Additional Learning Opportunities
Early College Opportunities
*Concurrent Enrollment:
Marshwood High School, in partnership with YCCC, SMCC and other colleges/universities, offer courses approved for college credit in addition to the MHS credit earned. Courses are taught by MHS faculty and are available students during the regular school day. Students must register at the start of the class through the On Course or ExplorEC college portal (with teacher's assistance). All concurrent classes are weighted as college-level course (AP weight) and may transfer to a college/university in the future. Current Concurrent courses at MHS include: YCCC English Composition, AP Calc, AP Stats, Advanced Algebra, Quantitative Reasoning, Honors Precalc, and Music Appreciation. There are also several SRTC and Dover CTC programs that offer concurrent enrollment opportunities as well. All concurrent courses are marked with an asterisk.
YCCC and UMaine system:
YCCC/UMaine Dual Enrollment Info
Great Bay CC:
Similar to YCCC, Great Bay Community College in Portsmouth, NH also offer dual enrollment opportunities. Students will need to travel to Great Bay in order to take advantage of these opportunities, we do not offer these courses at Marshwood.
AP4ME: The state of Maine offers AP level online courses for high school students. There is no cost to this program. Students need to be nominated by their counselor in order to participate. These courses are fast paced and are meant for the self motivated student. For Maine residents only.
VLACS:
The Virtual Learning Academy is a New Hampshire based online school that offers AP level courses for students. These courses are free for New Hampshire residents, and provides the same opportunity that AP4All provides to Maine students.
VHS:
Virtual High School is an online learning program that can provide an opportunity for students to take AP Spanish or AP French. Interested students should see their school counselor for more information. This course option would be free for students.
eStart:
Partnership between VLACS and the Community College System of NH. Credits earned are dual credits for high school and college. This is offered to New Hampshire juniors and seniors and these credits can transfer to many colleges. Because MHS will be the DOE approved high school for these NH residents, they will be eligible to take courses through the eStart program.
estart Eligibility Requirements
EMBARK:
This program is available for Maine resident students who plan to attend community college after high school or who need additional support through the college process. There are many benefits to this program including free dual enrollment courses, meeting monthly with an academic advisor and the opportunity for a scholarship to attend a Maine community college after graduation.
Additional Information regarding External Course Expectations:
You have signed up for an external course outside of MHS (Dual enrollment, AP4ME, VHS, etc.).
Please read the following MHS expectations carefully:
Students need to be passing at least 4 courses (MHS and/or external course) per quarter in order to be eligible to play sports, participate in extracurricular activities or to be considered for any quarterly or year-end honors.
Students are responsible for the cost of the textbook(s) and fees (if applicable) for each dual enrollment course in which they enroll.
Students can only receive free tuition for 12.0 credits per year (Summer-Spring) for dual enrollment courses.
If a student withdraws after a college’s add/drop period or fails the course, it will be reflected on the student’s high school and college transcript. A withdrawal will be noted as ‘WD’ and a failure will show as a grade of 64 on the MHS transcript. The student may also be responsible for additional fees and will be added into a MHS study hall for the remainder of the semester.
Colleges and external programs will only communicate with the student per FERPA guidelines.
Marshwood High School does not have access to in-progress college grades and therefore will not be able to notify students or parents if the student is in jeopardy of not passing the course.
If you have any questions or concerns, please contact your student’s school counselor.
Independent Studies
Students wishing to seek learning opportunities beyond or outside of the school's curriculum may do so through an independent course of study arrangement. Independent study coursework may not be used to meet core graduation requirements. All independent study arrangements require approval by the school counselor, department leader and principal, and must be overseen by a faculty member highly qualified in the content area. (Note: Faculty members, who engage in independent study arrangements with students, do so in good faith, without additional district compensation and with the understanding that they will prioritize all other professional obligations.) An independent study is considered an external credit. Students may earn a maximum of two (2) external credits. Independent study courses are listed on a student’s schedule and are included on the transcript as Pass/Fail.
For all independent study courses the student and the faculty member must be presented to the student’s school counselor detailing the goals of the learning experience, the specified outcomes, assessments, the required time commitment, common meeting times and length of course (year long or ½ year). The quantity and quality of work expected must be equal to or exceed that which would be expected in a regular course at Marshwood High School.
Extended Learning Opportunities
Extended Learning Opportunities are interest-based, customized learning experiences that happen outside the traditional classroom. ELOs can be for elective credit or for personal enrichment. ELOs can occur outside of regular school hours. ELOs are often outside of school in a business/organization in the community.
ELOs are inspired by and designed with the student. Students are encouraged to dive deeper into a meaningful topic, explore a career or follow an ambition. Examples include: Learn sign language; work on getting your real estate license; job shadow in the healthcare field; or train in a trade. ELOs empower students to pursue individual aspirations and to connect with the communities around them!
ELO credit is earned by completing a learning plan. Students are supported in developing the learning plan and supported throughout the extended learning experience.
At MHS there are several types of ELOs including but not limited to Independent Study • Project Based Learning •Job Shadow • Apprenticeship • Digital Learning • Internship • Work Based Learning
ELO approval is required in advance. See your school counselor for more information.