Academic Policies, Procedures, and Programs
GRADUATION REQUIREMENTS
All students in attendance at Powers Catholic are required to take six classes each semester. One credit is given for each semester class. In order to graduate from Powers a student must have: 1. Completed four years of high school 2. Taken and passed 46 credits 3. Completed all of the required classes 4. Been in attendance at Powers during the last semester of his/her senior year 5. Completed the Christian service requirement Required Classes for Graduation
These are the minimum requirements for graduation from Powers Catholic. All students are recommended to take academic classes beyond these minimum requirements. (There are several exceptions to these requirements for transfer students and Skill Center students.) The principal may make an exception for a student not present in school for the last semester of senior year due to illness or other exceptional circumstances. The student must be within 2 credits of the required number for graduation at the end of four years of high school and be enrolled in completion classes in order to go through the graduation ceremony. The deficient credits must be successfully made up by January of the year following the graduation in order for the student to receive a Powers Catholic diploma. Students who are more than two credits short of graduation at the end of their senior year will not receive a Powers diploma. Christian Service Requirement: GRADUATION RECOMMENDATIONS Traditionally ninety five percent of Powers graduates plan to attend college. We strongly recommend that our students consider the following program of studies as drawn from the requirements/recommendations of the Presidents’ Council, State Universities of Michigan, for College Admissions.
In addition to these requirements and recommendations, Powers Catholic also recommends one semester of Public Speaking (in addition to four years of writing and literature classes) and one year of Drafting for students who plan to attend engineering school. ATHLETES Students who would participate in Division I or II Collegiate athletics are
bound by NCAA eligibility policies which require very specific academic course
work and levels of achievement. Student athletes should discuss these requirements
with their academic counselor early in their high school career. If, prior to attending Powers Catholic, a student attended a high school in which students may take only five classes per semester, he or she may graduate with a reduced number of credit hours. For each semester spent in such a school, the required number of credits will be reduced by one. Transfer students who were not required to take Physical Education in their freshman year are not required to meet the physical education requirement at Powers. Transfer students who were not required to take world history or geography in their freshman year may take any social studies electives to meet this requirement. A year of American history, a semester of government, and three years of social studies are still required. In figuring the grade point average for students who transfer to Powers, the honor points for grades from previous schools will not be weighted unless the previous school has also weighted academically advanced classes. In cases where the previous school has weighted advanced academic classes, Powers will assign its own factor (usually 1.1) to weighted grades. When a Powers student completes a semester at an accredited foreign school, he or she will be given six credits, the equivalent of a semester at an American school. The grades or percentages received in foreign schools will not be used in determining the student’s cumulative grade point average. The student should present an official transcript or document which lists the classes and grades received when he or she returns to or enters Powers. SUMMER SCHOOL Summer school courses may be taken for enrichment or to fulfill a graduation requirement. However, classes which are required for graduation from Powers should not be taken in summer school unless the student has failed the course at Powers. Summer school classes must be approved by a Powers counselor or administrator before Powers will grant credit. Summer school marks do not affect the student’s grade point average. DUAL ENROLLMENT Powers will grant dual enrollment credit for college classes or on-line classes
if the classes are offered by accredited institutions and approved by the Powers
administration before the student begins the class. Dual enrollment credit will
be offered only for classes which are not offered at Powers. The student will
be responsible for any cost incurred by taking the class. STUDY HALL Taking a Study Hall can be an educational advantage to some students. It will afford a student time to study, use the library, meet with a tutor, make up a test, see a counselor, or take care of business without interrupting class time. In general, it is more important for a student to do well in six classes than to take seven. No academic credit is given for a study hall. SEVENTH PERIOD CLASS Some students will benefit from taking seven classes. College prep students who are proficient in English (standardized test scores above the 75th percentile) may wish to consider taking four years of French or Spanish. Colleges consider a four year language program “a plus” on a student’s application. Students interested in four years of a foreign language will need to take seven classes as a freshman. Other students may find it beneficial to pursue recommended classes in the fine arts, drafting, or computers, courses which enhance a student’s education without too much additional homework. Students with good work habits have been successful in taking seven classes as well as participating in extra-curricular activities. REPEATED CREDITS If a student repeats a class (other than those which may be repeated: Forensics,
Ceramics, Wind Ensemble, Orchestra, Yearbook, Sports Skills, Choir), he or she
may only receive credit once. The grades of both attempts will remain on the
record and thus will be averaged in the computation of the cumulative grade
point average. This situation will apply also in cases where the student failed
a course and then repeated it. TEACHER ASSISTANT, OFFICE EXPERIENCE, LIBRARY ASSISTANT, PHYSICAL EDUCATION ASSISTANT Seniors may sign up as an office, library, physical education or teacher assistant
as one of their six required classes, with the teacher’s permission only.
