The Curriculum & Course Offerings page is designed to aid students and parents in selecting courses throughout a student’s high school career. Information on graduation requirements, recommended course sequences, and prerequisites are all included below. It is important to select courses that will prepare you for life after high school. Students are required to register for 8 credit hours each school year. Contact the School Counselor with any questions regarding course selection, the registration process, or college/career planning.
Students must register for 7 courses, plus PE, each semester unless permission is given by the counselor/principal.
All courses at Winchester High School are open to members of either sex.
Students may be required to purchase textbooks for dual credit classes.
Any semester failed must be repeated to earn credit.
A student is not allowed to repeat a passed course to improve a grade.
Students may earn up to 2 credits through courses offered in the Illinois Virtual Course Catalog (IVCC) or Educere to use toward graduation. IVCC or Educere courses may only be taken if the school does not offer the course or if the student has taken a required course and failed. Credits from IVCC or Educere courses may not be used for early graduation. Students may enroll in evening or summer school classes offered by other accredited schools for the purpose of making up failed credits.
Courses may be added or dropped during the first two days of the semester or up to the fifth day of the semester with permission from the counselor/principal. The following conditions must be met to add/drop courses:
The student will still maintain a full course load.
The change is educationally sound.
The counselor and/or parent approve the change.
Note: Schedule changes affecting IEP minutes must be approved by the case manager.
Applications for early graduation can be obtained from the School Counselor. Applications are due within the first ten days of the semester during which the student intends to graduate. Late applications will not be accepted. Each applicant will be required to personally appear before the Board of Education. Final acceptance is dependent upon both Board approval and successful completion of all academic requirements.
The WHS Traditional scale became effective during the 2017-2018 school year and is as follows:
A+ = 97.5+
A = 92.5-97.49
A- = 89.5-92.49
B+ = 87.5-89.49
B = 82.5-97.49
B- = 79.5-82.49
C+ = 77.5-79.49
C = 72.5-77.49
C- = 69.5-72.49
D+ = 67.5-69.49
D = 65.5-67.49
D- = 64.5-65.49
F = 0-64.49
Individual student grade point averages are calculated on a 4.0 scale at the end of each semester. Only semester grades are included in the calculation of GPAs. The letter grade is converted into numbers according to the difficulty of the course as indicated below (letter grade / general level value / honors level value):
A+ / 4.0 / 4.5
A / 4.0 / 4.5
A- / 3.7 / 4.2
B+ / 3.3 / 3.8
B / 3.0 / 3.5
B- / 2.7 / 3.2
C+ / 2.3 / 2.8
C / 2.0 / 2.5
C- / 1.7 / 2.2
D+ / 1.3 / 1.8
D / 1.0 / 1.5
D- / 0.7 / 1.2
F / 0.0 / 0.0
Students are not ranked against one another. Instead, students are ranked using the honors system which is as follows:
Summa Cum Laude - with highest honors - GPA above 4.0
Magna Cum Laude - with high honors - GPA between 3.51 and 3.99
Cum Laude - with honors - GPA between 3.0 and 3.5
Winchester High School students must earn a total of 26 credits and meet the following academic requirements in order to be awarded a diploma.
4 Credits of English (including English I, II, III, and Speech)
3 Credits of Mathematics (including Algebra and Geometry)
3 Credits of Social Science (including Geography, US History, and Civics)
3 Credits of Physical Education (must be taken every semester unless an exemption is granted)
2 Credits of Science
2 Credits of Elective
Select from Fine Arts, Foreign Language, and Career and Technical Education courses
Must include two semesters of courses that emphasize computer literacy
1/2 Credit of Health
1/2 Credit of Driver Education
Consumer Education (total credits vary; select from Consumer Education, Ag Business Management, Co-op I, or CEO)
Testing (must pass the State and Federal Constitution Tests and take the State exam (currently SAT)
FAFSA (must complete the Free Application for Federal Student Aid or the nonparticipation form)
Students are encouraged to work with the School Counselor and develop a four-year plan that prepares them for a future career. For some students, that career will come right away after graduation, but others may choose to enlist in the military or attend a trade, 2-year, or 4-year school. Winchester High School is committed to preparing college and career ready students.
Typically, four-year universities have the most competitive admissions processes. These schools consider a multitude of factors in admissions including the following (listed in order of importance*):
Grades in All Courses
Grades in College Prep/Core Courses
Strength of Curriculum
SAT or ACT Scores+
Essay or Writing Sample
Student's Demonstrated Interest
Counselor Recommendation
Teacher Recommendation(s)
*Factors are listed in order of importance as reported by the National Association for College Admission Counseling’s 2019 State of College Admission Report.
+During the COVID-19 pandemic, most colleges and universities became test-optional, evaluating students’ applications whether or not they included standardized test scores. This trend had begun prior to the pandemic, but became more widespread starting in 2020 with many schools stating they will remain test-optional through 2024 or longer.
The Illinois Board of Higher Education recommends that college-bound students take at least the following high school courses*:
4 years of English
3 years of Mathematics (including algebra, geometry, and many require algebra 2)
3 years of Laboratory Science (including biology and chemistry)
3 years of Social Science (including history and government)
2 years of Electives (chosen from foreign language, music, visual arts, theater, dance, and career and technical education)
* Please note, every school will have different requirements and this is just a guide. Visit https://www.ibhe.org/aa_coursework.html for more details.
Students interested in becoming a college-level athlete at a Division I or Division II school must be certified by the NCAA Eligibility Center. You can register for an NCAA Eligibility Center account before even beginning high school. Visit on.ncaa.com/RegChecklist for help with the registration process.
The courses offered through the Department of Special Education are open to students who have been placed into special education courses. Students are placed into Special Education courses after being determined eligible for services through the administration of a psychological evaluation, professional staffings, and the development of an Individualized Education Program (IEP). Special Education course offerings vary due to students' needs, but are generally available in the following subject areas:
English
Mathematics
Science
Social Science
Winchester High School offers General, Honors, and Special Education courses. Honors courses are weighted with higher GPA value than other courses.
General Level: Offered to all students and cover basic skills, concepts, principles, and theories in each subject area.
Honors Level: Offered to students who have mastered entry-level skills. Courses are at an advanced level and go into greater depth and abstract thinking in each subject area.
Special Education: Offered to students based on need as determined by an Individualized Education Plan (IEP).