Academic policy

Academic Eligibility: View on the YHS Athletic Department webpage.

ACADEMIC POLICY

Academic Eligibility

View policy on the high school webpage


Auditing

Auditing will be approved at the discretion of the teacher. The teacher's decision will be based on availability of space in the course, the potential for benefit to the student requesting the audit and the best interests of the class. In general, students are encouraged to enroll in all course work for credit; however, in special situations auditing may be appropriate. Students with full schedules seeking additional academic enrichment, students preparing to retake a Regents or AP exam, students preparing for an SAT II, and students with similar bona fide educational aims may be allowed to audit. There will be no notation on the student transcript of an audit.


Students seeking to audit a course should discuss the audit with the prospective teacher and complete a request form before the course begins. Admission to the course, continued attendance, and specific academic expectations are all at the discretion of the teacher.


Changing from credit to audit status is a drop and all rules related to dropping a course will apply. Changing from audit to credit status is an add and all rules relating to adds will apply.


Attendance rules which apply to students enrolled for credit will also apply to students who are auditing.


Alternate programs:


Credits by Examination:

According to the Regents Action Plan, a student may earn a maximum of 6½ units of credit for either a Regents or local diploma without actually attending a course if:


  • It is determined that a student will benefit academically from such an alternative;

  • The student achieves a score of at least 85% on a State-developed or State-approved examination;

  • The student passes an oral examination or successfully completes a special project to demonstrate proficiency in a subject area.

  • If you would like further information about this option, please see your school counselor. Requests for credits by examination must be approved by the Principal.


Home Teaching

The school district provides students with home teachers if the doctor anticipates absence from school and approval by the Assistant Superintendent is necessary, for a period of time longer than two weeks. It will be necessary for the student's doctor to verify the illness in writing. The home teacher is responsible for keeping students at the pace of the class so that the return to school is made easier.


Grade Point Average


In the spring of 1990, the Board of Education approved a weighting plan to be used in computing grade point average, starting with the class of 1995. Under this weighting system, the student's actual grade will not change on the report card or transcript. Each year when a student’s grade point average is calculated, , the grade in each course will be weighted according to the system indicated below:


  • All high school courses shall be assigned to one of two levels (courses not taken at YHS or an approved NYS summer school).

  • When grade point average is computed, a factor of 5 will be added to the grade point value of all successfully completed courses in Level I.


Yorktown High School Weighting Model – Level I


English

AP language

English 12 - advanced placement

English 12 - Syracuse U. Project Adv

English 101/102 College Writing

English 9, 10, Honors


Science

earth science honors

biology honors

chemistry honors

physics honors

chemistry - Syracuse U Project Adv. AP

forensic science – Syracuse U Project Adv.

biology - advanced placement

environmental science - advanced placement

physics - advanced placement


Mathematics

math 2H, math 3H, math4H ab/bc

calculus-advanced placement AB/BC

statistics - advanced placement


Computer Science

computer science - advanced placement A

Business

economics - advanced placement Micro and Macro


Foreign Language

College Italian Level 200 & 201

College Spanish Level 103 & 104

Spanish Language - Advanced Placement (I & II)

Italian – Advanced Placement (I & II)


Performing Arts

Music Theory - Advanced Placement

Chamber Choir Honors

Wind Ensemble Honors

High School Orchestra Honors


Art

Art 4 Honors

Studio Art - Advanced Placement


Social Studies

American History - Advanced Placement

European History - Advanced Placement

U.S. Politics and Government – Advanced Placement

Psychology- Advanced Placement


Level II - All courses not assigned to Weighting Model Level I

Grade-point averages will be computed to the thousandths decimal place. The student with the highest GPA will be named as valedictorian; the student with the second highest GPA will be named salutatorian. Students must have been enrolled for their junior year in Yorktown to be included in this process. Should there be a tie in either of these places, co-valedictorians and/or co-salutatorians will be named. Students must have been enrolled for their junior year for a gpa to be considered for valedictorian or salutatorian


Early dismissal requests (year or semester)

An 11th or 12th grader who completes his/her schedule in the morning or early afternoon may, with written

parental permission, leave the campus for work or to meet other responsibilities. Students should complete a schedule change request for early dismissal. Any student leaving campus must do so with approved transportation or through previously arranged personal transportation approved by the principal. Application forms are available in the Guidance Center. Proof of early dismissal (card) is available in Attendance Office.


Early graduation requirements

Most students are graduated at the completion of four years of senior high school studies. A small percentage of students are graduated at some time earlier than the rest of their class. Although there are conflicting opinions regarding the advisability of early graduation, the Board of Education has approved guidelines which the principal and counselors consider carefully whenever helping parents and students with the important decision.


Parents interested in initiating a plan for their youngster's early graduation should send a written request to the guidance counselor. These requests must be received by the counselor no later than April 1 of the school year prior to the requested graduation date.


If a decision for early graduation is reached, a statement to this effect will be prepared and signed by parents and student and the necessary forms completed for submission to the Board of Education. A decision to graduate early may be advisable for one student or one member of a family and inadvisable for another. Early graduation should be based on what is best for each individual youngster.


