National High School
National High School
Student Handbook
Division of Academic and Student Affairs
2012-2013
6685 PEACHTREE
INDUSTRIAL BLVD,
ATLANTA 30360
National High School Student Handbook
2012-2013
National High School Vision and Mission Statement
National High School is committed to providing students the opportunity to receive a rigorous, quality
education through innovative learning methods. National High School offers a private, comprehensive, and
affordable education to those students who desire to receive a high school diploma.
Copyright© 2012 National High School
Department of Academic and Student Affairs
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
NCAA Course
Approved
Accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools
Accredited the Commission on International and Trans-Regional Accreditation
IMPORTANT NOTICE
Polices are procedures are subject to change described herein are subject to change without notice. National
High School will provide updates with changes should they occur.
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TABLE OF CONTENTS
Handbook Contents……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..………….5
Handbook Purpose, Striving for Excellence, Achieving the Mission, Academic
Knowledge and Skills Curriculum, School Improvement Plan, Accreditation, National
Collegiate Athletic Association
Contacting National High School………………………………………………………..…………………………………………….……………6
A Message from the Vice President of Academic Affairs ……………………………………………..…………………....…………….7
A Message from the Student Affairs Manager……………………………………………………………………………..............………...8
A Message from the Manager of Education ……………………………………………………………………………………..….…………9
Moving from Applicant to Student………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..………10
Technology Requirements…………………………………………..…………………………………………………………...…………………11
Financial Services……………………………………………….………………………………………………………………………..…………….15
Student Orientation……………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….…………….18
E-brary…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………..…...…21
Other Online Resources
NHS Commonly Used Terms and Definitions …………………………………………………...………………….………………………22
Attendance………………………………………………………………………….…………..…………………………………………………………24
Parental Involvement Policy…………………………………………………………………...………………………………………………….27
Communication with Teachers……………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………....28
Professional Qualifications of Teachers…………………………………………………………..…………………..………………………31
NHS Faculty List
Family Changes……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……….…..34
Student Account Information, Student Identification, Harassment Statement
Student Complaints and Grievances……………………………………………………………………………………………………………35
Abuse of School Personnel, Abuse of NHS Students by NHS Students
School Closings………………………………………………………………...………………………………………………………..…..…………..36
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, Senate Bill 10
Student Support Services……………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………….…37
Quality Assurance, Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Release of Directory Information………………………………………………………………………………………..……..……………..…39
Media Release……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……..40
Privacy: Parents and Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment
Discipline Expectations………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………….………….42
Discipline Policy Statement, Purpose of the Code, Scope of the Code
Equal Opportunity Statement …………………………………………………………………………………...….…………………………….43
Statement of Student Misconduct, References to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated, Student Dress Code
Rights and Responsibilities……………………………………………….……………………...……………………………..………………….44
Rights of Students, Responsibilities of Students, Rights of Parents/Guardians, Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians
Rights of Victims in School-Related Offenses…………………………………………………………………….…………...…………….45
Glossary of Discipline Terms…………………………………………………………………………………….………………………..…….…46
Student Removal from Class…………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………………..49
Rules
Academic Integrity …………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………………..53
A Philosophy of Integrity, The Pillars of Honor
Proactive/Preventative Measures……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….54
Preparation for Class
Tips to Help Students Abide by the Principles Set Forth in the Honor Code…………………………………………………..56
Violations of the Honor Code……………………………….………………………………..…………………………..……………………..…58
Levels of Consequences…………………………………………………………………………………………………..………………………….59
Academic Policies………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..……………..61
NCAA Guidelines
Credit Recovery……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……...…62
Individual Courses, Diploma Seeking Students, Academic Probation
Changing Diploma Tracks………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..….63
Age Requirements, Course and Religious Contradictions
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NHS Diploma Option……………………………………………………………………..……………………………………………………………64
Choosing the Right NHS Diploma Track, Regular Diploma , Advanced Diploma, Grade Level
Classification, Course by Grade Level
Regular Diploma Graduation Requirements……………………………………………………..………..……………………………..…66
Advanced Diploma Graduation Requirements…………………………………………………………..…………..……………………..67
Diploma Comparisons………………………………………………………………….………………………………….……..…………..………68
Dual Enrollment…………………………………………………………………….………………………………………………………………..…69
Dual Enrollment-College Course Credit
Differentiated Instruction-Pacing………………………………………………………………………………………………………...…..…70
International Students
Transfer Credit……………………………………………………………………………………………………………….…….……………………72
High School Student (Domestic and Foreign), Middle Courses for High School Credit
Transcripts………………………………………………………………...…………………………………………………..………………………….73
NHS Home School Transcript Acceptance Policy
Official Transcripts…………………………………..………………………………………………………………………...………………………74
Unofficial Transcripts, Multiple Transcripts, International Transcripts
Transfer Credit Accreditation…………………………………...…………………………………………………….…………………………..75
Regional Accrediting Bodies
Unaccredited Transfer Credit Policy…………………………………..……………………………………………………………………….77
Withdrawal Policy…………………………………………………………………………….……………………………………………………..…78
Course Grade Calculations………………………………………………………………………...……………………...………………………...79
School Academic Policies………………………………………………………………………..…………………………………………………..81
Exam Policy
Required Exam Format……………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………………..82
Exam Extra Credit, Class Participation
Assignments…………………………………………………………………………..………………………..………………………………………...83
Required Assignment Heading
Academic Dishonesty…………………………………………………………………………………….…………...………………………….…...84
Course Failure-NHS NHS Diploma, Course Failure-NCAA, Individual and Credit Recovery
National High School Promotion Policy Diploma Seeking……………………………………………….…………………………….85
Course Progression Policy
Program Completion Time-Limit……………………………………………………………………………………………………...…………86
Grade Dispute Policy, Support Tickets
Grading Assignments/Exams……………………………...…………………………………………………………………………...………....87
Course Unlock Request
Communication with Student Affairs…………………………………………………………………………………………………………..88
Staff Phone-Email Directory
Parents/Student Imposed Time Limit…………………………………………………………………………………………………………89
Graduation Policy
NHS Official Transcripts……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..90
Apostillation, Official Documents
Student Activities……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….92
Vice Presidential
Honors……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...……………………….93
SAT…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….……………………………..94
ACT, FASA, Virtual College Fairs, School Store
Academic and Student Affairs Biographies………………………………………………………………………………………………….95
Tools for the Successful NHS Student………………………………………………………………………………………………………….98
Email Etiquette…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………..99
How to Create a Microsoft Word Document………………………………………………………………………………………………103
Set Up Your Home Classroom…………………………………………………………………………………………………………………...106
Create a Study Schedule……………………………………………………………………………………………………………………………107
Develop Study Skills, Techniques for Initial Review of Materials
Limiting Spam/Junk Emails…………………………………………………………………………………………………….………………..108
Course Descriptions ……………………………………………………………………..………………………………………………….………109
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2012-2013
Handbook Purpose
The information contained in the National High School (NHS) student handbook is designed
to provide information regarding policies and procedures that govern students at NHS. The
handbook supplements other publications, programs, and guides received during
enrollment.
Striving for Excellence
At National High School, we strive to provide “excellence” in our service to students. We are
committed to hiring caring staff, teachers, and utilizing the most up-to-date technology,
focusing on continuous improvement and keeping tuition affordable. National High School is
committed to providing a superior level of service and academic rigor to prepare students
for the future.
Achieving the Mission
National High School (NHS) strives to afford students the opportunity to receive a rigorous,
synchronous and asynchronous, quality education through non-traditional methods of webbased learning. National High School offers a private, comprehensive, and affordable
education to students who desire to receive a high school diploma while providing
alternative instruction to traditional classrooms.
Academic Knowledge and Skills Curriculum
National High School is committed to providing a proven and measurable curriculum that is
aligned with local, national and world-class standards. For this reason, NHS has chosen to
model its curriculum to the State of Georgia.
School Improvement Plan
Accountability and continuous improvement is very important at National High School.
Because we are committed to providing a quality education, each department is responsible
for analyzing its function and identifying needs for improvement.
Accreditation
National High School is accredited regionally by the Southern Association of Colleges and
Schools (SACS) and internationally accredited by The Commission on International TransRegional Accreditation (CITA). Approval from the U.S. Department of Education is a direct
result of the aforementioned accreditations.
National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
National High School is certified to offer initial-NCAA eligibility courses for those students
seeking NCAA course status. The NHS is school code 110-254.
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CONTACTING NATIONAL HIGH SCHOOL
Please access your Learncenter by logging onto www.nationalhighschool.com. You can view
your grades, school communication, learning plan, and view your financial account. You can
also gain access to the student services chat room which is where your questions are
answered regarding academic and student issues.
National High School Mailing Address
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
Transcripts
Attention: Registrar
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
Tuition Payments
Attention: Financial Services
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
Holiday Schedule
Please note National High School is officially
closed for staff and faculty on the days below.
Students will not have access to staff or faculty
on these days, however, students will continue
to have access to their Learncenter.
New Year’s Day
MLK Day
Memorial Day
Independence Day
Phone Numbers
Student Services: 678-836-8749
If you are looking for a specific person,
please use the extension which can be
found in the directory portion of this
handbook.
Labor Day
Thanksgiving Day
Day after Thanksgiving
Christmas Eve
Christmas Day
Fax: 678-387-5290
Staff Hours of Operation
Monday-Friday 9 am – 6pm
Friday 9am – 2:30 pm
Eastern Standard Time
Students should refer to the school calendar to
determine breaks, faculty and staff professional
development, etc. NHS will not be closed but
students will not have access to faculty or staff.
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2012-2013
A Message from the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
A new school year has started!
By now, I am sure you have noticed several changes from the last school year. If you are a
new student, you have not experienced these changes. NHS continues to evolve in an effort
to make your learning experience the best it can be.
As we to grow, NHS is continues to strive to reach a higher level of rigor than the year
before. We are very excited that last year’s ACT scores aligned with, equal to, and above
students who tested in the State of Georgia. We attribute this to our outstanding students,
knowledgeable teachers, and our parents—the learning partners.
This new school year brings exciting new things to NHS. We encourage our students to
continue to maintain open communication and we encourage parents to continue to be
strong learning partners.
Last year was great! This year is going to be even better as we implement new student
activities, new diagnostic testing and several new ways of monitoring student progress. We
are glad to have you back if you were enrolled last year and glad to have you aboard if you
are new to the school.
Remember, stay dedicated to your studies, stay motivated and do not let anything distract
or defeat you from receiving your high school diploma. Have a great school year and
remember to contact us when you need us.
Regards,
Nechelle N. Robinson
Vice President of Student and Academic Affairs
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A Message from the Student Affairs Manager
Welcome to National High School! I would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to
our family. NHS provides educational opportunities to all regardless of circumstance.
The Department of Student Affairs is committed to providing the best service and guidance
to NHS students. With the help of learning partners (parents), students are able to
matriculate successfully.
Student service coordinators are knowledgeable, experienced and advocates for students. It
is important for students to have a positive experience, a place where they can address their
concerns, and a place to receive answers. The student affairs team provides all that and
more!
Again, welcome to National High School and I wish students much academic success.
Hamidah Ghaswala
Student Services Manager
hghaswala@nationalhighschool.com
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A Message from the Manager of Education
On behalf of the Department of Academic Affairs, welcome to National High School. It is my
role to ensure that every student enrolled has an outstanding academic experience.
Even though students study online, students are not alone in their learning experience. In
addition to your assigned student services coordinator, students have access to a full
academic staff.
Courses offered at NHS are assigned instructors who are state certified in the subject they
teach. NHS instructors are highly experienced in teaching high school online. Students are
welcomed and encouraged to freely interact with instructors during virtual classroom
sessions.
In addition to the virtual classroom and e-books, students have access to other multi-media
tools in order to assist in the learning process. The academic department is here to support
students from the first day to graduation or course completion.
Again, congratulations on your admission to National High School. Please contact me
directly, if I can be of service to you during your scholastic journey at NHS.
Kimberly Smith
Manager of Education and Registrar
ksmith@nationalhighschool.com
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Moving from Applicant to Student
During the enrollment process, applicants receive a provisional academic evaluation
based on initial academic records. Applicants are allowed to provisionally enroll with
unofficial records and are required to have official records mailed directly from their
previous school within 30 calendar days before students will be placed as academicinactive. Students who are deemed academic-inactive do not have access to the NHS
learning platform.
Applicant records are forwarded to the academic department for review. The applicant will
receive an email reviewing their courses and curriculum choices to ensure an
understanding has been reached. Academic recommendations, if needed, are made by the
academic department to ensure applicants are enrolled in the curriculum that best suits
their needs.
Recommendations are based on submitted academic records. Parents and applicants can
accept or reject recommendations. Once the parent and applicant review the
recommendation, the folder will be sent to financial services. If there aren’t any financial
issues, the applicant account will be activated to student.
This process can take up to 10 business days. This time frame begins once the admission
representative has received all required documents, not from the time the enrollment fee
is submitted.
When the applicant becomes a student, the student will receive an email to schedule an
orientation, an admissions survey to complete, and distance learner profile. Once students
have completed orientation, courses will be made available within 24 hours.
It is important to understand that once an applicant becomes a student their relationship
with the admissions department has essentially ended. Learning to communicate with the
student affairs department is critical to student success.
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Technology Requirements
It’s time for your school year to start! So treat this as if you are attending a traditional
school. Go Back to School Shopping! Some courses such as science may require students to
purchase additional items to complete lab assignments. Students should be aware of this
and be ready to purchase those items.
In addition, students should make sure they have all the materials needed to complete
online classes. See the technology and supplies students may need:
Headset(microphone, mute, and volume features)
Computer
Scanner
Printer
Copy paper
Printer Ink
Email account
For PC Users
1.3 GHz or higher processor
256 MB RAM (512 MB recommended to run multiple applications simultaneously)
Microsoft Windows XP (SP1/SP2)
Browser(s): Internet Explorer 6 or 7*
Microsoft Office XP or newer (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint)
Shockwave Player 8.5 or higher (free download at www.adobe.com)
Windows Media Player 10 or greater (www.microsoft.com)
Math and Science Courses: Math Player (available only for Internet Explorer 6 or higher,
free download at www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/download.htm)
*Browser note: Firefox 2 is compatible with all courses except math and science. Firefox 3
has not been tested or validated for use with any of the courses.
For MAC Users
MAC with Intel Core Solo or higher processor with the following software solutions:
Mac OSX 10.4 (Tiger) or higher
Either Boot Camp with Windows XP SP2 (sold separately) OR
Parallels for MAC (sold separately) running Windows XP SP2 (sold separately) AND
Browser(s): Internet Explorer 6 or 7 on Windows XP*
2GB RAM recommended to run either Boot Camp or Parallels
Microsoft Office:
Either Microsoft Office XP or newer (Word, Excel, and PowerPoint) (WINDOWS XP)
OR
Microsoft Office 2004 or higher (MAC VERSION)
Shockwave Player 11 (free download at www.adobe.com)
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Flip4Mac 2.2 (free download at www.flip4mac.com/wmv_download.htm)
Math and Science Courses: Math Player (available only for Internet Explorer 6 or higher
with Boot Camp or Parallels and Windows XP installed, free download at
www.dessci.com/en/products/mathplayer/download.htm)
*Browser Note: Firefox 2 is compatible with all courses except math and science. Firefox 3
has not been tested or validated for use with any of the courses.
General Requirements
56K dial-up minimum (DSL or cable Internet connection recommended)
40GB hard drive or larger
A current antivirus application (PC)
Super VGA (800x600) or higher resolution video adapter and monitor, 1024x768
resolution strongly recommended
Sound card with speakers
CD ROM (CD-RW recommended for saving large files or a USB storage device)
Valid email address
Java 2 Runtime Environment (free download www.java.com)
Flash Player 8 or latest version (free download at www.adobe.com)
Adobe Acrobat Reader 7.0 or latest version (free download at www.adobe.com)
Browser Settings:
Pop-up Blocking Disabled
JavaScript Enabled
Some courses will have specific software requirements, please review the syllabus
for each course
Review your Learncenter for free downloads
Pearson SuccessNet®
Pearson SuccessNet® makes your online learning experience as simple to implement as
possible. Pearson SuccessNet operates using a variety of configurations and the
requirements listed below will provide an acceptable user experience. While other
combinations of settings and/or software versions may also function, the following is our
recommendation for optimal use.
Please visit http://support.pearsonschool.com with questions regarding the Pearson
SuccessNet recommended system requirements.
Note: Disable pop-up blockers or configure the Microsoft® Internet Explorer 7, Microsoft
pop-up blocker to include
Internet Explorer 8, Apple® Safari™ 3, Apple
pearsonsuccessnet.com in the list of allowed
Safari 4, Mozilla® Firefox® 3
sites. Enable JavaScript™ and cookies. Disable
the Internet Explorer® Content Advisor.
Browsers
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National High School Student Handbook
Hardware Requirements
1 gigahertz processor, 1 GB of RAM and a screen
resolution of 1024×768
Internet Bandwidth
At School: 10 megabits of Internet throughput or
a full T-1 with a web content caching device with
100 gigabytes of available cache storage
At Home: Broadband via cable modem, DSL or
other high-speed Internet connection
Please check your web cache settings. When
properly configured, web caching may result in
improved performance.
Additional Requirements
Adobe® Acrobat Reader® 8, Adobe Flash®
Player 9, Adobe Shockwave® Player 8.5, and
QuickTime® 7 for all accounts. Microsoft Excel®
or other spreadsheet software for teacher and
administrator accounts.
Allow outgoing HTTPS/SSL communication to
pearsonsuccessnet.com through port 443.
Webex System Requirements
Windows Mac OS X
Operating
Systems
2000, XP
SP3,
2003
Server,
Vista 32bit/64-bit,
Windows 7
32-bit/64bit, 2008
Server 64bit
All services
Available
WebEx Servi
ces
Linux
Solaris
HP-UX
10.5, 10.6,
10.7
Ubuntu 10x,
Red Hat 5,
6,
Open SuSE
11.3, 11.4
Fedora 13,
14 (all 32bit)
Solaris 10,
11
OpenSolaris
(x86)
Meeting Cen
ter
Training Cen
ter
Event Center
Sales Center
Remote
Support
Meeting Cen
ter
Event Center
Training Cen
ter
Remote
Support
Meeting Cent Meeting Cen
er
ter
Event Center
Training Cent
er
Remote
Support
AIX
HP-UX 11.11 AIX 5.3
Meeting Cent
er
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Minimum System Requirements
Processor
Intel or AMD Intel
Intel or AMD UltraSPARC
or
Intel or AMD
JavaScript
JavaScript
and cookies
enabled
JavaScript
and cookies
enabled
JavaScript
and cookies
enabled
Other
Active X
enabled
(unblocked
for IE is
recommend
ed)
Sun Java 5
or later
Apple Java 5 Sun Java 5
or later,
or later
libstdc++
6.0,
GNOME/KDE
PA-RISC
PowerPC
JavaScript an JavaScript a
d
nd cookies
cookies
enabled
enabled
JavaScript an
d cookies
enabled
Sun Java 5
or later
CDE windowi
ng
system
Sun Java 5
or later
CDE windowi
ng
system
IBM Java 5
or later
CDE windowi
ng
system
windowing
system
Browsers (Recommended browsers are shown in bold )
Internet Explorer
6, 7, 8
(32bit/64bit), 9
(32bit/64-bit)
Mozilla
Firefox
Safari
Chrome
3.x, 4.x,
5.x (32bit)
3.x, 4.x,
5.x
1.7
1.7
1.7
1.6
3.x, 4.x,
5.x
3.x, 4.x
2
2
4, 5.0
11, 12, 13 11, 12, 13
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National High School Student Handbook
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Financial Services
The National High School financial services department is here to assist you with your
tuition payments. National High School offers two payment options monthly and one-time,
one course payment. The payment plan is discussed with parents and students by their
admissions representative. Once the enrollment process has been completed, the student
will receive a payment schedule, by email, from the financial services department.
Recurring Transactions
Tuition is charged on the 5th of month for students enrolled between 10th and 25th; on the
15th of the month for student s enrolled between 11th and 20th; and on the 25th for
students enrolled between 21st and 24th of a given month. The date of initial payment will
be considered enrollment date for this purpose.
Payment Terms
Upon completing the enrollment agreement, the card holder agrees to allow National High
School to charge the credit card monthly for recurring billing until the student completes or
withdraws from the program. Students are subject to a $50 late fee if tuition payments are
not timely.
Enrollment Terms
The enrollment contract correctly sets forth the entire agreement between the student,
parent and/or guardian. No agreement or understandings shall be binding on either of the
parties hereto unless specifically set forth in this contract or subscribed to by the parties
hereto in writing.
Diploma and Transcripts
Upon satisfactory completion of a program of study and /or graduation requirements, the
student is issued a diploma in recognition of graduation and/or a transcript reflecting the
credits attempted and completed. The school may withhold a student's diploma and/or
transcripts until the student has fulfilled his/her financial obligation to the school.
Nondiscrimination Policy
National High School is in compliance with all requirements imposed by or pursuant to Title
VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and section 504, Rehabilitation Act of 1973. National High
School does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin in its
activities, programs, or employment policies, in accordance with Federal, State, and local
laws. National High School observes FERPA, the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act.
International Students
All instruction is conducted in English. International students will be required to pay
postage costs for mailings which are requested by the student. A student is enrolled into
National High School's program by paying a registration fee. The administrative department
requires up to seven (7) to ten (10) business days to setup a student's virtual environment.
The applicant or parent hereby agrees to make acceptable payment arrangements with
National High School based upon individual circumstances and enrollment date. These
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arrangements may include: Credit Card (MasterCard, VISA, American Express, and Discover)
Check, Cashier's Check, Bank wire, Money Order; and/or Non-Federal Student Loans. By
agreeing to these terms and conditions, National High School is authorized to charge your
credit card or Bank Account monthly until the program is completed or until the student
opts to withdraw from the program. If a payment is not made on the due date, the individual
is subject to a $50 late fee.
Administrative Process
The student understands that there is a seven (7) to ten (10) business day administrative
period once enrolled into the program, in which the IT department and the Student Services
department work to setup the virtual learn center.
