WHS Academic Information & Policies

INTRODUCTION 

This Program of Studies contains a great deal of useful information; please read it carefully.

School counselors will help students plan their high school program. Because some courses are available only to students in grades 11 and 12, and because courses may have guidelines or prerequisites, students will need to plan ahead carefully. Counselors will help students:

• Assess their interests, strengths, and aptitudes.

• Plan for after graduation. Students may need to take specific courses to prepare for college entry requirements, for example, or to enter a chosen career immediately after high school.

• Develops their potential as much as possible and in as many areas as possible. High school years are a time to stretch and to expand horizons in order for students to find out about themselves and the world around them.

• Explores personal career interests. School Counselors administer a career interest inventory in the tenth grade seminar to help students identify their interests, abilities and strengths.

MISSION STATEMENT 

We cultivate positive learning experiences and foster responsibility and integrity so that upon leaving Wellesley High School our students will continue to contribute to their world. 

Wellesley High School is a dynamic learning community guided by these core values:

• Academic Excellence

• Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging

• Commitment to Community 

• Value and Respect for Human Differences

• Caring and Cooperative Relationships

ACADEMIC EXPECTATIONS: 

Our goal is that Wellesley High School students will: 

• write effectively for a variety of purposes; 

• read actively and critically across the curriculum for a variety of purposes; 

• speak effectively in different settings; 

• express ideas creatively across the curriculum; 

• apply reasoning and problem-solving in all disciplines; 

• use technology effectively and responsibly for a variety of purposes; 

• perform physical and artistic skills; and 

• identify, evaluate and utilize a variety of resources for obtaining information. 

Wellesley High School encourages our community to recognize the value of learning for learning’s sake. 

SOCIAL EXPECTATIONS: 

Our goal is that Wellesley High School community members will: 

• contribute to the well-being and welfare of others within the school community; 

• assume responsibility for their own decisions and behavior; 

• demonstrate a willingness to resolve conflicts responsibly; and 

• respect one another. 

CIVIC EXPECTATIONS: 

Our goal is that Wellesley High School community members will: 

• foster respectful and productive relationships between the Wellesley High School community and the community at large, and 

• exercise their rights and responsibilities in a democratic society. 

Wellesley High School does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, disability or homelessness.

ACCREDITATION

Wellesley High School is accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Inc. (NEASC), a private, nationally-recognized organization whose affiliated institutions include elementary schools through graduate schools.

Accreditation of an institution by NEASC indicates that it meets or exceeds criteria determined by a peer group review process. An accredited school or college is one which has available the necessary resources to achieve its stated purposes through appropriate educational programs, is substantially doing so, and gives reasonable evidence that it will continue to do so in the foreseeable future. Institutional integrity is also indicated by accreditation.

AVAILABILITY OF COURSES DESCRIBED IN THE PROGRAM OF STUDIES

This Program of Studies contains a wide variety of courses, some of which are limited in enrollment. Staffing decisions are made in light of course enrollments and available resources. Low enrollment or staffing constraints may result in the cancellation of courses and/or sections of courses. Other courses or sections of courses may be closed before enrollments become too high. When enrollment is limited, preference will be given to seniors and juniors. School Counselors will assist students in making alternative selections when courses are cancelled or closed. Although average class size guidelines provide the basis for staffing allocations, these are averages and not minimum or maximum class sizes. Actual class sizes typically reflect a range above and below the guidelines and may vary considerably among courses.

Conflicts in the schedule of individual students may occur. It is, therefore, advisable to indicate and prioritize options when planning a program. In all cases, students are assured of being able to enroll in required courses and earn sufficient credits for graduation over the course of the four-year high school experience.

WHS advises students and parents that the taking of college courses during the regular WHS day may prevent students from taking certain WHS classes if course meeting times conflict.

