guidance department office to discuss your entire schedule for the upcoming school year. Please remember the importance of balance in your schedule.
Step 3: If you would like to move forward with appealing a teacher recommendation, your school counselor will give you a google-form link for you to complete and submit by April 15. Parents should review the google-form link and sign off before students submit electronically.
Step 4: Each appeal will be reviewed by department supervisors and administrators, after receiving additional input from teachers at RHS. Appeal decisions will be communicated to the student and parent/guardian in writing by July 1.
Step 5: If a parent still disagrees with the appeal decision, there is a Parent Override Waiver Form available through the Director of Guidance’s office. This information will be included in the appeal decision letter. Parents do have the right to waive their student into a class after going through the appeal process.
Considerations When Appealing A Course
If a student enrolls in a course they were not recommended for there is a chance that the student will receive grades lower than what they are used to. Furthermore, a student may spend a substantial increase in time and effort to keep up the pace of this course, which could impact other areas of the student's daily schedule. Please understand that when a student enrolls in a course other than the one recommended, due to scheduling parameters and class sizes, there is no guarantee that a student will be able to transfer from one class to another next year, if the need arises. Our hope is that each student will experience success in any chosen course of study, and we want you to be aware of the process and requirements associated with advancing into a course.
Audits
Students may choose to audit a class for the purpose of enrichment or to repeat a course that is a prerequisite to another. The audit agreement is made between the student and teacher once the semester has begun but no later than the end of the third week. Teachers are not required to accept auditors. Acceptance is based on enrollment only and if seats are available. If an audit agreement is made, teachers are not required to evaluate student work or progress. The course audit, when completed, will appear on the permanent record but no credit will be issued and audited courses do not fulfill graduation requirements.
Financial Assistance
Any student unable to pay any special course costs or purchase required workbooks may apply for financial assistance in the Principal’s office.
Grades after a Course Change
The practice for grade transfer for current RHS students who change classes and/or a level of a class during the school year is as follows:
If a student changes a class within 20 school days (full year course) or 10 school days (semester course) from the start of the class, the grades do not transfer to the new class.
If a student changes a class after 20 school days (full year course) or 10 school days (semester course) from the start of the class, the grades do transfer to the new class.
**Please note If a student is not recommended for a class, completes the parent override process in the year prior, and then changes course level at any time in the current school year, the grades do transfer to the new class.**
New Work for Credit
New work for credit courses given by an accredited high school can be used for transcript purposes. Only courses given by Ridgewood High School can be used for calculating a GPA. This must be pre-approved by a supervisor prior to enrolling.
College courses or special programs taken during the year can be used for credit toward high school graduation. The Department Supervisor must approve credit for those seeking acceleration in the curriculum pattern.
Online Courses
Financial Literacy will be the only course that will be permitted to be taken online for new credit. The program must be approved by the department supervisor.
Remediating Courses
When a student earns a grade of D or E, he/she is entitled to remediate the course through an approved summer school. Both grades will appear on the transcript and calculate into the GPA.
(Please note that only RHS’s summer school grades will be calculated into the GPA. Other pre-approved summer schools will be honored for credit but not GPA weighting.)
Student Records
The Family Rights and Privacy Act of 1975 permit parents/guardians to access their child’s school records. Copies of the procedures regarding student records are available upon request.
A student’s school records may be examined upon request by natural parents/guardians or any person designated as a representative by them. Students 14 years or older may examine their records. Younger students must have parental consent.
Official student records may not be released to other persons or institutions without written permission of the parent/child, except as otherwise authorized by law.
Procedures for challenging the contents of student records are included in the policy.
Any questions regarding this law or the school’s policy should be directed to the High School for clarification.
Transferring Credit
Credit earned by Ridgewood High School students in educational programs outside the High School District is subject to review prior to acceptance.
Coursework taken by students at another Bergen County District high school prior to their matriculation as freshmen shall not receive high school credit.
Evening high school, foreign study programs and junior college coursework may be accepted as credit toward graduation with the prior approval of the Principal.
The practice for grade transfers for students who enter Ridgewood High School mid-term directly from another school is as follows:
The counselor will inform each teacher of the grade earned by the student in the similar course at the previous school.
The teacher will use that grade in conjunction with the grades earned at Ridgewood High School to determine quarter and semester grades.
4. The practice for grade transfers for students who enter mid-term without having attended school previously that semester is as follows:
A student who enters school during the first three weeks of the semester without having attended school previously that semester will be required to do make-up work in each of his/her courses.
A student who enters after the third week but before the end of the twelfth week without having attended school previously that semester can get credit for courses if:
he/she satisfactorily passes required work for the date of entry,
he/she passes the final examination, and
the teacher recommends that full credit be awarded. The teacher will recommend that full credit be awarded if the student is judged to be ready to move onto the next course in the sequence, by having achieved a level of learning similar to other students in the course.