Upon completion of any given assignment or exam, the academic department scores all
submitted materials within seven (7) to ten (10) business days. The student is considered
completed ONLY when all grades for assignments and exams have been posted to the
course.
Students will maintain their student status until that period and are fully responsible for all
financial obligations. If the student formally withdraws or ceases to meet their financial
obligation, grade report and transcripts will not be issued.
Arbitration
The parties agree to submit any disputes arising from this agreement to final and binding
arbitration under the Rules of the American Arbitration Association.
Refund and Withdrawal Policy
If a student cancels within 3 calendar days after midnight of the day the student Enrolls (for
this purpose the date of initial payment is considered the date of enrollment), the student
will receive a FULL refund with NO further obligation. Thereafter the initial payment of is
non-refundable. Subsequently, a student may withdraw at any time during the course of
program.
If the intent to withdraw is not conveyed to the Administrative Department by filling out a
Status Change/Withdrawal Form at least 5 business days before the payment due date, the
student will be liable to pay tuition for that month. Any refunds due will be processed within
30 business days.
Delinquent Student Accounts
Tuition payments are due monthly. If a student becomes delinquent, the student is
automatically placed in a delinquent status after 90 days and will not have access to the NHS
system.
Students will not be verified as a student to outside agencies. The balance must be paid in
full or payment arrangements made before they will be allowed to continue with their
coursework. Transcripts and other school documents will not be released until the balance
is cleared.
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Enrollment Fee
The initial payment to National High School is the enrollment fee. This is not the first
month’s tuition payment. The enrollment fee is similar to a registration fee. The fee is
required to process student documents and prepare the student accounts. The first tuition
payment will be debited according to the student payment schedule.
Contacting Financial Services
Parents and students may contact financial services by phone or mail to discuss financial
concerns.
By Mail:
Tuition Payments
Attention: Financial Services
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
By Phone:
678-836-8749
Messaging Services 24 hours-7 days a week
1-877-503-4599
By email:
financialservices@nationalhighschool.com
Online:
Payments can be made via the Learncenter by credit or debit card.
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Student Orientation
Students must participate in a mandatory online orientation. The orientation provides the
necessary information needed to successfully matriculate through the NHS program.
Students will receive an email sent from student services to schedule the orientation once
the applicant status has changed to student. It is important for students to look for this
email because time slots fill quickly.
Students should be aware that orientations are held Tuesday through Thursday at 11 am
and 4 pm Eastern Standard Time. Students can use the online time converter to ensure they
are logging into the orientation at the correct time. The link below is provided in the
orientation confirmation email. http://www.timeanddate.com/worldclock/converter.html
US TIME ZONES
TIME DIFFERENCES
Time difference between PST and MST is 1 hr
MST is 1 hr ahead of PST - when it is 1 pm in PST, it is 2 pm in MST
Time difference between PST and CST is 2 hrs
CST is 2 hrs ahead of PST - when it is 1 pm in PST, it is 3 pm in CST
Time difference between PST and EST is 3 hrs
EST is 3 hrs ahead of PST - when it is 1 pm in PST, it is 4 pm in EST
Time difference between PST and HST is 2 hrs
PST is 2 hrs ahead of HST - when it is 1 pm in HST, it is 3 pm in PST
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Time difference between PST and AKST is 1 hr
PST is 1 hr ahead of AKST - when it is 1 pm in AKST, it is 2 pm in PST
Time difference between MST and CST is 1 hr
CST is 1 hr ahead of MST - when it is 1 pm in MST, it is 2 pm in CST
Time difference between MST and EST is 2 hrs
EST is 2 hrs ahead of MST - when it is 1 pm in MST, it is 3 pm in EST
Time difference between MST and HST is 3 hrs
MST is 3 hrs ahead of HST - when it is 1 pm in HST, it is 4 pm in MST
Time difference between MST and AKST is 2 hrs
MST is 2 hrs ahead of AKST - when it is 1 pm in AKST, it is 3 pm in MST
Time difference between CST and EST is 1 hr
EST is 1 hr ahead of CST - when it is 1 pm in CST, it is 2 pm in EST
Time difference between CST and HST is 4 hrs
CST is 4 hrs ahead of HST - when it is 1 pm in HST, it is 5 pm in CST
Time difference between CST and AKST is 3 hrs
CST is 3 hrs ahead of AKST - when it is 1 pm in AKST, it is 4 pm in CST
Time difference between EST and HST is 5 hrs
EST is 5 hrs ahead of HST - when it is 1 pm in HST, it is 6 pm in EST
Time difference between EST and AKST is 4 hrs
EST is 4 hrs ahead of AKST - when it is 1 pm in AKST, it is 5 pm in EST
Time difference between HST and AKST is 1 hr
AKST is 1 hr ahead of HST - when it is 1 pm in HST, it is 2 pm in AKST
Once students have completed orientation, students will receive an orientation survey to
complete. Once the survey is completed, the student identification number and all
passwords will be emailed to the student.
NHS encourages students to use a second layer of account protection by adding a secret
password to their account. Once the student ID is issued and password created, this
information will be used to access the Learncenter within 24 hours.
NHS assigns student service coordinators (ssc) to all students. SSCs communicate by email,
telephone and chat. Students must maintain communication throughout the program.
Constant communication increases retention and program completion.
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Students are encouraged to contact the school when needed. Students should make a note of
their student service coordinator’s extension. Students can contact the student affairs
department Monday- Thursday 9:30 am to 5:30 pm eastern standard time (est) and on
Fridays 9:30-4:30 pm. Students are encouraged to send emails and leave voices messages by
calling SSCs directly.
The chat room is open Monday-Thursday 10 am to 4 pm and Friday 10 am to 2:00 pm
eastern standard time (est). The chat room is closed from 12-1 daily for lunch.
NHS provides a 24 hour 7 days a week hotline for students to leave messages when staff is
unavailable. Students will receive a response to their message within 24 hours (on Monday
if Saturday or Sunday) of the messaging center forwarding the message to NHS. The
message line number is 1-888-489-2309.
Remember, the 1-888-489-2309 number goes to an answering service and will be unable to
answer questions. The answering service will forward the message to the NHS office for a
response.
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E-brary
The e-brary is National High School’s online library tool. Each student has access to the ebrary in the Learncenter. The e-brary provides the following library resources for students.
Bibliographic Instruction: Librarians teaching students how to use the library
resources;
Research Assistance: Librarians helping students determine how to get started on
course assignments;
Core Collection of Books: A collection of books that supports the school’s
curriculum and faculty research;
Research Databases: A collection of general and topic-specific databases that
provide abstracts and/or full-text of journal and magazine articles;
Reference Assistance: Librarians answering student questions of a general nature
or pointing students to the best resources on a given topic; and
General Reference: Encyclopedias, dictionaries, almanacs, maps, and other
reference works.
Other Online Resources
Galileo Virtual Library
http://www.galileo.usg.edu/high-school/doe/search/
Writing Resources
•
•
•
•
•
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/122.html
http://www.ipl.org/div/aplus/
http://sat.collegeboard.com/practice/sat-practice-questions/writing-tips
http://www.collegeboard.com/student/plan/boost-your-skills/50269.html
http://www.internet4classrooms.com/lang_write_elem.htm
Other Sources
•
•
•
•
http://www.khanacademy.org/
http://interactmath.com/
http://www.thefreemathtutor.com
http://translate.google.com/#
There are several online resources which can be found in your learning plan, Pearson
Companion website, and other supplemental sources.
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NHS Commonly Used Terms and Definitions
Full-Time Student is an enrolled student who is seeking a diploma from National High
School.
Part-Time Student is an enrolled student who is seeking transfer, individual or NCAA
course credit.
Applicant is individual seeking admission into National High School.
Student is an individual who has been admitted to National High School.
Diploma Seeking Student is a full-time student seeking to receive a diploma from National
High School.
Credit Recovery Status is a part-time student enrolled to complete credits that will
transfer to another school. There is a $50 fee to change enrollment status once enrolled.
Individual Course Status is a part-time student enrolled to complete courses with no
intentions on transferring the credits to another institution at the time of enrollment. There
is a $50 fee to change enrollment status once enrolled.
NCAA Status is a part-time (credit recovery) or full-time (diploma seeking) student enrolled
to complete credits to transfer to another school or to submit to the National Collegiate
Athletic Association in order to be eligible to play college sports. NHS diploma seeking
students with plans to play college sports are enrolled as diploma seeking.
Enrichment Courses is a part-time individual enrolled to audit courses. Students enrolled
as EC do not receive course credit. Students who decide to enroll into National High School
after completing one EC courses must reenroll. The course is ineligible to receive a Carnegie
unit and will not count towards graduation. Enrollment verification cannot be provided.
Student-Delinquent Status is an enrolled student who has tuition issues. Students deemed
SD will not have access to the NHS system until the tuition has been cleared or payment
arrangements made by the financial services department.
Academic-Inactive Status is an enrolled student who is not meeting academic
requirements. Students incur tuition charges until they have been removed from this status.
School Grounds is the NHS online campus, email, virtual classrooms, social media and other
online tools used to communicate and deliver instruction to NHS students.
Academic Probation is a tool used to help students who are struggling through course
work or has committed an academic or disciplinary offense.
Learncenter- The Learncenter is the student content management system (SCMS) used to
access course materials, student information, calendars, grades, documents, notifications
and other school related materials.
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Virtual Classroom- The virtual classroom is the system used by NHS teachers to host class
lectures. Access to the classroom can be found in the LearnCenter.
Learning Plan-Students are required to follow the learning plan (syllabus) provided for
each course. The learning plan provides a schedule of readings, assignments, exams and
teacher information.
E-books-textbooks
Digital Resources are found in the LearnCenter. Digital Resources include e-books,
assignment documents, and other resource links.
Pearson Companion Site-The Pearson Companion site is one of the most underutilized
resources NHS provides. Each course comes with a companion site. Students are able to
review video tutorials, take pretest, and other study materials. The companion site links are
located in digital resources.
NHS Faculty Recorded Lectures-The lecture library is a growing resource for students.
Students are able to view lessons recorded by NHS teachers. Because students come in at
different levels, the recorded lectures provide students the opportunity to progress
throughout their coursework. The recorded lectures can be found in the virtual classrooms.
Leave of Absence (LOA) – National High School permits students to take LOAs up to 90
days in one school year. They are normally granted in 30 day increments unless there is
extreme need. The length of the LOA is determined by the school and cannot be requested
until after 90 days of continuous enrollment.
If a student is placed on a LOA, when they return they cannot receive another LOA for the
next 30 days. Students who have met the 90 day yearly limit will be ineligible for an
additional LOA until the next year (the school year begins at the time the student enrolled).
Students are not charged tuition during the time of the LOA and they do not have access to
the LearnCenter. Students must present a valid reason for requesting a LOA and complete
the LOA request form. All requests are answered within 7 business days.
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Attendance
As with traditional school, school attendance is very important because it is a proven
indicator of success. Students who attend class tend to graduate or received course credit.
Regular attendance is mandatory at National High School and has a direct reflection on
student performance.
Compulsory Attendance- Attendance in private school, home school or public school is
required for students between sixth and sixteenth birthdays. Every parent, guardian or
other person residing in Georgia (other states have school attendance laws) shall be
responsible for sending their children to private, home school or public school. Official Code
of Georgia (O.C.G.A) 20-2-690.1
Students and parents who enroll their children in the National High School program are
agreeing to follow NHS guidelines regardless to their state of residence. Students must
attend 180 days in a 12 month period if they are diploma seeking. Each school day must
consist of four and one-half hours of school. O.C.G.A 20-2-690(b) (3), (d).
Because NHS students have access to their LearnCenter 24 hours, 7 days a week, the 180
can be achieved through the number of hours they are using the NHS system. For example, a
student can meet compulsory attendance if they commit eight hours a day for 90 days.
Truant- Any student is subject to compulsory attendance during the school calendar year
who has more than five consecutive unexcused absences (log ins). Children between their
7th and 16th birthdays excused from attendance at private schools for sickness, emergencies,
or other reasons authorized for public schools are exempt from compulsory attendance.
O.C.GA 20-2-693 (b). National High School will report truants to the appropriate court after
written notice to the parent or guardian.
Tardy-Students are considered tardy if they log into their class sessions five minutes past
the start time of a registered course. Students are considered absent if they log in 15
minutes past the start time of a course.
Ten (10) tardies are considered one unexcused absence. All unexcused absences count
toward compulsory attendance.
School Year- Because students enroll into National High School at different times, the
school year (180 days) begins at time the status changes from applicant to student.
For staff purposes the school year begins July 1 ending June 30.
School Day- A school day can consist of any four and ½ hour blocks of time during a 24
hour period. Students can satisfy the 4 ½ hours per day using any time variation to satisfy
this requirement.
Absence- Because of the nontraditional nature of online learning, National High School
defines an absence as 72 hours of none activity in the NHS system.
Excused Absences- National High School defines the following as excused absences:
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1. Personal Illness or attendance in school endangers a student’s health or health of others.
In the virtual world, this can be equated to a student having a computer virus that spreads
to other computers.
2. A serious illness or death in the student immediate family.
3. A court order or an order by a government agency, including pre-induction physical
examination for service in the armed forces.
4. Observing religious holidays
5. Conditions rendering attendance hazardous to student health or safety.
6. Student may make take one day to vote in an election.
7. Students visiting a parent or legal guardian prior to or during a leave of deployment to a
combat zone in the United States military or the National Guard. Students are allowed 5
absences per year.
All excused absences require documentation. Students are allowed 10 excused and 5
unexcused absences within one school year. This does not include approved time off such as
LOAs or school breaks.
Vacation/Summer- Students may use the LOA as option to take a summer break and/or
vacation, however, the LOA guidelines still apply. During this time, a student will not incur
tuition charges; however, this time will be deducted from the 90 limit.
Students must have completed 3 months of enrollment before they will be eligible to take
vacation and summer breaks. Student breaks on the school calendar are provided for
students. However, students are not required to take the listed breaks. Students will
continue to be responsible for tuition during identified calendar breaks, but it will not count
against attendance.
Procedures
Students and parents are required to contact their assigned student services coordinator to
inform and document the absence and include the return date.
If a student is the person writing the email, the student must provide a contact number and
email address for the parent or guardian. During an absence (excused, unexcused), the
student is responsible for adhering to the 180 calendar day attendance policy if the student
is graduating from National High School.
When a student reaches five absences, the school will contact the parent via email to notify
them of the absences and the pending consequences. After two reasonable attempts to
notify the parent regarding the absences, the school will send a certified letter to the home
of the student.
After 15 total absences, the school will take the following action:
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Notify the department of motor vehicles which could result in the revocation
of a permit or drives licenses (contact your state for specific rules)
Notify the appropriate state and federal agencies including but not limited to
the social security administration, probations officer, trust administrator, etc.
Absences and Grading
Absences shall not reflect in student grades if the following conditions are met:
1. Absences are justified and validated for excused reasons.
2. Work is completed in each course satisfactorily.
3. Class participation requirements are met.
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Parental Involvement Policy
National High School recognizes that a student’s education is not only the responsibility of
the school, but is also the responsibility for the parent and student.
Because we look at parents as partners in education, we require parents to serve as
Learning Partners. Learning Partners assist NHS faculty and staff in ensuring students stay
on the right track and provide accountability.
It is proven that students who have involved parents tend to have better success. At the end
of the staff school year, National High School sends out a parent involvement survey to
parents. We also encourage parents to become a member of the Parent Leadership Council
(PLC).
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Communication with Teachers
The unique design of National High School allows teachers to focus solely on teaching.
Teachers have several ways of communicating with students; they can communicate by the
teacher portal, email, and via the virtual classroom.
To email a teacher, use the first initial/last name@nationalhighschool.com (example:
jsmith@nationalhighschool.com)
Remember, teachers only answer content questions. All other questions should be handled
by student services.
NHS teachers have recorded lecture based on the current materials that students can log
into anytime for assistance if available. Students can also go into the virtual classroom for
live lectures. Students can also view videos on the Pearson Companion website.
NHS is aware that students are at different levels in their learning and we have designed a
system to help keep up with your learning stage.
Virtual Classroom Etiquette
Understanding you are not the only student in the classroom is very important. In order for
each student to learn, students must adhere to the flow of the virtual classroom. Because
students are working at different paces in their coursework, in order to maximize the
teaching and learning experience, students must follow the classroom guidelines below:
Students must arrive to class on time.
Each course is 50 minutes in length.
Students have 5 minutes to login and settle for class. Teachers will deny access to any
student who logs into class 15 minutes late.
Teachers will lecture the first 25 minutes of the course.
The teacher will take questions the last 20 minutes of the course.
Student Services can provide a schedule of lessons to students.
Chat in the Virtual Classroom
Students can use chat to communicate with their teachers during their class session.
However, students should adhere to the following:
Teachers will not answer chat during a lecture.
Teachers will answer chat questions during the question answer period of the class
session.
Students should ask questions privately if they do not want the entire class to read
their post.
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Question and Answer Session in the Virtual Classroom
Students should wait to be acknowledge by the teacher
Students should not ask questions while the teacher is speaking, showing a video, etc.
Students should have all questions written down so they will not forget!
Questions should be related to course content only (not grading, policy questions,
etc.)!
Virtual Classroom Attentiveness
Students should be aware that the virtual classroom can monitor if you are surfing the web,
or have moved away from the computer. The teacher will receive notice and will notify
student services. Students not being attentive will be removed from the classroom and will
not receive credit for attendance.
Teacher Portal
Access to the teacher portal is found in the Learncenter. Students should be aware of the
question icons and how they work. There are two ways to communicate with teachers by
using the portal. You can access the portal from “Learning Plan Tab” and “Assignment Tab.”
Let’s learn the difference between the two:
Learning Plan Question Icon
If you ask a question from the Learning plan question icon, it is a general portal about the
overall course. Teachers will not be able to determine the specific assignment from this tab.
If you have a general question about course content that is not assignment specific, you
should ask your question here.
Assignment Question Icon
If you ask a question from the assignment question icon, it will be specific to the assignment.
For example, if you have a question about worksheet number 4 and you click on the icon,
the teacher will know exactly what assignment you are working on. This is the best place to
ask your question.
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Answer Icon
Once the question is answered, the answer icon appears.. Click on the icon to read the
response from the teacher. You will be able to see the entire conversation documented.
Information Icon
The information icon is used by the grading department as a tool to give feedback on
assignments. Teachers do not grad
grade assignments; therefore, if you post a question about a
grade in the teacher portal or email, tthe
he teacher will refer you back to your student services
coordinator. If you have a quest
question regarding your grade or remark received, you should
contact your student
dent services coordinator and you will receive the assistance you need.
Emails
Emailing your teacher is not the preferred method of contact. The teacher portal provides
the administration
nistration a tool to monitor questions being asked and to monitor teacher
responses.. It’s a quality assurance mechanism. NHS encourages students to use the teacher
portal for questions.
Content Questions
As a student, you will hear from different staff members and read teachers only answer
content questions. This means teachers are here to help you master course materials,
lectures and provide help with assignments. They cannot answers questions about
transcripts, financial
ial issues, learning plans
plans,, missing assignment worksheets, etc. Questions
of this nature should be communicated with your student service coordinator.
Teacher Response Time
NHS teachers are available two times a week during their assigned class time. So it is very
important to make sure you are available during those times. They answer questions
question in the
teacher portal
rtal and email twice a week
week. So it is important to schedule your learning around
the class times of each course.
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Professional Qualifications of Teachers
In order to live our mission of providing a quality education for our students, National High
School requires teachers to have the following credentials: 1) State Teacher Certification, 2)
College degree.
NHS Faculty List
Fine Arts
Name: Tiffany Nicole Hinkins Cook
Highest Degree Received: Masters of Education
University Obtained: Troy University
Certification: P-12 Music Education
Certification State and Number: Georgia 762313
Music
Name: Betty Anne Howell
Highest Degree Received: Masters
University Obtained: The Citadel
Certification: Elementary, Deaf/Hard of Hearing, Middle School Social Studies, Reading
Certification State and Number: South Carolina 124067
Art
Foreign Languages
Name: Welela Feleke
Highest Degree Received: Bachelor of Science
University Obtained: Georgia Southern University
Certification: French K-12
Certification State and Number: Georgia 124790
Name: Rachel Elise Lanier
Highest Degree Received: Master of Education
University Obtained: George Mason University
Certification: Spanish PreK-12, ESOL PreK-12, Elementary PreK-6
Certification State and Number: Virginia 0610507
Name: Dr. Joanna Cavan
Highest Degree Received: Ed. D
University Obtained: Georgia Southern University
Certification: French, History, Political Science, Behavioral Science, Economics, and
Geography
Certification State and Number: Georgia 193956
Mathematics
Name: Mary Cotham
Highest Degree Received: Master of Business Administration
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University Obtained: University of Phoenix
Certification: Mathematics 8-12
Certification State and Number: Texas 1202830
Lead Instructor
Name: Elizabeth Buchanan
Highest Degree Received: Bachelor of Science
University Obtained: Kennesaw State University
Certification: Mathematics (6-12)
Certification State and Number: Georgia 94182
Name: Laura A. Bowes
Highest Degree Received: Master of Arts
University Obtained: Western Governors University
Certification: Mathematics 6-12
Certification State and Number: Georgia 781327
Social Studies
Name: Robert M. Walters
Highest Degree Received: Master of Science
University Obtained: Mississippi College
Certification: Social Studies, AP American Politics, Government and Economics
Certification State and Number: Mississippi 194298
Lead Instructor
Name: Nicholas Bergan
Highest Degree Received: Master of Science
University Obtained: Florida State University
Certification: Social Studies 6-12
Certification State and Number: Florida
Language Arts
Name: Charlotte C. Thomas
Highest Degree Received: Master of Education
University Obtained: American Intercontinental University
Certification: Language Arts
Certification State and Number: Georgia 733083
Name: Lillian Byrd
Highest Degree Received: Master of Education
University Obtained: Georgia State University
Certification: English 6-12
Certification State and Number: Georgia 451440
Science
Name: Brian Nelson
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Highest Degree Received: Master of Science
University Obtained: Georgia Southern University
Certification: Science 6-12, Earth/Space Science 6-12
Certification State and Number: Georgia 681608
Name: Stephanie Mellott
Highest Degree Received: Master of Education
University Obtained: Southern Wesleyan University
Certification: General Science 9-12
Certification State and Number: South Carolina 212012
Name: Alice F. Kelley
Highest Degree Received: Master of Science
University Obtained: University of South Carolina
Certification: Science
Certification State and Number: South Carolina 202895
Health and Physical Education
Name: Nikia Bland Grooms
Highest Degree Received: Master of Education
University Obtained: Central Michigan University
Certification: Health, Physical Education, Drivers Education K-12
Certification State and Number: Georgia 719632
Electives
Name: Bianca Rochester
Highest Degree Received: Bachelor of Arts
University Obtained: Temple University
Degree Field: Advertising and Account Management
Graduate Coursework: Special Education
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Family Changes
If the status of a student’s custody changes after the student enrolls, the enrolling
parent/guardian or agency must notify National High School of the change.
