Honors (H): Honors courses are designed for those students who have shown mastery in a subject area and have a desire to develop their talent and interest in greater depth.
Advanced Placement (AP): Advanced Placement courses offer students an opportunity to experience the challenge of a college-level curriculum approved by the College Board and recognized by colleges and universities. AP courses help students develop study habits necessary for tackling rigorous college-level work. Students prepare to take AP exams in May when there is the opportunity to earn college credit with a qualifying score.
International Baccalaureate (IB): The International Baccalaureate Diploma Program provides students around the world with a rigorous, comprehensive education with a global perspective. IB classes are two-year courses offered at the standard (SL) and higher (HL) levels. These courses are recognized by four-year colleges and universities as providing outstanding preparation for postsecondary study. Exams are administered during May of the second year. Students have the opportunity to earn college credit with qualifying scores.
Dual Enrollment Courses: Dual enrollment programs are cooperative agreements between colleges and high schools that allow high school students to take college classes in their high schools for both high school and college credit, with no charge for tuition. Classes are taught by high school instructors who have been approved by Southern Maine Community College (SMCC) or University Southern Maine (USM) as part-time faculty members. Students taking dual enrollment courses can get exposure to college level coursework while working towards their high school diploma. Upon successful completion of a dual enrollment course, the college credit can often times be transferred to other colleges and universities reducing overall costs for college. Currently, GNGHS offers dual enrollment courses in English Composition, English Literature, and Chemistry through SMCC and Advanced Statistics and Probability through USM.
Early College Access: Early College Aspirations is a program through the Maine Department of Education that funds up to 12 credits for Maine high school students to take at Maine colleges and universities. Students enroll in courses that take place on a college campus or online. These classes are free (up to 12 credits a year), students are just responsible for books and lab fees. Scholarships are available if this is a financial hardship. Students earn college credit AND high school credit for these courses. For more information, CLICK HERE.