Grades of S+, S, S-, or U are given in these classes. Seniors must have at least
five classes with letter grades other than S+, S, S-, or U. REGISTRATION All students will register with a counselor prior to the beginning of the school year. Incoming freshmen are required to take placement tests before they register. POWERS ACADEMIC STUDENT SUPPORT PROGRAM Powers Academic Student Support Program is an integrated effort on the part of administrators, counselors, and parents to help students who have learning difficulties. Working as a team, the Powers staff, with the input of the parent and student, will attempt to develop strategies and accommodations to help the student become a successful learner. Powers Catholic does not have a Special Education Program; Powers Catholic does not have personnel with Special Education nor learning disabilities training. Powers Catholic does not accept nor follow Individual Educational Plans (IEP’S). Powers Catholic does have caring administrators, counselors, and teachers who are willing to work with special needs students in a reasonable, but limited, capacity to support the individual’s efforts to meet unique learning challenges. The main emphasis of the Student Support Program will be on positive self-image and self-confidence. At the beginning of the year, school personnel, working with the parent and the student, will develop a learning plan with reasonable accommodations and achievable goals. The plan will be reviewed yearly and modified when necessary. The student, working collaboratively with the support of the school and parents, will be expected to accept the responsibility for his or her academic achievement. More information about this program is available from the guidance counselor or the Assistant Principal for Curriculum and Instruction. SCHEDULE CHANGES We discourage students from changing their minds about the courses which they have chosen. These schedule changes will be allowed only if the following conditions are met:
Students will not be allowed to change or drop classes after the second week of the semester even if the class is a seventh class. SCHOLASTIC GRADES AND REPORTS Grade Point Values Letter designations are used to evaluate the student’s progress in each subject area. Honor points for each grade are:
I Incomplete (work must be completed within 2 weeks of marking
period.) Quality Point Quotient (QPQ) Powers uses a Quality Point Quotient (QPQ) which gives added weight to certain academic classes. QPQ is figured by the computer and appears on all report cards and transcripts as the grade point average. All advanced academic classes are weighted. The honor points from these classes are multiplied by a factor of 1.1 or 1.08. The following advanced classes will be given a factor of 1.08: Comm. Skills A The following advanced classes will be given a factor of 1.1: Adv. Composition/GWA AP Government/Econ CLASS RANK Marks for all subjects for which a unit of credit is given toward graduation are to be used in computing class rank. Summer school and adult education courses are not included in computing rank in class. Exact rank in class is to be computed at the end of the freshman, sophomore, and junior years and again at the end of the first semester of the senior year. SEVENTH HOUR POLICY Any entering freshman or student with a cumulative GPA of 4.0 or better who elects to take a non-required, non-weighted seventh hour class, and who earns an A in that class, may choose to take the class without having the class affect his or her GPA.
HONOR ROLL Powers High School Honor Roll is based on scholastic achievement and is computed at the end of each quarter. The student must achieve a 3.5 or higher grade point average for the quarter (1st and 3rd quarters) or the semester (2nd and 4th quarters) in order to be placed on the Honor Roll. In order to be eligible, the student must take 5 or 6 classes with letter grades other than "S" and receive no D’s or E’s. A student with an "I" will not be considered until the "I" is removed. RECOMMENDED GRADING SCALE Powers administration has recommended the following grading scale as a guideline to teachers. If teachers choose not to use this scale, they are asked to explain their grading system to their students, preferably in writing.
Description of Grades A: The student has mastered the objectives of the course with excellence. The student has demonstrated this excellence not only by testing, but by participating meaningfully in class activities, by outside reading, by written work of superior quality, and/or by extra projects (research, experiments, skill demonstrations.) B: The student has mastered the objectives of the course in a superior manner. The student has manifested an extra amount of effort in participation, in outside reading, in good written work, and/or some extra projects related to the class. C: The student has mastered the objectives of the course in a satisfactory way. The student has done the required work and has demonstrated an average amount of effort in doing so is an average grade and should not be considered disgraceful A. D: The student has accomplished some of the objectives of the course. The student has fallen below average in some way - by failing some tests, by failing to turn in some required assignments, by poor attendance, by showing only a minimum of interest or ambition in the class. E: The student has failed to meet the objectives of the course. The student has failed tests, has not turned in the required assignments, has shown little or no effort or interest in the class, or has very poor attendance. COMPUTATION OF GRADES Generally semester grades are to be computed by the following method: ISSUANCE AND CONTESTATION OF GRADES First, second, and third quarter grades are delivered to the student in school,
normally within one week of the quarter’s end. Fourth quarter grades are