The new address, phone number and other information must be updated. National High
School cannot make any changes to a student record if the enrolling parent does not give
National High School the necessary permission.
State law generally prohibits attempts to make a change of custody of a minor child by
removing the child from the school without the permission of the person who initially
enrolled the student. The prohibition applies even if there is a court order granting custody
of the child to the person seeking to make the change.
Student Account Information
National High School will not provide any information to individuals not listed on student
records. Callers are required to verify student information before any student information
is discussed.
Emails must come from the address we have on file before National High School will
respond.
Student Identification
Students must have a picture on file with National High School. We will use this information
to verify the student. Students may also request student identification cards. Student
identification cards are only issued by request.
Photographs must be submitted as a .jpeg and must be a head and individual shot only.
Students should ensure the picture is viewable. The picture can be taken with a digital
camera or smart phone and must be taken within the first seven days of enrollment.
Harassment Statement
National High School has zero tolerance and does not discriminate based on gender, age,
ethnic group, color, disability religious beliefs or national origin in its educational programs
or activities. This applies to both students and employees. National High School has zero
tolerance policy regarding harassment of in any form.
Anti-Discrimination Complaint Procedure
Notice to Parents, Students and Employees:
If you feel that you or your child has been mistreated by a school employee because of
gender, age, ethnic group, color, disability religious beliefs or national origin, we have a
process and will offer a solution.
Please contact your student services coordinator in confidence and provide details about
how and why students feel as though mistreatment has taken place. If students do not feel
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comfortable sharing that information with your student services coordinator, send a written
letter to:
National High School
Office of the Vice President
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
Student Complaints and Grievances
National High Schools strives to provide the best service and education to our student
population. We strive to provide an environment free of sexual harassment and
discrimination. If students feel as though students have experienced any form of
harassment, please send a written letter to:
National High School
Office of the Vice President
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
The incident must be reported within 10 business days of the incident with specific details,
this includes harassment by other students as well.
Abuse of School Personnel
National High School supports a positive work environment for its employees. Any parent,
guardian, student, or individual acting on the behalf of an enrolled student, participating in
the harassment of a NHS employees will be immediately withdrawn from National High
School pending an investigation by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
This includes harassment by phone, email, chat room or any NHS communication channel.
An investigation of the incident will take place which will determine the enrollment status
of the student no tuition will be refunded.
Abuse of NHS Students by NHS Students
National High School supports a positive school environment for its students. Any parent,
guardian, student, or individual acting on the behalf of an enrolled student, participates in
the harassment of a NHS student will be immediately withdrawn from National High School
pending an investigation by the Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs.
This includes harassment by phone, email, chat room or any NHS communication channel.
An investigation of the incident will take place which will determine the enrollment status
of the student. Cyber bullying or any form of bullying is not tolerated at National High
School.
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School Closings
If bad weather or other issues causes NHS to close, the closing will be posted on the school
calendar which can be found in the Learncenter. If possible, email and text message will be
sent to students regarding closures. When the school is closed, students will continue to
have access to their materials, however, they will not have access to faculty and staff.
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is a directive to any person, business or
government agency that receives federal funds to eliminate discrimination against persons
with disabilities. Specifically Section 504 states:
No qualified handicapped person shall, on the basis of handicap, be excluded from
participation in, be denied the benefits of, or otherwise be subjected to discrimination under
any program or activity which benefits from federal financial assistance. Under Section 504
a person with a disability (handicap) is anyone who has a mental or physical impairment
which substantially limits one or more major life activities, such as caring for oneself;
performing manual tasks; walking; seeing; hearing; speaking; breathing; learning and
working; eating; sleeping; standing; lifting; bending; reading; concentrating; thinking;
communicating; and major bodily functions (i.e. immune systems, cell growth, digestive,
bowel, or bladder functions). The term “substantially limits” means the person is unable to
perform a major life activity or major bodily function that a non-disabled person can do, or
the person is significantly restricted in the performance of a major life activity in
comparison to a non-disabled person.
It is the policy of NHS to comply with the provisions of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 in providing education for students with disabilities who qualify under the
definition of the law. No student or other qualified individual shall be excluded from
participation in, denied the benefits of, or subjected to discrimination in any program or
activity, on the basis of disability. NHS has specific responsibilities under Section 504,
including the requirement to identify and evaluate students with disabilities. Any student or
other disabled individual who is qualified for services under Section 504 will receive
appropriate accommodations providing equal access to educational programs, services, and
facilities. Although is not a federally funded school, we do our best to assist those student
with disabilities. Because of the nature of the online schools, there are certain cases NHS
cannot provide assistance.
Georgia Special Needs Scholarship, Senate Bill 10
Parents of a student who receives special education services may have the option to
exercise public and private school choice. Under a state law passed by the Georgia State
Legislature in 2007, parents of qualified students who receive special education services
may request to transfer their child to another public or private school in Georgia provided
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that their child has an IEP and has been enrolled for a full academic year in a Georgia public
school and meet the other statutory requirements set out by O.C.G.A. § 20-2-2114. The
scholarship option does not apply to students who are currently in Pre-K or first-year
kindergarten. The options available under the special needs scholarship include:
private school,
public school within the same school district, and
public school in another school district.
A school district considering a request for a transfer to its school system from another
school system has the authority to approve or deny a public school transfer request. A
school district considering a transfer request can deny a request even if there is capacity
and a program available that is aligned to the student’s IEP within its system. If a request is
approved, a school district can charge parent(s)/ guardian(s) for the costs of educating a
student during the first school year of the transfer.
For more information regarding private school scholarships and application process, please
visit the Georgia Department of Education website at http://public.doe.k12.ga.us/sb10.aspx.
Other states may provide similar services to students. Parents can contact their state
boards of education to determine if funding is available for the private school option.
Student Support Services
National High School employs a risk intervention specialist who works in conjunction with
student services coordinators and teachers to help students who are at risk of leaving the
program.
Quality Assurance
National High School is committed to “getting it right.” As a result, the quality assurance
specialist makes weekly phone calls to students to ensure that student needs are being met.
Student feedback is communicated directly to school administration.
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
Parents have certain rights with respect to student educational records pursuant to the
Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). These rights transfer to the student
when the student becomes an “Eligible Student” upon reaching the age of 18 or attending a
school beyond the high school level. The rights of Parents and/or Eligible Students are
summarized as follows:
The right to inspect and review student educational records maintained by the school.
A Parent or Eligible Student seeking to inspect and review educational records should
submit a written request to the school director of the school in which the student is
enrolled or last attended.
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An opportunity to seek amendment of educational records alleged to be inaccurate,
misleading, or otherwise in violation of the student’s privacy rights. In the event a
parent/guardian wishes to challenge a student’s educational record, he or she can
review National High School Grievance Policy.
The right to notice of what information the school has designated as directory
information and a reasonable time after such notice to inform the school that the
designated information should not be released without prior consent. See the
following section for information on the release of directory information.
The right to consent to the disclosure of personally identifiable information contained
in student educational records (other than directory information), except to the extent
FERPA authorizes disclosure without consent. Disclosures for which the consent of the
Parent or Eligible Student is not required include the following:
(A) to School Officials with a legitimate educational interest. A school official is any school
employee or any contractor, consultant, volunteer, or other party to whom school system
services or functions that would otherwise be performed by school employees has been
outsourced or assigned. A legitimate educational interest is a need that arises out of a school
official’s role in providing educational services, including instruction, evaluation, therapy,
etc., to a student, or out of the performance of administrative, supervisory, clerical, or other
responsibilities prescribed by the school system;
(B) to other school systems in which the student seeks or intends to enroll as long as the
disclosure is for purposes related to the student’s enrollment or transfer;
(C) to specified officials for audit or evaluation purposes;
(D) in connection with the student’s application for financial aid;
(E) to state and local officials pursuant to State law;
(F) to organizations conducting studies on behalf of the school;
(G) to accrediting organizations;
(H) to parents of a dependent student as defined in section 152 of the Internal Revenue
Code of 1986;
(I) to appropriate parties in connection with an emergency if knowledge of the information
is necessary to protect the health or safety of the student or other persons; and
(J) in compliance with judicial order or pursuant to any lawfully issued subpoena when the
educational agency makes reasonable effort to notify the Parent or Eligible Student in
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advance of the compliance. In limited circumstances, an order or subpoena may require the
District to disclose information without notifying the Parent or Eligible Student.
A Parent or Eligible Student who believes his or her rights under FERPA may have
been violated may file a complaint by writing the Family Policy Compliance Office.
Complaints must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to
believe that a violation of FERPA occurred. Complaints should be addressed as
follows:
Family Policy Compliance Office
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue, SW
Washington, D.C. 20202-5920
Release of Directory Information
FERPA permits the District to disclose information designated as Directory Information
without the consent of the Parent or Eligible Student. Directory Information is information,
the disclosure of which is generally not considered harmful or an invasion of privacy.
Among the purposes that the Directory Information exception facilitates is the release of
student information in athletic and extracurricular programs, yearbooks, honor roll and
other recognition lists, graduation programs, etc.
National High School has designated the following information as “Directory Information”:
name, address, telephone number, date of birth, electronic mail (e-mail) address,
photograph, audio recordings, video recordings, grade level, years of attendance,
participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of
athletic teams, and honors and awards received. Unless the Parent or Eligible Student opt
out of the disclosure of “Directory Information” the information designated as Directory
Information above may be disclosed to appropriate legitimate agencies identified by the
District, including, but not limited to, PTA, colleges, and military recruiters. Students have
the right to refuse to allow “Directory Information” to be disclosed. In order to opt out of the
disclosure of Directory Information, students must notify the Vice President of the school
the student attends in writing within 10 days of receipt of this handbook or 20 days after
the student status has changed. The written notice must: (1) include the name of the
student; (2) include a statement that the parent/guardian or eligible student is opting out of
the disclosure of Directory Information under FERPA; and (3) be signed and dated by the
parent, guardian, or eligible student.*
*Please note that your written notice will be effective for the current year only and must be
renewed on an annual basis should students wish to continue to opt out of the release of
directory information.
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Media Release
National High School uses and releases photographs, audio recordings, and/or video
recordings taken or recorded at its facilities and events for educational, instructional, or
promotional purposes as determined by Gwinnett County Public Schools for use in
broadcast and media formats now existing or created in the future. These photographs and
recordings often include depictions of students and/or parents engaged in school functions
and activities.
Any such photographs, audio recordings, and/or video recordings shall become the
property of NHS and may be used by NHS or others with the consent of NHS or its
representatives. As the parent of a student or as an eligible student (18 years of age or
older), students may elect to withhold your consent for NHS’ use of photographs, audio
recordings, and/or video recordings of students and/or your child. In order to withhold
your consent for the disclosure of students and/or your child’s photographs, audio
recordings, and/or video recordings, the parent of the student or the eligible student must
notify the VP of Academic Affairs in writing within 10 days of receipt of this handbook or 20
days from the time the student status changes.
The written notice must: (1) include the name of the student; (2) include a statement that
the parent/guardian or eligible student is opting out of the release of photographs, audio
recordings, and/or video recordings depicting the student; and (3) be signed and dated by
the parent, guardian or eligible student. Please note that your written notice will be effective
for the current school year only and must be renewed on an annual basis should students
wish to continue to opt out of the release of photographs and recordings. Finally, please note
that NHS will not be responsible for, and cannot control photographs, audio recordings, or
video recordings captured by individuals who are not employed by, affiliated with, or under
contract with NHS. Please contact school administration if students have further questions
regarding this topic.
Privacy: Parents and Protection of
Pupil Rights Amendment (PPRA)
The Protection of Pupil Rights Amendment affords Parents and Eligible Students rights and
protections regarding instructional materials used in educational programs, surveys
administered to students, and the conduct of certain physical examinations. The rights and
protections established by the PPRA include:
Instructional Materials. The Parent or Eligible Student has the right to inspect any
instructional material used as part of the educational curriculum for the student; and
Surveys. The Parent or Eligible Student has the right to inspect any survey created
by a third party, prior to the administration or distribution of the survey and the
right to opt the student out of participation in any such survey. In addition, before a
student may be required to submit to a survey revealing “Protected Information,” the
written consent of the Parent or the consent of the Eligible Student is required.
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Finally, a minor student may not volunteer to submit to a survey revealing “Protected
Information” without providing the Parent of the student with prior written notice of the
administration of the survey and an opportunity to opt out of the survey. “Protected
Information” is information in the following categories:
1. Political affiliations or beliefs of the student or student’s parent;
2. Mental and psychological problems of the student or the student’s family;
3. Sex behavior and attitudes;
4. Illegal, anti-social, self-incriminating, and demeaning behavior;
5. Critical appraisals of other individuals with whom respondents have close family
relationships;
6. Legally recognized privileged or analogous relationships, such as those of lawyers,
physicians, and ministers;
7. Income (other than that required by law to determine eligibility for participation in a
program or for receiving financial assistance under such program); or
8. Religious practices, affiliations, or beliefs of the student or parents.
Physical Examinations. Parents have the right to notice of any non-emergency,
invasive physical exam or screening required as a condition of attendance,
administered by the school or its agent, and not necessary to protect the immediate
health and safety of a student, except for hearing, vision, or scoliosis screenings, or
any physical exam or screening permitted or required under State law.
A Parent or Eligible Student who believes his or her rights under PPRA may have been
violated may file a complaint by writing the Vice President of Academic Affairs.
National High School
Office of the Vice President
6685 Peachtree Industrial Blvd
Atlanta, Georgia 30360
Complaints must contain specific allegations of fact giving reasonable cause to believe that a
violation of PPRA occurred.
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Discipline Expectations
Discipline Policy Statement
National High School (“NHS”) is committed to creating a safe, positive environment for all of
our students, staff, parents, stakeholders, and community partners.
NHS will work to assure that all students and staff are well motivated, fully aware of their
potential, and dedicated to pursue excellence in academic knowledge, skills and behavior.
NHS believes that all children can thrive in a safe learning environment. NHS utilizes a range
of activities to recognize, celebrate, and reward positive behavior. In addition to this Student
Conduct Behavior Code (“Code”), NHS has various policies that govern conduct.
Purpose of the Code
NHS has adopted this Code to support the creation of a safe online learning environment for
all members of the school community. The purpose of this Code is to state clearly our
standards for acceptable conduct of students. The Code also explains the consequences for
not meeting these standards of conduct. This Code establishes a strict policy for conduct
that endangers the safety of the schools and/or disrupts the educational experience for
other students.
The Code also sets forth the discipline procedures for the students who have committed
violations of the Code. This Code is not meant to be a contract between the NHS and the
students, and may be amended at any time. It is a place for NHS to explain certain policies
applicable to students.
Scope of the Code
Everyone is entitled to a safe, secure, and orderly online environment in which to learn and
work. The rules and regulations in this Code are designed toward that end and are effective
during the following times and places:
a. Online during school activities;
b. in chat rooms, blogs and other social media;
c. When either the alleged perpetrator or the alleged victim is enrolled in NHS
d. Off school grounds when the behavior of a student (1) could result in the student being
criminally charged with a felony or which could result in a felony criminal charge if
committed by an adult; and which (2) makes the student’s continued presence at school a
potential danger to person or property at school or which disrupts the educational process.
(O.C.G.A. 20-2-751.5(c)).
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e. Off school grounds while the student is participating in or attending school-sponsored or
school-related activities such as field trips, conferences or athletic events, or is otherwise
subject to the jurisdiction of school authorities;
f. Off school grounds when the misconduct is directed at a school student or employee and is
related to the victim’s school affiliation, or when the off-campus conduct directly affects the
safety and welfare of the school community or the orderly mission and function of the
school; and
The rules of this Code do not apply to: Student speech that occurs off campus if the speech is
at a non school-sponsored event and does not cause or is not likely to cause a material and
substantial disruption to the school environment or a school activity.
Equal Opportunity Statement
NHS complies with all federal, state, and local laws, and provides an equal opportunity for
all students. NHS prohibits discrimination in admission, grading, discipline and any other
activity based on race, creed, color, national origin, religion, ancestry, age, marital status,
sexual orientation (known or perceived), gender identity expression (known or perceived),
gender, handicap, nationality, or citizenship.
All decisions of NHS will be administered without regard to any of the categories listed on
this page.
Statement of Student Misconduct
The rules in this Code are designed to notify students (grades 6–12) as to the types of
behaviors that are not acceptable; nevertheless, every specific variation of the prohibited
conduct may not have been included. Consequently, students should expect to be disciplined
for misconduct that is obviously inappropriate. A specific rule need not be written for every
conceivable variation of behavior that directly affects the orderly mission of the school.
References to the Official Code of Georgia Annotated
References to Title 16 of the Official Code of Georgia Annotated (O.C.G.A.) included in the
Student Conduct Behavior Code do not require that the elements of the specific criminal
code section referenced be proved beyond a reasonable doubt before schools may punish
misconduct. Further, these code references do not impose any additional intent
requirements upon schools pursuing discipline against students for the violation of this
Code.
Student Dress Code
Students are required to dress appropriately for school when using a webcam or
communicating with the school in any visual manner. In addition to the requirements
established by the NHS, prohibited dress shall include any attire that depicts, promotes, or
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advertises gang affiliation, illegal activity, illegal drugs, alcohol or tobacco, sexual references,
offensive words or designs, and other clothing which is disruptive to the learning
environment.
Rights and Responsibilities
Rights of Students
Students shall have the right to:
1. Pursue a successful education in a safe environment without disruption;
2. Receive fair and equitable treatment without discrimination in every aspect of the
educational system;
3. Be treated respectfully and as an individual; and
4. Be informed of their rights, responsibilities and discipline policies.
Responsibilities of Students
All students share with the administration and faculty responsibility to develop a safe
learning environment within the school.
Students shall have the responsibility to:
1. Attend class sessions on time and bring materials;
2. Respect the personal, civil and property rights of others;
3. Put forth conscientious effort in classroom work and homework;
4. Groom and dress appropriately;
5. Have knowledge of and conform to school rules and regulations;
6. Not use indecent, obscene, or foul language; and
7. Report incidents or activities that may threaten or disrupt the school environment.
Rights of Parents/Guardians
Parents shall have the right to:
1. Receive regular official reports or their child’s academic progress;
2. Receive an explanation for the basis of any grade earned
3. Request a conference with the student services coordinator and/or school director;
4. Receive a prompt report of their child’s attendance to class or school;
6. Appeal disciplinary actions of suspensions of 10 days or more.
Responsibilities of Parents/Guardians
Parents/guardians shall have the responsibility to:
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1. Ensure that their children between the ages of 6 and 16 enroll in schools regularly, on
time, and for the whole school day in accordance with the laws of the State of Georgia;
2. Enroll their child in a another school if expelled from NHS
3. Present to school officials any concern in a calm, reasoned manner;
4. Work with the school on academic, disciplinary, or other related matters pertaining to
their child;
5. Plan the time and place for homework assignments and provide necessary supervision;
6. Talk with their child about school activities and expected behavior;
7. Know the rules set forth in this Code and review them with their child; and
8. Ensure that their child receives the periodic student health examinations that are
required by law.
Rights of Victims in School-Related Offenses
Any person victimized by a NHS student is in violation of the Student Conduct Behavior
Code may be called to testify to the facts of the incident as it relates to him or her if a student
discipline hearing is held. Furthermore, any victim of a crime committed by a member of the
NHS community has the right to pursue criminal charges through the proper authorities.
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Glossary of Discipline Terms
Not Progressing: Refers to a student’s unauthorized absence and/leave from class, and
school.
Behavioral Correction Plan: Refers to a set of behavioral intervention strategies devised
for students who have been identified as chronic disciplinary problem students. (O.C.G.A. §
20-2-765)
Behavior Intervention Plan (BIP): A set of strategies to support special education
students with inappropriate classroom behaviors.
Bullying: 1) any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another person, when
accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so, 2) any intentional display of force such
as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily harm, or 3) any
intentional written, verbal, or physical act, which a reasonable person would perceive as
being intended to threaten, harass, or intimidate that: a) causes substantial physical harm,
b) substantially interferes with a student’s education, c) is so severe, persistent or pervasive
that it creates an intimidating/threatening educational environment or d) disrupts the
orderly operation of school.
(O.C.G.A. 20-2-751.4)
Disability: A physical or mental impairment that substantially limits one or more major life
activities of an individual.
Due Process: A student is afforded oral or written notice of charges against him/her and is
given an opportunity for a review, hearing, or other procedural rights in accordance with
state and federal laws.
Harassment: Repeated words (verbal or written), conduct, or action that annoys, alarms, or
causes distress and serves no legitimate purpose.
Hearing Officer: A school administrator, with no prior knowledge of the event, who
conducts the proceedings for disciplinary hearings and makes the determination of rule
violations and appropriate consequences.
IEP: An Individualized Education Plan (IEP) supports a student with disabilities who
requires specially designed instruction and related services.
Long-Term Suspension: The removal of a student from school more than 10 days because
the student has violated this Code.
Manifestation Determination: A review of a special education student’s program and
disability to determine if misconduct is related to the disability.
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Permanent Expulsion: A student is removed from all NHS property, activities, and events
for an indefinite period of time. This is determines by the VP of Academic and Student
Affairs. School work may not be made up or credit earned.
School Grounds: Any online property owned or utilized by National High School to deliver
instruction or communication.
Sexting: The sending and receiving of lewd or pornographic text messages.