The building principal has the responsibility of making a decision about early graduation. Each request is forwarded to the Board of Education for final approval. After a decision is made, applicants will be informed at home by letter.

Physical Education requirements for early graduates - Students graduating at the end of their junior year must attend the Physical Education classes normally scheduled for 11th grade. It will not be necessary for them to earn 1 full unit of credit of Physical Education but they must meet the requirement of the full 22 credits. The option of doubling in Physical Education to receive an additional 1/4 unit of credit is open to these students. Students graduating at the end of three and one half years will be awarded 1/4 credit for the successful completion of Physical Education in the first semester of their senior year.


GRADING


Report Cards and Grading


  • Report cards will be available every ten weeks on the eSchool Data Parent Portal. If courses or grades are missing from the report card, you should notify the subject teachers

  • Incompletes - A two-week period after the end of the marking period may be provided for make-up work. Requests for a grade of incomplete should be made through the teacher. At the end of the two-week period a grade is given and recorded, unless, for extenuating circumstances prior administrative approval has been granted for a longer period. If the necessary work is not completed within the period agreed upon, a grade of 64 or less will be recorded.

  • Grade calculation - Quarter courses require both a marking period (quarter) grade and a final average. Semester course final average is determined by adding together 2/5 of the grade for each quarter and 1/5 of the final exam grade. Year course final average is obtained by adding 1/5 of the grade of each quarter and 1/5 of the final (or Regents) exam grade. This applies to 8th grade students taking high school courses as well.


Examinations


  • Final examinations and/or Regents examinations are administered in all courses except as approved by the principal.

  • All students enrolled in a course in which a Regents examination is given will be required to take that examination. The Regents or final examination mark will represent 1/5 of the student's grade.

  • If a student does not appear for a final or Regents examination, and the failure to appear is not due to a verified illness or other legal reasons approved by the Principal, or if the absence is due to failure to meet the lab requirements in a Regents Science, a zero will be averaged as 1/5 of the student's course grade. The taking of the final examination is an academic responsibility of the student.

  • On non-Regents exams, papers which are graded 62, 63, or 64 will be circled and recorded as a 65%.


Grading of repeated courses

Students who receive a final average of 64 or less in a year course should plan on repeating the course in the following year. Both the original failing grade and the grade earned by repeating the course will be shown on the student's transcript. Both grades will be used in determining a student's grade point average and class rank.

Passing grades in courses repeated for a semester only

The final passing grade will be determined by averaging the student's grade for the two marking periods, plus the final examination grade. Each marking period grade will represent 2/5 of the final grade. The final examination mark will represent 1/5 of the grade.


Changing Regents Grades

In the event a student takes a Regents examination more than once, the school policy regarding which grade to record is as follows:

  • If a request is made in writing, only the highest Regents score is recorded on the transcript.

  • In cases where this request is not made, both grades will be recorded.

  • Retaking a Regents exam will not affect the course grade final average obtained as a result of the initial grading situation.


Awarding of School/Regents Credit

The successful passing of a Regents examination does not automatically grant a student credit in that subject toward graduation at Yorktown High School. The school considers the Regents examination to be a minimum requirement of the course. It represents 1/5 of the student's final average grade, and 1/5 of what the school expects each student to accomplish. Class assignments, laboratory experiments, school test results, and student contributions in class activity represent additional course requirements students are expected to meet.


Honor Roll

Eligibility for honor roll standing is determined by calculation of a student's grades during a given marking period. The grade point average for honor roll is calculated using unweighted grades. In addition, the student must be enrolled in at least three credit-bearing subjects.


Principal’s List (92.5 - 100)

High Honor Roll (89.5 - 92.499)

Honor Roll (87 - 89.499)


Repeating Failed Courses

Students may repeat failed courses in two ways:

  1. In an approved New York State summer school.

  2. At Yorktown High School during the next school year


Exceptions to this policy will be considered only for students whose class has graduated and only in special circumstances.

Scheduling:


Adding Courses/Dropping Courses


  • Year courses may be added within the first two weeks and may be dropped before the end of the first quarter without notation on the student's transcript. If a student drops after this time, a W (withdrawal) will be recorded on the student’s transcript.

  • First semester courses may be added within the first two weeks and may be dropped by the midpoint of Quarter 1, without notation on a student’s transcript. If a student drops after this time, a W (withdrawal) will be recorded on the student’s transcript

  • Second semester courses may be added within the first two weeks and may be dropped by the midpoint of Quarter 3, without notation on a student’s transcript. If a student drops after this time, a W (withdrawal) will be recorded on the student’s transcript

  • All schedule changes must be made by the end of the third quarter


Changing Course Level

Requests for a change in level of a course will be considered only if made by the midpoint of the third marking period.


Program Changes

The student desiring a program change should see his/her counselor to discuss the change and obtain the appropriate forms, which must be signed by his/her parent, teacher, and returned for signature to the counselor. Attendance is required in the course being dropped until the student receives official notification of the change. If a student begins to cut an old class before being officially assigned to the new one, he/she will be subject to the cut policy and may be dropped from his/her course, assigned to internal suspension for that period, and denied admission to the new class.


