Academic Info
ACADEMIC DIFFICULTY
Assistance for Academic Difficulty
Students who experience academic difficulty have a number of resources to aid improvement. It is our goal as a school to provide the assistance needed by each student to succeed in his/her studies. Teacher assistance, Guidance Department, and/or Faculty Advisor are the recommended resources for help in studies. Students who work hard, produce all their homework in a timely fashion, seek extra help, and show good class participation, will rarely fail a course. In other words, coupled with academic performance, effort and attitude are very important factors in determining grades.
Failure results when work is not done and interest is not shown in meeting the requirements of the course. Therefore, limits must be set on consistent failure to insure that the process of a student’s education at St. Thomas is productive and commensurate with the established standards of the school.
ACADEMIC WARNING
An academic warning is issued when a student’s academic progress is unsatisfactory and will serve to advise both student and parent that a student must show significant academic improvement if they wish to continue at St. Thomas.
- A warning letter will be sent if a student has failed three or more courses in consecutive quarters.
- A warning letter will be sent if a student’s cumulative GPA falls below 1.50.
The following will take place when academic warning is issued:
- Notice will be given in writing to the student and parents.
- A conference with the parent, student, and guidance personnel must be scheduled.
- The student must provide a written plan for improvement agreed upon by the student and the teachers in the deficiency areas.
- Periodic evaluation of the plan will be made by the student’s Guidance Counselor and Dean of Students.
ACADEMIC WITHDRAWAL
- Students failing a total of four or more courses at the end of the school year are required to withdraw from St. Thomas.
- Students must maintain a minimum cumulative GPA of 1.00 to remain enrolled at St. Thomas.
CHEATING & PLAGIARISM
Cheating
Cheating, including plagiarism, is contrary to the mission and philosophy of St. Thomas. Cheating, whether on an assignment, a test, a quiz or in a project or paper, violates the academic and spiritual ideals of our school community. Efforts to assist a fellow student, while sometimes kindly motivated, are in fact equally objectionable and are also treated as cheating. Disciplinary action will be appropriately serious. Cheating will usually involve no credit for the work in question and additional disciplinary action including detention or suspension and parent notification. Repeat offenders will face possible expulsion.
Plagiarism
Plagiarism is the submission of someone else’s ideas or words as one’s own. This refers to oral and printed material as well as anything found on the Internet. Students are taught how to properly quote and/or cite/footnote another’s ideas or words. Students are also provided reference books and materials to use as reference when writing papers or projects. Failure to use proper form, either in electronic work or on written work, will be treated seriously. Consult the Writing and Research Standards for further information.
COMMUNITY SERVICE
All students are required to complete a 40-hour community service project as part of their St. Thomas educational experience. As students involve themselves in new, meaningful projects within local communities, they are afforded the opportunity to put their faith into action by giving of themselves, their time and their talents. The Community Service program provides St. Thomas students a genuine experience of Christian life that enhances the principles and values shared in classrooms. Ultimately the Community Service program, in accordance with the mission of St. Thomas, is about “fostering a commitment to justice, service and moral leadership.”
- Student will procure a contract from the Campus Minister in the third floor ministry office, or from the main office.
- The student must contact the Campus Minister for a pre-service interview, contract approval, and an evaluation form. The community service contract must be submitted and approved before service begins.
- A minimum of 40 hours on-site service is required. Careful documentation of hours is important. This service is to be a new endeavor through which the community at large benefits. Confirmation service hours, or service requirements for other organizations do not satisfy this requirement. Students may anticipate the Campus Minister making on-site visits and engaging supervisors in conversation that we might enhance our service philosophy in the greater community. The student must notify the Campus Minister when service hours are completed.
- A (typed) 3-4 page reflection paper and a short classroom (Theology) presentation summarizing the experience are required at the completion of service hours. The paper is submitted to the Campus Minister. The Campus Minister and Theology teachers are available to direct and assist students with both the reflection paper and the classroom presentation. The Campus Minister and Theology teachers will also assess the summary paper and presentation.
- Evaluations and reflection papers are due within 2 weeks of project completion.
Students are encouraged to complete this requirement during the freshman or sophomore year. One-half credit in Theology is awarded to students successfully completing the service project. All juniors must complete projects (hours, and reflection paper) by March 1st. Because the Community Service requirement takes precedence over all extra-curricular activities, including athletics, eligibility will be suspended for all students that have not completed the requirements by this date. Other sanctions (detention, etc.) may be implemented to encourage project completion. Juniors who have not completed projects by the last day of their junior year will not be permitted to enter their senior year.
Project guidelines, procedures, requirements and deadlines are posted on the class website.
COURSE SCHEDULE CHANGES
Changes to course schedules should be made before the end of school or during the summer, however, students may initiate course changes, for good reason, within the first two weeks of school. Changes after this time will be made only under extraordinary circumstances. Any course that is dropped after the first two weeks of school will appear on the transcript as withdraw/pass (WP) or withdraw/fail (WF).
Students enrolled in honors or advanced placement courses who receive a grade of D or F for the first two quarters of the year will be switched to a college preparatory section at the semester. Students who receive a D or F the last two quarters of the year will not be allowed to enroll in an honors section the following year.
ELIGIBILITY FOR EXTRA-CURRICULAR ACTIVITIES
(including athletics)
- For each marking period a student will be ineligible for extra-curricular activities (including athletics) if he/she receives failing grades in two or more classes.