Short-Term Suspension: The involuntary removal of a student from class attendance or
school attendance for 10 days or less. Suspended students shall make up those assignments
that the academic department determines will have an impact on the student’s final grade
and mastery of the course content.
Assignments that do not require to be made up will not count toward a student’s final grade.
Students are responsible for making arrangements and completing makeup work within the
timeline specified by the local school. Students still incur tuition charges.
Student Disciplinary Hearing: A hearing in which a hearing officer or panel hears the
evidence presented, determines if the student has violated any rules of the student behavior
code, and, if so, what consequences are appropriate.
Student Self-Reporting: A self-report occurs when a student or his/her parent(s) or
guardian promptly and voluntarily discloses to school personnel that the student has
violated a rule. The student and/or parent(s) admit the mistake, and acknowledge that
consequences will follow. There is no indication that the confession occurred because the
student’s violation was about to be discovered.
Student Support Team (SST): A school-based team usually consisting of a teacher, an
administrator, risk intervention specialist, and admissions representative that convenes to
discuss issues (and make recommendations) related to a student.
Trespass: Entrance onto school virtual grounds when prohibited (hacking, unauthorized
log in, etc.).
Waiver of Right to Attend Student Disciplinary Hearing:
Parents may sign a waiver if they cannot attend or do not elect to attend the hearing. In the
event a parent or student does not attend the hearing, it will proceed as scheduled.
Important Student Discipline Information
The following is general information regarding discipline:
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1. Students under short-term suspension (1–10 days), long-term suspension (10 or more
days) or expulsion are not allowed to attend any activity, function, or event or
extracurricular activities.
2. Students are prohibited from engaging in gang/hate group or hazing related activities in
school.
3. School administrators and/or their designated representatives possess the authority to
conduct a reasonable review of school issued emails if it is established there is reasonable
suspicion that the search will reveal a violation of the law, the Student Conduct Behavior
Code, or NHS school rules.
4. A student may be considered a party to a violation of the Student Conduct Behavior Code
and disciplined for the underlying offense where the student: (1) Directly violates the
Student Conduct Behavior Code; (2) Intentionally causes some other person to commit a
violation of the Student Conduct Behavior Code; (3) Intentionally aids or abets another in a
violation of the Student Conduct Behavior Code; or (4) Intentionally advises, encourages,
hires, counsels, or procures another to commit a violation of the Student Conduct Behavior
Code. A student may be considered a party to a violation of the Student Conduct Behavior
Code even where the underlying actors are not students subject to the Code.
5. Certain violations of the Student Conduct Behavior Code may also be violations of state
law and juvenile authorities or other law enforcement agencies may address the student’s
misconduct in accordance with state laws, in addition to the school system’s administrative
procedures and regulations.
6. Students who are under suspension or expulsion through spring semester will not be
allowed to participate in any school sponsored activities, including graduation exercises.
7. Students should recognize their responsibility to know the contents of this student
discipline handbook and to ask the local school administration or staff for any clarification.
All students, regardless of age, are subject to the rules and regulations of the National High
School.
8. After a disciplinary hearing has been held, textbooks, materials, or equipment belonging
to the local school must be returned to a school administrator at their local school.
Rule 1 – Disruption and Interference with School
No student shall cause or attempt to cause directly or indirectly disruption or interference
with school by any means including but not limited to any of the following behaviors:
Mandatory Reporting of Repeated and Substantial Class Interference
Faculty and staff are required to report any student’s violation of the Student Conduct
Behavior Code which repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher’s ability to
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communicate effectively with the students in his or her class or with the ability of the
students in his or her class to learn.
Teachers shall report any such incidents to student services within one school day of the
most recent occurrence of such behavior. Such report shall not exceed one page and shall
describe the behavior. The Manager of Student Services within one day of receiving such
report, send to the student’s parents or guardians a copy of the report, and information
regarding how Manager of Student Services should be contacted. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-737.
Student Removal from Class
A teacher may remove a student from class if the student has exhibited behavior that
repeatedly or substantially interferes with the teacher’s ability to teach students in his or
her class or the ability of other students to learn in the class. O.C.G.A. § 20-2-738 (a-h).
Where a teacher has previously filed a report of a student’s repeated or substantial
interference with the classroom or where the behavior of a student poses an immediate
threat to the safety of student’s classmates or the teacher, the teacher shall have the
authority to remove the student from the classroom pursuant to O.C.G.A. § 20-2-738. Each
school will have a placement review committee.
The placement review committee shall be responsible for determining the appropriate
placement of a student when the school director recommends that the student be returned
to the classroom and the teacher withholds consent for the student’s return. The placement
review committee shall consist of three members, including one teacher student services
coordinator and the manager of education.
O.C.G.A. § 20-2-738(d).
Rule 2— Damage, Destruction, or Misuse of School Property or Equipment
A student shall not cause or attempt to cause damage to school property or alter/misuse
school technology or any other equipment, including accessing unauthorized areas on the
computer. A student shall not steal or attempt to steal school property. A student shall not
possess, sell, use, buy or transmit stolen school property or attempt to possess, sell, use, buy
or transmit stolen school property.
Rule 3— Damage, Destruction, or Misuse of Private Property
A student shall not cause or attempt to cause damage to private property or steal or attempt
to steal private property. A student shall not possess, sell, use, buy, or transmit stolen
private property on school grounds. Further, off schools grounds, a student shall not cause
or attempt to cause damage to private property belonging to a school employee where such
theft or damage is on account of that school employee’s performance of his/her official
duties. A student shall not sell or buy or attempt to sell or buy personal property on school
grounds.
Rule 4— Abuse, Threats, Intimidation, Assault or Battery on a School Employee
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Section A
Regardless of intent, a student shall not make oral or written communication, create a
document, or make a symbolic gesture or contact of a threatening, undermining, or
provoking nature to or about a school employee or in the presence of a school employee.
This includes, but is not limited to, disrespectful conduct, insult, use of profanity, ethnic,
racial, sexual, disability, or religious slur, or harassment and includes the development of a
“hit list,” “people to kill,” “people to shoot,” or a statement about bringing a weapon to
school and injuring people.
Section B
A student shall not cause or attempt to cause physical injury or behave in such a way that
could reasonably cause physical injury or make physical contact of a threatening or
provoking nature to a school employee.
Rule 5-Assault, or Battery by a Student on Another Student or to Any Other Person
Not Employed by the School
Section A
Regardless of intent, a student shall not make oral or written communication, create a
document, or make a symbolic gesture or contact of a threatening, distracting, or provoking
nature to or about a person/student or in the presence of a person/student. This includes,
but is not limited to, bullying, disrespectful conduct, insult, use of profanity; ethnic, racial,
sexual, disability, or religious slur; or harassment and includes the development of a “hit
list,” “people to kill,” “people to shoot,” or a statement about bringing a weapon to school
and injuring people.
State law defines Bullying as: 1) any willful attempt or threat to inflict injury on another
person, when accompanied by an apparent present ability to do so; 2) any intentional
display of force such as would give the victim reason to fear or expect immediate bodily
harm; or 3) any intentional written, verbal, or physical act, which a reasonable person
would perceive as being intended to threaten, harass, or intimidate that: a) causes
substantial physical harm; b) substantially interferes with a student’s education; c) is so
severe, persistent, or pervasive that it creates an intimidating/threatening educational
environment; or d) disrupts the orderly operation of school. Upon finding that a student in
grades 6–12 has committed the offense of bullying for the third time in a school year, such
student shall be assigned expelled from National High School Retaliation for reports of
bullying will not be tolerated and will be subject to independent disciplinary action.
Section B
A student shall not cause or attempt to cause physical injury or behave in such a way as
could reasonably cause bodily injury to any student/person. A student shall not engage in
any behavior that threatens the safety or well-being of another person or has the likelihood
of provoking a fight.
Rule 6— Weapons, Dangerous Instruments, and Explosive or Implosive Devices
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A student shall not solicit to buy or sell, or buy or sell or possess, handle, transmit, threaten
with or discharge/use, any object that can reasonably be considered or converted to and/or
used as a weapon
Rule 7— Drugs, Alcohol, and Tobacco
Section A
A student shall not be involved in any substance, drug, alcohol, or tobacco transaction,
including, without limitation to buy, possess, sell, use, transmit, solicit; attempt to buy,
possess, sell, use, or transmit; or be under the influence of any narcotic drug, depressant, or
stimulant drug including without limitation caffeine pills, hallucinogenic drug, anabolic
steroid, amphetamine, barbiturate, marijuana, inhalant, alcoholic beverage, or intoxicant of
any kind. A student shall not possess, sell, buy, or transmit, or attempt to sell, buy, or
transmit any substance under the pretense that it is, in fact, a prohibited substance as
described in this rule. The misuse or unauthorized possession of a prescription drug or
nonprescription drug shall be considered a violation of this rule; however, this rule shall not
apply to proper possession and/or use of a drug as authorized by a medical prescription
from a registered physician.
Section B
A student shall not possess, sell, use, transmit, buy or solicit any drug-related paraphernalia
which includes, but is not limited to pipes, water pipes, clips, rolling papers, or any other
items related to drug use or depicting drugs or drug use except where such items are related
to approved curriculum.
Section C
A student shall not possess, sell, use, transmit, buy or solicit tobacco products, or tobacco
paraphernalia such as, but not limited to matches, lighters, pipes, rolling papers and the like.
Rule — 8 Disregard of Directions or Commands
A student shall not fail to comply with reasonable directions or commands of teachers,
student teachers, substitute teachers, teacher aides, administrators, or other authorized
school personnel.
Rule 9— Sexual Misconduct/Indecency
A student shall not engage in any act of sexual harassment of a physical nature or verbal
nature. A student shall not perform any act of indecent exposure, lewd exposure, gesture or
lewd caress or indecent fondling/touching of the student’s own body or the body of another
person, or any act of sexual intercourse. A student shall not use any inappropriate gestures
that mimic or imply sexual acts or engage in any acts of “streaking” or “mooning” as those
terms are commonly understood. Such acts will not be regarded lightly or considered
pranks.
A student shall not possess, view, copy, sell, buy, or transmit printed or non-printed
pornographic materials including any non-curricular sexually explicit printed or nonprinted materials; or a student shall not possess, view, copy, sell, buy, or transmit printed or
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non-printed pornographic materials including, but not limited to, non-curricular materials
depicting the human male or female genitals or buttocks with less than a fully opaque
covering or any portion of the female breast with less than a fully opaque covering.
Rule 10— Unexcused Absences
A student shall not be absent from school or from any class unless approved by National
High School.
Rule 11— Other Conduct Which is Subversive to Good Order
A student shall not perform any other act which is subversive to good order and discipline
in the schools. This includes, but is not limited to, violation of local school rules, violation of
state and federal law, involvement in criminal gang-related behavior and/ or criminal gang
conduct as defined and prohibited by O.C.G.A.§ 16-15-3 and §16-15-4, providing false
information to school personnel, unauthorized possession or inappropriate use of laser
pointers, and electronic communications devices (including CD Players, MP3 players, video
games, and televisions), loitering or trespassing, providing false information to or about
school personnel, or community misconduct that would be so serious as to pose a threat to
the school community.
Rule 12— Repeated Violations/Misbehavior/Chronic Disciplinary Problem Students
Students who chronically disrupt or repeatedly violate other school rules may be charged
with repeated violations of school rules or misbehavior. This rule applies after remediation
attempts, including the development and implementation of a student disciplinary and
behavioral correction plan.
Rule 13-Discussion Boards, Chats, and Internet Communication
Students and parents are asked to respectful when communicating with employees of
National High School and NHS with do the same in return. Profanity, vulgar language,
harassment (verbal and written) will not be tolerated by any parent or student. All
communication should remain respectful at all times. This includes posting comments on
discussion boards, NHS social networks, email, discussion boards, phone, instructor portal
or any medium sanctioned by NHS. Students are also expected to be respectful when
communicating with other students. Students and/or parents who violate this policy will be
subject to the following:
1st offense verbal warning
2nd offense 30 day school suspension (tuition payments will continue)
3rd offense removal from the school permanently
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Academic Integrity
Academic Integrity is our commitment to four fundamental values:
Honesty
Respect
Responsibility
Trust
It is a commitment to being 100% honest and responsible in the completion of all academic
materials and interactions with the school community. It means supporting the tradition of
honest excellence, involvement, challenge, and inspiration to empower all students to be
productive members of society. Through this commitment, students and faculty will
maximize and achieve their fullest potential in the areas of academic excellence and
personal character. All members of the learning community will follow and uphold the
provisions in the National High School Honor Code.
A PHILOSOPHY OF INTEGRITY
National High School is an academic institution dedicated to growth through knowledge.
The pursuit of knowledge is a pursuit of honest excellence; it must be a personal journey
spirited by sincere, committed effort. Therefore, the National High School community
recognizes the crucial role of personal integrity in all academic endeavors. The National
High School tradition of academic excellence can continue only if all accomplishments take
place within a climate of honesty, respect, responsibility, and trust.
THE PILLARS OF HONOR
The commitment to academic integrity rests upon four pillars: honesty, respect,
responsibility, and trust. What do these four pillars of honesty, respect, responsibility, and
trust mean to us at National High School?
Honesty:
Exercising daily commitment to truthful thoughts and actions.
Bringing honor to oneself by acting and speaking truthfully and sincerely.
Respect:
A commitment to be tolerant of others, their views and values. It means having high
regard for one’s own well-being, as well as that of others.
A commitment to behaving respectfully.
Attending all classes on time, contributing to discussions, meeting academic
deadlines, and performing to the best of one’s ability.
Extending thoughtfulness and understanding to others.
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Responsibility:
Commitment to duty, including assigned duties and those for which one volunteers.
An obligation to the ownership of one’s work, deeds, words, and actions.
Personal accountability to do the right thing.
Taking action against wrongdoing, despite peer pressure, fear, loyalty, or compassion.
Trust:
Faith that others will act in a forthright manner.
Reliance on the integrity, ability, and character of others.
A mutual relationship between students and faculty that enhances the learning
environment.
“I hope I shall always possess firmness and virtue enough to maintain what I consider the most
enviable of all titles, the character of an honest man.”
--George Washington
At National High School all submitted work must be guided by the Honor Code. The highest
standards of honesty must apply to students' actions at National High School. Any act of
dishonesty reflects upon a student and affects the entire school community. A student’s
integrity is at stake whether he/she is the person who gives or receives the information;
both are acts of dishonesty. Of utmost concern is the fact that the student has been untrue to
himself/herself and has damaged one of his/her most precious possessions—his/her
character.
PROACTIVE / PREVENTATIVE MEASURES
Honest excellence in education requires a partnership in learning with administrators,
National High School, students, support staff, and parents committed to daily interactions
that reflect mutual respect and trust. Specifically in regard to the classroom, both National
High School and students have responsibilities in the following areas:
PREPARATION FOR CLASS:
In order for students to be actively involved in a worthwhile classroom experience,
National High School will
Foster a classroom environment that allows for open communication,
dialogue, and discussion among all present.
Be precise about expectations regarding student requirements for classroom
work.
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Students will
Bring all necessary materials to class.
Come to class with homework assignments prepared.
Make sure they understand expectations for upcoming classes. Ask questions
about anything they do not fully understand.
Be actively involved as they prepare assignments for class. Formulate
questions they might have about the material.
IN CLASS:
National High School will
Begin class promptly.
Answer questions to the best of their abilities and honestly acknowledge
when they do not have the answers. When these cases arise, they will
investigate answers and provide responses for students in a timely fashion.
Encourage honest, open, and fair classroom discussion, being respectful of
differing views.
periodically check with collaborative groups, where applicable, to ensure that
each is functioning effectively. The teacher will make recommendations, offer
advice, and/or redirect the group, if necessary.
Students will
Be in class on time.
Make good use of class time by being focused on the lesson, avoiding side
conversations.
Be respectful of the teacher and fellow students.
Take responsibility for carrying out his/her particular assignment in a
collaborative situation, where applicable.
“My grandfather once told me that there are two kinds of people: those who work and those
who take the credit. He told me to try to be in the first group; there was less competition there.”
--Indira Gandhi
EXAMS
National High School will
Be available to help students prepare effectively.
Develop exam questions that will be a meaningful test of the course content.
Create an atmosphere conducive to fair and honest testing.
Carefully monitor the exam to prevent cheating.
Give due and careful consideration to student answers when evaluating them
and assigning grades.
Address issues of dishonesty, should they arise.
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Students will
Come prepared and put forth their best efforts.
Read and follow directions carefully.
Rely on their own preparation as they take the test; make an honest effort.
Accept responsibility for what they know and what they don’t know.
ASSIGNMENTS
National High School will
Develop fair assignments with expectations delineated.
Clearly specify when collaboration with other students is permitted on an
assignment. If collaboration has not been specified as permissible, the
assignment must be the student’s individual honest efforts.
Devise meaningful assignments that enhance and further the work done in the
classroom.
Give due and careful consideration to the student’s work when evaluating it
and assigning a grade.
Address issues of dishonesty, should they arise.
Students will
Be good time managers; be realistic about the workload and plan ahead.
Read and follow directions carefully.
Seek only appropriate help from others.
Give full and proper credit to sources.
TIPS TO HELP STUDENTS ABIDE BY THE PRINCIPLES SET FORTH IN THE HONOR CODE
Seek the advice and wisdom of your parents, guidance counselor, and National High
School when establishing academic goals.
Set reasonable academic goals. Write them down and review them periodically.
Make adjustments when appropriate.
Plan and develop an academic schedule that will challenge students without
imposing unreasonable demands on your time, interests, and academic ability.
Balance academic and extracurricular goals.
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Take readable notes. Review and correct them after class. Rewriting your notes
reinforces what students learned from the lesson.
Ask the teacher for clarification of expectations for all work, if students are unsure.
“The time is always right to do what is right.” --Martin Luther King, Jr.
When collaborative activities are permitted, work together to ensure that
responsibilities are clearly and equitably distributed among all members of the
group. Consult with the teacher if the group is experiencing difficulty in meeting the
requirements of the assignment.
Start long-term assignments ahead of time. Create a plan for what students expect to
complete each day.
If students know ahead of time that students will have difficulty meeting a deadline,
discuss the matter with your student services coordinator well in advance of the
deadline.
Establish a consistent time and place to do your homework and studying. Select
quiet, well-lighted location that is free from distractions posed by television,
telephone, and the Internet. Organize the materials in your study area so that all are
close at hand and easily located.
Know your learning style. When possible, complete course requirements and prepare
for class in a manner compatible with that style. For example, if students are a visual
learner, illustrate your understanding through pictures, charts, and graphs, if offered
that option.
Take advantage of helpful opportunities available to students: peer tutoring with
National Honor Society members, extra help sessions with National High School,
writing conferences with English National High School, research assistance from the
virtual library (e-brary).
On occasion tutors may assist in the learning process of a student. In order to adhere
to the principles of academic integrity, it is imperative that all interactions between
students and tutors remain true to the classroom teacher’s intent for assigning the
particular activity, and that all pertinent instructions are honored. The primary
responsibility for understanding and abiding by the teacher’s expectations and
guidelines for any activity lies with the student.
Take care of your health. Get plenty of rest and make nutritious food choices.
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VIOLATIONS OF THE HONOR CODE
National High School’s expectations for all work are clearly stated. If a student is unsure of
the requirements for any activity or assignment, to avoid a violation of the Honor Code,
he/she is responsible for checking his/her understanding with the student services.
Violations of the Honor Code include but are not limited to the following areas:
Cheating:
In copying, a student is taking the work of another, either on homework or on a test, and
claiming it as his/her own. At National High School cheating includes but is not limited to:
Copying and or offering homework verbally, in written form, or by electronic means.
Copying and/or offering answers on tests or quizzes verbally, in written form, or by
electronic means.
Pressuring other students to violate the Honor Code.
Bringing in and using unauthorized information during class time, including
information stored in a calculator.
Offering or receiving information under circumstances when information is not to be
shared.
“Before I can live with other folks, I’ve got to live with myself. The one thing that doesn’t abide
by majority rule is a person’s conscience.”
–Harper Lee, To Kill a Mockingbird
Having anyone, including parents or tutors, complete assignments and submitting the
work as one’s own.
Presenting collaborative work as independent work and independent work as
collaborative. (In group work, one person should not and will not bear the burden for
the entire group assignment.)
Copying answers from answer guides in texts.
Fabricating or “fudging” data, information, or sources. Attempting to pass off made up
material as the result of genuine efforts.
Plagiarism:
The act of plagiarism may include direct copying, but it may also be more complex than
verbatim repetition. A student, in preparing a project for a class, will have plagiarized if
he/she has taken information from sources without citing what sources were used.
Plagiarized material may appear in a student’s paper as word-for-word copying, a
summation, or a paraphrase of another’s ideas. A student has plagiarized whether the
material from another source has been taken in whole or in part. In effect, by not naming the
source, the student is claiming the work of another as his/hers.
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Submitting images and/or documents in whole or in part from the Internet without
citation of the source(s).
Copying another’s work.
Using another’s ideas without proper citations.
Incorporating portions of another’s writing within the context of your own work.
Failing to acknowledge a source of information.
Using “unique” phrases without citations.
Using graphics, charts, diagrams, illustrations without citations.
LEVELS OF CONSEQUENCE
1st Offense: The student will receive a zero for the assignment, and the teacher will contact
the student’s parents. The incident will be kept on file with the Academic affairs for the
remainder of the student’s high school career. The academic affairs will counsel the student
concerning proactive measures that he/she might take to prevent further violations. Parents
may take part in the meeting with the Academic affairs and the student, should they choose
to do so. The student will be informed of further consequences should another violation of
the Honor Code occur.
2nd Offense: The student will receive a zero on the assignment, and the incident will be
reported to Academic affairs. Academic affairs will contact the parents to discuss the
incident. Parents are informed that they may take part in meetings with their child and the
faculty members of the Honor Committee. The student then will be given a date for a
meeting with the faculty members of the Honor Committee. The student will be suspended
for two weeks from all extra-curricular activities. The student will be responsible for
informing all involved coaches and advisors of this suspension. The student will be informed
of further consequences should another violation of the Honor Code occur.
