SECTION II - ACADEMIC ISSUES

CLASS RANK/GPA CALCULATIONS

At the completion of the fourth (4th) marking period of the junior academic year, students are automatically assigned a class rank based on the course work completed during that year. Once this process has been completed, each student is given a GPA based upon the degree of difficulty and the weight given to all courses taken that year. Each student should attain all that he/she is capable of achieving. Therefore, a numerical system of grading will be used calculating Student Class Rank/GPA calculations.

All courses taken by students will be weighted according to the following table of values.

The philosophy of the GPA at LHS is that any "A" in the AP pathway has higher GPA value than any in the standard pathway, and so on. The following table of values will reflect that philosophy.

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EXTRA HELP

Extra help sessions will be conducted on a weekly basis according to the following schedule:

• Tuesday: Science, Social Studies, Business, and Family and Consumer Sciences
• Wednesday: English, Technology, and Physical Education, Art
• Thursday: Mathematics, Languages, Vocal and Instrumental Music, Guidance counselors will be available to meet with students on specific days Tuesday through Thursday. Students will be informed on which day each guidance counselor will be available. On occasion, individual teachers may move their extra help night due to conflicts. Students will be notified of the change.

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FINAL EXAMS

At the midpoint and end of the year, all students will take midyear and final exams during the posted times. The midyear and final exam grades equal 15% of the students' final average for the course. Parents of absent students must call the office on the day the student is absent to report and explain that absence before the office will grant permission to make-up the midyear/final exam. If the midyear/final exam cannot be made up during the allotted times, the teacher will leave a copy of the exam in the office with the student's name before leaving for the summer if the exam occurs in June. The office will administer the exam and return it to the teacher for correcting. Meanwhile, the student will receive a grade of "incomplete" which will be changed in the fall after the exam has been corrected. Once on school property, students are not allowed to leave school until the completion of the day's schedule and mid-year exams schedule.

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GRADING SYSTEM

Report cards are issued four (4) times during the school year. Each marking period is approximately ten weeks long. The grading system is based upon the following scale:

NUMERICAL EQUIVALENT ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT

Students who are permitted to withdraw from a class due to extenuating circumstances after the first quarter of the school year, will be graded in the dropped class with a withdraw passing (WP) or a withdraw failing (WF) dependent on the numeric grade the student has earned at the time of the withdrawal. The WP or WF will not calculate into the cumulative GPA or the class rank. The numeric grade from the dropped course will be incorporated into any added course. A WF may affect a student's eligibility for athletics because the withdrawal grade is considered a failing grade.

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HONOR ROLL

At the close of each marking period an official HONOR ROLL for grades 9-12 is released. This honor roll is announced in school and is also published in the school and local newspapers.

Students must return all books/other items and pay all debts at the end of each school year. Failure to do so will result in nonparticipation of class activities the following year.

HONOR ROLL REQUIREMENTS

Honor Roll will be determined by the grade point average using 3.0 minimum for HONORS, and 3.5 to 4.0 for HIGH HONORS. No grade below 70 or any incomplete grade is allowed.

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GRADUATION REOUIREMENTS - GRADE 9 -12

To be awarded a diploma from Ludlow High School students in grade 12 must successfully complete a minimum requirement of one hundred and two (102) credit hours including the following:

• Four years of English -20 credits
• One year Grade 12 of U.S. Government -5 credits
• Two years Grades 9-12 of Science, including Biology -10 credits
• Three years (Grades 9-12) of Mathematics -15 credits
• One year (Grades 10-12) of U.S. History -5 credits
• One marking term (Grades 9) of Health-1.0 credits
• The class of 2009 students must pass the Math and English portions of the state's MCAS testing program, as an alternative, receive an examination waiver from the Massachusetts Department of Education. Beginning with the class of 2010 and thereafter, all students must also pass the science portion of the MCAS testing program as an alternative, receive an examination waiver from the Department of Education. The Class of 2012 must also pass the U.S. History exam. A Certificate of Attainment will be awarded to those students who meet all the district's requirements but do not meet the state's MCAS requirement. This certificate will be presented at the graduation ceremony.

All students must carry a minimum of five (5) five-credit courses and physical education each school year. The following credits are needed for promotion.

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PROMOTION/RETENTION

• Grade 9 students must earn 25 credits to become a sophomore
• Grade 10 students must earn 50 credits to become a junior
• Grade 11 students must earn 71 credits to become a senior

Students who are not eligible for diplomas will receive a Certificate of Attainment.

Students not in good standing as of the date of graduation will have until December 31st to complete graduation requirements and will then be awarded a current diploma. Students completing graduation requirements after December 31st will receive their diploma with the next graduation class.

