PROGRAM OF STUDIES
2007-2008
Revised 2/2006
Dear Parent/Guardian,
This Program of Studies booklet is an important document in terms of
decisions that you and your child must make regarding the future. Together you must plan and select the
program of studies your child will pursue while a student at Gateway Regional
High School. The administration
and faculty have attempted to provide a course of study, which will challenge
and enlighten all students, regardless of their academic level. Your task is to choose courses which
when placed together in a sequence over four years will provide a foundation
upon which a future can be built.
Although we encourage students to formulate specific goals for the
future, keep in mind that the formulation of an educational plan should include
a variety of courses and content areas which will allow students to make
decisions as they go along in terms of a future direction beyond high school.
We hope that you and your child select a schedule of
courses each year that is challenging without being overwhelming. We encourage
students to balance their selections with a core of academic requirements and a
complement of elective offerings. As you and your child select courses, take
note of the prerequisites in terms of grades as well as teacher
recommendation. Do not hesitate to
contact your childÕs teacher and guidance counselor for advice in this process. As a parent, should you choose to
select for your child a course of study that the professional collaboration of
the staff does not agree with, we require that you do so in writing.
Following the course selection process, the master
schedule is built based upon the input from students, teachers and
parents. The task of building a
master schedule is a time-consuming one that necessitates the blending of
course requests with teacher availability and room assignments. For this reason it is very important
that parents and students be sure of their selections and weigh teacher
recommendations carefully. Once
the master schedule has been built and courses and teachers have been assigned
it is very difficult to make any changes without disrupting the master
schedule. Schedules for the
2006-2007 school year will be distributed in late spring. During the month of June any changes to
a childÕs schedule may take place for the first semester of the Õ06-Õ07 school
year. Likewise, two weeks prior to
the start of the second semester of the Õ06-Õ07 school year changes may be made. In both scenarios, changes to your
sonÕs/daughterÕs schedule will be made for the following reasons: 1) failure of
a pre-requisite, 2) changes to an Individualized Educational Plan, and 3)
inappropriate placement.
This booklet contains all of the information you should
need to make the important decisions related to course selection. Please take the time to read through
the course offerings thoroughly, and work with your child to shape the best
program of studies that you can.
Great care, effort, family discussion, and vision should take place as
you take the next steps in your childÕs growth.
Sincerely,
Kathleen E. McSweeney, M.S.,
M.Ed.
Principal
Table of Contents
GENERAL
INFORMATION
Letter to Parents
Requirements for Promotion................................................................................................................... 1
Course Load........................................................................................................................................ 1
Modification of Schedule....................................................................................................................... 1
Graduation Requirements....................................................................................................................... 2
Grading System.................................................................................................................................... 4
Grade Point Average (GPA).................................................................................................................... 4
Grade Scale.......................................................................................................................................... 5
Instructional Grouping Levels................................................................................................................. 6
Nondiscrimination Policy....................................................................................................................... 7
COURSE DESCRIPTIONS
Visual Arts Department.......................................................................................................................... 7
Performing Arts Department.................................................................................................................. 11
English Department............................................................................................................................. 13
World Languages Department................................................................................................................ 16
Mathematics Department...................................................................................................................... 18
Physical Education
& Health Department................................................................................................ 20
Reading Program................................................................................................................................ 23
School-to-Career Program..................................................................................................................... 23
Other Programs................................................................................................................................... 24
School of Technology Programs............................................................................................................ 24
Welding Program...............................................................................................................................
