| The Guidance Department of Black River High School makes available this handbook as a guide to your high school academic program. You must remember that the recommendations are general. The only true program is one that you have chosen with: Parents are encouraged to contact the Guidance Director with any questions or concerns about the course selection process at 228-3132.
Graduation Requirements and Recommended Program for College | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| A total of 28 credits is required for graduation at Black River High School. Specific course requirements include selected English courses, U.S. History/AP U.S. History, and World History as noted under the Course Descriptions. Each student also must carry a minimum course load of six and one-half (6½)credits each year while carrying no fewer than three (3) credits each semester. | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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Suggested Sequence of Courses | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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| As a school, we are committed to providing a quality education for all students through a range of courses that allow all
students to meet the graduation requirements. When planning a program for your remaining years at BRHS, you should remember that
the courses listed in the Program of Studies are proposed course offerings and that selected courses are offered only
in alternate years. Furthermore, actual enrollment, staffing changes, and
budgetary constraints may result in changes or deletions to the program.
Back to top Program ChangesChange of Schedule RequestsCourses for the school year are chosen by the student and approved by teachers, parents, and the Guidance Director. Some course levels are determined by teacher recommendations. Classes and teacher assignments are arranged to accommodate the choices you make. Schedules are NOT constructed to accommodate later changes of mind. Therefore, any request for a change will be considered only for the most compelling of reasons. Such reasons are:
If a student’s schedule contains an error, an omission, or a similarly acute problem as outlined above, the student must initiate the change with his or her counselor. Schedule change requests are to be made during the two weeks prior to the opening of the school. Adding CoursesStudents may add courses for credit if there is room in the class. The request to add a course should be made to the guidance office during the two weeks prior to the opening of school or within the first five days of the semester. Dropping or Withdrawing from a CourseA request to withdraw from a course must be made during the first week of the new semester. If permission to withdraw from a course is granted, you must obtain a form from the guidance secretary. The request must be approved and the form signed by your parents, teachers, and guidance counselor. Completed forms must be returned to the guidance office. Back to top Related InformationCollege Admissions and TestingIn evaluating applications, many colleges rely in part on objective tests, especially the ACT and the SAT. Each of these tests measures verbal and mathematical abilities. The ACT includes a section on science and reading. All college-bound sophomores are encouraged to take the PSAT given in October. Black River students expecting to apply for early decision should take the SAT in May or June. Seniors who have not taken or who wish to retake the SAT may do so in the first semester of the senior year. The SAT contains three sections: verbal, critical reading and writing, and mathematics. The verbal sections of these tests focus on analogies, sentence completions, and reading comprehension. The mathematics section requires students to solve arithmetic problems, and problems requiring knowledge of elementary algebra and geometry. Additional critical reading passages, and a new writing section with a student-written essay is new this year. The catalogue of a college to which a student is applying will indicate its expectations for applicants concerning these exams and recommended high school courses. The Guidance Department with its catalogues and software programs has this information readily available. Back to top Promotion RequirementsThe promotion requirements for students are as follows: Freshmen(Grade 9) will move to the Sophomore year (Grade 10) upon the attainment of seven (7) academic credits. Sophomores(Grade 10) will move to the Junior year (Grade 11) upon the attainment of fourteen (14) credits. Juniors(Grade 11) will move to the Senior year (Grade 12) upon the attainment of twenty-one (21) academic credits. Students not attaining the above-mentioned academic credits will remain a member of the lower class (i.e., a Sophomore who earns less than 13 credits will be retained in the Sophomore class). Students who earn enough credits by the end of semester 1 will be considered a member of the Junior class. If such Junior is scheduled for enough credits to graduate and has passed all subjects at the end of the first semester, he or she will be considered a Senior and enjoy all the privileges of that class. Student Records Review and ReleaseIn compliance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act of 1974, as amended, Black River High School provides students the right to inspect and review their educational records and to challenge the contents of these records to ensure that such records are not inaccurate, misleading, or in violation of the student’s privacy or other rights. Until a student reaches the age of eighteen (18) or enters a postsecondary school, his or her parents have the right to access, but once the student turns eighteen (18) or enters a postsecondary school, the right moves from the parent to the student. In addition, Black River High School will not release personally identifiable records to any individual agency or organization without prior written consent, except as provided by law. However, under federal law, the school is required to release students’ names, addresses, and telephone numbers to military recruiters and institutions of higher education upon request unless a parent specifically requests in writing that no student contact information be released without the parent’s consent. Back to top Nondiscrimination PolicyIn accordance with Title VI, Title IX, NCLBA, IDEA, Section 504 ADA, and federal and state law, it is the policy of Black River High School that no person shall be excluded from the participation in, denied the privileges of, or subjected to discrimination in any educational program or activity at the school upon the basis of race, color, national origin, creed or faith, gender, age, handicapping condition and/or disability, or sexual orientation. Inquiries concerning the application of these policies should be referred to the Superintendent of Schools, 8 High Street, Ludlow, VT 05149. Courses are open to all students in Grades 9-12, unless prerequisites or restrictions apply. BRHS reserves the right to cancel or combine courses with low enrollment or other instructional service conflicts. |
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| Information on this page provided by the Guidance Department | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
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