CHS APEX Information and Expectations
APEX is a special opportunity to take digital courses in a classroom setting. It is offered as a credit retrieval class
for courses previously failed. The APEX program is a hybrid format that combines online instruction and computer-scored assessment (diagnostics, tests, and quizzes), note-taking, and teacher-scored written assignments
(journals, practice problems, short-answer questions, essays).
Individual Focus
In an APEX classroom, you take the courses you need at the pace you need. Due dates are determined by the number of
courses, the time remaining, and by reasonable expectations of consistent effort.
Mastery-Based Learning
In APEX, you move at your own pace by showing mastery of material. This means that you must pass every quiz or test with
at least a 70% before moving on.
You get three chances to pass each quiz or test, and one to pass a pretest/diagnostic. After the 3rd failed quiz or test, you must
complete work for that section (study guides or practice problems) in order to retake the assessment.
In certain cases, after multiple resets of a Unit Test, you may be offered an alternative, teacher-scored written test upon completion of all relevant study guides.
Quizzes may be taken in class or at home. You may use your study guide or other hand-generated, authentic notes while taking a quiz. Tests, however, are proctored, and must be taken in class, without study guides, notes or other assistance. Exception: scientific calculators and Washington State EOC formula sheets are allowed on all math
work/tests.
Grading
Your overall APEX grade is pass / no credit, with a minimum of 70% considered passing. The “Quality of Work” score is
used to calculate the grade. Most quizzes and tests are computer-scored. Any teacher-scored assignments that are not
finished are given a score of zero. At the completion of the course, all scores are aggregated, including zeroes. If the final
exam score is at least a 60%, and if all scores averaged (represented by the “Quality of Work” score) equal a 70% or
higher, you pass the course. An average below 70 requires completion of missing assignments until a 70% Quality of Work
score is reached.
Pretests / Diagnostics: Showing What You Already Know
As you begin a unit, you take a pretest or diagnostic in an attempt to “test out” by earning a minimum of 80% overall. (For
“Prescriptive” courses, you must attempt the pretest before the unit will open.)
Pretests are proctored and taken at the beginning of the unit. In other words, once you start working through the unit,
the pretest / diagnostic cannot be unlocked for you.
There is no penalty for failing a pretest / diagnostic. It will simply help you understand what you need to learn.
Revised 8/28/2014
Hooray! I've mastered this! (80% or higher overall)
With an 80% overall score, you are able to skip the unit and move on to the next. The pretest / diagnostic score becomes your average grade on each assignment for the tested-out unit.
I get credit for what I know. (79% or lower overall)
Sections with an 80% or higher are excused. You’ll complete all necessary work, including the unit test.
Note: “Prescriptive” courses follow a computer-generated variant of this procedure.
“Testing Out” is forbidden in two cases: first, for the “College and Careers” classes, and in any course needed for
NCAA athletic eligibility.
Maintaining Progress in APEX
You’re required to finish at least a semester's worth of work by the end of the program in which you’re currently enrolled.
You’re expected to work on your assignments while in class, and will need to make reasonable daily progress toward course
completion. All APEX activity (logging in/out; time spent working; quizzes, etc.) is being monitored by APEX instructors. To
remain in this class, you must be on schedule and maintain satisfactory progress, defined below.
a. On Schedule: You must complete assignments by the computer-generated due dates; you must not fall below
70% in the "On Schedule" category, found in the student progress report. Logging in five days per week and the
equivalent of 30-40 hours per course is expected.
b. Satisfactory Progress: remaining above the 70% mark in the "Quality of Work" at all times.
APEX seats are limited in the Olympia School District, so you may be withdrawn from APEX if the above conditions are not met.
How and When to Access APEX
Log in at school or at home using the website http://www.apexvs.com with the username and password given to you by
your APEX instructor at the beginning of class.
Classroom Behavior
With minor exceptions, all standard classroom procedures apply. You must be on time to class, avoid distractions, and work
quietly so others may do the same.
To prevent distractions and maintain testing integrity, electronic devices must be stowed and kept silent throughout class. If seen, heard or used, they will be confiscated and removed to the front office and only available for pick up from
an administrator after a brief conference. To conserve bandwidth and prevent distractions, YouTube and other streaming video or audio sites are not allowed.
If the course has an audio portion to the instruction, you’ll need to supply your own set of headphones.
Revised 8/28/2014
Academic Integrity
APEX provides you with a unique opportunity to quickly recover high school credit, placing a high degree of trust in the fact
that you are doing your own work. Thus, to maintain the program’s integrity, cheating in APEX is unacceptable. Plagiarism,
copying answers, using illegitimate notes (i.e. computer-generated, copy-and-pasted notes or “key terms” lists), using the
Internet to answer quiz or test questions, or any other form of cheating will be grounds for disciplinary action and academic
consequences. For instance, instead of completing a multiple-choice test at the end of the unit, a student who has been found
to have cheated will be required to take a written, analytical/essay-based test. Furthermore, a student who cheats will have
future quizzes locked, thus being unable to work on APEX off-site.
This means that any attempt to cheat will seriously jeopardize your chances to succeed. DO NOT TAKE
SHORTCUTS.
A second or major offense is grounds for dismissal with no credit. Cheating on a quiz or pretest is equivalent to
cheating on a test.
All testing (pretests included) must be proctored by your APEX instructor. You may not take a test with another
person's assistance. At the beginning of the course, you’ll need to provide photo identification and have it available during
the first week of school. While testing, you are not allowed to leave the testing room. If an emergency arises, the test will be
paused and you’ll need to finish it at a later time.
APEX Credit Policies
1. You may be enrolled in only one APEX course at a time. Once you finish that course, you’re eligible to take another.
2. Each course will be equivalent to a semester—one half (.5) credit.
3. If you need more than one course per semester, you must meet with the coordinator and your counselor to ensure that
you will be able to finish in a timely manner.
4. APEX courses will be graded as Pass/No Credit at the completion of the course. If you do not finish your APEX course
by the end of the program, you will not receive any credit.
5. In other words, you do not receive any credit for merely attending the APEX class.
Teacher Availability
Your instructor has several responsibilities: keeping you on task and on track, helping you with curricular questions, unlocking or resetting assessments, and grading written assignments. Only APEX instructors can unlock or reset quizzes and exams. If questions arise, Jim Anderson, the APEX coordinator, can be reached at jvanderson@osd.wednet.edu or by calling
360-596-8202.
Necessary Materials
o
Binder / Folder to store study guides
o
Notebook for notes, work, or essay drafts
o
Pens, Pencils, Erasers
o
Headphones
o
Calculator (if necessary)
Revised 8/28/2014
APEX Code of Conduct and Contract
Student Name: ____________________________
School Year: _________________
The course(s) I plan to take:
As an APEX student, I will…
• Show up on time and begin work promptly
• Complete coursework in a timely manner
• Minimize distractions to myself and others
• Do my own work
• Seek help when I need it
• Respect others
Student: By signing, I acknowledge and accept the course requirements and Code of Conduct as a binding contract, and understand that this opportunity may be withdrawn if any of those requirements or conditions is not
met.
_________________________
Student Name (Please Print)
__________________________
Student Signature
_________
Date
Parent: I will support my student’s efforts to recover credit in APEX, and agree to the requirements and conditions stated above. A parent / guardian signature is REQUIRED for enrollment in an APEX course.
_________________________
Parent Name (Please Print)
__________________________
Parent Signature
_________
Date
Questions or comments?
Email or call the APEX coordinator, Jim Anderson, at
jvanderson@osd.wednet.edu [preferred], or 360-596-8082.
Revised 8/28/2014