COURSE DESCRIPTORS

Each course listed and described in this booklet contains the following information: Course Name – which gives information about the course content. AP (before the course title) indicates Advanced Placement. After the course name there may be a class designation such as 9, 10, 11 or 12. This indicates the first year a student may enter this course. For courses in Classical and Modern Language, the number refers to the year of study. In Mathematics, the courses follow in sequence as described in the flow chart after the Mathematics section. In Science, the courses follow the flow chart at the end of the Science section. In Social Studies, the sequence is World History in 9th grade, Modern World History in 10th grade, and US History in 11th grade. Social Studies electives have a grade designation following the course titles. The letter following the academic course name indicates the following level designation - H for Honors, ACP for Advanced College Preparatory, and CP for College Preparatory. For courses that are offered at the combined ACP/Honors level, students will be placed in the Honors section for scheduling purposes only. Students will be able to designate which level they would like to be assessed at in the fall once they learn about course expectations. 

Certain courses are available to students in specific grades. Please refer to the section of this book that describes the courses in detail.

CREDIT ALLOCATIONS

Full-year major courses at WHS are worth six credits (science receives seven credits), and semester major courses are worth three credits.  Quarter classes earn 1.5 credits. Other credit allocations for courses meeting less frequently than major courses are noted in the course description.  

The credit awarded to transfer students will be adapted to be comparable to Wellesley High School course credit.

Credit for Courses Taken Outside Wellesley High School

Wellesley High School students may take courses outside the high school curriculum.  No courses taken outside of Wellesley High School will count toward a student's WHS Grade Point Average.  Additionally, no courses will count toward WHS graduation requirements.  Please see below for approved opportunities.  

Commonwealth Dual Enrollment Partnership (CDEP)

WHS students may take courses at a Commonwealth public institution and receive credit for this work. Students’ WHS transcript will reflect that they participated in the Dual Enrollment program and the credits they received.   These courses do not count towards graduation requirements nor do they count towards a student’s WHS Grade Point Average.  Enrollment in the CDEP program is completed directly with the Commonwealth public institution.   A transcript from the Commonwealth public institution will be placed in the student's folder and accompany the WHS transcript when applying to post-secondary institutions. 

Wellesley High School advises students and parents that the taking of college courses during the regular Wellesley High School day may prevent a student from taking certain WHS classes if the course meeting times conflict.

Wellesley High School Virtual High School (VHS)

Courses may be taken through VHS if a student is unable to enroll in the same course at WHS or wishes to enroll in a course that is not offered by WHS.  VHS courses will not count toward WHS Grade Point Average nor will they count toward specific graduation requirements.  Enrollment is managed through our VHS Coordinator, Mr. Drew Kelton, on a space available basis.  VHS courses will  appear on the WHS transcript and this does count towards the students overall credit total.  

Enrichment

Students may take courses at accredited institutions for enrichment.  Students may not take a course in place of WHS prerequisite courses.  Consideration for courses to advance WHS levels must be approved by the Department Head.  Enrichment courses do not appear on the WHS transcript nor count toward WHS Grade Point Average.  A transcript from the accredited institution can be placed in the student's folder and accompany the WHS transcript when applying to post-secondary institutions.

Summer School Programs

Students may earn credit for courses taken in an accredited public or private summer school program outside of Wellesley. Credit for summer courses will not be granted without prior approval by the student’s Assistant Principal, the Director of School Counseling and the Department Head. Approval forms can be obtained from the student’s counselor.

Review courses are offered only to those students who have already studied the subject for a full year and can be taken for credit if the student completed the course during the regular school year with a failing grade. To receive graduation credit for review courses, students may need to pass a department exam, paper or portfolio review.

Summer School grades are not included in the Grade Point Average but does appear on a student’s WHS  transcript. 

GRADE POINT AVERAGE

The level of the course and grade attained in the course are the basis for computing grade point average (GPA). All major academic courses and selected elective courses completed in grades 9-12 at Wellesley High School are counted. Only courses taken in Wellesley High School are computed. Transfer students' GPA will be calculated upon completion of their first semester at Wellesley High School. Weighted grade values are published in the Student Handbook.

SENIOR PROJECT

Students are offered a unique opportunity for independent study in an area of personal or career interest during the fourth term of their senior year. Projects are individually designed and must meet the approval of the Senior Project Committee comprised of administrators, faculty, students, and community representatives. In most cases, the project takes place outside of school. Students will remain in AP courses, complete all work in courses that are required for graduation, and complete their other courses at the end of the third term.

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS

The following are required for graduation from Wellesley High School: 

• Earn 136 credits in grades 9-12. 