26
Science Department............................................................................................................................. 29
Social Studies Department.................................................................................................................... 32
SPECIAL EDUCATION SERVICES
Academic Support............................................................................................................................... 36
Special Education Courses.................................................................................................................... 36
Developmental Learning Program........................................................................................................... 37
SPECIAL PROGRAMS
School-to Career................................................................................................................................. 37
Tech Prep.......................................................................................................................................... 37
Dual Enrollment Program..................................................................................................................... 38
MT Tom Program............................................................................................................................... 38
Distance Education.............................................................................................................................. 39
Requirements for Promotion
Upon successful completion of
a course, a student will receive 2.5, 5, or 10 credits. Credits are based on the total number
of hours put into the course. A
student enrolled in a course that meets every day for 78 minutes over an entire
semester or for 39 minutes every day over the entire school year will receive
five credits. A student enrolled
in a course that meets 78 minutes every day for one term (one-half of a
semester) or every day for 39 minutes for an entire semester will receive two
and one-half credits. Promotion
from one grade to the next is based on accumulation of credits as follows:
Entrance
to grade 10ÉÉÉÉ..35 credits Entrance
to grade 12ÉÉÉÉ 105 credits Entrance
to grade 11ÉÉÉÉ..70 credits GraduationÉÉÉÉÉÉÉ
145.5 credits
A student wishing to elect for
early graduation or participation in off-campus programs such as dual
enrollment or various school-to-work programs and cooperative education
placements should make every effort to complete the 145.5 credits of required
courses for graduation at Gateway Regional High School by the end of the junior
year. Students wishing to pursue
participation in special programs should consult with their counselor as soon
as possible to complete their requirements in a timely manner.
Course Load
Students must have a full
complement of courses each semester that they attend. This means that students must be enrolled in courses or
programs totaling thirty-five credits each semester. The balance of required versus elective courses scheduled
each semester is a decision that students should reach in consultation with
their guidance counselor during the course selection process each year. Students should keep in mind the fact
that two-thirds of the courses that they take during their four years will be
required courses.
modification of schedule
A request for a schedule
change will only be considered during the month of June 2006 and in the
two-week period preceding the beginning of the second semester. Changes in schedule after that period
are subject to the withdrawal procedure.
The withdrawal procedure requires permission of teachers of the courses
involved, a parent/guardian, the appropriate counselor and the
administration. A student who
withdraws from a course after the allowed time period will be assigned one of
the following grades: WP if the student is passing the course at the time of
withdrawal or WF if the student is
failing the course. The assigned
status (WP or WF) will remain on the studentÕs transcript. A grade of WF will be averaged into the studentÕs GPA. A change in level in a particular
course, based upon the recommendation of a teacher and the counselor, can take
place at anytime during the year, provided the schedule can accommodate the
change. A student may audit a
course for no credit with permission of the instructor and counselor prior to
the first day of class. This
permission must be granted prior to the beginning of the semester/term. A grade of AUD will appear on the studentÕs report card and
transcript.
Graduation Requirements
The following distribution of
courses, as well as the successful passing of MCAS testing, must be completed
in order to meet the requirements for graduation at Gateway Regional High
School:
DEPARTMENT/AREA class
of 2007 CLASS
of 2010
(required credits) (required credits)
English 20 credits 25 credits
Mathematics 15 credits 25 credits
Science 15 credits 20 credits
Social Studies 20 credits 20 credits
Fine Arts 10 credits 10
credits
*Physical Education 10 credits 17.5
credits
World Languages 5 credits
0 credits
Technology 5 credits
0 credits
School Service Project 5 credits
5 credits
*Electives
25 credits 15 credits
*Advisory 2 credits 8 credits
TOTAL 132 credits 145.5 credits
Students
are advised that the Massachusetts four-year State College and University
system requires any candidate for admission must have completed two courses in
the same foreign language and the sequence of Algebra I, Geometry, and Algebra
II to be considered for admission to any of the state colleges or
universities. Students should
consult with their guidance counselor when planning a program of study. For
further information make reference to www.ma.edu.
Any of the above requirements
may be waived if it can be documented that a requirement will impede a
studentÕs opportunity to complete a viable program of study as determined by
the guidance department and administration. Waivers of any the above requirements must be processed
through the guidance office.
Questions regarding a studentÕs schedule and the impact of graduation
requirements on a studentÕs ability to graduate should be addressed to the
guidance department.
* If a student is short
credits they may be taken in any elective area.
*Advisory-Class of 2008(4
credits), Class of 2009(6 credits), Class of 2010(8 credits)
*PE- Class of 2008(15
credits), Class of 2009(15 Credits)
WELDING PROGRAM
The Welding/Metal Fabrication program at Gateway Regional
High School is a Chapter 74 approved vocational program, which is available to
all students. There is a minimum
number of hours that a student must spend in the welding shop in order to
satisfy state certification requirements.
Successful completion of the welding program at Gateway allows students
to attain certification.
