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Guidance Counseling |
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OrientationMISSION STATEMENT Vail Christian High School partners with parents to nurture individual academic excellence and encourage growth in Christ.
ENROLLMENT POLICIES Vail Christian High School seeks to admit bright and energetic young men and women who demonstrate a potential for succeeding as contributing members of the Vail Christian student body. A placement test is required for all freshmen seeking admission. Freshmen applicants will be considered for acceptance on the basis of the placement test, overall middle school performance, personal references, and an interview. Applications for transfer students will be considered on a case-by-case basis.
The steps in the application process to Vail Christian are as follows: ¨ Attend one of the Visitors Days at Vail Christian or “shadow” a Vail Christian Ambassador for a day. ¨ Freshmen students take the placement test. A $25 fee is required at the time of testing. ¨ Complete application forms and Admission packet. ¨ Submit current transcripts, most recent standardized test scores, and $100 non-refundable application fee. ¨ Students will be notified after application and test scores have been evaluated to arrange an interview. ¨ After interview process has been completed, students will be contacted regarding acceptance. ¨ Once accepted, a $250 non-refundable enrollment fee is collected to guarantee student’s place at Vail Christian. This enrollment fee also covers the purchase of the Vail Christian yearbook.
ACADEMIC PROGRAM In accordance with the College Board’s suggested basic academic competencies - reading, writing, speaking, listening, mathematics, reasoning, and studying - Vail Christian provides a program of studies leading to college admission. The program insists upon mastery of the fundamentals of English and mathematics and requires courses in science, history, fine arts, theology and foreign language. Writing skills are emphasized at all levels, and advanced courses are offered in each discipline areas. YEAR AT A GLANCE Vail Christian’s school year operates on the semester system, with examinations at the end of each semester. The school year begins mid-August. The first term ends at Christmas and the second late in May. Thanksgiving and spring vacations are a week each, and Christmas is approximately two weeks in duration.
M-Term and Mission Trip
THE ACADEMIC DAY
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS 30 total credits are required for graduation. Core classes and electives are valued at .5 credits per semester. Athletics, mission trips and teacher assistants are valued at .25 credits per semester.
CURRICULUM
THE COURSE OF STUDY The following is the typical course of study for the average student. Individual schedules may also be developed for remedial and advanced students.
Freshmen: Theology 1; Themes in Literature; Physical Science; World Geography; Algebra 1 or Geometry; French or Spanish; Computer Applications; Choice of Freshmen electives.
Sophomores: Theology 2; World Literature; Biology; World History; Geometry or Algebra 2; Health & Nutrition; French or Spanish; Choice of Sophomore electives.
Juniors: Theology 3; U.S. Literature or Honors U.S. Literature, AP English Language; Chemistry, Physics, or AP Biology; U.S. History or Honors U.S. History; Algebra 2 or Pre-Calculus; French or Spanish; Choice of Junior electives.
Seniors: Theology 4, AP English Literature or Rhetoric for College; Physics or AP Biology; Government; Pre-Calculus, Analysis or AP Calculus; French or Spanish; Choice of Senior electives.
GRADING SYSTEM
Grading as a way of assessing the progress of students has several purposes: It is a way of communicating progress to the student and parent. It monitors a student's progress over a period of time. It can serve to motivate students to improve performance. It allows a teacher to measure effectiveness of instruction.
Students are evaluated in a variety of areas that include tests, homework, attendance, class participation and contribution, initiative and special projects. A student’s letter grade reflects the academic performance of the student.
In order to more clearly communicate how we evaluate students and determine term grades, Vail Christian High School uses the following system:
Percentage Grade GPA Value
93-100 A 4.00
90-92 A- 3.67 Distance Learning classes through 87-89 B+ 3.33 Concordia University at Portland 83-86 B 3.00 and Advanced Placement classes 80-82 B- 2.67 have a value of GPA plus one. 77-79 C+ 2.33 73-76 C 2.00 Each CUENet class will accept up to
70-72 C- 1.67 20 juniors and/or seniors who qualify 67-69 D+ 1.33 with a GPA of 3.25 or higher. 63-66 D 1.00
60-62 D- .67
F 0.00
ADDITIONAL CONSIDERATIONS RELATED TO GRADING
I. Comprehensive semester exams will be given to all students except in performance classes. In these classes, the administration of a final exam is left to the discretion of the teacher.
Students who do not take the semester exams will receive a failing grade for the exam.
A semester exam may not count more than 20% of the term grade.
Written reports will be available on Renweb and will be sent home at the end of each semester. Parents of students who have grades of C- or lower will be contacted individually by teachers.
II. Students who copy, cheat, or plagiarize on an assignment, test or quiz will receive no credit for that assignment, test or quiz.