• Department Requirements:

  • Pass 4 years of English

  • Pass 2 years of Math (Classes of 2025, 2026, 2027)

  • Pass 3 years of Math (Starting with the Class of 2028)

  • Pass 2 years of Science

  • Pass 2.5 years of Social Studies including United States History (2 years of Social Studies including United States History for the class of 2017 only)

  • Pass one semester of Fitness and Health each year for a total 4 semesters (1 of which must be Health)

• Meet minimum class time requirements through 30 class hours per cycle, per semester. See “Minimum Required Class Time Policy.” 

Please be advised that most colleges expect the successful completion of:

 4 years of English

 3 years of Math*

 3 years of Lab Science

 2 years of Social Studies, including US History 

 2 years minimum of a Classical and Modern Language

 Fitness and Wellness requirement of their State.

*The State and University systems of Massachusetts requires 4 years of Math, including Algebra II.

HONOR ROLL

All students who carry a minimum of four major subjects and who receive no grade below C in any subject are eligible for the Honor Roll. Students earn High Honors for all A’s in all major subjects; Honors for A’s and B’s in all major subjects; and Honorable Mention for A’s and B’s in all but one major subject if a C in that major subject is offset by an A in another major subject. A major subject is one carrying six credits or more for the year or three credits or more for the semester. All other subjects are minors.

LEVEL DESIGNATIONS

In order to meet the individual needs of a wide range of students, Wellesley High School offers a variety of courses taught at three different levels: H (Honors), ACP (Advanced College Preparatory), and CP (College Preparatory). It is recommended that students take no more than four courses at the “H” level at a given time due to the demanding workload required for these courses.

All Advanced Placement courses will have the A.P. designation preceding the course title. In courses designated as Advanced Placement, the Advanced Placement syllabus is generally used. These courses are the equivalent of college/university level courses, and students are encouraged to take the associated College Board Advanced Placement Examination.

H - Honors Level courses require a great deal of independent initiative and outside preparation. The pace is accelerated. Student work requires thoughtful analysis and attention to detail leading to synthesis of ideas and prior learning. Written work must exhibit complexity in structure, thought, and vocabulary. Outside reading, problem solving, and study usually precede classroom discussion. Advanced Placement courses are included at this level.

ACP - Advanced College Preparatory courses are demanding courses requiring a great deal of outside preparation. The pace is rigorous. Student work requires thoughtful analysis with substantiation of ideas under study. Consolidation and application of concepts are developed both independently and with teacher guidance. Written work must exhibit proficiency in sentence structure, sophistication of vocabulary, and in the development and integration of themes and concepts. Outside reading, problem solving, and study usually precede and follow classroom discussions.

CP - College Preparatory courses are designed to develop a thorough understanding of the fundamentals of a subject, the skills needed to understand relevant material, and the application of concepts. Material is presented at a deliberate pace in both abstract and experiential formats. Considerable instructional support is provided by the teacher with the goal of building independent study skills. Written work must be clear and thoughtful demonstrating basic understanding of vocabulary and accuracy of expression. Outside reading, writing, and problem solving are structured by the teacher.

COURSE REGISTRATION

The Registration Process - Teacher recommendations for level placement and a realistic assessment of the student’s abilities and work habits should be considered seriously by both students and parents during the course selection process. These recommendations and assessments are intended to place students in courses where the pace, expectations and standards are appropriate to their needs and abilities. As students formulate their course registration plans, attention to the Program of Studies is essential because it contains statements of prerequisites, course recommendations, and course expectations.

The Course Registration Procedure:

1. Students and school counselors discuss the overall course selection process and timetable in school counseling seminars.

2. Student and parent discuss program choices for the following year, review specific language in the Program of Studies, and review the student’s report card. The student completes the on-line registration form through the PowerSchool portal, which will already list the teacher recommendations. The student completes the on-line verification form confirming the courses requested in PowerSchool portal and have a parent electronically sign as well. The form need to be submitted by the deadline. All students who do not have access to a computer should contact the main office or counseling office to obtain a hard copy of the course selection sheet.

