Article 5 - Scholastic Achievement

 

The professional staff at Sutton Public Schools will place students at the grade level and in the courses best suited to them academically, socially and emotionally. 

 

Students will typically progress annually from grade to grade.  A student may be retained at a grade level or be required to repeat a course or program when such is determined in the judgment of the professional staff to be appropriate for the educational interests of the student and the educational program.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Section 7         Schedule Changes 

All schedule changes should be made prior to the beginning of the school year.  In order for a student to drop/add a class, it must be by teacher request.  Students needing schedule changes should notify the counselor. Schedule changes must be initiated by the teachers involved, the principal or guidance counselor, and students’ parents. Final approval of all schedule changes will be made by the Principal only.

 

Section 8         Positive Progress, Deficiency Reports, Disciplinary Referral  

There are three forms in the high school office that teachers can access at any time if a student’s performance in the classroom needs to improve, the student has made positive progress, or the student has displayed a behavior that warrants a discipline referral.  These forms are sent weekly if need be – the teacher determines.

 

Section 9         Report Cards

Report cards are issued at the end of each quarter, or nine-week sessions. Letter grades are used to designate a student’s progress. Incompletes shall be designated by an "I". Students have two weeks after the end of the quarter to make up incomplete work.  Failure to do so will cause the grade to change to a "NC" (No Credit). No incompletes will be given at the end of the fourth quarter, as all course work must be completed by the end of the fourth quarter.  Report cards will be withheld at the end of the school year if students have not paid fines or met other obligations.

 

Section 10       Parent-Teacher Conferences

Parent-teacher conferences will be held this year at the end of the 1st quarter and mid-3rd quarter (October 15^th and 18^th, March 10^th and 11^th). Conferences with teachers, at any other time, are possible by calling the school office and making arrangements with one or more teachers as needed.

 

Section 11       Academic Honors System and Honor Roll

The purpose of the Academic Honors is to promote a standard for academic excellence.  There are two awards – Red and Gold – with Gold being the higher honor.  Any student earning three Gold awards during his/her high school career is eligible for a Gold medal for high scholastic achievement.

 

To be eligible for an Academic Award the student must be enrolled in a minimum of 7 classes except when waived by the administration.  Any student receiving a “D”, a failing grade or an incomplete will not be eligible for an award.  Eligibility can be regained when and if the “incomplete” is removed from the transcript.

 

To be awarded a Red Academic Award a student must maintain an average grade of 91% or above.

 

To be awarded a Gold Academic Award a student must maintain an average grade of 95% or above.

 

Eligibility for Academic Awards will be figured from the second semester and the first semester grades of each successive year.  A possible total of three Academic Awards may be obtained.

 

An Honor Roll and Honorable Mention List will be published and displayed at the conclusion of each quarter.  To be eligible for the Honor Roll, a student must have a minimum of a 93% average with no grade below a 81%.  A student who earned an average of 90.5% to 92.9% with no grade below 81% will qualify for the Honorable Mention List.  A graduating Senior will earn a gold honor cord to be worn at the graduation ceremony for a 93% or higher cumulative (9^th-12^th) grade point average.

 

The Regents Scholarships and the National Merit Scholarships are awarded on the basis of the score received in a competitive examination which is administered each year.  Recipients of the Community Scholarship Awards are determined by a committee randomly selected by the community.  The selection criteria are as follows:

1.       A letter from the applicant

2.       The applicant’s high school record including rank in class.

3.       Applicant evaluation forms that are to be completed by three teachers

4.       Leadership, service and character.

The number and amount of the scholarships are to be determined by the committee.  The scholarships will be awarded at the Commencement Exercises.

 

Board of Education Policy #5126

Legal References: R.R.S. 79-4, 139

 

 

Section 12       National Honor Society: 

The National Honor Society chapter of Sutton Public Schools is a duly chartered and affiliated chapter of this prestigious national organization.

 

Admission to the National Honor Society

Membership is open to those students who meet the required standards in four areas of evaluation: scholarship, leadership, service, and character. Standards for selection are established by the national office of NHS and have been revised to meet our local chapter needs.

 

Students in the 10th, 11th, or 12th grades are eligible for membership*. [*NOTE: Eligibility can be altered according to your local guidelines, thus limiting the year or years of eligibility – see the national handbook for clarification.] For the scholarship criterion, a student must have a cumulative grade point average of 3.0 or better on a 4.0 scale* [see NOTE above]

Once inducted, new members are required to maintain the same level of performance in all four criteria (or better) that led to their selection.