sent by mail, normally within one week of the end of the year. FAILURE WARNING When applicable, each teacher is requested to inform parents, by phone or in writing, three weeks prior to the end of the quarter when a student is doing poorly. The counselor may be informed as well. FAILURES Failure of two or more classes in a school year will result in the student being placed on academic probation. If the student fails any further classes after having been put on probation, he/she may be subject to expulsion. ACADEMIC ELIGIBILITY POLICY Academic eligibility rules apply to athletics and cheerleading and all extra-curricular activities at Powers and all driver education programs. Extra-curricular activities are those activities which require students to put in time after school and not activities required by a class which the student is currently taking. QUARTER INELIGIBILITY 1. Maintain a grade point of C (1.83) each quarter. If the student does not meet this standard, he or she will be put on academic probation for the next quarter. During this probation, the student will be suspended from all activities, including practices, for the first three weeks of the quarter. A progress report will be sent around every third Friday for the duration of the probation. If the student is performing satisfactorily at the end of each three week period, he/she will be allowed to participate but will remain on probation. If the student is not performing satisfactorily, he/she will continue to be suspended for the quarter from all activities. This suspension will remain in effect until the next three week check at which time he/she may regain eligibility with acceptable classroom performance. This process will be monitored by the high school administration. SEMESTER INELIGIBILITY If the student fails more than 1 semester class, he/she will be ineligible
for the next quarter. Approved summer school classes may be taken to make up for an E and to raise a low G.P.A. Summer School Policy: If a student takes one course in summer school, the summer school grade will be substituted for the student’s lowest quarter grade, and the quarter grade point average will be refigured for purposes of academic eligibility only. If the new grade point average is higher than 1.83, the student will be eligible in the fall. If a student takes two courses in summer school, the two summer school grades will be substituted for the student’s two lowest quarter grades, and the quarter grade point average will be refigured for the purposes of academic eligibility only. If the new grade point average is higher than 1.83, the student will be eligible in the fall. Summer school grades are entered on the student’s transcripts and a credit is added to the student’s total number of credits. However, the summer school grade will not affect the student’s actual grade point average which is shown on the transcript. TESTING PROGRAM To enable students to set and achieve goals compatible with their abilities, interests, and motivations, a testing program is administered by the Guidance and Counseling Department. This program will include the following:
College Entrance Tests: Juniors and Seniors Preliminary Scholastic Aptitude Test (PSAT)/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying
Test (NMSQT) In general, these tests are designed to provide students and their counselors with timely relevant assessment information in pre-college and college planning; they are also used by most colleges as instruments to determine recipients of scholarships. DATES of testing are available in the Guidance Office. Test code for Powers Catholic High School is 231-490. Juniors and Seniors should contact their counselors concerning test registration and other details relevant to college entrance testing program. Literature on these test programs is available in the Guidance Office. COLLEGE APPLICATION POLICY The counselors at Powers Catholic High School act as advocates for students in the college admission process. It is their responsibility to support students and to provide accurate information. Powers Catholic has a policy of full disclosure when dealing with colleges. Powers Catholic will release to the colleges, when requested, all academic records and transcripts and disclose disciplinary action resulting in suspensions during the junior and senior years as well as violations of the academic integrity policy. The credentials of seniors admitted to college are subject to review by the college upon high school graduation. As per the Statement of Principles of Good Practice of the National Association for College Admission Counseling, students and counselors should report any significant change in a candidate's academic status or qualifications, including personal conduct record, between the time of recommendation and graduation, where permitted by applicable laws and regulations and if requested by an institution’s application.
The Secondary School Report, or counselor recommendation, is included in college applications that require them. Secondary School Reports and counselor recommendations are compiled from the academic folder, teacher recommendations and other information gathered by the student?s counselor. These are not released to parents or students as they are considered a confidential communication between the counselor and the college. ACADEMIC INTEGRITY Academic integrity is a high priority at Powers Catholic High School. It requires
that students be truthful and respectful of others' intellectual property. In
their pursuit of knowledge, students must understand what constitutes academic
dishonesty so that it can be avoided. Integrity in all forms is discussed with
students at several points in our curriculum. Cheating: When a student misrepresents their mastery of material on a test or on written projects. Examples: Plagiarism: Representing someone else’s words, ideas,
phrases, or statistics as his or her own work. When a student submits work that
includes research, the sources of the information must be acknowledged through
complete, accurate citation of references, verbatim quotations when necessary,
and bibliographical listing. To avoid a chard of plagiarism, a student should
be sure to include a citation (credit to another person’s work) whenever
they: Fabrication: This is inventing information or giving false
information to deceive the educational process. Examples: The goal at Powers Catholic High School is to encourage and promote honest behavior on the part of our students. Infraction of the above policies will be cumulative over all years that a student is in attendance, and will result in the following: 1st Offense:
For the purposes of this policy, extracurricular activities include, but are not limited to, dances, practices, games, competitions, meeting, and performances. The stealing or possession of tests or grade books, or similar infractions, will be dealt with by the school administration, following the recommendations for serious infractions of school policy. Students involved in NHS or Student Government who are caught cheating will be dealt with as above, AND may be put on probation or even dismissed from the organization for one or more offense. Powers Catholic will disclose to colleges, where permitted by applicable law
and if requested by an institution's application disciplinary
action during the junior and senior years, including violations of the Integrity
Policy. Student Handbook Navigation
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