3rd Offense: The student will receive an F as the marking period grade for the course in
which the infraction occurs. The parents will be contacted by the Academic affairs and
informed that they may take part in discussions regarding the formulation of preventive
plans for their child. The student will be suspended from all extra-curricular activities for
four weeks and will be given a date to meet with the faculty members of the Honor
Committee. The student will be advised that should another violation occur he/she could
lose credit for the course. If a student’s infraction of the Honor Code is exceptional and
seems to have violated more than one aspect of the Honor Code, the student will be held
accountable for a second or third offense regardless of whether or not the student has
committed a first or second offense. This decision will be made by the Academic affairs,
taking into consideration the recommendations of the Honor Committee.
All incidents involving violations of academic integrity will be recorded on a standard form
by the VP of Academic Affairs and the teacher involved. At the close of each school year, a
letter will be sent to the parents of all students who have violated the code verifying the
violation(s) and the action(s) taken. The National Honor Society advisor will be informed by
the Academic affairs of all infractions of the Honor Code. The National Honor Society Faculty
Council will be informed by the National Honor Society advisor of all infractions committed
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by members of the National Honor Society and candidates under consideration for
membership.
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ACADEMIC POLICIES
National Collegiate Athletic Association Guidelines (NCAA)
Please note the following guidelines regarding NCAA enrollments:
Students must be enrolled in a course (s) for at least 8 weeks (calendar). The eight
weeks begin after the status changes (not the date payment was received). The
student must have classroom instruction for a minimum of 8 weeks per course
enrolled. As with ALL NHS students, they must attend instructed led class sessions in
each course—no exceptions!
National High School does not “RUSH” NCAA enrollments (or others) or adheres to
parental deadlines.
Parent must complete the NCAA Parent Acknowledgement provided by the
admissions representative.
The NCAA reserves to right to refuse any course taken at NHS. It is the student’s
responsibility to make certain of transferability. This is VERY important when it
comes to release of transcripts to the NCAA. NHS will not release the transcript if the
student has not met the student-teacher contact hours and enrollment time
requirement.
Students should visit https://web1.ncaa.org/hsportal/exec/hsAction (school code
110-254) to view eligible NHS courses.
If a student is currently enrolled at another school, the student will need to be
enrolled as NCAA with the proper forms and signatures but the folder must include
either the credit recovery form or the parent waiver.
Students who currently hold a high school diploma cannot seek a diploma with NHS
to boost the grade point average.
1) Division I Requirements
Students can only take one course post graduation if they are attending a NCAA Division I
School.
Students can take up to 3 courses if they have a documented disability. Parents must
include the NCAA permission letter before a student will be enrolled in courses.
Division II Requirements
Students are allowed to take as many courses as needed.
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Please note students cannot be enrolled by a “program,” “coach,” or “sports affiliated”
organization. Parents are the only individuals with the authority to enroll students
in the program.
It is the parent’s responsibility to communicate with the NCAA Eligibility Center to
determine and understand the regulations and policies set forth by the NCAA.
Credit Recovery
Students who enroll as credit recovery must have a signed form from a school official to
ensure transferability. Students who choose to enroll without the school signed credit
recovery form must have the parent complete a credit recovery waiver form.
It is the decision of each school to accept NHS credit. Students who enroll as credit recovery
must attend courses for a minimum of 8 weeks each course and must complete the course
within one year.
If a student fails to the complete the course within a year, a failing grade will be assigned.
The student will have to reenroll into the course if they wish to continue. Any courses not
completed will be assigned a grade based on work submitted and not submitted. All open
courses will be issued a final grade. SEE ATTENDENCE POLICY
Individual Courses
Students who enroll in individual courses must attend courses for a minimum of 8 weeks
per course and must complete the course within one year.
If a student fails to the complete the course within a year, a failing grade will be assigned.
The student will have to reenroll into the course if they wish to continue. Any courses not
completed will be assigned a grade based on work submitted and not submitted. All open
courses will be issued a final grade. SEE ATTENDENCE POLICY
Diploma Seeking Students
Students who are seeking a diploma from NHS must follow the attendance and course
progression policy. Once a student is enrolled in the program, their current grade level
courses will be made available to them.
All courses must be taken in sequence and on grade level. Students must complete one
grade level entirely before the next grade level will be made available. Students who do not
complete one grade level within one year will be placed on academic probation. Any courses
not completed will be assigned a grade based on work submitted and not submitted. All
open courses will be issued a final grade.
Academic Probation
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Students are placed on academic probation as an intervention tool to help ensure student
success. If a student is placed on academic probation, they will be locked out of all but one
course until they have satisfactory completed the course. Once the requirement has been
satisfied, all courses are reopened.
Changing Diploma Tracks
Students are allowed to change their diploma track at anytime up until their end of their
sophomore (13 credits) year or 13 credits transferred or taken at NHS. A parent/guardian
must make the request. The only exception is a need or concern identified by the academic
or student services department. There is a $50 charge to change curriculum track.
Age Requirements
Diploma Seeking
Applicants looking to enroll at National High School must be at least 14 years of age to enroll
into a diploma seeking program. If a student is found not to be of age, the student will be
terminated from the program.
NCAA
Applicants looking to enroll at National High School must be at least 14 years of age to enroll
as a student seeking NCAA course credit. If a student is found not to be of age, the student
will be terminated from the program with no refund.
Individual/Enrichment Courses
Applicants looking to enroll at National High School as individual or enrichment course
seeking does not adhere to an age requirement. However, if the student wishes to transfer
as diploma seeking or NCAA, the student is not allowed to do so unless he/she has reached
the 14th birthday. There is a $50 transfer fee required.
Any courses taken at NHS during the time the student did not meet the age requirement,
will not count toward graduation credit. The student will have to enroll into the program
and provide the academic documents for review from the previous school.
Course and Religious Contradiction
National High School strives to afford everyone the same opportunity and level of rigor. If a
student has a religious reason for not completing an assignment or any belief, National High
School will respect the belief. However, the student will receive a 0 for the assignment and
the student can move on to the next assignment.
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NHS Diploma Options
National High School offers two diploma options. Students have the opportunity to chose
the Regular or Advanced diploma. This decision should be made based on academic records
and future educational plans.
Choosing the Right NHS Diploma Track
Parents and student must understand the importance of choosing the right diploma track. In
an effort to ensure full disclosure, NHS student affairs sends out a follow-up email to make
sure parents and students have an understanding of the possible ramifications of their
choice when it comes to college admissions.
Some universities require students to have successfully completed specific courses (such as
chemistry, foreign languages, and higher level math, etc.) in addition to having certain
scores on the SAT or ACT. It is the student and parent responsibility to know the
admissions requirements in order to select the right diploma track.
NHS encourages parents and students to discuss their plans as a family. NHS will be more
than happy to assist with helping to make the decision based on previous academics and
future plans.
Regular Diploma
Parents and students may choose the regular diploma track if they plan to attend a college,
university, or enter into the workforce. Students should be aware of admissions
requirements at the college or university of choice.
Advanced Diploma
The advanced diploma with honors is the college preparatory diploma track. Students
who select this diploma are looking toward university enrollment.
Grade Level Classification
Freshman
0 – 6.5 completed credits
Sophomore 7 – 13 completed credits
Junior
14-19 completed credits
Senior
20 or more completed credits
Course by Grade Level
When students enroll into National High School as diploma seeking, students are placed in
classes according to the NHS curriculum and grade level requirements. If a student has not
met the credit and course requirement, they will be classified by the number of credits
completed not the classes taken. Once students complete orientation, the courses are
assigned based on grade level.
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If a student is missing one core course requirement, the missing core course will be
open in addition to the appropriate grade level courses.
If the student is missing an elective, the elective course in addition to the grade level
courses will be made available.
If the student is missing 2 core credits or more, the student will only have access to
the missing core courses at the current grade level. Once those core courses are
satisfied, the full grade level will be made available to the student.
Students should be aware that classifications are determined by completed credits and not
courses. This is important to know when it comes to applying for college, scholarships and
other items that may require specific classification.
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Regular Diploma Graduation Requirements
9th Grade-Freshman
1. English 9-Literature and Composition
2. Algebra I
3. Physical Science
4. World History
5. Elective
6. Physical Education
7. Elective
Total Credits for 9th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
6.5 credits
10th Grade-Sophomore
1. English 10- Literature and Composition
2. Geometry
3. Biology
4. World Geography
5. Elective
6. Health
7. Elective
Total Credits for 10th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
6.5 credits
11th Grade-Junior
1. English 11-Literature and Composition:
The American Experience
2. Choice Math
3. Choice Science
4. United States History
5. Fine Arts Option
6. Elective
Total credits for 11th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
6 credits
12th Grade-Senior
1. English 12-Literature and Composition
2. American Government and Economics
3. Choice Math
4. Choice Science
5. Elective
Total Credits for 12th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
5 credits
Total Credits Required for Graduation
24 Credits
1 credit
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Advanced Diploma Graduation Requirements
9th Grade-Freshman
1. English 9-Literature and Composition
2. Algebra I
3. Physical Science
4. World History
5. Foreign Language Option I
6. Physical Education
7. Elective
Total Credits for 9th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
6.5 credits
10th Grade-Sophomore
1. English 10- Literature and Composition
2. Geometry
3. Biology
4. World Geography
5. Foreign Language Option II
6. Health
7. Elective
Total Credits for 10th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
.5 credit
1 credit
6.5 credits
11th Grade-Junior
1. English 11-Literature and Composition:
The American Experience
2. Algebra II/Trigonometry
3. Chemistry
4. United States History
5. Fine Arts Option
6. Elective
Total credits for 11th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
6 credits
12th Grade-Senior
1. English 12-Literature and Composition
2. American Government and Economics
3. Choice Math
4. Choice Science
5. Elective
Total Credits for 12th Grade
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
1 credit
5 credits
Total Credits Required for Graduation
24 credits
1 credit
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DIPLOMA COMPARISONS
Regular Diploma
9th Grade-Freshman
1. English 9-Literature and Composition
2. Algebra I
3. Physical Science
4. Physical Education
5. World History
6. Elective
7. Elective
10th Grade-Sophomore
1. English 10- Literature and Composition
2. Geometry
3. Biology
4. World Geography
5. Health
6. Fine Arts
7. Elective
11th Grade-Junior
1. English 11-Literature and Composition:
The American Experience
2. Choice Math
3. Choice Science
4. United States History
5. Fine Arts Option
6. Elective
12th Grade-Senior
1. English 12-Literature and Composition
2. American Government and Economics
3. Choice Math
4. Choice Science
5. Elective
Advanced Diploma-Honors
9th Grade-Freshman
1. English 9-Literature and Composition
2. Algebra I
3. Physical Science
4. Physical Education
5. World History
6. Foreign Language Option I
7. Elective
10th Grade-Sophomore
1. English 10- Literature and Composition
2. Geometry
3. Biology
4. World Geography
5. Health
6. Foreign Language Option II
7. Elective
11th Grade-Junior
1. English 11-Literature and Composition:
The American Experience
2. Algebra II/Trigonometry
3. Chemistry
4. United States History
5. Fine Arts Option
6. Elective
12th Grade-Senior
1. English 12-Literature and Composition
2. American Government and Economics
3. Choice Math
4. Choice Science
5. Elective
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Dual Enrollment
National High School does not allow students to be dually enrolled in another high or home
school program if the student is seeking a diploma seeking from National High School.
If a student is enrolled in another high school (including home school), the student
may enroll as a credit recovery student. This is the only provision for dual
enrollment. Students normally enroll in the credit recovery program to get ahead in
their classes, to recover credit for a failed class, as a summer school course or other
reasons. Students who enroll as a credit recovery must have their current school
counselor complete the NHS credit recovery form. If a student’s current school
policy prevents school officials from providing a signature, or the school is closed for
a break, the parent must complete the NHS credit recovery waiver form.
If a student is currently enrolled in another high school or home school, the student
must withdraw from that school in order to continue as a diploma seeking student. If
the student does not withdraw, the student cannot continue as diploma seeking and
will be changed to enrichment which will cause the student to lose course credit
because enrichment courses are audits and do not earn credit.
If a student decides to end their enrollment at National High School and return to
another high school, the NHS enrollment must be canceled through the withdrawal
process and all financial obligations must be fulfilled before NHS will release a
transcript or withdrawal verification.
If the student decides to cancel the enrollment with National High School, the
student must contact their student service coordinator; complete the withdrawal
form including the reason for withdrawal and the forwarding address for the
academic record. There is a $5 transcript fee that must be paid before the document
is released, even if the transcript is request by the new school.
Students should be familiar with the withdrawal policy and the refund policy.
Students must request the withdrawal 5 business days before the next payment or
they will be responsible for the tuition payment.
Dual Enrollment-College Course Credit
On occasion, students enroll in college courses to receive early credit for college admission.
Students must receive permission from the NHS academic department in order to receive
transfer credit for courses taken at the college level.
Students are only allowed to take two credits (two courses) at a college or university
that will count toward the NHS graduation requirements.
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Students can only use these credits as core option or elective transfer credit.
Students cannot transfer any grade 69 or below even if the grade is considered
passing at the college or university.
Students must complete the Dual Enrollment-College Credit Form before the
student signs up for the course. If the student does not do this, they will not receive
the credit.
Student will need to have the college/university mail the official transcript to
National High School once the course (s) has been completed.
There is a $50 per course fee that must be paid in order for students to take
advantage of the Dual Enrollment-College Credit program. If the fee is not remitted,
the course will not be transferable and the student will need to take the missing
credits at NHS in order to meet the graduation requirements.
Differentiated Instruction –Pacing
National High School understands that students come to us at different levels. Those
students with IEPs can chose a path suited for their learning style. Students will need to
speak with their student services coordinator regarding their options. Academic record are
strongly considered when considering the pace level.
Below Average: The pacing tool is used for students enrolled in the Career Diploma
Track.
Average: The pacing tool is used for students enrolled in the Regular Diploma Track.
Above Average: The pacing tool is used for students enrolled in the Advanced
Diploma with Honors Track.
International Students
National High School expects students to make every attempt to obtain their official
transcripts and/or records from their previous school in their country. Ministries of
Education, similar to School Boards in the United States, should have the records even when
the county has gone through social or political unrest.
International applicants wishing to enroll into National High School who already hold a high
school diploma are certificate must adhere to the following regulations:
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1. The diploma or certificate must have been conferred by an accredited school or Ministry
of Education.
2. Must provide official transcripts
3. Must provide official documentation of the conferred diploma or certificate.
4. Attested Documents are equivalent to transcripts in the United States. When documents
are attested, this means the documents have been “notarized” or “validated” by an education
official.
5. Documents that are not in English will need to be translated by a translation service, such
as WES, or by a previous school official. The cost of using a translation service is incurred by
the student. Students cannot enroll if these documents have not been officially translated.
6. Students who have completed Health and/or Economics as part of their original high
school diploma are exempted from those courses, but must still complete a total of 4.0
Carnegie units from National High School in order to earn a diploma. Additional credit can
be made up by completing an elective course of their choice.
7. If an academic record does not meet the level of curriculum standards at National High
School, the student will be enrolled based on the courses completed and will need to
continue toward the 24 credit requirement.
8. Students must take an assessment to determine grade level. If the assessment shows the
student is on grade level, the credits will transfer. If the assessment shows the student is not
on grade level, the credits will not transfer and the student will be placed in the grade level
according to their assessment scores.
9. We recognize that some student records are the only copy a student may have, therefore,
National High School, will make every effort to return these documents to the students if
mailed so the verification process can take place. However, the preferred method is to have
the document attested and then sent to National High School as to eliminate the use of mail
and the risk of the document being lost.
10. A levels, O levels or any other examination are not sufficient to verify coursework.
Students will need to submit one of the aforementioned documents.
Transfer Credit
National High School shall accept student course credit earned at an accredited school. The
school shall have been accredited or holding provisional status at the time the credit was
earned.
National High School shall not substitute courses and exempt students from the required
secondary minimum core curriculum in the general, college preparatory and vocational
education programs unless the student transferred from an accredited secondary school or
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the courses presented for credit must meet criteria identified by the academic department.
National High School reserves the right to refuse transfer credit.
The National High School admissions department is responsible for validating credit for
courses taken at a middle, secondary school or home study program. The policy shall
include the following.
Procedures for placing transfer students in elementary and middle grades at the
appropriate level and for granting Carnegie unit credit for high school students.
The procedure shall include at least one of the following criteria.
•
Probationary placement based on records of prior schools(s) and/or home study
programs and satisfactory performance of the student for one or more grading
periods.
•
Tests and acceptable scores. These tests may be standardized or locally developed
and should focus on group placement, subject area and/or grade level.
High School Students (Domestic and Foreign)
All students seeking enrollment in the middle school and high school program must show
evidence of successful completion of the previous grade level. Students who are completing
the 5th grade must show promotion to the 6th grade. Students who are completing the 8th
grade must show promotion to high school. Students enrolled in the high school must show
successful completion of credits to be placed in the appropriate grade levels and classes.
Middle School Courses for High School Credit
In some cases, students are allowed to take courses and receive high school credit. If a
student has taken a course and received high school credit, one of the following must apply
in order for the credit to transfer:
1. If the student is coming from middle school, the school must verify the credit as
high school level.
2. If the student is transferring, the high school transcript must show a grade and
credit. If there is no credit given, NHS will not take the course.
3. NHS only takes Biology, Algebra I and a Foreign Language.
4. Students can only transfer up to two credits from this category.
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Transcripts
NHS Home School Transcript Acceptance Policy
Students enrolling into National High School from a home school program will have
to take an assessment to determine their skill set up to the last grade level
completed. If a student test lower than the grade level indicated on their academic
record, the student will placed in the grade level indicated from the assessment. Any
credits beyond the grade level will not be accepted if the student has not tested at
that level according to the exam results.
Students who are coming to us from the 8th grade have to produce a school issued 8th
grade transcript with a signature showing promotion to the 9th grade. It must show
passing scores. As with other official documents, it has to be mailed to us with the
handwritten signature.
The 8th grade student must show passing courses in Mathematics, Language Arts,
Social Studies, Science and Reading
Students with high school level home school credits have to submit an official typed
transcript. As with other official documents, it has to be mailed to us with a
handwritten signature. The transcript will be evaluated in the normal fashion.
The “teaching parent” must have at least a high school diploma or GED or employ a
tutor with a high school diploma or GED.
Transcripts for students with home school credits will be evaluated by the Manager of
Student Services.
National High School only accepts one home school transcript per student. If a
student withdraws and returns with additional home school credits, National High
School will not accept those credits.
If a student withdraws and attends an accredited public or private school, those
additional credits will be accepted.
Official Transcripts
In order for transcripts to be considered "official" the document must come directly to
National High School in a sealed envelope from the previous school or evaluation agency.
The document must include the embossed school seal or an official school stamp with a
signature. Any faxes, photocopies, or documents in opened envelopes that a student
provides from these agencies are considered "unofficial," and cannot be accepted as an
official document.
Unofficial Transcripts
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National High School affords students the opportunity to have documents evaluated and
enroll into the program on provisional basis when unofficial documents are presented upon
enrollment.
Students are allowed to enroll into courses and grade levels based on these documents for a
period of 30 days. If documents are not received within 30 days, students are automatically
placed in the entire 9-12 curriculum.
If the student is a middle school student entering into the 9th grade, the student will not be
allowed to continue in the high school program until the official documents are received.
Once the official document is received and courses are missing/added that are not listed on
the unofficial transcript submitted, the student course work will be updated to reflect the
verified credit.
The transcript must show credits earned. If the transcript shows a grade but no credit, the
course will not be transferable. Students will not receive a diploma if the official documents
have not been received and verified by National High School.
Multiple Transcripts
If a student has attended more than one accredited school, the student must present official
documents from each school. All the other rules apply as stated under official and unofficial
transcripts.
If a student has multiple transcripts and any of the schools listed are unaccredited, NHS will
not transfer the course.
International Transcripts
International students seeking admissions must have received documents (transcripts)
sanctioned by their Ministry of Education or comparable accrediting agencies.
If the document is not provided in English, it is the student’s responsibility to have the
documents translated by a translation services or have a school official explain and verify
the courses in English. The verification must be official and sent directly to NHS from the
school.
Transfer Credit Accreditation
National High School only accepts transfer credit from schools that are accredited by
agencies recognized by the US Department of Education. See a partial list below of regional
accrediting bodies:
Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools Middle States Commission on
Higher Education (MSCHE)
Web: www.msche.org
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CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Degree-granting institutions which offer one or more postsecondary educational programs
at least one academic year in length in Delaware, District of Columbia, Maryland, New
Jersey, New York, Pennsylvania, Puerto Rico, the Virgin Islands and other geographic areas
in which the commission now conducts accrediting activities.
New England Association of Schools and Colleges Commission on Institutions of
Higher Education (NEASC-CIHE)
Barbara E. Brittingham, President / Director of the Commission
Web: www.neasc.org
CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Institutions that award bachelor’s, master’s or doctoral degrees and associate degree
granting institutions that include degrees in liberal arts and general studies in Connecticut,
Maine, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, Vermont and other geographic areas
in which the commission now conducts accrediting activities.
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools The Higher Learning Commission
(NCA-HLC) Web: www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org
CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Degree granting institutions incorporated in Arizona, Arkansas, Colorado, Illinois, Indiana,
Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio,
Oklahoma, South Dakota, West Virginia, Wisconsin, Wyoming or federally authorized
sovereign nations that are authorized (licensed) by the same state or nation to award higher
degrees (associate, baccalaureate, master's, first professional and/or doctoral degrees (both
research and professional).
Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS) Commission on Colleges
Web: www.sacscoc.org
CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Regional accrediting body for degree-granting institutions in Alabama, Florida, Georgia,
Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia
and in Latin America. (2003)
Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Community
and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC)
Web: www.accjc.org
CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Associate degree-granting institutions in California, Hawaii, the Territories of Guam and
American Samoa, the Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of
Palau, the Federated States of Micronesia, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands.
