UPPER SCHOOL
Curriculum Guide
Grading Structure
GRADING STRUCTURE
North Shore does not rank students or have an honor roll system. Grades are recorded in letter form in the upper school. There are plus and minus grades for each category, with the exception that there is no grade of A+. A indicates excellent work
B indicates above-average work
C indicates average or satisfactory work
D indicates below-average work
NS indicates a failure
*INC see below
**P/F see *Incomplete (INC) Grades below
*INC (Incomplete)
When a student’s work is incomplete at the end of a semester, the teacher may assign a failing grade at that time or grant the student an extension. An extension is typically granted only when a severe medical problem exists. In any event, The School will not give credit for a course unless all major assignments have been completed. Any INC at the end of a semester must be made up before the mid-semester mark of the second semester.
**P/F (Pass/Fail)
Students can take a course for credit on a pass/fail basis if it is not required for graduation. The department head and head of upper school must approve the program for students who want to take any course pass/fail. In addition, approval from the college counselor is required for a twelfth grade. This option encourages students to explore academic areas they might not otherwise pursue. Students cannot take AP courses pass/fail. They can make, at most, one course pass/fail per year. If the pass/fail option is elected, students must receive a minimum grade of C- to pass. Students wishing to take a course pass/fail need to denote this as an option on their initial registration or make the appropriate request through the division head during the period when they may add, drop, or change a course. Final approval rests with the department head and The Head of Upper School.
GRADE REPORTS
The school year consists of two semesters, each with a mid-semester point. Students receive letter grades for each course mid-semester and letter grades and teacher comments at the semester’s end. Advisors and parents receive copies of these grades and comments. Only year-end grades, or semester grades in the case of a semester course, are entered on a student’s transcript. The mid-semester grades are intended to serve as indicators of a student’s course progress to that point in time. They are not recorded on transcripts.COMMUNICATION OF ACADEMIC ACHIEVEMENT
There are four mechanisms the School uses to communicate about academic achievement:
ACADEMIC UPDATES are sent home as a way to communicate positive information or to communicate concerns. If a student has done well on an assessment or has shown a pattern of improvement, a faculty member may send home an Academic Update. The faculty member will generally send home an Academic Update for a student who shows a pattern of not handing in homework, does poorly on one or more assessments, or whose grade has dropped.
MID-SEMESTER REPORTS are submitted by faculty at the end of each mid-semester. The reports are updates in which grades are given, and brief feedback may be shared regarding performance and progress. Mid-semester feedback on academic performance is shared in the fall during parent-teacher conferences. Parents who are not able to attend conferences receive brief written comments. In the spring, parents receive grades and academic updates if a student's performance has dropped by ⅔ of a grade.
SEMESTER REPORTS are submitted by the faculty at the end of each semester. These written reports contain narratives and achievement grades. They are provided to the advisor, made available to parents and guardians electronically, and kept in a student's permanent file. The grades for semester courses are official. For a year-long course, the year-end grade is a composite of the two-semester achievement grades and the final exam or project grade. The year-end achievement grade is the official grade of record for a year-long course.
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES occur during the first semester. Notification of the conference and sign-up procedures will be sent in September.
MID-SEMESTER REPORTS are submitted by faculty at the end of each mid-semester. The reports are updates in which grades are given, and brief feedback may be shared regarding performance and progress. Mid-semester feedback on academic performance is shared in the fall during parent-teacher conferences. Parents who are not able to attend conferences receive brief written comments. In the spring, parents receive grades and academic updates if a student's performance has dropped by ⅔ of a grade.
SEMESTER REPORTS are submitted by the faculty at the end of each semester. These written reports contain narratives and achievement grades. They are provided to the advisor, made available to parents and guardians electronically, and kept in a student's permanent file. The grades for semester courses are official. For a year-long course, the year-end grade is a composite of the two-semester achievement grades and the final exam or project grade. The year-end achievement grade is the official grade of record for a year-long course.
PARENT-TEACHER CONFERENCES occur during the first semester. Notification of the conference and sign-up procedures will be sent in September.
FAILED COURSE
If a student fails a course required for graduation, the student must take the failed course at North Shore the following year. However, if the Head of Upper School (or the Head’s designee), in consultation with the Department Chair, determines this is impossible because of circumstances beyond a student’s or the School’s control, the student may take a course that is approved by the Department Chair (or the Chair’s designee). The original North Shore grade will remain on the student’s transcript and typically will be incorporated into the student’s grade point average. The new grade is recorded on the transcript with a notation that credit was given for a course taken at another institution. The new grade will not be incorporated into the student’s grade point average. If students fail their English class at North Shore, in most cases, they cannot return to North Shore.ACADEMIC PROBATION
The administration will review students who are not meeting the academic expectations of The School and may be placed on academic probation. See the academic probation policy in the upper school handbook.