Graduation Requirements

GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS AS SET FORTH BY THE SCHOOL BOARD 

Completion of the requirements for a high school diploma is an achievement that contributes to the community as well as the individual. Students participating in the celebration must successfully complete the graduation requirements of the school district. The graduation status of all students will be reviewed by school counselors upon completion of the junior year. Senior students with insufficient credits for graduation shall be granted all privileges and opportunities afforded other seniors with the exception of participation in the graduation exercises. It is the responsibility of the student and his or her family to make sure all graduation requirements are met. 

Whitewater High School Graduation Requirements 

Whitewater High School requires a minimum of 24.5 credits for graduation. Courses that meet every day earn one-half credit per semester.

The following requirements must be fulfilled before a diploma will be issued: 

• ENGLISH: 4 CREDITS, which must include ½ credit of speech, ½ credit of composition and ½ credit of research. The composition and research requirements will be met by taking English 10 or English 10 Honors. 

• SOCIAL STUDIES: 3 CREDITS, which must include 1 credit of Global Connections or AP Human Geography, 1 credit of United States History or AP US History, ½ credit of American Government or AP Government and successful completion of the state required civics test. 

• MATHEMATICS: 3 CREDITS, which must include 1 credit of Algebra I. Algebra I taken in middle school will satisfy the Algebra I requirement but will not count as a high school credit. 

• SCIENCE: 3 CREDITS, which must include Biology and one credit of a physical science. The physical science requirement is met by taking Physical Science, Chemistry or Physics. 

• PHYSICAL EDUCATION: 1.5 CREDITS over three years. 

• HEALTH: .5 CREDIT 

• BUSINESS: .5 CREDIT – Intro. To Business 

• OTHER: .5 CREDIT - Personal Finance or 21st Century Living 

• PORTFOLIO: All students will complete an Academic & Career Portfolio (ACP) with Individual Learning Plan and participate in a senior year exit interview with parents, teachers and community members. At the principal’s discretion, students in alternative educational program, including virtual school, may be exempted from this requirement. 

• A minimum of 8.5 additional credits is necessary to meet the minimum credits required for graduation. Students should carefully select elective courses to fit their future career development needs. 

• Students in grades 9, 10, and 11 are required to take a minimum of 7 credits per year. Students in grade 12 are required to take a minimum of 6 credits per year. Any course taken outside of Whitewater High School for credit must have prior approval of the principal. The building principal must approve exceptions to any of the above procedures. 

ACADEMIC AND CAREER PORTFOLIO (ACP) PROGRAM

All students at Whitewater High School create an electronic Academic & Career Planning Portfolio (ACP) based upon their interests and educational plan.  A digital program called Xello is used to organize and manage student information.  The purpose of this requirement is to encourage students to discover their strengths, set meaningful achievement goals, showcase quality academic work, and understand the relationship between academic achievement in high school and postsecondary career and educational opportunities.  The goal of the program is to produce responsible Whitewater High School graduates who will begin their adult life with the knowledge, skills, motivation and a self-directed plan for career and lifelong success.  Students will present examples of their best work and future career & academic plans during an event called Senior Portfolio Celebration before graduation in June.  Students will have the opportunity to create and practice their portfolio presentations during Speech class in grade 12.  A checklist of requirements is used to evaluate the completion of the portfolio in homeroom each year.