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Western Association of Schools and Colleges Accrediting Commission for Senior
Colleges and Universities (WASC-ACSCU)
Web: www.wascweb.org
CHEA Recognized Scope of Accreditation
Baccalaureate degree or higher institutions in California, Hawaii, and the Territory of Guam;
institutions incorporated within the region that do not offer degree programs in the region
when such programs reviewed effectively by WASC-ACSCU processes and are American in
style and offered in English; and joint accreditation for community colleges that offer one
baccalaureate degree and meet the conditions of the joint policy with the Accrediting
Commission for Community and Junior Colleges (WASC-ACCJC). (2003)
Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of private postsecondary institutions offering
certificates or diplomas, and postsecondary institutions offering associate, bachelor's, or
master's degrees in programs designed to educate students for professional, technical, or
occupational careers, including those that offer those programs via distance education.
Transnational Association of Christian Colleges and Schools, Accreditation
Commission
Scope of recognition: the accreditation and pre-accreditation ("Candidate" status) of
postsecondary institutions in the United States that offer certificates, diplomas, and
associate, baccalaureate, and graduate degrees, including institutions that offer distance
education. Web address: www.tracs.org
Distance Education and Training Council, Accrediting Commission
Scope of recognition: the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United States
that offer degree programs primarily by the distance education method up to and including
the professional doctoral degree, and are specifically certified by the agency as accredited
for Title IV purposes; and for the accreditation of postsecondary institutions in the United
States not participating in Title IV that offer programs primarily by the distance education
method up through the professional doctoral degrees.
Unaccredited Transfer Credit Policy
National High School understands student may have attended previous schools that may not
have been accredited. Because we are dedicated to education, we do not want to deny
student access. However, there are certain rules that apply.
Students who transfer from unaccredited schools must take an assessment to
determine grade their grade level.
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If the assessment shows the student is on grade level, the credits will transfer.
If the assessment shows the above grade level, the student will be placed in the
correct grade level based on credits earned and will not be promoted to a higher
grade (NHS does not “skip up” students).
If a student test at a lower level, the student will be placed in the grade level as
determined by the placement exam.
o Example: student places at the 10th grade but has credits up to the 11th
unaccredited, only the 10th grade credits can possibly transfer
o Example: student places at the 10th grade and they have 11th grade credits
from an accredited school, we will accept credits up to 11th grade
Once they sit for the exam, the results are final.
Students cannot retest.
In order to take the exam, the student will need a picture ID, a webcam, computer
and go through an identification verification process.
The student will need to be at a computer and will be proctored while the exam is
being taken.
All other NHS transfer credit policies apply
Withdrawal Policy
Students who wish to withdraw from National High School must complete a withdrawal
form. If a student does not complete the form, the student will continue to incur tuition and
considered as a NHS student.
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NHS will not release withdrawal verification or transcripts requests if a student does not
properly withdraw. The withdrawal form is provided by their student services coordinator.
Students need to be aware of the grade calculations below:
Less than 10% of the course completed, it is marked as either withdrawal passing or
withdrawal failing.
More than 10% of the course completed, the grade is calculated based on the
semester. Students will receive a grade based on .5 credits.
If a student has completed all assignments but no exams (which this should not
happen) the student’s grade will be calculated based including 0 for any exam not
completed.
Unattempted course will be marked as withdrawn.
We encourage parents to allow students to complete .5 credits if they have completed more
than 10% in any semester of any course. All financial obligations must be clear before any
documents will be release.
Course Grade Calculations
Course Grade Calculations
1 credit Course
Class Participation
10%
Assignments
30%
Exam 1
10%
Exam 2
10%
Exam 3
10%
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Final Exam
30%
Total:
100%
2012-2013
Course Grade Calculations
0.5 credit Course (with the exception of health and PE)
Class Participation
10%
Assignments
30%
Exam 1
30%
Exam 2
30%
Total:
100%
End of Semester Exams
Students who score below a 70 on any exam in any semester will have to take an end of
semester exam. If this happens, the grade will be calculated as followed:
Course Grade Calculations
0.5 credit Course (with the exception of health and PE)
Class Participation
10%
Assignments
20 %
Exam 1
15%
Exam 2
15%
End of Semester Exam
40%
Total:
100%
Course Grade Calculations
1 credit Course
Class Participation
10%
Assignments
20%
Exam 1
10%
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Exam 2
10%
Exam 3
10%
Final Exam
10%
End of Semester Exam 1
15%
End of Semester Exam 2
15%
Total:
100%
Grading Scale
A
AB+
B
B-
100-95%
94-90%
89-87%
86-84%
83-80%
C+
C
CD+
D
79-77%
76-74%
73-70%
69-67%
66-64%
DF
63-60%
59-Below
SCHOOL ACADEMIC POLICIES
Exam Policy
Assessment is an important part of the learning process. Students are required to complete
4 exams in a two semester course and 2 exams in a one semester course. If a student scores
lower than 70 on any exam, they are required to take end of semester exams.
Students cannot opt out of taking exams and all uncompleted exams will count towards the
final course grade even upon withdrawal. All exams are requested by emailing
exams@nationalhighschool.com
1) All exams are to be returned within 24 hours of the time NHS sends them to your email
account.
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2) Students must report any problem with an exam within 5 hours of the exam being sent. It
is the student responsibility to ensure the exam is received in their email box. Students
should add the exams email address to their contacts and check junk/spam folders. The
student must send an email to exams@nationalhighschool.com. Calls are not considered
documentation of a problem with an exam. The problem must be reported to in writing to
exams@nationalhighschool.com. The problem cannot be reported to the student service
coordinator or admissions representative.
3) Students must complete required assignments before requesting an exam.
4) Exams are graded within 7-10 business days.
5) Exams are sent daily at 12 pm (est) and 5 pm (est) Monday thru Thursday and on Friday
12 pm (est).
6) Exams requested on the Saturday and Sunday are sent on Monday at 12 noon
7) Exams requested on a calendar holiday or exam closure will be sent on the next business
day unless the exams department receives an email stating otherwise.
8) If a student does not return an exam on time; the student will receive a zero (0) NO
EXECPTIONS
9) Students will receive a one-time forbearance on the first exam not submitted on time and
will be allowed to take another exam.
10) Students are expected to be academically honest while completing exams meaning no
books or help from anyone.
11) Students can only request one exam per course, per day.
12) Exams cannot be prescheduled
13) Exams must be requested by the student
14) Exams must be uploaded to the Learncenter if it is not an online exam.
15) Do not email completed exams to exams@nationalhighschool.com. It will not be graded.
Student should upload completed exams to the Learncenter.
Required Exam Heading Format
The following heading is required on every page of an exam submission. If any of this
information is missing, the student will receive a grade of zero (0). This information must be
included in the body of the email when the exam is being requested.
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Student Name
Student ID Number
Exam Number
Course
Date Submitted
Students should use the following email subject heading:
Name (first and last), course and exam number
Exam Extra Credit
Each exam includes five essay questions which can be completed for extra credit. Students
must complete the essay at the time the exam is submitted. Once it has been scored, extra
credit cannot be submitted.
Class Participation
Class participation (interactive communication) is an extremely important part of the
learning process – and will count 10% of the course grade. Students will communicate with
instructors regarding key issues from course readings, self checks, and other classroom
material.
Students are expected to attend class and log into the Learncenter continuously. Students
are expected to communicate with their student services coordinator on a consistent basis.
Class participation is required in each course.
Assignments
Each course has several assignments to go along with course materials. Students are
required to complete all assignments in sequential order. Students must understand that
simply completing assignments is not enough to pass. Students must read chapter text as
some material not included on assignments could be included on exams. Students are
expected to complete and turn in weekly assignments in a timely manner. Students should
follow the syllabus as a guide. Students may work as fast or as slow as their ability permits,
but must comply with the attendance policy.
Students cannot resubmit failing or wrongly submitted assignments. Before a
student is allowed to submit an assignment, a dialog box appears for them to verify
and make sure they are submitting the correct assignment. Students must pay
attention. There is no forbearance on assignments.
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Students cannot skip assignments for any reasons.
Any assignment not completed will result in a reduction of the final course
grade.
Grading is completed within in 7-10 business days.
Students are not allowed to submit more than five (5) assignments per course
per day.
If students submit more than 5 assignments per day per course, the 7-10
business day grading policy is negated.
Assignments must contain the proper heading or it will be graded a score of 0.
Students are not responsible for completing assignments that are not listed on
their learning plan.
Required Assignment Heading Format
The following heading is required on every page of every assignment that students submit.
If any of this information is missing, the student will receive a grade of zero (0).
Student Name
Student ID Number
Week Number, Assignment Number
Course
Date Submitted
Academic Dishonesty
The academic process at National High School is taken seriously and we expect students to
take it seriously as well. Please see the academic dishonesty policy below:
Any student who has submitted work for course credit that has been proven to
be plagiarized, found to be sent in duplication purposely, or submitted in a
misleading manner will receive a grade of (0) for that assignment or exam.
If this behavior reoccurs two times or less, the student will also receive a grade of (F)
in the respective course and will be allowed to retake the course at the end grade
level completion.
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Re-submission of assignments and/ or exams is not permitted.
If the student is anything other than diploma seeking after the second infraction, the
student will be assigned a 0, the transcript will be mailed, and the student will have
to reenroll and pay for the class again.
Repeated incidences (3) of Academic Dishonesty will result in expulsion. Students
are allowed to reapply to the program after one year.
Course Failure- NHS Diploma
Students who are seeking a NHS diploma may take a failed course up to 3 times.
All failed course will be reported on transcripts and computed within the GPA.
Once the course has been retaken and successfully passed, the new score will be
reflected on the transcript with an indication that the course was retaken.
Students cannot move on to the next grade level until the course has been
successfully completed.
Course (s) will be reset within 7 business days.
A parent letter/email will be sent to the parent for notification
Course Failure- NCAA, Individual and Credit Recovery
The failing grade will be sent to the appropriate school and/or certifying agency.
Student must reenroll to retake the course
National High School Promotion Policy Diploma Seeking
Students must participate in test and exams for their grade level throughout the year. These
tests, when used as part of a comprehensive assessment program that includes homework,
projects, class work, teacher-developed tests, and other assessments, help parents and
teachers measure student achievement. Students must pass all courses in order to be
promoted to the next grade level.
Students must take a standardized exam when reaching the 14 credit mark before they can
move forward. The cost of the exam is incurred by the student. This does not affect
promotion unless the student does not take the exam. However, because of the state private
school regulations, Students are required to take a national exam at the third year of
enrollment. Student Services will provide students with the necessary information.
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Course Progression Policy
Diploma Seeking
Student attendance remains the number one factor affecting the overall achievement of
students. Because teaching students the discipline that they need in order to survive in the
business world is a focus, students must understand this early in their high school career,
the consequence for poor attendance.
•
Students must log 100% percent attendance per year while enrolled in the program.
Students must complete 50% of their work per semester to avoid academic
probation. See attendance policy
•
Students must complete one grade level of open courses in 180 days of school. See
attendance policy.
•
Students must attend class.
Credit Recovery, Individual and NCAA
•
Students must be enrolled in National High School for a minimum of eight weeks,
maximum of 1 year.
•
Students must attend class
•
If the student does not complete the course in the timeframe, the student will have to
reenroll into the program.
Program Completion Time-Limit
National High School’s diploma seeking students must complete the program within in four
(4) years. Students who fail to meet the time-limit requirement can petition the Vice
President of Academic and Student Affairs for a one-year extension.
If the student does not meet the one-year extension, the student will no longer be eligible
for the program and cannot be readmitted.
Grade Dispute Policy
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Students may dispute assignments and/or exams based on their beliefs of inaccuracies. If a
student is disputing a grade, they must contact their student services coordinator. The SSC
will provide them with a dispute form to complete.
The form must be completed entirely. Incomplete forms will be discarded and cannot be
resubmitted. Student disputes are filed with academic affairs and a resolution will be
reached within 30 business days. If an error is found, the grade will be updated, if not the
grade will remain the same.
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Students Services must determine if the inquiry has cause before sending the dispute
form.
Students must challenge the grade within 7 business days of the posting.
Students cannot dispute exams that have been scored failing because of not meeting
deadlines.
Students cannot dispute assignments that have been graded 0 because of incomplete
information, submission, or any non grading related issue.
Students must have a valid reason and provide this reason on the form.
Incomplete forms will be denied and student will not be able to dispute the grade.
Students cannot dispute grades that have been assigned due to not meeting
attendance and/or course progression policies.
Students must submit a form for each question disputed (cannot dispute multiple
questions on one form)
All decision regarding grade disputes are final as rendered by academic affairs
Support Tickets
Support tickets are used when students have technical issues as a result of the National High
School System. Support tickets can be submitted via the Learncenter. Support tickets are
responded to within 24 hours unless there is a major issue.
If this is the case, students will be notified of the ongoing investigation of your problem. If
the issue has something to do with your computer system, the student will need to take the
computer to an IT professional for assistance.
Grading Assignments/Exams
It takes up to 7-10 business days for exams and assignments to be graded depending on
volume. Exams and assignments are graded as they are submitted. Parents/students should
remember this when they are trying to determine their last payment or meet a specific
deadline. If grading has not been completed, the parent will be charged.
Grading is completed by the grading department. Care has been taken to ensure they are
well trained. If questions regarding feedback are beyond the graders comprehension, the
information is sent to the teachers for review and feedback.
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Course Unlock Request
Courses are made available to students based on their enrollment status. Students who are
diploma seeking should review the course progression policy and course by grade level to
determine which courses will be made available to them.
Students should not request the unlocking of courses after orientation. Courses will be
unlocked once the orientation, survey, and distant learner profile has been completed.
Communication with Student Affairs
Now that students are a student, it is very important to communicate with your student
services coordinator. Students should note the following:
•
Email is the quickest means of communicating with your SSC
•
SSC are required to respond to requests within 24 hours
•
Student Services Chat is available Monday-Thursday from 10 am – 4 pm and Friday
10 am – 2:00 pm (est).
Be sure to use the chat in the Learncenter, because the chat on the NHS web page
goes to the admission department and they will not be available to offer assistance.
•
If students call 1-877-503-4599, students will be routed to the message center. There
will be a delay in response time. Students should have their SSC direct number and
extension.
Department of Academic and Student Affairs Staff
Phone/Email Directory
Phone: 678-436-8749
Student Services
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Hamidah Ghaswala
Student Services Manager
hghaswala@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 4047
Danica Lambert
Student Services Coordinator
dlambert@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 4094
Tim Bloore
Student Services Coordinator
tbloore@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 4093
McAnthony Foster
Student Services Coordinator
Mfoster@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 4095
Quality Assurance
Cheryl Archer
Risk Intervention Specialist
carcher@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 4092
Miriam Jilani
Quality Assurance Specialist
mjilani@nationalhighschool.com
Academics
Kimberly Smith
Manager of Education and Registrar
ksmith@nationalhighschool.com
Extension 3425
Instructors are a part of the academic department.
Parent/Student Imposed Time Limits
National High School does not adhere to self imposed time limits. It is the student’s
responsibility to include NHS policies when trying to determine self-imposed completion
dates.
Graduation Policy
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Graduation is an exciting time for students at National High School. Students reached their
goals and navigated the NHS system successfully. Students are considered a candidate for
graduation once the last exam has posted.
In order for a student to have their diploma conferred, students must satisfy the following:
1) Successfully completed coursework, exams, test, and other academic requirements.
2) Be in compliance with attendance policies and other applicable policies.
3) Have official academic records on file
4) Completed all surveys
5) Have financial clearance
6) Transfer credits have been verified and meet accreditation standards
7) The VP of Academic Affairs must review all credits to ensure the student has met all
academic requirements.
Students must pay a $75 graduation fee. The graduation fee includes two transcripts.
Students must specify where they want the transcripts mailed or both will be sent to the
home address.
If these requirements are not met, the student will not receive a diploma until all
requirements are satisfied. Students will receive an official correspondence as to their
graduation status. Student diplomas are mailed within 30 business days of the fulfillment of
the above requirements.
NHS Official Transcripts
All students will are eligible to receive a final transcript upon completing and/or graduating
from National High School.
All transcripts are sent mailed within 7 business days of the final grades being posted to the
system. Students must have satisfied all financial requirements before transcripts can be
sent out on their behalf.
Students must complete a survey request upon completion. Transcripts are not
automatically mailed.
There is a $5 per transcript fee that must be paid before transcripts will be sent. Students
must complete the transcript request form. Official transcripts are sent by mail only.
Students who enroll from a home school programs will not have transferred courses listed
on the official NHS transcript until they have completed all course requirements for
graduation.
If a student withdraws before graduation, the transcript will only reflect the courses taken
at NHS. All transcripts will reflect current school records and cannot be altered.
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To request documents or to gain more information email,
registrar@nationalhighschool.com
Apostillation
Apostillation consists of a notarized document which attached with the student diploma and
serves the purpose of legalizing and authenticating the diploma. The Apostille will be signed
and sealed by the Secretary of State of the Embassy for the attachment of the Apostille.
Students who have earned a diploma and wish to return to their native country and
continue their education at the University level will need to have the diploma Apostilled.
The fee required is $50. Please contact the registrar for more information at
registrar@nationalhighschool.com .
Official Documents
All documents such as enrollment verification, SSA, etc are completed by the registrar.
Students are required to submit a form to the registrar. All requests are handled within 7
business days. To request documents or to gain more information email,
registrar@nationalhighschool.com .
Enrollment Verification- students may print an unofficial copy of their enrollment from
the Learncenter. National High School only verifies full-time enrollment of diploma seeking
students. If the unofficial copy is unacceptable, students can request an official copy and it
will be mailed within 7 business days. All financial obligations must be met before
verification will be released.
Withdrawal Verification-. National High School provides withdrawal verification for fulltime diploma seeking students. The withdrawal verification will be mailed within 7 business
days. All financial obligations must be met before verification will be released.
DMV-forms are submitted if the student is progressing and attending school. If the student
fails to progress once the information has been sent on their behalf, a notice will be sent to
the appropriate agencies reflecting the current status. It is the student’s responsibility to
specific documents for completion.
Government/Law Enforcement -forms are submitted if the student is progressing and
attending school. If the student fails to progress once the information has been sent on their
behalf, a notice will be sent to the appropriate agencies reflecting the current status.
Work-Permits- forms are submitted if the student is progressing and attending school. If
the student fails to progress once the information has been sent on their behalf, a notice will
be sent to the appropriate agencies reflecting the current status.
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Letters of Recommendation (LOR)- LOR will only be completed when the student has
earned a LOR from National High School. Forms will not be completed unless there is
academic evidence to support the recommendation. LOR are mailed directly the person
requesting the document within 7 business days.
Home school- National High School does not complete home school plans. It is the parent’s
responsibility to complete the needed paperwork and provide to the Department of
Education.
Transfer Credit Grade Point Averages (GPA) National High School does not include
previous GPAs in the calculation of National High School GPA.
Progress Reports
Progress reports are sent to parents and students by email every 60 days.
Report Cards
Because of the online nature of National High School, we do not send out grade reports.
Parents and students can view and/or print grade reports from the Learncenter at any time.
Student Activities
Student Leadership Council
The Student Leadership Council (SLC) is a mechanism utilized by NHS to encourage student
involvement in communicating the vision to peers via email and the student buddy systems.
Student members are provided Skype internet accounts to use for the purpose of contacting
new students and welcoming them to the program. Students discuss expectations and how
to succeed. The student leadership council utilize blogs and chat sessions to answer
questions from a student point-of-view.
Student of the Month
Each month, a student is honored for his or her academic work. Students are chosen based
on academics and engagement. Students are featured on the NHS website and a variety of
communication mediums.
Math Club
Math Club is an extracurricular activity designed to encouraged students to develop
exceptional skills in mathematics. A mathematical equation is provided for students to
answer in all math courses offered (Pre-Algebra, Algebra I, Algebra II/Trigonometry,
Geometry, Precalculus, Math Modeling) Students email or fax in completed answers in a
specified timeframe. Students are featured in the school e-newsletter and receive an ecertificate for answering questions correctly
Science Club
Simply Science is an extracurricular activity designed to encouraged students to develop
exceptional skills in science. Students are required to complete projects or experiments
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given by NHS (i.e. Rube Goldberg Device). Students have to send in a video of the
experiment or project that features them completing the project or experiment. Students
are featured in the school e-newsletter and receive an e-certificate for the winning project
or experiment. The project is posted in the Learncenter for all to view.
Writing Club
Writing Wonders is an activity designed to encourage students to develop exceptional
writing skills and to stimulate creativity. Students asked to submit short stories or poems.
The winning piece is featured in the Learncenter. Students are featured in the school enewsletter and receive an e-certificate.
Technology Club
Tech Heads is an activity designed to encourage students to be creative when submitting
assignments. Students are encouraged to use alternate methods of communicating with the
school (i.e. StudentsTube, Facebook, Powepoint, text messaging). The program engages
students and makes the online program relevant to the methods students communicate. The
student with the most original idea is featured in the e-newsletter and in the Learncenter.
Vice Presidential Honors
Students are eligible to receive Vice Presidential Honors when they graduate with a 3.7 or
higher grade point average. Students will receive a certificate and the honor will be
indicated on the transcript.
Dean’s List
Students are eligible to be placed on the dean’s list when they graduate with a grade point
average of 3.0 to 3.6
College Bound Students
Those students interested in attending a university or college after graduation should make
sure they sit for the ACT or SAT. National High School’s School code is 110-254. Students
will need this code in order to register for these exams. For more information regarding
testing dates and for these exams, student should visit the following websites:
ACT
http://www.actstudent.org/
2011-2012 Testing Dates
Test Date
Registration Deadline
(Late Fee Required)
September 10, 2011
August 12, 2011
August 13 – 26, 2011
October 22, 2011
September 16, 2011
September 17 – 30, 2011
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December 10, 2011
November 11, 2011
November 12 – 18, 2011
February 11, 2012*
January 13, 2012
January 14 – 20, 2012
April 14, 2012
March 9, 2012
March 10 – 23, 2012
June 9, 2012
May 4, 2012
May 5 – 18, 2012
2012-2013 Testing Dates
Test Date
Registration Deadline
(Late Fee Required)
September 8, 2012
August 17, 2012
August 18 – 24, 2012
October 27, 2012
September 21, 2012
September 22 – October 5, 2012
December 8, 2012
November 2, 2012
November 3 – 16, 2012
February 9, 2013*
January 11, 2013
January 12 – 18, 2013
April 13, 2013
March 8, 2013
March 9 – 22, 2013
June 8, 2013
May 3, 2013
May 4 – 17, 2013
SAT
http://sat.collegeboard.org/register/sat-dates Please visit the SAT website for
upcoming dates. Please note: NHS has a limited number of SAT and ACT fee waivers that
we pass out on a first-come-first-serve basis to students. Students do need to show financial
need by submitting the previous year tax records.