FIFTH YEAR OPTION

Students who have enrolled for a fifth year to graduate from Ludlow High School will be assigned an amended school day. Before they can attend, they must do the following:

1. Meet with the principal
2. Meet with guidance director to design a course schedule to include only those courses needed to meet graduation requirements.

GRADE NINE HONORS COURSES IN ENGLISH, SOCIAL STUDIES, MATH, SCIENCE AND FOREIGN LANGUAGE

Selection Procedure

Placement will be assigned as per school committee policy

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INCOMPLETE GRADES

All 1st, 2nd, and 3rd quarter incomplete grades must be made up prior to the end of the next grading quarter. In the 4th quarter, incomplete grades may only be issued with prior approval of the administration.

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MAKE-UP WORK

Make-up work is only for students who legitimately miss class (this does not include truancy, class skipping, or students who have neglected to return work in a timely fashion). Make-up work applies to vacations, and short and long-term absences. Tests and quizzes must be made-up after school or during a student's DLT and not during a scheduled class.

Vacations: Ludlow High School discourages vacation days taken during our 180-day school year. We, however, understand that parents require their children to go on these trips. Parents must assume responsibility for putting their child at academic risk because of missed class time. This includes specific content missed as well as exceeding the allowable days under the school's attendance policy. We require at least a five-day advance notice by the parent, which will result in an administrative approval form, which can then be shown to teachers. This form is available from the House Assistant Principal. The teacher and student must determine a make-up schedule for homework, papers, labs, reading, projects, quizzes, tests, etc, BEFORE the vacation. Work may also be completed before the intended vacation, but no later than one week after the student's return to class. Please understand that these vacation days are not excused and count toward the 18 days absence policy.

Short-term absence (1 to 3 days): Students are responsible for obtaining assignments from responsible classmates (the lack of Guidance staff prevents us from delivering that level of service). Teachers will allow a one-day extension for each day out. Thus, a student who is absent for two days will be allowed two days from the date of return to complete and pass in assignments. Tests and quizzes must be made-up within one week and in consultation with the classroom teacher.

Long-term absences (more than 3 consecutive days): A very small percentage of students fall into this category. This is also an area in which students may be incapable of doing schoolwork because of injury or medication. As such, we will allow up to two weeks for all work to be submitted to teachers.

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NATIONAL HONOR SOCIETY

Membership is an honor bestowed upon a student. Selection for membership by a Faculty Council is based on outstanding scholarship, character, leadership, and service. Once selected, members have the responsibility to continue to demonstrate these qualities. To be eligible for membership, the candidate must be a member of the junior or senior class.

Seniors will go through the selection process and be notified of their acceptance into N.H.S. during the first marking term, in order that they may include this information on their college applications. Juniors will go through the selection process at the close of the first marking period and will be notified of their selection during the second marking term. All new members, both juniors and seniors, will be officially inducted into the Ludlow High School Chapter of N.H.S. at a ceremony held after the first of the year.

Students will be selected on the basis of meeting the following requirements:

Academic Requirements

The academic requirement is based on full and half year credit courses only; physical education credits and health credits do not count toward this requirement. Candidates must have a cumulative GPA of at least 3.33. They can have no grades less than a 70.

Character

Candidates must demonstrate good character. Good character is defined as, but not limited to, honesty, respect for others, and compliance with school and state rules, regulations and laws. Two letters of recommendation in support of character must be submitted by the candidate's teachers. Students who academically qualify will have their names confidentially presented to the faculty. Any student, whose character is deemed questionable, will have their name brought to the faculty council for a decision on whether the student will be considered for acceptance. The faculty council consists of five full-time faculty members. The final determination is entirely up to them. The decision of the faculty council is final. Their determination is final.

Students qualifying academically, who have also been approved on character, will be invited to submit an application portfolio provided by the NHS advisors. This sheet will list the activities that the students feel fulfill the requirements of Leadership, Organization, & Community Service.

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Leadership, Organization, Community Service Requirements

Leadership: "The leadership criteria are considered highly important for membership selection. Some faculty councils may wish to interpret leadership in terms of number of offices a student has held in school or community organizations, although it is important to recognize that leadership also exists outside elected positions. Other faculty councils may define leadership in less objective terms, (National Honor Society handbook, 1992 edition, p.17).

Examples of leadership positions include, but are not limited to, the following:

Class officers; club officers; team captains or co-captains (the captainship does not count if it is attained solely by class status, i.e., all seniors on the team are co- captains); teaching (on a regular basis) Sunday School, CCD, dance classes, etc.; being a camp counselor; being an office; in a church group; instructing (on a regular basis) new workers on how to do a certain job, e.g., using a check-out register at a supermarket.

