Academic Guidelines for High School Students
In keeping with the philosophies of the Coalition of Essential Schools (CES), The New School stresses the concept of student as worker, teacher as coach. By this, we mean that a student must take responsibility for their education by working hard, while the teachers role is to guide them in their learning process not to spoon feed facts. Just as an athletic coach cajoles, advises cheers, and listens, but cannot run the race for the athlete, so a teacher can only guide a student who is doing his or her work consistently and thoroughly. The academic policies and guidelines of The New School are designed to serve four purposes:
- To ensure that students are the ones who own and develop responsibility for their education.
- To ensure that students develop the Essential Skills and Habits of Mind deemed necessary for graduation.
This means that students will be give the proper opportunities to learn and practice these Skills and that
they must demonstrate that they are gaining these Skills and Habits.
- To ensure that parents and teachers are aware of the student's educational needs, and are providing
appropriate assistance.
- To establish and maintain standards of excellence at The New School.
In order to graduate for The New School, each student must demonstrate thorough class work and
Exhibitions that they have mastered the Essential Skills and Habits of Mind (see School Policy Guide
for details.) Following is a list of policies and procedures designed to help both students and staff
accomplish the goals of the school. We deem it necessary to list them since clarity can only be helpful
to students, parents, and faculty.
- Students must meet minimum basic requirements in mathematics and language in order to be fully enrolled in the high school. Students who do not meet these standards must improve these skills (through courses offered), in order to fully participate in high school classes.
- Students are given two days to change courses at the beginning of each quarter. If a course has low enrollment, a student may be denied the opportunity to leave a course. If a course is already full, a student will not be allowed to transfer into that course..
- Students are given two days to change courses at the beginning of each quarter. If a course has low enrollment, a student may be denied the opportunity to leave a course. If a course is already full, a student will not be allowed to transfer into that course.LI>
- A student must complete the requirements for each course successfully in order to earn credit. A student who drops a course after the third day of class will receive a grade of Withdrawn Failing (WF) for the course. A student who drops a course after more than two weeks will receive an F for the course, unless there are medical or other extenuating circumstances.
- All morning module courses require the successful completion of an Exhibition in order for the student to earn credit. Exhibitions are the public demonstration of student work, to which other students, staff, and at times, members of the larger community are invited. Students must not only exhibit their work in some fashion (a debate, a visual presentation with lecture, a symposium, etc.) but must be prepared to defend and answer questions about their exhibition.
- Students having difficulty with a course should talk directly with the teacher about their issues and difficulties. If these difficulties continue, the student, the teacher, the parent, or a school administrator may call a parent/student/teacher conference. This conference should be seen as a collective effort to solve the problems before they place the student in jeopardy.
- Teachers will notify parents if the student is in danger of failing to complete the course successfully, or if there is a danger of the student being withdrawn for discipline or other problems. If lateness or absences become a significant issue, teachers will contact parents in an effort to solve the problem and avoid lower grades or loss of credit.
- Because the purpose of any New School course is to give students an opportunity to grow in knowledge and in their facility with the Essential Skills and Habits of Mind, it is important that students not merely "squeak by". A student who has not successfully completed a course is only being harmed if they are passed along. To this end, no credit will be given for any grade lower than a C- in any course. While the grade will still appear on a transcript as a D, no credit will be awarded for that grade, and the effect on the GPA will be the same as an "F".
- Students who do not complete a course's required assignments will receive an "F" for the course. In some cases, if a student puts forth great effort but is unable to meet course requirements due to some valid reason, he or she may be granted partial credit. Courses for which students earn partial credits do not receive a letter grade. These courses are graded on a pass/fail basis and must be considered as elective credit. Only half-credit or full-credit courses allow the possibility of earning partial credit.
- Teachers send home written, narrative evaluations within two weeks of the end of courses.
- All seniors must successfully complete all required credits as well as required Senior Exhibitions in order to graduate. No student may participate in graduation ceremonies owing more than one credit of courses, and such a student will not receive a signed diploma until he or she has completed the requirements. See Senior Exhibitions for further details.