3. In academic courses where there is a disparity between request and recommendation, the level recommended by the teacher will be recorded. In order to resolve the disparity, students must complete a Course Level Change Request Form which is available on-line. Completed forms must be submitted by March 17th. 

4. It is important to maintain clear communication between student, parent, and teacher, particularly when a teacher recommendation differs from the level that the student feels is more appropriate. In order to facilitate understanding when a difference occurs, the parents and students are always invited to discuss this with the teacher and/or department head.

5. Student schedules will be released in late August prior to the beginning of school. At that time if a student wishes to change a class they can submit a request during the drop/add period. 

MINIMUM REQUIRED CLASS TIME POLICY

All students are required to be enrolled in any combination of semester and year courses totaling a minimum of 34 class hours per cycle each semester. Most students will have programs that consist of five majors and one or more electives. Juniors and seniors are not required to attend Directed Research periods.  

PLANNING FOR FURTHER EDUCATION

Students who intend to continue their education after graduation must pay close attention to college admissions requirements when planning their high school programs. Since requirements vary, students should review school and college catalogues to insure that the appropriate entrance requirements are met. Through seminars, counselors will help students explore the wide range of post-secondary opportunities available to them.

PROMOTION POLICY

The requirements for promotion to the next class are as follows:

• A freshman must earn a minimum of 30 credits to be considered a sophomore.

• A sophomore must earn a minimum of 60 credits to be considered a junior.

• A junior must earn a minimum of 90 credits to be considered a senior.

Any exceptions to the promotion policy can be made only after careful consideration and approval of the administration and may be subject to review by the Superintendent.

A student who does not meet the requirements for promotion will be retained in his/her present grade. 

STUDENT ASSISTANT POLICY (Formally Known As Teaching Assistant Policy)

Students may apply to be student assistants (SAs) for teachers if they follow the guidelines set below:

• SAs must be approved by both the teacher and the DH

• SAs serve at the discretion of the teacher 

• SAs should have exhausted all of the department’s course offerings and have reached a certain level of proficiency before applying to be a SA

• There can be no more than 2 SA's per teacher

• Students on 504s, IEPs and/or with medical issues may not be identified to SAs and therefore SAs cannot have access to any of these forms 

• SAs may not grade any student assignment or assessment

• SAs may assist in the preparation of assessments provided the questions are made available to all students prior to the assessment date

• SAs may not have any access to assessment materials or grades

• SAs may not make copies for the teacher

• SAs can do some preparation and organization work for the class but their primary function is to support other students as if they were a tutor.

• SAs can take paper attendance for the teacher who will enter it into PowerSchool at a later time.

• SAs can work with the teacher to write warm-ups and/or tickets-to-leave

• SAs and their cooperating teacher must be communicating regularly with each other

• SAs can keep journal entries on what they have learned, what they have noticed, what progress has happened and/or how they might explain something differently the next time

• SA can be available once a cycle to assist with office hours/extra help sessions.

• SAs could be asked to do some reading in preparation for lessons.

• SAs will attend all class meetings of the course for which they are SAing (ie, if the course meets 5 times a cycle, the SA is expected to be in the classroom all 5 times)

• SAs will receive the same number of credits for the course as students in the course 

• SAs will be graded on a Pass/Fail scale

• SAs must be enrolled in the course for the full duration of the course they are SAing. 

• Students are not eligible to join a class as a SA for the second semester of a course.

Students wishing to apply to be a SA must complete the SA form that is available in the House offices. Please note that SAing is not an option in all departments and that being approved to SA in a department does not give graduation credit in that department (i.e. SAing in the Health and PE department does not satisfy the graduation requirement for Health and PE). Applications will only be considered before and during Arena Scheduling days. No changes to schedules to add SAing will be made after Arena Scheduling days.

INDEPENDENT STUDY POLICY

Students may engage in Independent Study for credit.  These opportunities do not include serving as Student Assistants (please refer to Student Assistant section).  A course of Independent Study is student initiated, has a faculty advisor, and is approved by the student’s parent/s, counselor, faculty advisor, department head and Housemaster.  Students need to be aware that due to workloads, teachers may not be able to act as advisors.  Credit for Independent Study will be established based on the number of hours spent on the study per cycle and lasts for a semester or the entire year.  Students are graded on a pass/fail basis.