- All ineligible students remain ineligible until the end of the next marking period and will be assigned study halls according to the ninth grade requirement.
- Students ineligible as a result of 4th marking period grades remain ineligible for all extra-curricular activities during the 1st marking period of the next school year. Students cannot regain eligibility by making up academic deficiencies or failures of the regular school year during the summer months. Also, incomplete grades are not to be considered passing grades for the purpose of eligibility.
Eligibility for first quarter begins with summer practices and the first day of school. For all subsequent quarters, changes in eligibility status will take place on the second Monday following the close of grades for each quarter. Students who are ineligible will not be allowed extra-curricular activities including athletics as of this date. Students regaining eligibility will not become eligible until this date.
FINAL ASSESSMENTS
Generally, all students have a cumulative assessment at the end of both semesters which is graded and reported separately. A special schedule is used. Seniors do not have exams at the end of second semester. However, teachers may give students a final test. The content and grade for this test is included in the fourth quarter grade.
FINAL GRADES
Final grades in year-long courses are determined by the following system:
(1st qtr. grade x 2 + 2nd qtr. grade x 2 + semester exam + 3rd qtr. grade x 2 + 4th qtr. grade x 2 + final exam) / 10 = Final Grade
Final grades in semester courses are computed by the following system:
(1st qtr. grade x 2 + 2nd qtr. grade x 2 + exam) / 5 = Final Grade
GRADE POINT AVERAGE
GPA is based on the weighted average of final letter grades. Example: A grade of “A” in a college preparatory class equals 4.0, in an honors course 4.5, and 5.0 in an AP class. All grades are included in the average except for art and music performance classes, winterterm, and service project. The GPA appears on the student’s transcript.
GRADING SYSTEM
A+ 97-99 (4.5)
A 92-96 (4.0)
B+ 87-91 (3.5)
B 82-86 (3.0)
C+ 77-81 (2.5)
C 73-76 (2.0)
D 70-72 (1.0)
F below 70
HOMEWORK
- Each teacher posts an assignment sheet for the week on the class’s web page prior to the first class day of each week. This provides advance notice of all tests, many quizzes, long-range projects, deadlines, and due dates. Most importantly, the posting specifies all homework for the week. Families can use the web pages to anticipate conflicts and to plan for effective use of study and leisure time.
- Students are expected to be fully prepared for their classes each day. Students are required to meet the standards and criteria established by each subject teacher. These are issued to each student and are also provided on the web page.
- Students who do not complete homework may be required to stay after school to complete the missing work. Although twenty-four hour notice is usually provided, students may be kept on the same day.
- School policy requires that students receive at least one-half hour of meaningful homework in each class each day.
- In order that students comprehend and appreciate an entire literary work, Cliffs Notes, Spark Notes, or other abridgement or summary tools are not allowed in school. Parents are asked to support the same standard at home.
- No homework is issued during the Thanksgiving recess and December, February, and April vacations.
HONOR ROLL
Principal’s List – All quarter grades A or higher or 4.2 GPA (unweighted)
High Honors – All quarter grades B+ or higher or 3.8 GPA (unweighted)
Honors – All quarter grades B or higher or 3.4 GPA (unweighted)
INCOMPLETES
Incompletes must be completed per the make-up policy.
LEARNING DISABLED STUDENTS
Students who have been identified by their local school districts for specific learning disabilities, or other health issues that affect learning, are provided with some classroom accommodations. These accommodations will take into account the student’s IEP or 504 Plan, but may not meet all expectations of the plan. Typically, accommodations include: extra time for testing, peer tutoring, after school help from the teacher, and preferential seating. Identified students are expected to complete assignments in the same time given to other students and without modification to length.
In the case of a language-based learning disability, an identified student may have his/her World Language requirement waived.
These students may also be eligible for extended time on college entrance exams, such as the SAT. Eligibility requirements must be met during grade 9 with current testing on file in Guidance, and clearly showing a learning disability or qualification under 504. For more details on eligibility, go to collegeboard.com and access the page on Services for Students with Disabilities (SSD).
REPORT CARDS/PROGRESS REPORTS
Report cards are issued after each of the four marking periods. Progress reports are issued at the mid-point of each quarter. Directions and instruction for online grade reports will be provided to all parents early in the year. Parents are encouraged to contact teachers for an appointment to discuss student progress at any time. Conferences with two or more teachers can be scheduled through the Guidance Department. However, special conferences will not be scheduled during the week before and/or the week after parent/teacher meeting nights.
SUMMER SCHOOL
Students with a failing grade in a course(s) may be required to attend an approved summer school program. However, students failing English must attend an approved summer school in order to re-enroll in St. Thomas the following September. A maximum of two credits may be earned in summer school per year and a maximum of four credits during four years at St. Thomas. Students should be aware that summer school credit in Theology and other specific courses is not available. St. Thomas does not provide summer school courses for credit recovery.
WINTERTERM
Winterterm is a four day academic program between semesters in January. During the Winterterm program, students and teachers concentrate on specialized and intensive courses that are beyond the scope of the regular academic curriculum. Winterterm courses will focus on a particular area of interest or expertise of St. Thomas faculty or school community members. Students will experience an interactive environment focusing on less traditional approaches to learning. Because student participation is vital to the success of the Winterterm program and Winterterm is scheduled during the academic school year, school attendance rules apply.
WRITING AND RESEARCH STANDARDS
The STA English department has published Writing and Research Standards that students are expected to follow in all written work.