FASFA
Federal Student Aid, an office of the U.S. Department of Education, ensures that all eligible
individuals can benefit from federally funded financial assistance for education beyond high
school. Students need to visit http://federalstudentaid.ed.gov/index.html for more
information
Virtual College Fairs
Students are encouraged to attend virtual college fairs. The schedule can be found on the
school calendar. This is a great opportunity for students to visit colleges in their area as
hundreds of colleges and universities from around the country are represented.
School Store
Students who wish to purchase school spirit wear, class rings and other great NHS gear can
do so by using the following web link https://shop.nationalhighschool.com/ Students can
also log into their Learncenter to access the school store.
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Academic and Student Affairs Biographies
Cheryl Archer
Student Risk Intervention Specialist
A native of northeast US stemming from a lineage of public servants, Cheryl Archer
established residency in southeast Georgia in 1994. Ms. Archer has a 30-year career of
customer service in managed care, home health aide services and early childhood education.
During the past 18 years as a committed volunteer, Ms. Archer has donated more than 800
community service hours and directed myriad outreach projects with the assistance of
numerous business community partners and its volunteers providing social
service/educational referrals, food, clothing and personal care items to more than 500
families.
In 2011, Ms. Archer was the recipient of community service Living Legend Award. Ms.
Archer received recognition as a student motivator, numerous certificates in leadership
development and community investment volunteer training in grant programs that impact
children and students. In August 2011, Ms. Archer joined National High School Student
Services Department.
Tim Bloore
Student Services Coordinator
Tim Bloore was born in Phoenix, AZ and move to Decatur, GA at the age of three. He
attended Southwest DeKalb High School and Open Campus East and West as well as attend
the Occupational Educational Center completing the Electro Mechanics Program as an
Electrician.
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Upon completing school he joined the US Marine Corps. Mr. Bloore served as a Fire
Direction Control in Okinawa and Camp Fuji, Japan climbing Mt. Fuji three times in four
years. Mr. Bloore then served as a Marine Security Guard in Subic Bay in the Republic of the
Philippines for four years. During this time, Mt. Pinatubo had its largest volcanic eruption
within the last 400 years and his family was evacuated.
Mr. Bloore served as Operation Chief and Water Safety Survival Instructor for the Marine
Barrack in Subic Bay. Mr. Bloore moved onto the Marine Ground Combat Center 29 in
Palms, California and served as the Battalion Admin Chief. Mr. Bloore participated in
Operation Restore Hope in Mogadishu, Somalia. Upon completion of this tour he again
transferred to the Marine Corps Recruit Depot in San Diego where he served as the Battalion
Admin Chief and later as the Battalion Adjutant and Legal Officer.
After completing his final tour of service, Mr. Bloore returned to Georgia with his children.
He returned to work as a Shipping and Receiving Manager and then Production Control as
the Senor Material Planning Manager for Clyde Bargeman Inc.
In October 2010, Mr. Bloore came to National High School as a Student Service Coordinator.
He resides in Norcross, Georgia with two sons, his daughter is on a second tour in the US
Navy and his youngest son lives in Hawaii.
McAnthony Foster
Student Services Coordinator
McAnthony Foster was born and raised in Varnado, LA, a small town northeast of New
Orleans. Immediately after graduating high school, he enlisted in the U.S. Army as a Human
Resources Specialist serving nine years in that position. During that time, he serviced
military communities around the world safeguarding and updating other Soldiers/Officers
records, promotions, and transition orders. Mr. Foster also trained in other sectors of his
Battalion to include the postal, supply, and IT (Tech) departments.
He was recognized for his efforts receiving over 25 awards for customer service, leadership,
ensuring deployment readiness, and achieving top department five times during annual
inspections. He has since attended Westwood College obtaining an Associate’s degree in
Graphic, Web Design, and Multimedia while still working to receive his Bachelors in
Business Management.
Since Aug 2011, Mr. Foster has been a part of the NHS staff as a student services coordinator
passionately assisting and motivating students to success.
Hamidah Ghaswala
Student Services Manager
Born in Mumbai, India, Ms. Ghaswala completed the Bachelor’s degree in Commerce at the
Burhani College of Commerce and Arts. She worked in the hospitality industry since 1995
and had the privilege to come to United States in 2005.
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She worked in the banking industry for three years before joining NHS in 2008. Starting as a
student services coordinator, Ms. Ghaswala commitment, knowledge, and love for her
students led to her being promoted to the position of Student Services Manager. Because of
her dedication to her community, Ms. Ghaswala received her Community Emergency
Response Certification (CERT) in 2008.
Danica Lambert
Student Services Coordinator
Danica N. Lambert-Brown is a native of Mobile, Alabama. She is a graduate of Jackson State
University where she received a Bachelor of Science degree in Criminal Justice with a
concentration in Correctional Counseling. Her internships included working for the Mobile
County Community Corrections Center, Alternative Sentencing Program, the Mobile County
Drug Court, and United Methodist Ministries-AmeriCorps Program in Jackson, MS.
She moved to Atlanta, GA and attended American InterContinental University, where she
received a Masters in Business Administration, with a concentration in Human Resources.
Lambert is a member of several social organizations and volunteered for the non-profit
organization, Think for The Future, where she served as Director of Human Resources. She
also worked for one of the largest telecommunications companies for ten years, moving
from customer service and finance in Atlanta, to new- hire sales training in California.
Lambert is currently completing the Master of Education from Strayer University. She has
received a Green Belt Certificate in Six Sigma from Villanova University and a Certificate in
Business Negotiations from the University of Notre Dame. Lambert is currently pursuing
certification as a Certified Technical Trainer. She is a mother of three and currently resides
in Decatur, Georgia with her husband. Mrs. Lambert-Brown joined the NHS team in 2011.
Nechelle N. Robinson
Vice President of Academic and Student Affairs
Nechelle N. Robinson has served in several administrative capacities in higher education.
Her experience in programmatic development has led to the implementation of several
programs at universities in the Southeast. As an administrator, she has been instrumental in
the development of rigorous curriculum standards and assessment tools.
Ms. Robinson’s pedagogical experience in the classroom integrates traditional and webbased innovations to the National High School learning platform where she continues to
expand and enhance the learning experience.
Ms. Robinson holds BS and MS degrees from Jackson State University and the Ed.D in
Executive Higher Education Administration from the University of Alabama where she is
currently ABD. Ms. Robinson completed the Georgia Assessment for Educators (GACE) in
subject matter. She has authored several articles and served at the leisure of several boards.
She currently serves as an accreditation review team member for the Southern Association
of Colleges and Schools (SACS) where she travels the country helping to ensure schools and
districts are meeting the standards to become or remain accredited.
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She resides in the Metro-Atlanta area with her two daughters and is originally from
Alabama. Ms. Robinson joined the NHS staff in 2007.
Kimberly Smith
Manger of Education
Kimberly was born and grew up in New York. She received a Bachelor of Science in
Information Technology from American InterContinental University, and an MBA from the
Keller Graduate School of Management. An avid volunteer in her church, she has served in
the usher, greeter, and membership ministries. She is also a certified Biblical Counselor. In
her free time, she tutors students taking GED preparation courses.
Kimberly previously worked at Ashworth College and Gwinnett Hospital System. She began
working at National High School in July 2009 as a Student Services Coordinator and has
since been promoted to Manager of Education.
TOOLS FOR THE SUCCESSFUL NHS STUDENT
Understanding Email
Though this may be a simple process for many, NHS understands that the technologically
challenged can be confused with the numerous email options available. NHS aims to provide
easy instructions with little or no "techie" language so beginners are able to take full
advantage of all communication tools needed to interact with the school.
Students must an email account to send email. It is smart to create a dual account which is
shared between students and parents because it is the primary method of communication.
What is an email account?
An electronic mail account (e-mail) is like your own post box on the internet. Each email
account comes with an email address that typically has the format
someone@somewhere.com. The “someone” part is the ID while “somewhere” is the place
email host.
How to get an email account for free
There are hundreds, if not thousands of free email service providers and choosing one can
be sort of tricky. The best bet is to pick an email account from one of the three leading
providers - Google, Hotmail or Yahoo.
What should an email message contain?
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the recipient's email address: students will not be able to send the email without one!
the email subject: this is like a one line description of the contents.
the message: again, not required, but why would students like to send a blank email
to someone?
How to Send an Email Attachment
Email attachments allow students to send files along with your email messages. An
attachment can be any type of file, but the most common ones are text documents, pdfs, and
digital images.
Before students send an attachment, students need to know where it is located on your
computer. Whenever students save a file to use as an attachment, select "Save As..." and
make a note of where students save it. If students can't find a file, use the Windows search
function to locate the file.
Once students know where the file is students can create the email message.
Create a new email message and enter the usual details (recipient address, subject,
etc).
Look for an icon in your toolbar which looks like a paper clip and click it.
A "Browse" window will open. Locate and select the attachment file.
The file will now be attached to the email. Send the email in the normal way.
Important: before students send an attachment, students must be sure the person receiving
it will be able to open it. Not all attachments will work on others computer.
In order to open your attachment, the recipient must have the appropriate software. Some
types of files are very common and most people can open them, but other types can be rare
or require expensive software.
These files accepted by NHS:
.doc - MS Office document
.xls - MS Excel Spreadsheet
.pub - MS Publisher document
.pdf- Adobe PDF
Jpeg-Pictures
.docx-Microsoft
Last notes on how to send email
An email message can be sent to more than one recipient and students can do this by
entering email addresses one after the other in the To, Cc or Bcc fields.
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Students can attach any kind of digital files to an email message. This means,
students can easily send photographs taken from your digital camera to your friends and
family.
Email Etiquette
It is important to learn how to communicate appropriately through email. Because students
are writing, messages can be misunderstood. Below are a few tips:
1. Be concise and to the point.
Do not make an e-mail longer than it needs to be. Remember that reading an e-mail is
harder than reading printed communications and a long e-mail can be very discouraging to
read.
2. Answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions.
An email reply must answer all questions, and pre-empt further questions – If students do
not answer all the questions in the original email, students will receive further e-mails
regarding the unanswered questions.
3. Use proper spelling, grammar & punctuation.
This is not only important because improper spelling, grammar and punctuation give a bad
impression, it is also important for conveying the message properly. E-mails with no full
stops or commas are difficult to read and can sometimes even change the meaning of the
text. And, if your program has a spell checking option, why not use it?
4. Make it personal.
Not only should the e-mail be personally addressed, it should also include personal content.
5. Answer swiftly.
E-mails should be replied to within at least 24 hours, and preferably within the same day. If
the email is complicated, just send an email back saying that students have received it and
that students will get back to them.
6. Do not attach unnecessary files.
By sending large attachments students can bring down an e-mail system or the email may
not get through the server because of data limits. Wherever possible try to compress
attachments and only send attachments when they are productive. Moreover, students need
to have a good virus scanner on your computer.
7. Use proper structure & lastudentst.
Since reading from a screen is more difficult than reading from paper, the structure and lay
out is very important for e-mail messages. Use short paragraphs and blank lines between
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each paragraph. When making points, number them or mark each point as separate to keep
the overview.
8. Do not overuse the high priority option.
We all know the story of the boy who cried wolf. If students overuse the high priority option,
it will lose its function when students really need it. Moreover, even if a mail has high
priority, your message will come across as slightly aggressive if students flag it as 'high
priority'.
9. Do not write in CAPITALS.
IF STUDENTS WRITE IN CAPITALS IT SEEMS AS IF STUDENTS ARE SHOUTING. This can
be highly annoying and might trigger an unwanted response in the form of a flame mail.
Therefore, try not to send any email text in capitals.
10. Don't leave out the message thread.
When students reply to an email, students must include the original mail in your reply, in
other words click 'Reply', instead of 'New Mail'. If students receive many emails students
obviously cannot remember each individual email. This means that a 'threadless email' will
not provide enough information and students will have to spend a frustratingly long time to
find out the context of the email in order to deal with it. Leaving the thread might take a
fraction longer in download time, but it will save the recipient much more time and
frustration in looking for the related emails in their inbox!
11. Read the email before students send it.
A lot of people don't bother to read an email before they send it out, as can be seen from the
many spelling and grammar mistakes contained in emails. Apart from this, reading your
email through the eyes of the recipient will help students send a more effective message and
avoid misunderstandings and inappropriate comments.
12. Do not overuse Reply to All.
Only use Reply to All if students really need your message to be seen by each person who
received the original message.
13. Mailings > use the Bcc: field
When sending an email mailing, some people place all the email addresses in the To: field.
There are two drawbacks to this practice: (1) the recipient knows that students have sent
the same message to a large number of recipients, and (2) students are publicizing someone
else's email address without their permission. One way to get round this is to place all
addresses in the Bcc: field. However, the recipient will only see the address from the To:
field in their email, so if this was empty, the To: field will be blank and this might look like
spamming.
14. Take care with abbreviations and emoticons.
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In emails, try not to use abbreviations such as BTW (by the way) and LOL (laugh out loud).
The recipient might not be aware of the meanings of the abbreviations and in business
emails these are generally not appropriate. The same goes for emoticons, such as the smiley
:-). If students are not sure whether your recipient knows what it means, it is better not to
use it.
15. Be careful with formatting.
Remember that when students use formatting in your emails, the sender might not be able
to view formatting, or might see different fonts than students had intended. When using
colors, use a color that is easy to read on the background.
16. Take care with rich text and HTML messages.
Be aware that when students send an email in rich text or HTML format, the sender might
only be able to receive plain text emails. If this is the case, the recipient will receive your
message as a .txt attachment. Most email clients however, including Microsoft Outlook, are
able to receive HTML and rich text messages.
17. Do not forward chain letters.
Do not forward chain letters. We can safely say that all of them are hoaxes. Just delete the
letters as soon as students receive them.
18. Do not request delivery and read receipts.
This will almost always annoy your recipient before he or she has even read your message.
Besides, it usually does not work anyway since the recipient could have blocked that
function, or his/her software might not support it, so what is the use of using it? If students
want to know whether an email was received it is better to ask the recipient to let students
know if it was received.
19. Do not ask to recall a message.
Biggest chances are that your message has already been delivered and read. A recall request
would look very silly in that case wouldn't it? It is better just to send an email to say that
students have made a mistake. This will look much more honest than trying to recall a
message.
20. Do not copy a message or attachment without permission.
Do not copy a message or attachment belonging to another user without permission of the
originator. If students do not ask permission first, students might be infringing on copyright
laws.
21. Do not use email to discuss confidential information.
Sending an email is like sending a postcard. If students don't want your email to be
displayed on a bulletin board, don't send it. Moreover, never make any libelous, sexist or
racially discriminating comments in emails, even if they are meant to be a joke.
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22. Use a meaningful subject.
Try to use a subject that is meaningful to the recipient as well as yourself. For instance,
when students send an email to a company requesting information about a product, it is
better to mention the actual name of the product, e.g. 'Product A information' than to just
say 'product information' or the company's name in the subject.
23. Use active instead of passive.
Try to use the active voice of a verb wherever possible. For instance, 'We will process your
order today', sounds better than 'Your order will be processed today'. The first sounds more
personal, whereas the latter, especially when used frequently, sounds unnecessarily formal.
24. Avoid using URGENT and IMPORTANT.
Even more so than the high-priority option, students must at all times try to avoid these
types of words in an email or subject line. Only use this if it is a really, really urgent or
important message.
25. Avoid long sentences.
Try to keep your sentences to a maximum of 15-20 words. Email is meant to be a quick
medium and requires a different kind of writing than letters. Also take care not to send
emails that are too long. If a person receives an email that looks like a dissertation, chances
are that they will not even attempt to read it!
26. Don't send or forward emails containing libelous, defamatory, offensive, racist or
obscene remarks.
By sending or even just forwarding one libelous, or offensive remark in an email, students
and your company can face court cases resulting in multi-million dollar penalties.
27. Don't forward virus hoaxes and chain letters.
If students receive an email message warning students of a new unstoppable virus that will
immediately delete everything from your computer, this is most probably a hoax. By
forwarding hoaxes students use valuable bandwidth and sometimes virus hoaxes contain
viruses themselves, by attaching a so-called file that will stop the dangerous virus.
The same goes for chain letters that promise incredible riches or ask your help for a
charitable cause. Even if the content seems to be bona fide, the senders are usually not.
Since it is impossible to find out whether a chain letter is real or not, the best place for it is
the recycle bin.
28. Keep your language gender neutral.
In this day and age, avoid using sexist language such as: 'The user should add a signature by
configuring his email program'. Apart from using he/she, students can also use the neutral
gender: ''The user should add a signature by configuring the email program'.
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29. Don't reply to spam.
By replying to spam or by unsubscribing, students are confirming that your email address is
'live'. Confirming this will only generate even more spam. Therefore, just hit the delete
button or use email software to remove spam automatically.
30. Use cc: field sparingly.
Try not to use the cc: field unless the recipient in the cc: field knows why they are receiving
a copy of the message. Using the cc: field can be confusing since the recipients might not
know who is supposed to act on the message. Also, when responding to a cc: message,
should students include the other recipient in the cc: field as well?
This will depend on the situation. In general, do not include the person in the cc: field unless
students have a particular reason for wanting this person to see your response. Again, make
sure that this person will know why they are receiving a copy.
How to create Microsoft Word Documents
Microsoft Word is a word processor which can be used to create and edit many types of
document including letters, essays and web pages. Students can type text, choose different
sizes, fonts, and colors; students can also insert graphics and add tables and charts.
Getting Started
Open Microsoft Word by clicking on Start > All Programs and selecting Microsoft Word from
the list. Word will open with a blank document. Students will see the flashing cursor at the
top left corner of the page, ready for students to start typing.
If students hold your mouse over any of the icons in the menu bars or toolbars, students will
see a quick description of what those buttons do. If students can't see any of the toolbars
mentioned in this article (mainly the Standard and Formatting toolbars), students may
have to instruct Word to show them by clicking View then Toolbars and putting a tick by
any toolbars students want to show.
If students can't see any of the buttons mentioned below on your toolbar, look for the
button at the edge of the screen. This is the More Options button which will allow students
to select which buttons students do or don't want to display.
Using Templates
Students can save yourself some time by using some basic Templates and Wizards to help
students construct your document.
From the File menu, click New and select the option for Word Templates. Students can
select from a range of document types including letters, brochures and memos, all laid out
ready for students to insert your own text.
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Students can also choose to use Wizards that work by asking students questions about the
document students wish to write.
Working With Text
To select a piece of text students have typed, students need to highlight it by holding the left
mouse button and dragging your mouse over the words. Alternatively, if students doubleclick a word, that word is selected, and if students triple-click anywhere on a line, the whole
line will be selected.
Students can change the look and lastudentst of your selected text using the Formatting
toolbar at the top of the screen. Some of the buttons can be pressed on or off, while others
have a drop-down menu activated by pressing the
choice of options.
button next to them, giving students a
Students can use the Font bar
to select different
types of font styles, and the Font Size number bar to make the text smaller or larger.
Students can choose to make highlighted text Bold
, Italic
or Underlined
Students can also justify and align the text using the Align buttons
.
.
Use the Bullets buttons
to insert numbering or bullet points before the text.
Students can also indent the text forward or back.
Choose the colour of the text by clicking on the small drop-down arrow by the side of the
font color button
. If students change the color without highlighting any text first, then
any text students have already written will stay the same colour but any text students type
now will have this new colour. To change the colour of existing text, highlight it first then
click the font button.
the words
microsoft word
word processor
toolbars
charts
discover
Select some text and students can then Cut, Copy and Paste it using the Edit menu or the
buttons. Select the text, choose Copy then move your cursor to where students
want the text to go, then Paste. A copy of the original text will now appear. If students
choose Cut instead of Copy the original text will be moved rather than copied.
The Format menu allows students to change things like columns, bullets or numbering. Click
on File then Page Setup to adjust margins, the lastudentst of your page and its orientation
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(Portrait or Landscape). Students can check the spelling of your text by clicking on the Tools
menu and selecting Spelling and Grammar, or by clicking the
button. Students can
choose to ignore any words found by the spellchecker, or replace them with an alternative
spelling.
From the View menu select Toolbars and students will be able to select which toolbars
students want to work with. These are many different menus which provide students with
easy access to tools for tasks such as drawing, creating tables and working with pictures.
To undo any mistakes students have made, press the
redo the action students previously did, press the
button. If students then want to
button.
Inserting Graphics
From the Insert menu, select Picture then From File. Students can then browse to the
location of an image file on your hard drive. When students have selected the one students
want, click Insert to place it in your document.
To insert Clip Art into your document click on the Insert menu, Picture then Clip Art. Select
the graphic students want from the galleries available and click Insert to place it in your
document.
To resize an image, click once to select it then click and drag the handles that appear around
the edges of the image. If students use the corner handles the proportions of the image will
stay the same as students resize it.
Printing Your Work
Students can preview your work to see how it will look when printed. Choose File then Print
Preview or click the
button. To return to the normal view click Close.
Students can select your printing options (such as which pages to print and how many
copies to make) by clicking on File then Print. To print your work immediately without
making any changes to your standard settings, press the
button.
Saving Your Work
When students want to save your work, choose File then Save As. Students will be asked to
give your document a name, and should students need to students can also change the file
type from its default setting (Word Document) to save as a text file or Web page instead.
When saving the same document later, students do not have to use Save As each time,
instead students can select File then Save, or just click on the
button.
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When Students Have Finished
Once your work is saved, students can close the document by clicking on File then Close.
Students may be asked if students want to save any changes students have made. Click Yes if
students have made any changes to your document since the last time students saved it.
To start another document, click on File then New or press the
button. To open an
existing file such as the one students have just saved, click File then Open or press the
button. Locate the file students want and click Open.
To exit Word completely, use the X (Close) button at the top-right of the window.
