Course Registration Timeline

2008-2009 School Year

Feb. 25                  Process and

                            options presented to

                            students

Feb. 26-27             Elective Course

                            registration

Feb. 28               Registration forms                                    collected 2nd period

March-April 4th        Course selections may

                            be revised

April                      Incoming 9th grade

                            placement

April 4-24               Teacher reevaluations of course placements

April 30, May 1 & 5   Incoming 9th grade registration

May                       Master schedule compiled and conflicts resolved

June 20                  Preliminary scedules mailed to students

June 23-July 18*      Final schedule review-errors and conflicts resolved

*These are final schedules and the Academics Office will not process schedule changes after this date.  A new copy of the student schedule will be provided during Orientation in August.

All upperclassmen register for courses in February and incoming ninth grade students register in April. Preliminary schedules are mailed to students in June with instructions to look for errors or request appropriate changes. Once the school year has started it is not appropriate to change electives or drop a one semester elective course for a study hall or unassigned period.

Students are expected to take any full year course (those labeled Y) for the full year whether the course is required or an elective. It is not acceptable to drop the course at the semester except in extraordinary circumstances.

The academic program seeks to meet the needs of all students. Through the testing program, counselor and teacher recommendations and consultation with parents, students are placed in courses which take into consideration the course objectives and goals, as well as the aspirations, academic skills and emotional maturity of the student. Academic departments generally offer courses on three levels:

AP-    Advanced Placement

H-      Honors
CP-    College Preparatory

Students are not placed in the same level in all subject areas. They are placed in different levels depending on their aptitude and performance in the various disciplines.

Honors and Advanced Placement courses are filled by invitation only and are designed to meet the needs of students who have a high level of responsibility, who are capable of independent work, and who possess highly-developed thinking skills. Students enrolled in these courses who do not continue to demonstrate these qualities will have their invitations withdrawn.

Courses labeled AP include an 8 point addition in the final numeric average and require a $80 fee for the AP exam which is administered in May. All students enrolled in AP courses are required to take the AP exam.

The College Prep courses at St. Pius X are rigorous programs of study which prepare the students for the demands of competitive colleges. College Prep courses accommodate student learning styles by using two teaching formats. Some College Prep courses require greater independence and more long term assignments. Others are more structured with daily homework assignments, frequent quizzes and long term projects broken into several steps. It should be noted that most of these classes use the same textbook.

Students are expected to take any full year course (those labeled Y) for the full year whether the course is required or an elective. It is not acceptable to drop the course at the semester except in extraordinary circumstances.

Once the school year has started it is not appropriate to change electives or drop a one semester elective course for a study hall or unassigned period.

St. Pius X issues numeric grades to its students. The grade interpretations beginning with the 2005 - 2006 school year are as follows:

                 

If work is not completed within two weeks after the semester ends, the Incomplete becomes a numeric grade. In extenuating circumstances, a student may appeal for a time extension to a committee composed of the Dean of Academics and the Dean of Students.