Students taking Advanced Placement or Advanced Credit courses can take an AP exam in the spring to receive college credit. If the exam is successfully completed, college credit or advanced placement in college courses may result. The type and amount of credit applied to college programs varies according to each institution’s guidelines.

Some courses at FHHS may be offered as Advanced Credit classes through the University of Missouri-St. Louis, MO Baptist, or Lindenwood University. Students who pay the tuition and successfully complete a course approved for dual credit by either university will receive both high school credit and college credit for the course. Teachers will advise students of the Advanced Credit status of courses in the fall.

The program offers high school students an opportunity to earn transferable college credits while still enrolled in high school. Beginning in a student’s junior year, students may enroll in Lanes 1 or 2 of the Early College Program and replace part or all of their traditional high school course schedule with college courses. Students in grades 9-12 may enroll in Lane 3. Early College Program students will take college coursework with textbooks and curriculum taught by SCC professors. Students can earn enough credits to complete part or all of an Associate’s Degree while concurrently earning a high school diploma. A 2.5 cumulative GPA is required to participate in the program.

Francis Howell High School offers vocational work-study for seniors in either the Business/Cooperative Work Experience, Marketing/Cooperative Work Experience or Culinary Work Experience. These programs allow high school students release time and credit for supervised work experience. Students must be enrolled in a minimum of 5 credit classes in addition to the work program credit each semester at FHHS. Because of scheduling constraints, students should not anticipate leaving the FHHS campus until 12:30 p.m. at the earliest, nor can we guarantee a five period day. Please see a business teacher for questions and an application.

Global Business/Entrepreneurship, Healthcare, and Technology Solutions (IT and Creative Media) are three strands available. Careers in those fields will be explored through a real-world, project-based learning strategy through collaborations with business and community partners. The program emphasizes the development of professional skills, such as communication and collaboration, which employers deem highly important to individual successes. Prospective students must apply online through the St. Charles County CAPS website.

Computer Information Systems, Computer Maintenance Technology, Health Occupations, Power Equipment Technology are all one-year programs open to juniors and seniors. Acceptance into the programs is highly selective and determined by the staff of Lewis and Clark. Students must complete an application in the Guidance Office at FHHS and take the OASIS test in January. Students accepted into a Lewis and Clark program will be enrolled in 3 hours each semester at FHHS and 3 hours at Lewis and Clark. Students can earn a maximum of 6 credits for the year. An hour of travel/lunch is provided in the schedule.