III. No "F" for the semester may be given unless the home has been contacted at least 2 weeks before the end of the semester. (Please note that the school cannot be responsible for mail intercepted by students.) IV. A grade of "incomplete" will be given when students have not completed the major requirements of a course because of absence due to illness or to other reasons over which they have no control. Normally an "incomplete" must be removed within two weeks after the marking period or semester ends. In the event the uncompleted work is not turned in or tests are not taken, the teacher will assess the grade based on the student's effort demonstrated during the marking period less a failing grade for all work or tests not completed.
V. Late work not caused by absence from school will be subject to academic penalty as determined by the teacher.
VII. Students who fail one class or more in a semester and/or have a cumulative average below 2.0 for the semester will be placed on academic probation.
COLLEGE BOARDS AND OTHER IMPORTANT TESTS The PSAT/NMSQT, a preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test, is administered to all sophomores, and juniors during October of each school year with plans to add freshmen testing to next year's schedule. Vail Christian High School uses these scores to track student progress and identify individual strengths and weaknesses. It also provides practice for the SAT test and can qualify juniors for national merit scholarships.
The EXPLORE/PLAN Tests, preparatory tests for the ACT, are offered to all freshmen and sophomores during the fall semester. These tests cover four academic areas - English, Mathematics, Reading, and Science Reasoning, as well as a Career Interest Inventory. Results are reviewed in small groups with the counselor so students understand their test scores and also can begin to explore career and college options.
Guidance Counselor, Mindy Larson, will oversee SAT and ACT preparation with the junior class all year. Students will be strongly encouraged to take both tests by the end of the year, more than once if desired. Seniors are required to have SAT and/or ACT scores on file at the beginning of their senior year so that they can make the decision to retake tests in the fall, if necessary. They are also encouraged to take the SAT subject tests over the summer or in the fall if required by the colleges that they are applying to. There is a fee for each test, and students can register online.
ACT (register at www.actstudent.org) **Should take the test “Plus Writing” Test Date: Registration Deadline: October 24, 2009 September 18, 2009 December 12, 2009 November 6, 2009 February 6, 2010 January 5, 2010 April 10, 2010 March 5, 2010 June 12, 2010 May 7, 2010 SAT (register at www.collegeboard.com) Test Date: Registration Deadline: October 10, 2009 September 9, 2009 November 7, 2009 October 1, 2009 December 5, 2009 October 30, 2009 January 23, 2010 December 15, 2010 March 13, 2010 February 4, 2010 May 1, 2010 March 25, 2010 June 5, 2010 April 29, 2010 Students will need log in information from the accounts they set up with both ACT and College Board to register for these exams. The school Code for Vail Christian High School is 060499. A credit card will be required at the time of registration to pay for the exam fee. Advanced Placement (AP) Exams are scheduled by the College Board for the first two weeks in May. Every student enrolled in an AP class at Vail Christian is required to take the appropriate AP exam in May. Students not enrolled in an AP class may request to take any exam for which they feel they are prepared. There will be a charge for each test and test dates are set by the College Board AP Exam schedule.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT CLASSES Advanced Placement (AP) classes are offered to qualifying students during their junior and senior years. These classes are designed to prepare high school students to show their proficiency in specific content areas and be eligible to receive college credit. These classes are rigorous in content, workload and effort required. Students may consider these classes if they have a cumulative 3.2 grade point average, a 3.5 grade point average in the specific content area, and approval from the AP teacher. AP classes currently offered at Vail Christian are AP English Language and Composition, AP Literature, AP Biology, AP Calculus AB and AP Calculus BC. Students will also have the option to take the AP exam after completing both Spanish 4 and French 4. All grades in AP classes are weighted. After the AP exams are given for each course, the formal Advanced Placement Course will end, however, students are still required to attend class as projects, etc. will be assigned for the remaining days in the school year.
ACADEMIC SUPPORT PROGRAMS While Vail Christian’s focus is college preparatory, we recognize that some students require extra attention. The Resource Program (learning lab) at Vail Christian High School was a program created to meet the needs of these students. The Resource Program serves the needs of students with learning disabilities and attention deficit disorder and those who have demonstrated the need for educational support and modification. Our Resource Specialist evaluates students on an as- needed basis and then develops an individual plan to fit the needs of each student. Academic special services are provided through modification of classroom curriculum, strategy development with the student, classroom intervention, and student resource time.
ACADEMIC PROBATION
Ø At the end of each grading period, grades are reviewed by the Guidance Counselor.
Ø After the review of semester grades, calls will be made to the parents of any student whose grades place him/her on academic probation and a meeting will be set up to develop a plan to improve student performance.
Ø An Academic Probation Contract is signed at this meeting setting the terms designed to meet both the concerns of the school and the needs of the student.
Ø Progress is communicated to parents through a phone call from the counselor at a minimum of 4 weeks, quarterly progress reports, and 16 weeks.
Ø A follow-up phone call or meeting (depending on need) will be made after the final grades go out.
Ø If a student is on Academic Probation for 2 semesters and that student does not meet the terms of the contract, a final meeting will be held with the principal/assistant principal regarding future enrollment.
Ø Students on Academic Probation may be required to attend Faculty Advisement with individual teachers.
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