Organization: A student must belong to and participate in at least two organizations. Membership and/or participation must have begun at least at the beginning of the junior school year in the case of junior applicant, and the beginning of the senior school year in the case of senior applicants. Commitment is very important; a student must be an active member.

Organization requirement must be met inside school only. The adult advisor/coach/supervisor must confirm the student's commitment and participation.

The list of student organizations is extensive; all sports teams; all recognized student clubs and organizations; band; jazz band; concert choir; the Cub. Yearbook the Paw, SADD, Mural Club, Student Council, Math Team, Model Congress, etc.

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Community Service

Proof of completion of three community service projects is required: two short term projects and one long term project. Short term community service shall be defined as involvement in a project consisting of less than twenty (20) hours of service/work over less than a two (2) month period. The short term community service projects must be completed prior to the student's application for admission into N.H.S. Long term community service shall be defined as involvement in a project consisting of a minimum twenty (20) hours of service/work over a minimum two (2) month period. Involvement in the long term community service project must commence prior to the student's application for admission into N.H.S. but may be ongoing at the time of application. Paid work in goods, services or currency will not be considered as community service.

Retaining Membership

To retain membership, the academic, character and community service requirements must be maintained up to graduation. Members could be put on probation or dismissed from N.H.S. for falling below the academic requirements, violating school/state rules, regulations and laws, character violations (including, but no limited to, lying, cheating, plagiarizing, etc.), and/or not fulfilling their community service obligations.

NHS Policy for Disciplinary Action

Violation of the standards of the NHS regarding issues such as maintaining academic requirements, honesty, respect for ones self and others, morality, and observance of instruction and rules will be grounds for disciplinary action. The following guidelines will be followed upon receiving information that a member has violated these standards:

• The NHS advisor(s) will investigate the matter, gathering statements from the faculty members involved.
• This information will be brought to the faculty council for discussion and a decision on the action to be taken. If the disciplinary action involves probation or suspension of privileges, the student has no recourse and will not be called in for a hearing. If the council feels there are grounds for dismissal, a hearing will take place and the student will present his/her case to the council. The student may have parents/guardians present. The advisor(s) are not allowed to vote on the decision but will be present at the hearing and they may take part in the discussion.
• The council will then vote on the information presented to them and the student will be informed of the council's decision, in writing, by the advisor(s).

If a student is dismissed from NHS and feels that the dismissal was not appropriate, he/she has the right to appeal this decision to the principal. Once a member has been dismissed, and that dismissal has been upheld on appeal (should he/she choose to appeal) he/she will not be able to be reinstated.

Each incident (of which we hope there will be few), will be evaluated individually; the one size fits all approach to determining culpability, as well as determining punishment is not always the best way.

There will be no announcement of pending disciplinary action, or of the final decision, in these cases. The resolution of the matter will remain between the individual and the advisor(s).

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PROGRESS REPORTS

Progress Reports will be issued in the middle of each marking period to all students in all subjects. They may also be given to students who have made significant progress. Parent/guardian must sign and return progress reports to the teacher if requested by the teacher. Progress reports are publicized at the beginning of the school year.

TUTORING POLICY

The Ludlow Public Schools has adopted a long term tutoring (3 or more consecutive weeks) policy effective 2/10/04. Students eligible for tutoring must follow the process outlined in the approved policy. The LHS principal or his/her designee will grant approval and provide the necessary follow through. Parents/students need to be aware that long-term tutoring may result in a situation where the curriculum cannot be fully covered. Therefore, completing a course or courses may be in jeopardy to the point wherein credits may not be earned. All LHS Handbook rules are applicable to tutored students. The packet to request long term tutoring is available from a student's guidance counselor.

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SALUTATORIAN AND VALIDICTORIAN REQUIREMENTS

At the close of the final marking period for grade 12, the senior boy or girl attaining the highest grade point average based on the weighted system will be awarded the title of Class Valedictorian. The senior boy or girl attaining the second highest grade point average based on the weighted system will be awarded the title of Class Salutatorian.

CREDIT ACQUISITION

The following policy options will be presented to a student, with administration approval, who has not been in attendance at Ludlow High School during a time when the student should have been attending.

Option A - For those students who have not been attending schools regularly, credits for a course will be prorated based on the number of months the student will be attending/participating in his/her learning at LHS. The following chart will apply:

Option B - Those students who want to earn a full five credits for a year-long course or 2.5 credits for a semester course will be required to fulfill all course requirements. Students will receive a 0% grade average for the quarter(s) missed. Teachers will not be required to go back and recreate make-up work/homework assignments for the time period when the student should have been, but was not attending. The student's final grade for the course at the end of the year will be an average of all four quarters.

The student/parent/guardian will select the option at the time the student starts attending LHS.

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