Academic Information

Graduation Requirements

A student must earn twenty-four (24) credits in grades nine (9) through twelve (12) in order to be eligible for graduation. A minimum of four (4) of the total credits must be in English, four (4) in Social Studies, four (4) in Mathematics, four (4) in Science, and six (6) in elective courses. A student must also earn a total of two (2) credits in the area of Physical Education, Health, and Wellness.

Additional requirements pursuant to 022 Pa. Code § 4.24

A statewide graduation requirement takes effect for the graduating class of 2022. Visit https://www.education.pa.gov/K-12/Assessment%20and%20Accountability/GraduationRequirements/Pages/default.aspx for more information.

Course Selection

Students will receive instructions for completing online course selection through their Infinite Campus accounts. Students are encouraged to work closely with their school counselor, teachers, and parents/guardians when selecting courses. The following may be considered:

Course Acceleration

Students may choose to take two levels of core course in their freshman, sophomore or junior year. This “doubling-up” provides the student with more flexibility in subsequent years, including the opportunity to take some of the Advanced Placement courses offered at Twin Valley High School

Year-long Mathematics

Some students may benefit from a slower-paced, remedial study of mathematics. If a student is recommended for year-long mathematics (Algebra I or Geometry), the student will earn two credits in the same mathematics course. This option should be discussed with the student’s teachers and high school counselor.

Early Graduation

It is possible for a student to satisfy Twin Valley High School’s graduation requirements one or more semesters early. Students who are considering graduating prior to June of their senior year should discuss this with their high school counselor as soon as possible.

Dropping and Adding Classes

Every effort will be made to honor all student course requests; however, it is not always possible to fulfill every request and sometimes students may be scheduled into courses that were not requested. The deadline for requesting schedule changes will be included with the release of 2020-2021 class schedules. Requests to change academic levels (i.e. honors level to academic) will be entertained within the first five (5) days of the course. Such requests require administrative approval. Withdrawals approved after the first five (5) days of the course will be listed on the student’s transcript.

Course Failures

A failing grade in a required course necessitates that the course be taken again. This may occur in one of three ways: retaking the course the following semester if the student’s schedule allows, retaking the course through a school approved online provider during the school year, or retaking the course through a school approved online provider during the summer. Each online course requires administrative approval; families will incur the cost of tuition for any online course.

Academic Course Levels

Each course at Twin Valley High School falls into one of three levels: Advanced Placement, Honors, or Academic. These levels allow students to choose the appropriate challenge and rigor as they consider 5 their post-secondary future. The following descriptions will help students and parents select the appropriate level

Advanced Placement® (AP)

These courses are academically demanding and challenging. Students who plan to enroll in an honors level college program or those who are interested in exploring a subject at the most challenging level should consider taking courses at the AP® level. Students receive weighted credit for courses at this level. Many colleges will grant college credit for AP® courses if you take the AP® Exam and receive a score of 3 or higher. Teacher/counselor recommendation is encouraged to enroll in AP® courses .

Honors (H)

Honors level courses will cover more material in greater depth, and demand more work than academic level courses. Students must be committed to fulfilling all course requirements. Students choosing honors level courses should have a strong academic record and a desire to attend a competitive four-year college. Students receive weighted credit for honors level courses.

Academic

With the implementation of the Pennsylvania Core Standards, rigor is demanded at all levels – including academic. Courses at this level will provide a strong academic background in order to prepare students for career and/or college readiness.

At the conclusion of each course, a letter grade is recorded based on the student’s numerical grade as follows

Each letter grade corresponds to a number of quality points per credit. Due to the higher demands and increased rigor inherent in Honors (H) and Advanced Placement® (AP) courses, those courses are considered to be “weighted” and thus receive a higher number of quality points.

A student’s Grade Point Average (GPA) is calculated by dividing the total number of quality points earned by the total number of credits attempted. Class rank is determined by GPA and is reported at the end of each semester.