Because of the increased amount of time that welding
students must spend engaged in hands-on welding activities, it is necessary to
adjust other graduation requirements for these students. The following courses are required for
welding students to earn both a Gateway diploma and state certification in the
field of welding/metal fabrication:
Required credits:
ClasS of 2010
English 20 credits
Social Studies 15 credits
Science 10 credits
Mathematics 20 credits
*Physical Education 12.5
credits
Metals Technology 5 credits
Welding 40 credits
Electives 10 credits
*Advisory 8 credits
School Service
Project 5
credits
Total Credits
145.5 credits
* If a student is short
credits they may be taken in any elective area.
* Advisory-Class of 2008(4
credits), Class of 2009(6 credits), Class of 2010(8 credits)
* PE- Class of 2008(15
credits), Class of 2009(15 Credits)
Grading System
Report cards
are issued to students four times each year. Interim progress reports are also sent home between report
card dates, ensuring that parents are kept informed of student progress in a
timely manner. Course grades
reflect the teacherÕs assessment of a studentÕs contribution to the class
including tests, quizzes, classroom participation, independent projects, and
other factors. The letter grade
reported on a report card reflects the teachers syllabus and rubrics that
corresponds to the following numerical equivalents:
A+ 98-100 C+ 78-79
A 93-97 C 73-77
A- 90-92 C- 70-72
B+ 88-89 D+ 68-69
B 83-87 D 63-67
B- 80-82 D- 60-62
F Below 60 (No credit)
Grade Point Average (GPA)
Students in grades
nine through eleven receive a weighted grade point average at the end of each
year on their final report card for the year. Seniors also receive a weighted
GPA at the end of the first semester.
A grade point average is calculated primarily for the purposes of
determining class rank, which is a factor that colleges look at in assessing a
candidate for admission. The GPA
is calculated by assigning a weight to all grades, with higher weights given to
higher-level classes such as Advanced Placement and Honors courses. Classes taken at Gateway Regional High
School in English, Social Studies, Mathematics, Foreign Language and Science
are included in the calculation of the GPA. Courses taken under the Dual Enrollment Program or while a
student has been home-schooled are not included in the calculation of the
studentÕs GPA. The calculation of
the GPA is based on the numerical grade received in a class, as opposed to the
letter grade, which represents a range of numerical grades. This is done because of the closeness
of overall grade point averages among top students when selecting class honors
such as valedictorian and salutatorian.
A student must have attended Gateway Regional High School during his/her
junior and senior year in order to be considered for the awarding of class
valedictorian or salutatorian. The
following chart contains the weighted values for grades received in courses at
different instructional levels.
GRADE SCALE
|
Letter Grade
|
Numerical Grade
|
AP/HONORS
|
ADVANCED
|
STANDARD
|
BASIC
|
|
A+
|
100
|
5
|
4.5
|
4
|
3.5
|
|
A+
|
99
|
4.93
|
4.43
|
3.93
|
3.43
|
|
A+
|
98
|
4.86
|
4.36
|
3.86
|
3.36
|
|
A
|
97
|
4.79
|
4.29
|
3.79
|
3.29
|
|
A
|
96
|
4.72
|
4.22
|
3.72
|
3.22
|
|
A
|
95
|
4.65
|
4.15
|
3.65
|
3.15
|
|
A
|
94
|
4.58
|
4.08
|
3.58
|
3.08
|
|
A
|
93
|
4.51
|
4.01
|
3.51
|
3.01
|
|
A-
|
92
|
4.44
|
3.94
|
3.44
|
2.94
|
|
A-
|
91
|
4.37
|
3.87
|
3.37
|
2.87
|
|
A-
|
90
|
4.3
|
3.8
|
3.3
|
2.8
|
|
B+
|
89
|
4.23
|
3.73
|
3.23
|
2.73
|
|
B+
|
88
|
4.16
|
3.66
|
3.16
|
2.66
|
|
B
|
87
|
4.09
|
3.59
|
3.09
|
2.59
|
|
B
|
86
|
4.02
|
3.52
|
3.02
|
2.52
|
|
B
|
85
|
3.95
|
3.45
|
2.95
|
2.45
|
|
B
|
84
|
3.88
|
3.38
|
2.88
|
2.38
|
|
B
|
83
|
3.81
|
3.31
|
2.81
|