Exhibitions, Senior Exhibitions. and Senior Honors Program
Because instruction is focused on teaching for understanding, not memorization, most assessment takes
the form of exhibitions, projects, papers, and essay tests. Exhibitions are public demonstrations of mastery
of the essential skills. They may include debates, mock trials, presentations with displays, portfolios, videos,
symposia, documentaries, and so forth. The exhibitions are open to all students, faculty, parents, and others in the
community. In order to graduate, each senior is required to perform at least one exhibition that demonstrates
he or she has mastered the essential skills. Some seniors opt to extend their studies with the Senior Honors
Program. Students involved in this program take advanced courses, including college courses in addition to
developing an advanced exhibition project.
Portfolios
All junior high and high school students, as part of their academic program, are required to compile a
portfolio. The portfolio consists of specified assignments from a variety of disciplines that are designed
to show the student's best work. Students place a certain number of items in their portfolio each year, and juniors
present their completed portfolio as part of the process of attaining senior status. As part of their graduation
requirements, junior high students present their completed portfolio at the end of their eighth grade year.
Academic Intervention Policy
The Academic Intervention policy of The New School is designed first and foremost with the objective of helping students who are having difficulties with the academic program at The New School. It is designed in a step-wise fashion, in order to ensure proper intervention without overpowering student self-initiative and ownership. At each stage, a growing circle of voices is brought in to examine the academic issue, determine possible causes, and to suggest possible solutions. Our foremost concern is that every student is in the academic environment that most supports their growth and learning, and has access to the academic tools they need. If in the end it is felt that what the student needs is not a good fit with what the school has to offer, then a student may be asked to go elsewhere. This is a final option, and not one taken lightly.
Stage 1
At this stage students are warned that they have demonstrated an ongoing issue of problem in meeting their contract
or academic expectations. The student meets with the High School Director to discuss the issue and to develop
a plan on working towards a solution. Parents are notified via email of this meeting and are encouraged to support
the student's plan. Teachers notify the Lower School (LS) or High School (HS) Director of students that they feel are not meeting
their student contract because they are not completing homework, are excessively late for class, or are not coming
prepared for class.
Stage 2
At the midpoint of each quarter, any student currently earning a D or an F, or who has demonstrated a serious
problem academically (with homework, lateness, etc) will be placed at Stage 2 of the protocol. Teachers are
expected to notify the High School Director and the student's parents of students that are not passing mid-quarter.
At Stage 2 students meet again withe the LS or HS Director to discuss their progress and to look into getting the
student some assistance. This includes suggesting a tutor, use of the the school peer tutoring program, rescheduling
classes to allow for study halls, etc. A parent conference may be called to discuss the issue with students and parents.
Stage 3
Based on the recommendation of the LS or HS Director, a student may be required to meet with the Contract
Committee to investigate why their difficulties are continuing and what steps can be taken to solve the problem.
The LS or HS Director may recommend a student to teh Contract Committee based on their failing a class, or based
on chronic problems with lateness, homework, etc. The Contract Committee meets with the student and their teachers
to investigate the problem and to develop with the student and individual contract. Students on the committee
help in enforcing the contract and sign it. The individual contract can include agreements such as minimum grade
requirements, minimums for homework, lateness, or attendance, etc.
Stage 4
If the student fails to meet the requirements of their individual contract, as developed with the Contract Committee,
they are moved to Stage 4 of the Academic Protocol. At this stage an Academic Conference is called with the
student, their parents, their teachers, and the LS or HS Director. The student's individual contract is reviewed
and the student's failure to meet its requirementsis examined. The student may be required to drop or change
courses, add study halls, obtain an outside tutor, receive educational testing, or other demands. The Academic
Conference may also discuss the quality of the fit between the student and the school, and whether the student and
his or her parents should consider other options.
Stage 5
The student is placed on Academic Probation. Any student on Academic Probation will not be invited back for the following school year, and may be asked to leave immediately if circumstances warrant. A student must work to remove himself or herself from Academic Probation if they hope to continue as a student at The New School.