There is a lot more to discover in Word and it is a powerful program. Click the Help menu
for more information and tips.
Set Up Your Home Classroom
Students are a distance education student. As such, it is still important to set aside a special
area as your classroom or study area. Choose a place in your home that allows students to
“attend” school without interruptions.
Create a Study Schedule
Try to set a consistent time each day to attend school and study. Remember it’s
recommended that students allow at least 50 minutes per course and required to attend
school at least 4 ½ hours a day. Students should also dedicate at least 2 hours “after” school
to study your lessons. Although students are not in a brick and mortar school setting,
students are still attending school and should dedicate the time to complete your studies.
Consistency is the key to good study habits. Inform your friends and family that students are
in school. They can help by respecting your interests and privacy during your study time.
Create a study schedule. A schedule is the key to success. Decide on when students want to
complete each course and set up a schedule to do so.
Develop Study Skills
Students have other things going on in their lives and different learning styles and study
habits. As a distance learning institution, we encourage students to discover and use
learning techniques that are best for students. Here are some suggestions:
Clear your study area and place your materials in from of students when students are
online
Decide on how much of the assignment students can complete.
Read assignments carefully and note when students lose your concentration
After students have reached your limit, go back and read the material
Take notes and/or highlight key passages
Take periodic breaks
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Repeat these periods of concentration and relaxation until students have reached
your goals
Close your books and get organized so students are ready for your next study session
When students go to your classroom pay attention to the lecture and have questions
students want answered written down.
Continue in the same manner until students have completed the course
Utilize the Pearson companion websites
Utilize the pre-recorded lectures on Webex
With a study plan, students will find it less demanding to complete course requirements. If
students find students have any problems with studying, email students SSC for additional
assistance.
Techniques for Initial Review of Materials
Think about the topic of study before beginning to read. How much do students already
know about the subject? Why is this information important?
Read the table of contents. Before looking at a chapter, write down questions students
would like answered. Skim the chapter, reading only the bold headings and subheadings
first. Skim the chapter, reading only the first sentence of each paragraph. Study the charts,
graphs, numerical tables, and maps in each chapter. Find the definitions to terms. Read
chapter summaries.
Limiting Spam/Junk Emails
Students should add all email addresses used by National High School to prevent important
emails from going to their spam and junk folders.
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Course Descriptions
United States History 1.0 credit
The United States History course consists of the following content area strands: United
States History, Geography, and Humanities. The primary content emphasis for this course
pertains to the study of United States history from Reconstruction to the present day.
Students will be exposed to the historical, geographic, political, economic, and sociological
events which influenced the development of the United States and the resulting impact on
world history. So that students can clearly see the relationship between cause and effect in
historical events, students should have the opportunity to review those fundamental ideas
and events which occurred before the end of Reconstruction.
United States Government and Economics 1.0 credit
0.5 credit –US Government
The American Government course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding
political behavior that is essential for effective citizenship and active involvement in a
democratic American society. Student’s will focus on the interrelationship between
American government and the American economic system, documents that shape our
political traditions, including the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, the Bill of
Rights and the Federalist Papers, functions of the three branches of government at the local,
state and national levels including the State constitution, municipal and county government,
the evolving role of political parties and interest groups in determining government policy,
how rights and responsibilities of citizens in a democratic state have evolved and been
interpreted, contemporary political issues, career opportunities available in government
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services, importance of civic participation in the democratic political process, role of women
and diverse cultural groups in the development of our political system.
0.5 credit-Economics
The Economics course provides students with the knowledge and decision-making tools
necessary for understanding how society organizes its limited resources to satisfy its wants.
Students will gain understanding of choices they must make as producers, consumers,
investors, and taxpayers. Students will learn economic reasoning, principles of decisionmaking in the marketplace, productive resources, scarcity and choices, opportunity costs
and trade-offs, economic incentive, interdependence, contemporary and historical economic
issues, personal economic skills, role of money, government and financial institutions and
labor.
World Geography1.0 credit
The World Geography course focuses on the principal areas essential to multicultural
understanding and use geographical concepts and skills to acquire information and
systematically apply decision-making processes to real-life situations. They will acquire an
understanding of interrelationships between people and their environment. Students will
learn the study of world cultural regions in terms of location, physical characteristics,
demographics, historical changes, economic activity and land use.
World History 1.0 credit
The World History course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding the
development of civilizations by examining the past to prepare for their future as
participating members of a global community. Students will use knowledge pertaining to
history, geography, economics, political processes, religion, ethics, diverse cultures, and
humanities to solve problems in academic, civic, social, and employment settings. Students
will learn time-space relationships, prehistory, rise of civilization, cultural universals,
development of religion and the impact of religious thought, evolution of political systems
and philosophies, interactions between science and society, development of nationalism as a
global phenomenon, origin and course of economic systems and philosophies, influence of
significant historical figures and events and contemporary world affairs.
**AP American Government 1.0
The AP American Government course focuses on students acquiring a critical perspective of
politics and government in the United States. They learn general concepts used to interpret
American politics and analyze specific case studies. Students also become familiar with the
various institutions, groups, beliefs and ideas that constitute the American political
perspective. The content should include, but not be limited to, the following: federalism and
the separation of powers; development of the Constitution; political process; nature of
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public opinion; role of political parties and interest groups; major formal and informal
institutional arrangement of power; and development of civil liberties and civil rights.
**AP American History 1.0
The AP American History course focuses on students gaining an understanding of the
development of the United States within the context of history by examining connections to
the past to prepare for the future as participating members of a democratic society. Students
use knowledge pertaining to history, geography, economics, political processes, religion,
ethics, diverse cultures and humanities to solve problems in academic, civic, social and
employment settings.
Math
Pre-Algebra 1.0 credit
The Pre-Algebra course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding the
introduction of variables, constants, expressions and equations. Students learn fundamental
concepts such as integers; linear equations; how to add, subtract, multiply and divide
monomials and polynomials; factoring of polynomials and solving of quadratic equations.
This course also includes radicals and exponents Topics which will be discussed are
essential to solving equations, simplifying expressions, understanding order of operations,
using properties (field axioms), arithmetic operations with positive and negative numbers,
polynomials, factoring, graphing (linear and quadratic equations), working with radicals
and expanding arithmetic knowledge.
Algebra I 1.0 credit
The Algebra I course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding the
introduction of variables, constants, expressions and equations. Students learn fundamental
concepts such as integers; linear equations; how to add, subtract, multiply and divide
monomials and polynomials; factoring of polynomials and solving of quadratic equations.
This course also includes radicals and exponents Topics which will be discussed are
essential to solving equations, simplifying expressions, understanding order of operations,
using properties (field axioms), arithmetic operations with positive and negative numbers,
polynomials, factoring, graphing (linear and quadratic equations), working with radicals
and expanding arithmetic knowledge.
Algebra II/Trigonometry 1.0credit
The Algebra II/Trigonometry course focuses on the principal areas essential to
understanding math concepts including linear and quadratic equations, inequalities,
relations, functions, radicals, imaginary and complex numbers. Emphasis is placed upon
development of math skills through study of exponential and logarithmic functions,
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probability, statistics and elements of trigonometry. The major component of this course is
advanced topics in Algebra. The students continue the study of statistics including
probability, distributions, and linear regression. The course integrates geometry, algebra,
statistics, discrete mathematics, algebraic and transcendental functions, and problem
solving with the use of graphing calculators.
Geometry 1.0 credit
Geometry course focuses on the principal areas essential that deepen the understanding of
two and three-dimensional objects and their properties. Deductive and inductive reasoning
as well as investigative strategies in drawing conclusions are stressed. Properties and
relationships of geometric objects include the study of: (1) points, lines, angles and planes;
(2) polygons, with a special focus on quadrilaterals, triangles, right triangles; (3) circles; and
(4) polyhedra and other solids. An understanding of proof and logic is developed.
Pre-Calculus 1.0 credit
The Pre-Calculus course is the study of graphic, numeric, and analytical approaches to the
study of pre-calculus concepts from college algebra and analytic trigonometry. Topics
include the real number system; algebraic, exponential, and logarithmic functions and their
inverses; graphing techniques for polynomial, rational and trigonometric functions; complex
numbers; theory of equations; trigonometric functions and their inverses with emphasis on
circular functions; trigonometric equations and identities; vectors; partial fractions; polar
coordinates; mathematical induction; sequences and series; matrices; and the binomial
theorem.
Math Concepts 1.0 credit
The Math Concepts course is a course designed to teach students basic math concepts they
can use throughout life. This course highlights vocabulary words with definitions, step-bystep examples, sidebar features, notes, chapter reviews and test-taking tips promote success
in understanding arithmetic operations, algebraic concepts, problem solving and estimation.
The high-interest, low-readability text engages students who struggle with reading,
language, or a learning disability.
Biology 1.0 credit
The Biology course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding the
exploratory experiences and laboratory and real-life applications in the biological sciences.
Students will learn the nature of science, matter, energy, and chemical processes of life,
cells: biology, reproduction, and communication, genetics: principles, molecular basis,
diversity, and biotechnologies, levels of organization, classification, and taxonomy,
structure, function, and reproduction of plants, animals, and microorganisms, behavior of
organisms -interdependence of organisms, humans, and the environment, biological
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selection, adaptations, and changes through time, agricultural, food, and medical
technologies and careers. Laboratory investigations, which include the use of scientific
research, measurement, laboratory technologies, and safety procedures, are an integral part
of this course.
Physical Science 1.0 credit
The Physical Science course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding the
development of concepts of matter, energy, and forces, and their applications through
exploratory investigations and activities. Students will learn the unifying concepts and
processes of science, structure of atoms, structure and properties of matter, chemical
reactions, entropy and conservation of energym interactions of energy and matter, motions
and forces, interactions among science, technology, and society. Laboratory investigations,
which include the use of scientific research, measurement, laboratory technologies, and
safety procedures, are an integral part of this course.
Earth Science 1.0 credit
The Earth Science course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding concepts
basic to the Earth, its materials, processes, history, and environment in space. Students will
learn the nature of science, the universe and the solar system, the developmental cycle of
stars, the earth-moon system, space exploration, formation of igneous, sedimentary, and
metamorphic rocks and identification and classification of rocks and minerals, geological
divisions of the earth, formation of land forms and basic mountain types, fundamentals of
plate tectonics, formation of rivers and water systems, glaciers, hydrologic cycle, physical
oceanography, meteorology, including development of hazardous weather, weather
mapping, weather systems, frontal development, and satellite imagery, types of soils and
erosion, renewable and nonrenewable energy resources Laboratory investigations, which
include the use of scientific research, measurement, laboratory technologies, and safety
procedures, are an integral part of this course.
Chemistry 1.0 credit
The Chemistry course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding
composition, properties, and changes associated with matter and their applications.
Students will experience the nature of science matter: its classification, structure, and
changes, atomic theory, the periodic table bonding, chemical formulas, chemical reactions,
and balanced equations stoichiometry, reaction rates and equilibrium, acids and bases,
oxidation and reduction, behavior of gases, dynamics of energy, and chemistry of life.
Laboratory investigations, which include the use of scientific research, measurement,
laboratory technologies, and safety procedures, are an integral part of this course.
Physics 1.0 credit
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The Physics course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding concepts,
theories, and laws governing the interaction of matter, energy, and forces, and their
applications through exploratory investigations and activities. Students will learn unifying
concepts and processes of science, energy, force and motion, dynamics, wave
characteristics, conservation of energy and momentum, heat and thermodynamics,
electricity, magnetism, interactions among science, technology, and society.
**AP Chemistry 1.0 credit
This course is designed to provide students with a solid foundation equivalent to a first year
college level chemistry experience. Students are given the opportunity to be self directed
learners by reading an assignment with some understanding of the concepts and theories
prior to coming to class. After discussion of the current topics, students work on problem
solving and deeper understandings including, using study guides, textbook questions or
problems, and AP released exam questions or problems. Emphasis is placed on problem
solving and critical thinking skills. Student led problem solving sessions are used to give
students additional pathways to understanding chemistry concepts.
This course also provides students opportunities to learn about chemistry through
‘hands on’ learning experiences in the laboratory. In the laboratory, students work in selfpaced through home based laboratory assignments. Students learn to address their
hypotheses, carry out experiments, acquire and utilize experimental data, and draw
inferences to topics being studied. By working in the laboratory, students develop physical
manipulation skills including the use of ordinary equipment (glassware and hardware),
measuring equipment (balances, burets, pH meters, ion exchange columns, colorimeters)
and microchemistry materials. Students are required to record their observations and
experimental data in a personal laboratory notebook.
Art History1.0 credit
The Art History course focuses on students to developing knowledge of the history and
theory of art and the relationship between artist, artwork, and society. Students will
research and critique periods, styles, and works of art from early civilizations through the
Middle Ages. Emphasis shall be placed on the role of works of art based on subject matter,
theme, concept, symbolism, or allegory/metaphor.
Music Appreciation 1.0 credit
The Music Appreciation course is designed to enable students to develop the knowledge and
skills necessary to understand and appreciate how music is used in one’s personal life as
well as in varied cultures, societies, and historical periods. The content should include, but
not be limited to, the following: -singing, listening, and playing instruments-music analysiscomposition and improvisation-role and influence of music and musicians-connections
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between music and other subject areas.
French I 1.0 credit
The French I course is to enable students to begin to acquire proficiency in French through a
linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning. Emphasis is placed
on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and on acquisition of
the fundamentals of applied grammar. Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life
applications are emphasized throughout the course. The content should include, but not be
limited to, the following: -conversational expression of feelings, ideas, and opinions in
French -comprehension of spoken and written French -oral and written presentation of
information and ideas, in French, to an audience -social interaction patterns within French
culture(s) -connections between the French language and culture(s) and other disciplines communication patterns of languages -French language usage within and beyond the school
setting.
French II 1.0 credit
The French II course is to enable students to begin to acquire proficiency in French through
a linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning. Emphasis is placed
on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and on acquisition of
the fundamentals of applied grammar. Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life
applications are emphasized throughout the course. The content should include, but not be
limited to, the following: -conversational expression of feelings, ideas, and opinions in
French -comprehension of spoken and written French -oral and written presentation of
information and ideas, in French, to an audience -social interaction patterns within French
culture(s) -connections between the French language and culture(s) and other disciplines communication patterns of languages -French language usage within and beyond the school
setting.
Spanish I 1.0 credit
The Spanish I course is to enable students to begin to acquire proficiency in Spanish through
a linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning. Emphasis is placed
on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and on acquisition of
the fundamentals of applied grammar. Cross-cultural understanding is fostered and real-life
applications are emphasized throughout the course. The content should include, but not be
limited to, the following: conversational expression of feelings, ideas, and opinions in
Spanish -comprehension of spoken and written Spanish -oral and written presentation of
information and ideas, in Spanish, to an audience -social interaction patterns within Spanish
culture(s) -connections between the Spanish language and culture(s) and other disciplines communication patterns of languages -Spanish language usage within and beyond the
school setting.
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Spanish II 1.0 credit
The Spanish II course is to enable students to enhance proficiency in Spanish through a
linguistic, communicative, and cultural approach to language learning. There is continued
emphasis on the development of listening, speaking, reading, and writing skills and on
acquisition of the fundamentals of applied grammar. Cross-cultural understanding is
fostered and real-life applications are emphasized throughout the course. The content
should include, but not be limited to, the following: conversational expression of feelings,
ideas, and opinions in Spanish -comprehension of spoken and written Spanish -oral and
written presentation of information and ideas, in Spanish, to an audience -social interaction
patterns within Spanish culture(s) -connections between the Spanish language and
culture(s) and other disciplines -communication patterns of languages -Spanish language
usage within and beyond the school setting.
Physical Education 0.50 credit
The purpose of this course is to (a) acquire knowledge of physical fitness concepts (b)
understand the influence of lifestyle on health and fitness, and (c) begin to develop an
optimal level of fitness. The content should include, but not be limited to, the following:safety practices- technology applications- assessment of health-related fitness- components
of physical fitness- health problems associated with inadequate fitness levels- psychological
values of physical fitness, including stress management- evaluation of physical activities in
terms of fitness value- fitness program design- biomechanical and physiological principles
and their application to maintaining and improving health-related physical fitnessnutrition- consumer issues- benefits derived from participation in physical activity.
Health 0.50 credit
The Health focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding critical life
management skills necessary to make sound decisions and take positive actions for healthy
and effective living. Students will learn human growth and development through adulthood,
positive emotional development, including suicide and violence prevention, communication,
interpersonal, and coping skills, responsible decision-making and planning, nutrition and
physical activity, tobacco, alcohol, and other drug use and abuse, consumer knowledge,
health-related community resources, safety education, including one-rescuer
cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR), first aid for obstructed airway, and injury prevention,
disease prevention and control, including HIV/AIDS and other STDs, family life education,
including human sexuality, sexual abstinence, and pregnancy prevention, personal health
and individual wellness planning, health advocacy skills.
English 9 Literature and Composition 1.0 credit
The purpose of this course is to provide integrated educational experiences in the language arts
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strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature. Focusing on a
study of literary genres, the student develops initial understanding of both the structure and the
meaning of a work of literature. The student develops initial understanding of the way the form of
a work of literature affects the meaning of the work and of the process of interpretation of a text.
The student reads thoughtfully and purposefully, constantly checking for understanding of the
author’s intent and meaning in order to determine a sound interpretation.
English10 Literature and Composition 1.0 credit
The purpose of this course is to provide integrated educational experiences in the language
arts strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature. The
course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding further development in
reading and writing skills and strategies to ensure successful literacy experiences. Students
will learn reading strategies to construct meaning various literary, informational, and
technical texts, writing process strategies, speaking, listening, and viewing strategies,
vocabulary acquisition, impact of language on varied audiences, characteristics of various
literary forms, critical and aesthetic response to literature, varied media for basic research.
English 11 Literature and Composition 1.0 credit
The purpose of this course is to provide integrated educational experiences in the language
arts strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature.
Focusing on the American Experience, this course focuses on the principal areas essential to
understanding through integrated educational experiences in the language arts strands.
Emphasis will be on representative American literature, with its varied cultural influences,
from the Colonial Period to the present, highlighting the major genres, themes, subjects, and
historical influences associated with each literary period. Students will learn reading for
meaning through varied texts, elements of literature, analysis of literature from varied
literary periods, writing for varied purposes, effective listening, speaking, and viewing
strategies, power and impact of language, influence of history, culture, and setting on
language, critical and aesthetic response, for research processes.
English 12 Literature and Composition
The purpose of this course is to provide integrated educational experiences in the language arts
strands of reading, writing, listening, viewing, speaking, language, and literature. Focusing on
British Literature, course focuses on the principal areas essential to understanding through
integrated educational experiences in the language arts strands. Emphasis will be on
representative literature of various cultures and world literary movements from ancient times to
the present, including fiction, nonfiction, poetry, and drama chosen on the basis of relationships to
contemporary cultural, social, and literary ideas and concerns. Students will learn reading for
meaning through varied texts, elements of literature, analysis of literature from varied cultures
and literary periods, writing for varied purposes, effective listening, speaking, and viewing
strategies, power and impact of language, influence of history, culture, and setting on language,
critical and aesthetic response for research processes.
Writing Seminar I-III 1.0 credit
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Writing Seminar I is an introduction to the seminar series. Students will learn the basic
concepts of writing a research paper, conducting research, and the different types or style
guides that could be used. Students will write a series of documents in these courses in an
effort to prepare them for writing at the college level.
*Electives
Introduction to Photography 1.0 credit
The Introduction to Photography course focuses on the history of photography and learning
the difference between different types of cameras and film, and the use for each. Students
learn to take pictures of a variety of still life, scenery, and people. They also learn basic darkroom techniques and how best to handle certain types of photography.
Introduction to HTML 1.0 credit The Introduction to HTML course focuses on learning
basics of how to create a basic web page, using both a word processing program, a webauthoring tool (such as MS Publisher or Front Page), and basic HTML coding. Students learn
how to implement their web page to the web through FTP (file transfer protocol) and to add
graphics, forms, tables, links, sound, and movement to their web pages. Students also learn
how to make their web pages look aesthetically pleasing in both Netscape and Internet
Explorer.
Keyboarding 1.0 credit
The Keyboarding course focuses on providing instruction in basic keyboarding skill
mastery, using the touch system. The ability to operate a keyboard efficiently has never
been more important than it is now. People who are skilled keyboard operators get better
results than unskilled users. The development of good techniques, such as keeping eyes on
copy, using correct fingering and proper key stroking is emphasized in the keyboarding
course. Students will be able to key dictated letters and words without looking at the
keyboard and will gain proficiency in composing at the computer. Near the end of the
course, students will be introduced to proper formatting techniques, such letter writing,
poem and story formatting, etc.
Basic Auto Repair 1.0 credit
The Basic Auto Repair course focuses on basic auto repair from bumper to bumper, and
teaches students how to diagnose and repair basic systems including: brakes, electronics,
suspension, electrical and engine performance. Students may use their own cars as a project
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throughout the summer and learn to use computerized diagnostic equipment as well as how
to utilize other online materials relating to the automotive industry.
Career Credit 1.0 credit
This course is designed for students who work and would like to receive course credit. The
student has to complete several papers in this course that correlate to academics in the real
world. This course requires a signature from the employer and the employer has to agree to
assign a portion of the grade form the course. The grade assigned by the employer is
calculated in the final course grade along with other grades received in the course.
*Elective courses are subject to change as these courses are updated frequently. The
electives follow a self pace model and may/may not have teacher assistance. For elective
courses that do not have teacher assistance, student will receive help from their student
services coordinators, research on the wed or learning partner assistance. Students should
check with student services to determine if updates have been made to the elective course
list or to determine if an elective is no longer being offered.
**AP course are offered based on enrollment. Students should communicate with student
services to determine the availability for AP courses. Students enrolled in AP courses are
responsible for purchasing textbooks and paying for the AP exam.
Honors Level Courses
Students should speak with student services regarding taking honors level courses to
determine all that will be required at this level. Students who enroll in honors level courses
are required to keep a GPA of at least a 2.7 and have an above average level of coursework.
Students in honors levels courses must be enrolled in at least a regular diploma track. There
is a very rigorous essay component to honors level courses.
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