 

Students or parents who have questions regarding the selection process or membership obligations can contact the chapter adviser, Kelvin Wolzen.  Sutton NHS By-Laws will be distributed at the beginning of the school year for students to read and uphold the expectations and guidelines therein.  Student and parent will sign the contract.    

 

Removal from National Honor Society

A student may be removed from the NHS by action of the Faculty Council/Principal upon a determination that the student:

 

1.        Prior Conduct.  Engaged in conduct prior to induction which was not known at the           time of induction and which, if known, would have caused denial of induction;

 

2          Post-Induction Conduct.  Engaged in conduct after induction which is grounds for a student to be long-term suspended or expelled from school under the student code of conduct contained in this handbook; which is grounds for suspension or removal from any extracurricular activity of the school, or which would cause denial of induction if such conduct had taken place prior to the time of induction.

 

            The student may appeal the Faculty Council/Principal’s decision to the Superintendent by giving written notice of appeal to the Superintendent within ten calendar days of receipt of the Principal’s removal decision.  The appeal procedures shall be established in the discretion of the Superintendent such as to allow a fair opportunity for the student’s views and information to be considered.  The decision of the Superintendent on the appeal shall be final. 

 

Section 13       Eligibility Policy/Discipline List

 

            A student must be passing 6 out of 7 or 7 out of 8 classes at the high school level in order to be eligible for participation/attendance in extra-curricular activities at Sutton High School.  A student’s eligibility will be checked every week.

 

            Each Monday, teachers will submit to the principal’s office by noon (12PM) a report of students who are down or failing as well as any students that have committed discipline violations.  Each Tuesday, staff will be provided with a list generated from these reports.  Any student whose name appears on this down list with failing grades or with past-due work not completed in two or more classes for two continuous weeks will be ineligible for participation/attendance in activities and athletics the 3^rd week or until the grade is passing or the teachers concerned are convinced that the student is working to the best of his/her ability. (ex. A student fails (grade average below 70% or has past-due work) two classes during the week of September 2-6, that student will be placed on probation for the week of September 9-13.  If the same student is still failing any 2 classes at the end of the second week (Sept. 9-13), he/she will be academically ineligible for the week of September 16-20 and will continue to be ineligible until no more than one class is being failed or work is completed.)

 

            During the time of ineligibility, the student will still be required to practice for contests, competitions, concerts, etc.  Eligibility will be cumulative in nature.  Student eligibility will begin the first week of each semester and continue throughout the final week of each semester.

            Discipline List

            Any student whose name appears on the discipline list for two consecutive weeks will be ineligible for activities and athletics for the following week (3^rd week), Tuesday through Monday; or whose name appears on that list more than four times within a quarter will be ineligible for the remainder of that quarter or the next consecutive four weeks, which ever is longer. 

 

            Any student whose name appears on the weekly eligibility/discipline list will be excluded from leaving study hall for any privilege (library/computer, to help with a track meet, etc.) and food/drink during 1^st period class.

 

Sutton Superstars

Good behavior, good attendance, good grades and promptness are all very important to student

success, therefore; prizes will be provided as an incentive to promote these qualities.

 

            Sutton Superstar qualifying Criteria:

1.       Grades:  All “A’s”

Attendance:  3 or fewer days absent

Promptness:  No more than three tardies per quarter

           

2.       Grades:  All “B’s” or above

Attendance:  2 or fewer days absent

Promptness:  No more than 3 tardies per quarter

 

3.       Grades:  All “C’s” or above

Attendance:  1 or fewer days absent

Promptness:  No more than 3 tardies per quarter

 

4.       Student must have no suspensions from school or the school bus.

5.       Students caught cheating will not qualify for the drawing.

6.       Students with four or more detentions will not qualify for the drawing.

 

A drawing will be held at the end of each semester to determine the winners of many donated prizes.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Top Class

 

Sutton High School will be involved in some friendly competition throughout the 2006-2007 school year.  Grades 9-12 will be judged on the following:

 

1.       Highest quarterly grade point average

2.       Quarterly attendance

3.       Quarterly tardies

4.       Parent/guardian attendance at parent/teacher conference

 

Scoring

 

1^st place…20 points

2^nd place…15 points

3^rd place…10 points

4^th place… 5 points

 

As a reward for winning the class competition, the winning class will be excused from school for one day as determined by the Principal.