Program Scheduling

Counselors help students select courses for the following year. A letter is mailed home to parents with an appointment time to meet with the counselor in order to schedule requests for the following year. All 9th and 10th graders are to develop a schedule with a minimum of 6 classes plus physical education. 11th and 12th graders need to schedule a minimum of 5 classes plus physical education. A Course Directory is available on the YHS Counseling Website,


Other Information


Students with Disabilities

Beginning in September 2011, students who enter ninth grade scoring 55 – 64 on required Regents examinations may be eligible for a local diploma. Students identified as having a disability which adversely affects the ability to learn a language may be exempt from the second language requirement if the student’s IEP states the requirement is not appropriate. The student may earn a Regents with Advanced Designation diploma by earning a 5 unit sequence in CTE or the arts (music or art).


Course Recommendation Appeals (Overrides)

In the matter of teacher recommendation and placement, any disagreement with the course recommendations made by staff can be appealed to the appropriate high school assistant principal.


Course Credit

In order to earn course credit, a grade of 65 is deemed the minimal passing grade for all credit bearing courses at Yorktown High School. Final averages are determined by averaging each quarter grade and the final assessment (if applicable). Passing the course Regents examination does not automatically result in passing the course.


Academic Support Policy

Students who have failed a Regents examination and/or are in danger of failing a required course, must attend an academic support program such as a subject lab/skills course until the student achieves a passing score on the Regents examination and/or course.


Also, ninth grade students who obtained an eighth grade assessment level of 1 or 2 must attend an academic support program such as skills support. This is to give the student the skills needed to pass the subject Regents examination.


Advanced Placement (AP) Courses

Sponsored by the College Board, Advanced Placement (AP) courses are college level courses taken in high school. Students may earn college credit and/or placement in a higher level college class in the subject area. AP courses are offered in Biology, Chemistry, Calculus, Computer Science, English, Environmental Science, European History, Italian Language, Micro and Macro Economics, Music Theory, Politics and Government, Psychology, Spanish Language, Statistics, Studio Art, US History. Students in AP courses are required to take the AP examination, administered in May and rated by the Educational Testing Service. Students will receive additional information about the cost of the examinations from their AP subject teachers or from their counselor.

Frequently Asked Questions


1). What subjects are required?

English, mathematics, social studies (Global 9/10), science, physical education, and a second language.


2). Does the student have room for an elective?

Yes, unless the student is scheduled for collaborative classes or extra skills support. Ninth graders will have a scheduled lunch period, Husker Discovery and study hall for any unscheduled period.


3). What elective should I choose?

In order to graduate a student must have one full year of art and/or music. It is suggested to take these courses early in the high school career - preferably beginning in the ninth grade if possible.


4). When will I receive my schedule?

Schedules will be available on eSchool Data Parent Portal in late August.


5). What if my schedule is not correct?

Counselors will be available the week before school begins to help with schedule corrections. Schedule changes will be made only if an academic class is missing. There will be no teacher/counselor changes.


6). What if my schedule does not include a lunch period?

Ninth graders will have a scheduled lunch. Most teachers will allow students to bring a lunch to class as long as it is not messy, the student cleans their area, and the student can focus on their work. The exception is students cannot eat in a computer lab or a science room. The cafeteria is open from 7:00 am until 2:00 pm. A lunch period is not required for 10th, 11th or 12th graders, but strongly encouraged.


7) If my child is sick, how do I request homework?

Teachers post their assignments on their websites and/or Google classroom. If your child is absent from school, please locate the teacher assignments and email them with any questions.


8). When will I know my counselor’s name?

The counselor’s name will be on your schedule which will be available on eSchool Data Parent Portal in late August (see above).


9). When can I meet with the counselor? Can I meet with a counselor before school ends?

Counselors will be in the office the week before school begins in September. This time is for schedule conflicts and/or corrections only. You can schedule a meeting with the counselor after school begins for other types of discussions. Call the Guidance office for an appointment with the student’s counselor. It is not possible to meet before school ends in June as the counselors are involved with final exams, graduation requirements for seniors and summer school registration for the high school students.


10). What if I have a question regarding a grade?

You can call or email the teacher.


11). If I have a problem with a teacher who do I call?

The parent should call the teacher. If need be the parent would then call the assistant Principal’s office.

12). How can I receive extra help?

Teachers are in the building on Monday through Friday from 1:35 until 2:20 for extra help. The student should ask the teacher if extra help is available for that day.


13). How do I make an appointment with my child’s teacher?

You can call or email any teacher and make an appointment directly with the teacher.


14). If my student is classified who should I contact regarding his/her performance and/or accommodations?

All classified students are assigned a resource or contact teacher. This would be the person to contact.


15). Who should I contact about a locker problem?

The student will come to the Main Office and speak to Mrs. Braig


16) Who do I contact if I cannot get onto the portal?

Please see Mrs. Sudol in the School Library Media Center


17. What is the Academic Eligibility policy? View the Academic Eligibility policy on the YHS Athletic Department webpage.